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US 5,611,312 AGranted
Carburetor and method and apparatus for controlling air/fuel ratio of same
AssigneeWalbro Corporation
InventorsMark S. Swanson, Eric L. King
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWalbro Corporation
InventorsMark S. Swanson, Eric L. King
Estimating the term…
A small engine carburetor with manually controlled choke and throttle valves and associated idle ports and main metering nozzle supplied with fuel from a common metering chamber. The A/F is automatically adjusted by a solenoid operated poppet valve and/or gear driven needle valve and cooperative electronic control circuitry and system components built-in to the carburetor. A combined accelerator pump and idle circuit shut-off mechanism is also built-in and mechanically operated by the throttle shaft so that only the main nozzle supplies fuel when the engine is running above fast idle. A mechanical choke/throttle interlock mechanism also prevents partial choking when the engine is running above fast idle, and throttle operation above fast idle when choking. An electric motor worm gear drive unit controlled by the automatic system is detachably coupled to, and provides fine incremental adjustment of, the main metering needle and is self-locking to retain set adjustment during engine running and at engine shut-off. Control system components are arranged in a compact overall package characterized by a laterally offset, skewed orientation of control box and carburetor body, with a diaphragm fuel pump and metering chamber sharing box and body for intercooling of electronic and electrical components by incoming fuel while assisting fuel vaporization in the carburetor venturi passage.
A manually and semi-automatic electrically controlled carburetor having a heat conductive metal body with a mixing passage extending axially and centrally therethrough and opening at opposed end faces of said body, a manually controlled throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between closed low idle and an wide open throttle positions, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve when in said idle position, a manually controlled choke valve disposed in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle and movable between a closed cold start and wide open positions, said body having top and bottom generally flat sides disposed generally parallel with one another on opposite sides of said mixing passage, said fuel metering chamber being disposed at said body bottom side and having a diaphragm and an air chamber cover plate associated therewith, electrically adjustable fuel valve means disposed in said body for controlling flow of fuel from said metering chamber to said main fuel nozzle, a heat conductive metal control box housing mounted on said body over said body top side, said housing having a bottom wall juxtaposed to said body top side and housing side wall means upstanding from said housing bottom wall and defining therewith an interior electronic control component compartment, said compartment containing electronic control circuits and associated electronic components operably adapted to actuate said fuel valve means in response an engine operating parameter sensing signal to thereby automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) of an engine operably associated with said carburetor, and engine pressure pulse operated diaphragm fuel pump means including flap valve gasket means mounted between said housing bottom wall and said body top side and associated pump fuel feeding passages and pump diaphragm chamber means disposed in both said housing bottom wall and in said body adjacent said body top side such that pump fuel flow through said pump means to said metering chamber is in heat exchange relationship with said housing component compartment and said mixing passage via said housing bottom wall and said body.
Method of adjusting the air/fuel ratio (A/F) of an i.c. engine provided with a carburetor having an electrically adjustable A/F control system and manually controlled mechanical choke and throttle valve control system and associated main nozzle and idle fuel circuits by means of an electronic detector and control unit to which current is supplied by an ignition magnet or generator and which comprises a tachometer, data processing means, an electronic memory, and a control unit for adjusting said ratio, the first derivative of the speed of revolution being used as a parameter for the adjustment, and the adjustment is performed after a period of time during which the speed of the engine has been generally constant, and that generally constant speed is detected by calculating the average value of said derivative, such that the speed of revolution of the engine is considered to be generally constant when said average value is approximately zero and wherein the air/fuel ratio is adjusted stepwise or successively when the engine is operating under load, until said first derivative (speed variations) has reached a predetermined level, or a break point of lean adjustment is detected, said method comprising the steps of:
