Having A Particular Relationship Between Injection And Ignition Characteristics (e.g., Nozzle Location, Spray Pattern, Timing Relative To Igniter Location, Timing) Patents (Class 123/305)
  • Patent number: 10674073
    Abstract: An imaging method includes irradiating an object, from an irradiator, with mixed light of light in a first wavelength band and light in a second wavelength band having an intensity higher than an intensity of the first wavelength band, the first wavelength band being a wavelength band correlating with a first filter having a first transmission wavelength characteristic, and the second wavelength band being a wavelength band correlating with a second filter having a second transmission wavelength characteristic different from the first transmission wavelength characteristic; imaging the object irradiated with the mixed light by using the imaging element; and generating composite image data by high dynamic range synthesis of first layer image data and second layer image data, among image data of the object output by the imaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Zama, Taisuke Nomiyama
  • Patent number: 10662915
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel-pumping device (1) for a fuel injection device of an internal combustion engine with a large high-pressure pump (16) and a small high-pressure pump (14) arranged in parallel, wherein fuel can be pumped by the large high-pressure pump (16) and by the small high-pressure pump (14) from a low-pressure region (13) into a high-pressure region (18). The high-pressure region (18) is connected to at least one injector (21). A control device (30) is provided, which can be used to conduct the entire pump output of the large high-pressure pump (16) or the small high-pressure pump (14) into the low-pressure region (13) via a discharge line (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Martin Bernhaupt
  • Patent number: 10648422
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an engine includes an engine, a state quantity setting device, a spark plug, and a controller. After the spark plug ignites air-fuel mixture to start combustion, combustion of unburned air-fuel mixture is caused by autoignition. The controller outputs a control signal to the state quantity setting device such that, when a number of revolutions of the engine is high, a temperature in a combustion chamber before start of compression is higher than that when the number of revolutions of the engine is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Inoue, Masanari Sueoka, Kota Matsumoto, Tomonori Urushihara
  • Patent number: 10619579
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control an injection amount and an injection timing of fuel to a target injection amount and a target injection timing set based on an engine operation state, detect an ignition timing of fuel based on a vibration component of an engine body in a specific frequency bandwidth, and correct at least one of the target injection amount and the target injection timing based on a deviation between the detected ignition timing and a target ignition timing according to the engine operation state. The specific frequency bandwidth is a bandwidth on a low frequency side of a frequency bandwidth where the engine body undergoes elastic vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Ono
  • Patent number: 10550800
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for reducing cylinder-to-cylinder variation in exhaust gas recirculation. In one embodiment, a system comprises a first cylinder group of an engine having a first number of cylinders, a second cylinder group of the engine having a second number of cylinders that is not an integer multiple of the first number of cylinders, and an exhaust system coupled to the first cylinder group and the second cylinder group. In at least one mode of operation, the exhaust system has exhaust ports of the first cylinder group fluidly coupled to an intake of the engine and exhaust ports of the second cylinder group fluidly decoupled from the intake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Vijayaselvan Jayakar, Amit Kumar Sharma, Jennifer Anne Lachapelle, Trideep Singh
  • Patent number: 10533514
    Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel injector comprises measuring a pressure in a cylinder of an engine with a pressure sensor and determining at least one of a crank angle and a crank speed with a crank sensor. The method also comprises calculating a net indicated mean effective pressure of the cylinder from the measured value of the pressure sensor and the determined value of the crank sensor. Also, the method comprises adjusting a fueling parameter of a fuel injector for the cylinder in response to the difference between the calculated net indicated mean effective pressure and a reference mean effective pressure indicates a change in power of the engine. Alternatively, the method may adjust the fueling parameter based on a power feedback signal for the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Phanindra V. Garimella, John L. Hoehne, Ian W. McGiffen, Chandan Mahato, Boopathi Singalandapuram Mahadevan, Pagalavan Mathari Bakthavatsalam, Travis Alva Anderson
