ENGINE ELECTRICAL PULSE AND VOLTAGE PROBE

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates a diagnostic apparatus for the simultaneous analysis of both positive/negative voltages and/or positive or negative electrical pulses within an engine and related engine management system of a vehicle.

More particularly this invention relates to a portable and convenient diagnostic apparatus which can be used to check for voltages and electrical pulses around an engine or vehicle at large, without any disruption to the running of the engine during the diagnostic analysis.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

As a person skilled in the art will appreciate voltage levels and the continuity of electrical pulses to and from the engine through an engine management system play a part in determining optimum operating conditions for an engine.

If voltage levels and/or electrical pulses to and from the engine become interrupted or deviate from set levels, as to be expected the engine will not be performing optimally.

As engine problems arise or even alternatively maintenance is carried out on engines to determine their operating conditions, there needs to be ways in which one can .diagnose electrical problems that can affect the preferred operating condition of the engine.

At present if one skilled in the trade is to determine relevant positive/negative voltages and/or electrical pulses present, absent or interrupted associated with

the engine, such a skilled person using conventional diagnostic instruments or apparatus would have to interrupt the operating conditions of the engine because for testing to take place the instrument must connect itself to the engine and to do this presently, something must be disengaged from the engine to provide an electrical connection point for the instrument.

For example, a traditional engine diagnostic apparatus is the use of a "noid light".

The conventional noid light detection system includes a voltage detector, such as a light bulb or the like, which is connected to the electrical fuel injection control unit.

To be connected one of the fuel injectors needs to be disconnected from the engine so that its electrical voltage supply and/or electrical pulses are connected to the noid light.

Nonetheless, as a person skilled in the art will soon appreciate that if one is to use the noid light as a diagnostic apparatus to locate or isolate an electrical pulse within the engine management system, means that one has had to disconnect an injector plug so that its electrical contact can supply a signal to a light bulb so that analysis can take place, once the engine becomes operable, hence the engine undergoing testing will in fact not be operating under driving conditions.

Effectively, using the noid light system, we are in fact disengaging part of the operation of the engine to isolate a fault One asks the question that if we are disengaging part of the engine can we then adequately diagnose or conveniently analyse and isolate causes of problems inside an engine when in fact the engine is not running as one would expect it to run under normal driving conditions.

As introduced the noid light detection system includes a voltage detector such as a light bulb or the like, which connects itself to the electronic fuel injection control unit by disengaging at least one injector plug, when voltage is supplied to the noid light the noid light will flash intermittently or glow enabling the user to conclude that the system is operating properly.

Using a conventional noid light if the light does not glow or flash this is an indication that something is defective in the electronic control unit system and further isolation or determination of the cause of the defect will then be required.

Nonetheless, as a person skilled in the art will appreciate there are real perceived problems with this existing noid light system if that is the best it can do-

Firstly, you have to unplug the injector from the harness in order to electrically connect the noid light. Consequently, the engine then has to function at least on one less cylinder and, therefore, analysis of the engine is not being conducted under appropriate operating conditions for the engine.

As would then be expected, with one less cylinder the car will then run roughly rather than at an expected fine tuned level which makes diagnosing a fault particularly difficult and troublesome.

Importantly also the conventional noid light by its design is inadequate in that it will only flash when both positive and negative voltages are present.

Consequently it can only perform one function and will not differentiate between the continuity of continuous electrical pulse and the absence of a positive signal.

In order to try and address some of the problems associated with the simple noid light diagnostic tool that assist in determining that fuel injectors have power and that the engine control management system is appropriately firing them through the very rough resolution light volt meter which supply across positive

power to ground which then turns Itself on, alternatively more sophisticated methods have been presented such as the one described in the United Kingdom Patent Application No. GB2328714.

In patent application GB2328714 Mark Howarth describes and provides for an automotive diagnostic apparatus that allows manual control of electronically controlled fuel injectors.

As detailed and described in the document, Mark Howarth describes how his apparatus would include a main control unit which when connected to the injectors of the engine via harness connections such connections would replace one or more of the existing engine control unit connectors which connect directly to the injector plug.

Essentially this invention provides for not a diagnostic apparatus for the detection of a fault but in fact a means in which to overcome or control fuel and mixture ratios for ignition.

This kind of automotive diagnostic apparatus not only completes an analysis of the engine control in a management system but also in fact becomes a part of the engine arrangement.

