Exhaust Gas Temperature Or Pressure Repsonsive Patents (Class 123/676)
  • Patent number: 8291893
    Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a device for determining activation of an exhaust gas sensor which accurately determines a time at which an exhaust gas sensor output is usable, and can suppress an adverse effect caused by use of the exhaust gas sensor output including a large effect of adsorbed species. A time is measured from a time point when a temperature of an air-fuel ratio sensor 48 reaches a predetermined temperature T1, while the air-fuel ratio sensor 48 is warmed up. When the time becomes a predetermined target holding time Te or more, the air-fuel ratio sensor 48 is determined as being in an activation state. The target holding time Te is preferably set at such a length that all adsorbed species adsorbed onto the air-fuel ratio sensor 48 are desorbed, and areas around a sensor element section 50 are completely replaced with an exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 8286618
    Abstract: A device and a method for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided, in which the fuel quantity to be injected is controlled as a function of a Lambda signal. A setpoint value for the Lambda signal is specified on the basis of at least one maximally permitted exhaust-gas temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Michalske, Thomas Zein, Sascha-Juan Moran Auth
  • Patent number: 8281772
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced in order to reduce tailpipe emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, David A. May
  • Patent number: 8272366
    Abstract: A control device which can reduce an exhaust amount of unburned HC at a time of start of an internal combustion engine using a fuel containing alcohol is provided. The control device controls closing timing of an exhaust valve and opening timing of an intake valve so as to close the exhaust valve at a timing at an advance side from an intake top dead center and enlarge a minus overlap until the intake valve is opened after the exhaust valve is closed in accordance with the alcohol concentration of the fuel, for a predetermined time period (hereinafter, a first predetermined time period) at a time of start. The control device controls fuel injection timing so as to start fuel injection in the minus overlap for a second predetermined time period at the time of start which is included in the first predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumito Chiba
  • Publication number: 20120227719
    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, Michael James Uhrich, Timothy Joseph Clark, James Michael Kerns, Robert Roy Jentz
  • Patent number: 8251049
    Abstract: A method for estimating an oxygen concentration in an intake manifold of a diesel engine utilizing exhaust gas recirculation includes monitoring engine operation, monitoring an exhaust gas recirculation valve, and monitoring an exhaust air fuel ratio. When the engine operates in steady state with the exhaust gas recirculation valve in the closed position, a volumetric efficiency for the engine is updated. A partial pressure due to exhaust gas recirculation within the intake manifold based upon the updated volumetric efficiency is determined, and an estimated oxygen concentration within the intake manifold based upon the partial pressure due to exhaust gas recirculation within the intake manifold and the exhaust air fuel ratio is determined. Operation of the engine is controlled based upon the estimated oxygen concentration within the intake manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Jun-Mo Kang, Ibrahim Haskara, Chen-Fang Chang, Yue-Yun Wang
  • Publication number: 20120204545
    Abstract: An engine control system includes a catalyst module and a cylinder module. The catalyst module determines a catalyst temperature. The cylinder module selectively switches operation of a first cylinder from a first engine cycle having four strokes to a second engine cycle having N times four strokes, based on the catalyst temperature, wherein N is an integer greater than one. A related method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mike M. Mc Donald, William C. Albertson
  • Patent number: 8205606
    Abstract: An engine processor (38) processes data for inferring temperature of exhaust gas at an exhaust manifold (18) of an internal combustion engine (10) whose exhaust system (16) contains an after-treatment device (26, 28) for treating exhaust gas and a sensor (30) for providing data for temperature of exhaust gas entering the after-treatment device. The processor processes data from the sensor and other data to infer temperature of exhaust gas at the exhaust manifold by executing an algorithm (FIGS. 3 and 4) that models temperature of exhaust gas at the exhaust manifold as a function of data from the sensor and the other data, including certain constants, certain geometry of the exhaust system, and certain variables related to operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC
    Inventors: Rogelio Rodriguez, Smitha Vempaty, Tashmin Lopa
  • Patent number: 8205605
