The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 26, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 29, 1998
Minoru Torii, Wako, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A circuit for driving an electromagnetic solenoid valve, used as a fuel injector in an internal combustion engine, having a needle valve biased in a closing direction by a spring and a solenoid which moves the needle valve in an opening direction when energized to inject fuel into a cylinder of the engine. The circuit includes a first booster which boosts battery voltage to a first voltage to charge a capacitor. The charged voltage is applied to the solenoid for a time period to cause the needle valve to move in the opening direction. The circuit includes a second booster which boosts the battery voltage to a second voltage, less than the first voltage, to be supplied to the solenoid to maintain the first current, enabling the period of large current application to be freely determined to ensure reliable valve operation, whereby the fuel injection can be reliably effected. After the time period has expired, the voltage supply is discontinued, enabling improvement of the valve linearity characteristics, while conserving the energy stored in the battery power source.