Actuator Circuit (e.g., Engine Condition Responsive Electronic Circuit Actuates Injector Valve) Patents (Class 123/478)
  • Publication number: 20110132321
    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: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20110132330
    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: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 7956564
    Abstract: A valve timing adjusting apparatus adjusts valve timing of at least one of intake and exhaust valves of an engine that are opened and closed by a camshaft driven by torque transmitted from a crankshaft. The apparatus includes an electric motor, a plurality of switching elements, a motor driver, and a phase adjusting mechanism. When a target rotational direction of a motor shaft of the electric motor is coincident with the actual rotational direction of the same, the motor driver continuously turns on a selected one of the switching elements for the whole of a predetermined rotation angle range of the motor shaft. When the target rotational direction is opposite to the actual rotational direction, the motor driver continuously turns on the selected switching element only for part of the rotation angle range, and continuously turns off the selected switching element for the remaining part of the rotation angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Morino
  • Publication number: 20110120420
    Abstract: A method for determining a characteristics map of the injection quantity (Q) via an electric variable (UB) of an electrically triggered fuel injector. The electric variable (UB) is varied during operation of the internal combustion engine, from an initial value (U0) at which no injection is delivered, until a defined first injection quantity (Q1) is injected, the value (U1) set at the defined first injection quantity being assigned to the defined first injection quantity (Q1) as first value (U1) of the electric variable (UB).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventor: Metin Gencbay
  • Patent number: 7945374
    Abstract: A method for equalizing fuel injector flows among a plurality of fuel injectors in an internal combustion engine including the steps of a) characterizing the electrical and/or mechanical performance of each fuel injector; b) imprinting characterization data on each fuel injector; c) reading the imprinted data into a control computer, preferably at the time of engine assembly or sub-assembly; and d) using the characterization data in an algorithm to adjust at least one electrical parameter such as hold current, peak current, and boost time for each fuel injector in an assembled engine during each fuel injection cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Keegan, Ronald J. Krefta
  • Publication number: 20110100331
    Abstract: A fuel injection controlling system includes an accelerator manipulator. An accelerator manipulated variable detection sensor is configured to detect a manipulated variable of the accelerator manipulator. A rotation speed sensor is configured to detect a rotation speed of an engine. A throttle valve drive motor is configured to open and close the throttle valve in response to the manipulated variable. A controller is configured to control the throttle valve drive motor and to compute basic injection time (Ti) of fuel. A memory is configured to memorize, as a carbon adhesion judgment value (IXREF), a throttle opening degree (?TH) at a moment when a rotation speed (Ne) detected with the rotation speed sensor reaches a target idle rotation speed (NeIdle) by increasing the throttle opening degree (?TH). A corrector is configured to correct Ti with IXREF to correct an air-fuel ratio toward a leaner side as IXREF increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukihiro ASADA, Kenichi MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20110100330
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for controlling a fuel injection valve including an arithmetic processing section that determines whether a necessary fuel amount is injectable or not within a fuel injectable range from a first fuel injection start timing, computes a second fuel injection start timing in which the necessary fuel amount is injectable within the fuel injectable range in the case that it is not injectable, and controls the fuel injection valve at the computed second fuel injection start timing so as to start fuel injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: KEIHIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji YOKOYAMA, Ikuhiro UEMURA, Hiroyuki HAYASAKA, Akinori TAKEHARA
  • Publication number: 20110088655
    Abstract: The method comprises receiving from the vehicle controller, values associated with the engine speed and of another parameter indicative of the engine operating conditions, such as the total fuelling amount, and controlling the fuel injection parameters according to the engine state, which, for example, can include a normal operation mode, a filter regeneration mode, an engine protection mode, high or low transient load modes, and operating at different altitudes, through algorithms implemented in an electronic controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Richard Ancimer, Olivier P.M. Lebastard, Jeffrey J. Thompson, Greg A. Batenburg, Stewart Whitfield
  • Patent number: 7930090
    Abstract: The method and the device serve to adapt the valve characteristic of a fuel injection valve, which has a piezoelectrically driven nozzle needle and by which fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, to production-related or age-related variations in the injection behavior. The activation energy and the needle stroke of the fuel injection valve are controlled in such a way that the engine torque in the case of a fuel injection valve with a reference characteristic would not vary. Here, if an actually occurring variation in the engine torque is detected, then by varying the gradient of the activation-energy/valve-stroke characteristic curve of the fuel injection valve, the engine torque is matched to the engine torque generated with an injection valve with a reference characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Weiss, Hong Zhang
