Electric Fuel Injection Pump Governor Patents (Class 123/357)
  • Publication number: 20080121213
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an fuel injector for each cylinder of the engine, an air-fuel ratio sensor disposed in an exhaust manifold and an electronic control unit to which signals from various sensors are fed. Operation of the engine is controlled by the electronic control unit. An air-fuel ratio deviation among cylinders is calculated based on output signals of the air-fuel ratio sensor, and injection amount errors of each injector are calculated from the deviation of air-fuel ratio among cylinders. An injection characteristic of each injector is learned from the injection amount errors, and a right amount of fuel is supplied to each cylinder based on the learned injection characteristic. In this manner, the injection amount errors are effectively adjusted, and the air-fuel ratio deviation among cylinders due to external disturbances is surely adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Kurosawa, Masaei Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7325532
    Abstract: A method for the torque-oriented control of an internal combustion engine, in which a sum torque (MSUM) is calculated from a set torque value (MSW) and a friction torque (MF). A set injection quantity (mSL) for driving the internal combustion engine is calculated from the sum torque (MSUM) and an actual rpm value (nIST) by the use of an efficiency map (WKF). The set torque value (MSW) is calculated by way of an rpm controller with at least PI behavior from an rpm control deviation (e) between the set rpm value (nSL) and the actual rpm value (nIST), and the I component of the rpm controller is limited to a lower limit value (uGW), which is determined as a function of the friction torque (MF) (uGW=f(MF)).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Patent number: 7320315
    Abstract: A butterfly valve restricts flow passage areas of a purge passage and a blow-by gas passage by the same degree. A first pressure sensor detects variation in pressure of the purge gas, which is generated by the butterfly valve. A second pressure sensor detects variation in pressure of the blow-by gas, which is generated by the butterfly valve. Since a fuel vapor concentration of the blow-by gas is lower than that of the purge gas, the blow-by gas can be treated as air of 100%. Hence, the fuel vapor concentration is calculated based on the variations in pressure detected by the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyasu Amano, Hideaki Itakura, Makoto Otsubo, Kazuhiro Hayashi, Shinsuke Takakura
  • Patent number: 7315778
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting and responding to fugitive fueling of a reciprocating internal combustion engine use a controller to determine the actual power output of an engine, as well as a predicted power output based on fuel provided by the engine's fuel system. An engine controller may determine a presence of fugitive fueling by comparing the predicted output with the actual output, and prompt an emergency shutdown sequence if the actual engine output exceeds the predicted power output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ajith Kumar
  • Patent number: 7263426
    Abstract: A control system for an engine having a combustion chamber is disclosed. The control system has a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor. The first sensor generates a signal indicative of ambient air pressure. The second sensor generates a signal indicative of the pressure of air entering the combustion chamber. The third sensor generates a signal indicative of a speed of the engine. The control system also has a controller configured to reference a first map to determine a first fuel limit value based on the pressure of air entering the combustion chamber and the speed of the engine, reference a second map to determine a second fuel limit value based on the pressure of air entering the combustion chamber and the speed of the engine, and determine a third fuel limit value based on the first and second fuel limit values and the ambient air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Michael P. Withrow, Michael S. Bond, Clayton D. Walenta
  • Patent number: 7249589
    Abstract: In hybrid vehicle, when the shift position SP is set to the S position at which a driver is allowed to select any one of the shift positions SP1 to SP6, and it is determined that warm-up of a purifying device has not been completed, the target air-fuel ratio AF* is set based on the S position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map. The air-fuel ratio AF* set based on the S position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map tends to be richer than the target air-fuel ratio AF* set based on any one of the normal-time target air-fuel ratio setting map and the D position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map that are used when the D position is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Tomatsuri, Toshio Inoue, Daigo Ando, Keiko Hasegawa, Keita Fukui
  • Publication number: 20070163540
