US 5,394,848 A · Air-intake control system for internal combustion engine

Abstract

A turbine, which is an essential portion of an air motor, is disposed midway along an air-intake passage communicating to combustion chambers of an engine. A generator is operably connected to an output shaft of the turbine. The generator has a function to control the rotational motion of the turbine in proportion to the magnitude of the generated electric energy, in addition to the original function of generating the electric energy. The generator is electrically connected to an air-intake control device. In other words, the air-intake control device includes a transistor, and potentiometer which includes a resistor and a sliding element. A positive electrode of generator is connected to an emitter of the transistor. Further, a base of the transistor is connected to an output terminal of the potentiometer, and a collector thereof to a battery. When the operation magnitude of an acceleration pedal is small, the current flowing through the base decreases. Therefore, the generator generates more electric energy. Along this condition, the generator regulates the rotation of the turbine in higher degrees. Consequently, the turbine becomes less rotatable. As a result, as it becomes difficult for the intake air to flow through the turbine, the flow volume of intake air to be introduced into the combustion chambers decreases.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An air-intake control system for an engine, wherein the engine includes means for determining a volume of intake air required by the engine based on a detected engine operating condition, the air-intake control system comprising:

an air-intake passage;
flow control means disposed midway along said air-intake passage, said flow control means being rotatably driven by a flow of intake air, wherein the flow control means controls the volume of intake air flowing in the passage downstream of the flow control means by its rotational motion;
energy generating means for generating electric energy in accordance with the rotation of the flow control means, said energy generating means providing a resistance to the rotation of the flow control means which is proportional to the magnitude of the electric energy generated by the energy generating means;
an air-intake control device for controlling said energy generating means to increase the magnitude of the energy generated when the volume of intake air required is decreased in accordance with the detected operating condition of the engine.

1 more element

an air-intake passage;
a plurality of branch passages formed in said air-intake passage, each branch passage extending from an upstream end to a downstream end;
at least one turbine disposed midway along one of said branch passages, said turbine being rotated by the intake air flow, wherein the turbine controls the volume of intake air flowing in the branch passage downstream of the turbine by its rotational motion, said turbine having an output shaft;
a generator connected to the output shaft of the turbine for generating electric energy in accordance with the rotational motion of the turbine, said generator controlling the rotation of said turbine in accordance with the magnitude of the electric energy generated;
an air-intake control device for controlling said generator to increase the magnitude of the electric energy generated when the volume of intake air required by the engine is decreased in accordance with the detected operational condition of the engine;
and
control means for controlling the turbine and the flow of air through the branch passages to vary the number of turbines being driven and, consequently, to vary the number of generators rotated based on the volume of air required by the engine.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air-intake control system for internal combustion engine

Life of this patent

Air-intake control system for internal combustion engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20