Using Multiple Injectors Or Injections Patents (Class 123/299)
  • Patent number: 7853396
    Abstract: A multifuel internal combustion engine includes: fuel characteristics determining unit that determines ignitability and anti-knocking performance of the fuel introduced into the combustion chamber CC; combustion mode setting unit that sets a compression hypergolic diffusion combustion mode when ignitability of the fuel is excellent, sets a premixed spark-ignition flame propagation combustion mode when the ignitability of the fuel is poor and anti-knocking performance is excellent, and sets a spark assist compression hypergolic diffusion combustion mode when both the ignitability and anti-knocking performance of the fuel are poor; and combustion control execution unit that makes the engine to drive in a combustion mode which is set by the combustion mode setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Ito, Shiro Tanno
  • Publication number: 20100312455
    Abstract: When it is determined that an engine operating condition is in a high-engine load HCCI range (A2) where an engine load is higher than a specified load X1 within a HCCI range A where a compression self combustion is performed, an after-TDC injection F2s is executed at a point T1 when an internal pressure of a combustion chamber drops below a specified pressure Y after the top dead center of an exhaust stroke during a minus valve overlap period NVO during which intake and exhaust valves are both closed. Then, a main injection F2m as a main injection is executed. Accordingly, any improper detonation or deterioration of NOx emission which may be caused by the compression self-ignition combustion in the range where the engine load is relatively high can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki YAMASHITA, Masatoshi SETO, Yusuke KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20100312454
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a total fuel injection amount is calculated from a torque required by an engine. A division ratio of a pre-injection amount that achieves both suppression of ignition delay of fuel from a main injection and suppression of a peak value of a heat production ratio of combustion from the main injection is calculated. Upper and lower limit guards are given to the obtained divided amount, and the divided injection amount is calculated. The injection amount of the main injection is obtained by subtracting the divided injection amount from the total fuel injection amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nada, Akio Matsunaga, Yasuyuki Terada, Makio Tsuchiyama
  • Patent number: 7845343
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device for performing injection control of an injector has a program for performing fuel injection of a predetermined injection quantity (a small quantity) with an injector based on establishment of a first permission condition during fuel cut of the engine and for acquiring a fuel injection quantity indicating a fuel injection characteristic of the injector and a program for performing fuel injection of a predetermined injection quantity (a small quantity) with the injector based on establishment of a second permission condition during idling of the engine and for acquiring a fuel injection quantity indicating the fuel injection characteristic of the injector. Thus, the fuel injection control device and an engine control system including the fuel injection control device can suitably sense the fuel injection characteristic of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Imai
  • Publication number: 20100305830
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises an actuator control module and a tertiary injection module. The actuator control module provides secondary air to an exhaust system when a catalyst light-off mode is enabled and provides first and second injections of fuel to a cylinder during each engine cycle while the catalyst light-off mode is enabled. The tertiary injection module selectively provides a third injection of fuel to the cylinder during an exhaust phase of each engine cycle while the catalyst light-off mode is enabled. The first, second, and third injections are each separated by a period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Stuart R. Smith, Eugene V. Gonze
  • Patent number: 7841316
    Abstract: When an engine is at starting or at cold state, a closing time of an exhaust valve is set before an intake top dead center to close the exhaust valve early. An exhaust residual gas is compressed by a cylinder to raise an inner cylinder temperature. A pre-fuel injection is performed from a time of closing the exhaust valve to a time of the intake top dead center in such a manner that the pre-injected fuel is combusted to raise the inner cylinder temperature. This increase in temperature expedites an atomization of fuel injected at a main fuel injection. A wet amount of fuel is reduced and HC emission is also reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Masaomi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20100294234