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, when the shift position SP is set to the S position at which a driver is allowed to select any one of the shift positions SP1 to SP6, and it is determined that warm-up of a purifying device has not been completed, the target air-fuel ratio AF* is set based on the S position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map. The air-fuel ratio AF* set based on the S position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map tends to be richer than the target air-fuel ratio AF* set based on any one of the normal-time target air-fuel ratio setting map and the D position/low coolant temperature-time target air-fuel ratio setting map that are used when the D position is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru Tomatsuri, Toshio Inoue, Daigo Ando, Keiko Hasegawa, Keita Fukui
  • Patent number: 7188605
    Abstract: A method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine are provided, which allow a continuous limiting of the output of the internal combustion engine upon attaining a maximally possible injection duration of an injection valve. The internal combustion engine has at least one actuator for influencing the output of the internal combustion engine and at least one injection valve for supplying fuel to the combustion engine. A maximally possible injection duration for an injection procedure of the at least one injection valve is determined. A variable characterizing the output of internal combustion engine is limited as a function of the maximally possible injection duration by corresponding adjustment of the at least one actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Sabine Wegener
  • Patent number: 7182064
    Abstract: A method for closed-loop speed control of an internal combustion engine that is provided as a generator drive or a marine propulsion unit, including the steps of: computing a first control deviation (dR1) from a speed variance comparison; computing a first set injection quantity (qV0) from the first control deviation (dR1) by a speed controller; determining a second set injection quantity (qV) from the first set injection quantity (qV0) and another input variable (E) by a minimum value selector for the closed-loop speed control of the internal combustion engine, wherein in a first, steady operating state of the internal combustion engine, the input variable (E) corresponds to a first injection quantity (qV1) (E=qV1), which is computed via a first characteristic curve, and in a second, dynamic operating state of the internal combustion engine, the input variable (E) corresponds to a second injection quantity (qV2) (E=qV2), which is computed via a second characteristic curve; and changing from the first charact
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Dolker, Franz Butscher
  • Patent number: 7171944
    Abstract: A high-pressure fuel pump control device for an internal combustion engine includes a feedback quantity calculating unit (602) for calculating a fuel discharge feedback quantity (QFB) of a high-pressure pump according to a proportional integral operation based on a pressure deviation (?PF) between a target pressure (PO) and a fuel pressure (PF), a flow control valve controlling unit (603) for setting drive timing (TD) of a flow control valve (10) on the basis of a target fuel discharge quantity (QO), and an integral operation update prohibiting unit for prohibiting, when the number of times of calculation of the fuel discharge feedback quantity (QFB) reaches a first predetermined number of times while a sign of the pressure deviation (?PF) does not invert, update of an integral operand (QFBI), and for resuming, when the sign of the pressure deviation (?PF) inverts thereafter, the update of the integral operand (QFBI).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiko Oono
  • Patent number: 7073481
    Abstract: A diesel engine (E) has a combustion chamber (C), a piston (T) movable in the chamber, air intake and exhaust valves (IV, EV), and a nozzle (N) injecting fuel into the combustion chamber. By controlling characteristics of an air-fuel mixture, emissions produced by combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the chamber are reduced to levels which satisfy the Tier 2 requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the engine. This may include controlling hydraulic flow characteristics through the nozzle, increasing the compression ratio within the combustion chamber, lowering the manifold air temperature (MAT), and retarding the start of fuel injection (SOI) within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: W. Douglas Glenn, Eric Dillen, Shawn Gallagher, Prakash Bedapudi
  • Patent number: 7058502
    Abstract: A motor vehicle (20) has a diesel engine (22) and one or more sources (30, 36) providing data relevant to operations of the vehicle that are external to the engine but potentially influential on fueling of the engine. An engine control system (24) processes data according to an all-speed governing strategy for controlling engine fueling to develop all-speed governed fueling data (MFGOV) that sets engine fueling when a data input to the engine control system from the one or more sources discloses no need to influence engine fueling. When the data input from such one or more sources discloses a need to influence engine fueling, that data input causes engine fueling to be set by a strategy other than the all-speed governing strategy, a torque speed control strategy (54) in particular.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventor: David V. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 7051706
