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US 5,291,870 AGranted
Fuel vaporizing system
OwnerRay M. Covey, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for providing an air-fuel vapor mixture to an engine for improving completeness of combustion and also reducing emissions. The system includes a vaporizer within which a series of baffles are disposed such that air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway defined within the vaporizer. Exhaust gases provide heat to the vaporizer, and as air and fuel pass along the passageway of the vaporizer, a homogenous air-fuel vapor mixture is produced, with the homogenous mixture exiting the vaporizer being supplied to the engine by way of an adapter plate assembly. When used with a carburetor, the adapter plate is disposed between the carburetor and the engine.
Claims47
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- and
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- said vaporizer further including a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- wherein said vaporizer includes first and second ends, and wherein said fuel conduit extends into the vaporizer from the first end and toward the second end, and wherein said fuel conduit terminates at a nozzle portion, and further wherein air and fuel move along said passageway in a direction from said second end toward said first end.
4 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion o said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer further includes a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer further including an outer housing and an inner housing at least substantially disposed within said outer housing, and wherein said air and fuel conduits supply air and fuel to the inner housing, and wherein said heat source includes means connecting said outer housing to an exhaust system such that exhaust gas passes between the outer and inner housings;
- wherein the fuel conduit extends through a substantial portion of said inner housing to a nozzle portion at which fuel exits the fuel conduit, whereby the fuel is heated as it passes along said conduit within said inner housing and upon exiting through said nozzle portion, the fuel is mixed with air and travels along said passageway.
4 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- said vaporizer further including a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- and
- wherein a one-way check valve is disposed along said air conduit.
4 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer further includes a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- the system further including an adapter plate assembly for receiving air and vapor from said conduit and introducing said air and vapor into an engine;
- wherein said adapter plate assembly includes a plurality of spray holes from which vapor is sprayed into an engine.
4 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer further includes a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- the system further including an adapter plate assembly for receiving air and vapor from said conduit and introducing said air and vapor into an engine;
- and
- wherein said system further includes a valve disposed between said adapter plate and said vaporizer for selectively opening and closing flow of vapor to said adapter plate.
5 more elements
A system for providing vaporized fuel to an engine comprising:
- a vaporizer including an inner housing in which fuel is vaporized, said housing including first and second ends;
- a heat source for supplying heat to said inner housing;
- said vaporizer further including a plurality of baffles disposed therein defining a tortuous passageway for fuel such that fuel is vaporized as it passes along said tortuous passageway;
- and
- a fuel inlet conduit extending inside of said inner housing from said first end of said inner housing to a location adjacent a second end of said inner housing, said fuel inlet conduit including a nozzle portion adjacent said second end of said housing, wherein fuel exits said fuel conduit at said nozzle portion;
- and
- a vapor outlet located at said first end of said inner housing;
- wherein fuel exits said nozzle and travels from said second end of said inner housing along said passageway and exits at said vapor outlet.
5 more elements
A system for supplying vaporized fuel to an engine comprising:
- a vaporizer having a fuel inlet, an air inlet and an air-fuel vapor outlet;
- a heat source for heating said vaporizer for vaporizing fuel;
- and
- an adapter plate assembly in communication with said air-fuel vapor outlet, said adapter plate assembly including at least one spray ring for spraying air and fuel vapor into an engine.
1 more element
A system for supplying vaporized fuel to an engine comprising:
- a vaporizer having a fuel inlet, an air inlet and an air-fuel vapor outlet;
- a heat source for heating said vaporizer for vaporizing fuel;
- an assembly for receiving air-fuel vapor from said vaporizer and introducing said air-fuel vapor into an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer includes a tortuous passageway along which air and fuel pass such that a homogeneous air and fuel vapor mixture exits through said vapor outlet;
- and
- wherein said assembly includes a passage through which air passes for introduction into an engine, and wherein said passage includes a plurality of spray holes disposed therealong, and further wherein said air-fuel vapor mixture passes through said spray holes and mixes with air passing through said passage.
3 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer further includes a plurality of baffles disposed along said vaporizer for defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- wherein said plurality of baffles each have a shape of a circle with a section removed such that the section removed allows the passageway to extending between said baffle and an inner surface of said vaporizer, and wherein said plurality of baffles are angularly offset with respect to one another such that a removed section of one baffle is not axially aligned with a removed section of an adjacent baffle.
3 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- wherein said vaporizer further includes at least three baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- wherein said vaporizer includes a rod extending therethrough, and wherein said at least three baffles are arranged adjacent one another successively along said rod with said at least three baffles affixed to said rod, and wherein said passageway extends between each of said baffles and an inner surface of said vaporizer.
3 more elements
A system for providing fuel to an engine in a vaporized condition comprising:
- a vaporizer;
- a fuel conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying fuel to said vaporizer;
- an air conduit connected to said vaporizer for supplying air to said vaporizer;
- said vaporizer including a source of heat, and a passageway extending therethrough, wherein air and fuel are introduced into a portion of said passageway and are heated and mixed as the air and fuel pass along said passageway toward a vapor outlet, said vapor outlet connected to a vapor conduit for supplying an air and fuel vapor mixture to an engine;
- said vaporizer further including a plurality of baffles defining said passageway, such that the air and fuel pass along a tortuous passageway within said vaporizer;
- wherein said fuel conduit includes an outlet nozzle at which fuel exits said fuel conduit and enters said vaporizer, said air conduit including an outlet at which air exits said air conduit and enters said vaporizer, said air conduit outlet located in a region of said fuel conduit outlet such that air and fuel are mixed and pass along said tortuous passageway toward a vapor outlet;
- and
- wherein said air conduit includes an inlet which is open to ambient air, and wherein air entering said inlet passes through said air conduit and enters said vaporizer without being compressed by a compressor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.