Alternating Multiple Injectors (e.g., Series Injection) Patents (Class 123/300)
  • Patent number: 11300070
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve control unit for detecting operation of an electromagnetic valve on the basis of a drive voltage or a drive current applied to the electromagnetic valve. The electromagnetic valve control unit includes an A/D converter, a filter, and a detection unit. The A/D converter converts the drive voltage or the drive current into a digital signal. The filter has a gain of about zero at a predetermined frequency. The detection unit detects operation of the electromagnetic valve on the basis of an output of the filter upon input of the digital signal into the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aono, Motoyuki Abe, Ryo Kusakabe, Teppei Hirotsu, Ayumu Hatanaka, Hideyuki Sakamoto, Takao Fukuda, Masahiro Toyohara, Osamu Mukaihara
  • Patent number: 11293392
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a fuel injector. In one example, a system comprises an injector spool valve having a fuel outlet shaped to flow fuel to different portions of a nozzle inlet based on an actuation of the injector spool valve, thereby adjusting a fuel injection angle of a fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiaogang Zhang, Jianwen James Yi, Joseph F. Basmaji, Mark Meinhart
  • Patent number: 11187198
    Abstract: A clamping assembly and components, systems, and methods thereof can comprise a first clamp adapted to be provided around a first fuel line for an internal combustion engine to rigidly clamp the first fuel line to a bracket arrangement; and a second clamp adapted to be provided around a second fuel line for the internal combustion engine, which is spaced from the first fuel line, to clamp the second fuel line to the bracket arrangement such that the second fuel line is movable according to a degree of freedom in a direction of assembly strain. The second clamp can include a bent clip, and the first and second clamps can be aligned with each other or offset by no more than a body length of either the first clamp or the second clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Shaun M. Copley, Brian Kenadjian, Kulbir S. Rana
  • Patent number: 11131277
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine including: an operating state detection unit that detects an operating state of the internal combustion engine; a fuel reforming unit configured to be supplied with a liquid fuel including hydrocarbon and generate a reformed fuel having an octane number larger than that of the supplied liquid fuel; a reformed fuel composition adjusting unit that adjusts the composition of the reformed fuel generated by the fuel reforming unit; and a control device that controls the composition of the reformed fuel by controlling the reformed fuel composition adjusting unit in accordance with the operating state detected by the operating state detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Go Asai
  • Patent number: 11105304
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes an injector body, and a stack within the injector body, and having a nozzle supply passage therein. The stack includes a solenoid assembly having a solenoid housing piece with a fuel bore formed therein that includes a segment of the nozzle supply passage. The solenoid housing piece includes a solenoid housing material in a base state, and a solenoid housing material in a residual compressive stressed state, with the fuel bore being formed by the solenoid housing material in the residual compressive stressed state. Residual stresses may be imparted by ballizing, nitriding, carburizing, autofrettage, or still another technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Hoisan Kim, Victor Iskander Yacoub, Sridhar Thangaswamy, Cory Brown, Robert Joseph Smith
  • Patent number: 10859028
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injection control device for an engine equipped with a solenoid-type fuel injector 67. The fuel injection control device comprises: a voltage sensor SW19 configured to detect a voltage of a solenoid of the fuel injector 67; and a PCM 10 configured to set a valve-open period of the fuel injector 67, based on a fuel injection amount according to an operation state of the engine 1, and control the fuel injector 67 based on the valve-open period. The PCM 10 is configured to perform correction for gradually shortening the set valve-open period, as the voltage (residual voltage) detected by the voltage sensor SW19 when opening the fuel injector becomes larger, and control the fuel injector 67 based on the corrected valve-open period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Horiuchi, Shuhei Shintani, Shigeru Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10851738
    Abstract: A method of improving fuel delivery in an engine having one or more cylinders that are over-fueled related to other cylinders, such as a D-EGR engine. The fueling system uses a mechanical fuel pump, which is cam-driven. The cam has lobes corresponding to the desired displacement for each cylinder. The lobe corresponding to the over-fueled cylinder is shaped differently, such that the filling stroke of the pump is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Raphael Gukelberger, Garrett L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 10844806
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting drift of pilot, wherein the method includes: measuring two rotation speeds corresponding to each detection point of at least one detection point when an engine equipped with an injector is in an idle state, wherein the detection point is point(s) of an injection curve measured under the condition that a current injection pressure is applied to the injector when there is no drift of pilot in the injector, energizing time indicated by the point(s) being less than a predefined value, one rotation speed is a rotation speed of the engine during a certain working cycle of a cylinder injected by the injector, the injector being energized for an energizing time indicated by that detection point in a pilot period of the cycle, and another rotation speed is a rotation speed of the engine during an another working cycle of the cylinder, the injector not being energized in the pilot period of the cycle; calculating a current engine rotation speed change corresponding to the detection po
