Patent · US Expired

System for determining deterioration of catalysts of internal combustion engines

US5325664A · kind A · utility

105Cited by
2References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 16, 1992
Grant dateJul 5, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 16, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/40
  • WIPO fieldEnvironmental technology
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A catalyst deterioration-determining system determines deterioration of a catalyst arranged in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. An ECU is responsive to an output from an O.sub.2 sensor arranged upstream of the catalyst or outputs from O.sub.2 sensors arranged upstream and downstream of the catalyst for controlling the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine by means of an air-fuel ratio correction value (first air-fuel ratio control). When the engine is in a predetermined operating condition, the system effects changeover from the first air-fuel ratio control to a second air-fuel ratio control which is responsive to the output from the downstream O.sub.2 sensor for controlling the air-fuel ratio of the mixture by means of the air-fuel ratio correction value. After the changeover has been effected, a time period is measured which elapses from the time the second air-fuel ratio control causes a change in the air-fuel ratio correction value from a richer side to a leaner side or vice versa with respect to a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio to the time the output from the downstream O.sub.2 sensor is inverted from the richer side to the leaner side or vice …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.