Patent Publication Number: US-9845740-B2

Title: Throttle body fuel injection system with improved fuel distribution and idle air control

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/470,121, filed May 11, 2012, and a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/469,938, filed May 11, 2012, issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 9,303,578 on Apr. 5, 2016, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if restated in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to fuel injection systems for internal combustion engines, and in particular to single point throttle body fuel injection systems designed for retrofitting vintage carburetion fuel delivery systems. 
     Background Art 
     A carburetion fuel delivery system uses a carburetor to supply and meter the mixture of fuel and air in relation to the speed and load of the engine.  FIG. 1  illustrates a typical carburetor ( 10 ). Carburetor ( 10 ) includes one or more barrels ( 12 ). A butterfly-type throttle valve ( 18 ) is located near the bottom of the barrel ( 12 ), the opening and closing of which is controlled through a throttle linkage (not illustrated). Each barrel ( 12 ) includes a primary venturi ( 14 ) and an annular boost venturi ( 16 ), although additional venturis may be used to permit more precise metering of fuel and air under different conditions. Liquid fuel ( 20 ) is contained in a float bowl ( 22 ) and is in fluid communication with one or more orifices ( 21 ) located at the throat within the annular venturi ( 16 ). A jet ( 24 ) having a selectively sized port formed therethrough is disposed within the float bowl ( 22 ) at the entrance to the fluid passage ( 25 ) between the float bowl and the venturi ( 16 ). As air flows through the barrel ( 12 ) during operation of the engine (depicted using single-headed arrows), a low pressure develops at the throats of the venturis ( 14 ,  16 ) according to Bernoulli&#39;s law. The difference in pressure at the fuel across fluid passage ( 25 ) causes fuel to flow into the air stream (depicted using double-headed arrows). Orifices ( 21 ) atomize the liquid fuel, and because of the low pressure created by venturis ( 14 ,  16 ), the fuel is nearly instantaneously vaporized. The size of jet ( 24 ) determines the air/fuel ratio. 
     Variations in atmospheric temperature and pressure, engine temperature, load and speed make perfect carburetion nearly impossible to obtain under all driving conditions. A cold engine, an engine at idle, and an engine at wide-open throttle all require a rich fuel-air mixture, while a warm engine at cruise requires a lean fuel-air mixture. The airflow also varies greatly; the airflow through the carburetor at wide-open throttle may be 100 times greater than the airflow at idle. Complicating matters is the fact that gasoline has components with widely varying boiling points, which may result in less than fully vaporized fuel entering the engine cylinders under certain conditions, particularly when the intake manifold is cold. 
     In contrast, fuel injection systems meter fuel much more precisely than carburetors, thereby allowing optimal fuel-air mixture to be more consistently delivered across the full spectrum of driving conditions. Fuel injection provides increased horsepower, higher torque, improved fuel economy, quicker cold starting, and other benefits. As a result, fuel injection systems have largely replaced carburetion fuel delivery systems in automobiles manufactured after 1985. 
     Fuel injection systems use one or more fuel injectors, which are electromechanical devices that meter and atomize fuel. In each injector, application of an electrical current to a coil lifts a spring-loaded needle within a pintle valve off its seat, thereby allowing fuel under pressure to be sprayed through an injector nozzle to form a cone pattern of atomized fuel. 
     Fuel injection systems may be classified as single point, multi-point, or direct injection. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , single point injection, also known as throttle body injection, uses one or more fuel injectors ( 64 ) located generally in a single location—the throttle body ( 62 ). Fuel is sprayed into throttle body ( 62 ) for delivery to the cylinders via the intake manifold (not illustrated). Fuel injectors ( 64 ) may be of the continuous injection variety, for which fuel is sprayed continuously and fuel delivery is controlled by adjusting fuel pressure, or of the intermittent injection variety, for which the injectors are rapidly cycled on and off and fuel delivery is controlled by the duration of the “on” pulse within a cycle. The latter variety is preferable for electronic control. 
     Although mechanical and hydraulic control systems are also known in the art, electronic control is the most common manner for governing the rate of fuel injection. A microprocessor- or microcontroller-based computer system is included within an engine control unit (ECU). The computer controls various engine and automotive systems as preprogrammed functions of numerous signals received from various sensors. 
     For control of fuel injection, the computer generates periodic pulse signals for each of the injectors, with “on” pulses for firing the fuel injectors. One or more driver circuits, located within the ECU, amplify and condition the pulse signals to be suitable for use with the fuel injectors. The cycle wavelength is a function of engine speed, and the pulse widths of the “on” pulses are a function of engine load. Engine speed is typically determined by a distributor output, a tachometer output, or a crankshaft sensor. Engine load is typically determined with either a mass airflow sensor or a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor. 