The unit physically becomes a part of the engine operating condition, and as it is inline and operates with the engine it provides a means to manually control the fuel injector opening times for the increase and/or decrease of fuel levels or . in an automatic manner by allowing the automotive diagnostic fuel controlling machine to make the adjustments in accordance with particular sensor readings which are provided for in the circuitry of the main control unit of the apparatus for the fuel and air mixture.

These kinds of automotive diagnostic apparatus are specialized pieces of instrumentation which are expensive, require skilled knowledge in which to apply and like the basic noid light system once again requires that the

apparatus itself interrupts the operation of the engine by having to disengage part of the fuel injection system so that the diagnostic apparatus itself can ^' function.

The ability of the diagnostic apparatus to function by having to disengage part of the fuel injection system or other parts of the engine management.system, as introduced several times above, has a down side in that once you disengage part of the engine the engine no longer functions or drives as it would under normal driving conditions.

Hence for the most part United Kingdom patent GB2328714 is an advanced piece of automotive diagnostic instrumentation which as described is designed to change the injector pulse times or increase or decrease the amount of fuel to the engine, and to bypass the need for an oxygen sensor while one is testing engine operation or trying to isolate a fault or the like inside the engine.

Nonetheless as a person skilled in the part will realize an oxygen sensor is required to send a signal to the engine control unit or management system to make sure that the ratio of air and fuel remains at set levels so the correct mixture of air and fuel during the intake and combustion stages during the relevant strokes of the engine are maintained.

While this advanced form of automotive diagnostic apparatus has its benefits in relation to the manual control of Injector pulse times and/or the manual/automotive automatic adjustability in the increase or decrease of the amount of fuel into an engine to improve air mixture fuel ratio, it still falls a long way short of being able to provide a simple portable diagnostic device that can simply be used to check for positive/negative voltages and/or electrical pulses simultaneously within an engine management system where analysis is taking place such that the apparatus does not interrupt full driving operating conditions of the engine.

Therefore, there remains a requirement in this relevant field of technology to provide a convenient, portable easy to use diagnostic apparatus that not only can complete analysis without interrupting the operation of the engine but at the same time can simultaneously analyze both positive and negative voltages as well as electrical pulses within the engine and/or the supporting engine management system.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a portable diagnostic apparatus which is able to simultaneously analyze both positive and negative voltages and/or electrical pulses within an engine management system with itself being apart of the management system.

Further objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the complete reading of this specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one form of the invention there is a diagnostic apparatus for the simultaneous analysis of both positive and negative voltages as well as electrical pulses within an engine management system, said diagnostic apparatus including;

a main housing box to which therein is an enclosed electronic circuitry which two or more individual indicator lights communicate from and are externally viewable by a user from said housing box,

said circuitry connected to positive and negative terminals of a power supply,

said electronic circuitry also connect to a first probe and a second probe,

such that when a rubber boot from the back of an injector plug of an engine under analysis is removed, the pulling away of the boot from the back of

the injector exposes at least two wires emerging from the back to the injector plug,

such that when the engine is started, the first probe is placed upon one of the exposed wires of the injector plug thereby illuminating one of the indicator lights from the circuitry of the main housing box,

and the second prqbe is placed upon another exposed wire at the back of the injector plug thereby illuminated another Indicator light,

such that once the first probe and second probe have been placed upon each one of the corresponding exposed wires of the injector plug, the circuitry of the main housing provides that one indicator light intermittently illuminates indicating a pulsating pulse whereas a continuous illumination representation of the other light confirms a constant voltage from the engine under analysis.

In preference the first probe, is a positive probe of which is in communication with the indicator light to be illuminated continuously and the second probe is a negative probe in communication with the indicator light to be illuminated intermittently.

Preferably the presence of a continuously illuminated indicator light provides an analysis showing that a positive voltage is present.

Preferably the continuously illuminated indicator light is red.

In preference the presence of the intermittent or pulsating indicator light represents the presence of a negative electrical pulse.

In an alternative form of the invention the first probe, is a positive proba of which is in communication with the indicator light to be illuminated intermittently and the second probe is a negative probe in -communication with the indicator light to be illuminated continuously.

In preference the presence of the intermittently illuminated light provides an analysis showing that a positive pulse is present.

Preferably the presence of a continuous illuminated indicator light represents the presence of a negative voltage.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that the first time a simple portable diagnostic apparatus has been provided for but need not interrupt the operating driving conditions of the engine. The portable diagnostic apparatus described in the invention is not required to be "inline or in series" with the engine management system as is the case with both the πoid light and the diagnostic apparatus provided for under UK patent application θB2328714.

The portable diagnostic apparatus of this invention is not an engine management system per se, it is a simple and easy to use instrument which can advantageously simultaneously analyse both positive and negative voltages as well as electrical pulses.

Unlike the noid light which has the ability to only flash when both positive and negative voltages are present, advantageously with the portable diagnostic apparatus provided for in this invention the pulsating light can correspond to the electrical pulses absent, present or interrupted whereas the other light of the apparatus can then provide information as to whether or not the engine management system has in place a continuous positive as required.

Hence, advantageously by placing both the negative and positive probes simply up against the exposed wiring coming out of the injector plug, the portable diagnostjc apparatus instrumentation does not interrupt the engine but most importantly it can now conveniently form multiple functions not just simply, as in the case of the noid light, flash when all voltages are present, but use both the continuous illumination of one light as well as the pulsating light of the other to provide multifunctional characteristics.

The portable diagnostic apparatus can now provide improved fault finding analysis in automotive fuel injection testing. Such an apparatus can now replace the existing noid light system as it has superior efficiency, function, usability and features as introduced above not least that it does not in fact itself disengage part of the engine, but at the same time it can also simultaneously test and identify the presence of both positive/negative pulses as well as electrical pulses simultaneously.

As introduced above, the apparatus will not require a user to unplug anything or disengage any parts of the engine in order for analysis to take place. Advantageously all that will need to be done will be the simple removal of the rubber boot from the back of the injector plug in order to expose the two wires to which the negative and positive probes will conveniently be touched up against.

As the person skilled in the art would be aware the invention would cover embodiments wherein one probe maybe used in a positive pulsing situation should the automotive industry change its was of design for electronic fuel injection systems, from the negative pulsing system.

In a further form of the invention the housing unit includes two independent cases with their own electronic circuitry each having wiring at one end connecting to a probe as well as a separate lead of wiring adapted to engage a negative or positive pole of a power supply respectively.

As with the other form of the invention introduced above once the diagnostic apparatus completes its analysis a light will flash for the presence of a negative pulse and the light on the adjacent housing unit will turn on and operate or glow continuously representing the presence of a constant positive.

Advantageously the user of the apparatus can conveniently see the negative poles and the constant positive.

If the negative is not pulsing the user will then be aware that there is a break in particular wiring in the engine or as part of the engine management system has some type of fault. If there is no constant positive, then it would be expected that there might be some type of break in the wiring harness.

In preference, the diagnostic apparatus has two probes, a red positive probe of which is in communication with a red light to be illuminated and a black negative probe in communication with a green light to be illuminated in the relevant housing unit.

In preference the presence of a continuously illuminated red light provides an analysis showing that a positive voltage is present.

In preference, the presence of an intermittent or pulsating green light represents the presence of a negative voltage and/or an electrical pulse.

Advantageously when there is a fault inside the engine or engine management system the user will notice that only one of the lights will illuminate, the light which is not illuminating indicates that such an expected operating condition is faulty.

In preference, the power supply for the negative and positive poles is provided by a twelve volt motor vehicle battery.

In preference, each housing unit includes an electrical control circuitry which also includes its own power supply source, preferably a battery such that the unit can act as a voltage probe and/or continuity tester.

In preference, the housing unit includes an additional light and circuitry in order to illuminate when tested to determine the presence or absence of reference voltages within a specific range for that part of the engine, engine management system or vehicle under test.

In preference, the positive and negative leads to the power supply are in fact incorporated into the housing of a twelve volt cigarette light adapter of which can then be used inside the vehicle to which an engine is currently being tested,

In preference, the electrical circuitry has the power positive and negative connections to the power supply being respective clamps adapted to connect to the negative and positive poles in an automobile battery.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 is perspective view of one preferred embodiment of this invention showing a single housing with the respective positive and negative probes as well as the positive and negative clamps to the power supply being presented.