  • Patent number: 10533512
    Abstract: A combustion pressure detection method and a combustion pressure detection apparatus of an internal combustion engine that can detect combustion pressure by using a crank angle sensor in an accurate and easy way. A relationship between a crank angle sensor signal and a combustion pressure signal is previously recorded. As a result, even if the combustion pressure sensor fails, the combustion pressure is detected by collating the crank angle sensor signal with the relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Eiichirou Oohata
  • Patent number: 10519893
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine has a crankcase, a cylinder block defining at least one cylinder, a cylinder, a crankshaft, at least one piston, at least one scavenge port, at least one throttle body for supplying air to an interior of the crankcase, at least one direct fuel injector fluidly communicating with at least one combustion chamber for injecting fuel directly in the at least one combustion chamber; and at least one port fuel injector fluidly communicating with the interior of the crankcase for injecting fuel upstream of the at least one combustion chamber. Methods for controlling an engine having at least one direct fuel injector and at least one port fuel injector are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Bruno Schuehmacher, Luc Champigny
  • Patent number: 10508605
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a turbocharger, wherein a fuel quantity is supplied to the combustion chamber of the engine in a stationary state, which fuel quantity is determined according to a first predetermined relationship between a load requirement to the engine and a rating determining a fuel quantity to be supplied to the combustion chamber, wherein a second predetermined relationship between the rating and the load requirement is used, wherein according to the second relationship, a given load requirement is assigned a larger quantity of fuel than according to the first relationship. In a transient state of the engine, the fuel quantity supplied to the combustion chamber is determined based on an interpolated value of the rating, which is determined for the rating by an interpolation between a value resulting from the first relationship and a value resulting from the second relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Bernhard, Wolfgang Fimml
  • Patent number: 10502148
    Abstract: An electronic control unit is configured to select a first cam as a driving cam of an intake valve in a first operation range where a target value of an EGR rate is set to a specified EGR rate, and is configured to select a second cam as the driving cam in a second operation range smaller in valve duration and lift amount than the first cam. Accordingly, in most of the operation regions, the first cam is selected, and the second cam is selected only in a high-torque and high-speed region. When the second cam is selected in the high-torque and high-speed region, the state where an actual compression ratio is high can be eliminated, and suction efficiency can be decreased. Therefore, decrease in a knocking limit can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shintaro Hotta, Akira Kato, Shinichi Mitani
  • Patent number: 10473044
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes cylinders, intake ports, exhaust ports, intake values, exhaust valves, fuel injection valves, and an exhaust valve stop mechanism. The control device includes an electronic control unit configured to control the fuel injection valves so as to inject the feel into the some cylinders at least during a period of time of a compression stroke or an expansion stroke of the some cylinders, control the exhaust valve stop mechanism so as to stop the exhaust valves of the exhaust ports of the some cylinders in a valve-closed state, and control the intake valves so as to open the intake valves at least during a period of time of an intake stroke of the some cylinders such that exhaust gas is recirculated to each of the cylinders via the intake ports of the some cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Sho Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10443556
    Abstract: An electronic injection two-stroke endothermic engine comprising an upper fuel injector (13) and a lower fuel injector (14), both accommodated in an intake duct (12) directly facing the cylinder (1), the latter closed by a head to form a combustion chamber (6) with one or more spark plugs (5) and connected to a pump-crankcase underneath via a plurality of side transfer ports (7, 8) which a central transfer port (15) is added to and crosses said intake duct (12) and allows the fuel sprayed by said lower injector (14) to reach the inside of the cylinder (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Betamotor S.P.A.