    Abstract: In a diesel engine 1 with fuel injection valves 6a and 6b for injecting fuel 5a, 5b into a combustion chamber 4, respectively, the valves 6a and 6b are arranged such that they are opposed to each other horizontally and diametrically of the combustion chamber 4 in a plan view and are out of alignment in height to each other axially of a cylinder 2. With the valves 6a and 6b being positioned close to and away from the cylinder head 7, respectively, an upper surface of the piston 3 has a rising gradient extending from its side adjacent to the valve 6b toward its side adjacent to the valve 6a up to diametrically halfway of the piston 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Youichi Marutani, Yasunori Ashikaga, Takayuki Yamada, Mamoru Kurashina
  • Publication number: 20100294235
    Abstract: A method for an engine configured to deliver an actively varying relative ratio of a first and second fuel via a delivery system having a first and second injector for a cylinder of the engine, where the first fuel has a lesser relative amount of alcohol, the method comprising of varying an amount of injection from the first and second injector with operating conditions, when said variation causes said first injector to approach a first minimum opening condition, increasing injection of said second injector and disabling said first injector, and when said variation causes said second injector to approach a second minimum opening condition, avoiding further reduction of said second injector and decreasing injection of said first injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Publication number: 20100288227
    Abstract: An engine having improved combustion characteristics is provided. The engine includes a fuel injection system that is variable between two operational states. In the first operating state, the fuel injectors provide a fuel spray having first spray pattern characteristics. When the system detects that an operation characteristic exceeds a threshold, the fuel injectors are displaced into a second operating state. In the second operating state, the fuel injectors provide a spray pattern having first spray pattern characteristics. The combustion cycle may be characterized by timing the fuel injection so that the fuel is sprayed into the cylinder early in the compression stroke. Further still, the combustion cycle may be characterized by controlling the fuel pressure so that the fuel pressure is inversely related to the load on the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: John M. Baxter
  • Publication number: 20100292911
    Abstract: The present application provides a system and method for determining a secondary fuel amount for an engine. The method comprises measuring an injector signal from an engine's Engine Control Unit (ECU) for a primary injector. A delay time of the primary injector can be determined using a lookup table. An open time can be calculated based on the delay time and the primary timing value. An amount of fuel to be injected into the engine can be calculated based on the primary injector open time. An amount of secondary fuel equivalent to the amount of primary fuel can be determined. A timing value for a secondary injector signal for the secondary injector can be calculated to deliver the amount of secondary fuel to the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventor: Chris M. Cologna
  • Publication number: 20100288562
    Abstract: Novel nozzles are disclosed that include flutes and/or baffles having cross-sections that undergo a rotation from a nozzle inlet to a nozzle outlet to produce fluid flows having a velocity profile including both linear and angular velocity components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: VORTEXX GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Norval Roland Dove, John E. Akin
  • Patent number: 7832370
    Abstract: A method for extending the low-load operation of a homogeneous charge compression ignition engine includes employing a valve actuation device creating a negative valve overlap, thereby trapping and recompressing combusted gases within a combustion chamber, the device effecting increasingly longer negative valve overlap as engine load decreases, injecting during the negative valve overlap a fraction of fuel into the recompressed combusted gases, and igniting the fuel with a heat source during the negative valve overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Don R. Sutherland, Tang-Wei Kuo, Barry L. Brown
  • Patent number: 7831370
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided to control injection of fuel into an engine with a combustion engine. The fuel is injected into the combustion chamber as a preliminary sub injection and a main injection following the preliminary sub injection. The preliminary sub injection repeats one or more times and is less in an amount of the fuel than the main injection. The apparatus comprises acquisition means and a control unit. The acquisition means acquires a parameter showing at least one of a state of an exhaust gas exhausted from the cylinder after the combustion of the fuel and a constituent of the exhaust gas. The control unit includes variably setting means for variably setting a mode of the preliminary sub injection depending on the parameter acquired by the acquisition means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tokuji Kuronita, Satoru Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7831373
