Using Multiple Injectors Or Injections Patents (Class 123/299)
  • Patent number: 7739999
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to control combustion in a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine operating in a controlled auto-ignition mode with minimum combustion phasing error using a least amount of fuel reforming. This comprises monitoring combustion in each cylinder, and determining a target combustion phasing. Fuel delivery to each cylinder is selectively controlled effective to achieve the target combustion phasing, and, effective to achieve the target combustion phasing further comprises controlling the fuel delivery effective to equilibrate combustion phasing of the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Jyh-Shin Chen, Chen-Fang Chang, Tang-Wei Kuo
  • Patent number: 7740001
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine is provided for providing an injection event including a first stage and a second stage via a single nozzle. The nozzle is connected by its inlet port to a source of variable fuel pressure and it includes a needle valve for performing the first stage of injection, and a poppet valve for performing the second stage of injection. The first and second stages of injection are selectable by controlling the fuel pressure in the inlet port which is common for both the needle valve and the poppet valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventor: Sergi Yudanov
  • Patent number: 7740000
    Abstract: A method to manage and control engine operation includes injecting an initial mass of fuel into a combustion chamber to form a combustion charge, monitoring combustion and injecting a main mass of fuel into the combustion chamber substantially coincident with a start of combustion of the combustion charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Xin He, Russell P. Durrett, Gerald P Malta
  • Patent number: 7742868
    Abstract: A direct injection spark ignition multi-cylinder internal combustion engine operative in a controlled auto-ignition combustion mode includes a direct fuel injection system, a spark ignition system and a controllable engine valve system. The air/fuel ratio in the exhaust gas feedstream and an intake mass air flow are measured and an actual air/fuel ratio is calculated based upon the intake mass air flow and engine fueling. Magnitude of a negative valve overlap period between an exhaust valve closing and an intake valve opening is adjusted based upon the measured mass air flow. Timing of pre-injection fueling is adjusted during the negative valve overlap period based upon the measured air/fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Chen-Fang Chang, Tang-Wei Kuo
  • Patent number: 7739985
    Abstract: An internal combustion system and a water injection nozzle to position a water mist within an internal chamber of an internal combustion engine. In one form, the apical cone of the injection is altered with respect to the position of the piston within the interior chamber. In another form, the air fuel mixture is charged at an opposing charge to the water mist to create a water droplet gaseous fuel mixture for combustion within the anterior chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: LoNox Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven J. Keays
  • Publication number: 20100147261
    Abstract: A gasoline engine is provided that effectively uses two injectors to enhance homogeneity of mixture at the time of high-load for improving output power and to enable stable operation also when stratified or weak stratified combustion is performed. One cylinder is provided with a first injector 122a and a second injector 122b, which directly inject fuel into the cylinder. An ECU 201 uses one or both the injectors to perform fuel injection during one combustion cycle depending on operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi YAMAGUCHI, Shinya MATOHARA, Masahiko Inoue
  • Publication number: 20100147262
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling dual fuel supply to a fuel injected engine having an electronic engine management system (1) that supplies a primary injector control signal (8) to each of primary fuel injectors (2), the apparatus comprising an emulator (11) that emulates the electrical characteristics of a primary injector, a fuel control switch (10) that switches the primary injector control signal (8) from the primary injector (2) to the emulator (11) when an alternative mode is selected, a monitor (16) that monitors the primary injector control signal (8) to produce a monitor signal, and a controller (4) that processes the monitor signal to derive an alternative control signal which is used to control the primary fuel supply or a mixture of the primary fuel and a secondary fuel such as LPG, to the engine. Preferably the primary fuel supply is modulated by controlling injector control pulses. A secondary fuel may also be injected (3) and controlled by the controller (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicants: INSPECS LIMITED, FLITCH LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Martin, Andrew Smith
  • Publication number: 20100139614
    Abstract: Change in number of pilot injection is avoided in a transient response of an engine, so that driving feeling and travelling feeling are improved. When pilot injection is performed, whether fuel injection amount Q immediately before the pilot injection is more than a maximum value Qmax is determined (S100), and in the case that the fuel injection amount is determined to be more than the maximum value Qmax, number of pilot injection is fixed to a predetermined value (S102), and on the other hand, in the case that the fuel injection amount Q is determined to be not more than the maximum value Qmax, whether the fuel injection amount Q is lower than a minimum value Qmin is determined (S104), and when the fuel injection amount Q is determined to be lower than the minimum value Qmin, number-fixed control of pilot injection is released, and map control where pilot injection number is determined based on a map is started (S106).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Osamu Mori, Kazuhiko Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7730871