    Inventors: Lapo Bianchi, Jacopo Fiaschi, Paolo Trassi, Federico Tozzi
  • Patent number: 10408144
    Abstract: An engine control device including: a turbocharger; an EGR device that includes an EGR passage, an EGR valve, and an EGR cooler; and a PCM that, based on an operation state of an engine, controls the EGR valve to adjust an EGR rate that is a ratio of an EGR gas amount to a total amount of gas introduced to a cylinder of the engine. The PCM controls the EGR valve such that, in a high load range and a medium load range for the engine, the EGR device recirculates the EGR gas into an intake passage; and controls the EGR valve such that an EGR rate in the high load range is lower than an EGR rate in the medium load range at a same engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tadasuke Matsumoto, Shouichi Aiga, Yoshitomo Matsuo, Kazuhiro Nishimura, Tomoaki Fujiyama
  • Patent number: 10344700
    Abstract: A control device of the present invention is applied to an engine provided with a fuel injection valve which directly injects fuel into a combustion chamber. The control device includes a pre-ignition prediction unit which predicts occurrence of pre-ignition when the engine is started; and an injection control unit which causes fuel to be injected in an expansion stroke from the fuel injection valve when occurrence of pre-ignition is predicted by the pre-ignition prediction unit. Thus, it is possible to prevent pre-ignition without lowering the effective compression ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamasaki, Kyohei Yasuda
  • Patent number: 10330041
    Abstract: A method of resuming multi-port injection using an intake stroke of an engine includes performing a first refueling with immediate start of ignition injection at the time when an injection abortion angle does not pass through an intake stroke, when injection is determined to be resumed after coasting by a controller. The method can minimize an engine RPM drop caused by the early generation of torque. The method improves fuel efficiency while being advantageous to calibration of the engine by setting the engine RPM to be low at the time of fuel cut-in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Min-Kyu Han, Jung-Suk Han
  • Patent number: 10267252
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to control the fuel injection valve so that the fuel injection valve selectively performs partial lift injection, which does not open a valve member at a fully open position, and full lift injection, which opens the valve member at the fully open position. The internal combustion engine includes the fuel injection valve and a fuel supply system. The controller includes an energizing time setting unit, a fuel pressure calculation unit, and a smoothening process unit. The energizing time setting unit is configured to set an energizing time for the full lift injection based on graded fuel pressure calculated by the smoothening process unit and set an energizing time for the partial lift injection based on fuel pressure calculated by the fuel pressure calculation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 10208686
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for learning a cylinder-to-cylinder air variation. During conditions when a PFDI engine is operated in a port-injection only mode, prior to port fuel injection, a direct-injection fuel rail pressure may be lowered via direct-injection. Then, prior to a spark event in a port-injected cylinder, the direct-injector may be transiently opened to use the rail pressure sensor for estimating a cylinder compression pressure, and inferring cylinder air charge therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Lyle Thomas, Ethan D. Sanborn, Paul Hollar, Daniel Dusa
  • Patent number: 10202927
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling combustion performance of an engine during recompression HCCI combustion are provided. The method includes regulating a valve actuation timing and a fuel injection timing to cause a combustion phasing of at least one cylinder of the engine to approach a target combustion phasing, and estimating current combustion state information based on the combustion phasing. The current combustion state information includes at least one of a temperature, a pressure, and a pre-combustion charge composition associated with the at least one cylinder. The method further includes determining a target fuel injection amount, and determining whether the target fuel injection amount would require actuator settings that violate predetermined constraints in order to cause the combustion phasing to approach the target combustion phasing. A fuel injection amount is adjusted when the target fuel injection amount would require actuator settings that violate the predetermined constraints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Shyam Jade, Erik Hellstrom, Anna Stefanopoulou, Li Jiang
  • Patent number: 10184373
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided, which includes at least one combustion chamber, and a turbocharger with an exhaust gas turbine and an exhaust gas after-treatment device. The exhaust gas after-treatment device has a first catalytic converter arranged aerodynamically between the at least one combustion chamber and the exhaust gas turbine. A second catalytic converter is arranged aerodynamically between the first catalytic converter and the exhaust gas turbine, and at least one partial oxidation chamber is arranged aerodynamically between the first catalytic converter and the second catalytic converter. Also provided is a method for reducing exhaust gas emissions of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: GE JENBACHER GMBH & CO. OG
