Variable Beginning Of Pumping Stroke Patents (Class 123/501)
  • Patent number: 6062194
    Abstract: In a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine with a fuel injection pump providing for an initial fuel injection and a main fuel injection wherein the fuel injection pump includes a main fuel supply passage section and a side passage and a main fuel control valve disposed in the main fuel supply passage section and an additional control valve arranged in the side passage, at low engine speeds, the main fuel control valve is closed during the initial and main fuel injection periods for generating a pressure sufficient to open a fuel injector nozzle and the additional fuel control valve is opened for reducing the fuel pressure and terminating initial fuel injection and, at high engine speeds, the main fuel control valve is closed during initial fuel injection and again for the main fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Daimler Chrysler AG
    Inventor: Volker Schwarz
  • Patent number: 6053150
    Abstract: A fuel-injection system for an engine is disclosed for accomplishing a minute fuel injection by learning the minimum conductive duration to electronic devices for the beginning of the minute fuel injection. A controller unit may output at a time Tp a command pulse of an actuating current that is applied to solenoid-operated valves to make injectors to carry out the fuel injection. After a definite length of time T.sub.0 has elapsed, a common rail pressure begins decreasing from a mean value P.sub.0, which is kept until then. The controller unit changes incrementally the conductive duration Pwp of the command pulse for a pilot injection from the minimal conductive duration, and identifies the timing of the beginning of the fuel injection with the timing when an area Ar of pressure reduction is over a preselected value. In case the desired amount of fuel to be injected is too minute, the controller unit may calculate the conductive duration dependently on the minimum command pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Isuzu Motors Limited
    Inventors: Susumu Takahashi, Yasuhiro Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 6047682
    Abstract: In an accumulator type fuel injection control device, a feed hole (28) provides communication between a common rail (24) for storing fuel from a fuel pressure pump (29) and a fuel injection valve (11); a control oil passage (23a, 23b, 23c) extends from the feed hole (28) to an oil chamber (19); a three-way electromagnetic valve (23) exerts the pressure of a fuel oil on the oil chamber (19) to close a needle valve (15), and discharges the fuel oil in the oil chamber (19) to a fuel return passage (51) to open the needle valve (15); fuel oil pressure correcting means (103) corrects a fuel oil pressure P.sub.0 on the basis of a fuel oil temperature t.sub.F detected by fuel oil temperature detecting means (44); and simultaneously, fuel injection volume correcting means (108) corrects a fuel injection volume Q.sub.0 ; whereby the temperature of fuel flowing to a fuel return system is suppressed to prevent damage to members used in the fuel return system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Fujino, Akihiko Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 6041759
    Abstract: An advance arrangement comprises an advance piston slidable within a bore, the advance piston cooperating, in use, with a cam arrangement of a fuel pump to adjust the timing of fuel delivery by the pump, a servo-piston slidable in a bore provided in the advance piston, a light load piston moveable relative to the advance piston against the action of a light load control spring, a servo control spring engaged between the light load piston and the servo-piston, a light load control valve operable to control the application of fuel to the light load piston to adjust timing under light load conditions, and an independent temperature control valve operable to control the application of fuel to the light load piston depending upon the engine temperature to permit adjustment of the timing of fuel delivery to compensate for cold conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventor: William Robert Burborough
  • Patent number: 6026786
    Abstract: A method of controlling a fuel injector assembly of an internal combustion engine includes the stop of generating a first injection pulse with an engine control module. The method also includes the step of injecting fuel into a cylinder of the engine in response to generation of the first injection pulse. The method further includes the step of detecting when fuel is injected into the cylinder and generating a control signal in response thereto. Moreover, the method includes the step of determining a time period between generation of the first injection pulse and generation of the control signal. The method also includes the step of adjusting initiation of a second injection pulse based on the time period. An apparatus for controlling a fuel injector assembly of an internal combustion engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Groff, Stephen R. Lewis, David C. Mack, Robert R. Patterson
  • Patent number: 6021756
    Abstract: The pump controller 40 determines pump load torques T.sub.r1, T.sub.r2 from tilting signals .theta..sub.1, .theta..sub.2 of hydraulic pumps 1, 2 and delivery pressure signals P.sub.D1, P.sub.D2 of the hydraulic pumps 1, 2 based on T.sub.r1 =K.multidot..theta..sub.1 .multidot.P.sub.D1 and T.sub.r2 =K.multidot..theta..sub.2 .multidot.P.sub.D2 (K: constant), and adds these pump load torques to provide a resulting value as an engine load torque signal T. Using the signal T, an engine controller 50 calculates fuel injecting timing depending on the engine load torque to control a timer actuator 55. This makes it possible to control the fuel injection timing with good response and high accuracy following load fluctuation, achieve optimum combustion, and prevent such a deterioration of exhaust gas as caused by the generation of No.sub.x.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6012431