    Abstract: In a method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, the internal combustion engine is controlled by at least one drive variable, and an instantaneous torque output by the internal combustion engine is determined from a performance variable of the internal combustion engine that differs from the drive variable. To determine the instantaneous torque, an exhaust-gas temperature of the internal combustion engine is used as performance quantity that differs from the drive variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Volker Pitzal, Wolfram Gerwing
  • Publication number: 20120138032
    Abstract: An engine system may include an engine generating torque through a crankshaft, an exhaust line that exhaust gas of the engine flows, a diesel particulate filter disposed on the exhaust line to trap particulate matters of the exhaust gas, a first pressure difference sensor configured to detect a front/rear pressure difference of the diesel particulate filter, a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of exhaust gas flowing into the diesel particulate filter, and a control unit that detects signal form the temperature sensor and the first pressure difference sensor in a predetermined rotation cycle of the crankshaft, uses the detected signal to calculate a front/rear pressure difference of the diesel particulate filter, and calculates a temperature of exhaust gas flowing into the diesel particulate filter. A corresponding signal processing method is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Seungbum KIM
  • Publication number: 20120138033
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a glow plug are disclosed. In one example, current supplied to a glow plug can be controlled to promote combustion stability of a cylinder after an engine start. Engine feedgas hydrocarbons may be reduced during conditions where combustion stability may be otherwise reduced in order to reduce tailpipe emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Kurtz, Paul Joseph Tennison, David A. May
  • Patent number: 8135535
    Abstract: Modeling catalyst exotherm due to blowthrough is provided. The method of advantageously utilizes catalyst temperature based on an amount of blowthrough air and a combustion air-fuel ratio generating a catalyst exotherm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Amey Y. Karnik, Michael John Cullen
  • Patent number: 8103429
    Abstract: A system includes a controller configured to estimate a brake specific nitrogen oxide emission of an engine based on a plurality of sensed parameters of the engine. The controller is also configured to control one or more control variables of the engine to reduce specific fuel consumption while ensuring compliance of brake specific nitrogen oxide emissions within predetermined limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Manthram Sivasubramaniam, Paul Kenneth Houpt, Roy James Primus, Sunil Shirish Shah
  • Publication number: 20110315133
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes a muffler configured to reduce exhaust gas noise, a choke valve configured to control a flow of air in a carburetor, a thermally responsive element coupled with the choke valve and configured to move the choke valve in response to a temperature change in the thermally responsive element, and a thermally conductive member. The muffler has a housing defining an interior and an exterior. The thermally conductive member has a first portion positioned in the interior of the muffler in direct contact with the exhaust gases and extends through the muffler housing to the exterior of the muffler. The thermally conductive member also has a second portion positioned exteriorly of the muffler and coupled to the thermally responsive element, the thermally conductive member configured to conduct heat from exhaust gases within the muffler to the thermally responsive element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Drew, David W. Branski, Chad J. Gartzke, William H. Mayer, Benjamin R. Miller, Dawn N. Traynor, Gene Zimmerman, Jean-Paul Benjamins
  • Patent number: 8055435
    Abstract: In a low load region where torque is lower than T1 but is not lower than T2, the present invention uses a lean single valve small operating angle mode to provide a lean burn in a single valve small operating angle state or uses an EGR single valve small operating angle mode to provide external EGR in a single valve small operating angle mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daichi Okumura, Atsuharu Ota
  • Publication number: 20110253116
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes means that detects an inlet temperature that is a temperature in a vicinity of an inlet of a purification catalyst disposed in an exhaust path and means that detects a turbine temperature that is a temperature in a vicinity of an exhaust turbine of a turbo-supercharger disposed in the exhaust path, and also includes means that controls a valve overlap that is a state in which an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine are open simultaneously. When the inlet temperature is lower than an inlet high temperature reference value, and the turbine temperature is higher than a turbine high temperature reference value that is higher than the inlet high temperature reference value, the valve overlap amount is increased so as to be greater than a turbine high temperature time reference amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira Eiraku