    Abstract: A direct injection spark ignition internal combustion engine including a controller that controls a fuel injector to perform a plurality of fuel injections to inject a necessary amount of fuel during an intake stroke, or from an intake stroke to a first half of a compression stroke, when homogeneous combustion is to be performed. The fuel injection control sets an injection prohibition period, in which injection of the fuel is prohibited, to a middle of the intake stroke. The injection prohibition period is decreased as the engine speed and as the intake air pressure increase. In addition, the amount of fuel injected before the injection prohibition period is reduced, and the amount of fuel injected after the injection prohibition period is increased, as the engine speed decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumiaki Hattori
  • Publication number: 20100132661
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of using lean fuel-air mixtures at all operating regimes of a spark ignition engine, which is provided with an intake port fuel injection system, wherein said method is characterized in that in order to achieve the efficient lean mixture combustion process, an HHO oxy-hydric gas direct injection should be at a minimum pressure of 10 bar, during compression stroke, after intake valve closing, so that the hydrogen/fuel mixture volumetric fractions value is within the range of about 15% to 25%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Dennis J. Klein, Corneliu Dica, Cristian Georgscu, Cristian Pamfilie, Radu Chiriac
  • Patent number: 7729845
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device that prevents a misfire is provided. The fuel injection control device comprises: target injection amount determination means 3 for determining a target injection amount of each fuel injection, so that the amount of fuel to be supplied to a cylinder in one combustion cycle is supplied in a plurality of fuel injections; and fuel injection correction amount determination means 4 for determining a fuel correction amount of one combustion cycle, wherein the fuel injection correction amount determination means 4 distributes the correction amount among each fuel injection in accordance with the ratio of a target injection amount of each fuel injection in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Takuro Iwashita, Takashi Haseyama, Yoshinobu Watanabe, Naofumi Ochi, Kenji Hagio, Tatsuo Mashiko
  • Patent number: 7726276
    Abstract: In a method for adapting variations in cylinder-selective injection quantities of a direct injection system of an internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders, factorial and additive adaptive values are determined in order to be able to reliably adjust a given lambda value for the entire engine even in the event of a multiple injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Reza Aliakbarzadeh, Stephan Wenzel
  • Patent number: 7720593
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a multiple cylinder direct injection internal combustion engine include injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the exhaust stroke at high engine speeds and loads to reduce the effect of intake airflow on the injection spray and improve fuel-air mixture homogeneity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jianwen James Yi, Steven Todd Wooldridge, George Carver Davis
  • Patent number: 7720594
    Abstract: A fuel injector control method comprises determining a required separation time between a termination of an on signal associated with a first injection event and an initiation of an on signal associated with a second injection event. The method comprises calculating an overlap time between the separation time and the time to charge the piezoelectric stack to a first level; dividing the overlap time into first and second time periods as a function of the charge and discharge currents; applying the charge current to the piezoelectric stack for a charge time; and applying the discharge current to the piezoelectric stack for a discharge time so as to discharge the stack to a second level, wherein the discharge time is calculated on the basis of the second time period of the overlap time. Thus, first and second injection events are merged in a pulse mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Walsh, Martin A. P. Sykes, Peter G. Griffin
  • Publication number: 20100116245
    Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Andri
  • Publication number: 20100116244
    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: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Publication number: 20100116243
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve coupled to a common rail is provided. When fuel injection is carried out, the fuel pressure in the fuel injection valve pulsates. An interval between a pilot injection and a main injection is set so that the main injection is carried out at a zero gradient timing as a timing when the gradient of the fuel pressure in the fuel injection valve after the pilot injection is approximately equal to zero. Owing to a fuel injection control apparatus and a fuel injection control method for an internal combustion engine that perform the above-mentioned control, the fuel injection amount for the subsequent fuel injection following the preceding fuel injection can be reliably held equal to a normal amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Koyama, Hisashi Ohki, Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Tomohiro Kaneko, Takahumi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100108024