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine in which at least one secondary fuel injection is carried out, and a device for implementing the method. The level of the motor oil of the internal combustion engine is ascertained, which is compared to a first threshold value for the maximum possible oil level. If a threshold is exceeded, a warning signal is provided. Preferably an oil-dilution signal, which is a measure for the quantity and/or the volume of the oil dilution input into the motor oil of the internal combustion engine by the at least one secondary fuel injection, is taken into account when ascertaining the oil level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Forthmann
  • Patent number: 7827957
    Abstract: A control device is provided that controls the injection quantity and injection timing of fuel injected into the cylinder of a diesel engine, in which are provided two control modes of: a normal injection mode in which the injection quantity and injection timing are controlled so that the injected fuel ignites near compression top dead center during an injection period; and a premixed injection mode in which the injection quantity and injection timing are controlled so that fuel injection is completed before compression top dead center and the injected fuel ignites near compression top dead center after a premixing period, and target values of control parameters (pilot injection timing, and the like) are set in advance separately for each control mode, the control device comprising change means for gradually changing target values V1 of one control mode into the target values V2 of the other control mode when switching from one control mode to the other control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Naoya Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20100275878
    Abstract: An engine includes a rotatable crankshaft and an expansion piston slidably received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft. A crossover passage including walls connects a source of high pressure gas to the expansion cylinder. A crossover expansion (XovrE) valve is operable to control fluid communication between the crossover passage and the expansion cylinder. The XovrE valve includes a valve head and a valve stem extending from the valve head. A fuel injector operable to inject fuel into the crossover passage includes a plurality of spray holes disposed in a nozzle end and aimed at an at least one target at which fuel emitting from the spray holes is directed to form at least one spray pattern. The at least one target is located above a seated position of the XovrE valve head and between the walls of the crossover passage and the XovrE valve stem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: Scuderi Group, LLC
    Inventor: Ford Phillips
  • Patent number: 7822531
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method and system for reducing emissions and improving knock-tolerance in an engine. Air, including exhaust gas present at levels greater than 20% by total air mass, may be introduced into a combustion chamber having a volume including a piston and a cylinder head. A first amount of fuel and a second amount of fuel may be directly injected into the combustion chamber at various points during the cycle, wherein the ratio of the air, including the exhaust gas, to the first and second amounts of fuel is 14.0:1 to 15.0:1. The first and second amounts of fuel may then be ignited. An electronic control unit may be utilized to time the injections and control the introduction of exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Terrence Francis Alger, II, Charles Edward Roberts, Jr., Darius Mehta
  • Publication number: 20100263625
    Abstract: Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, Leslie Bromberg, John B. Heywood
  • Publication number: 20100268444
    Abstract: An electronic controller for a diesel engine (1) performs primary injection control in which primary injection of fuel is controlled based on an operational status of the diesel engine and additional injection control in which additional injection of the fuel is controlled for estimation of a cetane number of the fuel. The electronic controller includes a control means that, as the additional injection control, causes a plurality of fuel injections to be performed at different injection timings as the additional injection, calculates the amount of increase in torque of a crankshaft (14) due to each of the fuel injections, estimates injection timing at which misfiring starts to occur based on a trend of variation in the calculated torque increase amount as the injection timing of the fuel injections is shifted in one direction, and estimates the cetane number of the fuel based on the estimated injection timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Miyaura, Yasuyuki Terada, Atsushi Morikawa
  • Patent number: 7815128
    Abstract: A method for injecting a fluid, in particular a fuel, performs the following steps: A nozzle (1) which can be actuated by a piezo element (5) is provided. A current pulse (12a) is supplied to the piezo element (5). The capacity (16) of the piezo element (5) is recorded at the time when the current pulse (12a) is supplied. An actual characteristic curve of the injection is recorded based on the capacity (16). The current pulse (12a) is regulated in order to optimize the injection based on the actual characteristic curve of the injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Beilharz, Nicholas Nozeran, Richard Pirkl, Christian Riβler, Harald Schmidt, Hans-Jörg Wiehoff
