US 12,345,222 B1
Enhancements for carbureted and retrofit electronic fuel injection aircraft engines
John P. Halsmer, Columbus, IN (US)
Filed by John P. Halsmer, Columbus, IN (US)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/044,126.
Int. Cl. F02M 17/38 (2006.01); F02M 35/10 (2006.01); F02M 37/04 (2006.01); F02M 71/00 (2006.01)
CPC F02M 35/10118 (2013.01) [F02M 17/38 (2013.01); F02M 35/10026 (2013.01); F02M 35/10268 (2013.01); F02M 35/10373 (2013.01); F02M 37/04 (2013.01); F02M 71/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An engine system for an aircraft, the engine system comprising
an engine having a plurality of cylinders configured to receive an air-fuel mixture,
a carburetor induction system fluidly coupled to the engine and configured to selectively provide a naturally-aspirated air-fuel mixture to the plurality of cylinders, the carburetor induction system including a chamber into which a naturally-aspirated fuel flow from a fuel tank is drawn, an intake manifold that receives air from an environment and selectively receives the naturally-aspirated fuel flow from the chamber, and a venturi located in the intake manifold through which the air and the naturally-aspirated fuel flow is received,
an electronic fuel injection (EFI) system fluidly coupled to the engine and configured to selectively provide an electronically-controlled air-fuel mixture to the plurality of cylinders, the EFI system including a pump that selectively draws an electronically-controlled fuel flow from the fuel tank and a fuel injector that receives the electronically-controlled fuel flow from the pump and injects the electronically-controlled fuel flow into the intake manifold, and
a controller configured to change the engine system between (i) a carburetor mode in which the venturi draws the naturally-aspirated fuel flow into the intake manifold from the chamber to mix with the air therein and provide the naturally-aspirated air-fuel mixture to the plurality of cylinders while the fuel injector does not inject the electronically-controlled fuel flow into the intake manifold and (ii) an EFI mode in which the pump draws the electronically-controlled fuel flow from the fuel tank for injection into the intake manifold via the fuel injector to mix with the air therein and provide the electronically-controlled air-fuel mixture to the plurality of cylinders while the venturi does not draw the naturally-aspirated fuel flow into the intake manifold from the chamber,
wherein the carburetor induction system includes a pump fluidly coupled to the chamber and configured to remove chamber air from the chamber to decrease pressure in the chamber while the engine system is in the carburetor mode so that an amount of the naturally-aspirated fuel flow directed into the intake manifold is decreased thereby providing a leaner air-fuel mixture to the engine so that the efficiency of the engine system can be increased.