    Inventors: Bhuvaneswaran Manickam, Friedhelm Hillen, Manfred Sieberer
  • Patent number: 10156187
    Abstract: A reciprocating internal combustion engine includes an in-cylinder pressure sensor and a crank angle sensor. Data of calculated heat release amount in synchronization with crank angle is calculated using in-cylinder pressure after absolute pressure correction. An amount of heat release amount variation is calculated as a difference between a first calculated heat release amount at a first crank angle on an advanced side of TDC and a second calculated heat release amount at a second crank angle symmetrical about TDC. An actual heat release amount is estimated based on the amount of heat release amount variation calculated using, as the first crank angle, a crank angle on an advanced side of a combustion start point and using, as the second crank angle, a crank angle on a retarded side of a combustion end point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sakayanagi, Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10146242
    Abstract: A micro grid power system includes a plurality of generator sets, a photovoltaic system, an external load, and a controller. Each generator set includes an engine and a sensor to determine a temperature of exhaust gases exiting the engine. The photovoltaic system includes a plurality of photovoltaic panels for generating power. The external load is powered by the plurality of generator sets and the photovoltaic system. The controller is configured to determine the external load, and control the plurality of generator sets to maintain the temperature above a threshold temperature. The controller is further configured to determine a remaining load which is the external load subtracted by a portion of the external load powered by the plurality of generator sets, and control the photovoltaic system to power the remaining load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua W. Steffen, Gregory S. Hasler, Dachuan Yu
  • Patent number: 10106944
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pile-driver, comprising a support member arranged or arrangeable in transverse direction at or on a pile, a liquid chamber which is bounded on the underside by the support member and which further comprises one or more side walls and is configured to receive a liquid therein, one or more pressure build-up chambers, an ignition mechanism configured to ignite a fuel present in the combustion space, and wherein the combustion space is configured to expand fuel present therein during combustion such that a pressure build-up takes place above the support member and the liquid present above the support member in the liquid chamber is displaced at least in upward direction away from the support member, whereby a downward force is exerted on the pile via the support member. The invention further relates to a method for driving a pile downward into the ground using such a pile-driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Fistuca B.V.
    Inventors: Jasper Stefan Winkes, Bernard Aart Gerrit Genuit
  • Patent number: 10100797
    Abstract: A fuel injector (100) for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel injector is particularly suitable for use as a dual fuel injector, and comprises a generally tubular outer valve needle (130), an inner valve needle (140) slidably received in the outer valve needle (130), and a nozzle body assembly (112) comprising a tip part (120) and a needle guide part (118). The tip part (120) defines a seating region (120f) for the outer valve needle (130), and the needle guide part (118) comprises a guide bore (118e) for slidably receiving the outer valve needle (130). In one embodiment, the tip part (120) and the needle guide part (118) are made from different materials, and a biasing spring (148) for the outer valve needle (130) is housed in the nozzle body assembly (112).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignees: WESTPORT POWER INC., DELPHI INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS LUXEMBOURG S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: George A. Meek, Lukhbir Panesar
  • Patent number: 10072603
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device applied to a cylinder injection type of an internal combustion engine (10). The control device control a disperse parameter for changing a degree of a spread of the fuel spray injected from the injector (20) such that the maximum degree of the spread of the fuel spray under a state where an amount of the fuel adhering to the spark generation part (31a) of the spark plug (30) at the ignition timing corresponds to a first amount, is smaller than the maximum degree of the spread of the fuel spray under a state where the amount of the fuel adhering to the spark generation part at the ignition timing corresponds to a second amount smaller than said first amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Hashimoto, Motonari Yarino
  • Patent number: 10030575
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for flowing a first coolant and a second coolant to a charge air cooler. In one example, a method may include flowing only a first coolant, flowing only a second coolant, or flowing a mixture of the first and the second coolants to the charge air cooler based on engine operating conditions. Further, the method may include adjusting additional engine operating parameters based on a ratio of the first coolant to second coolant flowing to the charge air cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Matthew Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, Daniel Joseph Styles, Curtis Michael Bauer
