Egr Valve Position Controlled Only In Relationship To Intake Throttle Valve Position Patents (Class 123/568.19)
  • Patent number: 11734961
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle diagnostic device that diagnoses at least one vehicle on which an engine is mounted, in which the vehicle includes a moisture sensitive sensor disposed in an engine compartment and configured to detect moisture, and the vehicle diagnostic device is configured to diagnose that there is a possibility of the vehicle being exposed to dust in a case where an intake pressure of the engine is higher than a predetermined value and the moisture is detected by the moisture sensitive sensor. Therefore, a possibility of the vehicle being exposed to dust can be diagnosed before the vehicle fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiya Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11725601
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for recirculation of an engine exhaust gas. The system includes an engine, an exhaust system configured to channel exhaust gas from the engine to an outlet, an aftertreatment device, an exhaust recirculation system configured to divert at least some of the exhaust gas as recirculated exhaust gas from a first position in the exhaust system downstream of the aftertreatment device, through a housing enclosing the aftertreatment device, and to a second position in the exhaust system upstream of the aftertreatment device, wherein the recirculated exhaust gas is combined with the exhaust gas at the second position, a controller configured to, by a processor, selectively operate the exhaust recirculation system to control the exhaust recirculation system to divert the exhaust gas and thereby cause the recirculated exhaust gas to be treated with the aftertreatment device more than once.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chengke Liu, Rafat F. Hattar
  • Patent number: 11661899
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for diagnostics of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) components including an EGR pressure sensor. In one example, a method for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system of a vehicle comprises diagnosing an excessive EGR flow rate via an MAP-MAF strategy, the MAP-MAF strategy including estimating an EGR flow rate based on a difference between an output of a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor of the vehicle and an output of a mass airflow (MAF) sensor of the vehicle; and in response to stable intrusive conditions being met, intrusively commanding an EGR valve of the EGR system to a closed position to confirm the diagnosed excessive EGR flow rate. If the excessive flow is detected after the EGR valve is commanded to the closed position, a diagnostic code may be set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Edward Doemer, Sumanth Reddy Dadam, Patrick Edward Smithberger, Adam Krach, Michiel J. Van Nieuwstadt, Bill Courtney
  • Patent number: 11125128
    Abstract: A method of controlling regeneration of a particulate filter which traps particulate matter contained in an exhaust gas may include: raising, by a controller, a temperature of the exhaust gas to regenerate the particulate filter by burning the trapped particulate matter when an amount of the particulate matter trapped in the particulate filter is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount. Raising the temperature of the exhaust gas may include: raising the temperature of the exhaust gas based on a first temperature difference compensation, and raising the temperature of the exhaust gas based on a second temperature difference compensation. In particular, the first and second temperature difference compensations are calculated based on a target temperature of the exhaust gas at an upstream of the particulate filter and an actual temperature of the exhaust gas at the upstream of the particulate filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minjae Kim, Seung Suk Yoon
  • Patent number: 11067042
    Abstract: An intake system of an engine supplies gas at least containing fresh air to each cylinder. The system includes an EGR passage that communicates with an internal space of a downstream intake passage and introduces some EGR gas into the downstream intake passage. The EGR passage includes a projected section in a substantially polygonal or cylindrical shape that is projected to the internal space of the downstream intake passage. The projected section is formed in such a shape that a projection length H1 in an outer circumferential surface on an upstream side is longer than a projection length H2 in an outer circumferential surface on a downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Oda, Tomomi Watanabe, Junsou Sasaki, Yuichiro Tanaka, Takuya Yamada
  • Patent number: 10920683
    Abstract: Provided is a novel control device of an internal combustion engine capable of estimating an EGR rate in a transient state with high accuracy. Thus, in the present invention, unit spaces are formed by dividing a reference space of the intake passage into a plurality of spaces along a streamline through which the gas mixture of the intake air and the EGR gas flows, a physical model based on an advection equation for estimating the EGR rate of the gas mixture is established so as to correspond to each of the unit spaces, and the EGR rate at which the gas mixture flows into the combustion chamber is estimated by sequentially estimating the EGR rates of the unit spaces connected to head unit spaces from the head unit spaces by the physical model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Arakawa, Kunihiko Suzuki, Yoichi Iihoshi, Haoyun Shi, Toshio Hori, Yoshikuni Kurashima
  • Patent number: 10161527
