Abstract:
Disclosed is a variable venturi type carburetor which is provided with a suction piston movable in a direction perpendicular to an air flow, in accordance with changes in the air flow, so as to vary the area of a venturi opening formed between the bottom end of the suction piston and a wall of the carburetor body facing the bottom end of the suction piston, for maintaining the speed of the air flow passing through the venturi opening substantially constant. The suction piston has a hole formed therein communicating the venturi opening with a suction chamber in which the suction piston is moved. The carburetor has a spring for urging the suction piston, but does not have any oil damper within the suction chamber. The shape of the venturi opening is so arranged that the increase of the area of the venturi opening in accordance with the displacement of the suction piston is gradually increased. As a result, fluctuation due to the resonance and wide fluctuation caused during the transient response of the suction piston do not occur.

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a variable venturi type carburetor, especially to a variable venturi type carburetor which is not provided with any oil damper within a suction piston thereof. 
     From the point of view of reducing harmful contaminants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ), contained in exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine mounted in a vehicle and reducing fuel consumption of the engine, the importance of the operating characteristics of a carburetor is increasing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Known carburetors are classified into two types, a fixed venturi type and a variable venturi type. Variable venturi type carburetors have been mainly mounted on a specially designed car such as a sports car. Variable venturi type carburetors have the advantages of: (a) good transient response which takes place when the supply of the mixture is changed, and; (b) good continuity of operating characteristics between the idling condition and the running condition of the engine, because the variable venturi type carburetors are not divided into a slow system and a main system. Consequently, to reduce harmful contaminants in exhaust gas, reduce fuel consumption of an engine and increase the driveability of a vehicle, variable venturi type carburetors are also utilized in regular type automobiles. 
     As is well known in the art, a variable venturi type carburetor is provided with a suction piston movable in a direction perpendicular to an air flow, in accordance with changes in the air flow, so as to vary the area of venturi opening formed between the bottom end of the suction piston and the wall of the carburetor body facing the bottom end of the suction piston, for maintaining the speed of the air flow passing through the venturi opening substantially constant. However, in a conventional variable venturi type carburetor, a suction piston may cause a vertical oscillation due to the slow oscillation of the intake vacuum of the engine when the engine is operated at low speed. In addition, when the throttle valve disposed in the carburetor is opened suddenly (when the engine is increasingly accelerated), the suction piston may suddenly displace upward and may fluctuate widely on both sides of the predetermined position, and as a result, the air fuel ratio may become lean. 
     To obviate the above-mentioned problems, a conventional variable carburetor has an oil damper installed within a piston rod for guiding the suction piston. However, the oil stored in the oil damper of the variable venturi type carburetor may be lost with the passage of time during which the variable venturi type carburetor is used. If damping oil is not supplied adequately, the carburetor may cause a wide fluctuation of the suction piston or a slow oscillation of the suction piston as a variable venturi type carburetor having no oil damper disposed therein does. As a result, the operating characteristics of a vehicle, such as the acceleration ability and driveability, are degraded. 
     The viscosity of damping oil stored in the oil damper must be adequately adjusted. If damping oil having a high viscosity is used, the suction piston is prevented from quick movement. As a result, the air fuel ratio is enriched, harmful contaminants contained in exhaust gas are increased and fuel consumption is increased. On the other hand, if damping oil having a low viscosity is used, the damping effect of the oil damper is decreased. In addition, it should be noted that the viscosity of oil varies as ambient temperature is varied. Therefore, in summer, the problem caused by using oil having a low viscosity may occur, and in winter, the problem caused by using oil having a high viscosity may occur. As is apparent from the above discussion, an oil damper is troublesome because it requires the maintenance and adjustment of the quality and quantity of oil at a predetermined level. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The principle object of the present invention is to provide a variable venturi type carburetor which can obviate the above-mentioned problems associated with an oil damper installed in the variable venturi type carburetor. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a variable venturi type carburetor which has a specially shaped venturi opening instead of a rectangular venturi opening of a conventional variable venturi carburetor and which can prevent fluctuation due to resonance and wide fluctuation from occurring without using an oil damper disposed therein. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a variable venturi type carburetor which can be easily maintained. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic illustrations which are used for the explanation of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram which shows the relationship between the displacement of the suction piston and the area of the venturi opening in a variable venturi carburetor according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a sectioned elevational view which shows a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view which shows a suction piston installed in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a side view which shows a suction piston of a second embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view which shows a suction piston of a third embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram which shows the relationships between the air flow Ga and the pressure variation ΔP 2  /Δx of a conventional carburetor and of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, and; 
     FIGS. 10 and 11 are side views, each of which shows a suction piston of a fourth or fifth embodiment according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Principle of the Present Invention 
     Prior to the explanation of embodiments according to the present invention, the theoretical background of the present invention will be explained. A variable venturi type carburetor has a suction piston movably disposed within a suction chamber. The suction piston has a hole therein for communicating the venturi opening with the inside of the suction chamber and the suction chamber has a spring disposed therein for urging the suction piston. Therefore, the variable venturi type carburetor is divided into two models, which are, (1) a pneumatic system model shown in FIG. 1 and (2) a spring system model shown in FIG. 2. 
     (1) Pneumatic System Model (FIG. 1) 
     Pressure acting on a suction piston 2 installed in a suction chamber 1 is designated by P 1 , the cross sectional area of the suction piston 2 is designated by A 1 , pressure acting on the surface, facing the venturi opening, of the suction piston 2 is designated by P 2  and the cross sectional area of the suction piston is designated by A 2 . When the forces acting on the suction piston 2 are balanced, the pressures P 1  and P 2  acting on the suction piston 2 are equal to each other and P 1  equals P 2 . When the suction piston 2 is displaced a small distance Δx from the balanced condition by an external force, the variations of the pressures P 1  and P 2  may be designated as ΔP 1  and ΔP 2 , and the following equation of the balanced force obtained 
     