  • Patent number: 10001090
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for operation of the apparatus that includes an onboard fuel reformer comprising a catalytic material, a shell containing the catalytic material enclosing an air/fuel mixture in a leak-free environment, an inlet to the shell for feeding the air and fuel, and an outlet to the shell for discharge of the reformate mixture at the completion of an air-fuel reaction, wherein a reactivity separation is provided for RCCI combustion between the reformate and the parent fuel, thereby enabling single-fuel RCCI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventors: Benjamin Lawler, Sotirios Mamalis
  • Patent number: 9982637
    Abstract: A system includes a controller that is configured to respond to engine load being at a designated engine load point by operating an engine with a lower exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) amount and a more advanced fuel injection timing than any other steady-state engine load point when EGR and fuel injection are enabled. The controller is further configured to respond to engine load being within a range of engine load points around the designated engine load point by increasing the EGR amount and retarding fuel injection timing as load increases and as load decreases away from the designated engine load point. This may result in decreased fuel consumption while maintaining emissions below designated levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Manoj Prakash Gokhale
  • Patent number: 9938944
    Abstract: A system 10 and method of operating the system 10 are disclosed. The system 10 includes a compressor 20, a combustion engine 30, and an input system 60. The compressor 20 is configured to mix and compress a liquid hydrocarbon fuel 15 and a first hydrocarbon gas fuel 17, thereby to form a liquid fuel mixture 21. The combustion engine 30 is disposed downstream of the compressor 20 and includes a dual fuel injection system 40 and a combustion chamber 50. The dual fuel injection system 40 includes a nozzle 42 that is configured to inject the liquid fuel mixture 21 into the combustion chamber 50 of the combustion engine 30. The input system 60 is fluidly connected with the combustion engine 30, and configured to inject air 62 and a second hydrocarbon gas fuel 64 into the combustion chamber 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Miguel Angel Gonzalez Salazar, Guillaume Becquin
  • Patent number: 9932925
    Abstract: A method of improving fuel efficiency and an apparatus for operating a vehicle that performs the method are provided. The apparatus includes a storing unit that stores control plans for a fuel injection system and an intake/exhaust system that optimize responsiveness of an engine for a plurality of driving modes. A catalyst temperature obtaining unit obtains a catalyst temperature and an operation period determining unit determines an operation period of an engine based on rpm of the engine and an amount of fuel consumption. A driving mode determining unit determines any one of the driving modes as a current driving mode based on the catalyst temperature, the operation period, and present time. Additionally, a controller is configured to access a control plan that corresponds to the current driving mode and operate the fuel injection system and the intake/exhaust system based on the control plan corresponding to the current driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Sung Oh Ra
  • Patent number: 9890698
    Abstract: An engine system for controlling flow of exhaust gas may include an intake line to receive external air, an engine including a combustion chamber to combust the external air and a fuel supplied through the intake line, to generate driving torque, an exhaust line to exhaust the exhaust gas combusted in the combustion chamber of the engine, a turbocharger including a turbine operated according to exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust line and a compressor to compress the external air flowing through the intake line, a catalyst device to reduce a harmful component included in the exhaust gas passing through the turbine of the turbocharger, a bypass line branched from the exhaust line between the combustion chamber and the turbine and converged in the intake line between the compressor and the combustion chamber, and a bypass valve disposed in the bypass line to selectively open/close the bypass line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Kihoon Nam
  • Patent number: 9890694
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger, a variable valve gear, an A/F sensor in an exhaust passage, A/F feedback control means, and scavenge A/F control means. The variable valve gear drives intake and exhaust valves, and can drive with a valve open characteristic with valve overlap. The A/F feedback control means performs feedback correction of a fuel injection amount based on an A/F sensor output, and acquires a learning value of information relating to A/F control from a feedback correction amount. The scavenge A/F control means carries out A/F control by a value learned during an operation of the engine with non-scavenge valve open characteristic, when the variable valve gear is operated with the scavenge valve open characteristic. The scavenge valve open characteristic has a valve overlap amount of such a degree that blow-by of intake air occurs in an intake stroke during a turbocharger operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tetsuo Kondo
  • Patent number: 9885303