    Abstract: At least an engine speed, an opening of an accelerator and an amount of an intake air are detected as an engine operating condition. A standard volume for injecting fuel oil is calculated on the basis of at least the engine speed and the opening of the accelerator. A target injection timing of fuel is set on the basis of the engine speed and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An actual fuel injection timing is detected. A standard target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the engine speed, the amount of the intake air and the standard volume for injecting fuel oil. An amount of adjustment of a target EGR rate is calculated on the basis of the standard volume for injecting fuel oil, the target fuel injection timing and the actual fuel injection timing. A final target EGR rate is set on the basis of the standard target EGR rate and the amount of adjustment. An EGR is controlled on the basis of the final target EGR rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itoyama, Hiroyuki Aizawa
  • Patent number: 5915361
    Abstract: A fuel device which has a high-pressure fuel source from which a number of fuel injection valves, which are each controlled by a 3-way valve, are supplied with fuel. This 3-way valve has a valve member with a closing body provided with sealing faces that cooperates with valve seats and in addition, in its closed positions, defines pressure-exposed surfaces that produce resulting forces that are active in the respective closed position of the closing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Roger Potschin, Klaus-Peter Schmoll, Friedrich Boecking
  • Patent number: 5887571
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel injection pump plunger whereby it is possible to avoid deformation of the timing sleeve 11 in the fact of increased fuel pressure, to ensure no-injection state even with elimination of the furrow, and to prevent secondary injection. It results from the realization that it is possible to replace the furrow with an aperture with which the spill port can connect in line with the movement of the plunger 20, and is wherein an aperture (horizontal aperture 21) is provided below and separate from said inclined lead 10, this aperture 21 being such that it is not only connected with said central fuel passage 8, but in the no-injection position of said control rack 13 allows said spill port 12 to engage either with this aperture 21, with said inclined lead 10, or with both of them, the area of the aperture when they engage being the same as the area of said central fuel passage 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventor: Tohru Yokota
  • Patent number: 5878713
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a cylinder injection type engine capable of preventing overlap between periods for the fuel injections for a plurality of engine cylinders while reducing burden imposed on injector drivers and allowing the fuel control system to be implemented on a small circuit scale at low cost by limiting fuel injection timings for driving the injectors. The system includes an air flow sensor (2) for outputting information concerning an intake air flow, a crank angle sensor (5) for outputting information concerning rotation speed of the engine (1) and a crank angle, fuel injectors (11A) for injecting fuel directly into individual engine cylinders, and a control unit (8A) for driving the fuel injectors on the basis of the abovementioned information. The control unit (8A) is so arranged as to arithmetically determine a fuel injection quantity and fuel injection timings for driving the fuel injector (11A) at least in one of suction stroke and compression stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubushi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoichi Kadota
  • Patent number: 5865156
    Abstract: An actuator assembly that uses a fluctuating operational pressure generated by an injector oil pump to actuate an EGR valve is disclosed. The operational pressure is used to operate the actuator assembly without being adversely affected by the fluctuating nature of the operational pressure. The actuator assembly includes an actuator housing defining a chamber and an actuator oil inlet. The actuator oil inlet is in fluid communication with the pump outlet. The actuator assembly further includes a slider located within the chamber. The slider is positionable between a first slider position and a second slider position. The slider isolates the actuator oil inlet from the chamber when the slider is located in the first slider position. The actuator oil inlet is in fluid communication with the chamber when the slider is located in the second slider position. The actuator assembly still further includes a movement assembly for moving the slider between a first slider position and a second slider position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis D. Feucht, Andrew H. Nippert, Douglas J. Kinnear, Mylvagaganam Arulraja
  • Patent number: 5862791
    Abstract: A process and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine, in particular for influencing the time of fuel injection into an internal combustion engine, influences a system deviation, which is computed from a setpoint and an actual value. From the system deviation, a controller defines a manipulated variable to be supplied to the actuator. When a set of first operating states is present, a first controller structure is active, and when a set of second operating states is present, a second controller structure is active. At the time of passage from the first controller structure to the second controller structure, an initial value is set for the second controller structure as a function of at least the setpoint and the actual value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dietbert Schoenfelder, Kai-Lars Barbehoen
  • Patent number: 5860406
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining the timing of an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, a camshaft, and a plurality of cylinders each having an electronically controlled fuel injector is disclosed. A crankshaft sensing device monitors the rotation of the engine crankshaft and responsively produces a crankshaft pulsetrain. Additionally, a camshaft sensing device monitors the rotation of the engine camshaft and responsively produces a camshaft pulsetrain. An engine control receives the crankshaft and camshaft pulsetrains, and responsively determines the period of each pulse, determines the rotational position of the crankshaft and camshaft, and produces an inject signal relative to one of the crankshaft and camshaft pulsetrains to the fuel injector in order to initiate fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Schmidt, Wendell D. Stahl, Paul M. Young
  • Patent number: 5848581
    Abstract: A diesel engine has a fuel injection nozzle to which pressurized fuel is supplied from a pump. The nozzle has a pressure sensor detecting the fuel pressure and a lift sensor sensing a lift magnitude of a needle valve. An electronic control unit (ECU) computes a variation ratio of the fuel pressure value which is measured by the pressure sensor. The ECU computes a non-increasing point in an increasing part of variation ratio and judges the point to be a timing for starting the fuel injection of the nozzle. The EPU also computes the actual fuel injection amount in accordance with the fuel injection timing as well as the fuel pressure and the lift amount of the needle valve both at the various points. The EPU controls the actual injection amount to be identical to a target fuel injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hirose, Takao Tate, Norihiko Nakamura, Takeshi Sato, Kazuhiro Iwahashi, Shinji Kamoshita, Akihiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 5778852
    Abstract: The invention relates to a fuel injection system having an electrically actuatable injection pump which comprises a pre-stroke actuator for setting the start of injection and a flow rate actuator for setting the injection quantity. A control unit for controlling the injection quantity and start of injection emits an actuation signal which starts injection to the flow rate actuator, and an actuation signal for the start of injection to the pre-stroke actuator via an output lead for the actuation signal for the start of injection. According to the invention, the control unit protects the pre-stroke actuator against a short-circuit on the output lead by monitoring the control deviation at the start of injection between the actual value for the start of injection (detected by means of a needle movement sensor) and a desired value for the start of injection, which fixed as a function of the engine operating point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventor: Martin Penteker
  • Patent number: 5775291
    Abstract: A diesel engine controller for a car is disclosed including preheating determine means for determining according to data detected during starting whether a preheating device is driven; fuel injection time determining means for deciding a fuel injection time according to the detected data; air conditioner operation determining means for determining whether the engine is overloaded or not according to the data detected when the air conditioner switch operates; idling number determining means for during engine idling, determine whether the idling number is normal according to the detected data from the transmission lever position detecting sensor; self-diagnosing means for determining whether a trouble is caused according to the detected data; and an electronic control unit for controlling the output according to respective decision results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Nam-Yong Choi
  • Patent number: 5769052
    Abstract: A method is provided for improving the loading behavior of an internal combustion engine that is supercharged by an exhaust turbocharger and is operated in an essentially steady-state mode, in which system-related sags in rpm when a load is applied the entire performance potential of the motor can be exploited by a temporary cutting in of a dynamic load- and motor-operation-adjusted variable regulation of the beginning of delivery. By regulating the beginning of delivery, the indicated average pressure is increased while exhausting the stated mechanical load limits, while the boost pressure buildup, which otherwise is delayed disadvantageously and is necessarily produced in Diesel engines supercharged with exhaust turbochargers by the limited acceleration capability of the turbocharger, can be used to increase performance by influencing the combustion process, said influence being regulated by the beginning of delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: MTU Motoren-und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Oestreicher, Hans Zellbeck
  • Patent number: 5755209
    Abstract: A system is provided for controlling a fuel-metering device, for a diesel engine. First means generate a first signal for triggering a first actuating means (115) for establishing the start of pump delivery and the end of delivery. Second means generate a second signal for triggering a second actuating means (125) for establishing the delivery rate. In this case, a signal characterizing the start of pump delivery is taken into consideration by the second means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Fischer, Dietbert Schonfelder, Uwe Reuter, Peter Lutz, Peter Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5730104
    Abstract: A hydraulically-actuated fuel injector comprises an injector body that defines a nozzle chamber that opens to a nozzle outlet and a plunger bore, and a spill port that opens into the plunger bore. A hydraulic means within the injector body pressurizes fuel in the nozzle chamber, and includes a plunger with an end face, a side surface and a centerline. The plunger is positioned in the plunger bore and moveable a stroke distance between a retracted position and an advanced position. A needle valve member is positioned in the nozzle chamber and moveable between an open position in which the nozzle outlet is open and a closed position in which the nozzle outlet is blocked. The plunger includes a groove in its side surface that is arranged in a helical pattern about the centerline and further includes a spill passage extending between the end face and the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory G. Hafner
  • Patent number: 5722373
    Abstract: A fuel injector system for a high speed, high pressure engine, the fuel injector system including a pressurized fuel supply, a fuel distributor with an electronically controlled and electronically monitored fuel metering mechanism and a fuel injector with an electronically monitored needle valve wherein the fuel system includes an electronic control module to receive signals from the positioning of the needle valve and the signals from the fuel metering mechanism for analysis and electronic regulation of the metering system to effect injection according to optimum operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Inventors: Marius A. Paul, Ana Paul
  • Patent number: 5713335
    Abstract: In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention a timing adjustment device includes a cam follower that is engaged between an overhead cam and an injector rocker arm, and is mounted on a rotatable eccentric shaft. The geometry of the eccentric shaft and cam follower is designed so that, as timing is varied by rotation of the eccentric shaft, no change is produced in the vertical height of the rocker arm when the cam shaft is on the outer base circle and the injector is bottomed, in order to assure that the "mechanical crush" of the PT type injector is constant despite changes in timing. In a first application of the timing arrangement, it is used together with a simple injector, which does not utilize a multi-plunger arrangement to form a hydraulic link, to achieve lower parasitic losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Julius P. Perr, Lester L. Peters, Amarjit S. Ghuman, Benjamin M. Yen, Edward D. Smith, David L. Buchanan, Yul J. Tarr, Laszlo D. Tikk, Andrew G. Stiles
  • Patent number: 5711278
    Abstract: A sensor senses a reference signal having a reference pulse characterizing angular position of a rotating member and an angular clock pulse characterizing the rotational speed of the rotating member and having an angular clock pulse frequency greater than the reference pulse frequency. An output signal is produced having an output pulse delayed with respect to the reference pulse of the reference signal by an integral number of angular clock pulses to provide a coarse adjustment. The output signal may be delayed by an additional fraction of a subsequent angular clock pulse to provide a fine adjustment. A circuit to effect this method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: The Torrington Company
    Inventors: A. John Santos, Mark E. LaCroix
  • Patent number: 5709196
    Abstract: A method and system for the control of the fuel injection timing in an internal combustion engine using a low cetane quality fuel such as an aqueous fuel emulsion is provided. The disclosed system includes a compression ignition engine adapted to receive a prescribed supply of an aqueous fuel emulsion. The prescribed supply of fuel is preferably determined by an fuel system control unit as a function of one or more engine operating parameters. The disclosed system also includes an exhaust sensor located proximate the engine exhaust so as to detect the presence and level of selected exhaust products, such as carbon monoxide, in the engine exhaust. The level of carbon monoxide or other such exhaust product, as measured by the sensor, is input to the engine control unit where it is processed together with various other engine operating parameters to produce a prescribed fuel injection timing signal which operatively controls the fuel injection timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Gerald N. Coleman, James E. Sibley
  • Patent number: 5706780
    Abstract: In a diesel engine comprising a fuel injection pump which supplies pressurized fuel by a plunger to a fuel injection nozzle, fuel properties such as fuel viscosity are determined. A fuel supply start timing by the plunger and fuel injection start timing by the fuel injection nozzle are respectively detected, a difference between them is computed as an injection retardation period, and the fuel viscosity is determined based on the injection retardation period. A fuel injection amount, injection timing or exhaust recirculation amount are corrected based on the determined fuel viscosity, therefore errors in their control do not arise due to differences of fuel viscosity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Shirakawa
  • Patent number: 5704336
    Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine (10) includes a controller (14) which controls the operation of an engine fuel pump (13). Signals are supplied to the controller by a transducer (16) which is responsive to the passage of teeth formed on the periphery of a wheel (12) which is mounted on the engine crankshaft. In order to generate an engine speed signal it is necessary to know the tooth spacing errors and these are determined by recording two time pulse sequences of signals from the transducer at different engine speeds and loads and then processing those signals to firstly determine the periodic component of the signals due to the fluctuation of engine speed which occurs due to the individual power strokes of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Lucas Industries, public limited company
    Inventor: Jeremy Stephen Wrobel
  • Patent number: 5697338
    Abstract: A diesel engine has a fuel injection nozzle to which pressurized fuel is supplied from a pump. The nozzle has a pressure sensor detecting the fuel pressure and a lift sensor sensing a lift magnitude of a needle valve. An electronic control unit (ECU) computes a variation ratio of the fuel pressure value which is measured by the pressure sensor. The ECU computes a non-increasing point in an increasing part of variation ratio and judges the point to be a timing for starting the fuel injection of the nozzle. The ECU also computes the actual fuel injection amount in accordance with the fuel injection timing as well as the fuel pressure and the lift amount of the needle valve both at the various points. The ECU controls the actual injection amount to be identical to a target fuel injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hirose, Takao Tate, Norihiko Nakamura, Takeshi Sato, Kazuhiro Iwahashi, Shinji Kamoshita, Akihiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 5692464
    Abstract: In a diesel engine, the closing timing for the intake valves is maintained in the vicinity of bottom dead center during engine starting and in a low engine revolution speed region, while on the other hand this closing timing is retarded the more from bottom dead center, the higher is the engine revolution speed region, and thereby the engine can be designed with a lower compression ratio. Preferably the temperature within the cylinder at compression top dead center, i.e. the compressions stroke end temperature, is calculated, and the closing timing for the intake valves is controlled so as to keep this final compression temperature within a predetermined range. By doing this, reduction of the size of the diesel engine is made possible due to lowering of the compression ratio thereof, while both the composition of the exhaust gas and also engine output power are maintained at preferable levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuji Kimura
  • Patent number: 5680842
    Abstract: In a method of controlling the fuel injection of a Diesel engine wherein injection parameters are adjusted depending on a group of input values including at least engine speed and desired engine torque, the injection timing and injection duration are adjusted by additionally using at least the time gradient of the desired engine torque among the fuel injection parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1997
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventor: Wolfram Schmid
  • Patent number: 5678521
    Abstract: An electronic digital control system monitors and controls the operation of an engine fueling system. Signals activating injection for a plurality of cylinders are transmitted through a single line to a driving circuit for a single injector solenoid valve, while signals controlling accumulator fuel pumps are transmitted to pumping control solenoids. Injection signals are controlled to vary fuel delivery rate during an injection event. A back EMF sensing circuit measures valve opening delay and the control system compensates for valve delay. Variable cylinder-specific delays in the injection solenoid output signal pulses are programmed to compensate for a varying fuel line length to each injector nozzle. At startup, the control system pulses the pumping control solenoids to begin pressurizing the accumulator before engine angular position sensors provide an accurate indication of engine angular position to allow precise timed control of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Thompson, Jeffrey Daiker, Jonathon A. Stavnheim, William Meyer, Greg Fridholm, Zhong Sang, George Studtman, Mark G. Thomas, W. Beale Delano
  • Patent number: 5673659
    Abstract: A camshaft timing device includes a camshaft 10 and a drive gear 20 rotatably mounted thereon. An interconnecting shifting shaft 30 has spline 31 and 33 that interconnect with respective splines 16 and 41 on the camshaft and a hub of a drive gear 20. Axial movement of the shaft 30 causes the shaft to rotate the camshaft 30 with respect to the drive gear 20 due to the helical nature of the splines 33 and 41. The axial movement of the shaft 30 is caused by a drive sleeve 50 connected to a pinion gear that is driven through a worm gear 63 by an electric motor 67.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Jose F. Regueiro
  • Patent number: 5655501
    Abstract: In hydraulically actuated fuel injectors, an intensifier piston is utilized with a plunger for raising fuel pressure to initiate an injection event with a VOP type fuel injector. The present invention lowers the mass flow rate of fuel at the beginning of each injection event by slowing the rate of the plunger relative to the intensifier piston by utilizing a spring to separate the two. As the spring compresses, energy from the high pressure actuation fluid is absorbed rather than transferred to raise fuel pressure. A short time into each injection event, the spring becomes fully compressed and the intensifier piston and plunger begin moving in rigid unison for the remaining of the injection event in a manner typical of prior art fuel injectors. The lowering of injection mass flow rate toward the beginning of each injection event results in improved engine performance and a lowering of undesirable exhaust emissions, especially NOx compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory G. Hafner