    Abstract: A control mechanism for a fuel injection pump comprises: an electronic governor which actuates a rack actuator by a controller for controlling a governing rack; and a cold start device which actuates an injection-quickening actuator by the controller for opening or closing a draining sub port formed in a plunger barrel so as to advance injection timing when an engine is cold. Different settings about control degree of the governing rack controlled by the controller are prepared for a case where the injection-quickening actuator is actuated to switch on the cold start device (as characteristic curve 61a), and for a case where the injection-quickening actuator is disactuated to switch off the cold start device (as characteristic curve 61b), respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Tanaka, Hajimu Imanaka
  • Patent number: 7047938
    Abstract: A system (400) and method of determining fuel demands of a locomotive engine (10) based upon engine speed and power produced by the engine at a given time, so to optimize the engine's power output for a load while reducing engine emissions. The engine control architecture comprises three interrelated control loops (100–300). A primary feedback control loop (100) employs integral type control with gain scheduling to regulate engine speed to commanded slew rated based upon the locomotive's operator commands. A second control loop (200) provides an active, feed forward or predictive control consisting of a plurality of correction functions each utilizing a Taylor series having coefficients for each term in the series, the coefficients being modified to adapt the system to the engine with which it is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Flynn, Wolfgang Daum, Ahmed Sheikh
  • Patent number: 7048515
    Abstract: A fuel injection control unit, including an electronic governor and a controller for an engine performs control in a governor region based on an isochronous characteristic. A working machine controller receives a delivery pressure signal P and controls a regulator such that, when the delivery pressure of a hydraulic pump exceeds a predetermined pressure P1, the displacement of the hydraulic pump does not exceed a value decided in accordance with a preset pump absorption torque curve. The working machine controller controls the regulator such that, when the delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump 2 is not higher than the predetermined pressure P1, the displacement of the hydraulic pump is increased as the delivery pressure of the hydraulic pump lowers from the predetermined pressure P1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shimomura, Tomohiko Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7000590
    Abstract: A engine control system and a method of controlling a torque output of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine control system comprises a torque receiving device operably connected to the engine, a sensor to sense an engine parameter, and an electronic device operably connected to the sensor. The electronic sensor is operable to determine a second engine speed from sensed engine parameters, a droop speed, and a selected one of a plurality of torque maps requiring a minimum amount of fuel. The electronic sensor is also operable to transmit a signal indicative of the second engine speed to a fuel system to control the amount of fuel delivered to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventors: Douglas J. Carlton, Kevin B. Hagenauer, Christopher J. Wichael, David L. Zwetz, II
  • Patent number: 6968830
    Abstract: A method of reducing emissions from a large, medium speed fuel injected diesel engine of the type used on locomotives subject to transient modes of engine operation in which the engine is accelerated or increased loads are applied. The method comprises: monitor at least one operating parameter of the diesel engine; determining, based on such operating parameter, whether the diesel engine is in a transient mode; and controlling a timing of fuel injection to cylinders of the engine, to retard the timing when the diesel engine is in a transient mode relative to the timing of fuel injection when the diesel engine is not in a transient mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas Glenn, VenkataRamesh Varma Kothapalli, James Robert Mischler
  • Patent number: 6968828
    Abstract: An engine (10) having a control system (24) that executes a control strategy (44) for limiting engine fueling upon deactivation of an engine retarder. Upon deactivation of the retarder, the strategy immediately shuts off fueling by setting the maximum fueling limit MFLMX to zero via setting of a latch function (42). Fueling continues to be shut off so long as the difference between a desired pressure for the hydraulic fluid used to force fuel into the engine combustion chambers and actual pressure of the hydraulic fluid (ICP—ERR) equals or exceeds a value (ICP—VRE—ERR) from a map (48) correlated both with the speed (N) at which the engine is running and with governed engine fueling (MFGOV) appropriate for the load on the engine at the engine running speed. Once that difference ceases to equal or exceed a value from the map (48), the latch function is reset, and the limit value for fueling provided by the strategy increases withtime according to a map (54).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael A. Majewski, James T. Beaucaire
