Throttle Position Responsive Patents (Class 123/683)
  • Patent number: 11181058
    Abstract: A method is provided for measuring exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow in. an engine system wherein turbo speed of a turbocharger, inlet pressure upstream of a compressor, boost pressure upstream of an engine, and engine intake temperature upstream of the engine are measured. Air mass flow into the engine system is calculated as a function of the turbo speed, inlet pressure, and boost pressure, exhaust mass flow is calculated as a function of the boost pressure, the engine intake temperature, volumetric efficiency of the engine, and engine size, and EGR flow is determined, by subtracting air mass flow from exhaust mass flow. A method for controlling emissions from an engine system, and an. engine system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation
    Inventors: Adam Myers, Russell King, Jan Wiman, Georgios Angelidis
  • Patent number: 9790886
    Abstract: A gas engine 1 which operates in stoichiometric mode under high-load conditions and which operates in lean burn mode under medium- and low-load conditions includes a valve 2 which supplies the gas engine 1 with an air-fuel mixture composed of air and fuel gas. In the valve 2, a valve unit 21 for stoichiometric operation is connected in series to a valve unit 22 for lean burn operation and is also connected to a mixer 24. An opening area of the valve 2 is controlled in such a manner as to ensure a predetermined opening area for effecting stoichiometric operation, to uniformly decrease the opening area over time until a switching operation from stoichiometric operation to lean burn operation ends, to ensure a predetermined opening area for effecting lean burn operation, and to uniformly increase the opening area over time until a switching operation from lean burn operation to stoichiometric operation ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Nakazono, Hiroyuki Otsubo, Hirotoshi Kihara
  • Patent number: 9181862
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for adjusting an exhaust gas recirculation rate to provide accurate air-fuel ratio. The disclosure provides a method for calculating an exhaust-gas recirculation rate based on a measured exhaust-gas lambda and a turbocharger speed. Through the use of the exhaust-gas lambda and the turbocharger speed it is possible to calculate an exhaust-gas recirculation rate while dispensing with the difficult and unreliable determination of the mass air flow for determining an exhaust-gas recirculation rate, thus providing a stable method which further reduces fuel consumption and emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Simon Petrovic, Laurence Hatfield, Christian Winge Vigild, Jon Dixon
  • Patent number: 9074513
    Abstract: A method for monitoring an exhaust gas sensor coupled in an engine exhaust is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises indicating exhaust gas sensor degradation based on characteristics of a distribution of extreme values of a plurality of sets of lambda differentials collected during selected operating conditions. In this way, the exhaust gas sensor may be monitored in a non-intrusive manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Imad Hassan Makki, Pankaj Kumar, James Michael Kerns, Hassene Jammoussi
  • Patent number: 8893479
    Abstract: In order to relief a sudden change of engine sound during the transition to recovery control of a particulate removing filter or during returning from the recovery control, a system of treating exhaust gas of an engine includes an exhaust-gas particulate removing filter in an exhaust path, closes down the opening of an inlet throttle valve or an exhaust throttle valve to a recovery opening smaller than a normal opening during recovery of the particulate removing filter, and returns the opening from the recovery opening to the normal opening after the recovery of the particulate removing filter. The opening of the inlet throttle valve or the exhaust throttle valve during the closing process from the normal opening to the recovery opening and during the returning process from the recovery opening to the normal opening is changed at a gradually decreasing or gradually increasing rate of change of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taichi Togashi, Atsushi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8713935
    Abstract: A control system for a turbo charged natural gas engine. A butterfly valve used for fuel control upstream of a carburetor provides non-linear flow response during opening and closing and a flow compensator compensates for the non-linear response. A throttle valve position sensor acts in association with a controller which compares the throttle valve position signal with a predetermined set point and thereby opens or closes the waste gate of the turbo charger which affects oxygen content in the exhaust. A compensator for a throttle valve used with electronic engine controllers is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: REM Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Leigh Malm, Wade Larry Mowat
  • Patent number: 8656891
