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US 6,886,540 B2Granted
Sensor arrangement for engine
AssigneeYamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasaru Suzuki, Hitoshi Watanabe
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AssigneeYamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasaru Suzuki, Hitoshi Watanabe
Estimating the term…
An engine includes an improved sensor arrangement that can decrease the possibility of damage to sensors relating to fuel injection control. The engine includes a cylinder block defining first and second banks of cylinder bores extending separately from each other. Pistons reciprocate within the respective cylinder bores. Cylinder head members are arranged to close respective ends of the first and second banks of the cylinder bores. The cylinder head members define combustion chambers together with the cylinder bores and the pistons. An air induction system is arranged to introduce air to the combustion chambers. The induction system includes first and second intake units with the first intake unit allotted to the first cylinder bank and with the second intake unit allotted to the second cylinder bank. The first and second intake units define first and second intake passages, respectively, through which the air flows. Fuel injectors are arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers. First and second sensors are arranged to sense a condition of the intake air. A control device is configured to control the fuel injectors based upon signals of the first and second sensors. The first sensor is disposed at the first intake unit. The second sensor is disposed at the second intake unit.
An internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder block defining first and second banks of cylinder bores extending separately from each other, pistons reciprocating within the respective cylinder bores, cylinder head members arranged to close respective ends of the first and second banks of the cylinder bores, the cylinder head members defining combustion chambers together with the cylinder bores and the pistons, an air induction system arranged to introduce air to the combustion chambers, the induction system including first and second intake units with the first intake unit allotted to the first cylinder bank and with the second intake unit allotted to the second cylinder bank, the first and second intake units defining first and second intake passages, respectively, through which the air flows, fuel injectors arranged to spray fuel for combustion in the combustion chambers, first and second sensors arranged to sense a condition of the air flowing in the induction system, and a control device configured to control the fuel injectors based upon signals of the first and second sensors, the first sensor being disposed at the first intake unit, and the second sensor being disposed at the second intake unit such that only the first sensor is used to sense a condition of the air flow in the first intake passage and only the second sensor is used to sense a condition of the air flow in the second intake passage, the first sensor being of a different type than the second sensor so as to sense a different air flow condition through the induction system than the air flow condition sensed by the second sensor and different from any other air flow sensor in the second intake passage.
An outboard motor comprising an internal combustion engine, a support member arranged to support the engine, the engine including an engine body, at least two moveable members moveable relative to the engine body, the engine body and the moveable members together defining at least two combustion chambers, an air induction system arranged to introduce air to the combustion chambers, the induction system including first and second intake units delivering the air to the respective combustion chambers, at least one electrical device relating to the operation of the engine, first and second sensors arranged to sense a condition of the intake air, and a control device configured to control the electrical device based upon signals of the first and second sensors, the first sensor being disposed at the first intake unit and configured to sense a first condition of the air flow through the first intake unit, and the second sensor being disposed at the second intake and configured to sense a second condition of the air flow through the second intake unit, the first and second conditions being different from each other, and wherein only the first sensor is used to sense an air flow condition of the air flow through the first intake units, and only the second sensor is used to sense an air flow condition of the air flow in the second intake unit.
An internal combustion engine comprising an engine body that has first and second banks, the first bank defining a first combustion chamber, the second bank defining a second combustion chamber, a first intake passage arranged to deliver air to the first combustion chamber, a second intake passage arranged to deliver air to the second combustion chamber, a single air pressure sensor, a single air flow sensor, and a controller configured to receive outputs of the sensors, the pressure air sensor being arranged to detect an intake pressure within the first intake passage, and the air flow sensor being arranged to detect an amount of air flow through the second intake passage, wherein no other sensors are used to sense air flow conditions in the first and second passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Marine vessels; Ships; Boats: having outboard engines; Jet-skis
For driving propellers: for marine engines
Multi-cylinder engines: with cylinders in V, fan, or star arrangement
Intake manifolds: for engines with cylinders in V-arrangement or arranged oppositely relative to the main shaft
Term ended 20 Jan 2022 (estimated)
This application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-215161, filed Jul. 14, 2000, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a sensor arrangement for an engine, and more particularly to an improved sensor arrangement for a split-bank, multicylinder engine.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of a preferred embodiment which is intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention. The drawings comprise three figures.
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an outboard motor configured in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. An associated watercraft is partially shown in section.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an engine of the outboard motor. A protective cowling is shown in phantom line.
With reference to FIGS. 1-3, an overall construction of an outboard motor 30 that employs an internal combustion engine 32 configured in accordance with certain features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will be described. The engine 32 has particular utility in the context of a marine drive, such as the outboard motor 30 for instance, and thus is described in the context of an outboard motor. The engine 32, however, can be used with other types of marine drives (i.e., inboard motors, inboard/outboard motors, etc.) and also certain land vehicles, which includes lawnmowers, motorcycles, go carts, all terrain vehicles and the like. Furthermore, the engine 32 can be used as a stationary engine for some applications that will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.
In the illustrated arrangement, the outboard motor 30 generally comprises a drive unit 34 and a bracket assembly 36. The bracket assembly 36 supports the drive unit 34 on a transom 38 of an associated watercraft 40 and places a marine propulsion device in a submerged position with the watercraft 40 resting relative to a surface 42 of a body of water. The bracket assembly 36 preferably comprises a swivel bracket 44, a clamping bracket 46, a steering shaft 48 and a pivot pin 50.
The steering shaft 48 typically extends through the swivel bracket 44 and is affixed to the drive unit 34 by top and bottom mount assemblies 52. The steering shaft 48 is pivotally journaled for steering movement about a generally vertically extending steering axis defined within the swivel bracket 44. The clamping bracket 46 comprises a pair of bracket arms that preferably are laterally spaced apart from each other and that are attached to the watercraft transom 38.