  • Patent number: 5653210
    Abstract: A method and a device for the open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a final controlling element, in particular for influencing the fuel injected into an internal combustion engine, are described. A system deviation is defined starting from a setpoint and an actual value. On the basis of the system deviation, a loop controller specifies a manipulated variable to be received by the final controlling element. If the system deviation lies outside of a range defined by at least two values, a maximum value is specified for the manipulated variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1997
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Fischer, Johannes Locher, Peter Schmitz, Dietbert Schoenfelder, Peter Lutz
  • Patent number: 5630402
    Abstract: An electronic timing system for controlling the injection angle of a fuel pump, comprising an input sleeve (12), an output drum (36), an intermediate drive sleeve (30), a drive plate (60), a drive yoke (76), and a stepper motor (90). Drive sleeve (30) includes a pair of radially inwardly and outwardly projecting drive pins (32), and drum (36) and input sleeve (12) both include helical slots (38) and (16), respectively, through which pins (32) project. Vertical movement of yoke (76) causes axial movement of drive plate (60) and drive sleeve (30), which causes a relative rotational adjustment of angle between input sleeve (12) and output drum (36), for retarding and advancing the timing of the fuel injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Timing Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Devine, Robert L. Kiliz
  • Patent number: 5623909
    Abstract: According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for controlling injection timing and power balancing in a gaseous fuel engine with an electronic control unit and a shaft encoder is disclosed. The engine includes an engine block having at least one cylinder with an exhaust port and a cylinder head. A fuel injector and a spark plug is seated in the cylinder head and the injector has a valve which separates the fuel in the injector from the cylinder. A piston reciprocates in each cylinder and is attached to a connecting rod. The rod connects each piston to a crankshaft which converts the motion of the piston to rotary motion. The shaft encoder is connected to the crankshaft and monitors the revolutions of the crankshaft. The electronic control unit is coupled to the shaft encoder and to each of the fuel injectors. The method in accordance with the invention includes several steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand
    Inventor: Harry P. Wertheimer
  • Patent number: 5617826
    Abstract: The primary function and purpose of a synchronized engine is, by transposing internal chemical energy of liquid and gaseous fuel, to produce rotational power and energy by adjusting the characteristics of combustion, using a rotary fuel distributor so that injection occurs at the most critical instant of piston to crankshaft mechanical positioning while taking into account all measureable, calculateable, and estimateable influences of its environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Performance Corporation
    Inventor: James B. Brandt
  • Patent number: 5611317
    Abstract: A cam operated open nozzle fuel injector is provided comprising a reciprocating plunger assembly including an outer plunger, an inner plunger and a variable volume timing chamber located between the plungers. A hold down force generating means includes a cam having a hold down cam or ramp portion for maintaining the inner plunger in an innermost position against the inner end of the injector body with a sufficient hold down force during each hold down period throughout injector operation independently of injector train wear. The hold down cam portion operates to move the outer plunger inwardly towards the inner plunger throughout a substantial portion of the hold down period. The hold down cam portion functions to compensate for fuel drainage from the timing chamber so as to maintain a predetermined pressure in the timing chamber corresponding to a desired hold down force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Lester L. Peters, Julius P. Perr, Yul J. Tarr
  • Patent number: 5592915
    Abstract: A pilot injection controller and a method of controlling pilot injection quantity enable the quantity of fuel pilot-injected fuel by an internal combustion engine fuel injection system of the type in which the fuel delivery stroke for pilot injection is fixed to be maintained substantially constant irrespective of engine speed by controlling prestroke such that the utilized portion of a cam is shifted to a lower delivery velocity region thereof with increasing engine speed, the principle involved being that the quantity of fuel pilot-injected by a fuel injection system is proportional to the actual plunger delivery velocity and the fact that since the actual delivery velocity is proportional to the product of the cam velocity constant and the cam rotational speed the actual delivery velocity can be maintained substantially constant by increasing the cam velocity constant in the low speed region and decreasing the cam velocity constant in the high speed region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1997
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ishiwata, Takashi Ohishi, Nobuhiro Kitahara
  • Patent number: 5558067