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said control means comprising electronic control circuit means and valve means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle in response to an actuating signal output of said control circuit means, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, and wherein said adjustment valve means comprises a poppet valve actuated by a solenoid to move between an open position allowing total fuel flow to said main fuel nozzle of said carburetor from said metering chamber, and a closed position interrupting said total flow to change the A/F to a leaner mixture for a short period of time.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, means biasing said throttle valve towards the low idle position, a first control lever operable to pivotally displace said throttle valve between low idle and wide open positions, a choke valve pivotally mounted in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle, a second control lever operable to pivotally displace said choke valve between closed start and open rest positions, and cold-start holding means which when actuated by said second control lever moves said throttle valve to a start position via detent means, said detent means being released when said throttle valve is moved from fast idle toward open position to thereby allow said throttle valve to be pivotally displaced between low idle position and wide open position against the biasing force of said spring means, and lock-out means operatively coupled to at least one of said choke and throttle valves and operable to block movement of the other one of said choke and throttle valves when said valves are disposed between predetermined positions in their respective travel ranges between fast idle and wide open positions.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve when in said idle position, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve when in its closed idle position, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said means comprising first and second control circuits and means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle, a first control unit of said first control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said first control circuit to generally continuously adjust the A/F to provide a modified relation of A/F to a speed of rotation of said engine, a second control unit of said second control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said second control circuit to periodically change A/F to a different level for a short period of time and adjust A/F a predetermined step toward said preferred value, wherein said second control unit receives a signal corresponding to said speed of rotation, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, and wherein said adjustment means comprises a poppet valve actuated by a solenoid under control of said second control circuit to rapidly move between an open position allowing total fuel flow to said main fuel nozzle of said carburetor from said metering chamber, and rapidly to a closed position interrupting said total flow to stepwise change A/F to a leaner mixture for said short period of time.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve when in said idle position, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve when in its closed idle position, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said means comprising first and second control circuits and means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle, a first control unit of said first control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said first control circuit to generally continuously adjust the A/F to provide a modified relation of A/F to a speed of rotation of said engine, a second control unit of said second control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said second control circuit to periodically change A/F to a different level for a short period of time and adjust A/F a predetermined step toward said preferred value, wherein said second control unit receives a signal corresponding to said speed of rotation, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, and wherein said adjusting means comprises a fuel needle which is continuously axially movable to control total fuel flow to said main nozzle and thereby adjust A/F, wherein said adjusting means further comprises an electric motor and worm gear drive unit operably mechanically coupled to said fuel needle for rotatably threading the same in said carburetor to produce said axial movement thereof, and wherein said drive unit is detachably mounted to said carburetor and includes an output drive shaft means axially engageable with and detachably coupled to said fuel needle.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve when in said idle position, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve when in its closed idle position, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said means comprising first and second control circuits and means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle, a first control unit of said first control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said first control circuit to generally continuously adjust the A/F to provide a modified relation of A/F to a speed of rotation of said engine, a second control unit of said second control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said second control circuit to periodically change A/F to a different level for a short period of time and adjust A/F a predetermined step toward said preferred value, wherein said second control unit receives a signal corresponding to said speed of rotation, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, and further including spring means biasing said throttle valve towards the low idle position, a first control lever operable to pivotally displace said throttle valve between low idle and wide open positions, a choke valve pivotally mounted in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle, a second control lever operable to pivotally displace said choke valve between closed start and open rest positions, and cold-start holding means which when actuated by said second control lever moves said throttle valve to a fast idle start position via detent means, said detent means being released by said first control lever when said throttle valve is moved from fast idle start toward full open position to thereby allow said throttle valve to be pivotally displaced toward low idle position from fast idle start position under the action of said spring means and said first control lever, and lock-out means operatively coupled to at least one of said choke and throttle valves and operable to block movement of the other one of said choke and throttle valves when said valves are disposed between predetermined positions in their respective travel ranges between start and wide open positions.