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ying Xu, Tian Zhang, Yong Zhao
  • Patent number: 10837396
    Abstract: An aircraft diesel engine may be operated at a minimal fuel rate. Shaft output power of the engine may be reduced by initiating combustion during the compression stroke. Combustion may be initiated during the compression stroke by advancing fuel injection, splitting fuel injection, and/or manipulating individual injection quantities. Initiating combustion during the compression stroke may slew torque generation to the compression stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: Science Applications International Corporation, U.S. Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Rik Denis Meininger, Bernard Acker
  • Patent number: 10815920
    Abstract: Engine systems and methods improve emission control through the use of concurrent HCI and EGR. An engine system includes at least two cylinders. A fuel system intermittently supplies a first fuel stream to the first cylinder and a second fuel stream to the second cylinder. An intake system supplies combustion air to the cylinders. An exhaust manifold has one or more interior chambers through which the exhaust gas from the cylinders passes. An EGR circuit is connected between the exhaust manifold and the intake system and includes an EGR valve. A controller operates the fuel system to supply the first fuel stream to deliver fuel to the exhaust system while operating the fuel system to stop the second fuel stream from delivering fuel to the exhaust system, and to open, concurrently with operating the fuel system to supply the first fuel stream, the EGR valve to supply the exhaust gas to the intake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: John R. Koenigsfeld, Matthew R. Evers, Graham S. Anderson, Kevin M. Ver Lee, John C. Scheider
  • Patent number: 10808661
    Abstract: A fuel injection device includes a valve mechanism and a drive unit. The valve mechanism includes a first control valve body driven by a drive unit to open and close an outflow opening portion, a hydraulically actuated valve body for opening and closing an inflow opening portion by a pressure difference, and a second control valve body driven by the drive unit through the first control valve body. When a first drive energy is input to the drive unit, the second control valve body maintains a seated state on the hydraulically actuated valve body. When the second drive energy is input to the drive unit, the second control valve body is unseated from the hydraulically actuated valve body. According to the seating and unseating of the second control valve body, a flow channel area of a communication passage for communicating an upper control chamber portion with a lower control chamber portion is switched to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Tanada
  • Patent number: 10787974
    Abstract: Premixed engines have ignition issues when engine speed and load are below a predetermined range. An ignition apparatus for igniting a premixed charge in a gaseous-fueled internal combustion engine comprises an ignition device associated with a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. There is at least one of a dilutant injector for introducing a diluting agent that forms a stratified charge around the ignition device and an enrichment injector for introducing gaseous fuel that forms a stratified charge around the ignition device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Kyle D. Sauve, Sandeep Munshi, Ning Wu
  • Patent number: 10557447
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve (10) comprises an intermediate valve with a mushroom-shaped intermediate valve member (78). The shaft (76) of the intermediate valve member (78) is guided with a sliding fit in the guiding passage (74) of an intermediate component (66). An annular space (120) is defined between the shaft (76) and the head (80) of the intermediate valve member (78) and the intermediate component (66), and a high-pressure inlet (86) opens into the annular space, which is formed by an inner annular space (108) and by a split ring space (118). The split ring space (118) is defined between the head (80) and the intermediate component (66), and is also radially outwardly defined by a sealing bead (112). The adhesion force between the intermediate valve member (78) and the intermediate component (66), which acts against the opening motion of the injection valve member (56), is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: GANSER HYDROMAG AG
    Inventor: Marco Ganser
  • Patent number: 10385798
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to cause diesel combustion to occur with reduced smoke in an internal combustion engine using a fuel having a relatively high self-ignition temperature. A control apparatus performs first injection at a first injection time during the compression stroke, causes spray guide combustion to occur, and starts to perform second injection at such a second injection time after the occurrence of the spray guide combustion and before the top dead center of the compression stroke that causes combustion of injected fuel to be started by flame generated by the spray guide combustion, thereby causing self-ignition and diffusion combustion of fuel to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuta Ochi, Toshimi Kashiwagura
  • Patent number: 10378475
    Abstract: A method for determining a reference current value for actuating a fuel injector, comprising a solenoid drive, for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: CPT Group GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Denk