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fuel injection mechanism having a horizontal control surface formed within a plunger for regulating the start of fuel injection. The horizontal control surfaces are formed within one or more of the two opposed ridges formed within the plunger defining a recessed channel there between. The horizontal control surfaces of the ridges regulate the opening and closing of the ports formed within the bushing of the injector. The horizontal control surfaces contribute to reduced wear and provide for accurate timing and fuel quantity delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Inventors: Ted Stewart, James Napier
  • Patent number: 8538659
    Abstract: A control system and method of controlling operation of an internal combustion engine includes a load determination module that determines an engine load, an equivalence ratio module that determines an equivalence ratio, a correction factor module that generates a correction factor based on the engine load, the equivalence ratio, and the engine speed and an engine operation module that regulates operation of the engine based on the correction factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventors: Wenbo Wang, Layne K. Wiggins, Jeffrey M. Kaiser, Chao F Daniels
  • Patent number: 8487579
    Abstract: A method for determining the position of a component, that is able to be moved into at least two end positions with the aid of a drive, especially of a flap for controlling fluid flows in an internal combustion engine, includes the following steps: providing an electric signal that indicates the speed of motion of an element of the drive, determining a change in position of the component by the integration of the electric signal, and determining the absolute position of the component from the change in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Alex Grossmann, Mattias Hallor
  • Patent number: 8364372
    Abstract: A hybrid powertrain and a method of controlling a throttle in an engine of the hybrid powertrain are provided. A throttle system has a throttle at an optimal position for the engine to power a first motor/generator when an electric throttle motor is de-energized to minimize current consumption by the throttle motor. The electric throttle motor is energizable to adjust the position of the throttle. A biasing member biases the throttle to a default position when the electric throttle motor is not energized. The hybrid powertrain has a first motor/generator operatively connected to the engine, and a second motor/generator operatively connected to the generator and operable for providing output power. The engine is operable in a predetermined optimal state to provide power to the generator for powering the first motor/generator. The throttle is at a predetermined position when the engine is in the predetermined optimal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: James L. Worthing, John N. Stockbridge, Thomas Richard Durkin, Joseph E. Ploucha, Richard B. Jess, Brian D. Essenmacher
  • Patent number: 8215294
    Abstract: A method and control system for controlling an engine during diesel particulate filter regeneration includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration request module that generates a DPF regeneration request signal. The control system also includes a DPF regeneration control module that controls the oxygen level in the exhaust based on an oxygen level signal corresponding to an oxygen level in the exhaust and a DPF inlet temperature signal corresponding to the DPF inlet temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Inventors: Julian C. Tan, John Zeilstra, Christoph Thoele, Gustavo Tepedino
  • Patent number: 7861697
    Abstract: A control system for a turbo charged natural gas engine. A butterfly valve used for fuel control upstream of a carburetor provides non-linear flow response during opening and closing and a flow compensator compensates for the non-linear response. A throttle valve position sensor acts in association with a controller which compares the throttle valve position signal with a predetermined set point and thereby opens or closes the waste gate of the turbo charger which affects oxygen content in the exhaust. A compensator for a throttle valve used with electronic engine controllers is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Rem Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard Leigh Malm, Wade Larry Mowat
  • Patent number: 7765041
    Abstract: An electronic control apparatus for a vehicle having an engine control unit 114 controlling an electronically-controlled throttle of an engine and a valve control unit 141 controlling a variable lift mechanism 112 that varies a lift amount of an intake valve are provided. Information of a target lift amount and an actual lift amount is transmitted/received between these control units. Each of the control units diagnoses a state of data transmission from the other control unit, transmits the diagnosis result to the other control unit and, when the diagnosis result of itself and/or the diagnosis result of the other control unit shows an abnormal state, moves to the mode of a fail-safe operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoki Tatsumi, Kazuhiko Abe, Mitsuhiko Kubota
  • Patent number: 7735469
    Abstract: A controller of an internal combustion engine operable by an alcohol-containing fuel includes: an alcohol concentration detecting unit, operable to detect an alcohol concentration of the alcohol-containing fuel; and a suppressing unit, operable to suppress a degree of change of an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine when the alcohol concentration, detected by the alcohol concentration detecting unit, is higher than a concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyata, Katsunori Ueda, Koji Kawakita