         ΔP.sub.2 =ΔP.sub.1 +ΔP.sub.r +ΔP.sub.f (1) 
    
     wherein, 
     ΔP r  designates the variation of the pressure caused by the viscosity of air passing through the hole, and is expressed as 
     
         ΔP.sub.r =128 μL/πd.sup.4 Q, 
    
     and; 
     ΔP f  designates the variation of the pressure caused by the force of inertia of air passing through the hole, and is expressed as 
     
         ΔP.sub.f =4Lρ/πd.sup.4 ·dQ/dt 
    
     wherein, 
     Q designates an air flow passing through the hole, and is expressed as 
     
         Q=V/E·dP.sub.1 /dt-A.sub.1 dx/dt; 
    
     μ designates the coefficient of viscosity of air; 
     ρ designates the density of air; 
     L designates the length of the hole; 
     d designates the diameter of the hole; 
     V designates the volume of the suction chamber, and; 
     E designates the bulk modulus of air. 
     The force f acting on the suction piston 2 is expressed by the following equation. 
     
         f=A.sub.2 P.sub.2 -A.sub.1 P.sub.1                         (2) 
    
     According to the required operating characteristics of the variable venturi carburetor, the pressure variation ΔP 2  at the venturi opening is expressed by the following equation when the suction piston 2 is displaced a small distance Δx from the balanced condition. 
     
         ΔP.sub.2 /Δx=C                                 (3) 
    
     wherein, C is constant. 
     (2) Spring System Model (FIG. 2) 
     The equation of motion concerning the spring system model shown in FIG. 2 is expressed by the following equation, wherein m is the mass of the suction piston 2 and k is the coefficient of the spring 3, but the damped factor is neglected. 
     
         f=m d.sup.2 x/dt.sup.2 +kx                                 (4) 
    
     To study the stability of the variable venturi carburetor, a characteristic equation is established using the above-mentioned equations (1) through (4), and a criterion of the stability of the variable venturi carburetor is obtained, which is given by the following equation. 
     
         A.sub.1 E/V&gt;ΔP.sub.2 /Δx                       (5) 
    
     (When an equation ΔP 1  =E/VA 1  ·Δx, which expresses the increase of the pressure due to the compression of gas, is substituted into equation (5), the following equation (6) is obtained. 
     
         ΔP.sub.1 /Δx&gt;ΔP.sub.2 /Δx          (6) 
    