  • Patent number: 6966300
    Abstract: When a learning condition is satisfied, control device performs a feedback control. In the feedback control, a metering valve control value is progressively increased to progressively increase a degree of opening of an inlet metering valve, and a pressure of a common rail is kept constant. When the amount of change in a pressure-reducing valve control value becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, a current metering valve control value, which is currently supplied to the inlet metering valve, is obtained as a maximum discharge rate control value. Also, an intake initiation control value, at which a high pressure pump begins intake of fuel, is obtained. Then, based on these values, a pump characteristic is obtained. Thereafter, the control device obtains the metering valve control value based on a computed degree of opening of the inlet metering valve and the pump characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Yushi Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6941929
    Abstract: A combustion control system of an internal combustion engine is comprised of a specific gravity detecting section which detects a specific gravity of fuel used in the engine, and a combustion control section which controls combustion in the engine on the basis of the specific gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motohiro Shinzawa
  • Patent number: 6934620
    Abstract: A fuel injection quantity control device includes: vehicle speed detection unit; gear position detection unit; engine revolution speed detection unit; accelerator opening degree detection unit; target acceleration value computation unit for finding a basic target acceleration value corresponding to the difference between the set limit vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed and an upper limit value and lower limit value of the basic target acceleration value for each gear position in a map, limiting the basic target acceleration value with the upper limit value and lower limit value, and determining a target acceleration value; basic fuel injection quantity for vehicle speed limit computation unit for determining a basic fuel injection quantity for vehicle speed limit by feedback computation from the difference between the determined target acceleration value and the actual acceleration value; an accelerator required injection quantity computation unit for computing an accelerator required injection quantit
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Futoshi Nakano, Akira Hirata, Koichiro Yomogida
  • Patent number: 6925985
    Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an internal combustion engine, for example, for regulating the speed of the internal combustion engine, are described. At least one first governor, specifies a first manipulated variable based on a comparison between a first setpoint value and an actual value. At least one second governor specifies a second manipulated variable based on a comparison between a second setpoint value and the actual value. The first manipulated variable may be limited to a first manipulating range and the second manipulated variable may be limited to a second manipulating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Wagner, Reudiger Fehrmann, Bjoern Bischoff, Sabine Heinze
  • Patent number: 6925990
    Abstract: A fuel pressure control system for a fuel injected engine measures the fuel pressure at an outlet of a fuel pump and controls the operating speed of the fuel pump as a function of the difference between a desired pressure and a measured pressure. Signals are provided to the fuel pump which are pulse width modulated signals that have a pulse width determined as a function of the desired pressure at the outlet of the pump and an actual measured pressure at the outlet of the pump. The desired pressure is determined as a function of air flow into the engine, a desired air/fuel ratio which, in turn, is a function of engine speed and the load on the engine, and a desired fuel rate which is determined as a function of the air/fuel ratio and the air flow into the engine. The desired fuel rate is then used to select a pressure at the outlet of the pump which will result in the desired fuel rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffery M. Konopacki
  • Patent number: 6892701
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the smoke emissions of a railroad locomotive during throttle notch changes. For certain throttle notch increases the present invention advances the engine timing angle and controls application of the load at the new throttle notch position, according to certain predetermined parameters. These strategies, when used together or separately, minimize visible smoke during transient operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric R. Dillen, Shawn M. Gallagher, Vincent F. Dunsworth, Joseph T. Orinko
  • Patent number: 6885932