  • Patent number: 7523737
    Abstract: A motorcycle includes a throttle, a main throttle valve controlled to be opened or closed by an operation of the throttle and a sub throttle valve controlled to be opened or closed in response to an opening degree of the main throttle valve. A memory a plurality of sub-throttle valve opening degree maps, each of which has unique sub throttle valve opening degree characteristics, fuel injection amount maps each of which has unique fuel injection amount characteristics and corresponds to each of the sub throttle valve opening degree maps respectively, and ignition timing maps, each of which has unique ignition timing characteristics and corresponds to each of the sub throttle valve opening degree maps respectively. A drive mode selecting switch is operable to select an intended drive mode from a plurality of drive modes so as to select a sub throttle valve opening degree map from the stored sub throttle valve opening degree maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromi Deguchi, Takayuki Toda, Hideaki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7461644
    Abstract: A method for controlling a dethrottled internal combustion engine, which has a shared fresh gas line which supplies fresh gas to fresh gas pipes, which in turn supply fresh gas to each cylinder. The engine has at least one intake valve per cylinder, a clocked valve per fresh gas pipe for opening and closing the gas pipe and a fuel injector for each cylinder, for metered addition of fuel. The chronological location of the injection time of the fuel is adjusted for the respective cylinder as a function of a point in time of a change in the switch position of the respective clocked valve, to improve the emission values of the engine. In addition, the clocked valves are controlled so that the metered addition of fresh gas is accomplished for the respective cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred Elsässer, Jörg Rückauf
  • Patent number: 7451754
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of enhancing the accuracy of fuel control and ignition timing control even when there is a possibility that the reliability of a calculated intake air amount lowers, and enables reduction of manufacturing costs. An ECU of the control system calculates a first estimated intake air amount according to a valve lift, a cam phase, and a compression ratio, calculates a second estimated intake air amount according to the flow rate of air detected by an air flow sensor. The ECU determines a fuel injection amount according to the first estimated intake air amount when an estimated flow rate Gin_vt calculated based on an engine speed, the valve lift, the cam phase, and the compression ratio is within the range of Gin_vt?Gin1, and according to the second estimated intake air amount when Gin2?Gin_vt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Mitsunobu Saito, Hiroshi Tagami, Kosuke Higashitani, Masahiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7404392
    Abstract: The invention relates to an internal combustion engine which is provided with a manifold from which an intake tube extends to an intake of a cylinder of the internal combustion engine, with a gas inlet valve, disposed at the intake of the cylinder, an intermittent charge valve, disposed upstream of the gas inlet valve in the intake tube and releasing or closing the intake tube subject to a switching position of the intake tube, and in injection valve for metering fuel. The temporal position of the duration of injection of the fuel is adjusted subject to a point in time at which the switching position of the intermittent charge valve is changed. In this manner, it can be ensured that the air has a high velocity of flow during injection, thereby obtaining a good mixture preparation in a simple manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Frank Weiss, Hong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7401605
    Abstract: A fuel injection control system makes it possible to obtain an output of a lean combustion type engine through an easy operation, even in a throttle opening region of greater than a lean limit. A throttle valve is configured to be turnable up to an over-fully opened position, which is greater than a fully opened position that corresponds to a maximum air flow rate, where the air flow rate is not substantially varied from the maximum air flow rate. In a region where the throttle valve is operated to or above the fully opened position when under a high load, the fuel-air mixture is enriched and a high output is obtained by controlling the throttle opening through operating only a power lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shumpei Hasegawa, Masakatsu Niikura
  • Patent number: 7305295
    Abstract: A throttle limit control for an internal combustion engine throttle control is disclosed. Rate limiting is applied to prevent excessive rates of change in throttle actuation. Throttle pedal authority is continually maintained and throttle headroom is not compromised thereby. Application to various systems including conventional and adaptive cruise systems and power take-off systems is envisioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Paul A. Bauerle, Kerfegar K. Katrak, Barbara A. Shuler, Patrick J. O'Leary