    Abstract: An electronic fuel injector includes a metering chamber defined by a metering piston and the sides and bottom of a bore defined within the injector body, and a timing chamber defined by the metering piston, the bore sides and a timing plunger slidably disposed within the bore. A biasing spring is connected to opposing surfaces of the timing plunger and metering piston for biasing the metering piston away from the timing plunger. The metering chamber is in constant fuel communication with a pressurized fuel source and the timing chamber receives fuel from the fuel source according to the actuation of a solenoid actuated control valve disposed therebetween. A fueling strategy for such an injector requires actuating the control valve to substantially fill the timing chamber before filling the metering chamber, for subsequent injection into the engine, when the force of the biasing spring is at a minimum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Norman C. Blizard, Paul D. Free
  • Patent number: 5531204
    Abstract: In an injection timer for a fuel injection system in which control of the timer shifts from feedback control to open loop control when the engine rotation rate is equal to or less than a specific rotation rate, a decision is made as to whether or not the operation is at startup time and, if it is, decision making for the engine rotation rate is canceled and feedback control is maintained even if the engine rotation rate is equal to or less than the specific rotation rate. Because of this, in a fuel injection system which is capable of maintaining the pump chamber pressure at a high level even at low engine rotation rates, the injection timing device can achieve both an improvement in accuracy of injection timing control and anti-pollution measures at startup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Sekiguchi, Yoshinori Uchida
  • Patent number: 5485822
    Abstract: A diesel engine has a fuel injection nozzle to which pressurized fuel is supplied from a pump. The nozzle has a pressure sensor detecting the fuel pressure and a lift sensor sensing a lift magnitude of a needle valve. An electronic control unit (ECU) computes a variation ratio of the fuel pressure value which is measured by the pressure sensor. The ECU computes a non-increasing point in an increasing part of variation ratio and judge the point to be a timing for starting the fuel injection of the nozzle. The EPU also computes the actual fuel injection amount in accordance with the fuel injection timing as well as the fuel pressure and the lift amount of the needle valve both at the various points. The EPU control the actual injection amount to be identical to a target fuel injection amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Hirose, Takao Tate, Norihiko Nakamura, Takeshi Sato, Kazuhiro Iwahashi, Shinji Kamoshita, Akihiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 5479910
    Abstract: In a method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine, the fuel quantity injected into the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine and/or the start of pump delivery are determined by means of a pressure sensor. In so doing, a duration-of-pump-delivery signal, which represents a measure for the injected fuel quantity, is predefined on the basis of a start-of-pump-delivery signal and an end-of-pump-delivery signal. The start-of-pump-delivery signal and/or the end-of-pump-delivery signal are recognized as being plausible when the duration-of-pump-delivery signal is greater than a first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Bauer, Herbert Schneider, Thomas Kuettner
  • Patent number: 5477834
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus that is used in a diesel engine or the like, controls a fuel injection rate by adjusting the injection valve opening pressure of a injection nozzle. A plurality of different thresholds are set and compared with a signal indicative of the injection rate in order to identify a reference injection start time and an initial injection rate control period. The injection timing and the injection valve opening pressure of the injection nozzle are controlled in such a manner that these identified time and period will match an optimal initial injection rate control period and an optimal reference injection start time which are stored in memory in advance for individual sets of operating conditions. With this, the optimal injection state can be achieved during the initial stage (initial injection rate control period) of the injection period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventor: Fumutsugu Yoshizu
  • Patent number: 5462032
    Abstract: A fuel injection timing control device includes a lift sensor for detecting a lift amount of a needle valve of a fuel injection nozzle, rectangular wave conversion means for converting an output signal of the lift sensor to a rectangular wave with a predetermined threshold level, and ignition point calculating means for calculating a timing for actual fuel ignition on the basis of the converted rectangular wave in accordance with a driving condition of the internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel injection control is performed on the basis of the calculated ignition timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventor: Hisashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5460133
    Abstract: A pump-line-nozzle fuel injection system in which a low pressure supply pump is coupled to a high pressure in-line pump having a plurality of pumping cylinders, each of which has a cam-driven timing plunger and a floating metering plunger. During the retraction stroke, flow to a timing chamber formed between the pistons is controlled by a first solenoid valve while the fuel flow into a metering chamber is controlled by a second solenoid valve. During metering, the discharge side of the pump is closed relative to a high pressure delivery line by a delivery valve. During the compression stroke, return flow is precluded by check valves in the supply lines to the timing and metering cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: J. P. Perr, L. L. Peters, L. D. Tikk, Y. J. Tarr