    Abstract: According to an internal combustion engine fuel injection control apparatus and control method, when an operating region of the engine shifts from a fuel cut region in which no fuel is injected to a low load region in which a small amount of fuel is injected, or visa versa, at least one pilot injection is executed ahead of a main injection in the low load region, and the number of pilot injections is determined according to the engine coolant temperature. This injection control makes it possible to ensure drivability while suppressing the amount of HC produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Ogura, Hisashi Ohki, Takashi Koyama
  • Publication number: 20100108025
    Abstract: In a diesel engine 10 equipped with a fuel injection device 50 having a fuel supply pump 53 for pressingly sending a fuel, a common rail 52 for accumulating the fuel pressingly sent from the fuel supply pump, injectors 51 for injecting the fuel into a cylinder by an electronic control, a coolant water temperature sensor 64 for detecting an engine coolant water temperature and a fuel injection quantity map for calculating a target common rail pressure, total amount of injections, the number of multistage injection, the respective injection quantity and the respective injection quantity timing, the diesel engine 10 comprises a total injection quantity increasing means for increasing the total amount of injections in the injection quantity control arithmetic means and an injection number reduction avoidance means for avoiding that the number of multistage injections are changed by the total injection quantity increasing means when the engine is transferred to a cold state to a warming state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiichiro Yuzaki, Tomohiro Ootani
  • Patent number: 7707988
    Abstract: An engine includes an in-cylinder injector injecting fuel into a cylinder, a port injector injecting fuel into an intake manifold, and a valve-opening-characteristic changing mechanism changing at least lift or opening duration of an intake valve. When the engine is in a predetermined operating region and the valve-opening-characteristic changing mechanism decreases the lift or the opening duration of the intake valve, the ratio of fuel injected by the in-cylinder injector is increased according to an amount of the decrease of the lift or the opening duration and accordingly a decrease in tumble ratio is compensated for by the injection flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Irisawa
  • Patent number: 7707993
    Abstract: A mechanically actuated electronically controlled fuel injector includes a first electrical actuator that controls the position of a spill value, and a second electrical actuator to control pressure on a closing hydraulic surface associated with a nozzle check valve. The fuel injector is actuated via rotation of a cam to move a plunger to displace fuel from a fuel pressurization chamber either to a spill passage or at high pressure out of a nozzle outlet of the fuel injector for an injection event. Pressure in the fuel injector is moderated when the plunger is moving and the nozzle check valve is in a closed position by briefly cracking open the spill valve to relieve some pressure during the dwell between injection events, such as between a large main injection event and a small close coupled post injection event. This strategy allows for longer dwell times between injection events as well as smaller injection quantities in the post-injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dana R. Coldren, Yongxiang Li, Victor I. Yacoub
  • Publication number: 20100101529
    Abstract: A system for an engine, comprising a cylinder located in the engine, a turbocharger coupled to the engine, a first injector for injecting a first fuel into said cylinder, wherein said first injector is a direct cylinder injector where said direct cylinder injector delivers a liquid including an alcohol, a second injector for injecting a second fuel into said cylinder, wherein said second injector is a port injector, where said port injector delivers a liquid including gasoline, a catalytic device configured to receive exhaust gases produced by at least the cylinder, and a controller configured to vary an amount of said first and second fuel injection during engine operation based on operating conditions, where amounts of variation of said first and second fuels are set to maintain a substantially stoichiometric mixture, the controller further configured to increase a relative amount of injection of the second injector in response to an indication of engine knock during a first operating condition, decrease en
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, Allan J. Lippa, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 7703440
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine having at least one fuel injection valve for injecting fuel into a combustion chamber of the engine. A compression end temperature in the combustion chamber is estimated. A target compression end temperature is calculated according to an operating condition of the engine. A main injection and a plurality of pilot injections before the main injection are performed by at least one fuel injection valve. A fuel injection amount in a first-performed pilot injection of the plurality of pilot injections is controlled so that the estimated compression end temperature coincides with the target compression end temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Hatano, Satoshi Yamaguchi, Katsuji Wada, Kensuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7703434
