Abstract: An engine assembly may include a cylinder head defining an engine coolant reservoir, a pressurized fluid supply, a valve actuation assembly, and a hydraulic fluid reservoir. The valve actuation assembly may be in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid supply and may include a valve member displaceable by a force applied by the pressurized fluid supply. The hydraulic fluid reservoir may be in fluid communication with the valve actuation assembly and in a heat exchange relation to the engine coolant reservoir.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method of statically sealing a reciprocating-type fuel pump, such as a direct injection high pressure piston-type fuel pump. The first embodiment of the invention is a fuel pump comprising a pump body, a fuel reservoir within the pump body, wherein the fuel reservoir is capable of holding fuel and a bellows attached to the pump body, wherein the bellows is a stretchable membrane acting as a static seal. The second embodiment further comprises a diaphragm seal inside the pump body, and adjacent to the fuel reservoir, and a working fluid reservoir adjacent to the diaphragm seal, wherein the working fluid reservoir is capable of holding fluid. The diaphragm seal is a static seal separating the working fluid reservoir and the fuel reservoir.

Abstract: A valve actuator assembly for an engine includes a movable poppet valve, and movable first and second spool valves. The assembly also includes an intermediate channel interconnecting the first and second spool valve, a driving channel, and a first and second feedback channel interconnecting the second spool valve and the poppet valve. The valve actuator assembly includes an actuator cooperating with the first spool valve to position the first spool valve to selectively allow high pressure fluid flow to the second spool valve and the driving channel to position the engine valve. The valve actuator assembly further includes a first and second on/off valve in respective fluid communication with the first feedback channel and the second feedback channel to selectively exhaust the first and second feedback channel to control motion of the second spool valve. The second spool valve includes a detent feature operable to maintain the second spool valve in a center biased position.

Abstract: An engine control system includes a fuel injector that injects a mixture of ethanol and gasoline directly into a combustion chamber of a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) engine. A control module controls a start of injection of the fuel injector such that the start of injection occurs more than 335 crank angle degrees before a top dead center of a compression stroke of the engine (CAD bTDC).

Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining an ethanol content of a fuel that is part of a fuel and air mixture combusted within an internal combustion engine. A pressure characteristic of a fuel rail is monitored during operation of the engine. At least one of an effective bulk modulus of the fuel and a pressure perturbation signature is determined based on the pressure characteristic. The ethanol content is determined based on the at least one of the effective bulk modulus and the pressure perturbation signature.

Abstract: An engine is provided having an engine block, a cylinder head mounted to the engine block, a valve train mounted to the cylinder head, and a cam cover extending over the valve train and mounted to the cylinder head. A hydraulic system for providing a hydraulic fluid to the valve train is included. The hydraulic system has a first passage extending from the engine block through the cylinder head to the cam cover and connected to a second passage. The second passage extends along a length of the cam cover and is connected to an oil control valve. At least one control passage extends from the oil control valve through the cam cover to the valve train. The oil control valve is mounted to a port in the cam cover and extends into the cam cover in a direction along a width of the cam cover.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft and first and second cam actuated intake valves. A method for operating the engine includes providing a first intake cam configured to actuate the first cam actuated intake valve, and providing a second intake cam configured to actuate the second cam actuated intake valve. The second intake cam is phase adjustable relative to the crankshaft independently of the phase of the first intake cam relative to the crankshaft. A controller is provided and configured to selectively retard the phase of the second intake cam to effect later closing of the second cam actuated intake valve sufficiently to reduce the effective compression ratio of the engine.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention provides a lash adjuster feed channel for an engine assembly. The engine assembly includes first and second sets of hydraulic lash adjusters responsive to a variation in hydraulic fluid pressure to cause a variation in lift of first and second sets of engine valves respectively operatively connected thereto. The cylinder head defines a first feed passage in fluid communication with the first set of hydraulic lash adjusters, and a second feed passage in fluid communication with the second set of hydraulic lash adjusters. The valve lift of the first set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the first feed passage, and the valve lift of the second set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the second feed passage. A corresponding method is also provided.

Abstract: The apparatus of the present invention provides a lash adjuster feed channel for an engine assembly. The engine assembly includes first and second sets of hydraulic lash adjusters responsive to a variation in hydraulic fluid pressure to cause a variation in lift of first and second sets of engine valves respectively operatively connected thereto. The cylinder head defines a first feed passage in fluid communication with the first set of hydraulic lash adjusters, and a second feed passage in fluid communication with the second set of hydraulic lash adjusters. The valve lift of the first set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the first feed passage, and the valve lift of the second set of engine valves is independently variable by controlling the transfer of hydraulic pressure in the second feed passage. A corresponding method is also provided.

Abstract: An engine is provided having an engine block, a cylinder head mounted to the engine block, a valve train mounted to the cylinder head, and a cam cover extending over the valve train and mounted to the cylinder head. A hydraulic system for providing a hydraulic fluid to the valve train is included. The hydraulic system has a first passage extending from the engine block through the cylinder head to the cam cover and connected to a second passage. The second passage extends along a length of the cam cover and is connected to an oil control valve. At least one control passage extends from the oil control valve through the cam cover to the valve train. The oil control valve is mounted to a port in the cam cover and extends into the cam cover in a direction along a width of the cam cover.