  • Publication number: 20110087422
    Abstract: An electrical power system for an engine powered at least in part by a battery having a battery voltage and including a fuel injector and at least one ionization sensor includes at least one common power supply connected to the fuel injector and the ionization sensor and supplying a voltage higher than the battery voltage for operation of the fuel injector and the ionization sensor at least during an ionization sensing period after spark discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Damian Czekala, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20110079199
    Abstract: A method provides for detecting deviations of injection quantities for injections into internal combustion engines, as carried out for example by common-rail systems. At least one deviation of at least one injection quantity is detected by determining at least one deviation, from a predefined value in each case, of at least one value of at least one variable controlling an actuator of the injector and/or indicating at least one state of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Inventors: Gabriel Marzahn, Janos Radeczky
  • Patent number: 7908074
    Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of detecting an engine speed, determining whether the engine speed is at least a threshold value or not, detecting a VVT advance angle calculation count after restarting the engine, determining whether a VVT advance angle calculation count is at least a threshold value or not, detecting a VVT advance angle amount, determining whether the VVT advance angle amount is at least a threshold value or not, determining whether the engine is in a stop sequence or not, setting a VVT abnormality determination permission flag to detect a VVT displacement amount if the engine speed is at least the threshold value, the VVT advance angle calculation count is at least the threshold value, the VVT advance angle amount is at least the threshold value, and the engine is not in the stop sequence, and determining that the VVT is abnormal if the VVT displacement amount is less than a criterion threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Nishigaki
  • Publication number: 20110060515
    Abstract: A learning value for correcting a basic injection pulse such that an actual air-fuel ratio approximates to a target air-fuel ratio is calculated individually for each injection time number, which is decided according to an operation state of an engine. Thus, even if the number of occurrence(s) of invalid injection time changes with the injection time number and the invalid injection time changes with time, the appropriate learning value can be calculated for each injection time number. If injection from an injector is performed according to an injection pulse corrected with the learning value, the change of the invalid injection time can be absorbed and accuracy of a fuel injection quantity can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuo Hirata
  • Publication number: 20110048372
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a diesel engine control system and methods for substantially operating a diesel engine at stoichiometric fuel to air ratios. The system may include a fuel processor which receives instructions for a desired engine output and current operating conditions. The fuel processor may also generate fueling instructions for the cylinders, including: substantially regulating fuel delivery into to a first group of cylinders at or near stoichiometric fuel levels, and substantially disabling fuel injection into to a second grouping of cylinders. The number of cylinders being fueled, and therefore undergoing a combustion event corresponds to the desired engine output. This may be calculated by dividing the desired output by the power provided by one cylinder operating at substantially stoichiometric fuel levels. The number of cylinders receiving fuel may be varied over a succession of engine revolutions such that the actual average engine power output conforms to the desired output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Robert W. Dibble, Adya S. Tripathi, Chester J. Silvestri
  • Patent number: 7895990
    Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to determine a correction value for correcting the quantity of fuel sprayed from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. The fuel injection system instructs the fuel injector to inject the fuel into the engine a plurality of times cyclically to learn an injection characteristic unique to the fuel injector and changes an injection duration for which the fuel is to be sprayed in each of injection events to disperse the injection durations evenly around a target injection quantity, thereby enabling the correction value to be determined in a decreased number of injections of fuel for a decreased amount of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Ishizuka, Kouichi Sugiyama, Manabu Tsujimura, Tetsuya Ohno
  • Patent number: 7891337
    Abstract: A fuel injection system designed to learn the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from a fuel injector into an internal combustion engine. When the engine is placed in a given learning condition, the system works to spray different quantities of the fuel for different injection durations in sequence to the engine through the fuel injector to collect a plurality of data on the quantity of the fuel sprayed actually from the fuel injector. The system analyzes the corrected data to determine an injection characteristic of the fuel injector, which may have changed from a designer-defined basic injection characteristic of the fuel injector, and uses the injection characteristic in calculating an injection duration or on-duration for which the fuel injector is to be opened to spray a target quantity of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Takeuchi, Kouji Ishizuka, Manabu Tsujimura
  • Publication number: 20110040475