     Based on the engine speed and load input signals, the computer generates the fuel injector pulse signals. The fuel injector pulse signals are initially based on target air-fuel ratio values, which are compensated for the volumetric efficiency of the engine at its operating speed and load. Target air-fuel ratios and volumetric efficiency coefficients may be stored in one or more look-up tables in volatile or non-volatile computer memory and are accessed using engine load and speed as input indices. The use of look-up tables allows for rapid response by the ECU to various vehicle operating conditions without the need for extensive time-consuming calculations. Controlling the fuel injection directly from the look-up tables is referred to as open-loop control. 
     However, when the ECU operates in a closed-loop control mode, the actual fuel injector pulse signals may vary from those derived directly from the look-up tables based on actual engine operating conditions. In closed-loop control, the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust gas is measured, which provides an indication of whether the engine is running too rich, too lean, or stoichiometrically. The fuel rate supplied to the engine is corrected by the ECU based on the input from an oxygen sensor so that the actual air-fuel ratio supplied to the engine equals the stored target air-fuel ratio under all conditions. In some ECU systems, one or more look-up tables may be updated based on the corrections derived during closed-loop control for better open-loop and closed-loop control. Closed-loop control is not used under some conditions, such as when the exhaust gas temperature is too cold for the oxygen sensor to provide reliable data. 
     There are a number of enthusiasts who operate vintage automobiles, often muscle cars, hotrods, and the like, who would benefit from upgrading the original carburetion fuel delivery systems with fuel injection systems. There is a desire, however, to maintain the traditional clean look, feel, and simplicity of a carburetor mounted atop the intake manifold. Throttle body fuel injection systems are ideal for such applications. Accordingly, a niche market has evolved for kits to adapt existing carburetors with injection capability or to replace existing carburetors with bolt-in-place throttle body fuel injection systems. Although such retrofit products exist, which provide many benefits of fuel injection, there is room for improvement in the way that fuel and air are delivered and mixed within the throttle body assembly. 
     For example,  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a throttle body fuel injection system ( 60 ) of prior art for replacing a carburetor, such as that disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,475 issued to Farrell et al. on Jun. 15, 2010. A section of the throttle body ( 62 ) is broken out to reveal the structure of one of the air intake barrels or bores ( 72 ), a throttle valve ( 78 ), and the idle air control (IAC) circuit ( 80 ). The fuel injectors ( 64 ) are positioned so as to inject the fuel just above the throttle valve blades ( 78 ). The idle air circuit intake ( 82 ) is located at the top of the throttle body ( 62 ), and the outlet ( 84 ) is located at the bottom of the throttle body ( 62 ). An idle air controller motor ( 86 ) is connected to an IAC valve assembly ( 88 ) so as to allow air flow through the IAC circuit ( 80 ). 
     The Farrell et al. device positions the fuel injectors ( 64 ) just above the throttle blades ( 78 ) “to direct fuel to cover the upper surface of the throttle blade to improve fuel atomization.” U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,475, col. 3 II. 58-59. Other designs, such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,972 issued to Grant on Sep. 22, 1998 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,338 issued to Martinez et al. on Sep. 7, 1982, utilize venturis akin to carburetor annular boost venturis ( 16 ) of  FIG. 1  to create low pressure zones to improve atomization and vaporization of injected fuel. However, these designs may not provide optimal atomization and mixture delivery to each engine cylinder. Indeed, the use of venturis with concomitant low pressure zones in fuel injection systems has disadvantages, including imprecise fuel delivery due to the propensity to draw fuel out of the fuel passages downstream of the injectors during “off” periods in the fuel injection cycle and a greater risk for the accumulation of icing within the throttle body under certain conditions. 
     As another example, the Farrell et al. IAC circuit ( 80 ) is completely separate from the intake barrels ( 72 ). As a result, idle air flowing through the IAC circuit ( 80 ) is not mixed with fuel. For this reason, the mixture tends to be too lean during idle conditions, causing rough unstable idle. Analogously, in ECU systems of prior art, fuel injection and IAC algorithms are also independent of one another. IAC motor position is controlled primarily as a function of engine speed, and sometimes, coolant temperature. Additional inputs, such as manifold absolute pressure or throttle position, may also be considered to ensure that the engine is actually in an idle condition prior to actuating the IAC motor. Fuel injector pulsing is controlled primarily as a function of engine speed, engine load, exhaust oxygen levels, and sometimes manifold air temperature (for air density compensation), coolant temperature (i.e., for simulating carburetor choke function) or throttle position (i.e., for simulating carburetor accelerator pump circuit operation). Fuel injector pulsing is not a function of IAC motor position. As the IAC opens when the engine begins to idle, the fuel delivered to the engine, initially based on the open-loop look-up tables, becomes too lean. The ECU compensates for the lean idle condition during closed-loop control by measuring post-combustion oxygen levels, but any corrective feedback necessarily lags engine operation under undesirably lean conditions. 
     Identification of Objects of the Invention 
     A primary object of the invention is to provide a fuel injection system for internal combustion engines that provides superior performance with optimal fuel distribution and idle control circuitry. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an electronic fuel injection control system that provides superior performance during idle conditions. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel injection system for retrofitting carbureted engines that installs easily with minimal external connections. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objects described above and other advantages and features of the invention are incorporated in a throttle body fuel injection system and method that is designed and arranged to easily replace four-barrel carburetors. The system preferably includes a throttle body assembly with four main bores, each with a throttle plate and an associated fuel injector, left and right fuel rails, and an engine control unit that is integrated into the side of throttle body. Each injector feeds fuel into a circular fuel distribution ring via a fuel injection conduit, which introduces pressurized fuel into the air stream. Both the main bores and the fuel distribution rings have profiles that avoid constrictions to prevent low pressure zones according to the Venturi effect. That is, the throttle body according preferred embodiments of the invention avoids using a venturi or the venturi effect to accomplish fuel distribution. Fuel is injected through downward-facing outlets at or near the bottom end of the ring. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the fuel distribution ring is a two-piece ring formed of a ring-shaped insert pressed into a ring-shaped outer housing. The outer housing is ideally integrally formed with the throttle body casting and includes one or more radial spokes to connect to the walls of the bore. At least one spoke for each ring includes a fuel injection conduit that supplies the ring with fuel from an injector. The insert includes axial grooves intervaled about its exterior circumference of insert that are joined by a circumferential groove formed about the insert. The grooves are in fluid communication with the fuel injection conduit. 
     The throttle body assembly includes an idle air control circuit that bypasses throttle blades. The idle air control circuit has an inlet port at the top of the throttle body and an outlet port at the bottom of throttle body. A cross-over port joins the idle air control circuit to one or more bores within the throttle body below the fuel distribution ring. An idle air control motor is used to throttle the amount of air that flows through the idle air control bypass circuit by varying the stem of an idle air control valve between open and shut positions. When the idle air control valve is open, an air/fuel mixture is drawn into the into the intake manifold through the idle air control circuit from the region of the throttle body bores downstream of the fuel injection rings. Because an air fuel mixture rather than air is supplied at idle, the tendency for a lean idle fuel mixture is minimized. 
     Additionally, a unique engine control unit “feed forward” algorithm controls the fuel injection as a function of the position of the idle air control motor so that as the IAC valve is opened, the pulse widths of the fuel injector signals are increased. This feature allows the initial open-loop-based fuel mixture supplied by system to be more accurate and eliminates rough unstable idle associated with closed-loop control lag times. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention is described in detail hereinafter on the basis of the embodiments represented in the accompanying figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an axial cross-section of the barrel of a typical carburetor of prior art, showing primary and annular booster venturis for drawing fuel from a float bowl into the air stream; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a throttle body fuel injection system of prior art with a broken-out section to reveal the detail of the idle air control circuit; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a throttle body fuel injection system with a broken-out section to reveal the detail of an annular fuel distribution ring according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation of the throttle body fuel injection system of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view exploded diagram of the throttle body fuel injection system of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the throttle body fuel injection system of  FIG. 3  shown with a larger broken-out section to reveal the detail of an idle air control arrangement according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a block level schematic diagram of the engine control unit of the fuel injection system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart diagram of the control system algorithm implemented by the engine control unit of  FIG. 7  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 3-5  illustrate a throttle body fuel injection system  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Throttle body fuel injection system  100  is a preferably an electronic fuel injection system that is designed and arranged to easily replace four-barrel carburetors. Throttle body  100  is designed to bolt on to any square-bore, four-barrel intake, including the common 4150 and 4160 designs. These intake manifold configurations are found on numerous engines for muscle cars and hot rods, including small and big block engines manufactured by Ford, General Motors, and Mopar. There are also aftermarket intake manifolds available to convert LS engines. 
     System  100  includes a throttle body  102  with four main bores  112  (each with a throttle plate  118 ), left and right fuel rails  130 , and an engine control unit (ECU)  132  that is integrated into the side of throttle body  102  opposite the throttle linkage ( 134 ). The fuel is fed into one of the fuel rails  130 , which is connected to the opposite fuel rail via a passage  136  formed within the throttle body. The fuel rails  130  provide fuel to four fuel injectors  104 , which are preferably located above the throttle plates  118 . Ideally, there is one fuel injector  104  per bore  112 . 
     Each injector  104  feeds fuel into a circular fuel distribution ring  140  via a fuel injection conduit  142 . Fuel distribution ring  140  introduces pressurized fuel into the air stream. Note that unlike the carburetor annular booster venturis  16  of  FIG. 1 , fuel distribution rings  140  have profiles that do not form constrictions for creating low pressure zones according to the Venturi effect. Indeed, the inner and outer diameters of fuel distribution rings  140  have substantially straight sides for minimal pressure drop. Also unlike the carburetor annular booster venturis  16  of  FIG. 1 , in which the fuel is introduced into the air stream through orifices  21  located in the interior side wall of the ring, fuel is injected through downward-facing outlets at or near the bottom end of ring  140 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, ring  140  is a two-piece ring formed of a ring-shaped insert  141  pressed into a ring-shaped outer housing  143 . Outer housing  143  is ideally integrally formed with the throttle body casting and includes one or more radial spokes  145  protruding therefrom that connect to the walls of bore  112  for securing outer ring housing  143  within bore  112 . At least one spoke  145  for each ring  140  includes a fuel injection conduit  142  that supplies ring  140  with fuel from an injector  104 . Insert  141  fits within outer housing  143 . Insert  141  includes axial grooves  144  intervaled about the exterior circumference of insert  141 . A circumferential groove  146  formed about insert  141  fluidly connects axial outlet grooves  144  with fuel injection conduit  142 , thereby allowing fuel to flow from injector  104  through conduit  142 , through circumferential groove  146 , and through axial grooves  144  to discharge downwardly at or near the bottom end of ring  140 . Although axial grooves  144  and circumferential groove  146  are shown formed in insert  141 , in an alternative embodiment either the axial grooves, the circumferential groove, or both, may be formed within the interior of outer housing  143 . 
     The design of annular injection ring  140  produces an air/fuel charge with superior mixing for even distribution to the cylinders. Better air-fuel mixing provides for better idle quality, better starting, and better overall drivability throughout the engine rpm range. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, each injection ring  140  includes six axial outlets  144 , although a greater or lesser number can be used as desired. However, it is desirable that the total cross-sectional area of axial grooves  144  within each injection ring  140  be larger than the total cross-sectional area exiting the corresponding fuel injector  104  so as to lower the kinetic energy of the fuel droplets entering the air stream. In a preferred embodiment, the total cross-sectional area of axial grooves  144  is approximately fifty percent larger than the area exiting fuel injector  104 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the idle air control (IAC) circuitry  120  of fuel injection system  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Like the IAC circuitry  80  of the prior art throttle body fuel injection system of  FIG. 2 , IAC circuitry  120  bypasses throttle blades  118 , which are shut when the engine is idling (although a closed throttle still allows a small amount of air to enter the manifold). IAC circuitry  120  is formed with an opening  122  at the top of the throttle body  102  and an outlet port  124  at the bottom of throttle body  102 . An idle air control motor  126  is used to throttle the amount of air that flows through the bypass circuit  120  by varying the stem of an IAC valve  128  between open and shut positions. 
     However, unlike the IAC circuitry  80  of the prior art throttle body fuel injection system of  FIG. 2 , IAC circuitry  120  includes one or more crossover inlet ports  121  that open between bores  112  below fuel injection ring  140  and IAC bypass circuit  120 . Accordingly, when IAC circuit  80  is bypassing air around throttle plates  118 , an air/fuel mixture is drawn from the region of bores  112  downstream of fuel injection rings  140  through ports  121  into the intake manifold (rather than drawing air only from upstream of the fuel injectors as is done in the prior art injection system of  FIG. 2 ). By drawing an air fuel mixture into the IAC circuit  80 , the propensity for a lean fuel mixture while idling is lessened. Opening  122  may be left open or may alternatively be plugged. 
     The tendency for a lean idle fuel mixture is also minimized by a unique ECU algorithm according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. ECU  132  (visible in  FIG. 5 ) controls the position of IAC motor  126  as a function of one or more inputs, which may include engine rpm, engine load, throttle position, and coolant temperature, so that engine rpm at idle is maintained at a constant desired value regardless of engine load or temperature, for example. For instance, when the vehicle is idling at a traffic signal, if the air conditioning compressor is engaged, the IAC valve  128  may need to be nearly fully open in order to maintain desired engine speed, but if the air conditioning compressor is disengaged, the IAC valve may only need to be open twenty percent. 
     In prior art control systems, IAC motor position is not an input variable used in the determination of fuel injection levels. However, as illustrated in the block level schematic diagram of  FIG. 7 , ECU  132  employs a unique feed-forward algorithm that increases the pulse widths of the fuel injector signals based on the controlled movement of the IAC motor. This feature allows the initial open-loop-based fuel mixture supplied by system  100  to be more accurate than the initial open-loop-based fuel mixture supplied by prior art system  60  and eliminates rough unstable idle associated with the closed-loop lag times. 
     A computer processor  150 , such as a microprocessor or microcontroller, is included within ECU  132 . The computer processor  150  controls various engine and automotive systems as preprogrammed functions of numerous signals received from various sensors. Computer memory  152 , which may include both random access memory (RAM) and non-volatile memory such as Flash memory or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), is in electrical communication with computer processor  150  as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art of computer system design. Discrete electronic components may be combined in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) as appropriate. 
     As described in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 8 , processor  150  executes an algorithm  160  for controlling the position of IAC motor  126  ( FIG. 5 ) so as to maintain actual engine idle speed at specified idle target speed. Target idle RPM data  162  are stored in memory  152  and may provide specified idle target speeds as a function of coolant temperature, throttle position, air conditioner settings, or similar inputs. Processor  150  receives an engine speed input  154  and whatever other inputs (not illustrated) are appropriate for the particular IAC algorithm  160  that is implemented. Based on IAC algorithm  160 , processor  150  generates an IAC position output signal  156 , which is proportional to the shaft position of IAC motor  126 . IAC position output signal is thereafter formatted and conditioned for actuating IAC motor  126  as appropriate. 
     Fuel injector pulsing is controlled by algorithm  164  primarily as a function of engine speed  154  and engine load  158  (e.g., MAP or mass air flow), as is known in the art. Other inputs (not illustrated) including exhaust oxygen levels, manifold air temperature, coolant temperature, and throttle position, may be used, depending on the control system topology. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, fuel pulse algorithm  164  is unique in that it includes the IAC position output signal  156  as an input. Accordingly, processor  150  generates a fuel pulse width output signal  157  that in open-loop control immediately increases the fuel pulse width output signal  157  as the IAC valve  128  ( FIG. 6 ) is opened without the lag time associated with closed-loop control based on oxygen sensor readings. The fuel pulse width output signal  157  is thereafter formatted and conditioned for actuating fuel injectors  104  ( FIG. 6 ) as appropriate. 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart diagram of the open-loop control system algorithm implemented by ECU  132  according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Target idle speed data  162 , volumetric efficiency data  170 , and target air/fuel ratio data  172  are stored in memory  152  of ECU  132  ( FIG. 7 ). According to IAC algorithm  160  ( FIG. 7 ), the appropriate target idle rpm value from target idle speed data  162  is summed with the negative feedback of the actual engine rpm value  154 , the result of which comprises the input to a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller algorithm  174 . As PID controllers are well known in the art, no further details are provided herein. However, controller topologies other than PID may be used as appropriate. The output of PID controller  174  is a signal  156  that is proportional to the position of IAC motor  126  ( FIG. 6 ). IAC position signal  156  is converted by an IAC motor driver circuit  176  into an appropriate signal that actuates IAC motor  126 . 
     An airflow estimator algorithm  178  determines the mass air flow rate into the engine from engine speed  154  and manifold absolute pressure  158  based on the engine&#39;s volumetric efficiency factors  170 . Other inputs (not illustrated), such as induction air temperature in the engine&#39;s intake manifold and barometric pressure may be used to more accurately determine mass air flow, as is known to routineers of ordinary skill in the art. Next, a fuel pulse width calculation algorithm  184  calculates from the mass air flow rate signal  180  and the target air/fuel ratio table  172  the fuel injection pulse width  182  required to add the required fuel mass to achieve the target air/fuel ratio for that engine speed and load. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a “feed forward” signal  184  that is proportional to IAC position signal  156  is summed with the initial fuel injection pulse width signal  182  so as to add more fuel as the IAC valve  128  ( FIG. 6 ) is opened. The combined fuel injection pulse width signal  186  is converted into a period waveform having a frequency based on the engine rpm signal  154  with suitable electrical characteristics to actuate fuel injectors  104  ( FIG. 6 ) by injector driver circuitry  188 . 
     The Abstract of the disclosure is written solely for providing the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public at large with a way by which to determine quickly from a cursory reading the nature and gist of the technical disclosure, and it represents solely a preferred embodiment and is not indicative of the nature of the invention as a whole. 
     While some embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in detail, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown; modifications and adaptations of the above embodiment may occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and adaptations are in the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth herein: