Actuator Circuit (e.g., Engine Condition Responsive Electronic Circuit Actuates Injector Valve) Patents (Class 123/478)
  • Patent number: 8521382
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a filter module and a coefficient determination module. The filter module generates a valve body oil temperature signal as a function of a transmission oil temperature signal, the valve body oil temperature signal, and a filter coefficient. The coefficient determination module varies the filter coefficient based on the valve body oil temperature signal. The transmission oil temperature signal corresponds to a first temperature of transmission oil measured at a location between a torque converter and a variable bleed solenoid (VBS). The valve body oil temperature signal corresponds to a second temperature of transmission oil provided to a clutch of a transmission from a valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Inventor: Mark David Kieliszewski
  • Publication number: 20130213362
    Abstract: The fuel injection apparatus includes: a fuel injector having a leading end portion that has an internal space in which fuel is accumulated and an injection port for injecting fuel; and an adsorbent disposed in the internal space, the adsorbent being capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in a blended fuel of gasoline and alcohol. The fuel injection apparatus controls an injection amount from the fuel injector such that an air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine is a control target air-fuel ratio based on an alcohol concentration of the blended fuel to be supplied to the fuel injector. In this fuel injection apparatus, a fuel pressure is brought to a predetermined low fuel pressure when a request is issued for desorbing alcohol adsorbed on the adsorbent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumito Chiba, Mamoru Yoshioka, Takahiro Tsukagoshi, Ryota Onoe
  • Patent number: 8515653
    Abstract: A drive control method of a flow rate control valve in a common rail type fuel injection control apparatus, in which an integral value of a difference between a target current and an actual current is used in feedback control of an energization current of the flow rate control valve such that the actual current of the flow rate control valve becomes closer to the target current, the flow rate control valve controlling an amount of fuel supplied to a high pressure pump that pressure feeds high pressure fuel to a common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Shoko Tanida
  • Publication number: 20130206111
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a high-pressure accumulator fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle which has a stop-start automatic function by way of which the internal combustion engine can be switched off and restarted afterwards independent of the intervention of the driver of the motor vehicle, the fuel being conveyed to the high-pressure accumulator as needed by means of a high-pressure pump and the pressure of the fuel being adjusted on the pressure side by means of a pressure control valve which is electrically actuated and open when de- energized. According to the method, the supply with power of the pressure control valve is adapted to the prevailing pressure in the high-pressure accumulator during a stop phase within a stop-start cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Hans Riepl, Christoph Klesse, Daniel Anetsberger, Tobias Ritsch
  • Patent number: 8510023
    Abstract: A method of controlling the ignition of a gasoline engine having an ignition coil which generates a spark on a spark plug, whereby the instant when coil charging starts is determined for each engine cycle as a function of the angular position of the crankshaft and the rotation speed of the engine, by calculating the ratio between the crankshaft angle of rotation still to pass through before the crankshaft reaches the angular position at which the ignition spark is to be produced, and the time required to charge the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Olivier Huyard, Benoit Jazeron
  • Patent number: 8505514
    Abstract: A common rail single fluid injection system including fuel injectors with the ability to produce multiple injection rate shapes. This is accomplished by including auxiliary filling orifices which selectively provide pressurized fluid to the check needle control chamber during injection events. In so doing, the speed and movement of the check needle is manipulated and differing injection rates may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dianqi Fang, Lin Zhang, Stephen Robert Lewis, Zhenlong Xu, Avinash R. Manubolu, Shriprasad G. Lakhapati, Christopher D. Hanson
  • Publication number: 20130192566
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed for use with an engine. The control system may have a power source and a main control module configured to receive power from the power source and direct control signals to at least one component of the engine. The control system may also have an auxiliary power module that is selectively connectable to the main control module and to the power source. The auxiliary power module may be configured to receive power from the power source and direct control signals through the main control module to the at least one component of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Bahman GOZLOO
  • Patent number: 8498795