    Abstract: A method and system for a misfire detection acquires (301) a series of acceleration data (302) representative of acceleration behavior of an engine. The data is sampled (304) to obtain acceleration data samples at a rate sufficient to obtain up to fourth-order perturbations of the data. The samples are filtered (322) to provide bandwidth limited samples, which are provided to at least two channels (325, 329). The samples are pattern matched (332) in a first channel to enhance harmonic phenomena and pattern canceled (330) in a second channel to enhance random phenomena. Hard and random misfires are detected (334) dependent on a magnitude of the filtered acceleration data samples. Preferably, a third channel (335) is added to detect multiple misfires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Yizhang Liu, Richard J. Gilbert, Donald P. Kultgen, Jeffrey D. Naber, Hanlong Yang
  • Patent number: 6868926
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle 10 and a method for operating the hybrid electric vehicle 10 is provided. Combustion is made to occur within the internal combustion engine 24 only after the crankshaft 25 of the engine 24 has been rotated by an electric motor or generator 30 to a certain speed and according to a certain ramped or partially ramped profile 114, 112, thereby reducing the amount of emissions from the engine 24, allowing for a more efficient torque transfer to wheels 42, and allowing for a smoother operation of the vehicle 10. The fuel injectors 13, throttle plate 11, and spark plugs 15 are also controlled in order to allow emissions to be reduced during activation of the engine and to allow the catalytic converter 7 to be heated in order to allow these emissions to be further reduced as the engine 24 is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Lee Boggs, Jerry D. Robichaux, Mark William Peters, Paul Michael Deniston, Stephen John Kotre
  • Patent number: 6863051
    Abstract: A diagnostic function for an internal-combustion engine whose power is set by way of a power-determining signal that is determined from a first signal from a determination device, and a second signal determined by a torque controller, based on engine torque. A selection device sets either the determination device or the torque controller to be dominant for the power determining signal. When the values of the engine torque are not plausible, an error mode is set. With the setting of the error mode, the dominance is retained when the determination device is dominant. When the torque controller is dominant, a change of the dominance takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Doelker, Thomas Spaegele
  • Patent number: 6862515
    Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine (10), the fuel is supplied via at least one injection valve (32). The injected fuel quantity is influenced by the injection duration (ti). To reduce costs for the design and acquisition of the injection valve (32), it is proposed to detect as to whether a requested injection duration (ti) of the injection valve (32) is greater than a maximum possible injection duration (timxth). In this case, an intervention (64) takes place with which a desired mixture composition (rlmaxti) is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Bernhard Vogt
  • Patent number: 6850835
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for trimming a fuel injector located on an engine. The method and apparatus includes modifying an engine speed control, interrupting at least one injection event, monitoring a change associated with an engine speed, and responsively trimming the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Travis Barnes, Mike Lukich, Scott Leman
  • Patent number: 6848426
    Abstract: An adaptive fuel limit function (52) for protecting an internal combustion engine. The adaptive fuel limit function is a learning function responsive to trends in an engine performance parameter such as compensated fuel consumption per unit of power produced (62). The engine performance parameter is processed through a low pass filter (64) to allow changes in a fuel limit signal (54) in response to gradual changes in the fuel demand, such as may be due to wear in the engine, while blocking changes in the fuel limit signal in response to sudden changes in the fuel demand, such as may be due to a cylinder failure. The difference between the input and the output of the low pass filter may be processed to identify a failure level (88) for providing an alarm function distinct from the learning function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ajith Kuttannair Kumar, John P. Dowell, Bret Dwayne Worden, Gerald Edward Lacy
  • Patent number: 6814060
    Abstract: A diesel engine emission control system which optimizes fuel injection timing over a range of air temperatures, air pressures, and engine air flow rates. The emission control system includes a control module interfacing with a fuel injection timing module which in turn interfaces with an engine fuel injection system having fuel injectors. The control module receives data from an air temperature sensor, an air pressure sensor, and an engine boost pressure sensor. The control module determines air density and the air flow rate through the engine to determine optimal fuel injection timing. The injection timing information is relayed to the injection timing module which alters the timing of the fuel injectors to operate the engine at a maximum efficiency possible within applicable emission regulation limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Keith E. Solomons, Budhadeb Mahakul, Rafiqul Islam, Chih L. Liu, Bradley S. Silvers, Le Blanc Martin
