초록 ▼

Knocking sounds in an internal combustion engine are detected by a transducer, amplified, filtered to the knock frequencies, rectified and integrated to provide for each knock a DC pulse representative of the intensity of the knock. This DC pulse is fed to an up/down counter to step up the counter o

Knocking sounds in an internal combustion engine are detected by a transducer, amplified, filtered to the knock frequencies, rectified and integrated to provide for each knock a DC pulse representative of the intensity of the knock. This DC pulse is fed to an up/down counter to step up the counter output voltage in proportion to the knock rate. After a delay the voltage in the counter is stepped down at a controlled rate by signals derived from the engine distributor. A net positive output of the up/down counter and knock intensity operate to proportionately retard the spark, which returns to its normal setting when the counter output is counted down to zero. Additionally an integrated knock signal is fed back to the signal amplifier to control amplifier gain as engine running noise varies. The time constants of the feedback circuit are sufficiently slow, and the amplifier gain control is inhibited by the presence of knock, such that amplifier gain is not modified by the short knock pulses. Thus knock pulses are amplified above a noise level which is otherwise maintained constant by the feedback circuit.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for automatic control of spark setting in order to correct for knocking in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine having an electronic ignition control comprising: means for producing pulsed knock signals when said knocking occurs, each said knock pulse signal being representative o

An apparatus for automatic control of spark setting in order to correct for knocking in a spark-ignited internal combustion engine having an electronic ignition control comprising: means for producing pulsed knock signals when said knocking occurs, each said knock pulse signal being representative of one said engine knock; logic means for outputting logic pulses in response to input pulses dependent upon the distributor controlled ignition rates, the output rate being less than said distributor-controlled engine ignition rate, said distributor cooperating with said electronic ignition control; an up/down counter device receiving said knock signal outputs from said means for producing pulsed knock signals and said output pulses from said logic means, said counter device additively counting up for each knock signal received, said counter device subtractively counting down for each logic output pulse received, whereby the output of said counter device is the instantaneous sum of said additive and substractive input signals and pulses; means for applying said up/down counter device output to said electronic ignition control of said engine whereby the spark setting of said engine is retarded when saiD counter device outputs a finite signal, and said spark setting is not retarded when said counter device output is zero, and the degree of said spark retardation is proportioned to the magnitude of said instantaneous counter device output, whereby the spark setting is responsive to the rate of knock occurrence.