    Abstract: A control device for a diesel engine includes a variable geometry supercharger with a variable supercharge pressure mechanism and an EGR valve configured to adjust an EGR gas amount. In the control device, when the diesel engine is determined to be accelerating, a maximum exhaust pressure is set such that an increased amount of an engine torque by increasing a fuel injection amount in association with acceleration is greater than an increased amount of pumping loss increased with increasing exhaust pressure due to an actuation of the variable supercharge pressure mechanism in association with acceleration. A target control variable for the variable supercharge pressure mechanism and a target control variable for the EGR valve are controlled on the basis of the maximum exhaust pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka Ishibashi, Jin Yokoyama, Keita Mitsushima
  • Patent number: 9863350
    Abstract: When a predetermined restart condition is satisfied after an engine is automatically stopped, whether or not a piston of a stopped-in-compression-stroke cylinder which is in a compression stroke falls within a specific range set at a bottom dead center side of a predetermined upper limit position is determined. When the piston of the stopped-in-compression-stroke cylinder falls within the specific range, a first compression start is executed in which fuel is injected from an injector into the stopped-in-compression-stroke cylinder for the first time and is then self-ignited. In the first compression start, a start timing of a first fuel injection operation with respect to the stopped-in-compression-stroke cylinder is set to be earlier as a stop position of the piston of the cylinder gets closer to the bottom dead center within the specific range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Nakamoto, Kota Maekawa
  • Patent number: 9845752
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a filtering module and an indicated work module. The filtering module generates engine speeds based on positions of teeth of a toothed wheel that rotates with a crankshaft and based on a crankshaft position signal generated by a crankshaft position sensor. The crankshaft position sensor generates the crankshaft position signal based on rotation of the toothed wheel. The indicated work module generates an indicated work for a combustion cycle of a cylinder of an engine based on squares of first and second ones of the engine speeds and outputs the indicated work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Julian R. Verdejo, Nicholas John Kalweit, John V. Bowman, David S. Mathews, Jeffrey A. Morgan, Tameem K. Assaf, James R. Reeder, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9840978
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can detect the adherence of deposits to a cylinder pressure sensor without subjecting the internal combustion engine to an impact or the like. A control device for an internal combustion engine equipped with a cylinder pressure sensor detects changes in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor. If the control device detects a decrease in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor after detecting an increase in the sensitivity of the cylinder pressure sensor, the control device determines that deposits are adhered to the cylinder pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Sasaki, Masakatsu Nagai, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Patent number: 9803612
    Abstract: A cylinder-inflow EGR gas amount is estimated, a misfire limit EGR gas amount is calculated on the basis of an engine operation state, and the misfire limit EGR gas amount is compared with the cylinder-inflow EGR gas amount to predict whether a misfire occurs. When the misfire is predicted, a misfire avoidance control is executed. Further, an actual misfire countermeasure effect amount in a case of the execution of the misfire avoidance control is calculated, and the actual misfire countermeasure effect amount is compared with a required misfire countermeasure effect amount to determine whether the misfire is avoidable when the misfire avoidance control is executed. If the misfire is unavoidable even if the misfire avoidance control is executed, a delay restriction value of an ignition timing to avoid the misfire is calculated, and the amount of a delay in the ignition timing is restricted using the delay restriction value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keitarou Minami, Hideaki Ichihara, Hiroyuki Takezoe, Hiroshi Katsurahara
  • Patent number: 9797300
    Abstract: A supercharging system includes a charging device having a turbine and a compressor, the compressor having a high speed shaft; a planetary gear set coupled to the high speed shaft and an electric motor, or generator, via a low speed drive shaft; a clutch unit; a power transmission for connecting a crank shaft of the combustion engine to the drive shaft via the clutch unit; at least one sensor to measure at least one physical parameter of the exhaust gases inside, or after having passed, an exhaust gas catalyzer of the internal combustion engine, the at least one sensor being configured to provide an output signal representing a measured value of the at least one physical parameter; and a system control unit to receive the output signal and to control the speed or effect of the electric motor, or generator, based on the output signal. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: KASI TECHNOLOGIES AB
    Inventor: Isak Löfgren
  • Patent number: 9793842