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an internal combustion engine. The method includes, but is not limited to the step of measuring in-cylinder pressure of an expansion phase of a combustion cycle of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine and measuring in-cylinder pressure of a compression phase of the combustion cycle of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine. A difference between a polytrophic expansion phase constant of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine and a polytrophic compression phase constant of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine is then determined using the measured expansion phase pressure and the measured compression phase pressure. A misfiring of the cylinder is later detected using the determined difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Cristian Taibi, Alessandro Catanese, Luca Fossati
  • Patent number: 7886719
    Abstract: A method for controlling fuel injection timing of at least one fuel injector in a direct injection fuel delivery system of an internal combustion engine is presented. In one example, the timing of a second fuel pulse in a combustion cycle is adjusted in response to injector needle position bounce. The method can improve fuel delivery control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Lyle Thomas
  • Patent number: 7881854
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of control of an internal combustion engine comprising at least one electrically controlled inlet valve. To reduce hydrocarbon emissions by the cold engine, the opening of the valve is controlled in two successive phases (32, 34), the first phase (32) corresponding principally with the admission of fuel and the second phase (34) mainly corresponding with the air inlet. The opening of the valve is substantially lower during the first phase than during the second phase in order to pulverize the fuel into fine droplets during the first phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventors: Fabien Lanteires, Raphael Penet
  • Publication number: 20110017173
    Abstract: The invention relates to balancing the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. The invention comprises cylinder-specific pressure sensors (1) installed in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine for measuring the cylinder pressures as well as an adjustment unit (2). The adjustment unit is arranged to determine the maximum pressure and knock value of each cylinder as well as the mean maximum pressure of the cylinders as a response to the measurements of cylinder pressures and to determine the differences between the maximum pressure of each cylinder and the mean maximum pressure. The differences are compared to a certain deviation range of the mean maximum pressure and the knock value to a certain knock limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Inventors: Kaj Portin, Jenny Hellén
  • Publication number: 20110005495
    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) 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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Michael J. Frick, Michael C. Cheiky
  • Publication number: 20110005496
    Abstract: A control apparatus is provided for a four stroke cylinder direct-injection internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a piston disposed within the cylinder. The control apparatus includes a variable compression ratio mechanism for variably controlling the engine compression ratio by changing the top dead center position of the piston and a fuel injection device for injecting fuel directly into the cylinder. When the actual compression ratio of the engine is higher than a target compression ratio, the variable compression ratio mechanism reduces the compression ratio, and in accordance with the reduction in the compression ratio, the fuel injecting device injects an intake fuel injection amount in the intake stroke and a compression fuel injection amount in the compression stroke, and the timing for starting the fuel injection in the compression stroke is retarded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Hiraya, Daisuke Tanaka, Shunsuke Shigemoto, Hirofumi Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 7866303
    Abstract: A method for starting an internal combustion engine having direct fuel injection, comprising of adjusting a number of direct injections per combustion cycle based on a cylinder event number from a first cylinder event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Storhok, Eric Curtis, Zheng Xu, Jianwen Yi, Eric Krengel
  • Publication number: 20110000466
    Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric element that has high durability with capability to operable continuously under higher voltage and higher pressure over a long period of time, a method for manufacturing the same, an injection apparatus and a fuel injection system are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20110000465
    Abstract: A method for controlling an injection system of an internal combustion engine, a fuel injection being performed using at least one piezoelectric actuator which acts directly or transmittedly on a nozzle needle of an injector, and an activation voltage determining the actuator operation being corrected as a function of a pressure wave influence of the fuel injection, provides that the pressure waves applied to the nozzle needle and caused by an injection are ascertained by measuring the actuator voltage during an injection break and the actuator voltage of a following injection is modulated in accordance with the pressure waves on the nozzle needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Inventors: Wolfgang Stoecklein, Holger Rapp, Marco Gangi, Udo Schulz
  • Patent number: 7865290
    Abstract: A system for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine with electromagnetic valve actuation, comprising of at least one cylinder with an engine cylinder valve, a second controller operably coupled to the engine cylinder valve, said second controller configured to adjust at least one of the valve opening and closing timing of the engine cylinder valve, and a first controller connected with the second controller over a first link and a second link, wherein the first controller is configured to send an engine position indication signal to the second controller over the first link and receive a status signal from the second controller over the second link, and wherein the first controller outputs a synchronization degradation signal responsive to a synchronization error between the engine position indication signal and the status signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Donald Lewis, Nate Trask, Brian C. Moorhead, Vincent J. Winstead