  • Patent number: 8024105
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine are provided. The apparatus includes: a catalyst that is provided in an exhaust passage of the multi-cylinder internal combustion engine; a catalyst temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of the catalyst; a catalyst temperature estimation unit that estimates a temperature of the catalyst based on an engine operating state; and an abnormality detection unit that determines whether abnormal air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders has occurred based on the detected temperature of the catalyst and the estimated temperature of the catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Iwazaki, Toru Kidokoro, Hiroshi Sawada, Keiji Imamura, Fumihiko Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20110209685
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for heating a catalyst during engine cold-start conditions. One example embodiment uses positive valve overlap to drive a boosted blow-through airflow through the cylinders of an engine. Fuel is injected with the blow-through airflow during the valve overlap, and also injected into engine cylinders outside the valve overlap. The catalyst is heated by the resulting exothermic reaction of the blow-through airflow with the combustion products and the injected fuel in the exhaust manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Daniel Shane, James David Pakko, Paul M. Laing
  • Patent number: 8006670
    Abstract: A system or method for controlling a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine operable in a reduced displacement mode with at least one valve or cylinder selectively deactivated include controlling the engine in response to detecting opening of an exhaust valve after deactivation based measured or inferred exhaust pressure changes after deactivation. In one embodiment, controlling the engine includes reactivating one or more deactivated cylinders/valves, inhibiting subsequent deactivation, and/or storing a diagnostic code in a computer readable storage medium in response to detecting valve opening after deactivation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John Eric Rollinger, Michael John Cullen, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 8000883
    Abstract: The ECU executes a program that includes the steps of: calculating the temperature Texp of the wall surface of the exhaust port and the temperature Tsen of the wall surface of the inner cover covering the zirconia element of the A/F sensor (S110); heating the zirconia element by the heater (S130) when at least one of the condition that the temperature Texp is equal to or higher than the first threshold and the condition that the temperature Tsen is equal to or higher than the second threshold is in effect (S120: YES); and prohibiting the heating of the zirconia element by the heater (S140) when the temperature Texp is lower than the first threshold and the temperature Tsen is lower than the second threshold (S120: NO).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Iwahashi, Motoki Ohtani
  • Publication number: 20110146270
    Abstract: A system is described for producing an elevated exhaust temperature and reduced NOx output for an engine. The system includes an internal combustion engine having a common rail fuel system, an exhaust pressure modulation device for the internal combustion engine, and a controller structured to functionally execute operations for elevating the exhaust temperature and reducing the NOx output. The controller determines a desired engine outlet exhaust temperature, an engine speed, and an engine load. In response to the desired engine outlet exhaust gas temperature, the engine speed, and the engine load, the controller determines an exhaust pressure increase command and a fuel injection command including at least one post-injection event. The common rail fuel system is responsive to the fuel injection command, and the exhaust pressure modulation device is responsive to the exhaust pressure increase command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventors: Linsong Guo, Ryan Edgecomb, Robert Kern, Lk Hwang, Timothy R. Frazier, Neal W. Currier
  • Publication number: 20110139136
    Abstract: A system is provided for enhancing aftertreatment regeneration capability. The system includes an internal combustion engine producing an exhaust gas stream and an aftertreatment component that treats the exhaust gas stream, where the aftertreatment component includes a desired inlet exhaust gas temperature. The system includes an exhaust gas pressure device that modulates an exhaust pressure value, and a fuel injection system that provides a post-injection event. The system includes a controller that provides an exhaust pressure command and a fuel injection command in response to determining that a temperature of the exhaust gas stream is lower than the desired inlet exhaust gas temperature. The exhaust gas pressure device is responsive to the exhaust pressure command and the fuel injection system is responsive to the fuel injection command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Linsong Guo, Ryan Edgecomb, Robert Kern, Lk Hwang, Timothy R. Frazier, Neal W. Currier