  • Patent number: 7124014
    Abstract: An electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine includes an electronic control unit (ECU) having a judgment function portion that judges whether an engine control system and an engine driving condition are normal, and plural kinds of pre-set characteristic conversion coefficient maps used to compute a command value of a target throttle opening degree from a manipulation quantity of the accelerator pedal. The command value of the target throttle opening degree is computed using a specific map selected from the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps depending on the judgment result of the judgment function portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Ishida, Shunji Murao
  • Patent number: 7107978
    Abstract: An engine control system is configured to improve the estimation accuracy of a fresh intake air quantity and a total intake air quantity that flows into the combustion chambers. The engine control system is configured to estimate an estimated EGR rate value Regr using a primary lag process for a target EGR rate, calculate a volumetric efficiency equivalency value based on the estimated EGR rate value Regr, estimate an estimated fresh intake air value Qac that flows into the combustion chamber based on a rate of change in a volumetric efficiency equivalency value Kin/Kinn-1 of the estimated EGR rate value Regr and the volumetric efficiency equivalency value Kin, and estimate an estimated total intake air quantity value Qsco2 that includes the EGR gas based on the estimated fresh intake air value Qac and the estimated EGR rate value Regr.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 7100572
    Abstract: A fuel injection system and method for injecting fuel for an internal combustion engine having fuel injection valves arranged on the upstream side and downstream side from the throttle valve respectively which consistently supplies an adequate quantity of fuel into the combustion chamber without fuel adhering to or remaining at the throttle valve, even when the throttle valve is abruptly enclosed. Based on plural parameters including the throttle opening ?TH and the engine speed NE, the system includes means for determining the injection quantity of each of the upstream and downstream fuel injection valves, means for detecting a rate of change ??TH of the throttle opening in the injection-valve closing direction, means for stopping fuel injection of the upstream fuel injection valve when the rate of change ??TH is large, and means for reducing the injection quantity from the downstream fuel injection valve when the fuel injection of the upstream injection valve is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuguo Watanabe, Tomomi Yuhara
  • Patent number: 7007685
    Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for controlling an air-fuel ratio of a supplied air-fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine to a target air-fuel ratio by a feedback control in accordance with an output signal of an oxygen concentration sensor provided at an exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine, in which a perturbation control for vibrating the air-fuel ratio periodically to a rich side and a lean side centering on the target air-fuel ratio is executed in accordance with the output signal of the oxygen concentration sensor in a predetermined high load and high rotation operating state of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Keihin Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 7004144
    Abstract: A method of dynamically controlling torque output of a torque producing device includes determining a shaped torque command based on a torque command generated by an input device and calculating an actuator variable based on the shaped torque command and a gain. An actuator is regulated based on the actuator variable to adjust the torque output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Stroh, Charles H. Folkerts
  • Patent number: 6976471
    Abstract: A method of controlling torque output of an engine includes calculating a desired air-per-cylinder (APC) based on a torque command and determining an effective throttle area corresponding to the desired APC based on a non-dimensionalized model. A throttle is regulated based on the effective throttle area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Stroh
  • Patent number: 6868327
    Abstract: A device for estimating the amount of intake air of an internal combustion engine comprising intake pipe pressure calculation means for calculating an intake pipe pressure, at this time, downstream of the throttle valve, and intake air amount calculation means for calculating the amount of intake air, at this time, based on the intake pipe pressure at this time calculated by said intake pipe pressure calculation means, is provided. The intake pipe pressure calculation means calculates the intake pipe pressure at this time by using the intake pipe pressure calculated at the last time and the amount of air passing through the throttle valve at the last time calculated by means for calculating the amount of air passing through the throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Harufumi Muto