  • Patent number: 7862230
    Abstract: On the fulfillment of a specified condition, a temperature signal outside an actuating device is detected to which a piezoelectric actuator is assigned. A piezoelectric temperature value is determined by the temperature signal. A temperature-capacitance characteristic value of the piezoelectric actuator is determined by the piezoelectric temperature value through specified mapping. A measured capacitance characteristic value is determined by a detected piezoelectric actuator charge and voltage corresponding to the temperature signal. A first correction capacitance characteristic value is determined by the measured capacitance characteristic value and the temperature-capacitance characteristic value. Independently, the charge and the voltage of the piezoelectric actuator is detected and the measured capacitance characteristic value is determined on the basis of these.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Borgmann, Manfred Klepatsch, Stephan Wenzel
  • Publication number: 20100307456
    Abstract: A method for the electric control of an actuator of an injection valve in an injection facility for an internal combustion engine has the following steps: specifying a target value for a controlled variable (E) of the actuator, pilot controlling the controlled variable (E) according to a pilot control characteristic that is specified by an axis section (OffsCal, Offs-Real) and a characteristic gradient, wherein as part of the pilot control corresponding to the specified target value according to the pilot control characteristic a control variable for the electric control of the actuator is determined, and readjustment of the pilot control characteristic, wherein a control deviation (?E) is ascertained as part of the readjustment and the pilot control characteristic is adapted as a function of the control deviation (?E). It is proposed that as part of the readjustment the axis section of the pilot control characteristic is set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Klaus Hengl-Betz, Ulrike Klauk, Manfred Klepatsch
  • Publication number: 20100307457
    Abstract: A fuel injection controller includes an ECU controlling an operation of a fuel injector based on a characteristic data of the fuel injector, an EEPROM provided to the injector, and an EEPROM provided to the ECU. Identification information by which the fuel injector is individually identified is stored in both of the EEPROMs. It is determined whether the identification information stored in the injector-side EEPROM is identical to the identification information stored in the ECU-side EEPROM. Based on this determination result, it can be determined whether the injector and/or the ECU are exchanged to new one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouichi Sugiyama, Koji Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 7848870
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a negative pressure generating apparatus, includes an ejector that generates a negative pressure whose magnitude is larger than that of a negative pressure to be taken from an intake passage in an intake system for an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle; a state change device that makes the ejector function or stop functioning; and a prohibition control device that prohibits the state change device from making the ejector function, when the vehicle is transiently decelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Patent number: 7841319
    Abstract: A method for controlling an injection of fuel to an engine is described. In one example, the different fuels are injected to an engine during different engine operating conditions. The method may improve engine starting and reduce engine emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Lyle Thomas
  • Publication number: 20100294254
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine which has an Inverted Cross-Scavenged operation forming a 180° air and exhaust gas loop and having two overhead valves [46, 47] in the cylinder head and optimized coils [43, 44] per spark plug [41, 42], the spark plugs being halo-disc type plugs, a central fuel-injector means [45], and the combustion chamber forming a Perfect Miller Cycle with an effective CR of approximately 10.5 to 1 and ER equal to approximately 18 to 1, and the valves opening at near bottom center (BC) and closing at approximately 75° after BC, and a quick response super-charger or turbo-charger located at the intake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventor: Michael A.V. Ward
  • Publication number: 20100288236
    Abstract: In a direct injection spark ignition internal combustion engine that performs an Atkinson cycle operation in which the time to close intake valves is retarded, the tumble flow in the engine cylinder is intensified by fuel injected from a fuel injection valve during a time period from an intake stroke bottom dead center to closing of the intake valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takeshi Ashizawa
  • Publication number: 20100288238
    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, he 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: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Inventors: Jörg Beilharz, Uwe Lingener, Andreas Pfeifer, Richard Pirkl, Harald Schmidt, Klaus Wenzlawski, Hans-Jörg Wiehoff
  • Patent number: 7835852