  • Patent number: 7950369
    Abstract: In a predetermined low-temperature startup state (in a rich atmosphere), in principle, over-advanced ignition control for advancing ignition timing beyond MBT and intake-synchronized injection control for causing the entire amount of to-be-injected fuel to undergo intake-synchronized injection are executed. Thus, the peak of intra-cylinder temperature increases, and the amount of port-adhering fuel decreases, whereby the emission amount of unburnt HC can be reduced. However, when the PM emission amount exceeds a PM permissible amount, instead of the intake-synchronized injection control, there is performed processing for causing a portion of the to-be-injected fuel to undergo intake-unsynchronized injection and causing the remaining fuel to undergo intake-synchronized injection. Thus, the amount of intra-cylinder-adhering fuel decreases, and the partial oxidation reaction of the intra-cylinder-adhering fuel, which is a cause of generation of PM, is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Morita, Yusuke Nakayama
  • Patent number: 7934371
    Abstract: Under the condition that a catalyst temperature Tc of a purification catalyst reaches or exceeds a preset reference temperature Tcref, when a cooling water temperature Tw of an engine is not lower than a preset reference temperature Twref, the internal combustion engine system of the invention sets a target exhaust recirculation rate EGR* based on a given rotation speed Ne of the engine and a given load factor KL and performs exhaust recirculation control to open an EGR valve at a specific angle or opening corresponding to the set target exhaust recirculation rate EGR*.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hitoki Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 7934487
    Abstract: A control system for an engine having N cylinders in first and second banks includes a catalyst heat module and a fuel control module. N is an integer greater than two. The catalyst heat module selectively operates the engine in a catalyst heat mode to heat a catalyst. The fuel control module, throughout a fuel injection sequence for each of the N cylinders, adjusts a first air/fuel (A/F) ratio for the first bank to a rich value and adjusts a second A/F ratio for the second bank to a lean value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Eugene V. Gonze, Bryan Nathaniel Roos, Brian Spohn
  • Patent number: 7931015
    Abstract: A diesel engine may be stably controlled without an exhaust gas temperature at an upstream side of a turbocharger, by a method for controlling a diesel engine that includes: detecting an engine rotation speed; detecting or estimating a lambda value; estimating an exhaust gas temperature at an upstream side of a turbocharger by using relationship between the lambda value and an exhaust temperature; determining whether the estimated exhaust gas temperature exceeds a first predetermined reference value; and limiting an engine output power and/or regeneration of a CPF when the estimated exhaust gas temperature exceeds the first predetermined reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, KIA Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jae Yoon Jung
  • Patent number: 7891347
    Abstract: The invention relates to the operation of an internal combustion engine, a first model value or a second model value of the exhaust gas counter pressure is determined upstream of the exhaust gas catalytic converter of the internal combustion engine as a function of at least one operating variable of the internal combustion engine, which is representative of the exhaust gas counter pressure in a current operating mode of the internal combustion engine, assuming a low valve lift or a high valve lift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Eser, Bernhard Klingseis, Gerhard Schopp
  • Publication number: 20110023824
    Abstract: Provided is an engine capable of activating a catalyst in an exhaust purifying apparatus during low-temperature ignition. The engine (101) comprises a main engine body provided with a plurality of cylinders (6a-6f), an exhaust purifying apparatus comprising an oxidation catalyst (31) provided to a fuel injection apparatus (14) for injecting fuel into the cylinders (6a-6f) and to the main engine body exhaust path, and a controller (50) for adjusting the fuel injection amount and fuel injection timing by the fuel injection apparatus (14), wherein during the low temperature ignition of the engine (101) that performs a cylinder cut-off operation for cutting off the injection of fuel into specified cylinders (6a-6c), the controller (50) injects fuel at least one time at or after the top dead center within a single combustion cycle of the operating cylinders (6d-6f) other than the specified cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gou Asai