    Abstract: An exhaust gas valve device for an internal combustion engine includes an actuator, an actuator housing, a valve rod configured to be moved in a translational direction via the actuator, a control body arranged on the valve rod, a flow housing comprising laterally delimiting walls, a valve seat arranged in the flow housing, and a shielding element. The valve seat is configured to have the control body be lowered onto and lifted off of the valve seat. The shielding element comprises a base which comprises an opening configured to have the valve rod extend therethrough. The shielding element is configured to extend from the actuator housing into the flow housing, to have a pot shape, and to radially extend to the laterally delimiting walls of the flow housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: PIERBURG GMBH
    Inventors: Norbert Simons, Rafael Soglowek, Guido Barabasch
  • Patent number: 9995200
    Abstract: A temperature control device for the engine may include an air heater configured to heat air introduced into a throttle valve by a flow of engine cooling water, and a valve apparatus configured to cut off the flow of the engine cooling water passing through the air heater at a set temperature range or more, without being supplied with a separate control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jeong Hyun Na
  • Patent number: 9915221
    Abstract: A combustion system for use with one or more cylinder bores of an internal combustion engine includes at least one cylinder head defining first and second intake ports in fluid communication with the one or more cylinder bores. A flap is adjustably connected to the at least one cylinder head. The flap includes a first flap portion cooperating with the first intake port extending from an arm and a second flap portion cooperating with the second intake port extending from the arm and disposed adjacent the first flap portion. A controller in electrical communication with an actuator monitors the condition of the engine and actuates the flap to position the first and second flap portions between first and second positions to create a first combustion condition and a second combustion condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: David P. Sczomak, Robert J. Gallon, Arun S. Solomon
  • Patent number: 9709009
    Abstract: A low pressure EGR regulating valve is driven by an electric actuator, and an output of the electric actuator is transmitted to an intake air throttle valve through a link device. An ECU executes a failure determination to determine presence of a failure in a case where a sensed opening degree, which is sensed with a low pressure EGR opening degree sensor, is other than an opening degree that corresponds to a maximum opening degree of the throttle valve limited by a mechanical stopper. The ECU executes the failure determination after the energization of the electric actuator is stopped in response to stopping of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinsuke Miyazaki, Akira Furukawa, Osamu Shimane, Kazushi Sasaki, Eiji Takemoto
  • Patent number: 9574517
    Abstract: According to the disclosed embodiments, a thermoelectric generator (TEG) insert is used for recovery of engine waste heat. The embodiments include an engine having an exhaust manifold outlet, and an exhaust pipe having an inlet and an outlet. The TEG insert, which is configured to convert heat from exhaust gas leaving the engine into electrical power, may be disposed between the exhaust manifold outlet of the engine and the inlet of the exhaust pipe. The location of the TEG insert may maximize the thermal conversion of heat to electricity. Further, the size of the TEG insert may be minimized through the use of a high-efficiency nano-material. As a result, overall fuel economy may be maximized, the size of ancillary components, e.g., alternator, coolant pump, oil pump, etc., may be reduced, and minimal engine design change may be required to accommodate the TEG insert described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignees: Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc, Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Nayan Engineer, Lang Sui
  • Patent number: 9488138
    Abstract: The control device of an internal combustion engine of the present invention is a control device of an internal combustion engine in which a bypass channel (25) for bypassing a throttle valve (6) of an engine intake system (5) via an evaporated fuel adsorption device is provided as a fuel emission path to an evaporated fuel adsorption device (22) for adsorbing evaporated fuel in a fuel tank (19), and exhaust gas recirculation is implemented for recirculating exhaust gas via an exhaust gas recirculation passage (17) connected upstream of the entrance of the bypass channel of the engine intake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ryo Michikawauchi
  • Patent number: 9273616
    Abstract: An intake control system for an internal combustion engine is capable of ensuring a differential pressure across an EGR valve, and controlling an EGR amount with high accuracy. A target fresh air amount is set based on a demanded torque calculated according to operating conditions of the engine. A differential pressure across an EGR valve is set as a target differential pressure. When it is determined that the across-valve differential pressure is not in a state in which the target differential pressure can be ensured, an opening degree of the EGR valve is controlled to limit an EGR amount. An opening degree of a throttle valve is controlled based on the target fresh air amount, so as to ensure the target differential pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ueno, Masaya Agata, Hisashi Ito, Chiho Chinda, Daisuke Shiomi, Hideharu Takamiya
