# US 4,376,739 A · Heated air bleed idle needle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,376,739 A - Document ID: US4376739A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/345,561 - Filed: 1982-02-04 - Granted: 1983-03-15 - Earliest claimed: 1982-02-04 - Inventors: John R. Passey, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4376739A ## CPC - F02M 3/10: Fuel metering pins; Nozzles - F02M 25/0225: {Water atomisers or mixers, e.g. using ultrasonic waves} - F02M 25/035: into the charge intakes - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y10S 261/38: Needle valves - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract An adjustable idle needle valve assembly for an internal combustion engine carburetor includes an air bleed threaded needle valve mounted on a plug for a tubular metal housing, an insulating fiberglass sleeve in the housing and an electric needle valve heater coil within the insulating sleeve. The heater coil extends between the needle valve mounting plug and an outer air inlet plug for the tubular metal housing. An air-conducting shield tube extends between the plugs for isolating the flow of bleed air from the insulating sleeve, particularly when the outer plug is connected to a liquid vapor trap. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An adjustable idle needle valve assembly for controlling the aspiration of idling fuel into the throat of an internal combustion engine carburetor at a zone downstream of the throttle valve, said assembly comprising a threaded metal needle valve, an elongate tubular metal housing, inner metallic plug means for said tubular housing connected to the outer end of said needle valve, outer metallic plug means for said housing, means for insulating one of said plug means from the housing, a tubular electric insulating sleeve within said housing, a helical heating coil of resistance wire within said insulating sleeve connected between said outer and inner plug means, and means for providing an electrical connection to said outer plug means for energizing said coil; the improvement wherein said needle valve has an air bleed passage extending axially from its outer end to a transverse passage at its inner end, an axial air passage in said inner plug means communicating with said needle valve passage, an air inlet passage in said outer plug means, an air conducting shield tube extending between said outer and inner plug means and communicating with the air passages therein, said coil of resistance wire providing the sole electrical connection between said outer and inner plug means, and an air line connection on said outer plug means for selectively connecting said plug means to an air inlet vapor trap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The needle valve assembly of claim 1; wherein said shield tube is formed of metal and means for electrically insulating one end of said shield tube from one of said plug means. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The needle valve assembly of claim 2; wherein the other end of said shield tube is mounted directly to the other of plug means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The needle valve assembly of claim 2; wherein the air passage in said one plug has a portion that is larger in diameter than the diameter of said one end of the shield tube, said shield tube insulating means comprising an insulating sleeve surrounding said one end of the shield tube and disposed in said larger diameter portion of the inner plug means passage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The needle valve assembly of claim 4; wherein said shield tube insulating sleeve is a fiber glass fabric. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The needle valve assembly of claim 4; wherein said shield tube is mounted directly in the air passage of said outer plug means with a light press fit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The needle valve assembly of claim 1; comprising a liquid reservoir air inlet vapor trap and air conduit means detachably connected between said vapor trap and the air line connection on said outer plug means. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The needle valve assembly of claim 7; wherein said electrical connection means comprises a connector clip detachably connected to said outer plug means between said air line connection and said housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The needle valve assembly of claim 1; wherein the inner portion of said inner plug means is formed with a threaded socket communicating with the air passage in said inner plug means, the outer end of said needle valve being externally threaded and screwed into said socket for facilitating attachment of any one of an assortment of needle valves to said inner plug means and a locknut for the external threads on the outer end of said needle valve. ### Claim 10 An adjustable idle needle valve assembly for the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, said assembly being of the type having a threaded needle valve with an air bleed passage therethrough, an electric heater unit comprising a tubular housing, inner plug means for connecting the inner end of said housing to the outer end of said needle valve, electric terminal plug means for the outer end of the housing, means for insulating one of said plug means from the housing, a helical electric heating coil within said housing connected between said plug means for heating said needle valve, an electric insulation sleeve surrounding said coil, an air bleed passage through each of said plug means and a hose nipple on said electric terminal plug means; the improvement comprising a small diameter metallic air conducting shield tube, means for mounting said shield tube between said plug means and in communication with said air bleed passages, means for electrically insulating said shield tube from one of said plug means to prevent shorting out of said heating coil by said shield tube and means for selectively connecting the hose nipple on said electric terminal plug means to a vapor trap. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10; wherein said shield tube insulating means comprises an insulating sleeve disposed between an end of the shield tube and the associated plug means.