Walbro Corporation

Walbro Engine Management, L.l.c.

Awalbro Corporation

Ronald H Roche

William E Galka

Mark S Swanson

John C Woody

Kenneth J Cotton

Peter P Kuperus

Kevin L Israelson

Yoshiaki Douyama

Kevin L Williams

Matthew L Werner

Joseph M Graham

Charles H Tuckey

James E Van Allen

Kerry E Grifka

Edward J Talaski

Martin N Andersson

Bradley Jon Roche

G Clarke Oberheide

Andrew Edwin Bejcek

Cyrus M Healy

Joseph M Ross

Roger N Smith

Jeffrey C Hoppe

David E Bennett

Ronald B Kuenzli

Bryan J Gettel

James A Herndon

J D Tuckey, Deceased

Massimo Casoni

Anthony M Kueffner

David L Knight

Bradley D Hilbig

Tomoko Takano

Shawn Dill

Muniappan Anbarasu

Martin L Radue

John S Stark

Devlin A Hunt

William L Learman

Alessandro Pascoli

Kerry E Griffka

A method of operating an engine is disclosed, which includes determining a peak power condition for the engine, measuring a temperature associated with the engine at said peak power condition, comparing the temperature measured with a previously determined temperature associated with a known peak power condition of the engine, determining an offset value based on the comparison made in step, controlling at least one of an air-fuel mixture delivered to the engine or ignition spark timing based on said offset value. Various engine fuel delivery systems, carburetors, fuel injection and control systems also are disclosed.

Engine fuel delivery systems, apparatus and methods

A fuel and air charge forming device, such as a carburetor, may include a main body, a fuel and air mixing passage in the body, a fluid passage communicating with the fuel and air mixing passage and a solenoid valve. The solenoid valve may include a coil and a valve body having a base fixed against movement and a valve head extending from the base. The valve head may be driven by the coil between a first position wherein the valve head at least partially obstructs the fluid passage and a second position wherein the valve head permits greater fluid flow in the fluid passage to control fluid flow through the fluid passage.

Charge forming device and solenoid valve

A method, fuel system, and components for facilitating the delivery of liquid fuel from a fuel tank in fluid communication with a float bowl carburetor of an internal combustion engine, wherein evaporative emissions of the fuel from the fuel tank and float bowl carburetor are mitigated. During operation of the engine, fluid communication is permitted between the fuel tank and the carburetor, and fuel vapors at a predetermined threshold superatmospheric pressure are permitted to vent outwardly from the fuel tank. During inoperation of the engine, fluid communication is prevented between the fuel tank and the carburetor, and fuel vapors at a predetermined threshold superatmospheric pressure are permitted to vent outwardly from the fuel tank.

Evaporative emissions controls in a fuel system

Evaporative emission controls in a fuel system

A fuel delivery system for a combustion engine has a fuel tank which defines an access hole preferably communicating through either the top wall or bottom wall of the tank. An associated top or bottom flange, both having a fuel channel for flowing fuel out of the tank, sealably covers the access hole. A fuel pump module is located in the fuel chamber of the tank and has a universal, structural, pod which engages either the top or bottom flange while preferably maintaining an axial upright position. The pod defines an axially extending first bore for housing a fuel pump and preferably an electric pump motor and a second bore defined by a cylindrical inner face and spaced radially outward from the first chamber for housing a reversible filter cartridge of the module. The pod also has a fuel discharge nozzle which generally defines a counter bore that communicates axially with the second bore. Fuel flows into the pump through an inlet defined by the pod and pressurized fuel flows from the pump and into the second bore via a fuel passage preferably defined by the pod. The filter cartridge preferably has a filter element generally spaced from the pod within the second bore for filtration efficiency by a primary end retainer and an opposite secondary end retainer. The end retainers generally seal to the pod within the second bore thus flowing all of the pressurized fuel from the fuel passage and through the filter element before being discharged from the second bore as supply fuel and/or bypass fuel. Preferably, filtered fuel flows through the primary end retainer as system supply fuel to a combustion engine and the remaining filtered fuel flows through the secondary end retainer as bypass fuel back into the fuel tank chamber.

Integrated fuel delivery system

A system for reducing escape to the atmosphere of hydrocarbon fuel vapors from a fuel tank for a combustion engine powered device including at least one functional member that directly communicates with the fuel tank and is constructed to receive and retain hydrocarbon vapors therein. The functional member may further include a bed of activated carbon-based material for adsorbing and purging of the hydrocarbon vapors. The functional member is otherwise useful to the device beyond the vapor handling function and may be incorporated into a handlebar assembly, frame component, housing, cover, and the like thereby reducing component parts and reducing cost and complexity of the device.

Fuel vapor control system

A fluid pump includes an electric motor with a casing and a drive shaft extending from the casing, a pumping element coupled to the drive shaft for rotation with the shaft to take in fluid and discharge it under pressure. The fuel pump casing may be sealed and a housing coupled to the casing may provide the inlet and outlet passages for fluid flow to and from the pumping element. The housing may be received in or communicated with other housing or module assemblies to provide a wide array of fuel pump assemblies. The pumping element may include one or more gear rotors, a turbine pumping element, or other pumping element, as desired.