  • Publication number: 20100251993
    Abstract: A bi-fuel internal combustion engine comprises an engine body having a cylinder axis inclined toward one side; a branched intake pipe extending from a cylinder head at an inclined upper face side of the engine body to the other side; liquid fuel injection valves for injecting liquid fuel to the intake pipe; and gas fuel injection valves for injecting a gas fuel to the intake pipe. The liquid fuel injection valves are arranged in the vicinity of the cylinder head at one side of the intake pipe, and the gas fuel injection valves are arranged at an upper side exceeding the highest position of a cylinder head cover mounted on the cylinder head at one side of the liquid fuel injection valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7806100
    Abstract: In order to improve a combustion process of a motor vehicle, in particular with regard to emissions and/or the development of noise, a method for regulating an injection profile is provided, in which method a fuel is injected directly into a combustion chamber, wherein the regulation brings about a change in the injection profile (23) at least during a first work cycle on the basis of at least one parameter which is recorded during the first work cycle. Furthermore, a corresponding direct-injection internal combustion engine is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Fev Motorentechnik GmbH
    Inventors: Thorsten Schnorbus, Matthias Lamping
  • Publication number: 20100250100
    Abstract: A combustion chamber side end portion of a fuel injection valve is placed at a location that overlaps with an imaginary plane, which is perpendicular to a center axis of a cylinder and extends along a portion of a wall surface of an intake port where an intake valve protrudes, or is projected out from the imaginary plane toward a combustion chamber. Alternatively, a center of a fuel injecting side end port of the fuel injection valve, which injects fuel into intake air that flows in a branch port branched from the intake port, may be placed on the center axis side of the intake valve in a radial direction of the cylinder. Further alternatively, an upstream side fuel injection valve may inject fuel into intake air that flows in the intake port, and a downstream side fuel injection valve may inject fuel into intake air that flows in the branch port branched from the intake port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Tomiita, Hidekazu Oomura, Fumiaki Aoki, Yoshinori Yamashita, Takanori Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100242899
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine system having an internal combustion engine, a fuel injector which directly injects fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a supercharger which supercharges air into the combustion chamber. One example method comprises, injecting fuel into the combustion chamber multiple times so that a first part of the fuel is self ignited and a last part of the fuel being injected during the compression stroke or later in a cylinder cycle when a desired torque of said internal combustion engine system is in a first range; and increasing a pressure of air which the supercharger charges into the combustion chamber as amount of fuel injected into the combustion chamber during a cylinder cycle increases when the desired torque is in the first range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo HITOMI, Masahisa YAMAKAWA, Toshiaki NISHIMOTO, Takashi YOUSO, Keiji ARAKI
  • Publication number: 20100242898
    Abstract: Engine system comprising a compression ignition engine (20) including at least one combustion chamber and a cold flame vaporizer (40) in which a fuel is partially oxidized in preheated air to form a cold flame gas. The cold flame vaporizer (40) is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber of the compression ignition engine (20). There is further provided means (50) for supplying air such that the cold flame gas can be mixed with the additional air before being injected into the combustion chamber, and means (22) for injecting a pilot fuel into the combustion chamber, thereby producing a pilot flame in the combustion chamber which ignites the mixture of cold flame gas and air. There is also provided a method for a substantially NOx-free combustion of diesel fuel in a compression ignition engine (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2008
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: ENERGY CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY AS
    Inventors: Dag Ovrebo, Klaus Lucka, Heidi Pohland vom Schloss
  • Publication number: 20100242901
    Abstract: An exemplary method for controlling an internal combustion engine system includes, when a desired torque is equal to or greater than a first torque, opening an exhaust valve and injecting pilot fuel into a combustion chamber at a first pressure before an exhaust top dead center in a cylinder cycle, opening an intake valve in the cylinder cycle after said injecting, and injecting main fuel in the cylinder cycle after said opening of said intake valve. The method further includes, when a desired torque is less than said first torque, opening said exhaust valve and injecting pilot fuel into the combustion chamber at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure before an exhaust top dead center in the cylinder cycle, opening said intake valve in the cylinder cycle after said injecting, and injecting main fuel in the cylinder cycle after said opening of said intake valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Seto, Takeo Yamauchi, Hidefumi Fujimoto