  • Patent number: 6827070
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling an engine, in which a control module calculates a setpoint torque based on an accelerator position and calculates an air mass and a fuel mass from this setpoint torque. In the process, a setpoint value for lambda (ratio of air mass to fuel mass) is taken into account when the fuel mass is calculated. A monitoring module calculates a monitoring value for the air mass from the fuel mass and compares it to a measured air mass for fault detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Fehl, Winfried Langer
  • Patent number: 6820604
    Abstract: A fuel injection system in an engine. The system includes a throttle body having a throttle valve, a first sensor, and a control unit coupled to the first sensor. The first sensor measures a sensed throttle valve angle and provides a first output corresponding to the sensed throttle valve angle. The control unit is operable to receive the output generated by the first sensor, operable to compute an expected throttle valve angle, operable to determine an offset between the expected throttle valve angle and the sensed throttle valve angle, operable to determine a corrected throttle valve angle, and operable to compute fueling calculations based on the corrected throttle valve angle. The corrected throttle valve angle is based on the offset and the sensed throttle valve angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Carolyn Chong, John Wathen
  • Publication number: 20040154590
    Abstract: There is provided a control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of meeting a driver's demand of torque, and achieving high combustion efficiency and high emission-reducing performance by a three-way catalyst in lean-burn operation in a compatible manner. The control system sets a control amount indicative of either an oxygen mass supplied to a combustion chamber or a fuel injection amount such that oxygen concentration in exhaust gases becomes equal to a value corresponding to stoichiometric combustion. A target value corresponding to a demanded torque is set based on detected engine operating conditions. A degree of opening of a main throttle valve and a degree of opening of a sub-throttle valve in a passage by passing an intake passage equipped with a nitrogen-enriching device are controlled such that the control amount becomes equal to the set target value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Jun Iwamoto, Hitoshi Takahashi, Hidemi Ogihara
  • Publication number: 20040020480
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for externally modifying the operation of a closed loop electronic fuel injection control system that is normally used with a standard oxygen sensor, which method and apparatus includes replacing the standard oxygen sensor with a wide band oxygen sensor. The signal from the wide band oxygen sensor is processed in a first signal-conditioning module and coupled to the input of the electronic fuel injection control system. The first signal-conditioning module simulates the appearance of a standard oxygen sensor to the electronic fuel injection control system. In a second embodiment, a method and apparatus for externally modifying the operation of a closed loop electronic fuel injection control system that is normally used with a wide band oxygen sensor, includes intercepting the signal from the wide band oxygen sensor in a second signal-conditioning module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Michael L. Kreikemeier, Chad D. Beauregard
  • Patent number: 6681752
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for externally modifying the operation of a closed loop electronic fuel injection control system that is normally used with a standard oxygen sensor, which method and apparatus includes replacing the standard oxygen sensor with a wide band oxygen sensor. The signal from the wide band oxygen sensor is processed in a first signal-conditioning module and coupled to the input of the electronic fuel injection control system. The first signal-conditioning module simulates the appearance of a standard oxygen sensor to the electronic fuel injection control system. In a second embodiment, a method and apparatus for externally modifying the operation of a closed loop electronic fuel injection control system that is normally used with a wide band oxygen sensor, includes intercepting the signal from the wide band oxygen sensor in a second signal-conditioning module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Dynojet Research Company
    Inventors: Michael L Kreikemeier, Chad D Beauregard
  • Patent number: 6615812
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine wherein at least one control quantity of the engine is influenced in dependence upon a signal representing the fresh air charge. The throttle flap angle and the intake manifold pressure are determined and a respective signal is formed on the basis of the throttle flap angle and on the basis of the intake manifold pressure. The charge signal, which is formed on the basis of the throttle flap angle, is adapted to the signal, which is formed on the basis of the intake manifold pressure sensor, with the aid of at least one corrective factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Wild, Lutz Reuschenbach
  • Patent number: 6601573