    Abstract: A method and cruise control system for controlling a vehicle cruise control includes driving the vehicle with the cruise control active and set to maintain a vehicle set target speed, and registering a current vehicle condition, which includes at least a current vehicle position, a currently engaged gear ratio, available gear ratios, current vehicle speed, available maximum propulsion torque and road topography of coming travelling road comprising a next coming uphill slope. Based on the current vehicle condition a downshift is predicted at a coming vehicle position in the coming uphill slope due to vehicle speed decrease and at least one activity is selected which results in that the downshift can be postponed or avoided. The cruise control is controlled according to the selected activity in order to postpone or avoid, for example a downshift from a direct gear and thereby saves fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Anders Eriksson, Johan Bjernetun
  • Patent number: 8490380
    Abstract: A continuous combustion system for an internal combustion engine includes a reaction vessel external to the engine cylinders. The reaction vessel contains a combustion chamber for sustaining continuous combustion of an air fuel mixture during the operation of the associated engine. The reaction vessel contains an incoming air chamber and an exhaust gas chamber that are each in communication with the combustion chamber. Injected fuel vapor is mixed with scavenged exhaust gas for pre-heating and with compressed air from each cylinder provided during the compression stroke of each piston. The compressed air and fuel vapor mixture sustains the ignited combustion continuously, while exhaust gas is fed to the cylinders to provide working fluid to the engine during the power stroke of each piston. A valve mechanism is provided to control the flow of air from and working fluid to the cylinders at the appropriate times in order to sustain operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Propulsion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Hofbauer
  • Publication number: 20130167809
    Abstract: In a method for operating a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, an output signal of a pressure sensor which characterizes a fuel pressure in a pressure accumulator is evaluated. An undesirably high fuel pressure in the pressure accumulator and/or a fault in the fuel injection system is/are inferred at the time when the output signal assumes a maximally possible value for at least a predefinable monitoring period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Siedentopf, Christian Kuhnert, Daniel Heitz
  • Publication number: 20130167808
    Abstract: A fuel-injection system for an internal-combustion engine has at least one fuel injector with a fuel-metering servo valve provided with an open/close element, which is movable in response to the action of an electric actuator; and an electronic control unit which issues to the electric actuator two electrical commands, one for carrying out a pilot injection and one for carrying out a main injection; the two electrical commands being separated by an electrical dwell time such that the main injection starts, without solution of continuity with the pilot injection, when an open/close needle for carrying out fuel injections into a cylinder of the internal-combustion engine remains at a lift value in which the fuel flow rate is negligible; in particular, the second electrical command is issued during a rebound of the open/close element on the valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: C.R.F. SOCIETÀ CONSORTILE PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Sergio Stucchi, Raffaele Ricco, Onofrio De Michele, Marcello Gargano
  • Patent number: 8469005
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel injector, comprising a housing having a sealable injector seat; a fuel injector pin disposed within the housing proximate to the injector seat such that the injector seat may be sealed and unsealed by displacing the fuel injector pin; a resilient element biasing the fuel injector pin in an unsealed direction; a piezoelectric actuator disposed within the housing proximal to the fuel injector pin configured to actuate to force the injector pin towards the injector seat to seal the injector seat; and a thermal compensating unit disposed within the housing proximal to the actuator and configured to compensate for thermal expansion or contraction of a component of the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Transonic Combustion, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Frick, Michael C. Cheiky
  • Patent number: 8468986
    Abstract: An engine fuel injection control apparatus includes a variable valve device that at least varies an intake valve open timing of an intake valve. A controller adjusts the variable valve device and a fuel injection timing of a fuel injection valve. The controller controls a fuel injection end timing in accordance with an overlap amount of the intake valve and an exhaust valve. The controller adjusts the fuel injection timing such that the fuel injection end timing is more advanced than the intake valve open timing and such that as an amount by which the overlap amount exceeds a prescribed overlap amount becomes larger, a time interval between the fuel injection end timing and the intake valve open timing is set to become increasingly larger, upon determining that the engine is being cold started and the overlap amount is larger than the prescribed overlap amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Ito, Satoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8469006
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprising an injector body, a capnut, and a pressure sensor exposed to pressure changes in a combustion chamber in use, wherein the pressure sensor is accommodated within the capnut. Optionally, the fuel injector further comprises a signal cable external to the injector body to connect with the pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies Holding S.arl
    Inventor: Michael Peter Cooke
  • Patent number: 8459233
    Abstract: A method for operating at least one injector of an internal combustion engine, in which a voltage applied to the injector is varied, and a rotational speed pattern of the internal combustion engine is ascertained as a function of the voltage, a setpoint voltage, suitable for operating the at least one injector, corresponding to that varied applied voltage for which a peak arises in a spectrum of the rotational speed pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Schempp
  • Publication number: 20130139791
    Abstract: In a drive unit of a fuel injection device, an electric current is supplied to the fuel injection device by applying a high voltage to the fuel injection device from a high voltage source whose voltage is boosted to a voltage higher than a battery voltage at the time of opening a valve of the fuel injection device. Thereafter, the electric current supplied to the fuel injection device is lowered to a current value at which a valve element cannot be held in a valve open state by stopping the applying of the high voltage from the high voltage source. Thereafter, in a stage where a supply current is switched to a hold current, another high voltage is applied to the fuel injection device from the high voltage source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Ryo Kusakabe, Motoyuki Abe, Hideharu Ehara, Tohru Ishikawa, Takuya Mayuzumi, Kenji Hiraku
  • Publication number: 20130133624
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a two-cycle engine that includes an exhaust port which is opened and closed at one end portion in a longitudinal direction of a cylinder; a scavenging port which is opened and closed at the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder; and a fuel injection port which injects a fuel into the cylinder provided between the exhaust port and the scavenging port, wherein the fuel begins to be injected in a state in which at least any one of the exhaust port and the scavenging port is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Inventors: Takayuki Hirose, Takeshi Yamada, Yasunori Ashikaga, Takayuki Yamada, Takahiro Kuge, Takahiro Takimoto, Mamoru Nomura
  • Patent number: 8448625
    Abstract: A method of pilot injection control which avoids a change in the number of pilot injections in a transient response of an engine to improve driving and handling feeling. When pilot injection is performed, it is determined whether fuel injection amount Q immediately before the pilot injection is more than a maximum value Qmax and, if so, number of pilot injections is fixed to a predetermined value. When fuel injection amount Q is determined to be not more than the maximum value Qmax, it is determined whether fuel injection amount Q is lower than a minimum value Qmin, and, if so, the number-fixed control of the pilot injections is released and map control is started where the pilot injection number is determined based on a map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Mori, Kazuhiko Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8443601
    Abstract: A method for controlling the wastegate in a turbocharged internal combustion engine including the steps of: determining, during a design phase, a control law which provides an objective opening of a controlling actuator of the wastegate according to the supercharging pressure; determining an objective supercharging pressure; measuring an actual supercharging pressure; determining a first open loop contribution of an objective position of a controlling actuator of the wastegate by means of the control law and according to the objective supercharging pressure; determining a second closed loop contribution of the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate; and calculating the objective position of the controlling actuator of the wastegate by adding the two contributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Magneti Marelli S.p.A.
    Inventors: Marco Panciroli, Francesco Alunni, Stefano Sgatti
  • Patent number: 8439014
    Abstract: An engine system for a vehicle and its method of operation are provided. In one embodiment, a control system is configured to indicate a clogging of a fuel filter based on a period of time that a fuel pressure switch remains in a low pressure state. In some embodiments, the control system may respond to an indicated clogging of the fuel system by limiting one or more of fuel pressure, fuel flow rate, and vehicle speed. By limiting the flow rate and/or the pressure at which fuel is delivered to the engine during conditions when the low pressure fuel sub-system is unable to provide sufficient fuel pressure and/or flow, degradation and/or damage to the fuel system, including the high pressure pump, may be reduced or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Brien Lloyd Fulton
  • Publication number: 20130112172
    Abstract: Disclosed is an fuel injection control device for an internal combustion engine, including a high-voltage generating circuit for generating a high voltage exceeding a battery voltage, which is a voltage for driving an injector, the battery voltage and high voltage being used to supply a hold current Ih, as well as a valve-opening current Ip as a driving current, to the injector, the control device allowing a fuel injection pulse signal to be output to one cylinder in a plurality of fuel injection timings during one combustion cycle, wherein, after the high voltage is consumed by driving the injector and decreases, a time required for the high-voltage generating circuit to restore high voltage to a predetermined value is calculated, and wherein, when driving control for any other injector is demanded during restoration time, injection is controlled by correcting at least one of fuel injection timing and fuel injection pulse width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130098336
    Abstract: Methods are provided for controlling an engine in response to a pre-ignition event. A pre-ignition threshold and a pre-ignition mitigating action are adjusted based on a rate of change of cylinder aircharge. As a result, pre-ignition events occurring during transient engine operating conditions are detected and addressed different from pre-ignition events occurring during steady-state engine operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher P. Glugla, Michael A. Mancini
  • Patent number: 8425224
    Abstract: A burner-based exhaust gas generation system, having a blower for providing air into the system. The blower is controlled to compensate for variations in mass air flow into the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Cynthia C. Webb, Jeffrey A. Mathis
  • Patent number: 8413642
    Abstract: A genset engine that operates on an open loop EFI system and runs on gaseous fuels is described. The integration of various air sensors, including for example a manifold air temperature (MAT) sensor, a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor, or an air flow sensor(s), can provide optimal engine performance when using gaseous fuels and when starting from a cold state. The sensors employed send data to the electronic control unit (ECU) and such data is used to determine the optimal air-to-fuel ratio (AFR). The ECU actuates the injector and the injector sends the requested amount of gaseous fuel to mix with the air flow to be combusted. This provides the engine with a gaseous fuel and air mixture that is at the requested relative AFR and the engine is able to start and meet performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Cummins Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron C. Johnson, Keith M. Schorr, Timothy J. Krattenmaker
  • Publication number: 20130074809
    Abstract: A start control device includes a compression self-ignition engine, fuel injection valve, piston stop position detector, starter motor, and controller for stopping the engine when an automatic stop condition is satisfied, and thereafter, when a restart condition is satisfied and a compression-stroke-in-stop cylinder piston stop position is within a stop position range on a bottom dead center side, restarting the engine by injecting fuel into the compression-stroke-in-stop cylinder while applying torque to the engine. In restarting the engine, when the restart condition is not based on driver request, when the compression-stroke-in-stop cylinder piston stop position is within the stop position range, the controller restarts the engine, injecting fuel into an intake-stroke-in-stop cylinder on an intake stroke, when the cylinder reaches the compression stroke. When the restart condition is based on driver request, the controller restarts the engine, injecting fuel into the compression-stroke-in-stop cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Nakamoto, Takeo Yamauchi, Junichi Taga
  • Publication number: 20130074806
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine, comprising at least one fuel electroinjector, and an electronic control unit configured to supply the fuel electroinjector, in a fuel injection phase in an engine cylinder, with at least a first electrical command to cause a first fuel injection to be carried out, and a second electrical command cause a second fuel injection temporally subsequent to the first fuel injection to be carried out, the first and second electrical commands being separated in time by an electrical dwell time such that the second fuel injection starts without any discontinuity in time with respect to the first fuel injection. The electronic control unit is further configured to cause the first and second fuel injections to be carried out in engine operating conditions characterized by reduced fuel ignition delays, wherein fuel combustion is prevalently diffusive and heat released during fuel combustion is sensitive to fuel injection law.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
    Inventors: Marco Casalone, Marco Tonetti
  • Patent number: 8402953
    Abstract: It is an object to provide an engine that makes it possible to constantly detect the number of rotations of a supercharger with a calculation load of an ECU reduced. An engine 1 is provided with an engine base 8 comprised of a plurality of cylinders and a turbocharger 7, a crank angle sensor 4, a turbo sensor 5 that detects rotations of the turbocharger 7 as pulses, an amplifier 11 that divides the pulses by an arbitrary division ratio and calculates the divided pulses, and an ECU 10 that judges a surge condition of the turbocharger 7, wherein the ECU 10 sets a predetermined position of a piston of each cylinder in a crank angle of the engine base 8 to count start timing of the divided pulses, outputs the divided pulses counted from the count start timing to the number of predetermined rotations as a first output, and judges that, if a difference between the first outputs at every cylinder is more than a predetermined value, the turbocharger 7 is in the surge condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Kawabe, Takashi Miyamoto, Terumitsu Takahata, Tetsuo Sakaki, Isamu Kawashima
  • Patent number: 8397697
    Abstract: In a method and a device for operating an injection valve, a relevant time (t_ACT) is determined during a catch phase (PH_CATCH) when the electromagnetic actuator reaches a predetermined fraction value of the electric current, which value is smaller than a maximum current value, and a fraction of interval (T_FRAC) since the start of the respective catch phase (PH_CATCH) is determined depending thereon and the injection valve is diagnosed depending on the fraction of interval (T_FRAC) and the predetermined minimum and maximum threshold interval values (THD_T_MIN, THD_T_MAX).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Erwin Achleitner, Dirk Baranowski, Franz Kunz
  • Publication number: 20130047964
    Abstract: A duel fuel system includes a plurality of fuel injectors that have a non-injection configuration, a liquid fuel injection configuration, a gaseous fuel injection configuration and a combined fuel injection configuration. Each of the fuel injectors is fluidly connected to a gaseous fuel common rail and a liquid fuel common rail. Each of the fuel injectors includes a three way gas control valve and a three way liquid control valve that move along a common centerline. A gas control chamber of each fuel injector is fluidly connected to the liquid fuel common rail by two passages in parallel when the gas control valve member is in a first position corresponding to the non-injection configuration. The liquid control chamber of each fuel injector is also fluidly connected to the liquid fuel common rail by two passages in parallel when the liquid control valve is in a first position, again corresponding to the non-injection configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventor: Hoisan Kim
  • Patent number: 8381704
    Abstract: A method for assigning addresses to injectors of an internal combustion machine, wherein, prior to the starting procedure, an electronic motor control device selects a first injector by activating the first injector by a first control line from the electronic motor control device. The electronic motor control device is arranged on a data bus to which the electronic motor control device and all injectors are connected. A first address value is placed on the motor control device and the first injector assumes the first address value as the address assigned to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Albrecht Debelak, Andreas Schneider, Aron Toth
  • Patent number: 8365703
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a vehicle includes a fuel injector that meters fuel flow and provides for pre-heating fuel to aid combustion. A control circuit including a synthetic inductor drives a heated element within the fuel flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems US, Inc.
    Inventor: Perry R. Czimmek
  • Patent number: 8365704
    Abstract: In a method or a device for forming an electric control signal for an injection impulse of a position-controlled fuel injector, particularly of a common-rail or pump-nozzle injection system, the course of the electric control signal can be selected freely in regard to the pulse edges (injection rate changes Q), the holding period (?t) and the injection rate (Q). This offers the advantage that the combustion process can be better optimized with respect to low emissions, low consumption and for meeting tightened legal regulations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jörg Beilharz, Uwe Lingener, Andreas Pfeifer, Richard Pirkl, Harald Schmidt, Klaus Wenzlawski, Hans-Jörg Wiehoff
  • Patent number: 8368288
    Abstract: In an actuator unit for an injection system of an internal combustion engine, the difference in the longitudinal extension when a change of temperature of the piezoelectric actuator element occurs affecting the actuator unit is equalized compared to the actuator housing due to different thermal expansion coefficient values in that a fastening element is arranged on the actuator housing. The fastening element is made of a different material than the actuator housing and thus affects a force acting counter to the change of length of the actuator housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Dick, Hellmut Freudenberg, Richard Pirkl
  • Patent number: 8364384
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling fuel injection of a dual fuel engine which includes first and second fuel rails and first and second fuel pumps. In one example, while pumping is suspended in the second fuel rail, the first fuel is injected to all but one cylinder of the engine and the second fuel is injected to the one cylinder in a predetermined sequence. As such, the fuel injector injecting to the one cylinder is isolated and its performance may be assessed without significantly affecting engine performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20130019842
    Abstract: Improving tradeoffs between noise, fuel consumption, and emissions in future diesel engines are facilitated by the development of increasingly flexible fuel injection systems which can deliver more complex injection profiles. Piezoelectric injectors have the ability to deliver multiple, tightly spaced injections in each cycle. Closed-loop control is useful for this technology, and is assisted by on-line estimation of the injected fuel flow rate to be realized. Estimator results are compared against both open-loop simulation and experimental data for a variety of profiles at different rail pressures, and show improvement, particularly for more complex multi-pulse profiles. Internal states of the estimator are used to evaluate pulse-to-pulse interaction phenomena. Some embodiments include the use of estimations of actual transient fuel pulses, and the use of such estimations to achieve closed-loop control of the quantity of fuel injected in a pulse, and the dwell time between adjacent fuel pulses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Gregory Matthew Shaver, Christopher Allen Satkoski
  • Publication number: 20130013171
