Abstract:
A diaphragm valve assembly includes a diffusing screen, and a generally spherical lightweight membrane that provides a 360° circular seal. Spring loading enables variable resistance to be placed on the seal to allow the operator to adjust the internal pressures in an engine by metering the intake and exhaust cycles to obtain maximum performance characteristics from the subject engine.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a fuel/air regulating device for controlling the incoming fuel/air in piston driven, reciprocating, internal combustion engines.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,934 and the patents discussed therein, reed valves are used in internal combustion engines to control air and or air/fuel intake. In two-stroke engines, reed valves have improved efficiency of the engine by improving transfer of the air and fuel from the crankcase to the combustion chamber while simultaneously sealing against back flow of the incoming fuel/air charge. Reed valves have also been employed in four stroke engines to control air intake and have improved engine performance.  
           [0005]    As disclosed in the aforementioned patents, while reed valves have improved the performance of engines, such valves, themselves, introduce problems of operating life and wear. More specifically, multi-staged reeds have been subjected to greater stress on certain petals undergo material fatigue and breakage.  
           [0006]    Prior art solutions to these problems included protective coatings, use of a cage to modify intake passages upstream from the reed, joining reed petals together, use of thicker and different reed valve materials and the use of wider reed valve ports and petals.  
           [0007]    The present invention is a structure which eliminates the sources of the present state of the art reed valve design problems by replacing the petal style reed with a spring loaded diaphragm that will both regulate and improve the distribution and atomization of the fuel/air charge to the combustion chamber.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides an intake valve, which is mounted in the intake manifold of internal combustion engines, between the output of the carburetor and the input of the combustion chamber.  
           [0009]    A principal object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake manifold valve for internal combustion engines which provides a diffuser screen for improved atomization of the fuel/air mixture for a more complete combustion.  
           [0010]    Another object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake manifold valve, which provides an increased plenum volume when compared prior art designs.  
           [0011]    Still another object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake valve which is more durable than prior art designs.  
           [0012]    Another object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake valve, which provides improved distribution of the incoming fuel/air charge.  
           [0013]    A further object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake valve that provides an increase in velocity of the incoming fuel/air charge as it passes through the valve assembly.  
           [0014]    Another object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake valve, which provides an increase in density of the incoming charge.  
           [0015]    A further object of the invention is the provision of an intake valve, which recycles the unspent gases of the previous cycle back into the slipstream of the incoming charge.  
           [0016]    A further object and advantage of the invention is the provision of an intake valve, which will improve engine deceleration. A further object of the present invention is the improved scavenging of the crankcase gases of two stroke engines.  
           [0017]    A further object of the valve is to direct the incoming fuel/air.  
           [0018]    A still further advantage of the present invention is the provision of both internal and external adjustable valve diaphragm-tensioning systems allowing torque curve adjustments.  
           [0019]    The above objects are realized with the present invention when it is placed between the output of the engine&#39;s fuel/air supply and the plenum area before the combustion chamber.  
           [0020]    The valve assembly is comprised of a diffuser screen positioned across an intake manifold that attaches to a lightweight hollow spherical body. The valve body&#39;s shape works in conjunction with an adjustable spring loaded, conically shaped diaphragm with a built in vortex generator. This is clearance fitted on a centrally located guide shaft that is secured by a retaining clip at the apex of the mounting plates&#39; bracing. The valve diaphragm seals along its circumference where it contacts the converging inner wall of the valve body. The aft section of the assembled valve has a vectoring skirt and vent holes around its circumference.  
           [0021]    The foregoing, as well as further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the following detailed description of my invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a rear view of the diaphragm valve;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is a cutaway rear view of the exterior diaphragm tensioning adjuster;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a front view of the diaphragm valve;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a right side sectional view of the diaphragm valve assembly in its sealed position; and  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 is a right side sectional view of the diaphragm valve assembly in an open position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0027]    In the drawings, the following table sets forth each reference numeral set forth in the drawings:  
                                       1   mounting plate       2   mounting holes       3   slotted engagement       4   venturi       5   diffuser screen       6   guide shaft bracing       7   diffuser screen retaining screw and shaft alignment guide       8   tensioning adjustment notches       9   coil spring       10   valve diaphragm       11   valve body       12   guide shaft       13   vortex generator       14   vector skirt       15   valve seat       16   guide shaft retaining clip       17   o-ring       18   o-ring       19   adjuster access       20   plenum area       21   intake port       22   worm gear       23   engagement splines       24   threaded receiver       25   spring seat       26   guide shaft head       27   recess       28   low pressure vortex       29   diaphragm alignment guide       30   bleed-off holes                  
 
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a rear view of the regulating value. The valve includes a mounting plate  1 . The mounting plate has several holes  2  to enable it to be mounted in the path of the incoming fuel/air and the combustion chamber of the intended engine. The mounting plate 1  provides a fixed base for the guide shaft bracing  6 . The mounting plate  1  also serves as a receiver for the valve body  11 . The mounting plate also serves as a housing for the worm gear  22 , a component of the external diaphragm tensioning system of FIG. 2. This view also gives a good illustration of the vent holes  4  located in the valve body&#39;s circumference.  