    Abstract: A method for controlling timing of ignition of a fuel charge in a compression-ignition engine operating in a controlled auto-ignition mode wherein the engine includes controllable intake and exhaust valve actuation systems is described. The method comprises determining a preferred ignition timing for a cylinder charge and a mass of the fuel charge based upon operator torque request. A portion of the fuel charge is partially oxidized during a negative valve overlap period immediately prior to a compression stroke. Magnitude of the portion of the fuel charge is based upon the preferred ignition timing of the cylinder charge. A remainder of the fuel charge is injected into the cylinder during the compression stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thompson M. Sloane, Norman D. Brinkman
  • Patent number: 7694666
    Abstract: A system for an engine of a vehicle traveling on the road, the system comprising a cylinder of the engine; an emission control device coupled in an exhaust downstream of the cylinder; a first injector configured to directly inject into the cylinder and coupled in a cylinder of the engine; a second injector configured to inject into a port of the cylinder and coupled to a port of the cylinder; and a controller for, in response to a driver pedal tip-in condition, increasing an amount of injection from the first injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Lewis, John D. Russell
  • Publication number: 20100083934
    Abstract: A reciprocating engine includes a combustion chamber, and a gas exchange inlet valve and a gas exchange outlet valve for a charge cycle. The method introduces an inlet gas into the combustion chamber in an intake phase; introduces a primary quantity of fuel into the combustion chamber during the intake phase and/or a compression phase; compresses the inlet gas and the fuel in the compression phase; ignites a mixture of inlet gas and fuel formed in the combustion chamber; and expands and discharges an exhaust gas formed by the combustion in an expansion phase. A pilot quantity of fuel is introduced into the combustion chamber before the primary quantity of fuel is introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: WALTER HUEBNER, AMIN VELJI, SEBASTIAN HENSEL, CHRISTOF SCHULZ, BORIS KOCK, NORBERT PETERS, OLAF ROEHL, KONSTANTINOS BOULOUCHOS, ULRICH SPICHER
  • Patent number: 7690354
    Abstract: A system and method to heat a fuel injector is described. Resistive heating may be selectively applied to improve the performance of a fuel injector. Specifically, current can be supplied to an electrically operable mechanical valve to improve the operation of the valve at lower temperatures. The method can improve engine performance and lower emissions, at least under some conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Gale, Larry Elie, Clay Maranville
  • Publication number: 20100077990
    Abstract: There is provided a method of controlling a spark ignited internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which injects fuel directly into its combustion chamber. The method comprises injecting a total amount of fuel into a combustion chamber by early in a compression stroke during a cylinder cycle at a first engine speed. The method further comprises injecting a first stage of fuel into the combustion chamber during a cylinder cycle by an early in a compression stroke of the cylinder cycle, and injecting a second stage of fuel by late in the compression stroke during the cylinder cycle at a second engine speed less than the first engine speed, after injecting the first stage of fuel. The amount of the second stage fuel is greater than an amount of said first stage fuel. Accordingly, the first and second stage fuels may not be pre-ignited before the spark ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Shishime, Naoya Matsuo, Masahisa Yamakawa, Tatsuya Fujikawa, Takashi Youso, Toshiaki Nishimoto, Naohiro Yamaguchi, Mikinori Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20100077989
    Abstract: There is provided, in one aspect of the present description, a method of controlling a spark ignited internal combustion engine having a fuel injector which injects fuel directly into its combustion chamber. The method comprises stopping the fuel injection if a desired torque for the engine is a predetermined torque or less and a speed of the engine is a predetermined speed or greater. The method comprises resuming the fuel injection by injecting a first amount of fuel directly into the combustion chamber during a negative pressure period and injecting a second amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during an intake period. The method further includes resuming the fuel injection by injecting a third amount of the fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the negative pressure period and injecting a fourth amount of the fuel into the combustion chamber during the intake period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masahisa Yamakawa, Shinichi Sugihara, Naohiro Yamaguchi, Keiji Araki
  • Patent number: 7685990
    Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus for a fuel injector nozzle includes a moveable valve needle slideably located within a nozzle body, the nozzle body having an internal surface defining a valve seat between a fuel supply path and fuel outlets. The valve needle includes an obturator piston that is engagable with an axial fuel outlet and a two-stage lift mechanism for enabling lift of the valve needle. In a first stage lifted position of the valve needle, the valve face is spaced apart from the valve seat, and the obturator piston is positioned such that a fuel flow passage is opened between the obturator piston and the axial fuel outlet. In a second stage lifted position, the valve face is spaced further apart from the valve seat and the obturator piston is positioned such that the fuel flow passage between the obturator piston and the axial fuel outlet is substantially closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip J. G. Dingle