  • Patent number: 6814053
    Abstract: An engine control system for a compression ignition engine employs a microprocessor-based controller that detects engine operation in a speed range previously determined to be undesirable, and responding to the detection by changing operation of the engine. In the preferred embodiment, the controller commands a parameter for adjusting engine operation to reach a different speed outside of first and second thresholds defining the undesirable range in a time period subsequent to the detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery Scott Hawkins, Kurt Joseph Couture, Richard Michael Avery, Jr., Ian Daniel McKenzie
  • Patent number: 6807939
    Abstract: A control system for protecting an internal combustion engine from overloading. The output of the internal combustion engine is adjusted with an output-determining signal according to an input signal which characterizes the desired output. According to the invention, a differential torque is calculated from the current motor torque and a maximum permissible motor torque. The differential torque in turn determines an authoritative second signal. A first signal that is determined from an input signal characterizing the desired output and the second signal are directed to a selector which selects the first or second signal as the signal that determines the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Doelker, Thomas Spaegele, Klaus Wehler
  • Patent number: 6789531
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine and method of operating same is provided which includes a plurality of first cylinders and at least one second cylinder. The at least one second cylinder serves as an input cylinder in that a portion of the exhaust gas therefrom is fed by way of an exhaust gas recirculating system to carbureted fuel for the engine. The engine includes an injection system for injecting fuel into the first cylinders and into the at least one second cylinder. The injected fuel quantity of the at least one second cylinder is controlled independently of the injected fuel quantity of the first cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Remmels
  • Publication number: 20040118377
    Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for delivering fuel to at least two combustion chambers of an engine. A fuel controller receives a first fuel quantity signal indicative of a first desired quantity of fuel to be delivered to each combustion chamber of the engine during a combustion cycle. The fuel controller transmits at least one second fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal, and transmits at least one third fuel quantity signal as a function of the first fuel quantity signal. The second and third fuel quantity signals are indicative of a respective second and third desired quantities of fuel to be delivered during a combustion cycle. The sum of the fuel quantities corresponding to the second fuel quantity signals transmitted during a combustion cycle are less than the first desired fuel quantity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 24, 2004
    Inventors: Jason K. Bloms, Brian G. McGee, David Andrew Pierpont, Jeffrey A.L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20040103881
    Abstract: A method of controlling fuel injection timing in a compression ignition engine including at least one cylinder. The method includes monitoring a parameter indicative of a commanded operating speed of the engine corresponding to an engine throttle notch and monitoring a parameter indicative of the actual operating speed of the engine. When the commanded engine speed exceeds the actual engine speed, the fuel injection timing for the engine may be advanced to reduce emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventors: Gong Chen, Bertrand Dahung Hsu, Robert Douglas Cryer
  • Patent number: 6736112
    Abstract: Experiment shows that a diesel engine discharges more smoke at a lower rate of increase of an engine rotation speed. Reducing an amount of fuel to inject into the engine when the rate of increase of the engine rotation speed is slow can prevent smoke generation. To be more specific, a controller (1) computes the rate of increase of the engine rotation speed by using signals from sensors that detect a vehicle condition. The controller (1) contains maps that indicate a correction coefficient corresponding to the rate of increase of the engine rotation speed. The controller (1) calculates the amount of fuel to inject based on the correction coefficient. Using the calculated amount of fuel, the smoke discharge from the diesel engine is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiko Tsuyuki
  • Publication number: 20040084014