    Abstract: A technique for providing electric power to an electric power utility grid includes driving an electric power alternator coupled to the grid with a spark-ignited or direct injection internal combustion engine; detecting a change in electrical loading of the alternator; in response to the change, adjusting parameters of the engine and/or generator to adjust power provided by the engine. In one further forms of this technique, the adjusting of parameters for the engine includes retarding spark timing and/or interrupting the spark ignition; reducing or retarding direct injection timing or fuel amount and/or interrupting the direct injection; and/or the adjusting of parameters for the generator including increasing the field of the alternator or adding an electrical load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation IP, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Pendray, Patrick M. Pierz, Bradford K. Palmer, Andrew Kitchen
  • Patent number: 9765658
    Abstract: A valve train system for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust valve moveable between an exhaust closed position and an exhaust open position. A camshaft includes a main exhaust lobe for moving the exhaust valve between the exhaust closed position and the exhaust open position for expelling exhaust constituents from the combustion chamber and an exhaust rebreath lobe for moving the exhaust valve between the exhaust closed position and the exhaust open position for allowing exhaust constituents into the combustion chamber. A two-step device is provided for transmitting motion from the camshaft to the exhaust valve and is switchable between a motion transmitting position and a motion preventing position such that the motion transmitting position allows motion to be transmitted from the exhaust rebreath lobe to the exhaust valve and the motion preventing position prevents motion from being transmitted from the exhaust rebreath lobe to the exhaust valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael B. Knauf, Mark C. Sellnau
  • Patent number: 9714606
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle power generating apparatus which comprises: a generator; a rotary engine configured to serve as an engine for driving the generator, and installed in the vehicle in a posture where an output shaft thereof extends in an up-down direction; and an intake pipe and an exhaust pipe each connected to the rotary engine. The rotary engine comprises a pair of upper and lower side housings, and a rotor housing located between the upper and lower side housings. the rotor housing and the lower side housing are formed with an intake port and an exhaust port, respectively. The intake pipe is connected to a side surface of the rotor housing in such a manner as to be communicated with the intake port, and the exhaust pipe is connected to the lower side housing in such a manner as to be communicated with the exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanao Yamada, Tatsuo Ito, Yoshinori Ogata, Hirotaka Tamari
  • Patent number: 9644549
    Abstract: When engine is in the lean operation, and a WGV is fully closed, a boundary between a stoichiometric region and a lean region is corrected by learning using a turbocharging pressure obtained from a turbocharging pressure sensor. When the engine is in the lean operation, and the WGV is fully closed, the turbocharging pressure obtained from the turbocharging pressure sensor is equal to the actual maximum value of the engine torque output when a throttle valve is fully opened and the engine is in the lean operation, that is, the turbocharging pressure required to achieve the torque on the actual boundary. Therefore, the boundary can be brought close to the actual boundary by learning using the turbocharging pressure obtained from the turbocharging pressure sensor when the engine is in the lean operation and the WGV is fully closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yusuke Saito
  • Patent number: 9631548
    Abstract: The application describes a system for an engine comprising a direct injection nozzle for injecting gaseous fuel into a cylinder of an engine in a second operating mode; an intake injection nozzle for injecting liquid fuel into an intake port of the engine in a first operating mode; and a valve gear suitable to adjust timing of opening and closing of an inlet valve. Preferential injection of a gaseous fuel such as compressed natural gas directly into the cylinder increases efficiency and allows for reduced heat exposure to the lesser used liquid gas injectors mounted in the intake port, reducing coking of these injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Carsten Weber, Ulrich Kramer, Martin Wirth
  • Patent number: 9617933
    Abstract: A number of variations may include a method including controlling low pressure EGR flow rates using air intake throttle with a variable swirl device or throttle valve, or using exhaust throttling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaobing Liu, John Shutty, B. Jerry Song, Houcine Benali
  • Patent number: 9546617
    Abstract: A gasoline direct-injection engine is provided. The engine causes a self-ignition of a fuel injected into a cylinder by an injector and at least containing gasoline. The engine includes a controller for controlling the fuel injection by the injector. A geometric compression ratio of the engine is 15:1 or higher. The controller causes the injector to perform a pre-injection for keeping a variation of an in-cylinder temperature after a compression top dead center within a predetermined temperature range by injecting an amount of the fuel that causes an oxidative reaction without resulting in a hot flame reaction. The controller causes the injector to perform a main injection for causing self-ignition combustion of the fuel after the compression top dead center while the variation of the in-cylinder temperature is kept within the predetermined temperature range, by injecting the fuel after the pre-injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Fujimoto, Yoshitomo Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Koga, Hiroyuki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9506414
