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US4796587A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Air/fuel ratio control system for internal combustion engine

Assignee: Honda Motor Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1987-02-03
•
Granted: 1989-01-10
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Expires: 2007-02-03
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Abstract

Abstract An air/fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine includes an oxygen concentration sensor for producing an output signal to indicate the concentration of oxygen in the engine exhaust gases, and a circuit for producing a discrimination signal which expresses the inherent error, due to manufacturing deviations, in the output signal of the oxygen concentration sensor. Compensation of the output signal from the oxygen concentration sensor is performed in accordance with the discrimination signal, to produce a compensated output signal which controls means for adjusting the air/fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine. Accurate control of the air/fuel ratio is thereby achieved, irrespective of differences in the operating characteristics of oxygen concentration sensors due to manufacturing deviations.

Inventors

  • 👤 Toyohei Nakajima
  • 👤 Yasushi Okada

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 15:06
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/24; F02D41/2406; F02D41/2425; F02D41/2429; F02D41/2451; F02D41/2454; F02D41/2474

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 172 words
An air/fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an oxygen concentration sensor disposed within an exhaust gas passage of said internal combustion engine, said sensor having a linear output characteristic for producing an output signal varying in proportion to the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gases produced from said internal combustion engine; an electric element having an electric characteristic which represents deviations of the actual value of said output signal from a predetermined reference linear output characteristic; signal generating means for producing a discrimination signal in response to the electric characteristic of said electric element; compensation means for performing compensation of said output signal of said oxygen concentration sensor in accordance with said discrimination signal, to produce a compensated output signal; comparing means for comparing the compensated output signal with a reference signal corresponding to a target air/fuel ratio; and air/fuel ratio adjustment means for adjusting the air/fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to said internal combustion engine, in accordance with a resultant signal produced by said comparing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 172 words
An air/fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: an oxygen concentration sensor disposed within an exhaust gas passage of said internal combustion engine, said sensor having a linear output characteristic for producing an output signal varying in proportion to the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gases produced from said internal combustion engine; an electric element having an electric characteristic which represents deviations of the actual value of said output signal from a predetermined reference linear output characteristic; signal generating means for producing a discrimination signal in response to the electric characteristic of said electric element; compensation means for performing compensation of said output signal of said oxygen concentration sensor in accordance with said discrimination signal, to produce a compensated output signal; comparing means for comparing the compensated output signal with a reference signal corresponding to a target air/fuel ratio; and air/fuel ratio adjustment means for adjusting the air/fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to said internal combustion engine, in accordance with a resultant signal produced by said comparing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The air/fuel ratio control system of claim 1 wherein said electric characteristic of the electric element corresponds to a manufacturing lot to which said oxygen concentration sensor belongs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 54 words
The air/fuel ratio control system of claim 2 in which said electric characteristic of the electric element corresponds to the difference between a predetermined reference value and a center value of the distribution curve of output levels generated from oxygen concentration sensors at a preselected oxygen concentration, said sensors belonging to said manufacturing lot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
The air/fuel ratio control system of claim 1 wherein said electric element is a resistor element and said signal generating means comprises a voltage divider including at least two resistors one of which is said resistor element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 53 words
The air/fuel ratio control system of claim 4 wherein said system includes an electronic control unit comprising said signal generating means, said compensation means, said comparing means and said air/fuel ratio adjustment means, and said resistor element is disposed in a connector which connects said oxygen concentration sensor to said electronic control unit.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4167925A Cited
US4324218A Cited
US4306444A Cited
US4391256A Cited
US4665874A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1992-01-10 1992-07-11 1993-01-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1996-01-10 1996-07-11 1997-01-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2000-01-10 2000-07-11 2001-01-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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