Patent · US Expired

Valve position detector

US6382246B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by
4References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 17, 2001
Grant dateMay 7, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 17, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T137/8242
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A poppet valve moves up and down in a valve operating mechanism in an internal combustion engine. A cylindrical fixed electrode is fixed to a support plate on a cylinder head, and a cylindrical moving electrode is mounted to the lower surface of a valve spring retainer which is mounted to the poppet valve via a cotter. The fixed electrode is connected to a circuit which comprises a variable condenser and a resistance. The valve moves up and down during firing operation of the engine. Thus, variation in electrostatic capacity is detected by the two electrodes, transmitted to a circuit via a lead mounted to the fixed electrode, and converted to a voltage by the circuit, thereby detecting valve position exactly.

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