  • Patent number: 10364771
    Abstract: A main injection of fuel from a fuel injector into a combustion chamber is made to auto-ignite. During the compression stroke after the main injection and before the auto-ignition of the fuel injected during the main injection, a first auxiliary injection and a second auxiliary injection are successively injected from the fuel injector. By controlling the injection timing of the first auxiliary injection, the ignition timing of a spark plug, and the injection timing of the second auxiliary injection, the fuel injected during the first auxiliary injection is made to burn by flame propagation combustion by the ignition action of the spark plug, the fuel injected during the second auxiliary injection is made to be injected inside the flame propagation combustion region, and the fuel injected during the second auxiliary injection is made to burn by diffusive combustion before auto-ignition of the fuel injected during the main injection occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuta Ochi
  • Patent number: 10344704
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a condition of a fuel injector of an engine. In one example, a method for an engine includes injecting a first pulse of fuel as a first pilot injection into a first subset of cylinders of a plurality of engine cylinders, where the first pilot injection precedes a primary injection of fuel into the first subset of cylinders by a duration; correlating a first response in an engine operating parameter to the first pilot injection; and adjusting the primary injection of fuel into the first subset of cylinders based on the first response. In one example, the first pilot injection precedes the primary injection by a predefined short duration and the primary injection of fuel is adjusted within a predefined or preset upper limit and lower limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC
    Inventors: Pradheepram Ottikkutti, Shailesh Nair
  • Patent number: 10337480
    Abstract: Provided is a high-pressure fuel pump in which responsiveness of closing a suction valve can be maintained even when the high-pressure fuel pump is increased in pressure or capacity of the high-pressure fuel pump is increased, thereby ensuring discharge efficiency. Therefore, the high-pressure fuel pump includes the rod that urges the suction valve in the valve opening direction, the mover that drives the rod in the valve closing direction, and the solenoid that generates a magnetic attraction force for moving the mover in the valve closing direction. After the suction valve starts moving from the suction valve closing position in the valve opening direction, the rod reaches the suction valve closing position and further moves in the valve opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Tokuo, Ryo Kusakabe, Shunsuke Aritomi, Satoshi Usui, Masayuki Suganami, Minoru Hashida, Masamichi Yagai, Yuta Saso, Atsuji Saito
  • Patent number: 10240551
    Abstract: Provided are an electromagnetic valve control unit and a fuel injection control device using the same that can precisely detect a change of an operating state of an electromagnetic valve, that is, a valve opening time or a valve closing time of the electromagnetic valve, precisely correct a drive voltage or a drive current applied to the electromagnetic valve, and appropriately control opening/closing of the electromagnetic valve, with a simple configuration. In an electromagnetic valve control unit for controlling opening/closing of an electromagnetic valve by a drive voltage and a drive current to be applied, the drive voltage and the drive current applied to the electromagnetic valve are corrected on the basis of a detection time of an inflection point from time series data of the drive voltage and the drive current when the electromagnetic valve is opened/closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aono, Motoyuki Abe, Ryo Kusakabe, Teppei Hirotsu, Ayumu Hatanaka, Hideyuki Sakamoto, Takao Fukuda, Masahiro Toyohara, Osamu Mukaihara
  • Patent number: 10233792
    Abstract: An engine comprising a camshaft, the engine coupleable to an auxiliary device driven from the camshaft, the camshaft comprising: a plurality of valve cams each configured to actuate a respective intake valve or exhaust valve of the engine, an angular orientation of the valve cams about the rotational axis of the camshaft defined by the operational requirements of the valves; and an auxiliary device cam configured to actuate a drive element of the auxiliary device via one or more cam lobes, the auxiliary device cam having an angular orientation about the rotational axis of the camshaft, and the drive element having an angular orientation about the rotational axis of the camshaft, wherein the angular orientation of the drive element of the auxiliary device is selected respective to the angular orientation of the valve cams such that each actuation event of the auxiliary device occurs between two successive valve actuation events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Phil John Whiston, Neil Haynes, Richard Dukes
  • Patent number: 10138825
    Abstract: A control system includes a processor for controlling an internal combustion engine having a temperature region, wherein a change of ignition delay time accompanying a rise in a cylinder temperature when the cylinder temperature is in the temperature region is smaller than when the cylinder temperature is out of the temperature region. When a self ignition timing of secondary fuel is earlier than a self ignition timing of primary fuel due to the secondary fuel being injected at a crank angle at which the cylinder temperature is higher than the temperature region, the processor controls a ratio of the secondary fuel to be lower than when the self ignition timing of the secondary fuel is later than the self ignition timing of the primary fuel due to the secondary fuel being injected at a crank angle at which the cylinder temperature is within the temperature region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 10054071