Fluid pump assembly

A low cost bypass pressure regulator preferably for a returnless fuel system supplying liquid fuel to a fuel injector of the combustion engine. The pressure regulator preferably has a valve head disposed at least in part in a valve chamber defined by a circumferentially continuous inner surface carried by a valve body and which transitions radially outward with respect to a center axis and in a downstream direction. The valve head preferably tapers radially inward from a downstream peripheral outer edge of the head. In a closed position, the valve head engages a seat carried by the body with the peripheral outer edge downstream of the seat and radially spaced from and fitted closely to the valve chamber continuous inner surface thus defining a close fit region therebetween. As the valve head opens, the flow cross-section enlarges which reduces or eliminates oscillation of the valve head.

Bypass pressure regulator

A vapor control system includes a vapor receiver having an inlet through which vapor is received, an outlet through which vapor is discharged, and a control valve having a first inlet in communication with the outlet of the fuel receiver, a second inlet in communication with a pressure source and an outlet. The control valve also includes a valve having a closure moveable between a first position, preventing communication between the first inlet and the outlet, and a second position permitting communication between the first inlet and the outlet in response to a pressure signal over a threshold pressure provided from the pressure source through the second inlet. Movement of the closure to its second position permits routing of vapor from the vapor receiver, through the first inlet and out of the outlet of the control valve.

Purge valve and vapor control system

A method, fuel system, and a valve for facilitating the delivery of liquid fuel and fuel vapors from a fuel tank in fluid communication with a carburetor of an internal combustion engine. During operation of the internal combustion engine, the fuel tank is permitted to fluidically communicate the liquid fuel to the carburetor, and to vent the fuel vapors to one or more of a carbon canister, the atmosphere, and the carburetor. In contrast, when the internal combustion engine is not operating, the fuel tank is prevented from fluidically communicating the liquid fuel to the carburetor, and from venting the fuel vapors to one or more of the carbon canister, the atmosphere, and the carburetor, thereby preventing escape of evaporative emissions of the fuel from the fuel tank.

Evaporative emission controls

A throttle body for an internal combustion engine has a housing, a first plate carried by the housing for linear reciprocation between a first position and a second position in response to movement of a throttle member, and a second plate carried by the housing for linear reciprocation between a first position and a second position in response to the movement of the fist plate. The first plate and second plates define at least in part an opening through the throttle body. The opening provides a variable flow area that increases as the first plate and the second plate move from their first positions toward their second positions and decreases as the first and second plates move from their second positions toward their first positions. As the first and second plates move between their first and second positions, the flow area of the opening is continually varied.

Throttle body

A fuel metering system for a combustion engine carburetor utilizes a non-convoluted, planar, flexible diaphragm which does not require a molding process to form a traditional convolution. The diaphragm defines in part a pressure controlled fuel metering chamber on one side and a reference chamber at atmospheric pressure on the other side. During operation of the engine, sub-atmospheric pressure within a fuel and air mixing passage draws fuel from the metering chamber to mix with air for combustion within the engine. As pressure within the metering chamber thus decreases, the diaphragm flexes into metering chamber. The displacement of the diaphragm actuates a flow control valve of the metering system which flows pressurized make-up fuel into the metering chamber until the diaphragm returns to its datum position. Preferably, hardware of the flow control valve which is in direct contact with a surface of the diaphragm exposed to the metering chamber does not penetrate the diaphragm as the traditional rivet and washer assembly would. Therefore, manufacturing costs are reduced and any opportunity of leakage between the fuel metering chamber and reference chamber is eliminated. Preferably, the carburetor is of a manual external purge type in order to exert sufficient vacuum within the metering chamber to displace the metering diaphragm thus opening the flow control valve to purge the carburetor of unwanted fuel vapor and air prior to starting the engine. The novel planar diaphragm thereby resolves problems associated with traditional metering diaphragms such as variation in convolution datum height affecting flow control valve lever/diaphragm clearances, non-symmetric convolution axis or distorted convolution affecting diaphragm pressure response and recovery.

Fuel metering system for a carburetor

A fuel pump assembly for use with a fuel injected combustion engine has a liquid cooled vapor separator from which conditioned fuel is drawn by a high pressure fuel pump. The vapor separator has an internal heat conductive sleeve which defines a fuel chamber or reservoir. A coolant chamber surrounds the heat conducting sleeve and is carried laterally between an exterior housing of the fuel pump assembly and the internal sleeve. A coiled baffle disposed within the coolant chamber forms a coolant channel which spirals about the sleeve. The channel has a first end which communicates with a coolant passage inlet and an opposing second end which communicates with a coolant passage outlet carried by the housing. The introduction of the baffle, therefore the channeling of coolant flow through the spiraling channel, improves the fuel cooling efficiency of the vapor separator by eliminating hot spots created by stagnate or non-flowing coolant areas within the coolant chamber.

Vapor separator for a fuel pump assembly

A modular diaphragm carburetor is provided which has a plurality of plates each with generally planar faces adapted to be mated and releasably connected together to facilitate manufacturing and assembling the carburetor and to permit various plates and components of the carburetor to be used in carburetors designed for use with different engine families. By providing a plurality of mated together plates, the machining of the passages through the carburetor is made dramatically easier when compared to the machining of a carburetor having a single body with end caps. Still further, the modular diaphragm design permits different plates and/or components of the carburetor to be used with other components to provide a carburetor having different performance characteristics and suitable for use with a different engine family. Therefore, a wide range of carburetors can be provided which have many of the same components to reduce the overall part count and to more economically manufacture and assemble a wide range of carburetors.

Modular diaphragm carburetor

Growing community of inventors

Cass City, MI, United States of America

Ronald H Roche