  • Patent number: 7681550
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine 10 includes a fuel injection valve 37 for injecting a gasoline fuel into a combustion chamber 25, and a spark plug 35. When the internal combustion engine is operated in a light-load region, the fuel is injected at an early and/or middle stage of an intake strode, whereby a homogeneous air/fuel mixture is formed and compressed to thereby perform a premixed-charge compression auto-ignition operation in which the fuel is auto-ignited and combusted. When the internal combustion engine is operated in a middle-load region, a spark-ignition combustion operation is performed. When the internal combustion engine is operated in a high-load region, air taken into the combustion chamber is compressed, and the fuel is injected into the compressed air, thereby performing a diffusion combustion operation in which the fuel is diffusion-combusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsuo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7677222
    Abstract: In a diesel engine control device, a normal injection mode that implements normal combustion and a premixed injection mode that implements premixed combustion are set, the normal injection mode is implemented when the actual engine operating conditions are in the normal region, and the premixed injection mode is implemented when the actual engine operating conditions are in the premixed region. When one control mode is being implemented in the corresponding engine operating region, the control mode is forcibly switched to the other control mode when the engine enters a predetermined transition state. This makes it possible to switch earlier than normal, and in particular when accelerating, the desired acceleration performance can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2010
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventor: Naoya Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7669578
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug, comprising during a first mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions and producing auto-ignition in said combustion chamber without requiring spark from said spark plug; and during a second mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions, forming a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture near said spark plug, igniting said fuel cloud by a spark form said spark plug, and then causing cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in said combustion chamber wherein said first mode is implemented in a first operating range and said second mode is implemented only in a second operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said first operating range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamashita, Tatsuya Tanaka, Tomomi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7669579
    Abstract: In a method for controlling the air ratio lambda and for controlling the torque of an internal combustion engine, e.g. of a diesel engine, a fuel is supplied in at least two injection processes, including a main injection of a main injection quantity and a post-injection of a post-injection quantity, and the main injection quantity is influenced to control the torque and the post-injection quantity is influenced to control the lambda value. A corrective main injection quantity ascertained for the torque control is at least proportionally subtracted from the post-injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Lang, Joerg Larink
  • Publication number: 20100043747
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to control the discharge amount of unburned fuel components in the internal combustion engine. According the present invention, the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is changed based on the operation range within which the operation state of the internal combustion engine falls so that the lower the engine load of the internal combustion engine is, and the lower the number of engine revolutions of the internal combustion engine is, the more the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is increased. Furthermore, the lower the atmospheric pressure is, the lower the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine is, or the lower the temperature of the intake air of the internal combustion engine is, the more an operation range in which the number of times of execution of sub fuel injection is large is expanded to higher loads and higher revolutions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Koyama, Hisashi Ohki, Masahiro Nagae, Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Tomohiro Kaneko, Takafumi Yamada, Hajime Shimizu, Seiji Ogura
  • Publication number: 20100043746
    Abstract: In a method for diagnosing an internal combustion engine having first and second fuel injectors, if a misfire is detected, the following steps are performed in sequence: a first fuel quantity of the fuel is introduced only by the first fuel injector; a check is performed to determine whether a misfire results from the introduction of a first fuel quantity in the first step; a second fuel quantity of the fuel is introduced only by the second fuel injector; a check is performed to determine whether a misfire results from the introduction of the second fuel quantity in the third step; and an engine error is diagnosed if a misfire was detected in the second or in the fourth step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Inventors: Dirk Hartmann, Winfried Langer, Armin Huber
