Abstract: Various embodiments includes a method for determining energization data for an actuator of an injection valve of a motor vehicle comprising: receiving input data at a control unit; and determining the energization data based on the received input data into account with the control unit. Determining the energization data includes using a polynomial regression model.

Abstract: A method for determining the opening energy of a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine includes (a) operating the engine in a steady-state operating state, wherein electrical excitation is applied to the fuel injector to cause a fuel injection in each working cycle of the engine, (b) applying additional electrical excitation to the fuel injector for subsequent working cycle(s) for a possible additional partial fuel injection, wherein the additional electrical excitation is initially insufficient to cause an additional partial fuel injection, (c) successively increasing the additional electrical excitation until an additional partial fuel injection occurs, which brings about a second operating state of the engine different from the steady-state operating state, (d) detection of the second operating state, and (e) determination of the opening energy for the fuel injector based on the energy of the additional electrical excitation needed to bring about the second operating state of the engine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for actuating an injection valve, which has a piezo actuator and a nozzle needle, of a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, in which method a control unit, in a manner dependent on a setpoint stroke height of the piezo actuator in successive injection cycles, outputs a control signal for changing the actual stroke height of the piezo actuator, characterized in that the control unit changes the setpoint stroke height of the piezo actuator, for compensation of the temperature dependency of the capacitance of the piezo actuator, in a manner dependent on the temperature of said piezo actuator.

Abstract: Various embodiments includes a method for determining energization data for an actuator of an injection valve of a motor vehicle comprising: receiving input data at a control unit; and determining the energization data based on the received input data into account with the control unit. Determining the energization data includes using a polynomial regression model.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to internal combustion engines. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for determining a state of an injection valve of an internal combustion engine. Some methods may include actuating the piezo actuator in a pulse-width-modulated manner; recording the T on and/or T off switching times of the pulse-width-modulated piezo output stage of the piezo actuator; and evaluating the recorded switching times to derive the state of the injection valve.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to fuel injectors. The teachings may be embodied in a method for characterizing a hydraulic coupling element. The fuel injector may have a piston to pressurize a hydraulic medium and a pin connecting the piston to a piezoactuator. The method may include applying a charging current to the piezo actuator low enough that the leakage flow prevents a pressure differential and the nozzle needle remains closed; discharging the piezo actuator with a current high enough to release the mechanical connection between the piston and the pin; detecting when the piston impacts on the pin; and characterizing the coupling element based on the time between discharge and impact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for actuating an injection valve, which has a piezo actuator and a nozzle needle, of a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, in which method a control unit, in a manner dependent on a setpoint stroke height of the piezo actuator in successive injection cycles, outputs a control signal for changing the actual stroke height of the piezo actuator, characterized in that the control unit changes the setpoint stroke height of the piezo actuator, for compensation of the temperature dependency of the capacitance of the piezo actuator, in a manner dependent on the temperature of said piezo actuator.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for operating an injection valve. An example method may include capturing ACTUAL quantities constituted by actuator current or actuator charge and/or actuator voltage continuously during an injection process; reconstructing a dynamic progression of the nozzle-needle stroke of an injection valve on the basis of a model structure for a motion of the nozzle needle of the injection valve, ascertaining the DESIRED quantities constituted by actuator current or actuator charge and/or actuator voltage therefrom, wherein the dynamic progression of the nozzle-needle stroke is reconstructed via a simplified model structure by introduction of at least one discrete measured value pertaining to the injection valve into a basic model of the nozzle-needle motion; comparing the DESIRED quantities with the ACTUAL quantities; and minimizing the difference between the DESIRED quantities and the ACTUAL quantities.

Abstract: An injection system for an injection system includes at least one injection valve for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine. A closing element of the injection valve is moved in recurring injection cycles such that the closing element hits an upper stop at an actual opening time and/or hits a closing position at an actual closing time and thereby triggers a characteristic signal of a sensor element of the injection valve, wherein a signal course of the sensor element over time is detected and a part of the signal course contained in a searching time period of the injection system is examined, wherein a searching method is performed in subsequent injection cycles if the characteristic signal is not detected in said part of the signal course over time.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the opening and/or closing time of the nozzle pin in an injection valve in an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. The nozzle pin is directly driven by a piezo actuator. The piezo voltage and/or the piezo charge at the respective piezo actuator functioning as a sensor is measured for the corresponding injection pulse in a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine, and the median value of the measured voltage and/or charge values of the piezo actuators for the plurality of cylinders for the corresponding injection pulse is calculated. The obtained median value is then used as a replacement value for determining the opening and/or closing time in case of non-detectability or disruption of the needle opening and/or needle closing information.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to internal combustion engines. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for determining a state of an injection valve of an internal combustion engine. Some methods may include actuating the piezo actuator in a pulse-width-modulated manner; recording the T on and/or T off switching times of the pulse-width-modulated piezo output stage of the piezo actuator; and evaluating the recorded switching times to derive the state of the injection valve.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to fuel injectors. The teachings may be embodied in a method for characterizing a hydraulic coupling element. The fuel injector may have a piston to pressurize a hydraulic medium and a pin connecting the piston to a piezoactuator. The method may include applying a charging current to the piezo actuator low enough that the leakage flow prevents a pressure differential and the nozzle needle remains closed; discharging the piezo actuator with a current high enough to release the mechanical connection between the piston and the pin; detecting when the piston impacts on the pin; and characterizing the coupling element based on the time between discharge and impact.