  • Patent number: 5396871
    Abstract: A fuel injection pump for internal combustion engines, having a pump piston that moves in a cylinder liner and defines a pump work chamber with the cylinder. The piston has two control edges that cooperate with a control opening in the cylinder liner. One, control edge is oblique, disposed on the jacket face and communicates continuously with the pump work chamber which controls the end of supply. A first upper control edge formed by the face end of the pump piston, controls the supply onset upon overtaking the control opening. For a load- and temperature-dependent shift of the supply onset toward early, the face end of the pump piston has a first region (B), axially indented in the direction of the cam drive, forming a second control edge, which is separated from the flat region (A) on the face end by a longitudinal groove and in the first region a second region (C), indented via shoulders is disposed in turn in the direction of the cam drive, with a third control edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Faupel, Dieter Heck, Dieter Seher
  • Patent number: 5335852
    Abstract: A unit fuel injector adapted for periodic injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine at variable times from cycle to cycle under the control of the engine lubrication fluid is provided, comprising an injector body containing an injector cavity and a discharge orifice communicating with one end of the injector cavity to discharge fuel into the combustion chamber, a lubrication fluid timing circuit and a fuel metering circuit separate from the lubrication fluid timing circuit. A lubrication fluid link positioned in the lubrication fluid timing circuit within the injector cavity has a variable effective length which is varied by the operation of a control valve positioned within the lubrication timing circuit to vary the timing of injection. The control valve is operated to control the flow of lubrication fluid in the lubrication fluid timing circuit to control both the timing of injection and the metering of fuel on a cycle by cycle basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: George L. Muntean, Harry L. Wilson, Gary L. Gant
  • Patent number: 5333786
    Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine includes a main body including a timing bore, a timing plunger disposed in the timing bore, an electronically-operated solenoid valve assembled to the main body, a nozzle having a needle bore and an injection needle disposed in the needle bore which needle is operable under certain conditions to lift so as to initiate fuel injection. Disposed between the main body and the nozzle member is a one-piece adapter which is designed to include an axially-extending metering bore and a needle spring cavity. A metering plunger is disposed within the metering bore and a biasing spring is disposed within the needle spring cavity. At the base of the needle spring cavity is a button which serves as a direct abutment interface between the top of the needle and the bottom of tile biasing spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary L. Gant, George L. Muntean, Jeffrey C. Osborn
  • Patent number: 5315976
    Abstract: A method for operating an closed-loop control system for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine, with the control system having an error correcting capability for deviations that occur in the control signal being processed by the control system, and with the control system having a controlling element, which is embodied as a precontrol, PI-controller that are operated in parallel, and a non-volatile memory for storing deviation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Birk, Reinhard Fenchel, Norbert Muller, Wolf Wessel, Hans-Christian Engelbrecht
  • Patent number: 5285758
    Abstract: A fuel injection pump for internal combustion engines having a cup-shaped pump housing and a pump head enclosing the housing. The pump head has a cylinder in which a pump piston, which is set into simultaneous reciprocating and rotary motion by a cam drive, in the course of which it simultaneously acts as a distributor, encloses a pump work chamber that is filled with fuel upon an intake stroke and communicates with one of a plurality of injection lines upon the supply stroke. The resultant reaction forces and moments are supported according to the invention via a roller race supported directly on the pump head, and as a result the induction of force to the pump housing can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf-Gerhard Fiedler, Reiner Kuenzel, Helmut Tschoeke, Mohammad-Ali Khosrawi
  • Patent number: 5271371
    Abstract: An actuator and valve assembly for a hydraulically-actuated electronically-controlled unit injector is disclosed which comprises an electrically-energizable actuator including a movable member and a poppet valve connected to the movable member. The poppet valve has a first seat and a second seat and is movable along an axis between first, second and third positions. The assembly further comprises a device for biasing the poppet valve towards its first position and a device for accommodating misalignment of the first and second seats relative to the axis. The poppet valve is advantageous because it has high fluid flow control capability in a one-piece single-stage configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Edward G. Meints, Alan R. Stockner