  • Patent number: 9008951
    Abstract: A fuel admission control unit controls a diesel engine and ensures compatibility between exhaust gas performance and engine speed response performance by considering residual oxygen in EGR gas. The control unit includes an estimation excess air ratio ?s computing unit that is an arithmetic section to compute an estimation excess air ratio ?s, from the quantity of the fuel injected by a fuel injection valve into a cylinder, the intake air flow rate, and the flow rate of the residual oxygen in the EGR gas that returns back into the intake air system. The control unit also includes a fuel admission control unit that controls the fuel flow rate under hard acceleration, based on the estimation excess air ratio ?s that is computed by the estimation excess air ratio ?s computing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8973559
    Abstract: A gear subassembly is for an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system including an EGR valve and a rotatable shaft provided for the EGR valve. The gear subassembly includes a gear and a cam. The gear is a part of reduction gears and is fastened to the rotatable shaft to rotate therearound. The cam is fastened to the gear and is a part of a link mechanism. The gear includes a metal shaft-fastening part used for fastening the gear to the rotatable shaft, and a metal cam-fastening part used for fastening the gear to the cam. The gear is formed by resin-molding with the shaft-fastening part and the cam-fastening part serving as insert parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Inagaki, Yuichiro Moritani, Koji Hashimoto, Takaaki Ohashi, Shinsuke Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8899016
    Abstract: An integrated water-gas-shift (WGS) and emissions control device (ECD) catalyst for treating exhaust from an internal combustion engine. The engine is assumed to have an EGR loop, such that exhaust is recirculated back to the engine's intake. A WGS catalyst on the EGR loop, for conditioning the EGR flow, is integrated with a catalyzed ECD on the main exhaust line, for reducing pollutant emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Jess W. Gingrich, Steven H. Almaraz
  • Publication number: 20140305405
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for assembling a regulation valve (10) intended for controlling the flow of gas in a circuit of a motor vehicle equipped with a heat engine, said valve (10) comprising a magnetic structure (15), a rotation axis (21) and a toothed section (16). The main feature of an assembly method according to the invention is that it comprises the following steps:—mouthing of the toothed section (16) on the rotation axis (21),—rigid connection by welding the magnetic structure (15) to the toothed section (16) fixed to the rotation axis (21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventors: Emmanuel Felix, Jérôme Blanchard, Adrien Soto
  • Patent number: 8833347
    Abstract: This invention relates to an automatically regulated gaseous mixer for small universal gas engine comprising a mixer body, a choker, an air inlet port, a main gas passage, a main metering jet, a mixture outlet port, a throttle valve, a gas connecting passage and an auxiliary gas passage, which is characterized in that an auxiliary gas passage is set parallel to the main gas passage and connected through a vertical gas passage. Its top end is linked to the main gas passage and the lower end is connected with the auxiliary gas passage, one end of the auxiliary passage is connected with the mixture outlet port. The shaft of throttle valve is in line with auxiliary gas passage and is extended into the auxiliary gas passage to form an automatically regulated valve. The advantages of this invention are simple and compact; practical and reliable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Inventors: Huachang Yang, Hao Wu
  • Patent number: 8789510
    Abstract: A throttle valve device including a throttle valve control logic may include an electronic controller that determines whether a driving state of a vehicle is an idle-driving state from electronic signals supplied from sensors, a desired air amount map unit that is electrically connected with the electronic controller and where a desired amount of air according to RPM of an engine and an amount of injected fuel for idle-driving are set; and a governor for controlling an EGR valve and a governor for controlling a throttle valve that are electrically connected with the electronic controller and the desired air amount map unit and control the driving of the EGR valve and the throttle valve, respectively, such that the desired amount of air output in accordance with the RPM of the engine of the vehicle and an amount of the injected fuel is supplied to the engine in the idle-driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Heungseok Lee, Jaemin Jin, Sukil Oh, Dongchul Lee, Insoo Jung
  • Patent number: 8788180
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to suppress the dispersion of EGR gas amount between cylinders when the stuck open state arises in an EGR valve in an EGR apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which an EGR passage is branched on an intake system side into a plurality of EGR branch pipes, and the respective EGR branch pipes are connected respectively to intake branch pipes provided for the respective cylinders. In the present invention, if the EGR valve is stuck open, the exhaust pressure is reduced in an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine, while suppressing an amount of decrease in a driving force of a vehicle which carries the internal combustion engine within an allowable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Irisawa
  • Publication number: 20140150759
