Patent US3923031A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3923031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for reordering the fuel injection sequence to facilitate starting of an internal combustion engine
Assignee: Bendix Corp
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Filing: 1974-11-25
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Granted: 1975-12-02
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Expires: 1994-11-25
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is an auxiliary start control for a fuel injection equipped internal combustion engine system which reorders the fuel injection sequence during the engine''s starting cycle to facilitate a cold start. The system redirects the injection signals to alternate fuel injection valves so that during the start attempt fuel is injected directly into open intake valve ports. The system is effective in facilitating the start of both hot and cold engines.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore W Keranen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:09
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/02; F02D41/04; F02D41/06; F02D41/062; F02D41/065; F02D41/008; F02D41/0087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for enhancing the start of a fuel injection equipped internal combustion engine, said engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electronic control unit generating in synchronization with the rotation of the engine at least two sequential injection signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements, each cylinder having an associated intake valve and fuel injector valve, said intake valvEs periodically opening in synchronization with the rotation of the engine to admit a mixture of fuel and air into the cylinders and each injector valve sequentially injecting fuel for each cylinder in response to one of said sequential injection signals wherein said injection signals are generated at a time relative to the opening of the associated intake valves to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein said engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect a start thereof comprising: means for generating a start attempt signal indicative of an attempt to start the engine in response to the actuation of the starter; and means electrically disposed between the electronic control unit and the fuel injector valves, for reordering, in response to said start attempt signal, the sequence in which the injector valves are actuated by the generated injection signals to commence fuel injection for each cylinder when the associated intake valve is open.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for enhancing the start of a fuel injection equipped internal combustion engine, said engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electronic control unit generating in synchronization with the rotation of the engine at least two sequential injection signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements, each cylinder having an associated intake valve and fuel injector valve, said intake valvEs periodically opening in synchronization with the rotation of the engine to admit a mixture of fuel and air into the cylinders and each injector valve sequentially injecting fuel for each cylinder in response to one of said sequential injection signals wherein said injection signals are generated at a time relative to the opening of the associated intake valves to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein said engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect a start thereof comprising: means for generating a start attempt signal indicative of an attempt to start the engine in response to the actuation of the starter; and means electrically disposed between the electronic control unit and the fuel injector valves, for reordering, in response to said start attempt signal, the sequence in which the injector valves are actuated by the generated injection signals to commence fuel injection for each cylinder when the associated intake valve is open.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic control unit generates at least two sequential group injection signals for sequentially actuating predetermined groups of fuel injector valves, wherein each predetermined injector valve group comprise more than one fuel injector valve, said means for reordering comprises: means receiving said sequential group injector signals for reordering the sequence in which the injector valve groups are actuated by the generated group injection signals to commence fuel injection for each injector valve group when at least one intake valve associated with the injector group is open.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the electronic control unit includes a temperature sensor generating a signal indicative of the engine''s temperature, said means for generating a signal indicative of a start attempt further includes means receiving said temperature signal for controlling the generation of said signal as a function of the engine''s temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said means for generating a signal indicative of a start attempt further includes: a sensor generating a signal indicative of the engine''s temperature; and means receiving said temperature signal for controlling the generation of said start attempt signal as a function of the engine''s temperature.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said means for controlling includes means for generating said start attempt signal only when the engine''s temperature is below a predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said means for controlling further includes means for generating said start attempt signal for a predetermined time after the actuation of the starter is terminated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the electronic control unit generates just two sequential group injection signals and said engine has only two injector valve groups, said means for reordering reverses the sequence in which the two injector groups are actuated by the sequential group injection signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
74 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said means for reordering is an electromechanical relay having at least two mechanical switches actuated by an electromagnetic coil, said mechanical switches having an unactuated state providing electrical continuity respectively between the two sequentially generated group injection signals and the two injector valve groups, and and actuated state in which the electrical continuity between the sequentially generated group injection signals and the associated injector valve groups is reversed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said means for reordering is a solid state switch having a first state providing electrical continuity between the two sequentially generated group injection signals and the two injector valve groups wherein one group injection signal is communicated to one injector valve group and the other group injector signal is communicated to the other injector valvE group, and said solid state switch switchable to a second state in response to said start attempt signal switching the electrical continuity between said two sequentially generated group injection signals to reverse the order in which the injector valve groups are actuated by the group injection signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
198 words
In combination with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and an intake valve associated with each cylinder which periodically opens to admit a combustable mixture of fuel and air into each cylinder, a sensor controlled electronic control unit generating signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements and at least one fuel injector valve associated with each cylinder sequentially injecting fuel in response to said injection signals, wherein the injection signals are synchronized with the opening of each intake valve to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein the engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect the start, an improvement comprising: means for generating a start attempt signal indicative of an attempt to start the engine by actuating the starter; and means electrically disposed between the electronic control unit and the fuel injection valves and receiving said sequentially generated injection signals for changing, in response to said start attempt signal, the sequential order in which the fuel injector valves respond to the sequential injection signals to commence the fuel injection when the intake valve of the associated cylinder is open.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
198 words
