US 4,884,541 A · Speed governor for small engines

Abstract

A speed regulating governor system is disclosed for a small internal combustion engine having a throttle valve the position of which affects the speed of the engine, wherein the governor system includes a mechanical proportional controller and an electromechanical integral controller. The throttle valve is mechanically linked to and controlled by a governor lever that is acted upon by opposing forces provided by a mechanical speed selector and a centrifugal flyweight apparatus which measures the engine speed. Additonally, a solenoid actuator is operably connected to the governor lever to apply a force thereto in response to a control signal generated by an electronic integral controller. The control signal is proportional to the time integral of the difference between a desired electrical speed input and the actual speed of the engine measured by an electrical signal generated by an alternator driven by the engine.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A speed regulating apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve the position of which affects the speed of the engine, comprising:

speed selecting means for selecting a desired speed for the engine;
speed monitoring means for determing the actual speed of the engine;
mechanical proportional control means, responsive to said speed selecting means and said speed monitoring means, for providing a mechanical output proportional to the difference between said desired speed and said actual speed, said mechanical output being operative to control the position of the throttle valve;
electronic integral control means, responsive to said speed selecting means and said speed monitoring means, for providing an electrical control signal output proportional to the time integral of the difference between said desired speed and said actual speed;
and
electromechanical means, coupled to said throttle valve and having a control input connected to said electronic integral control means to receive said control signal output, for controlling the position of said throttle valve in dependence upon said electrical control signal output, whereby said mechanical control means provides proportional control of the position of the throttle valve and said electronic control means provides integral control of the position of the throttle valve.

3 more elements

In combination with an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve the position of which affects the speed of the engine, wherein the engine includes a proportional control speed governor comprising mechanical means for adjusting the position of the throttle valve by applying a force thereto proportional to the difference between a mechanical engine speed setting and a mechanically determined actual engine speed, whereby the proportional control speed governor experiences control offset error in response to changes in engine loading conditions, an electronic integral controller, comprising:

electronic speed selecting means for selecting a desired engine speed;
electronic speed monitoring means for determining the actual engine speed;
and
electromechanical integral control means, responsive to said speed selecting means and said speed monitoring means, for applying a force to the throttle valve proportional to the time integral of the difference between said electronically selected desired engine speed and said electronically determined actual engine speed, whereby control offset error of the proportional control speed governor is substantially eliminated and the speed of the engine is maintained substantially at said electronically selected desired engine speed, despite changes in engine loading conditions.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Speed governor for small engines

Life of this patent

Speed governor for small engines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13