Method and apparatus for supplying fluid to an internal combustion engine

An apparatus for supplying fluid to intake air used by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and ignition means producing electrical energy pulses in timed relation to the speed of the engine comprising:

• container means for storing a fluid, nozzle means for discharging fluid to provide an air and fluid mixture in the intake manifold, pump means operable to pump fluid under pressure from the container means to said nozzle means, an electric motor operable to drive the pump means, means to sense the vacuum pressure of gas in the intake manifold, said means to sense the vacuum pressure of the gas in the intake manifold includes a diaphragm assembly having a housing with an enclosed chamber, a flexible diaphragm extended across said chamber, said diaphragm being mounted on said housing, means connecting said housing and intake manifold whereby the vacuum pressure in said manifold is in communication with said chamber causing the diaphragm to move in said chamber in response to changes of said vacuum pressure, rod means connected to and movable with said diaphragm, said means operable to provide an electric current having means for sensing the position of the rod means and providing electrical information which varies according to the sensed position of the rod means whereby the electrical information is proportional to the vacuum pressure of gas in the intake manifold, said means for sensing the position of the rod means includes light emitting and reflective light sensing means, and control means operably associated to the means to sense the vacuum pressure in the intake manifold and produce an electrical signal in proportion to the vacuum pressure of the gas in said intake manifold, said control means having means operable to provide output electric energy to operate the electric motor as a function of the product of said electric energy pulses of the ignition means and the electric signal that is proportional to said vacuum pressure in the intake manifold, whereby said electric motor operates to drive the pump means so as to maintain a substantially constant ratio of fluid to air in the intake manifold over the operating rpm of the engine.

An apparatus for supplying fluid to intake air used by an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and ignition means producing electrical energy pulses in timed relation to the speed of the engine comprising:

• container means for storing a fluid, nozzle means for discharging the fluid to provide an air and fluid mixture in the intake manifold, pump means operable to pump the fluid under pressure from the container means to said nozzle means, an electric motor operable to drive the pump means, means to sense the vacuum pressure of the gas in the intake manifold, and control means operably associated with the means to sense the vaccuum pressure in the intake manifold and produce an electrical signal in proportion to the vacuum pressure of the gas in the intake manifold, said control means having means operable to provide output electric energy to operate the electric motor as a function of the product of said electric energy pulses of the ignition means and the electric signal that is proportional to said vacuum pressure in the intake manifold, whereby said electric motor operates to drive the pump means so as to maintain a substantially constant ratio of fluid to air in the intake manifold over the operating rpm of the engine, said means of said control means including circuit means operable to produce a pulsing signal related to the electric energy pulses of the ignition means, means to provide said electric signal, said electric signal operable to vary the width of said pulsing signal, and means responsive to said pulsing signal to provide said output electric energy to said electric motor, said means to provide said electrical signal comprises light emitting means projecting light toward the means to sense the vacuum pressure, and means to sense light reflected by said means to sense the vacuum pressure and provide said electric signal.

An apparatus for introducing a second liquid fuel to intake air moving into a carburetor accommodating a first liquid fuel operable to mix air and said first and second liquid fuels to provide an air/fuel mixture to an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine having ignition means producing electrical energy pulses in timed relation to the speed of the engine comprising:

• container means for storing a second liquid fuel, nozzle means for discharging said second liquid fuel, nozzle means for discharging said second liquid fuel into the intake air, pump means operable to pump said second liquid fuel from the container means to the nozzle means whereby said second liquid fuel is discharged by the nozzle means into the intake air, an electric drive means operable to drive said pump means, means to sense the vacuum pressure of gas in the intake manifold, and provide information proportional to said vacuum pressure, and control means operable to provide an electrical signal using said information which is proportional to said vacuum pressure of gas in the intake manifold and output electric energy to operate the electric drive means as a function of the product of said electric energy pulses of the ignition means and the electrical signal whereby the electric drive means operates the pump means so as to maintain a substantially constant ratio of said first and second liquid fuels relative to each other and to air in the intake manifold over the operating rpm of the engine.