  • Publication number: 20100242900
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine system having an internal combustion engine, and a fuel injector which directly injects fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. One example method comprises, when a desired torque for the internal combustion engine system is in a first range, injecting a first stage fuel into the combustion chamber so that it ends during a middle stage of a compression stroke at the latest in a cylinder cycle; determining combustion of the first stage fuel initiated by its compression self-ignition; and injecting a second stage fuel into the combustion chamber in a period when the determined combustion of the first stage fuel continues at a timing determined so as to cause combustion of the second stage fuel with its compression self-ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Hitomi, Masahisa Yamakawa, Toshiaki Nishimoto, Takashi Youso, Keiji Araki
  • Publication number: 20100236517
    Abstract: A four-cycle engine (1) structured to introduce fresh air into a cylinder (1a) via an intake port (1d) opened/closed by intake valves (IN1, IN2) and suck exhaust gas back into the cylinder (1a) via an exhaust port opened/closed by exhaust valves (EX1, EX2), wherein the exhaust port has a first exhaust port (1p) and a second exhaust port (1e), and the exhaust gas is sucked in back from the first exhaust port (1p) and secondary air is sucked in from the second exhaust port (1e) to form, in the cylinder (1a), a first temperature layer (T1) at a high temperature mainly composed of the exhaust gas and a second temperature layer (T2) at a temperature lower than that of the first temperature layer (T1) mainly composed of the secondary air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Koichi Hatamura, Toshio Yamada, Atsushi Morita
  • Publication number: 20100235068
    Abstract: A method for controlling controlled-auto-ignition operation in an eternal combustion engine is described. The method includes the injection of air into a combustion cylinder at an appropriate time in the combustion cycle in response to measured conditions. The injection of air acts to alter the CAI-phasing, thus providing the ability to extend the CAI operation further into a vehicle speed/load range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Simon C. Brewster, Geoffrey p. Cathcart
  • Publication number: 20100224167
    Abstract: A system for an engine, comprising of a cylinder of the engine; a first injector configured to inject a first substance to said cylinder; a second injector configured to inject a second substance to said cylinder; and a controller configured to commence combustion in the engine by injecting fuel into said cylinder, where said fuel is injected by only one of said first and second injectors during said start and/or warm-up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Donald J. Lewis, Robert A. Stein
  • Publication number: 20100224168
    Abstract: A control device of a diesel engine, including an acceleration detector including an acceleration sensor, the acceleration sensor being attached to an engine body that defines a combustion chamber, the acceleration detector configured to output a vibration acceleration, an integrator configured to integrate values corresponding to amplitudes of the vibration acceleration from a predetermined integration start timing that is at least before an ignition timing, a comparison unit configured to compare an integration value of the integrator with a predetermined ignition timing judgment level, and a real ignition timing judgment unit configured to judge a real ignition timing on the basis of a reach timing, at which the integration value has reached the ignition timing judgment level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kousuke YASUHARA, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Naoki Nagashima
  • Patent number: 7789063
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine having a first injector for injecting a first fuel into a cylinder of the engine and a second injector for injection a second fuel into said cylinder of the engine, the engine further having at least an exhaust gas oxygen sensor, the method comprising of varying an amount of said first fuel injection in response to said sensor under a first operating condition, and varying an amount of said second fuel injection in response to said sensor under a second operating condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 7789062