         [0029]    The engine&#39;s intake port  21  is formed between inner walls of the intake of mounting plate  1  and the adjoining portions of valve body  11 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 displays the exterior diaphragm tension system. It includes a worm gear  22  with its slotted engagement  3  housed in the mounting plate 1 . Numeral  23  denotes a portion of the worm gear&#39;s engagement splines. These splines allow the valve body  11  to be rotated from the exterior thereof, using its threaded portion  24 , better shown in FIG. 4 to guide the movement.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 is a front view of the valve assembly showing the diffuser screen  5  that is held in place with a retaining screw  7 , best shown in side view of FIG. 4. The retaining screw  7  is attached by its threaded portion at the apex of the valve guide shafts bracing  6 . The outer edge of the diffuser screen  5  is held at the junction point of the mounting plate  1  and the valve body  11 . Also shown in FIG. 3 is retaining clip  16  for guide shaft  12  and the worm gear  22  o-ring seals  18 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 is a right side view of the valve assembly in its closed position with its diaphragm  10  sealed against its valve seat  15 . This view also best illustrates the relationship between the converging walls of the joined intake port of the mounting plate  1  and the valve body  11 . The opposing walls of the valve&#39;s diaphragm  10  narrow thus forming a funnel like nozzle that is responsible for the increased velocity of the fuel/air charge. FIG. 4 also shows the threaded receiver  24  of the mounting plate  1  engaging the valve body&#39;s threaded portion. Also shown is the o-ring seal  17  that gives this junction a hermetic seal.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is a right side view of the valve assembly in an opened position with illustrated incoming fuel/air flow. The moveable element of the valve assembly includes a lightweight diaphragm  10 , with its clearance fitted diaphragm alignment guide  29 , mounted on its guide shaft  12 . Shaft  12  is slip fitted through the diffuser screen retainer screw  7 , exposing the valve&#39;s internal tension adjustment notches  8 . The retaining clip  16  attaches the guide shaft allowing variable preload tension on the valve diaphragm  10 . Held in position by the guide shaft  12 , is the valve&#39;s diaphragm  10 , which is tensioned against the valve body seat  15  by a compression spring  25  that is captured between the diaphragm&#39;s spring seat  25  and the guide shaft head  26 . Near the aft end of the valve body  11  is a recess  27  with a plurality of vent holes  4 , best shown in FIG. 1, formed about the periphery of the valve body providing a means to ventilate the plenum area  20  around the exterior of the valve body. The ventilators are positioned to siphon the unspent gases of the previous cycle back into the slipstream of the fresh incoming fuel/air charge. Also shown in FIG. 4, is the vectoring skirt  14  that cooperates with the diaphragm&#39;s vortex generator  13  to shape and direct the charge. Numeral  28  represents the low pressure vortex caused by the vortex generator  13  formed on the interior edge of the diaphragms. This vortex  28  is also responsible for atomization of the fuel/air charge.  
         [0034]    In operation, the valve diaphragm  10 , FIGS.  4 - 5 , is actuated by the alternating pressure caused by the engine&#39;s reciprocating piston. With an advancing piston, a vacuum is created in the plenum area. This vacuum causes the diaphragm to be drawn away from the valve seat  15 , FIGS.  4 - 5  on the valve body  11 . This permits the carbureted fuel/air to be pulled through the diffuser screen  5 , FIG. 3, to initiate atomization of the fuel/air charge. The charge also passes through the funneled opening formed by the converging walls of the valve body  11 , FIGS.  4 - 5 , and the diaphragm  10 . This process forms the atomized fuel/air charge into a dense, homogenized charge that will have gained velocity. This charge is then shaped and directed to the combustion chamber by the combination of a vector skirt  14 , FIGS.  4 - 5 , venting holes  4  shown in FIG. 1, and the vortex generator  13 , shown in FIG. 4. The charge is then further atomized by the circulation caused by the siphoning action of venturi  4  and the low pressure vortex  28 , FIG. 5, caused by the concave shape of the diaphragm  10  with its attached vortex generator  13 .  
         [0035]    Conversely, with a retreating piston, the increased crankcase pressure developed causes the valve diaphragm  10  to be closed against its valve seat  15 . This seating action will seal the plenum area thereby decreasing backflow through the carburetor, while promoting the scavenging of the previous cycles&#39; fuel/air charge into the combustion chamber.  
         [0036]    As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, valve diaphragm  10  may have bleed off holes  30  formed therein at an angle of approximately 30° with respect to the vertical. These holes serve to aid in the circulation of the flow in the areas behind the valve diaphragm  10 .  
         [0037]    It should be understood that the shape of the diaphragm valve, and the size, location, and configuration of the valve structure as an assembly will be based on the function of the configuration of the connecting structure that best serves its intended applications performance as seen fit by those skilled in the art.  
         [0038]    Having thus described the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit and scope thereof. What is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.