    Abstract: An engine assembly includes an engine structure defining a combustion chamber. An intake system includes an intake manifold in communication with the combustion chamber. An exhaust system includes an exhaust conduit in communication with the combustion chamber. An exhaust gas recirculation system includes an EGR tube providing communication between the intake and exhaust systems, the EGR tube includes an end portion extending a distance into the intake system in a direction opposing air flow to the intake manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: B. Jerry SONG, Eric F. GRIMMINGER, Cedric D. ARMAND
  • Patent number: 8739760
    Abstract: A control system of an internal combustion engine provided with a first fuel injection valve that injects fuel into a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, a second fuel injection valve that injects fuel into an intake port of the internal combustion engine, an EGR passage that introduces an EGR gas from an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine to an intake passage thereof, an EGR valve that is arranged in the EGR passage, and an obtaining unit that obtains an amount of intake air in the internal combustion engine. When the EGR valve is open, a determination is made as to whether the amount of intake air is in an increasing tendency or in a decreasing tendency with respect to a change in the cylinder injection ratio, and a value of the amount of intake air thus obtained is corrected based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hokuto, Tomohiro Shinagawa, Nobuyuki Satake
  • Publication number: 20140137844
    Abstract: An EGR apparatus for an engine includes an EGR passage, an EGR valve, an accelerator sensor, and an ECU. The ECU compares a change amount (accelerator operating speed) per unit of time of an accelerator opening degree to a predetermined first determination value. When it is determined that a request for deceleration operation or acceleration operation is made to an engine, the ECU issues a fully closing command to the EGR valve. When it is determined that the deceleration or acceleration operation request is continued, the ECU continues to issue the fully closing command. When the deceleration or acceleration operation request is removed and the accelerator opening degree is larger or smaller than a predetermined second determination value, the ECU releases the fully closing command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mamoru YOSHIOKA, Minoru AKITA, Kazufumi ISHII, Takehide NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 8726658
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine including a first turbocharger having a first compressor and a second turbocharger having a second compressor. An EGR differential between the first compressor and the second compressor may be increased under a condensation condition, and decreased under a surge condition. The EGR differential may also be decreased when a compressor outlet temperature exceeds an outlet temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Styles, Brad Alan Boyer, Satheesh Makkapati
  • Patent number: 8655573
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided that can successfully achieve a desired acceleration by avoiding an absence of torque of the internal combustion engine due to an influence of EGR gas when the torque increases toward a required torque. A required throttle valve opening degree TAreq is set based on a required torque TQreq in accordance with a required throttle valve opening degree map that defines a relation between the required torque TQreq and the required throttle valve opening degree TAreq. In addition, a required EGR valve opening degree EGRreq is set based on a required load factor KLreq in accordance with a required EGR valve opening degree map that defines a relation between the required load factor KLreq and the required EGR valve opening degree EGRreq.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hokuto
  • Publication number: 20140000573
    Abstract: An equipment (200) for controlling an air system of a diesel engine, comprises an operation condition acquiring device (202), an objective flow determining device (204) and a signal generating device (206). The operation condition acquiring device (202) is used to acquire actual operation condition parameters of the diesel engine. The objective flow determining device (204) is used to determine objective flow parameters on the basis of the actual operation condition parameters from the operation condition acquiring device (202), through a non-linear physical model which characterizes the air system. The signal generating device (206) is used to generate signals for controlling an EGR system and a turbocharge system on the basis of the objective flow parameters from the objective flow determining device (204). A method for controlling an air system of a diesel engine and a computer program medium recording the computer program code for performing the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: WEICHAI POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Guangdi Hu, Shaojun Sun, Dehui Tong, Xiaolin Zhang
  • Patent number: 8594914
    Abstract: A control system includes an error module, a selection module, a control module, and a hysteresis module. The error module determines an error value based on a difference between a desired position and a measured position of one of a throttle valve and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve of a vehicle. The selection module sets a control value equal to one of the error value and zero based on a comparison of the error value and a hysteresis value. The control module generates a control signal based on the desired position and the control value and actuates the one of the throttle valve and the EGR valve using the control signal. The hysteresis module selectively varies the hysteresis value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Inventors: Paul A. Bauerle, James L. Worthing
