Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Exhaust gas used with the combustible mixture
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-02-20
Wolfe, Willis R. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Exhaust gas used with the combustible mixture
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189520
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to automotive emission control valves, such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves that are used in exhaust emission control systems of automotive vehicle internal combustion engines. More specifically, the invention relates to the integration of a sensor, a fluid pressure regulator valve, and a fluid-pressure-operated actuator in an EGR valve to create an EGR module, hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “Modular EGR”.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,241,940 (Gates, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,479 (Gates et al.), which are hereby incorporated by reference, disclose EGR systems of the type in which a module that embodies principles of the present invention is useful. The inventive module possesses a novel construction that provides important economic and functional advantages relating to fabrication, assembly, testing, installation, and use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One generic aspect of the invention relates to an automotive emission control module comprising: an emission control valve body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, a valve for selectively restricting flow between the ports, an actuator for operating the valve, an electric sensor comprising a sensor body having a sensing port ported to the main flow passage, an electric-operated fluid pressure regulator valve for operating the actuator and comprising a fluid pressure regulator valve body, one of the sensor body and the fluid pressure regulator valve body comprising an electric connector comprising plural electric terminals at least one of which electrically joins to an electric circuit device in the one of the sensor body and the fluid pressure regulator valve body, and at least another of which extends through the one of the sensor body and the fluid pressure regulator valve body into mated electric connection with a respective electric terminal electrically joined to another electric circuit device in the other of the sensor body and the fluid pressure regulator valve body.
Within this one generic aspect, further aspects include: the one of the sensor body and the fluid pressure regulator valve body being the sensor body; the electric circuit device in the sensor body comprising a pressure sensor for sensing pressure at the sensing port; one of the sensor body and the body of the actuator comprising a nipple that is telescopically received in a hole in the other of the sensor body and the actuator body to form a portion of a pressure sensing passage through which the sensing port is ported to the main flow passage; the actuator comprising a shaft that is positionable along an axis to operate the valve member, and the nipple and the hole in which the nipple is received are coaxial with the axis; and the fluid pressure regulator valve comprising a vacuum regulator valve for supplying regulated vacuum to operate the actuator.
A further generic aspect relates to an automotive emission control module comprising an emission control valve, an actuator for operating the emission control valve to control automotive vehicle emission, the actuator having a body comprising plural parts assembled together to cooperatively enclose at least one variable volume chamber space via which the actuator operates the emission control valve, an electric sensor disposed on one of the actuator body parts, and an electric-operated fluid pressure regulator valve disposed on the one actuator body part for providing regulated fluid pressure to the at least one variable volume chamber space. A more specific aspect includes the fluid pressure regulator valve and the one actuator body part sharing a common wall that contains an internal fluid passage between a regulated pressure chamber space of the fluid pressure regulator valve and the at least one chamber space of the actuator.
A still further generic aspect relates to an automotive emission control module comprising: an emission control valve body having an internal main flow passage between a first port and a second port, a valve for selectively restricting flow between the ports, an actuator for operating the valve, an electric-operated fluid pressure regulator valve for operating the actuator and comprising a fluid pressure regulator valve body housing a fluid pressure regulator mechanism, the actuator comprising an actuator body that houses an actuator mechanism, the module comprising a unitary part of homogeneous material throughout that forms a portion of the actuator body, that forms a portion of the fluid pressure regulator valve body, and that contains an internal passage through which regulated fluid pressure is communicated from the fluid pressure regulator valve to the actuator.
Within this still further generic aspect, more specific aspects include the portion of the regulator valve body formed by the unitary part including a cylindrical side wall, and the internal passage intercepting the cylindrical side wall; the portion of the regulator valve body formed by the unitary part including a transverse end wall at an axial end of the cylindrical side wall; the transverse end wall containing a passageway through which the main flow passage of the emission control valve body is communicated to the fluid pressure regulator valve, and the module further including a sensor having a fluid sensing port that communicates with the main flow passage of the emission control valve body through the passageway in the transverse end wall for providing an electric signal related to a characteristic of fluid in the main flow passage; the fluid pressure regulator valve comprising a regulated pressure chamber space within which the regulator valve develops regulated fluid pressure, and the regulated pressure chamber space being circumferentially bounded by a portion of the cylindrical side wall and communicating with the passageway in the transverse end wall through an orifice in the transverse end wall; and the portion of the actuator body formed by the unitary part comprising an actuator wall that defines a portion of a variable volume internal chamber space of the actuator to which the internal passage communicates regulated fluid pressure from the fluid pressure regulator valve.
Still more of these more specific aspects relate to: a cover associated with the unitary part such that the cover and the unitary part cooperatively define an atmospheric chamber space through which atmospheric air is communicated to an atmospheric port of the fluid pressure regulator valve; a particulate filter disposed within the atmospheric chamber space in filtering relation to the atmospheric port of the fluid pressure regulator valve; the actuator wall comprising a central axis, the cover comprising an end wall transverse to the central axis and having a central zone which is spaced along the central axis from a central zone of the actuator wall, and the cover further comprising a skirt wall that extends circumferentially about the axis and axially between the end wall of the cover and the actuator wall; the particulate filter being axially captured between the actuator wall and the cover end wall, and being circumferentially co-extensive with the skirt wall; the actuator wall comprising a declining surface that declines axially in the radial direction away from the central axis to one or more radial through-openings via which the atmospheric chamber space communicates with atmosphere; the declining surface being circumferentially co-extensive with the skirt wall, and the particulate filter being disposed radially inward of the skirt wall and against the declining surface; the actuator wall comprising an upright rim at a radially outer margin of the declining surface, the cover comprising a downright rim that seats with the upright rim, and the one or more through-openings being disposed in the upright rim contiguous with the declining surface; and the skirt wall and the particulate filter having a circumferential co-extent that is circular for less than 360° about the central axis.
Still more of these
Busato Murray F.
Cook John E.
Siemens Canada Limited
Wolfe Willis R.
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