US 7,320,305 B2
Regulating device for regulating the air intake of a vehicle internal combustion engine
Mirco Alberghini, Renazzo (Italy); Maurizio Fiorentini, Molinella (Italy); and Claudio Grossi, Quarto Inferiore (Italy)
Assigned to Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A., Corbetta (Italy)
Filed on Sep. 29, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/541,257.
Claims priority of application No. 05425685 (EP), filed on Mar. 10, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0079806 A1, Apr. 12, 2007
Int. Cl. F02D 1/00 (2006.01); F02M 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 123—336  [123/442] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A regulating device for regulating the air intake of an internal combustion engine, the regulating device comprising at least one throttled body having at least one air feed conduit connectable to the engine; and a first and second throttle housed in said at least one feed conduit to regulate air intake of the engine on command, feed conduit defining a longitudinal axis; the regulating device further including a manually operated accelerator control device connected mechanically to the first throttle to rotate the first throttle about a first axis of rotation into an operating angular position related to the engine torque demanded by the user operating the accelerator control device; and electric control means for rotating the second throttle about a second axis of rotation into a target angular position determined as a function of the operating angular position of the first throttle;
wherein the manually operated accelerator control device rotates the first throttle to and from a predetermined first angular rest position, in which the first throttle permits a sufficient air flow to start up said engine in a predetermined minimum engine temperature condition;
wherein said electric control means controls rotation of said second throttle to and from a predetermined second minimum open angular position, in which the second throttle permits a predetermined minimum air flow allowing operation of the engine in a predetermined engine operating condition;
wherein in said first angular position, the first throttle lies in a plane sloping at a first angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the feed conduit; and wherein, in said second angular position, the second throttle lies in a plane sloping at a second angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the feed conduit; said first angle being greater than said second angle.