  • Patent number: 7865291
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an engine involves providing a model for volumetric efficiency. The model recognizes that volumetric efficiency (VE) has stronger dependency on intake pressure than on exhaust pressure. The model allows tuning of the relative importance of intake pressure to exhaust pressure, specifically, by reducing the relative importance of the exhaust pressure to intake pressure in the composite volumetric efficiency load variable. The model provides for a calculation where the exhaust pressure term of the engine pressure ratio is de-rated through the use of an exponent less than one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin Müller
  • Publication number: 20100313862
    Abstract: A system for controlling a continuous variable valve lift actuator of a diesel engine and a method thereof stabilize exhaust gas and improve performance by variably controlling lift and timing of intake and exhaust valves based on combustion state and driving purpose. The method may include, recognizing a driving purpose and combustion state by detecting driving conditions, temperature of exhaust gas at predetermined locations on an exhaust pipe, and NOx concentration contained in the exhaust gas, determining target position and timing of intake and exhaust valves by applying the driving purpose and the combustion state to a predetermined map table, controlling position and timing of the intake and exhaust valves by actuating a CVVA, detecting combustion pressure in a combustion chamber, and modifying fuel injection amount according to the combustion pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jong Won Lee
  • Publication number: 20100313549
    Abstract: A desulfation control system includes a desulfation control module and a spark control module. The desulfation control module initiates a desulfation process in an emission reduction device by increasing temperature of the emission reduction device. The spark control module retards a spark timing to increase the temperature of the emission reduction device in response to the desulfation control module initiating the desulfation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Bruce F. Hunter
  • Patent number: 7835849
    Abstract: For operating an internal combustion engine a respective lambda adaptation value (LAM_AD) assigned to a respective temperature range is adapted as a function of at least one corrective signal proportion of a lambda controller in relation to a control parameter of the lambda controller if a predetermined condition is fulfilled. The respective lambda adaptation value (LAM_AD) is assigned a respective reference temperature If a predetermined test condition is fulfilled, a check is made as to which of the lambda adaptation values (LAM_AD) was adapted as a function of the at least one corrective signal proportion since the test condition was last fulfilled. A respective lambda adaptation value not adapted as a function of the at least one corrective signal is compared to a range of valid values. If it lies outside the predetermined diverging range of valid values, the non-adapted lambda adaptation value (LAM13 AD) is adapted in a defined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Gerald Rieder, Paul Rodatz
  • Patent number: 7826960
    Abstract: The invention is directed toward a device for controlling an internal combustion engine. An aspect of the invention is determining a polytropic exponent according to at least two measured values of the pressure in a combustion chamber of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine during the working stroke of the cylinder once an air/fuel mixture of a cylinder has been burned and before the gas discharge valve is opened. A first exhaust gas temperature is determined and a second temperature of the exhaust gas is determined in accordance with the first exhaust gas temperature. The pressure associated in the combustion chamber, the pressure prevailing in the combustion chamber after closing the gas discharge valve, and the polytropic exponent are determined. An actuation signal for controlling an actuating member of the internal combustion engine is generated according to the second temperature of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Ellmer, Rüdiger Herweg, Thorsten Lauer, Michael Mladek, Mayk Stelter
  • Publication number: 20100258099
    Abstract: A method of operating an engine is disclosed, which includes determining a peak power condition for the engine, measuring a temperature associated with the engine at said peak power condition, comparing the temperature measured with a previously determined temperature associated with a known peak power condition of the engine, determining an offset value based on the comparison made in step, controlling at least one of an air-fuel mixture delivered to the engine or ignition spark timing based on said offset value. Various engine fuel delivery systems, carburetors, fuel injection and control systems also are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicant: WALBRO ENGINE MANAGEMENT ,LLC.