    Abstract: An injection nozzle for a compression ignition internal combustion engine, the injection nozzle comprising: a nozzle body provided with a bore, within which a unitary valve needle is movable along a primary valve needle axis, the valve needle being engageable with a valve seating defined by the bore to control fuel delivery through first and second outlets, and including a first valve region, a second valve region and a first seat region defined by a transition between the first and second valve regions that seats against the valve seating when the nozzle is in a non-injecting state, wherein the valve needle comprises a third valve region, a relieved region defined by a transition between said second and third valve regions, the relieved region defining a first exit volume between the valve needle and the bore adjacent to the first outlet when the valve needle is lifted from the valve seating into an injecting state, and a fourth valve region having at least a part in closer proximity to the bore than said re
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies Holding S.arl
    Inventor: Michael Peter Cooke
  • Publication number: 20100217501
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system of an internal combustion engine includes a required injection setting mechanism, a rapid rotational speed change detector, and an injection controller. The required injection setting mechanism calculates a required number of injections and required injection times with regard to a plurality of fuel injections, based on operating conditions of the engine. The rapid rotational speed change detector determines whether the amount of change of the engine speed is equal to or larger than a predetermined value. When it is determined that the amount of change of the engine speed is equal to or larger than the predetermined value, the injection controller controls a fuel injection valve so as to reduce or eliminate differences between the actual injection times and the required injection times. Thereby, even when the engine speed changes rapidly, deteriorations in the driveability and exhaust emissions are prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayuki Demura
  • Patent number: 7783410
    Abstract: A pressure surface is propelled within an engine chamber. Air is introduced into the chamber. The air in the chamber is compressed with the pressure surface. The compressed air is charged with fuel. The fuel is combusted to propel the pressure surface within the chamber. The air and the combusted fuel are exhausted from the chamber. A turbocharger is powered with the exhaust to compress air to an extremely high level, 20+ atmospheres. The air compressed by the turbocharger is passed into the chamber to propel the pressure surface in the chamber without additional fuel. Since compressing the high pressure air in the chamber would cancel the gains of the previous cycle and possibly damage the engine, this invention proposes to open the exhaust valve at the bottom of the intake stroke to relieve the excess pressure, close the exhaust valve and compress the remaining air in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Inventor: Curtis O. Anderson
  • Patent number: 7779622
    Abstract: In an engine (10) comprising a fuel injector (12) which performs a post injection after performing a main injection into a cylinder and an exhaust valve (15) which opens and closes to discharge an exhaust gas, a controller (70) controls the fuel injector (12) to start the post injection during a period where a gas velocity in the cylinder along a cylinder axis increases after the exhaust valve (15) opens. A duration (t) of the post injection is controlled according to a crank angle at which the post injection is to be performed such that a breakup distance (L) at the end of which the injected fuel atomizes does not become larger than a distance (S) from an injection hole (12a) to a cylinder liner (10c), thereby ensuring that the injected fuel is supplied to an exhaust passage (23) without adhering to the cylinder liner (10c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Terunori Kondou, Jin Yokoyama
  • Publication number: 20100204907
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes phase change means (60) for advancing or retarding phases of an opening timing and a closing timing of an intake valve (62); duration change means (60) for increasing or decreasing a duration of the intake valve (62); and EGR gas amount increase means (50) for increasing an amount of EGR gas, based on an operating state of an internal combustion engine. The control apparatus further includes intake-valve closing timing advancing means (50) for advancing the intake-valve closing timing when the amount of EGR gas is increased. The intake-valve closing timing advancing means (50) advances the intake-valve closing timing by performing a first operation that advances the phases using the phase change means (60), and performing a second operation that decreases the duration using the duration change means (60), and makes a timing at which the second operation is started later than a timing at which the first operation is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Nakatani, Terutoshi Tomoda, Shinobu Ishiyama, Michio Furuhashi, Tomoyuki Ono, Tomoyuki Kogo, Yoshihiro Hisataka
  • Patent number: 7770561