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine, wherein the engine is operated in an injector learning mode in which an injection parameter associated with a nominal fuel quantity of a pilot injection is learned, includes performing a learning pilot injection based on a candidate value for the injection parameter to influence injection of the nominal fuel quantity and determining a parameter indicative of the actually injected fuel quantity based on the in-cylinder pressure during combustion of the learning pilot injection. The learning pilot injection is operated at an early timing such that combustion thereof complete occurs within a learning window positioned before combustion TDC and before the next combustion starts. The pressure is measured over the learning window, so that the determination of the parameter indicative of the actually injected fuel quantity takes into account essentially the entire combustion event of the learning pilot injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventors: Pierre Allezy, Noureddine Guerrassi, Matthieu Goy, Alessio Ghirlanda
  • Patent number: 10012174
    Abstract: The compression self-ignition engine fuel injection control device is configured to, during one combustion stroke, perform multiple fuel injections to induce multiple combustions in a cylinder. The fuel injection control device comprises a PCM (70) configured to set an interval between a pre-injection and a main injection in the multiple fuel injections, so as to allow valley regions of a curve indicative of a frequency characteristic of a combustion pressure wave generated by the multiple combustions to fall within respective ranges of a plurality of resonant frequency bands of a structure of an engine body of the engine, wherein the PCM is operable to increase the interval between the pre-injection and the main injection more largely as an engine load becomes lower at a same engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naotoshi Shirahashi, Tsunehiro Mori, Takeshi Matsubara, Takahiro Yamamoto, Kiyoaki Iwata, Kiyonori Nagato
  • Patent number: 9945317
    Abstract: When a main injection is performed, a first timing that is a time earlier than a second timing is selected as the valve opening starting timing, and a first period that is the period of time shorter than a second period is selected as the control period. Also, when a pilot injection is performed, the second timing that is the time later than the first timing is selected as the valve opening starting timing, and the second period that is the time longer than the first period is selected as the control period. Thus, in an injector with increased valve opening responsiveness, the valve opening behavior of a control valve of the injector in fuel injection with a minute injection quantity can be stabilized without replacing a control device, particularly an EDU with that of a large current specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoya Kanbara, Daiji Ueda
  • Patent number: 9909524
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a motor with cylinder and an injection system having a common rail and injectors for the cylinders. Each injector has an accumulator for holding fuel from the common rail. A multiple injection of fuel is performed during each working cycle of a cylinder, including injecting a first amount in a first injection and injecting a second amount in a second injection, and determining fuel pressure for the common rail and/or the accumulator. A fuel injection amount parameter is determined for the first injection; an individual accumulator pressure and/or a common rail pressure is determined for the second injection; and a fuel injection amount parameter is determined for the second injection. The individual accumulator pressure and/or the common rail pressure are/is considered for determining the injection amount parameter of the fuel for the second injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Gölz, Robby Gerbeth, Frank Mlicki, Michael Walder, Carsten Engler, Andreas Mehr, Christian Wolf
  • Patent number: 9869287
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an ignition timing determination module, an injection timing determination module, a spark control module, and a fuel control module. The ignition timing determination module determines a first crank angle. The injection timing determination module selectively determines a second crank angle based on the first crank angle. The spark control module controls a spark plug to generate spark in a cylinder of an engine at the first crank angle. The fuel control module controls a fuel injector to deliver fuel to the cylinder at the second crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan T. Shibata, Michael J. Lucido
  • Patent number: 9840971
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving the performance of a variable displacement engine. Split injection and spark retard may be used in active cylinder during a VDE mode to heat an exhaust catalyst and extend the duration of VDE mode operation. Split injection and spark retard may also be used in reactivated cylinders at a time of cylinder reactivation to improve restart combustion stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Steven Schwochert, Ken Jahr
  • Patent number: 9732686
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving the performance of a variable displacement engine. Split injection and spark retard may be used in active cylinders during a VDE mode to heat an exhaust catalyst and extend the duration of VDE mode operation. Split injection and spark retard may also be used in reactivated cylinders at a time of cylinder reactivation to improve restart combustion stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Steven Schwochert, Ken Jahr
  • Patent number: 9670851
