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:
Jan. 23, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 25, 1999
Jerry Edward Nines, Newport News, VA (US);
Frank Zimmerman, Newport News, VA (US);
Danny Orlen Wright, Cobb's Creek, VA (US);
Siemens Automotive Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling a heated tip injector having a connector with more than two pins. In one embodiment, the method includes (a) providing a plurality of heated tip injectors each having a coil and an internal heater; (b) maintaining all the internal heaters in an OFF state while the engine is cranking; (c) maintaining an internal beater in an OFF state if any of the coils are ON; and (d) maintaining an internal heater in an ON state if the engine is not cranking and all the internal heater coils are OFF. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of heated tip injectors each having a coil and an internal heater; a power supply; an ignition switch connected to the power supply, one end of each coil and heater being connected together and to the ignition switch; an engine electronic control unit, another end of each coil being connected to the engine electronic control unit; means for switching each internal heater ON and OFF, another end of each internal heater being connected through a respective means for switching to ground; a crank circuit including a crank for cranking the engine; and means for isolating the crank circuit from the engine electronic control unit.