Method of adjusting the air/fuel ratio (A/F) of an i.c. engine provided with a carburetor having an electrically adjustable A/F control system and manually controlled mechanical choke and throttle valve control system and associated main nozzle and idle fuel circuits by means of an electronic detector and control unit to which current is supplied by an ignition magnet or generator and which comprises a tachometer, data processing means, an electronic memory, and a control unit for adjusting said ratio, the first derivative of the speed of revolution being used as a parameter for the adjustment, and the adjustment is performed after a period of time during which the speed of the engine has been generally constant, and that generally constant speed is detected by calculating the average value of said derivative, such that the speed of revolution of the engine is considered to be generally constant when said average value is approximately zero and wherein the air/fuel ratio is adjusted stepwise or successively when the engine is operating under load, until said first derivative (speed variations) has reached a predetermined level, or a break point of lean adjustment is detected, said method comprising the steps of:
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said control means comprising electronic control circuit means and valve means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle in response to an actuating signal output of said control circuit means, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, and wherein said valve means comprises a fuel needle which is continuously axially movable to control total fuel flow to said main nozzle and thereby adjust the A/F, and an electric motor and worm gear drive unit operably mechanically coupled to said fuel needle for rotatably threading the same in said carburetor to produce said axial movement thereof, and wherein said drive unit is detachably mounted to said carburetor and includes an output drive shaft means axially engageable with and detachably coupled to said fuel needle.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said control means comprising electronic control circuit means and valve means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle in response to an actuating signal output of said control circuit means, and idle fuel port shut-off means operably connected to said throttle valve to close fuel supply to said idle port in response to initial movement of said throttle valve from fast idle position toward wide open position and vice versa, spring means biasing said throttle valve towards the low idle position, a first control lever operable to pivotally displace said throttle valve between low idle and wide open positions, a choke valve pivotally mounted in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle, a second control lever operable to pivotally displace said choke valve between closed start and open rest positions, and cold-start holding means which when actuated by said second control lever moves said throttle valve to a fast idle start position via detent means, said detent means being released by said first control lever when said throttle valve is moved from first idle start toward full open position to thereby allow said throttle valve to be pivotally displaced toward low idle position from fast idle start position under the action of said spring means and said first control lever, and lock-out means operatively coupled to at least one of said choke and throttle valves and operable to block movement of the other one of said choke and throttle valves when said valves are disposed between predetermined positions in their travel ranges between start and wide open positions.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve when in its closed idle position, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said controlling means comprising first and second control circuits and means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle, a first control unit of said first control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said first control circuit to generally continuously adjust the A/F to provide a modified relation of A/F to a speed of rotation of said engine, a second control unit of said second control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said second control circuit to periodically change A/F to a different level for a short period of time and adjust A/F a predetermined step toward said preferred value, wherein said second control unit receives a signal corresponding to said speed of rotation, said adjustment means comprising a solenoid operably coupled to said second control circuit and a poppet valve actuated by said solenoid to move between an open position allowing total fuel flow to said main fuel nozzle of said carburetor from said metering chamber, and a closed position interrupting said total flow to change A/F to a leaner mixture for said short period of time, and needle drive means operably coupled to said first control circuit and a fuel needle in upstream flow relation to said poppet valve when open and which is continuously axially movable by said needle drive means to control total fuel flow to said main nozzle via said poppet valve and thereby adjust A/F, and wherein said A/F controlling means is operable to control said first and second control circuits such that said needle drive means and said solenoid are not actuated at the same time in performing their respective A/F adjustment and lean-out test functions to thereby reduce total power requirements in the automatic mode of operation of said carburetor by said A/F controlling means.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve when in its closed idle position, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air-to-fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said means comprising first and second control circuits and means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle, a first control unit of said first control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said first control circuit to generally continuously adjust the A/F to provide a modified relation of A/F to a speed of rotation of said engine, a second control unit of said second control circuit for actuating said adjusting means in response to a signal output of said second control circuit to periodically change A/F to a different level for a short period of time and adjust A/F a predetermined step toward said preferred value, wherein said second control unit receives a signal corresponding to said speed of rotation, and wherein said adjustment means comprises a solenoid operably coupled to said second control circuit and a poppet valve actuated by said solenoid to rapidly move between an open position allowing total fuel flow to said main fuel nozzle of said carburetor from said metering chamber, and to rapidly move to a closed position interrupting said total flow to change A/F to a leaner mixture for said short period of time, said poppet valve also