Figure 2 is a further preferred embodiment of the invention where in fact the main housing of Figure 1 is simply divided Into two independent sections with one section including the positive probe as well as the negative clamp to the power supply wherein the other independent housing arrangement includes the negative probe and the positive clamp to the positive terminal of the power supply. ^'

Figure 3 shows a systematic representation of the use of the portable diagnostic apparatus on the engine and supporting engine, management system for the simultaneous analysis of both the positive and negative voltages as well as the presence of any electrical pulses within the engine and the related engine management system.

Figure 4 simply shows a representation of the application of the portable diagnostic apparatus which can show that faults can even be detected by the user when driving in their vehicle with the engine operating under normal driving conditions.

Figure 5 shows a further preferred embodiment of the invention wherein additional circuitry is provided for which will allow the portable diagnostic apparatus to also act as a continuity and voltage probe as well as additional advantageous preferred features added to the portable diagnostic apparatus discussed in detail below.

Figure 6 shows schematically the electronic circuitry in the main housing in one preferred embodfment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

The drawings now in greater detail wherein reference to Figure 1 and Figure 3 there is provided the portable diagnostic apparatus shown generally at 10 which includes a main housing box 12 which includes electronic circuitry that connects positive probe 16 to a LED (light emitting diode) 22 and a negative clamp 20 which is adapted to engage the negative terminal 43 from a motor vehicle car battery 45 shown best in Figure 3.

There is also provided a negative probe 14 in electrical communication with a light LED 24 which is also in electrical communication with a positive clamp 18 which is adapted to be electrically connected to the positive terminal 47 of a motor vehicle car battery 45 shown in Figure 3.

When the portable diagnostic apparatus is used in analysis the positive and negative clamps 20 and 18 are connected to the respective positive and negative terminals 47, 43 of the motor vehicle battery 45.

Though not shown in the illustrations but can viewed generally at 44, a rubber boot for the back of an injector plug of Hie engine will expose two wires to which the respective probes 14 and 16 can then be conveniently plugged into as shown in Figure 3.

The testing environment of the circuitry in the main housing 10 will be such that when one of the indicator LED 24 intermittently flashes, that being the negative probe 14 connected to one of the wϊres exposed from the injector plug, this will indicate the presence of a negative pulse whereas the continuous illumination on LED 22 represents a continuous positive voltage.

The embodiment shown in Figure 2 will work the same way as the embodiment shown in Figure 1 except that the main housing 38 is divided into two separate boxes 23 and 25.

Nonetheless, the application and testing remains the same in that box 25 will have electric circuitry that will connect the positive clamp 34 with the LED 26 with the negative probe 30 so that when this probe 30 is connected to an exposed wire at the back of the injector plug illumination will take place intermittently on LED 26 if there is a negative pulse present.

The same too in the case of box 23 wherein the electric circuitry connects the negative clamp 36 with the LED 28 and the positive probe 32 so that when the probe 32 engages with the exposed wiring of the injector plug and the engine is running continuous illumination of LED 28 will be reflective of a presence of a positive voltage.

Figure 4 simply shows that the portable _^ dfagnostic apparatus does not interrupt the operating conditions of the engine and could in fact be powered through the twelve volt cigarette battery connection 48 so effectively when the vehicle 51 is running it is possible for the occupant to carry out diagnostic testing with the device 10 on the engine simultaneously in relation to determining various positive and negative voltages as well as the presence or absence of electrical pulses.

Figure 5 simply shows a further preferred embodiment of the invention where the respective positive and negative clamps to the power supply 52 and 54

along with a connection to a power supply or a 12 volt cigarette adapter 56 along with the positive and negative probes 58 and 60 can be joined together in the one single adapter 62 which can then be received into a corresponding slot 64 of the main housing unit 50.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5 the housing unit 50 also includes its own separate power supply, battery 66 which means that while LED's 68 and 70 can function in relation to the simultaneous analysis of both positive and negative voltages and/or electrical pulses inside the engine and the engine management system _*

The additional LED 72 can be used as a reference for separate voltage detection. A buzzer (not shown) is also included as a continuity detector for the engine as well as the vehicle per se.

Figure 6 shows schematically the electronic circuitry, shown generally as 80, in the main housing 90. The positive probe (not shown) can connect at 82 to an LED 86 that connects to resistor 87 and then diode 92 to which the Negative clamp (not shown) to the power supply can be connected at 96.

The negative probe (not shown) connects to the LED 88 at point 84 and the LED 88 connects to diode 94 via resistor 89. Diode 94 connects to the positive damp (not shown) of the power supply that can be connected at point 98.