    Abstract: A PCV circuit for an internal combustion engine is modified to deliver the PCV fluid to an atomization chamber which also receives fuel from an electronic fuel injector tapped into the main vehicle fuel supply. The fuel from the injector is thoroughly vaporized in and/or immediately downstream of the chamber and conveyed to the vehicle intake manifold. In one embodiment, a switch cuts off operation of the fuel injector at high load/high throttle setting conditions. In another embodiment, injected fuel is measured with increased engine load. The injector operates at a constant frequency with a variable ON time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: FUEL CONCEPTS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: C. Joseph GHAFARI, Roy MARTIN
  • Patent number: 8347862
    Abstract: A method for controlling injection timing for a gaseous fuel injector is described. In one example, the fuel injector is opened with a saturating fuel injector at a predetermined crankshaft angular position. In one embodiment, the predetermined crankshaft angular position corresponds to at least one crankshaft angular position where battery voltage increases during engine cranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 8352161
    Abstract: An exhaust valve early-closure control brings about blowback of exhaust gas into an intake system. However, if the exhaust valve early-closure control is executed, for example, during a first idle operation immediately following the startup of the engine, or the like, the amount of blowback exhaust gas becomes excessively large. Therefore, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased to or below a lower-limit criterion value, the ECU prohibits the exhaust valve early-closure control, and changes the control to a usual valve timing control. As a result, during a period during which the combustion state has a stability margin and the amount of emission of HCs and the like is large, the exhaust emission quality can be bettered by the exhaust valve early-closure control. Besides, when the post-startup increase amount has decreased, the combustion state can be stabilized by prohibiting the exhaust valve early-closure control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Ishii, Mamoru Yoshioka, Makoto Tomimatsu
  • Publication number: 20130000606
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system for an internal combustion engine is provided which is designed to perform pilot injection of fuel into the engine through a fuel injector prior to main injection. The system monitors a combustion state parameter representing a combustion state of the fuel within a combustion chamber of the engine which has been sprayed in the event of the pilot injection. When the combustion state parameter is determined as lying out of a stable combustion range where the fuel is to burn stably, the system changes the number of pilot injections to be executed prior to the main injection and/or the quantity of the fuel to be sprayed in each pilot injection, thereby enhancing the ignitability of the fuel in the pilot injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Watanabe, Naoki Toda, Shinya Hoshi, Satoru Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20130000607
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus applied to an internal combustion engine (1) which can be operated by gasoline and CNG, wherein the fuel supply apparatus comprises a fuel supply system (18) which supplies separately the gasoline and the CNG to the internal combustion engine (1) and an exhaust gas purifying catalyst (11,12) which purifies exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine (1). It is determined whether or not an exhaust gas purifying performance of the exhaust gas purifying catalyst (11,12) is deteriorated, and when it is determined that the exhaust gas purifying performance is deteriorated, the operation of the fuel supply system (18) is controlled so that the CNG is supplied to the internal combustion engine (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8322629
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injector in which at least one electrically triggered valve is disposed inside an injector member and is connected to an externally accessible injector member contact by means of a solid conductor, the solid conductor and the electrical valve contact being interconnected directly via an electrically conducting positive connection or indirectly via an electrically conducting connecting element. The solid conductor is configured so as to substantially maintain the shape thereof under the influence of the proper weight thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Fleig
  • Patent number: 8311721
    Abstract: A reserve torque system comprises a first module and a reserve torque module. The first module generates a first signal a predetermined period before an equivalence ratio (EQR) of an air/fuel mixture supplied to an engine is transitioned from a non-lean EQR to a lean EQR. The reserve torque module creates a reserve torque between when the first signal is generated and when the EQR is transitioned to the lean EQR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Robert J. Genslak, Edward Stuteville, Cheryl A. Williams, Robert C. Simon, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8306723
    Abstract: A direct-injection, compression-ignition internal combustion engine control adapts nominal minimum pulsewidth parameters controlling the fuel injectors to minimize pilot fuel delivered to the cylinders required to initiate a preliminary combustion event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Haskara, Yue-Yun Wang, Chol-Bum M Kweon, Zhiping Liu, Frederic Anton Matekunas, Paul Anthony Battiston
  • Publication number: 20120266846