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine comprises pressure sensing means, memory means, processing means, and fuel injection control means. Pressure sensing means generate in-cylinder pressure data used to calculate total heat generated during combustion cycle. Memory means store predetermined crank angle data, such as CA50 crank angle data, for variety of engine operating conditions. A CA50 crank angle is a crank angle position where fifty percent of total heat is generated. Memory means additionally stores allowable start of injection crank angle data. Processing means determine an observed CA50 crank angle. Processing means conducts comparison of at least one of the predetermined CA50 crank angle data against the observed CA50 crank angle to generate a start of fuel injection crank angle which impacts the observed CA50 crank angle during subsequent combustion cycle. Fuel injection control means controls start of fuel injection crank angle generated by the processing means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: William de Ojeda, Raul Espinosa
  • Patent number: 9654040
    Abstract: A drive circuit of a stepping motor includes a D/A converter, a current controller having a comparing unit, and an abnormality detecting unit. The DAC generates a target voltage indicating a target value for an excitation current determined based on a reference voltage indicating an upper limit value of the excitation current flowing into the stepping motor. The current controller controls the excitation current based on this target voltage. The comparing unit compares a voltage corresponding to the excitation current and the target voltage. The abnormality detecting unit detects an abnormality of the wire between the drive circuit and the stepping motor based on an output signal from the comparing unit and a control signal indicating a polarity of the excitation current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Tsuchihashi, Hiroki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9581116
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: McAlister Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Roy Edward McAlister
  • Patent number: 9528625
    Abstract: A current driving system for a solenoid valve is described herein. In an embodiment, the current driving system comprises a pre-driver to control a control input of a transistor coupled to an electrical input of a solenoid valve. The transistor inducts electric power into the solenoid valve when the transistor is switched on. The current driving system further comprises a signal generator to produce a small signal and to output the small signal to the electrical input of the solenoid valve. The electric power being supplied by the small signal into the solenoid valve is substantially smaller than the electric power being supplied by the transistor when the transistor is switched on. The current driving system further comprises a measurement unit to measure a response to the small signal at the electrical input of the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Christian Schweikert, Juergen Schaefer
  • Patent number: 9512802
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having two or more cylinders to which fuel can be supplied via an injection valve, it being possible to carry out a measurement injection for a cylinder in order to determine and/or adapt a characteristic quantity of the injection valve, and all the cylinders being ignited in the course of an ignition cycle. To improve the operating characteristics, a measurement injection is carried out for those cylinders that are contained in a specifiable selected set selected from all the cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Nicolas Gueguen, Klaus Joos, Werner Hess, Holger Rapp, Haris Hamedovic, Joerg Koenig, Harry Friedmann, Andreas Koch, Ruben Schlueter, Joao Lopes Rauck, Christian Reschke, Stephanie Wirth
  • Patent number: 9447761
    Abstract: The invention discloses a dual-channel piezoelectric injector, including a dual-channel injector body, its bottom in turn is connected with an upper intermediate, a lower intermediate and a dual-channel needle valve body. At the top of the dual-channel injector body there are two tubing interfaces, and each tubing interface has a tubing fuel duct. There are two laminated piezoelectric actuators and two spray fuel ducts connected to two tubing fuel ducts respectively inside the dual-channel injector body. The upper intermediate and lower intermediate connected with each other to form the middle connection body. From top to bottom of the middle connection body, there is an external control fuel duct, an external spray fuel duct, an internal control fuel duct and internal fuel spray duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: TIANJIN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Mingfa Yao, Yongzhi Li, Zunqing Zheng, Laihui Tong, Xiangyu Zhang
  • Patent number: 9435286
    Abstract: A system for delivering fuel to an engine including a fuel reservoir pump configured to pump fuel from a fuel tank to a fuel pump reservoir. A low pressure fuel pump is configured to pump fuel out from within the fuel pump reservoir and to the fuel reservoir pump. A high pressure fuel pump is configured to pump fuel to the engine. The low pressure fuel pump is configured to pump fuel to the high pressure fuel pump. A controller is operable to configure the low pressure fuel pump in a high mode at a first pump rate when the high pressure fuel pump is in a first configuration, and operable to configure the low pressure fuel pump in a low mode at a second pump rate when the high pressure fuel pump is in a second configuration different from the first configuration, the first pump rate is different from the second pump rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dhyana Ramamurthy
  • Patent number: 9422884