being constructed and arranged between said metering chamber and said main fuel nozzle to be operable by pulse width modulation control of said solenoid by said first control circuit to thereby provide the sole adjustment valve means for controllably continuously and stepwise adjusting the A/F, said solenoid comprising an armature member reciprocable in a path of travel along an axis of said solenoid, and an armature core and an associated coil winding encircling said armature member, said poppet valve comprising a valve member fixedly carried on one end of said armature member and movable in a valve fuel chamber flow communicating with said metering chamber, said valve member having a generally planar valve sealing end face oriented perpendicular to said armature member axis, and an annular valve seat member having a flow passage extending axially therethrough and having an outlet end flow communicating with said main fuel nozzle and an inlet end flow communicating with said valve fuel chamber, said valve seat member having a generally planar sealing surface surrounding said inlet end of said seat member flow passage and exposed in said valve fuel chamber for flow-sealing abutment with said end face of said valve member when said valve member is moved to one end limit of travel with said armature member toward said valve seat member to thereby provide the closed position of said poppet valve.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said control means comprising electronic control circuit means and valve means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle in response to an actuating signal output of said control circuit means, and further including spring means biasing said throttle valve towards the low idle position, a first control lever operable to pivotally displace said throttle valve between low idle and wide open positions, a choke valve pivotally mounted in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle, a second control lever operable to pivotally displace said choke valve between closed start and open rest positions, and cold-start holding means which when actuated by said second control lever moves said throttle valve to a fast idle start position via detent means, said detent means being released by said first control lever when said throttle valve is moved from fast idle start toward full open position to thereby allow said throttle valve to be pivotally displaced toward low idle position from fast idle start position under the action of said spring means and said first control lever, and lock-out means operatively coupled to said choke and throttle valves and operable to block movement of said choke and throttle valves when said valves are disposed between predetermined positions in their respective travel ranges between start and wide open positions, said cold start holding means comprising said second control lever and said lock-out means comprising a throttle motion blocking blade operably coupled to said second control lever and pivotal about a rotational axis of said choke valve and operable to block movement of said throttle valve between start and open positions when said choke valve is positioned between open and start positions, and a choke motion blocking blade operably coupled to said throttle valve and constructed and arranged relative to said second control member to prevent pivotal movement of said choke valve between its open and start positions when said throttle valve is disposed between its start and wide open positions.
A carburetor having a mixing passage, a throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between a low idle position and an wide open throttle position, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, at least one idle fuel port communicating with said mixing passage downstream of said throttle valve, means for controlling said carburetor adapted when in operable association with an internal combustion engine to automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) thereof to a preferred value, said control means comprising electronic control circuit means and valve means for adjusting the A/F by controlling flow to said main fuel nozzle in response to an actuating signal output of said control circuit means, and wherein said valve means comprises a fuel needle which is continuously axially movable to control total fuel flow to said main nozzle and thereby adjust the A/F, and an electric motor and worm gear drive unit operably mechanically coupled to said fuel needle for rotatably threading the same in said carburetor to produce said axial movement thereof, and wherein said drive unit is detachably mounted to said carburetor and includes an output drive shaft means axially engageable with and detachably coupled to said fuel needle.
A manually and semi-automatic electrically controlled carburetor having a heat conductive light metal body with a mixing passage extending axially and centrally therethrough and opening at opposed end faces of said body, a manually controlled throttle valve disposed in said mixing passage and movable between closed low idle and an wide open throttle positions, a liquid fuel metering chamber, a main fuel nozzle communicating with said metering chamber and said mixing passage upstream of said throttle valve, a manually controlled choke valve disposed in said mixing passage upstream of said main fuel nozzle and movable between a closed cold start and wide open positions, said body having top and bottom generally flat sides disposed generally parallel with one another on opposite sides of said mixing passage, electrically adjustable fuel valve means disposed in said body for controlling flow of fuel from said metering chamber to said main fuel nozzle, a heat conductive light metal control box housing mounted on said body over said body top side, said housing having a bottom wall juxtaposed to said body top side and having housing side wall means upstanding from said housing bottom wall and defining therewith an interior electronic control component compartment, said compartment containing electronic control circuits and associated electronic components operably adapted to actuate said fuel valve means in response an engine operating parameter sensing signal to thereby automatically adjust the air/fuel ratio (A/F) of an engine operably associated with said carburetor, said automatic fuel adjusting means including an electric solenoid means mounted in said housing component compartment, said fuel valve means being disposed therebeneath in the top side of said carburetor body and operably coupled to said solenoid means, and engine pressure pulse operated fuel feeding pump and metering means and associated fuel feeding passages disposed in both said housing bottom wall and in said body adjacent said body top side such that pump fuel flow through fuel feeding pump and metering means is in heat exchange relationship with said solenoid means and said mixing passage via said body and said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.