  • Patent number: 7665301
    Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas energy of the internal combustion engine is increased when a variable that is characteristic of the compression of the compression device reaches a predefined value, the variable that is characteristic of the compression is the pressure ratio between the pressure downstream from the compressor and the pressure upstream from the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Horst Wagner, Maik Schaufler, Brahim Baqasse
  • Patent number: 7668640
    Abstract: A cylinder direct injection type internal combustion engine, including a fuel injection device configured to directly inject a first octane-value fuel and a second octane-value fuel into a combustion chamber. The second octane-value fuel has an octane value larger than an octane value of the first octane-value fuel. A controller is programmed to perform a first operation mode. In the first operation mode, the first octane-value fuel is injected from the fuel injection device, and the second octane-value fuel is injected from the fuel injection device toward an ignition flame formed by self-ignition combustion of the first octane-value fuel, so as to cause flame propagation and combustion of the second octane-value fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Teraji, Toru Noda, Daisuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100037852
    Abstract: A method for introducing fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine is provided, in which fuel is injected at variable metering directly into the combustion chamber by a first fuel injector on the one hand, and into an air aspiration channel leading to the combustion chamber by a second fuel injector on the other hand. To ensure a reliable cold start of the internal combustion engine when using regenerative fuels even at low temperatures, in the cold start of the internal combustion engine a partial quantity of the required overall fuel quantity is injected via the second fuel injector, this partial quantity being the particular fuel quantity that exceeds a maximum fuel quantity able to be injected via the first fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Georg Mallebrein, Michael Frank, Alexander Schenck Zu Schweinsberg, Helerson Kemmer, Wolfgang Samenfink
  • Publication number: 20100031919
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to optimize the running smoothness of an internal combustion engine. To achieve this aim, the individual cylinders are synchronized with respect to their torque contribution. According to the method, fuel is injected into the combustion chamber of a cylinder in at least one injection step, the at least one injection contributing to the torque of the internal combustion engine. Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber of the cylinder in a torque neutral manner by way of a secondary injection during a working stroke of the cylinder and the amount of fuel of the secondary injection us calculated in such a manner that the exhaust gas substantially corresponds to a stoichiometric air/fuel mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Guido Porten, Jens Wolber, Markus Amler, Matthias Walz, Jan-Mathias Meng, Joerg Koenig, Marc Schott, Pierre-Yves Crepin
  • Patent number: 7654244
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method for a combustion engine for self-ignition of a fuel mixture. A first device supplies a first partial quantity of the fuel mixture to the combustion space, and a second device supplies a second partial quantity of the fuel mixture to the combustion space, which second partial quantity of the fuel mixture is at a different fuel concentration from the first partial quantity of the fuel mixture. The devices supply the first and the second partial quantities of the fuel mixture as to create in the combustion space at least one region which is at a higher fuel concentration than other regions and in which the self-ignition of the fuel mixture is intended to start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Scania CV AB (publ)
    Inventors: Johan Linderyd, Anders Larsson
  • Patent number: 7654245
    Abstract: In a method for operating a spark-ignition, direct-injection internal combustion engine, wherein fuel is injected into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine and is ignited by a spark plug as a function of at least the load of the internal combustion engine, a crank angle is determined at which a first amount of fuel is injected into the cylinder during the intake stroke whereby a lean mixture is formed in the cylinder, subsequently, as a function of at least the load of the internal combustion engine, a crank angle is determined at which a second amount of fuel is injected, whereby a mixture cloud, which is richer than the lean mixture is formed in the lean mixture and a third amount of fuel is injected in the form of a stratified injection for forming a locally enriched and ignitable fuel/air mixture in the region of the spark plug close to an ignition time which is then ignited by the spark plug causing also combustion of the mixture cloud and the lean mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Bernd Kohler, Christoph Lux, Michael Oechsle, Matthias Werner
  • Publication number: 20100018187