    Inventors: Martin N. Andersson, Andrew E. Bejcek, Massimo Casoni, William E. Galka, Cyrus M. Healy, Alessandro Pascoli, Ronald H. Roche, Mark S. Swanson, James E. Van Allen, John C. Woody
  • Patent number: 7792627
    Abstract: An emissions control method may include operating a hybrid vehicle in a first mode during which a combustion engine is off and an electric motor powers propulsion of the vehicle. An electrically heated catalyst (EHC) may be energized during the first mode. The method may further include determining an operating temperature of an additional catalyst in communication with exhaust gas from the combustion engine and operating the vehicle in a second mode after the first mode during which the engine powers propulsion of the vehicle. The engine may operate in a catalyst combustion mode during the second mode when the operating temperature is below a first predetermined limit. The catalyst combustion mode may include operating the engine at an air-fuel ratio of less than stoichiometry and injecting air into exhaust gas from the engine at a location before the additional catalyst to create an exothermic reaction within the additional catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Eugene V. Gonze, Bryan Nathaniel Roos, Brian Spohn
  • Patent number: 7753039
    Abstract: A first cylinder and a second cylinder are provided. A first exhaust pipe is connected to the first cylinder and a second exhaust pipe is connected to the second cylinder. A communicating pipe connects together an intermediate portion of the first exhaust pipe with an intermediate portion of the second exhaust pipe. An exhaust gas control catalyst is arranged in the second exhaust pipe downstream of the portion to which the communicating pipe is connected. Exhaust gas amount reducing devices are provided which reduce the amount of exhaust gas that flows from the first exhaust pipe into the second exhaust pipe through the communicating pipe during execution of rich/lean burn control which performs combustion with an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture that is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio in one of the first cylinder and second cylinder and performs combustion with an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture that is leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio in the other cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Harima, Shigeki Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20100154761
    Abstract: In a low load region where torque is lower than T1 but is not lower than T2, the present invention uses a lean single valve small operating angle mode to provide a lean burn in a single valve small operating angle state or uses an EGR single valve small operating angle mode to provide external EGR in a single valve small operating angle mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daichi Okumura, Atsuharu Ota
  • Patent number: 7735478
    Abstract: A system and method for determining mass fraction burned in an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of engine sensors and a control module determining a ratio of specific heat from a combination of one or more from the group of exhaust gas temperature, injected fuel quantity, air quantity inside a cylinder, mass air flow, air fuel ratio, manifold pressure and a residual gas amount determined from the plurality of engine sensors. The control module includes a mass fraction burned module determining a mass fraction burned in response to a cylinder volume, and the ratio of specific heat. The control module controls an engine parameter based on mass fraction burned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventors: Oguz H. Dagci, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Publication number: 20100126482
    Abstract: A system and method for determining mass fraction burned in an internal combustion engine includes a plurality of engine sensors and a control module determining a ratio of specific heat from a combination of one or more from the group of exhaust gas temperature, injected fuel quantity, air quantity inside a cylinder, mass air flow, air fuel ratio, manifold pressure and a residual gas amount determined from the plurality of engine sensors. The control module includes a mass fraction burned module determining a mass fraction burned in response to a cylinder volume, and the ratio of specific heat. The control module controls an engine parameter based on mass fraction burned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Oguz H. Dagci, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Patent number: 7707978
    Abstract: Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the intake valves, the injector means and the ignition means are controlled so as to adjust the enthalpy value of the exhaust gases produced by each cylinder independently from the other cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: C.R.F. Società Consortile per Azioni
    Inventor: Marco Lucatello
  • Patent number: 7707999
    Abstract: Fuel efficient devices and methods for protecting an exhaust system, and components thereof, when the exhaust gas temperature increases excessively are provided. The exhaust gas temperature is estimated in response to an internal resistance of an Air/Fuel ratio sensor element. The estimated temperature is corrected in a transition time based on the exhaust gas flow rate and the engine's operating region. When the exhaust gas temperature reaches an upper limit (Tmax), a delay period is set in response to the change ratio of the exhaust gas temperature. The delay period is based on the margin of time before an exhaust system component reaches the allowable heat resistance temperature Tem. The delay period can be corrected based on the outside air temperature and the vehicle speed. After the delay time has elapsed, a fuel increment is started in order to decrease the exhaust temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Inoue
  • Patent number: 7703442
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, gasoline is injected directly into a combustion chamber and ignited by auto-ignition. The characteristics map range within which fuel is ignited by auto-ignition is enlarged by supercharging the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Christina Sauer, Andre F Casal Kulzer
  • Patent number: 7703445