    Abstract: A dual fuel system and method for an engine including a liquid fuel supply subsystem for supplying liquid fuel to the engine and an electronic control module configured to control, via one or more liquid fuel control signals, the amount of liquid fuel supplied to the engine based on one or more sensor signals. A gaseous fuel supply subsystem is configured to supply gaseous fuel to the engine and an electronic controller subsystem responsive to liquid fuel control signal(s) is configured to determine, based on the liquid fuel control signals, a modified amount of liquid fuel and an amount of gaseous fuel to be supplied to the engine for dual fuel operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventor: Michael Kilbourne
  • Publication number: 20120266847
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for addressing cylinder pre-ignition by adjusting a spray angle of fuel injected into a cylinder responsive to an indication of pre-ignition. A spray pattern of fuel injected in the cylinder is varied based on a cylinder pre-ignition count to reduce cylinder wall impingement of injected fuel while improving air-fuel mixing in the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Chris Paul Glugla, Robert Sarow Baskins
  • Publication number: 20120255523
    Abstract: A dual fuel injector may be used to injector both gas and liquid fuel into a cylinder of a compression ignition engine. An injector body defines a first set of nozzle outlets, a second set of nozzle outlets, a first fuel inlet and a second fuel inlet. A dual solenoid actuator includes a first armature, a first coil, a second armature, a second coil and a lever. The dual solenoid actuator has a non-injection configuration at which the first armature is in an un-energized position, the second armature is at un-energized position and the lever is at a first angular orientation. A dual solenoid actuator has a first fuel injection configuration at which the first fuel inlet is fluidly connected to the first set of nozzle outlets, the first armature is at an energized position, the second armature is at the un-energized position and the lever is at the first angular orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Hoisan Kim, Mark F. Sommars, Xiangdong Ding
  • Patent number: 8280614
    Abstract: A control device has a CPU for determining an opening time and a conversion time, set in a non-injection period between preceding and present injections, in an interception process every fuel injection, and a control circuit for controlling a converting unit, independent of the operation of the CPU, to convert an analog signal, indicating fuel pressure of an injector, into a converted value at the conversion time. The CPU determines a closing time from the opening time and the converted value in another interception process. The device has a driving circuit for starting the valve opening at the opening time to open the injector and to inject fuel from the opened injector into an engine and starting the valve closing at the closing time to close the injector and to stop the fuel injection when the injected fuel reaches a required quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kaneko, Hironari Nakagawa, Shigeo Tojo, Mitsuhiro Yabe
  • Patent number: 8280647
    Abstract: For monitoring (unmeasured) process states of a rotating machine having a combustion chamber (e.g. a gas turbine), compositions of educts entering the combustion chamber are measured. Based on the compositions of the educts, the composition of the product produced by the combustion chamber can be determined. Moreover, the mechanical power (Pmech) generated by the rotating machine can be determined. Based on the mechanical power (Pmech), the composition of the educts and product, and stoichiometric relationships of educts and product, the values of process states, such as the air mass flow (wa) through the compressor leading into the combustion chamber and/or the gas mass flow (wg), the composition and/or the temperature (T3) of exhaust gas exiting the combustion chamber can be determined. Based on precise measurements of the educt (e.g. the composition of air and fuel in the combustion process), the product (i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd
    Inventors: Konrad Stadler, Andreas Poncet, Thomas Von Hoff
  • Patent number: 8272366
    Abstract: A control device which can reduce an exhaust amount of unburned HC at a time of start of an internal combustion engine using a fuel containing alcohol is provided. The control device controls closing timing of an exhaust valve and opening timing of an intake valve so as to close the exhaust valve at a timing at an advance side from an intake top dead center and enlarge a minus overlap until the intake valve is opened after the exhaust valve is closed in accordance with the alcohol concentration of the fuel, for a predetermined time period (hereinafter, a first predetermined time period) at a time of start. The control device controls fuel injection timing so as to start fuel injection in the minus overlap for a second predetermined time period at the time of start which is included in the first predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumito Chiba
  • Publication number: 20120234298
    Abstract: A classification method for an injector may include: actuating the injector by means of a predefinable test control signal, detecting a quantity of liquid dispensed by the injector on the basis of the test control signal, classifying the injector as a function of the detected dispensed quantity of liquid, and determining a required control signal on the basis of the classification of the injector considering a reduced injector stroke. A calibration method for a characteristic map of an injector, and a test bench device for performing the injector classification method are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventor: Uwe Jung