     It will be understood from the equation (5) that, when the ratio between the pressure variation ΔP 2  of the pressure P 2  at the venturi opening and the small displacement Δx of the suction piston 2 is selected to be smaller than a predetermined value which is given by the equation (5), the fluctuation of the suction piston due to resonance can be prevented from occurring. In addition, when the operating characteristics of the variable venturi type carburetor are taken into consideration, it can be concluded that the variation ΔS of the cross sectional area S of the venturi opening due to the small displacement Δx of the suction piston should be small. 
     Consequently, when a conventional variable venturi carburetor which has a rectangular venturi opening is used to satisfy the above-mentioned criterion, the venturi opening should be shaped into a slender rectangle having its long sides along the displacing direction of the suction piston. This will result in the variation of the cross sectional area of the venturi opening due to the small displacement Δx of the suction piston being small. However, such a variable venturi carburetor which has a slender rectangular venturi opening must have a large suction piston stroke, so that the maximum air flow, which is determined by the required performance of the carburetor, is supplied through the venturi opening. As a result, such variable venturi carburetor can not be actually used. 
     The inventors of the present invention have conducted research to find a shape of the venturi opening which can satisfy the above-mentioned criterion and provide a sufficiently large maximum air flow, and which can be actually used in a variable venturi carburetor. Referring to FIG. 3, a displacement of the suction piston is designated by x, and the area of the venturi opening corresponding to the displacement x is designated by S(x). When the suction piston is displaced a small distance Δx and the variation ratio is a constant α, the condition is given by the following equation (7). 
     
         [S(x+Δx)-S(x)]/S(x)=α                          (7) 
    
     The integral of the equation (7) is 
     
         S=S.sub.o e.sup.αx                                   (8) 
    
     wherein, S o  is the area of the venturi opening at x=0. 
     The side shape f(x) of the venturi opening is obtained when the equation (8) is differentiated. 
     
         f(x)=αS.sub.o e.sup.αx                         (9) 
    