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine control system includes an injector to supply fuel to an internal combustion engine, control section for calculating power distribution time for the injector, a sensor to detect a valve opening of the injector, and control section calculating and storing valve opening delay time, which is a difference between a power distribution start time and a valve opening detection time. When a power distribution time determination section determines that the power distribution time for the injector is not less than a predetermined value, the valve opening delay time is calculated and stored. When the power distribution time for the injector is less than the predetermined value, the power distribution time for the injector is controlled based on the valve opening delay time stored in storing means to perform control to increase the injector power distribution time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Fujii, Takao Fukuda, Masahiro Toyohara
  • Patent number: 9353698
    Abstract: A method for regulating a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine includes outputting from a control unit an instruction to start an injection process of fuel through an injection valve, wherein during a determination of a time of the outputting of the instruction to start the injection process, the control unit takes into account delays caused by the mechanical system of the injection valve. Furthermore, during the determination of the time of the outputting of the instruction to start the injection process, the control unit also takes into account a correction value which describes the fuel pressure in the injector feed line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Hui Li, Janos Kerekgyarto
  • Patent number: 9284909
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving engine knock tolerance, in particular when rapidly ramping in LP-EGR from low levels of EGR. Until a desired LP-EGR rate is achieved, fuel may be delivered as a split injection with at least an intake stroke injection and a compression stroke injection to compensate for the transport delay in EGR filling the intake system. Subsequently, single fuel injection may be resumed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Wooldridge, Gopichandra Surnilla, Brad Alan Boyer, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Howard Shelby, Chris Paul Glugla, Benjamin Richard Petersen
  • Patent number: 9133787
    Abstract: A method is provided for estimating an instantaneous pressure value Pinst in a fuel line of a fuel injection system during a fuel multi-injection pattern. The method includes, but is not limited to determining a mean pressure value P inside the fuel line of the fuel injection system (15), and correcting the mean pressure value P with pressure contributions generated by the previous injections of the multi-injection pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Pelizzoni, Angelo Cancellieri
  • Patent number: 9091225
    Abstract: A system and a method for controlling the number of pilot injections reduces combustion noise and improves fuel economy by deciding the actual number of the pilot injections based on a change amount of a driving condition and injecting a fuel according to the actual number of the pilot injections in a case of acceleration. The system may include a detecting portion detecting a driving condition of an engine; a control portion calculating a change amount of the driving condition from the driving condition of the engine, and deciding the actual number of the pilot injections based on the driving condition of the engine and the change amount of the driving condition; and an injector injecting a fuel to the engine through a main injection and/or the pilot injections according to the actual number of pilot injections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Youngho Kim
  • Patent number: 9038582
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a first cylinder having an intake valve in fluid communication with an intake manifold, and a second cylinder having an exhaust valve in fluid communication with an exhaust manifold. A transfer passage fluidly connects the first cylinder with the second cylinder. A first fuel injector is configured to provide a first fuel to the first cylinder, and a second fuel injector is configured to provide a second fuel to the second cylinder. The first cylinder operates, at times, to push a first air/fuel mixture through the transfer passage into the second cylinder. The second fuel injector is configured to provide at least one fuel injection plume into the first air/fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher R. Gehrke
  • Patent number: 8910615
    Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which makes it possible to reliably avoid an abnormal increase in in-cylinder pressure due to pre-ignition. The control apparatus of this invention controls an internal combustion engine including an injector that directly injects fuel into a cylinder. The control apparatus includes pre-ignition detection means that executes an operation to detect pre-ignition until a time of a crank angle ?A, and injection instruction means that, at a time of a crank angle ?B that is before the crank angle ?A, sends to the injector an injection instruction to perform fuel injection that suppresses pre-ignition combustion. Preferably, the control apparatus includes energization stopping means that, when the pre-ignition detection means does not detect pre-ignition until the time of the crank angle ?A, stops energization of the injector that is started by the injection instruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8833147
    Abstract: Based on a detection signal of a fuel pressure sensor provided in a first fuel injector, an ECU determines whether a fuel pressure in a first fuel injector is increased over a specified amount when a second fuel injector provided with no fuel pressure sensor terminates a fuel injection. When the ECU determines that the fuel pressure in the first fuel injector is increased over a specified amount, it is diagnosed that the second fuel injector does not have a malfunction of continuous injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Toyomori Tsuiki