    Abstract: An engine control system for a compression ignition engine employs a microprocessor-based controller that detects engine operation in a speed range previously determined to be undesirable, and responding to the detection by changing operation of the engine. In the preferred embodiment, the controller commands a parameter for adjusting engine operation to reach a different speed outside of first and second thresholds defining the undesirable range in a time period subsequent to the detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffery Scott Hawkins, Kurt Joseph Couture, Richard Michael Avery, Ian Daniel McKenzie
  • Patent number: 6694953
    Abstract: Although injection timing accuracy is sensitive to rail pressure, injection quantity of the fuel injection event is strongly a function of rail pressure. Thus, delivery accuracy of each injection event depends strongly upon the accuracy of a rail pressure estimate used in determining the injection control signal characteristics. These injection control signal characteristics include a calculated delay between a start of control current and start of injection, as well as the duration of the control signal. The present invention takes a rail pressure measurement substantially before an injection event, and then utilizes a rail pressure predictor model to predict what the rail pressure will be at each injection event in a succeeding injection sequence. This estimated rail pressure is then used as the means for determining the fuel injection control signal characteristics for that succeeding injection event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Travis E. Barnes, Michael S. Lukich
  • Patent number: 6691677
    Abstract: A fuel delivery device for a fuel delivery system incorporates an electronic compensation device that either incorporates information that is relevant to the specific fuel delivery device or includes a processor that generates an actuator control signal that is based at least in part upon the information contained in the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne A. Eckerle, Ron H. Temple, Lester L. Peters
  • Patent number: 6688411
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle 10 and a method for operating the hybrid electric vehicle 10 in which combustion is made to occur within the internal combustion engine 24 only after the crankshaft 25 of the engine 24 has been rotated by an electric motor or generator 30 to a certain speed and according to a certain ramped or partially ramped profile 114, 112, thereby reducing the amount of emissions from the engine 24, allowing for a more efficient torque transfer to wheels 42, and allowing for a more smoother operation of the vehicle 10. The fuel injectors 13, throttle plate 11, and spark plugs 15 are also controlled in order to allow emissions to be reduced during activation of the engine and to allow the catalytic converter 7 to be heated in order to allow these emissions to be further reduced as the engine 24 is operating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Lee Boggs, Jerry D. Robichaux, Mark William Peters, Paul Michael Deniston, Stephen John Kotre
  • Patent number: 6662784
    Abstract: A pump assembly flows pressurized engine oil to HEUI fuel injectors in a diesel engine. The assembly includes an inlet throttle valve which controls the volume of oil flowed to the pump dependent upon the difference between the pump outlet pressure and a desired outlet pressure determined by an electronic control module for the diesel engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Inventor: Robert H. Breeden
  • Patent number: 6659087
    Abstract: In a system and a method for purging a vapor storage canister having adsorbed fuel vapor (or hydrocarbon vapor) by drawing air through the storage canister the storage canister being coupled with an engine having a system for controlling the amount of fuel provided to the engine, the amount of fuel vapor in the purge is determined by subtracting from a known total flow rate of air and vapor from the canister a measured air flow rate of air into the canister. The total flow rate of air and vapor from the canister may be obtained, for example, by knowing the intake manifold vacuum, by using a pump at a given flow rate capacity to draw the air and vapor through the canister, or by using a valve having a given flow rate that limits the flow rate of the air and vapor mixture drawn from the canister. An ECM or PCM can use the information of fuel vapor flow from the canister obtained in this way for better fuel control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Sam R. Reddy
  • Publication number: 20030221676
    Abstract: A diesel engine (E) has a combustion chamber (C), a piston (T) movable in the chamber, air intake and exhaust valves (IV, EV), and a nozzle (N) injecting fuel into the combustion chamber. By controlling hydraulic flow characteristics of an air-fuel mixture particulate matter (PM) produced by combustion of the air-fuel mixture in the chamber is reduced to a level which meets the Tier 2 requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the engine. This is further accomplished by increasing the injection pressure of the air and fuel injected into the chamber, changing the size and/or shape of the injector nozzle to increase a ratio of the air to fuel while fuel is injected into the chamber through the nozzle, increasing the compression ratio within the combustion chamber, lowering the manifold air temperature (MAT), and retarding the start of ignition injection (SOI) within the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: W. Douglas Glenn, Eric Dillen, Shawn Gallagher, Prakash Bedapudi