  • Publication number: 20130306042
    Abstract: A method for controlling a vehicle's exhaust gas recirculation system. The method controls the exhaust gas recirculation system in a manner that is suitable for a pedal tip-out transition while also being optimized for normal operating situations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
    Inventor: Songping Yu
  • Patent number: 8505872
    Abstract: A valve control apparatus sets a certain soft landing start target position to a drive control unit for carrying out driving of a DC motor 2 as a target open position in response to a fully close command, and sets the target open position which the valve control apparatus acquires by gradually decreasing the soft landing start target position to the above-mentioned drive control unit at a time when the difference between an actual open position and the soft landing start target position becomes equal to a first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kawamura, Shigenaga Yamasaki, Sotsuo Miyoshi
  • Publication number: 20130192568
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine is provided. Output of an engine speed sensor, a mass air flow sensor, an exhaust gas temperature sensor, and an engine torque estimator are monitored with an electronic control module. It is determined if the engine is operating in one of either a transient condition and a non-transient condition based upon output of at least one of the sensors and the torque estimator. Fuel injection timing is set based upon if the engine is operating in a transient condition. An exhaust gas recirculation valve position is set upon if the engine is operating in a transient condition. An intake throttle position is set based upon if the engine is operating in a transient condition. The fuel injection timing, exhaust gas recirculation valve position, and the intake throttle position are set to minimize NOx emissions when the engine is operating in a transient condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James McNulty, Michael A. Makewski
  • Patent number: 8479716
    Abstract: An EGR control unit for enhancing the performance as to the EGR rate and the engine acceleration, the unit being configured so as to control the EGR valve and the intake air valve with a simple control command signal that makes both the valves be operated in a coupled mode, whereby the response performance as to the engine speed during acceleration as well as the EGR gas flow rate is enhanced by means of compensation regarding the dead zones inherent in the intake air throttle valve and the EGR valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Ide, Satoshi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8387384
    Abstract: An intake control system comprises an estimation module and a turbocharger control module. The estimation module receives one of a first pressure within an intake manifold measured by a manifold pressure sensor and a second pressure measured by a pressure sensor at a location between a compressed air charge cooler and a throttle valve. The estimation module estimates the other one of the first and second pressures based on the received one of the first and second pressures. The turbocharger control module controls output of a turbocharger based on the estimate of the other one of the first and second pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventors: David P. Quigley, Steven J. Andrasko, Thomas L. Bahensky, Yun Xiao
  • Patent number: 8350511
    Abstract: An actuator includes a motor operated by a controller through a pulse width modulation drive signal applied to a drive circuit that drives the motor. The actuator has an output shaft connected to a coupling structure for manipulating a device such as a variable geometry turbine (VGT) or an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. The device has a range of motion limited by first and second mechanical stops located at opposing low and high ends of the range. The controller learns the location of the mechanical stops during calibration. An external control unit transmits a desired position to the actuator. A protocol allows the external control unit to implicitly request a positioning mode by virtue of what value range the desired position falls into. The controller is configured to limit the drive signal to a non-harmful level when one of the positioning modes calls for pushing the device against one of the stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen P. Sanders, Joyce D. Carsey, Lawrence D. Hazelton, Jos Lang, Frederic Jacquot, Thomas W. Newman
  • Publication number: 20120318247
    Abstract: A gas temperature sensor is provided in an EGR passage. When a specified learning executing condition is established, the EGR valve is compulsorily rotated from a reference position in a valve-close direction and then rotated in a valve-open direction over the reference position. While the EGR valve is rotated in such a manner as to pass a full-close position, an opening degree of the EGR valve at which the variation in gas temperature becomes minimum is learned as the full-close position of the EGR valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Nogami
  • Publication number: 20120318246