  • Patent number: 8807116
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: at least one fuel electroinjector; and one electronic control unit designed to supply the fuel electroinjector, in a fuel injection phase in an engine cylinder, with at least a first electrical command to perform a pilot fuel injection, and a second electrical command to perform a main fuel injection. The first and second electrical commands are separated in time by an electrical dwell time such that the main fuel injection starts without interruption with respect to the pilot fuel injection. The electrical dwell time between the first and second electrical commands belongs to an electrical dwell time range in which the total fuel amount injected in the pilot and main fuel injections in a fuel injection phase in an engine cylinder is substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Sergio Stucchi, Onofrio De Michele, Raffaele Ricco, Domenico Lepore, Chiara Altamura, Marcello Gargano
  • Patent number: 8812216
    Abstract: In a method and the corresponding apparatus for operating an internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders (Z1 to Z4) which are assigned in each case one injection valve (18) for metering in fuel, a control apparatus (25) is provided with in each case one output stage (25a) for actuating the injection valves (18) of the plurality of cylinders. Here, first of all work injection operations (P0 to P4) are determined for a cylinder (CYL_i) with the duration and positioning in relation to the crankshaft rotary angle. Following this, late injection operations (P5), which are required in certain operating modes, for the preceding cylinder (CYL_i?1) in the ignition sequence are arranged in a setpoint crankshaft angular range (SB) in such a way that no temporal overlaps occur between individual work and late injection operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Brandt, Joachim Engelmann, Jürgen Fritsch, Manfred Gaul, Hui Li, Gonzalo Medina-Sanchez
  • Patent number: 8800533
    Abstract: A system and method for preventing knocking prevents knocking by injecting a sub fuel including ethanol having high octane number to a combustion chamber in a case that the knocking occurs. The system for preventing knocking may include a cylinder, a piston moving in the cylinder reciprocally, forming a combustion chamber with the cylinder, and having a central axis, a first injector mounted at an upper surface of the cylinder with a distance from the central axis of the piston, and directly injecting a main fuel including gasoline into the combustion chamber, a second injector mounted at the upper surface of the cylinder on the central axis of the piston, and directly injecting a sub fuel including ethanol into the combustion chamber, and a spark plug disposed at the upper surface of the cylinder near the second injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Je Hyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8689768
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel injection control apparatus for controlling fuel injection and a method therefor in an engine having first and second intake passages provided with first and second fuel injection valves, respectively. Fuel injection modes using the two injection valves include an alternative injection mode in which the first and second fuel injection valves are alternately operated every predetermined number of cycles and a combined injection mode in which both the first and second fuel injection valves are used for each cycle. Then, the combined injection mode is selected in a full load range. In a partial load range, the alternative injection mode is selected in a cold state and the combined injection mode is selected after warm-up. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce an equilibrium amount of adhering fuel to an inner wall of an intake passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Saruwatari
  • Patent number: 8539933
    Abstract: A desired pulse width module determines a desired length of a single pulse of fuel for a combustion cycle of a cylinder of an engine. A multiple pulses module determines a number of pulses (N) for the combustion cycle, wherein N is an integer greater than 1. A fraction determination module determines N fractional values for the N pulses, respectively. An injector control module generates individual lengths for the N pulses based on the N fractional values, respectively, and based on the desired length. A fuel actuator module opens a fuel injector that injects fuel into the cylinder during the combustion cycle in N pulses having the individual lengths, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventors: Joshua D. Cowgill, J. Michael Ellenberger, Jonathan T. Shibata
  • Patent number: 8522746
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Daniel R. Cohn, John B. Heywood, Leslie Bromberg
  • Patent number: RE44544
    Abstract: An electroinjector is provided for controlling fuel injection in an internal-combustion engine. The electroinjector includes an electroactuator, an injection nozzle, and a pin, which is movable along an opening stroke and a closing stroke for opening/closing the nozzle under the control of the electroactuator and according to the supply pressure of the fuel into the electroinjector. A first electrical command and at least a second electrical command, which are sufficiently close to one another as to displace the pin with a profile of motion without any discontinuity in time, and such as to cause the pin to perform a first opening displacement and, respectively, a second opening displacement, are supplied to the electroactuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: C. R. F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Mario Ricco, Sisto Luigi De Matthaeis, Antonio Gravina, Sergio Stucchi