Walbro Corporation

Matthew L Werner

Ronald H Roche

James A Herndon

Charles H Tuckey

Kenneth J Cotton

Peter P Kuperus

William C Eberline

James K Miller

Joseph M Graham

Ralph G Hardwick

John S Stark

William L Learman

A vehicle fuel system has an electronic control module received within a fuel tank to send data to and receive data from the electronic control unit (ECU) for the vehicle engine and other vehicle control systems, to provide an electronic control of the vehicle fuel system and to receive signals from one or more sensors mounted within the fuel tank which provide information about the operation of the fuel system. The fuel system integrates a plurality of components into the vehicle fuel tank to reduce the number of openings through the vehicle fuel tank and the number of external connections which must be made in assembly of the fuel system into a vehicle. By disposing a fuel vapor canister within the fuel tank, each vapor vent valve within the fuel tank can communicate completely within the tank with the vapor canister with a single outlet extending from the fuel tank to communicate fuel vapor from the canister with an intake manifold of the engine. Desirably, this outlet may extend through the same opening in the fuel tank through which the fuel pump, vapor canister, electronic control module and other components of the vehicle fuel system are inserted into the fuel tank. Notably, the number of openings in the tank is reduced and in one embodiment, only two openings are used in the tank, one for a fill pipe through which fuel is introduced into the tank and the other for the insertion of the various fuel system components into the tank.

Vehicle fuel system

A capacitor discharge type ignition system for an internal combustion engine has a secondary charge coil mounted on a ferromagnetic core adjacent to a primary charge coil and an ignition coil, and means for selectively providing current from a battery to the secondary charge coil to increase the charging of a capacitor with the fly back voltage of the secondary charge coil when the current supplied to it from the battery is interrupted or terminated to increase the charge stored by the capacitor at low engine speeds and thereby facilitate starting an engine at very low engine speeds. The battery provides additional energy necessary to provide ignition and starting of the engine at very low engine speeds and can also be used to provide power for other functions, such as to electric starting of the engine, or to power other auxiliary features of the machine powered by the engine. Advantageously, the secondary charge coil is not regulated and excess power discharged from the secondary charge coil is directed to the battery to recharge the battery and maximize its life.

Low speed ignition system

A drive circuit for energizing an engine fuel injector coil from a power source which has energy storage means responsive to a first control signal for selectively storing energy from the power source, and means responsive to a second control signal for selectively discharging energy stored in the energy storage means into said injector coil. The stored energy is discharged into the injector coil in addition to energy from the power source, to more rapidly open the fuel injector. In a preferred embodiment, the circuit has an inductor in circuit with the fuel injector, an inductor driver switch to control the flow of current through the inductor and an injector driver switch to control the flow of current through the fuel injector. When the inductor is energized by its associated switch, it stores significant electromagnetic energy therein, which is transferred to the injector when it is desired to open the injector to deliver an increased current to the injector to more quickly open it and reduce the start delay time for the injection event.

Inductive discharge injector driver

A fuel delivery system and method for providing fuel to a fuel injected engine using an engine control unit (ECU) to determine engine fuel demand and adjust fuel pump operation accordingly to supply at least as much fuel as demanded by the engine. The ECU determines a fuel pump control signal based upon fuel demand and applies the signal to a fuel pump driver that controllably drives the pump in response to the control signal. The ECU determines fuel demand by monitoring engine operation and calculates a control signal that controls the duration of time the fuel injector stays open during an upcoming intake stroke of engine operation. The pump control signal is proportional to engine fuel demand multiplied by a constant that ensures more fuel will be available for delivery to the injector than demanded by the engine. Engine fuel demand is proportional to the duration of time the injector will stay open multiplied by the engine speed. Preferably, if the calculated pump signal is less than a minimum that would cause the pump to operate below a desired minimum duty cycle, the control signal is set at the minimum to ensure sufficient excess fuel will be available to meet any sharp increases in demand. If the calculated signal is greater than the maximum pump duty cycle, the signal is set at the maximum to avoid damaging the pump. If the calculated signal is between the minimum and maximum limits, the control signal is set to the calculated value.

Engine demand fuel delivery system

A liquid propane fuel storage and delivery system for a vehicle engine with a fluid handling component module removably top-mounted on an appropriate vehicle-mounted pressurized liquid propane fuel storage tank. The module includes: (1) a fuel tank 80% stop-fill subsystem that automatically opens and closes the tank fill port to control tank fuel fill; (2) a hydrostatic back-check valve to prevent reverse fuel flow from the tank to atmosphere via the fill port; (3) an excess fuel bypass return check valve that maintains a predetermined amount of pressure in the fuel line as required to achieve acceptable engine performance; (4) a return check bypass valve that bypasses the return check valve to allow an extra amount of vapor-purging liquid fuel to be flushed through the system and returned to the tank through the fill solenoid prior to engine start-up; (5) an excess flow valve to limit fuel flow to atmosphere in case of a severed fuel line; (6) a supply solenoid valve assembly that prevents fuel flow to the engine if the solenoid is not energized; (7) a supply line over-pressure check valve to prevent a pump outlet line from being overstressed due to pressure build up; (8) a tank pressure relief valve; (9) a tank drain valve; (10) a 'leak-free' electrical coupling; and (11) a fuel pod assembly housing one or two fuel pumps pumping either in parallel or series flow.

Liquid propane fuel delivery system

An automatic fuel enrichment system for cranking and warm-up of an internal combustion engine in which a solenoid valve is responsive to control electronics for selectively feeding enrichment fuel to the engine air intake manifold. The valve control electronics receives a signal from the engine ignition system and controls a solenoid valve as a function of engine speed. Specifically, the control electronics energizes the solenoid valve when engine speed exceeds a preset minimum cranking threshold until the engine reaches a preset idle speed threshold, at which point enrichment is terminated. In the event that the engine begins to stall during warm-up and engine speed declines to a preset intermediate threshold, the enrichment valve is again energized until the engine reaches idle speed.

Growing community of inventors

Caro, MI, United States of America

Matthew L Werner