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a low-pressure fuel feed system that feeds low-pressure fuel pressurized by a feed pump to first delivery pipes through a low-pressure fuel feed pipe, first injectors capable of injecting the low-pressure fuel into intake ports, a high-pressure fuel feed system that feeds high-pressure fuel pressurized by a high-pressure pump to second delivery pipes through a high-pressure fuel feed pipe, and second injectors capable of injecting the high-pressure fuel into combustion chambers. A bypass passage communicates the first delivery pipe with the second delivery pipe, and a check valve is provided in the bypass pipe for preventing flow of the fuel from the second delivery pipe to the first delivery pipe. Thus, transmission of fuel pressure pulsation caused by driving of the high-pressure pump is effectively restricted, so that an appropriate amount of fuel can be supplied to the engine for improved control of the air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Fumiaki Hattori
  • Patent number: 7770556
    Abstract: Improvement of combustion stability in retard ignition at the time of starting in a cold state, high output in a full throttle condition, reduction of smoke, and prevention of wear of the cylinder liner caused by oil dilution, are to be attained. In connection with the flow of fuel into each hole and a fuel inflow angle which is determined by the axis of each hole formed in a plate, the fuel inflow angle of an hole directed to a spark plug is set large to reduce an effective flow path area, thereby making the amount of fuel in the hole smaller than in other holes. A shallow cavity is formed in a piston crown face and a small prominence confronting fuel sprays is formed within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Kihara, Yoshihiro Sukegawa, Kenji Tsuchita, Sumie Tsuchita, legal representative, Hiroshi Fujii, Atsushi Sekine
  • Publication number: 20100192905
    Abstract: A system for an engine of a vehicle includes methanol and water injection to abate engine knock. The injection is provided directly into the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 7769535
    Abstract: Method for dosing fuel injected into an engine, with a fuel quantity for an injector, the fuel quantity being divided into pilot and main injections for respective activation duration having activation duration corrective value, the method may include storing correlation data between fuel injection quantity and activation time under at least a state parameter of the injector, wherein the fuel injection quantity includes reference total injection quantities determined for predetermined operating states of the engine, determining a present operating state of the engine, placing the engine into one of the predetermined operating states, determining a present total injection quantity and a reference total injection quantity in one of the at least a state parameter of the injector, and defining the respective activation duration corrective value for the pilot and main injection considering a difference between the reference total injection quantity and the present total injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Ullrich, Roland Steininger, Jurgen Grimm, Stefan Lang, Julian Kuric, Viktor Boschmann, Daniela Bollmann
  • Patent number: 7769527
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine (100) comprises a fuel injection valve (21, 22) which supplies a first fuel having a higher self-ignitability than gasoline and a second fuel having a higher combustion speed than gasoline such that an air-fuel mixture containing the first fuel and the second fuel is formed in a combustion chamber (14), a spark plug (25) which ignites the air-fuel mixture, and a programmable controller (41) programmed to control supply proportions of the first fuel and the second fuel such that the ignited air-fuel mixture undergoes flame propagation combustion and then undergoes self-ignition combustion. Thus, a reduction in emissions can be achieved, and high thermal efficiency can be realized through the self-ignition combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Noda, Atsushi Teraji, Takashi Araki, Akihiko Kakuho, Isamu Hotta, Koichi Ashida, Masaharu Kassai
  • Patent number: 7765982
    Abstract: A method for an engine with first and second injectors in a cylinder provides different fuel injection compensation upon reaching minimum pulsewidths of the first and second injectors. When the first injector reaches its minimum pulsewidth, the first injector is disabled. However, when the second injector reaches its minimum pulsewidth, the second injector is maintained active and injection from the first injector is decreased. In this way, sufficient injection from the second injector is maintained in either situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 7769532
    Abstract: A machine is disclosed. The machine may have an engine having a combustion chamber. The machine may also have a first sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a speed of the combustion engine. Additionally, the machine may have a second sensor configured to generate a second signal indicative of a desired supplied fuel quantity. The machine may also have a counter configured to generate a third signal indicative of a count. Additionally, the machine may have a fuel injection system having a controller. The controller may be configured to, based on the first, second, and third signals, select one of a plurality of shot modes and generate a corresponding fourth signal. The fuel injection system may also have a fuel injector configured to, based on the fourth signal, inject a quantity of fuel into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventors: Michael David Smith, Stephen William Bird
  • Publication number: 20100186718