    Abstract: While an engine is an idling state and an EGR opening degree is increased stepwise from a specified opening degree, a variation in engine speed (a standard deviation in engine speed) is repeatedly computed. After that, a specified step amount is successively reduced from the EGR opening degree and the variation in engine speed is successively computed until the EGR opening degree becomes less than or equal to a specified value. Then, a maximum value of the EGR opening degrees where the variation in engine speed becomes minimum is learned as the full-close position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki ICHIHARA, Hiroki NOGAMI, Hiroshi KATSURAHARA, Hiroyuki TAKEZOE
  • Publication number: 20120227714
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an engine including a humidity sensor. Degradation of the humidity sensor may be determined based on a change in intake air relative humidity as compared to a change in intake air temperature or pressure, under selected conditions. An amount of exhaust gas recirculated to an engine intake is adjusted differently based on whether the humidity sensor is degraded or functional.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Imad Hassan Makki, James Michael Kerns, Robert Roy Jentz, Timothy Joseph Clark, Michael James Uhrich, Richard E. Soltis
  • Patent number: 8261725
    Abstract: A converting mechanism is provided between an EGR control valve driven by an actuator and an intake-air valve for generating negative pressure, so that the intake-air valve is also driven by the actuator. The converting mechanism has a cam plate rotated together with the EGR control valve and an arm rotated together with the intake-air valve. A cam groove formed in the cam plate is engaged with a driving pin of the arm. The intake-air valve is held at its maximum valve opening position, when the EGR control valve is rotated in a first angular range, while the intake-air valve is rotated from the valve opening position to a maximum valve closing position when the EGR control valve is rotated in a second angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Furukawa, Osamu Shimane, Shinsuke Miyazaki, Yuichiro Moritani
  • Patent number: 8240295
    Abstract: A particulate filter (PF) system for a vehicle is equipped with a bypass air line branching off from a throttle body so as to be able to smoothly regenerate a PF regardless of operation of an engine. The PF system includes an exhaust manifold into which exhaust gas flows from an engine, a bypass line connected to the exhaust manifold, an exhaust gas recirculation valve installed on the bypass line, and blocking or passing a flow of air of the bypass line, and a particulate filter installed on the exhaust manifold to collect and remove particulate matter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Tae Joung Yang
  • Patent number: 8230675
    Abstract: A method for controlling an engine with exhaust gas recirculation is provided. The method comprises directing EGR from exhaust downstream of an exhaust-aftertreatment catalyst to mix with fresh air upstream of an intake compressor and upstream of a throttle valve, and, in response to increased throttling by the throttle valve, discharging the mixed EGR and fresh air from downstream of the intake compressor to the exhaust downstream of the exhaust-aftertreatment catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Allan J. Lippa
  • Patent number: 8210158
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine operates in an unthrottled condition during HCCI operation while preferred combustion phasing is determined. An EGR mass flow rate is commanded to correspond with the preferred combustion phasing. The EGR valve is controlled to achieve commanded EGR mass flow rate. Position of the throttle valve is controlled to achieve commanded EGR mass flow rate when the commanded EGR mass flow rate exceeds control authority of the EGR valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun
  • Patent number: 8176902
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine system, especially in a motor vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine, a make-up gas installation for supplying make-up gas to the internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas installation for evacuating the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and an exhaust gas recirculation installation for extracting exhaust gas from the exhaust gas installation and introducing the extracted exhaust gas into the make-up gas installation. In order to improve the exhaust gas recirculation, two make-up gas paths through which make-up gas can flow in parallel are formed in a control section of the make-up gas installation, a make-up gas valve being arranged in each make-up gas path, for controlling the cross-section of the respective path through which gas can flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Adam Loch, Boris Lerch
  • Patent number: 8156925
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation system includes: a turbocharger (8) that includes a compressor (8a) and a turbine (8b); a throttle valve (7), provided in an intake passage (3) upstream of the compressor (8a); an EGR passage (11) through which a portion of exhaust gas from the exhaust passage (4) is recirculated to the intake passage (3) between the throttle valve (7) and the compressor (8a); and an EGR valve (13) that regulates a flow rate of exhaust flowing in the EGR passage (11). The exhaust gas recirculation system further includes valve control means that controls the opening degree of the throttle valve (7) and the opening degree of the EGR valve (13) so that the pressure in the intake passage (3) between the throttle valve (7) and the compressor (8a) is maintained at or above a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 8126639