  • Patent number: 6612292
    Abstract: A sensor (55) detects a parameter expressing the oxygen concentration or oxygen amount in gas aspirated into the diesel engine (51). A controller (41) calculates a target parameter during a steady running state of the diesel engine (51) (S4) and calculates a difference between the measured parameter and the target parameter (S212). When the difference is large, following a small amount of pilot fuel injection, a main fuel injection is performed at a timing that makes the combustion of fuel complete before the compression top dead center of the piston (51C). When the difference is small, a larger amount of pilot fuel injection is performed and the main fuel injection is performed after the injected fuel is combusted. By varying the fuel injection pattern in this way, combustion noise and the deterioration of exhaust gas composition in a transient running state of the diesel engine (51) is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Shirakawa
  • Publication number: 20030154956
    Abstract: A fuel delivery device for a fuel delivery system incorporates an electronic compensation device that either incorporates information that is relevant to the specific fuel delivery device or includes a processor that generates an actuator control signal that is based at least in part upon the information contained in the memory device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: Cummis Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne A. Eckerle, Ron H. Temple, Lester L. Peters
  • Patent number: 6526948
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a pair of electronically controllable high pressure fuel pumps operable to supply high pressure fuel from a lower pressure fuel source to a high pressure fuel collection chamber having a pressure sensor associated therewith. The fuel collection chamber feeds an electronically controllable valve operable to dispense the high pressure fuel to a fuel distribution unit supplying fuel to a number of fuel injectors. A control computer is provided for controlling the high pressure fuel pump and valve in response to requested fueling, engine speed and fuel pressure provided by the pressure sensor. The accumulator pressure profile is processed in accordance with various techniques forming part of the present invention for diagnosing pressure sensor in-range failures, fuel pump injector valve blow shut failures and failure of one of the fuel pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Cummins, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Stavnheim, Stephen West, Shyamala Raghunathan
  • Patent number: 6516782
    Abstract: A method for controlling fuel delivery from a fuel injector includes determining a first desired engine torque output; determining engine speed; determining a first quantity of fuel to be delivered by the fuel injector based on the first desired engine torque output and the engine speed; determining an injection pressure; and determining a first amount of time for energizing the fuel injector in order to deliver the first quantity of fuel based on the injection pressure. For a system capable of split injection, the method further includes determining a second desired engine torque output; determining a second quantity of fuel to be delivered by the fuel injector based on the second desired engine torque output and the engine speed; and determining a second amount of time for energizing the fuel injector in order to deliver the second quantity of fuel. The method and system of the invention provide more precise control of fuel delivery compared with prior systems and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation
    Inventor: Eric D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6488012
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus 34 for inferring the amount of pressure resident within a fuel delivery member 8 by measuring the voltage delivered to a pump 24 and by calculating a desired fuel flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Giuseppe Domenico Suffredini, Mark Thomas Linenberg, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20020162533
    Abstract: An engine control system, dredging system, and a method for controlling torque output of an engine. An engine control system controls torque output of an engine. At least one sensor is coupled with the engine. The sensor monitors and transmits operating data of the engine. An electronic device coupled to the sensor is operable to control the engine as a function of the transmitted operating data. The engine is controlled by the electronic device to operate substantially at a predetermined torque limit over a predetermined range of engine speeds, by determining and regulating an amount of fuel to the engine. Alternatively, the engine is controlled by the electronic device to operate substantially at, and between predetermined upper and lower torque limits over a predetermined range of engine speeds, by determining and regulating an amount of fuel to the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas J. Houchin, Richard P. Laird, Kevin A. Lantz, David E. Redfield, Christopher J. Wichael