    Abstract: A cold start emissions reduction diagnostic system for an internal combustion engine includes a coolant temperature module including a coolant temperature input, and a memory module having a coolant temperature look-up table. The cold start controller also includes a cold start emissions reduction module configured to selectively compare coolant temperature values with desired emission values in the look-up table to determine at least one of a fuel injection timing and a fuel injection quantity to establish a desired cold start emissions profile. A fuel injection monitoring module is configured and disposed to sense changes in fuel injection timing and fuel injection quantity, and an emission reduction diagnostic model module is configured and disposed to determine emission parameters based on the changes in the one of the fuel injection timing and fuel injection quantity sensed by the fuel injection monitoring module during a cold start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Steve L. Melby, Kevin J. McKay
  • Patent number: 9494489
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine inner-cylinder pressure estimation apparatus includes a detection unit that detects an operation condition of an internal combustion engine, a calculation unit that calculates an ignition delay that is an interval from an ignition timing to a starting timing of heat generation by combustion, based on an operation condition detected by the detection unit, and a combustion velocity calculation unit that calculates a combustion velocity, based on the operation condition. There is simulated a phenomenon that after an ignition delay period following an ignition timing has elapsed, a flame generated at the gap portion of an ignition plug expands up to the inner-cylinder wall surface at the combustion velocity and in the shape of an ellipsoid whose center is the gap portion of the ignition plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hideki Hagari
  • Patent number: 9453484
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes: an injector body of substantially elongate form and defining an injector body axis; an injector nozzle disposed at one end of the injector body; and a plurality of element connectors for providing fluid and/or electrical connection into and/or out of the fuel injector wherein at least some of the element connectors are arranged to be rotatable relative to one another about the injector body axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Delphi International Operations Luxembourg S.A.R.L.
    Inventors: Eric Lecluse, Richard Denis Jacques Alain Enters, Bruno Bimbenet
  • Patent number: 9328688
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine system having an internal combustion engine, a fuel injector which directly injects fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, and a supercharger which supercharges air into the combustion chamber. One example method comprises, injecting fuel into the combustion chamber multiple times so that a first part of the fuel is self ignited and a last part of the fuel being injected during the compression stroke or later in a cylinder cycle when a desired torque of said internal combustion engine system is in a first range; and increasing a pressure of air which the supercharger charges into the combustion chamber as amount of fuel injected into the combustion chamber during a cylinder cycle increases when the desired torque is in the first range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Hitomi, Masahisa Yamakawa, Toshiaki Nishimoto, Takashi Youso, Keiji Araki
  • Patent number: 9302670
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a vehicle, an ECU includes an operation reception unit that receives depression of a power switch (i.e., a vehicle system activation operation is performed) in a “ready-off state” as a non-drivable state, and a control execution unit that executes, when the vehicle system activation operation is received by the operation reception unit during running of a hybrid vehicle HV and an engine is started, a startability improvement control for improving startability of the engine as compared with the startability thereof when the vehicle system activation operation is received by the operation reception unit during stop of the hybrid vehicle HV and the engine is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Takayoshi Okuda, Hideaki Yaguchi, Toshiya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9291141
    Abstract: Provided is a control device for an internal combustion engine, which enables enlargement of an operation region in which homogenous-charge compression ignition combustion enabling the generation of NOx to be suppressed and fuel efficiency to be improved can be performed. An ignition-timing control section (23) continuously and repeatedly controls an ignition timing to a retard side when a first combustion-state index reaches a predefined predetermined upper limit value of the first combustion-state index and controls the ignition timing to an advance side when a second combustion-state index reaches a predefined predetermined upper limit value of the second combustion-state index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Teruaki Kawakami