Abstract: A control method for a fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine is disclosed, wherein at least one control signal for actuating a drive of the injection valve is generated in recurring injection cycles and as a function of a target stroke height of a closing element of the injection valve, wherein the drive is actuated by the control signal to lift the closing element to the target stroke height and the closing element is lifted to an actual stroke height by means of the drive, wherein at least one measured parameter correlated with the actual stroke height is captured and the actual stroke height is determined as a function of said at least one measured parameter, wherein the control signal is generated in at least one of the subsequent injection cycles as a function of a deviation of the actual stroke height from the target stroke height.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for operating an injection valve. An example method may include capturing ACTUAL quantities constituted by actuator current or actuator charge and/or actuator voltage continuously during an injection process; reconstructing a dynamic progression of the nozzle-needle stroke of an injection valve on the basis of a model structure for a motion of the nozzle needle of the injection valve, ascertaining the DESIRED quantities constituted by actuator current or actuator charge and/or actuator voltage therefrom, wherein the dynamic progression of the nozzle-needle stroke is reconstructed via a simplified model structure by introduction of at least one discrete measured value pertaining to the injection valve into a basic model of the nozzle-needle motion; comparing the DESIRED quantities with the ACTUAL quantities; and minimizing the difference between the DESIRED quantities and the ACTUAL quantities.

Abstract: A method for determining a position of a lock element of an injection valve for an internal combustion engine includes moving the lock element in the direction of a locked position in a closing movement in order to lock the injection valve, subsequently measuring a closure time at which the lock element arrives in the locked position, determining a time difference between the closure time and a preceding starting time of the closing movement, and determining, based on the time difference, a position which the lock element has assumed at the starting time of the closing movement.

Abstract: A method for actuating a piezoelectric actuator and a piezo injector of a fuel injection system having a nozzle needle which can be moved between the closed position and an open position by the piezoelectric actuator are disclosed. Current is applied to the piezoelectric actuator from a source for the duration of a charging time as a function of a required quantity of fuel, in order to move the nozzle needle into its opened position for a time period which is dependent on the required quantity of fuel. The charging time is selected according to the following relationships: tcharge(p)=tnom,charge (p) for TI>tEP,p and tcharge (p, TI)?Ti for TI?tEP,p.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the opening and/or closing time of the nozzle pin in an injection valve in an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. The nozzle pin is directly driven by a piezo actuator. The piezo voltage and/or the piezo charge at the respective piezo actuator functioning as a sensor is measured for the corresponding injection pulse in a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine, and the median value of the measured voltage and/or charge values of the piezo actuators for the plurality of cylinders for the corresponding injection pulse is calculated. The obtained median value is then used as a replacement value for determining the opening and/or closing time in case of non-detectability or disruption of the needle opening and/or needle closing information.

Abstract: An injection system for an injection system includes at least one injection valve for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine. A closing element of the injection valve is moved in recurring injection cycles such that the closing element hits an upper stop at an actual opening time and/or hits a closing position at an actual closing time and thereby triggers a characteristic signal of a sensor element of the injection valve, wherein a signal course of the sensor element over time is detected and a part of the signal course contained in a searching time period of the injection system is examined, wherein a searching method is performed in subsequent injection cycles if the characteristic signal is not detected in said part of the signal course over time.

Abstract: A method for determining the opening energy of a fuel injector of an internal combustion engine includes (a) operating the engine in a steady-state operating state, wherein electrical excitation is applied to the fuel injector to cause a fuel injection in each working cycle of the engine, (b) applying additional electrical excitation to the fuel injector for subsequent working cycle(s) for a possible additional partial fuel injection, wherein the additional electrical excitation is initially insufficient to cause an additional partial fuel injection, (c) successively increasing the additional electrical excitation until an additional partial fuel injection occurs, which brings about a second operating state of the engine different from the steady-state operating state, (d) detection of the second operating state, and (e) determination of the opening energy for the fuel injector based on the energy of the additional electrical excitation needed to bring about the second operating state of the engine.

Abstract: In a method for calibration, a piezo-actuator (1) is actuated in a motor vehicle by a control circuit and an output stage. The piezo actuator is, in particular, part of the injection valve. The piezo-actuator (1) is subjected to an electric calibration pulse that is in the high-level signal range thereof when the control circuit and the output stage are in operation, the frequency thereof being modified over time. The associated electric impendence curve over the frequency is determined and evaluated during the calibration pulse. The output stage is controlled by the control circuit in such a manner that the calibration pulse is generated.