In combination with an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and an intake valve associated with each cylinder which periodically opens to admit a combustable mixture of fuel and air into each cylinder, a sensor controlled electronic control unit generating signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements and at least one fuel injector valve associated with each cylinder sequentially injecting fuel in response to said injection signals, wherein the injection signals are synchronized with the opening of each intake valve to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein the engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect the start, an improvement comprising: means for generating a start attempt signal indicative of an attempt to start the engine by actuating the starter; and means electrically disposed between the electronic control unit and the fuel injection valves and receiving said sequentially generated injection signals for changing, in response to said start attempt signal, the sequential order in which the fuel injector valves respond to the sequential injection signals to commence the fuel injection when the intake valve of the associated cylinder is open.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
132 words
The improvement of claim 10 wherein the electronic control unit generates sequential group injection signals sequentially actuating predetermined groups of fuel injector valves prior to the opening of the associated intake valves, wherein each group of injector valves comprise more than one fuel injector valve, and wherein one of said predetermined groups is responsive to one of said group injection signals, and the other predetermined groups are sequentially responsive to the other sequentially generated group injection signals in a predetermined sequence, said means for changing comprises: means receiving said sequential group injector signals for changing the sequential order in which injector valve group responds to the sequential group injection signals to commence fuel injection by the group of injector valves when at least one intake valve associated with the group is open.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein the electronic control unit includes a temperature sensor generating a signal indicative of the engine''s temperature, said means for generating a start attempt signal further includes means receiving said temperature signal for controlling the generation of said start attempt signal as a function of the engin''s temperature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said means for generating a start attempt signal further includes: a sensor generating a signal indicative of the engine''s temperature; and means receiving said temperature signal for controlling the generation of said start attempt signal as a function of the engine''s temperature.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement of claim 13 wherein said means for controlling includes means for generating said start attempt signal only when the engine''s temperature is below a predetermined value.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The improvement of claim 14 wherein said means for controlling further includes means for generating said start attempt signal for a predetermined time after the actuation of the starter is terminated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein the electronic control unit generates just two sequential group injection signals and said engine has only two injector valve groups, said means for changing the order of response, reverses the order of the response of the two injector groups to the two sequential group injection signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
73 words
The improvement of claim 16 wherein said means for changiNg is an electromechanical relay having at least two switches actuated by an electromagnetic coil, said electrical switch having an unactuated state providing electrical continuity respectively between the two sequentially generated group injection signals and the two injector valve groups, and an actuated state in which the electrical continuty between the sequentially generated group injection signals and the associated injector valve groups is reversed.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
108 words
The system of claim 16 wherein said means for changing is a solid state switch having a first state providing electrical continuity between the two sequentially generated group injection signals and the two injector valve groups wherein one group injection signal is communicated to one injector valve group, and the other group injection signal is communicated to the other injector valve group, and said solid state switch switchable to a second state in response to said start attempt signal switching the electrical continuity between said two sequentially generated group injection signals to reverse the order in which the injector valve groups are actuated by the group injection signals.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for enhancing the starting of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electronic control unit generating in synchronization with the rotation of the engine at least two sequential injection signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements, each cylinder having an associated intake valve and fuel injector valve, said intake valves periodically opening in synchronization with the rotation of the engine to admit a mixture of fuel and air into the cylinders and each injector valve sequentially injecting fuel for each cylinder in response to one of said sequential injection signals wherein said injection signals are generated at a time relative to the opening of the associated intake valves to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein said engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect a start thereof comprising the steps of: generating a start attempt signal in response to the actuation of the starter; applying said start attempt signal to a switching means to change the sequential order in which the fuel injector valves actuated by the sequentially generated injection signals causing the fuel injection for each cylinder to commence when the associated intake valve is open.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
209 words
A method for enhancing the starting of an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and an electronic control unit generating in synchronization with the rotation of the engine at least two sequential injection signals indicative of the engine''s fuel requirements, each cylinder having an associated intake valve and fuel injector valve, said intake valves periodically opening in synchronization with the rotation of the engine to admit a mixture of fuel and air into the cylinders and each injector valve sequentially injecting fuel for each cylinder in response to one of said sequential injection signals wherein said injection signals are generated at a time relative to the opening of the associated intake valves to commence fuel injection for each cylinder prior to the opening of the associated intake valve, and wherein said engine further includes an electrically actuated starter to crank the engine to effect a start thereof comprising the steps of: generating a start attempt signal in response to the actuation of the starter; applying said start attempt signal to a switching means to change the sequential order in which the fuel injector valves actuated by the sequentially generated injection signals causing the fuel injection for each cylinder to commence when the associated intake valve is open.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
131 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the electronic control unit generates sequential group injection signals for sequentially actuating predetermined groups of fuel injector valves prior to the opening of the associated intake valves wherein each injector valve group comprises more than one injector valve, and wherein one of said predetermined groups of injector valves is actuated by one of said group injector signals and the other groups are actuated by the other group injection signals in a predetermined sequence, said step for applying comprises applying said start attempt signal to a switch means for changing the sequential order in which the injector valve groups are actuated by the sequentially generated group signals to commence fuel injection for the group when at least one intake valve associated with the group is open.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the step of generating a start attempt signal includes: generating a temperature signal indicative of the engine''s temperature; generating a start signal indicative of actuation of the starter; and generating said start attempt signal in response to said start signal when said temperature signal is indicative of an engine temperature below a predetermined value.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said step of generating said start attempt signal further includes the step of temporarily storing said start signal to continue the generation of said start attempt signal for a predeterminable time after the actuation of the stArter has been terminated.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said electronic control unit generates just two sequential group injection signals and said engine has only two groups fo fuel injector valves, said step of applying comprises applying said start attempt signal to a switch means to reverse the order in which said two groups of injector valves are actuated by the two sequential group signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |