Patent Publication Number: US-7909027-B2

Title: Ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS &amp; INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/492,235, entitled “Ultrasonic Fuel/Power Enhancer,” filed Jul. 25, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,000, which claims the benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/704,249, filed on Aug. 1, 2005, entitled “Ultrasonic Fuel/Power Enhancer”. All of these related applications are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. Moreover, any and all U.S. patents, U.S. patent applications, and other documents, hard copy or electronic, cited or referred to in this application are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer and, more particularly, the invention relates to an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer having an array of whistles producing sound and ultrasound at different wind speeds and conditions. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     While many U.S. consumers complain about high gasoline prices, they are not buying less gasoline. That, in turn, maintains the high gasoline prices. The Energy Information Administration, the analytical arm of the Energy Department, predicts that even if crude oil prices decline over the next few months, retail gasoline prices will probably stay high. Because of changes in American&#39;s driving habits over the last decade, the demand for gasoline changes little, even when prices climb. The vehicles that many people are driving, most notably sport-utility vehicles and light trucks, get far lower gas mileage than cars did twenty years ago. In roughly the same period, the number of drivers has increased overall, as has the number of miles people drive each year. Even if OPEC, the oil cartel, continued to produce oil at the current rate and does not introduce any prices increases, motorists can expect gasoline prices to remain high as refiners, in general, have been keeping inventories low to cut costs. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention is an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer for producing sound and ultrasound at different wind speeds and conditions. The enhancer is mountable in an air intake of a vehicle with the vehicle having a predetermined number of cylinders and each cylinder having a combustion chamber. The enhancer comprises at least one band and at least one tubular whistle. A whistle connection mechanism mounts the whistle to the band wherein the whistle is shaped and designed to produce sonic and ultrasonic sounds thereby atomizing gas droplets being supplied to the combustion chamber of each cylinder. 
     In addition, the present invention includes an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer for producing sound and ultrasound at different wind speeds and conditions is provided. The enhancer is mountable in an air intake of a vehicle with the vehicle having a predetermined number of cylinders and each cylinder having a combustion chamber. The enhancer comprises at least one band and at least one tubular whistle. A whistle connection mechanism is wrapped around the whistle with the whistle connection mechanism having at least one band receiving aperture and the band insertable through one of the band receiving apertures. At least one stabilizing tab is mounted to the whistle connection mechanism wherein the whistle is shaped and designed to produce sonic and ultrasonic sounds thereby atomizing gas droplets being supplied to the combustion chamber of each cylinder. 
     The present invention further includes a method for producing sound and ultrasound at different wind speeds and conditions. The method comprises providing a vehicle having an air intake of a vehicle, a predetermined number of cylinders, and a combustion chamber associated with each cylinder, providing at least one band constructed of a bendable material, mounting at least one tubular whistle to the band, mounting the combined band and whistle within the air intake, producing sonic and ultrasonic sounds, and atomizing gas droplets being supplied to the combustion chamber of each cylinder. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective cut-away view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with the enhancer mounted within a tube-type air intake; 
         FIG. 3  is an elevational side view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a front view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective cut-away view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention, with sound waves emitting from the whistles; 
         FIG. 6  is various views illustrating an embodiment of the whistle connection mechanism of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is various views illustrating another embodiment of the whistle connection mechanism of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an elevational side view illustrating another embodiment of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a front view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer of  FIG. 8 , constructed in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective cut-away view illustrating the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer of  FIG. 8 , constructed in accordance with the present invention, with ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer mounted between the air filter and the manifold intake. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-10 , the present invention is an ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer, indicated generally at  10 , for producing sound and ultrasound at different wind speeds and conditions. The ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  is an engine accessory device for automotive vehicles mountable in the air intake  12  of the vehicle (not shown). Preferably, the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  is constructed from a heat resistant, rust resistant metal material. 
     The ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention includes an array of individual tubular whistles  14  positioned in an incremental manner on at least one band  16 . Each whistle  14  is preferably a straight hollow tube creating an ultrasonic sound as air passes through the whistle  14 . In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  includes a pair of individual bands  16  in spaced relation to each other although having more bands  16  is within the scope of the present invention. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the whistles  14  of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention are secured to the bands  16  by a whistle connection mechanism  18  wrapped around each individual whistle  14 . Each of the whistle connection mechanisms  18  includes a plurality of band receiving apertures  20 . By providing a plurality of band receiving apertures  20 , the user can determine how many bands  16  are used and the position of each of the bands  16  relative to the whistles  14 , depending on the desires of the user and the size of the air intake  12  of the vehicle. 
     In addition, each of the whistle connection mechanisms  18  of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention have stabilizing tabs  22  to maintain the whistles  14  from moving relative to the bands  16 . The stabilizing tabs  22  inhibit metal fatigue and insure that the whistles  14  are in a tight, but movable position relative to the bands  16 . 
     Preferably, the whistles  14  of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  are aligned along the length of the bands  16  in a linear fashion graduating progressively from the smallest whistle to the largest whistle. The inside diameters of the whistles  14  used can vary in one-eight (⅛″) inch increments from one-eighth (⅛″) inch (the smallest) to seven-eighths (⅞″) inch (the largest) for a total of eleven (11) whistles  14 . In addition, the length of each of the whistles  14  can vary and is only limited by the amount of space within the air intake  12  of the vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the length of each of the whistles  14  is between one-half (½″) inch and two (2″) inches. It should be noted that while particular inside diameters, lengths, and number of whistles  14  have been described an illustrated herein, it is within the scope of the present invention to have different sized whistles  14  and to have the total number of whistles  14  be less than or greater than eleven (11). Furthermore, while the whistles  14  have been described as being mounted to the bands  14  from smallest whistle to largest whistle, it is within the scope of the present invention to mount the whistles  14  to the bands  16  in any desired or random order. 
     In short, the sizes and configuration of the whistles  14  are shaped and designed to produce sonic and ultrasonic sounds thereby atomizing gas droplets being supplied to the combustion chamber of each cylinder. Basically, having different sized whistles  14  adjusting to different airflow conditions (i.e.: wind speed, humidity air pressure temperature etc.) is key. Furthermore, the sizes and configuration of the whistles  14  can be adjusted to a vortex mode if desired. Actual operation of the ultrasonic/fuel power enhancer  10  will be described in further detail below. 
     As stated above, the whistles  14  of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention are secured to a pair of spaced bands  16 . The bands  16  are preferably constructed from a bendable metal material such as aluminum, copper, or brass, although constructing the bands  16  from other bendable metal materials, or even plastics, are within the scope of the present invention. By mounting the whistles  14  to the bendable metal bands  16 , the whistles  14  are linked together in a circular manner when installed in the air intake  12  of the vehicle. 
     In another embodiment of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIGS. 8-10 , the whistles  14  are arranged such that the air flow travels from the side over the top of the whistles  14  rather than directly through the whistles  14 . The air flow over the top of the whistles  14  creates the required sound and ultrasound noises. 
     The ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention is used in conjunction with throttle body, fuel injection systems within vehicles. This type of fuel injection system operates similar to a carburetor type system with one or two injectors sitting atop a conventional intake manifold. It should be noted that the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  is also operational in vehicles having a carburetor system. It should also be noted that the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention can be utilized in gasoline or alcohol powered engines mounted to a stationary object. In this instance, with constant wind velocity, only a single whistle  14  is required to produce the sound and ultrasound whistle noises. 
     The ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  is formed into a substantially round configuration and positioned in a press-fit manner between the air filter and the throttle intake manifold. The sonic and ultrasonic sounds produced by the whistles  14  of the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  atomizes the gasoline droplets fed into the intake manifold which are then mixed with air in the manifold and sent to the individual cylinders via the manifold&#39;s runners. The atomized fuel is easier to ignite in the combustion chamber, allowing for optimal burning of the gasoline. Basically, the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  is an affordable and effective way to increase the efficiency of an engine and improve performance, benefits which would be most attractive to the general motoring populace. 
     It should be noted that it is within the scope of the present invention for the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention to be constructed in a fixed version mimicking the variety and variableness of the adjustable versions described above. It should also be noted that it is within the scope of the present invention for the ultrasonic fuel/power enhancer  10  of the present invention to be constructed in other shapes and sizes producing the sound and ultrasound whistle noises. For example, a formed hollow depression can be formed rather than a tubular whistle. The key is the array that automatically adjusts to the variable wind velocities. The tubular whistle is a preferred embodiment due to the readily available material and the cost of construction. Metal or plastic molded tubes are within the scope of the present invention. 
     The foregoing exemplary descriptions and the illustrative preferred embodiments of the present invention have been explained in the drawings and described in detail, with varying modifications and alternative embodiments being taught. While the invention has been so shown, described and illustrated, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, and that the scope of the present invention is to be limited only to the claims except as precluded by the prior art. Moreover, the invention as disclosed herein, may be suitably practiced in the absence of the specific elements which are disclosed herein.