Abstract: An engine starting system that regulates a position of a pinion gear of a starter motor between an engaged position and a disengaged position includes a solenoid pinion armature (SPA) that is coupled to the pinion gear and that is movable between a first position and a second position to move the pinion gear between the disengaged position and the engaged position. A damper dampens a velocity of the SPA during movement of the SPA to the second position to inhibit noise generation.

Abstract: An engine starting system that regulates a position of a pinion gear of a starter motor between an engaged position and a disengaged position includes a solenoid pinion armature (SPA) that is coupled to the pinion gear and that is movable between a first position and a second position to move the pinion gear between the disengaged position and the engaged position. A damper dampens a velocity of the SPA during movement of the SPA to the second position to inhibit noise generation.

Abstract: A method of pre-heating a fuel in an internal combustion engine includes inducing a current in a solenoid coil of a fuel injector of the internal combustion engine and heating the fuel within the fuel injector using heat generated by the current before initiating a combustion cycle of the engine.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for determining an ethanol content of a fuel that is part of a fuel and air mixture combusted within an internal combustion engine. A pressure characteristic of a fuel rail is monitored during operation of the engine. At least one of an effective bulk modulus of the fuel and a pressure perturbation signature is determined based on the pressure characteristic. The ethanol content is determined based on the at least one of the effective bulk modulus and the pressure perturbation signature.

Abstract: A valve lift sensor detects the position of an engine valve. The valve lift sensor includes a movable target carried on an engine valve and a stationary coil carried within an engine valve assembly. A signal generator energizes the coil with an oscillating voltage to create an oscillating magnetic field, which is concentric to the coil for inductive transfer with the target. A comparator compares the voltage from the signal generator with the voltage at the resistor to determine the phase lag of resistor voltage relative to signal generator voltage and indicate the engine valve position. Using the phase lag, the comparator provides a pulse-width-modulated signal with a duty cycle proportional to the valve lift to an engine valve control operable to control the operation of the engine valve.

Abstract: A method for enabling combustion-assisted engine starting includes adjusting a throttle valve to provide an air flow rate to an engine of a vehicle that is sufficient to create starting torque. Fuel that is sufficient to create starting torque is injected into a cylinder of the engine during an intake stroke of the cylinder. A spark plug of the cylinder is disabled. An intake and exhaust valve of the cylinder are disabled. The engine is deactivated. A method for activating the engine includes enabling the spark plug. A piston of the cylinder is positioned between a TDC position of a compression stroke and a BDC position of an expansion stroke or between a TDC position of an exhaust stroke and a BDC position of an intake stroke. A fuel/air charge that is sufficient to create starting torque is ignited in the cylinder. The intake and exhaust valve are activated.

Abstract: A manifold is provided for housing high pressure oil on a camless engine. A body of the manifold has first, second and third channels formed therein lengthwise in the body. Switching valves on the body are operative to alternately communicate oil in the channels with cylinder valves of an engine to which the manifold is mounted to affect movement of the cylinder values. A distributed accumulator is positioned in at least one of the channels and includes at least one compliant pocket filled with a compressible fluid. The accumulator is configured such that the pocket attenuates pressure oscillations in the oil resulting from oil flow oscillations during actuation of the switching valves.

Abstract: During a combustion cycle, a first stoichiometrically lean fuel charge is injected well prior to top dead center, preferably during the intake stroke. This first fuel charge is substantially mixed with the combustion chamber air during subsequent motion of the piston towards top dead center. A subsequent fuel charge is then injected prior to top dead center to create a stratified, locally richer mixture (but still leaner than stoichiometric) within the combustion chamber. The locally rich region within the combustion chamber has sufficient fuel density to autoignite, and its self-ignition serves to activate ignition for the lean mixture existing within the remainder of the combustion chamber. Because the mixture within the combustion chamber is overall premixed and relatively lean, NOx and soot production are significantly diminished.

Abstract: During a combustion cycle, a first stoichiometrically lean fuel charge is injected well prior to top dead center, preferably during the intake stroke. This first fuel charge is substantially mixed with the combustion chamber air during subsequent motion of the piston towards top dead center. A subsequent fuel charge is then injected prior to top dead center to create a stratified, locally richer mixture (but still leaner than stoichiometric) within the combustion chamber. The locally rich region within the combustion chamber has sufficient fuel density to autoignite, and its self-ignition serves to activate ignition for the lean mixture existing within the remainder of the combustion chamber. Because the mixture within the combustion chamber is overall premixed and relatively lean, NOx and soot production are significantly diminished.

Abstract: A compact cam phaser has a flexible spline deformed into a nonround shape and engaging a mating ring gear or circular member at angularly spaced locations for transferring camshaft drive torque between them. The spline has projecting lobes with teeth or friction surfaces which engage like surfaces formed on the mating gear or member. The spline and ring gear have a differential length or number of teeth. The phaser includes a plurality of angularly spaced radial piezo actuators, which expand and contract to cause the projecting lobes (but not the flexible spline itself) to travel around the circular ring gear in rotating waves. Thus, each point of the flexible spline is moved sequentially into and out of contact with the ring gear as the contact points (lobes) rotate in waves. Since the number of spline teeth differs from the ring gear, one revolution of the waves causes the spline to move relative to the ring gear a number of teeth equal to the differential.