TVS secures patent for air-injection system to improve fuel economy

The country’s third largest two-wheeler company TVS Motor has secured a patent for an invention relating to an air-injection system operative during deceleration of an automobile engine.

The air-injection system, capable of reducing exhaust emission, is meant to provide the benefit of improved fuel economy by reducing fuel supply during deceleration.

In the conventional secondary air- injection system, additional air is supplied at the exhaust port to dilute the exhaust gas which in turn reduces the emission levels, but this method’s weakness lies in its inability to reduce the fuel consumption.

According to a patent document filed by the Chennai-based TVS Motor, the air-injection system proposed by the company, however, reduces the exhaust emission with the benefit of improved fuel economy by reducing the fuel consumption during deceleration.

The company submitted that in the invention fuel saving is done by nullifying the vacuum created during closed condition of the throttle. M Ram Jawahar, assistant controller of patents & designs, Chennai, while granting the patent said: “Having considered all the facts, submissions made by the applicant and as well as all the documents on record, I hereby order this application to proceed further for grant of patent as there is no pre-grant opposition pending under Section 25(1) of the Patents Act, 1970.”

TVS Motor had filed an application for patent for the invention titled An air-injection system operative during deceleration of an automobile engine in 2008.

The first examination report (FER) was issued in 2014 and an hearing was offered to the company in April 2016.
In a related development, TVS Motor has got yet another patent for an invention relating to a lubrication mechanism for the crankcase assembly of an automobile.

According to the company, through the invention a combined effect of splash and  shower lubrication through a single driving mechanism, could be achieved. The proposed mechanism eliminates the requirement of a separate pump.

The company had reported a revenue growth of 15% at R2815 crore for Q4 as against R2443 crore logged in same quarter last fiscal. Its motorcycles sales had been increased to 2.47 lakh units in the fourth quarter from 2.21 lakh units while scooter sales increased to 1.98 lakh units from 1.66 lakh units. Three wheelers registered sales of 21, 445 units in the January-March quarter as against 26,901 units in the fourth quarter of 2014-15.