US 9,175,609 B2 · Control of combustion mixtures and variability thereof with engine load

Abstract

An internal combustion engine can be operated in response to a received first throttle control input in a first operating regime that includes delivering a first air-fuel mixture having a first air/fuel ratio to a combustion volume to deliver a first output power in a first output power range between zero and a transition output power level. The engine can be operated in response to a received second throttle control input in a second operating regime that includes delivering a second air/fuel ratio richer than the first air/fuel ratio to the combustion volume to deliver a second output power in a second output power range between the transition output power level and a maximum output power level. The first throttle control input can include activation of a throttle control device against a first control resistance provided by the throttle control device, and the second throttle control input can include activation of the throttle control device against a second control resistance provided by the throttle control device and that is greater than the first control resistance. Related methods, systems, and article of manufacture are described.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

activating a throttle control device, the throttle control device causing operation of a mixture control carburetor to provide variation between at least a first air/fuel ratio and a second air/fuel ratio, the mixture control carburetor comprising separately actuated first and second controls, the first control determining an amount of air flowing past a fuel source and the second control moving a tapered needle that is extendible and retractable into an orifice or jet to control a fuel delivery area of the orifice or jet;
and
delivering, to a combustion volume of an internal combustion engine, an air-fuel mixture comprising a delivered air/fuel ratio provided by the mixture control carburetor.

An internal combustion engine having an internal combustion volume, the internal combustion engine comprising:

a control mechanism configured to operate in a first operating regime, the first operating regime comprising delivering inlet air and fuel to produce a first air-fuel mixture within the combustion volume, the first air-fuel mixture comprising a first air/fuel ratio, the control mechanism further configured to operate in a second operating regime comprising delivering inlet air and fuel to produce a second air-fuel mixture within the combustion volume, the second air-fuel mixture comprising a second air/fuel ratio that is richer than the first air/fuel ratio, the control mechanism comprising a mixture control carburetor operable to provide variation between at least the first air/fuel ratio and the second air/fuel ratio, the mixture control carburetor comprising a first control for determining an amount of air flowing past a fuel source and a second control for positioning a tapered needle that is extendible and retractable into an orifice or jet to control a fuel delivery area of the orifice or jet.

A system comprising:

a mixture control carburetor comprising at least one of:
a variable fuel delivery rate feature providing airflow-independent control of a required air/fuel ratio, the variable fuel delivery rate feature comprising separately actuated first and second controls, the first control determining an airflow throat size and the second control positioning a tapered needle that is extendible and retractable into an orifice or jet to control a fuel delivery area of the orifice or jet, and
an airflow dilution feature providing airflow-independent control of the required air/fuel ratio, the airflow dilution feature comprising separately actuated first and second controls, the first control controlling an amount of air flowing past a fuel source and the second control positioning the orifice or jet into and out of which the tapered needle is moved to control a fuel delivery area of the orifice or jet.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control of combustion mixtures and variability thereof with engine load

Life of this patent

Control of combustion mixtures and variability thereof with engine load

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20