     It is concluded, in view of the above discussion, that when the end surface of the venturi opening is formed in an exponential curve of the displacement of the suction piston, the pressure variation ΔP 2  at the venturi opening can be maintained lower than a predetermined value. Consequently, fluctuation of the suction piston due to resonance can be prevented from occurring and a sufficiently large cross sectional area of the venturi opening can be obtained. 
     Embodiment 
     An embodiment of the present invention in accordance with the above discussion will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 through 6. 
     A carburetor body 10 is provided with a chamber case 12 and a suction chamber 14 is formed within the chamber case 12. The chamber case 12 has a guide 13 formed therein in one body. The guide 13 has a rod 18 movably inserted therein and the rod 18 is fixed to a suction piston 16. The suction piston 16 is held by the chamber case 12, so that the suction piston 16 can move within the chamber case 12, and the suction piston 16 has labyrinth packings 16a formed thereon. The wall of the suction piston 16, which wall faces to a venturi opening 28, has a hole 16b formed therein. The upper wall of the carburetor body 10 has a hole 10a formed therein, which hole 10a communicates the inside of the carburetor body 10 with an atmospheric pressure chamber 20 formed at a space between the suction piston 16 and the carburetor body 10. A metering rod 22 is fixed to the bottom end of the suction piston 16 so that the metering rod 22 can be inserted into a well 24 connected to the lower wall of the carburetor body 10. Fuel supplied to the well 24 through an inlet pipe 27 is measured and supplied into the venturi opening 28 through a clearance formed between the metering rod 22 and a metering jet 26 formed at an inlet of the well 24. A throttle valve 30 is disposed at a position downstream of the venturi opening 28 and an air horn 32 for supplying air is disposed at a position upstream of the venturi opening 28. The suction chamber 14 has a spring 34 therein for urging the suction piston 16. 
     The construction mentioned above is similar to that of a conventional variable venturi type carburetor. The variable venturi type carburetor according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 has a flat projection 36 formed on the lower wall of the carburetor body 10, and also, has a pair of partitions 38 and 38&#39; fixed to the bottom end of the suction piston 16. The end surface f(x) of each partition 38 or 38&#39; is formed in an exponential curve f(x)=αS o  e.sup.αx at a distance x measured from the bottom end. As a result, the area of the venturi opening 28, which is formed by the bottom end of the suction piston 16, the projection 36 formed on the carburetor body 10 and the pair of partitions 38 and 38&#39;, is also an exponential function of the distance x. The variation ratio ΔS/S is constant when the ratio is defined by the area variation ΔS of the venturi opening in accordance with the small displacement Δx to the area S of the venturi opening. 
     If the throttle valve 30 is suddenly opened while the suction piston 16 has had a predetermined displacement in accordance with the air flow passing through the venturi opening 28, so that the forces acting on the suction piston 16 due to the pressure and the spring 34 have been balanced, the vacuum pressure P 2  in the venturi opening 28 is raised. The raised vacuum pressure P 2  is transmitted into the suction chamber 14 through the hole 16b. As a result, the force acting in the atmospheric pressure chamber 20 and that acting in the suction chamber 14 become unbalanced, and the suction piston 16 begins to displace upward against the urging force of the spring 34. When the suction piston 16 begins to displace upward, the vacuum pressure in the venturi opening is lowered and a force acting on the bottom end of the suction piston 16, for raising the suction piston 16, is generated. On the other hand, the air in the suction chamber 14 is compressed when the suction piston 16 is raised and the suction piston 16 is forced back due to the air cushion effect. 
     The area of the venturi opening 28 is so selected that the variable venturi carburetor can satisfy the equation (6), that is (ΔP 1  /Δx)&gt;ΔP 2  /Δx, and as is apparent from FIG. 4, A 1  &gt;A 2 . The force acting on the suction piston 16 due to the pressure increase ΔP 2  when the suction piston 16 is raised upward is equal to ΔP 2  ×A 2 . The force acting on the suction piston 16 due to the air cushion effect of the suction chamber 14 caused by the displacement of the suction piston 16 is equal to ΔP 1  ×A 1 . Consequently, the force acting on the suction piston due to the air cushion effect ΔP 1  ×A 1  is larger than that due to the pressure increase ΔP 2  ×A 2 . Therefore, the suction piston 16 does not generate the fluctuation due to resonance and wide fluctuation. 
     The test data obtained by the variable venturi type carburetor according to the present invention shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 (in which, the constants expressed in the equation (9) are selected to be 0.1≦α≦0.3, 1.0≦S o  ≦60 (mm 2 )) and by that of a conventional type having a slender venturi opening (the width of which is not less than 8 mm) and no oil damper disposed therein are illustrated in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, the data are plotted on a graph with the air flow in weight Ga g/s as the ordinate and the pressure variation ΔP 2  /Δx, defined by the ratio of the pressure increase ΔP 2  to the small displacement Δx of the suction piston, as the abscissa. The curve A shows the operating characteristics of the present invention. From the curve A it is seen that the pressure variation ΔP 2  /Δx is almost constant for all the air flow Ga. Fluctuation of the suction piston 16 could not be observed. On the other hand, the curve B shows the operating characteristics of the conventional carburetor. From the curve B, it is seen that the pressure variation ΔP 2  /ΔX is steeply increased at the closed position of the suction piston where the air flow Ga is small. Fluctuation of the suction piston was observed. This fluctuation is caused by the fact that the pressure variation ΔP 2  /Δx exists within a range which is above the limit of the fluctuation expressed by ΔP 2  /Δx=A 1  E/V. 
     The variable venturi type carburetor shown in FIGS. 4 through 6 can prevent the fluctuation of the suction piston without using an oil damper which causes various problems. 
     The suction piston 16 shown in FIG. 7 is provided with a pair of partitions 38a and 38&#39;a, each of which has an end surface of an arc shape instead of those of 38 and 38&#39; of the exponential curve. It is easier to manufacture the partition 38a or 38&#39;a than the partition 38 or 38&#39;. The suction piston 16 shown in FIG. 8 is provided with a pair of partitions 38b and 38&#39;b, each of which has an inclined end surface. It is easier to manufacture the partition 38b and 38&#39;b than the partitions 38 and 38&#39;. It has been confirmed by tests that, when the suction piston shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are so designed that the pressure variation ΔP 2  /Δx is smaller than the limit of the fluctuation A 1  E/V, the fluctuation of the suction piston due to resonance and wide fluctuation can be prevented. (Tests were effected for the suction piston shown in FIG. 7 in a range of R/3≦R≦D, 10≦S o  ≦60 (mm 2 ), and for the suction piston shown in FIG. 8 in a range of 80°≦θ≦140°, 10≦S o  ≦60 (mm 2 )). 
     A variable venturi carburetor shown in FIG. 10 comprises a suction piston 16 having a flat bottom end and a pair of partitions 40 and 40&#39; disposed on a wall of a carburetor body 10 facing the bottom end of the suction piston 16. The end surface of each partition is formed in an exponential curve f(x)=αS o  e.sup.αx at a distance measured from the wall of the carburetor body 10. The ends surfaces are so disposed that each end surface is opposite the other end surface. The variable venturi type carburetor shown in FIG. 10 does not cause fluctuation of the suction piston. The end surface of the partition 40 or 40&#39; shown in FIG. 10 can also be formed in an arc shape similar to that shown in FIG. 7, and can be formed in an inclined shape (shown in FIG. 11) similar to that shown in FIG. 8. 
     The present invention can prevent fluctuation due to resonance and wide fluctuation of the suction piston without an oil damper being disposed in a carburetor, and the variable venturi type carburetor is simple in construction and is easy to maintain and adjust.