    Abstract: A method is described for operating an injector, in particular an injector of an injection system of an internal combustion engine, the injector including a piezoelectric actuator that is connected to a valve needle via a coupling element, an electric voltage being applied to the piezoelectric actuator, resulting in an increase and/or decrease in the length of the piezoelectric actuator, a holding voltage being applied to the piezoelectric actuator when the injector is closed. The voltage of the piezoelectric actuator is brought to the holding voltage by a recharge sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Manfred Klein, Jens-holger Barth, Andreas Schmitt, Markus Krieg
  • Publication number: 20100186708
    Abstract: The fuel injection system comprises a fuel injector controlled by commands of a control unit. The fuel injector comprises a metering servo valve having a control chamber provided with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an open/close element that is axially movable. The open/close element is carried by an axial guide element that is separate from an armature of an electromagnet. The open/close element is held in the closing position by a spring acting through an intermediate body. In some instances, the strokes of the open/close element and of the armature are chosen so as to eliminate, upon closing of the servo valve, the rebounds of the open/close element subsequent to the first rebound. The control unit controls a fuel injection comprising a pilot fuel injection and a main fuel injection, via two distinct electrical commands, which are spaced apart by a dwell time such as to occur in an area of reduced variation of the amount of injected fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Domenico Lepore
  • Patent number: 7765053
    Abstract: The fuel injection system includes a fuel injector that injects fuel directly into a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an engine. The control module initiates multiple fuel injections in a combustion chamber during a combustion cycle of the cylinder via the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Inventors: Jesse M. Gwidt, Michael J. Lucido, Vijay Ramappan, Halim G Santoso, Donovan L. Dibble, David J. Cleary
  • Publication number: 20100183993
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to injectors with integrated igniters providing efficient injection, ignition, and complete combustion of various types of fuels. These integrated injectors/igniters can include, for example, insulators with adequate mechanical and dielectric strength to enable high-energy plasma generation by components that have very small dimensions, multifunction valving that is moved to injector multiple bursts of fuel and to induce plasma projection, a fuel control valve at the interface to the combustion chamber for the purpose of eliminating fuel drip at undesired times, and one or more components at the interface of the combustion chamber for the purpose of blocking transmission of combustion sourced pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventor: Roy E. McAlister
  • Publication number: 20100170470
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for an engine and a method of its operation are described. The fuel delivery system includes a first fuel injector for delivering a first fuel to a cylinder of the engine; a second fuel injector for delivering a second fuel to the cylinder; an electrical relay system disposed between a first electrical potential and each of the first and second fuel injectors; an electronic driver disposed between a second electrical potential and each of the first and second fuel injectors; and a control module. The control module is configured to switch the electrical relay system between first and second positions to select one of the first and second fuels, respectively. The electronic driver is closed by the control module to deliver the selected one of the first or second fuel to the first cylinder via a respective one of the first or second fuel injectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Ford Flobal Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Joseph Norman Ulrey
  • Publication number: 20100162992
    Abstract: The system comprises an injector controlled by commands of a control unit. The injector comprises a dosing servo valve having a control chamber provided with an outlet passage that is opened/closed by an open/close element that is axially movable. The open/close element is carried by an axial guide element that is separate from an anchor of an electromagnet. The open/close element is held in the closing position by a spring acting through an intermediate body. Preferably, the strokes of the open/close element and of the anchor are chosen so as to eliminate, upon closing of the solenoid valve, the rebounds of the open/close element subsequent to the first rebound. The control unit controls an injection comprising a pre-injection and a main injection, via two distinct electrical commands, which are spaced apart by a dwell time such as to occur in an area of reduced variation of the amount of injected fuel; therefore, the stability of operation of the system increases as said dwell time varies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sergio Stucchi, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele, Chiara Altamura, Domenico Lepore