    Abstract: In a method for closed loop controlling the air system in an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel internal combustion engine with a first actuating element for recirculated exhaust gas in the exhaust gas recirculation tract and a second actuating element for air in the inlet tract, the two actuating elements being adjusted as a function of each other. In order to increase the quality of closed loop control, provision is made for each actuating element to be controlled separately by its own respective controller, each controller being optimally configured for the respective controlled system, and a target value being provided for each controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: AVL List GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Roduner, Markus Bachinger, Michael Stolz, Alois Danninger, Klemens Neunteufl
  • Patent number: 8065988
    Abstract: An average pressure P12 in an exhaust port at an overlap period T12 during which a period T1 during which an exhaust valve of a first cylinder unit is in an EGR opening state overlaps with a period T2 during which an intake valve of the first cylinder unit is in an opening state is set to be lower than an average pressure P12? in the exhaust port within the EGR opening period T1 and after a lapse of the overlap period T12, or an overlapped opening time area S2 at the overlap period T12 is set to be not more than one-fourth of an opening time area S1 at the EGR opening period T1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Inventor: Koichi Hatamura
  • Publication number: 20110168143
    Abstract: A method for providing intake air to an engine in a vehicle includes forming a mixture of fresh air and treated exhaust, and compressing the mixture upstream of a first throttle valve coupled to an intake manifold of the engine. The method further includes, during a higher engine-load condition, admitting the mixture to the intake manifold via the first throttle valve, and, during a lower engine-load condition, admitting fresh air to the intake manifold via a second throttle valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Alan VanDerWege, Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, John David Russell
  • Publication number: 20110146637
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine operates in an unthrottled condition during HCCI operation while preferred combustion phasing is determined. An EGR mass flow rate is commanded to correspond with the preferred combustion phasing. The EGR valve is controlled to achieve commanded EGR mass flow rate. Position of the throttle valve is controlled to achieve commanded EGR mass flow rate when the commanded EGR mass flow rate exceeds control authority of the EGR valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Hanho Yun
  • Patent number: 7963274
    Abstract: An engine (10, 100, 200, 34) assembly comprising an engine (36), at least one exhaust gas recirculation valve, (54) at least one throttle valve, and an actuator (12,112,212) operably connected to the EGR valve (56) and the throttle valve (54). The actuator (12, 112, 212) can be operably connected to any predetermined combination of a predetermined number of EGR valves (56) and a predetermined number of throttle valves (54). The actuator (12, 112, 212) can be a mechanical actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or an electrical actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Volker Joergl, Timm Kiener, Robert S. Czarnowski
  • Patent number: 7946117
    Abstract: A method of determining and regulating a mass flow rate exhaust gases recirculated into an engine is disclosed. The method may comprise directing the exhaust gases through a venturi and sensing a differential exhaust pressure across the venturi. The method may further include sensing an absolute exhaust pressure at the venturi, and sensing a temperature of the exhaust gases. The method may further include determining the mass flow rate of the exhaust based on the sensed differential fluid pressure, absolute fluid pressure, and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Atkinson, Christopher F. Gallmeyer, Ashutosh Katari, Brian V. Tranel
  • Publication number: 20110083649
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine which can switch the number of cylinders in operation between the total number of cylinders and some of the cylinders, an EGR rate at a time of a transitional operation can be kept correct at a time of any of a full cylinder operation and a partial cylinder operation. A throttle is operated to an opening degree corresponding to an accelerator operating amount and the number of cylinders in operation so that outputs with respective to the accelerator operating amount become equal at the time of the full cylinder operation and at the time of the partial cylinder operation. When the opening degree of the throttle is changed due to change in the accelerator operating amount, the opening degree of the EGR valve is changed at a relatively high speed at the time of the full cylinder operation, and the opening degree of the EGR valve is changed at a relatively low speed at the time of the partial cylinder operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeki Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20110067396
    Abstract: An intake control system comprises an estimation module and a turbocharger control module. The estimation module receives one of a first pressure within an intake manifold measured by a manifold pressure sensor and a second pressure measured by a pressure sensor at a location between a compressed air charge cooler and a throttle valve. The estimation module estimates the other one of the first and second pressures based on the received one of the first and second pressures. The turbocharger control module controls output of a turbocharger based on the estimate of the other one of the first and second pressures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: DAVID P. QUIGLEY, STEVEN J. ANDRASKO, THOMAS L. BAHENSKY, YUN XIAO