IP Library Granted Patent US 11,231,002
Granted Patent B2
US 11,231,002 · App. 16/621,911 · Granted Jan 25, 2022

Fuel and air charge forming device

Inventors: Takashi Abei (Sendai, JP); Katsuaki Hamataka (Sendai, JP); Takashi Horikawa (Natori, JP); Tomoya Kawada (Sendai, JP); Dairoku Suzuki (Watari-Gun, JP); Jun Takano (Shibata-Gun, JP)
Assignee: Walbro LLC
F02M61/145F02D9/02F02D9/1005F02D9/1035F02M51/02F02M51/0625
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,231,002
App. No.
16/621,911
Granted
Jan 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

In at least some implementations, a charge forming device for a combustion engine includes a throttle body and a throttle valve. The throttle body has a throttle bore with an inlet through which air flows into the throttle bore and an outlet from which a fuel and air mixture exits the throttle bore. The throttle bore has a throat between the inlet and outlet and the throat has a reduced flow area compared to at least one of the inlet and outlet. The throttle valve has a valve head received within the throat of the throttle bore and movable relative to the throttle body between a first position and a second position wherein the flow area between the valve head and the throttle body is greater when the valve head is in the second position than in the first position.

Claims (28)

1. A charge forming device for a combustion engine, comprising:

a throttle body having a throttle bore with an inlet through which air flows into the throttle bore and an outlet from which a fuel and air mixture exits the throttle bore, the throttle bore having a throat between the inlet and outlet and the throat has a reduced flow area compared to at least one of the inlet and outlet;

a throttle valve having a valve head received within the throat of the throttle bore and movable relative to the throttle body between a first position and a second position wherein the flow area between the valve head and the throttle body is greater when the valve head is in the second position than in the first position; and

at least two fuel outlets that are open at one end to the throat of the throttle bore and communicated at the other end with a fuel supply and through which fuel enters the throttle bore, wherein at least one fuel outlet is located between the throttle valve head and the outlet when the throttle valve is in the first position, and wherein at least one fuel outlet is located between the throttle valve head and the inlet when the throttle valve is in the first position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the throttle bore includes a converging section between the inlet and the throat and a diverging section between the throat and the outlet, and the flow area of the converging section decreases in the direction from the inlet toward the throat, and the flow area of the diverging section increases in the direction from the throat toward the outlet.

3. The device of claim 1 which also includes a fuel chamber within the throttle body and in communication with the fuel outlets, and an air bleed passage formed in the throttle body and communicated with the fuel chamber to provide a flow of air to the fuel chamber.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the fuel outlets are formed in the throttle body.

5. The device of claim 1 which also includes a fuel metering valve having a housing that is coupled to the throttle body and wherein the fuel outlets are formed in the housing of the fuel metering valve.

6. The device of claim 1 which also includes a fuel metering valve carried by the throttle body, and wherein the fuel supply is defined by a fuel chamber that is open to the outlets, and the fuel metering valve has an outlet that leads directly to the fuel chamber to supply fuel to the fuel chamber.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the fuel chamber is defined by a cavity in the throttle body and the fuel metering valve is partially received within the cavity and is sealingly engaged with the cavity.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the fuel chamber is defined in a housing that is coupled to the throttle body and the fuel metering valve is coupled to and sealingly engaged with the housing.

9. A charge forming device for a combustion engine, comprising:

a throttle body having a throttle bore with an inlet through which air flows into the throttle bore and an outlet from which a fuel and air mixture exits the throttle bore, the throttle bore having a throat between the inlet and outlet and the throat has a reduced flow area compared to at least one of the inlet and outlet;

a throttle valve having a valve head received within the throat of the throttle bore and movable relative to the throttle body between a first position and a second position wherein the flow area between the valve head and the throttle body is greater when the valve head is in the second position than in the first position; and

an inlet fuel chamber in which a supply of liquid fuel is received, and a fuel metering valve located in a fuel circuit between the inlet fuel chamber and the throttle bore, wherein the inlet fuel chamber has an outlet that is located directly above a portion of the metering valve with respect to the direction of the force of gravity and fuel flows from the inlet fuel chamber to the fuel metering valve.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the fuel metering valve is electrically actuated and a housing of the fuel metering valve is in direct heat transfer relationship with fuel from the inlet fuel chamber.

11. The device of claim 9 wherein the fuel metering valve is carried by the throttle body, or by a second body in which the inlet fuel chamber is defined.

12. The device of claim 9 wherein the fuel metering valve includes a solenoid that has a wire coil around a bobbin, and an armature received within a passage in the bobbin, and wherein the bobbin includes one or more voids arranged and the area of a surface that defines the passage is reduced.

13. A charge forming device for a combustion engine, comprising:

a throttle body having a throttle bore with an inlet through which air flows into the throttle bore and an outlet from which a fuel and air mixture exits the throttle bore;

a throttle valve having a valve head received within the throttle bore and movable relative to the throttle body between a first position and a second position wherein the flow area between the valve head and the throttle body is greater when the valve head is in the second position than in the first position;

an inlet fuel chamber in which a supply of liquid fuel is received; and

a fuel metering valve located in a fuel circuit between the inlet fuel chamber and the throttle bore, wherein the inlet fuel chamber has an outlet that is located directly above a portion of the metering valve with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.

14. The device of claim 13 which also includes a fuel outlet that is open at one end to the throat of the throttle bore and communicated at the other end with a fuel chamber provided between an outlet of the fuel metering valve and the fuel outlet, and wherein the fuel metering valve is carried by the throttle body.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the fuel chamber is defined by a cavity in the throttle body and the fuel metering valve is partially received within the cavity and is sealingly engaged with the cavity.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein the fuel chamber is defined in a housing that is coupled to the throttle body and the fuel metering valve is coupled to and sealingly engaged with the housing.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein fuel flows from the inlet fuel chamber to the fuel metering valve under atmospheric pressure.

18. The device of claim 13 wherein a vent communicates with the inlet fuel chamber and the vent is arranged so that gaseous matter exits the fuel chamber through the vent and the inlet fuel chamber.

Assignments (7)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: OVERDRIVE ACQUISITION, LLC
To: POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
Reel/Frame 075242/0950 →
STATEMENT REGARDING RELEASE OF LIENS IN PATENTS, INCLUDING LIEN IN FAVOR OF GLAS USA LLC RECORDED AT R/F 071674/0688 Recorded Mar 25, 2026
From: FIRST BRANDS GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC
To: WALBRO LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 075247/0779 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 16, 2026
From: WALBRO LLC (F/K/A WALBRO CORPORATION AND WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.); WALBRO CO., LTD. (ALSO KNOWN AS WALBRO KK); WALBRO INTERNATIONAL HOLDING B.V.
To: OVERDRIVE ACQUISITION, LLC
Reel/Frame 075110/0001 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.
To: GLAS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2023
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WALBRO LLC
Reel/Frame 065198/0833 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2021
From: WALBRO LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 058055/0101 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2019
From: ABEI, TAKASHI; HAMATAKA, KATSUAKI; HORIKAWA, TAKASHI; KAWADA, TOMOYA; SUZUKI, DAIROKU; TAKANO, JUN
To: WALBRO LLC
Reel/Frame 051264/0514 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62519908 · Jun 15, 2017
Related Publication 20200124010A1 · Apr 23, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,429,019