    Abstract: A detector for detecting the operational status of one or more fuel pumps in a fuel system of a vehicle, the system comprising an accumulator volume for storing high pressure fuel, one or more injectors arranged in fluid communication with the accumulator volume and one or more high pressure fuel pumps arranged in fluid communication with the accumulator volume so as to supply high pressure fuel thereto, the operation of the one or more fuel pumps being controlled by a filling pulse signal from a control means, the detector comprising inputs for receiving data representing at least one current system parameter; processing means arranged to compare the at least one current system parameter against one or more predetermined system parameters in order to identify the operational status of the one or more fuel pumps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies Holding S.arl
    Inventors: Edward Williams, Evrin Erdem
  • Patent number: 7832373
    Abstract: A valve control apparatus of a diesel engine (1) is provided with an EGR valve (30), which is provided in an EGR passage (26) of the engine (1) and varies the flow rate of exhaust gas flowing through a passage (26) by carrying out an opening and closing motion, and an actuator (28), which executes a sticking avoiding operation for dissolving or preventing a sticking of a valve (30) by causing the valve (30) to move to and fro so as to open and close the valve (30) by a predetermined moving amount respectively in one direction and the other direction near a full-close position of the valve (30). The apparatus inhibits the sticking avoiding operation by the actuator (28) when an ignition OFF operation is carried out without starting an operation of the engine (1) after an ignition ON operation is carried out. As a result, it is possible to prevent a useless valve opening and closing motion and achieve power saving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Enomoto
  • Publication number: 20100275885
    Abstract: A method for determining an opening voltage of an injector having a piezo actuator, in particular an injector of an internal combustion engine, in which an output voltage is applied at the piezo actuator in the closed state of the injector, and the voltage is lowered by energizing the piezo actuator so as to open the injector. The energy supply is interrupted at a holding voltage and the voltage change present at the piezo actuator is then measured over the time, the reaching of the opening voltage being inferred in the case of a voltage rise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Oliver Becker, Thomas Breitbach
  • Patent number: 7822537
    Abstract: A method of detecting faults in an injector arrangement in an engine. The injector arrangement comprises at least one fuel injector having a piezoelectric actuator, and the method comprises: charging the piezoelectric actuator during a charge phase (tC); attempting to recharge the piezoelectric actuator during a test phase (tT) which commences after a time interval (?t) following the end of the charge phase (tC); sensing a current (IS) that flows through the piezoelectric actuator during the test phase (tT); and generating a short circuit fault signal if the sensed current (IS) reaches a first predetermined threshold current (ISC) which is indicative of a short circuit in the piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies Holding S.arl
    Inventors: Louisa J. Perryman, Martin A. P. Sykes, Daniel J. Hopley
  • Publication number: 20100263632
    Abstract: Even when a current waveform and a current value of a current which is supplied to an injector is changed in order to extend a dynamic range of the injector, fuel injection quantity precision is maintained and enhanced. A correction time for correcting an opening/closing delay of the aforementioned injector is variably set by a valve response delay time calculating unit 103 and a selector unit 106 in accordance with change of setting of the current waveform and the current value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao MIYAKE, Masahiro Toyohara, Yasunaga Hamada
  • Publication number: 20100263633
    Abstract: The injector body 4z which forms therein the high-pressure paths 6az, 6hz, and 6cz through which high-pressure fuel flows to a spray hole and has disposed therein the piezo-actuator 2z (drive means) to drive a needle (valve) to open or close the spray hole, the fuel pressure sensor 50z which is installed in the body 4z to measure the pressure of the high-pressure fuel, the sensor terminals 55z to output a measured pressure value from the fuel pressure sensor 50z externally, the drive terminals 56z to which the electric power for the piezo-actuator 2z is supplied, and the connector housing 70z retaining the sensor terminals 55z and the drive terminals 56z are provided. The sensor terminals 55z, the drive terminals 56z, and the connector housing 70z constitute a single connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicants: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Kondo, Tooru Taguchi, Tomoki Fujino, Fumiaki Arikawa, Akitoshi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20100258088
    Abstract: A device is disclosed for sensing the speed of an EMD 567/645/710 two-cycle diesel engine having a crankcase, electronic fuel injectors and an electronic control system for controlling the electronic fuel injectors. The device includes a spline shaft sized for insertion into the crankcase of the engine so that the spline shaft rotates with the engine, a gear operably secured to the spline shaft to rotate with the spline shaft and sized to rotate with the engine in a 1:1 ratio, and at least one electronic sensor located adjacent the gear to sense rotation of the gear. The at least one electronic sensor is connectable to the electronic control system to provide electronic signals to the electronic control system for determining when to inject fuel with the electronic fuel injectors. Also disclosed is a method for retrofitting the engine and a kit for retrofitting the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Edward H. Harrison, Keith Mulder, Edward A. Schlairet
  • Publication number: 20100252003