    Abstract: A fuel supply system of the present invention is characterized by including: a fuel reformer (4) for producing a reformed gas-containing fuel by causing discharge in a raw liquid fuel; and a fuel supply device (8) for supplying the reformed gas-containing fuel or a mixture of the reformed gas-containing fuel and the raw fuel into a combustion chamber of an engine (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumihiro Haga
  • Patent number: 7690369
    Abstract: A fuel pressure controlling device for an engine is provided including a fuel injection device, an ignition device, a catalyst for removing pollutants from engine exhaust. A controller selects a combustion mode from at least a homogeneous combustion mode fuel is injected the intake stroke and the fuel is ignited before compression top dead center. The fuel injection device injects the fuel based on a target fuel pressure according to the selected combustion mode. The controller detects whether or not a request is present for raising the temperature of the catalyst. In the homogenous combustion mode, when a request is present, the target fuel pressure is set to a first target fuel pressure, and when a request is not present, the target fuel pressure is set to a second target fuel pressure, the second target fuel pressure being lower than the first target fuel pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuzo Kageyama
  • Publication number: 20100078001
    Abstract: A method for controlling cylinder air charge of an engine having a compressor is presented. In one example, the description includes a method for coordinating the control of the throttle, turbo charger, and valves such that the desired cylinder air charge may be achieved while engine pumping work may be decreased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ilya Kolmanovsky, Alex Gibson, Donald Lewis
  • Patent number: 7684924
    Abstract: A control module comprises a thermal detection module and a protection module. The thermal detection module receives temperature data of a particulate matter filter and determines a temperature based on the temperature data. The protection module selectively reduces output of an engine when the temperature is greater than a temperature threshold. A method comprises receiving temperature data of a particulate matter filter and selectively reducing output of an engine when a temperature based on the temperature data is greater than a temperature threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Inventors: Rebecca J Darr, Steve L Melby
  • Patent number: 7658184
    Abstract: An aircraft engine includes an aircraft engine controller configured to detect an actual peak exhaust gas temperature of a cylinder assembly. The aircraft engine controller detects an intersection between a first function representing a relationship between a set of rich exhaust gas temperature signals and a corresponding set of rich fuel-air ratio values and a second function representing a relationship between a set of lean exhaust gas temperature signals and a set of lean fuel-air ratio values. Based upon the intersection between the first and second functions, the engine controller detects an actual peak fuel-air ratio value for the cylinder assembly and can determine if a correction in the fuel-air ratio of a fuel-air mixture provided to the cylinder assembly is required. Accordingly, the engine controller provides each cylinder assembly of the aircraft engine with an accurate fuel-air mixture to allow for operation of the engine with optimal fuel economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Lycoming Engines, a division of Avco Corportion
    Inventors: Scott Matas, Charles Schneider, Allan Watson
  • Patent number: 7650879
    Abstract: A two-stroke internal combustion engine comprising a combustion space, which is enclosed by a cylinder having an end wall, and a piston that is connected to a crankshaft, which piston is capable of reciprocating motion within the cylinder between a position in which the combustion space has a minimum volume and a position in which the combustion space has a maximum volume, wherein a first valve is capable of closing an inlet opening in the end wall and a second valve is capable of closing an outlet opening in the end wall, which outlet opening is at least substantially closed and the inlet opening is open at the moment when the piston is in the position in which the combustion space has its minimum volume, and wherein the minimum volume of the combustion space in cold condition amounts to less than 3% of the maximum volume of the combustion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Inventor: Franklin Hubertus Truijens
  • Publication number: 20100006077
    Abstract: An engine includes an angular velocity detecting means 10 for detecting a rotation angular velocity of a crankshaft 11 of the engine, a torque generated by the engine detecting means for detecting a variability of the angular velocity amplitude obtained by the angular velocity detecting means 10 as the variability of the torque generated by the engine. The engine compensates a fuel injection quantity by comparing the angular velocity amplitude detected by the angular velocity detecting means with the adequate angular velocity amplitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Takeshi Takahashi, Tooru Yoshizuka, Yukihiro Shinohara, Keiji Ooshima, Toshiro Itatsu
  • Publication number: 20100006078
    Abstract: An engine controller is applied to a system that includes an engine and an exhaust purifying catalyst for purifying exhaust gas of the engine. The engine controller has an idle stopping means, a catalyst temperature detecting means and an engine restarting means. The idle stopping means stops the engine when a predetermined idle stop condition is satisfied. The catalyst temperature detecting means detects a temperature of the exhaust purifying catalyst while the engine is stopped by the idle stopping means. The engine restarting means restarts the engine when the temperature of the exhaust purifying catalyst, which is detected by the catalyst temperature detecting means, becomes equal to or lower than an engine restart determination temperature, which is determined on a basis of an activation temperature of the exhaust purifying catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hirofumi SHODA