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control device includes a NOx adsorber catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage, an EGR passage, a reducing agent adding device, a torque fluctuation reducing device, and a fuel injection device. The EGR passage draws a portion of exhaust gas from the exhaust passage downstream of the NOx adsorber catalyst and recirculates the exhaust gas into the intake passage. The reducing agent adding device adds a reducing agent to exhaust gas upstream of the NOx adsorber catalyst to reduce substances adsorbed by the NOx adsorber catalyst. When or after the reducing agent adding device adds the reducing agent, the torque fluctuation reducing device advances the timing of the fuel injection device or carries out a pilot injection to reduce a fluctuation in engine torque. The reducing agent adding device adds less reducing agent while the torque fluctuation reducing device is operating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Isao Matsumoto, Takenori Saoda, Naofumi Magarida, Hiroki Murata, Akira Yamashita, Hiroyuki Haga
  • Publication number: 20100012080
    Abstract: In a combustion space of a combustion engine, an inlet valve to supplies a gaseous medium which contains oxygen to the combustion space. A movable piston to compress the gaseous medium in the combustion spaces. An injector injects fuel in the combustion space in a jet which comprises a multiplicity of small fuel drops. The injector injects fuel in the combustion space at such a high initial velocity that the fuel injected in the jet mixes with the gaseous medium to form a substantially homogeneous mixture before the mixture has been decelerated to a velocity at which the fuel ignites and burns. Devices may cool the gaseous medium and the fuel before entry into the combustion space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Inventors: Vesa Hokkanen, Lars Dahlén, Jonas Holmborn, Andreas Cronhjort
  • Publication number: 20100011745
    Abstract: A diesel engine includes: a PM filter provided in its exhaust passage; a fuel injection valve for performing post fuel injection in a cylinder of an engine body in addition to primary fuel injection, in order to supply fuel to the PM filter, to maintain its purification performance; an oil level sensor for detecting a degree of dilution of engine oil; and a first indicator lamp that is turned on to indicate that the engine oil needs to be changed when the degree of dilution of engine oil detected by the oil level sensor is equal to or greater than an allowable level. The vehicle diesel engine overrides the prohibition of the post fuel injection until a distance traveled by the vehicle after the indicator lamp is turned on reaches a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Shigehiro Matsuno, Yasuo Harada, Ryouhei Kusunoki, Hidetomo Horikawa, Ryoichi Kitaoka
  • Patent number: 7647914
    Abstract: A system and method for operating an engine is disclosed. The system and method includes performing multiple ignitions during a single engine cycle. According to one embodiment, a first ignition takes place during a first stroke in the cycle and a second ignition takes place during a second stroke in the cycle. The system and method may further include performing multiple injections during the engine cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yong-Wha Kim, Jeffrey Koncsol, Julie Buckland, Jing Sun
  • Patent number: 7647161
    Abstract: A fuel injector performs a main injection and a pilot injection prior to the main injection. A fuel injection controller detects an ignition timing of a fuel injected at the main injection, detects a driving condition of the internal combustion engine, and varies a pilot injection quantity of the pilot injection when the driving condition is stable. Furthermore, the controller detects a variation in ignition timing due to a variation in the pilot injection quantity, and learns the pilot injection quantity based on the variation in ignition timing due to the variation in the pilot injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Haraguchi, Akikazu Kojima, Youhei Morimoto
  • Patent number: 7644696
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to an engine system, and a method in an engine system comprising an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder (2) at which a piston (3), at least one inlet valve (5), at least one exhaust valve (7), and fuel injection means (11), for injection of fuel directly into the cylinder (2), are provided. The method comprises performing the following steps in at least one of the at least one cylinder: controlling (204) at least one of the at least one intake valve (5) so as to introduce air into the cylinder (2), performing (203, 206) at least one main combustion fuel injection (P21, P22) for a main combustion with air introduced into the cylinder (2), controlling (201), during an exhaust stroke and an intake stroke, the intake and exhaust valves (5, 7) so as to form a negative valve overlap (NVO) to capture main combustion residues, and performing (202) at least one pilot fuel injection (P1) during the negative valve overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Claes Ostberg, Jan-Ola Olsson
  • Patent number: 7640911
    Abstract: A method for combusting fuel in an engine using a two-stroke homogeneous charge spark-ignition cycle. The method involving injecting fuel into partially compressed hot air to provide a homogenous charge to the cylinder before second stage compression in the cylinder, the engine having two variable compression ratios, a first variable compression ratio such that spark ignited HCCI-like combustion being emission free, and a second variable compression ratio for preventing pre-ignition at high loads. The expansion process of the engine having a chosen expansion ratio much greater than the compression ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Inventor: Pao C. Pien
  • Patent number: 7640912
    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: November 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, John D. Russell