    Abstract: An injector has a body that defines a high-pressure passage for passing high-pressure fuel to an injection hole inside, a needle that is accommodated in the body and that opens and closes the injection hole, an electric actuator that causes the needle to perform the opening and closing action, a lead wire that is arranged in a lead wire insertion hole formed in the body and that supplies an electric power to the electric actuator, and a fuel pressure sensor that is fixed to the body and that senses pressure of the high-pressure fuel. An outlet hole, via which the lead wire extends from the lead wire insertion hole to an outside of the body, is located at a position closer to the injection hole than the fuel pressure sensor is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoki FUJINO, Jun Kondo, Shu Kagami
  • Patent number: 7806106
    Abstract: A fuel control system for an engine includes a control module that includes a fuel rail pressure module and a comparison module. The fuel rail pressure module determines a first fuel rail pressure of a fuel rail after a first event and a second fuel rail pressure of the fuel rail after a second event. The first event includes N conditions, a first of the N conditions comprises deactivation of a fuel pump of the engine, and N is an integer. The second event includes M conditions, a first of the M conditions comprises activation of a fuel injector, and M is an integer. The comparison module adjusts a fuel injector constant of the fuel injector based on the first fuel rail pressure, the second fuel rail pressure, and an injector activation period corresponding to the second event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Cinpinski, Donovan L. Dibble, Scot A. Douglas, Joseph R. Dulzo, Byungho Lee
  • Publication number: 20100242900
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are disclosed for controlling an internal combustion engine system having an internal combustion engine, and a fuel injector which directly injects fuel into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. One example method comprises, when a desired torque for the internal combustion engine system is in a first range, injecting a first stage fuel into the combustion chamber so that it ends during a middle stage of a compression stroke at the latest in a cylinder cycle; determining combustion of the first stage fuel initiated by its compression self-ignition; and injecting a second stage fuel into the combustion chamber in a period when the determined combustion of the first stage fuel continues at a timing determined so as to cause combustion of the second stage fuel with its compression self-ignition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Hitomi, Masahisa Yamakawa, Toshiaki Nishimoto, Takashi Youso, Keiji Araki
  • Publication number: 20100236527
    Abstract: A common rail electronic control injection system which uses a DME or a low-viscosity fuel similar with DME to inject into a combustion engine, includes a fuel container, a common rail tube, a high-pressure tube, an electronic control injector, an electronic control unit, a high-pressure pump, a working medium case, a reversing component, and a pressure convertor, wherein the pressure convertor includes at least two working components, each working component is divided into a fuel chamber and a working medium chamber by an dividing element, the dividing element can freely deform or move between the fuel chamber and the working medium chamber by pressure effect. The invention avoids the sealing and abrasion problem in the plunger matching portions which is caused by the low-viscosity fuel so as to greatly improve the lifetime and reliability of system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Inventors: Yang Wang, Xiao Zhang, Tao Zhu, Shuaiqing Xu, Qian Xiong, Mingfa Yao, Qingyun Tian, Fang He, Zhong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7798129
    Abstract: A fuel injection system for a combustion engine is disclosed. The fuel injection system may have a fuel injector configured to inject fuel in one of a first shot mode and a second shot mode. Additionally, the fuel injection system may have a sensor configured to sense a parameter indicative of a desired rate of change of a supplied fuel quantity and generate a corresponding signal. The fuel injection system may also have a controller in communication with the fuel injector and the sensor. The controller may be configured to operate the fuel injector in one of the first shot mode and the second shot mode during an injection event, based on a count and the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Perkins Engines Company Limited
    Inventor: Michael David Smith
  • Patent number: 7798128
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for controlling an internal combustion engine (C) having an electronic fuel regulation system that provides fuel control for small engines (C) used in garden equipment (B) and small vehicles. An electronic control unit (1) accepts a plurality of signals generated by a plurality of sensors that detect certain environmental characteristics and certain engine operating characteristics. The electronic control unit (1) uses a set of firmware having a number of electronic maps to analyze the plurality of signals to manage operation of a fuel valve (3) and a fuel pump (2) to control the timing and amount of fuel delivered to the cylinder of small internal combustion engine (C) having at least one cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: PC/RC Products, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James T. Bellistri, Mazen A. Hajji
  • Patent number: 7770560
    Abstract: A reduced cost dual fuel injection system and method is described. Port fuel injectors and direct fuel injectors may be operated by using common injector drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20100192914
    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: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Erwin Achleitner, Dirk Baranowski, Franz Kunz
  • Patent number: 7765987
    Abstract: An apparatus is described for actuating at least one piezoelectric actuating drive (1) of an injection nozzle for an internal combustion engine, comprising a control device (6) which cyclically actuates a charging circuit and a discharging circuit (2, 3) of the piezoelectric actuating drive (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Steinbauer Electronics Development GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Steinbauer, Hubert Eder