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting selection of a pump assembly (25, 32), for instance a fuel pump assembly, in which at least two pump assemblies are provided. By means of a control unit (12), the lambda signal is scanned continuously by means of lambda probes (21). As a function of the lambda signal ascertained, the maximum fuel injection quantity is limited to the supply quantity of a fuel pump assembly (25, 32), and simultaneously a limitation of the air quantity to the air quantity corresponding to the maximum fuel injection quantity is effected. The limitation of the maximum fuel injection quantity and of the associated air quantity is effected via a throttle valve element (13.1), which is triggered by the control unit (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Kurt Frank
  • Patent number: 6491033
    Abstract: An outboard motor engine includes a feedback control system for controlling the air/fuel ratio of the air/fuel mixture combusted within the engine. The control system can be configured to vary the target output value of a combustion condition sensor in accordance with at least one engine operation characteristic, for example, but without limitation, engine speed or throttle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sanshin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Motose, Kyoji Hakamata, Kimihiro Nonaka
  • Patent number: 6457467
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention includes sensing speed or an internal combustion engine that includes a manifold coupled to an air pathway and a gaseous fuel line, sensing manifold pressure, and sensing manifold temperature. Air mass flow rate is determined as a function of the sensed engine spaced, manifold pressure, and manifold temperature. Fuel mass flow rate in the fuel line is sensed and fuel is controlled through the fuel line in accordance with the air mass flow rate and the fuel mass flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff S. O'Neill, Martin A. Iwamuro, John A. Connally, Matthew S. Carroll, Jim A. Zigan
  • Patent number: 6378515
    Abstract: An exhaust gas recirculation method and apparatus adapted for use on an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Mack Trucks, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Mark Geyer
  • Patent number: 6357430
    Abstract: A method for updating an air flow ratio of a current engine load to a maximum engine load includes calculating an approximate air flow ratio based only on throttle position changes. The approximate air flow ratio is calculated by modifying a normal, conventionally calculated air flow ratio based on a difference between two throttle position loads. The throttle position loads are ratios between sampled throttle positions and a reference throttle position. By approximating the air flow ratio rather than conducting an exact calculation, the invention method can update the air flow ratio to reflect changes in throttle position without adding significant chronometric burden.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael John Cullen, Brent Edward Sealy, Jeffrey Allen Doering
  • Patent number: 6343596
    Abstract: A fuel regulator for two-cycle and/or four-cycle internal combustion engines, particularly those found in model airplanes, comprises a microprocessor, a thermocouple exhaust gas temperature sensor, and a fuel regulating valve installed in a low-pressure fuel delivery system between the fuel tank and the carburetor. During operation, the microprocessor continually receives signals from the exhaust gas temperature sensor. These signals are compared with stored temperature ranges to determine the optimum fuel mixture for the current engine operating conditions. If the current engine operating conditions require a variation in the fuel mixture setting, the microprocessor adjusts the degree of opening of the in-line fuel regulating value, and accordingly regulates the flow of fuel into the carburetor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: PC/RC Products, LLC
    Inventors: Mazen A. Hajji, James T. Bellistri
  • Patent number: 6253751
    Abstract: Fuel proportioning in a gas-powered combustion engine is effected so that when the value of a parameter monitored in the exhaust gases deviates from a set-value, the level of the gas input pressure to a mixer for gas and air is adjusted in a specified operating situation so that said set-value is established. A device for fuel proportioning includes a pressure regulator (3) whereby the outlet pressure can be adjusted automatically during a specified operating situation by means of a control unit (11). After adjustment has been carried out, the setting reached is maintained for a lengthy period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Scania CV Aktiebolag
    Inventor: Göran Carlsson
  • Patent number: 6196188
    Abstract: A system for controlling fueling signals provided to a fueling system of an internal combustion engine operates to eliminate the throttle deadband when the engine speed is limited to speeds less than the maximum engine speed. In one embodiment, the engine control module is modified to incorporate an additional throttle factor operable to scale the calculated throttle derived from the operator commanded throttle position. In one aspect of the invention, this throttle factor is a function of the ratio of the difference between a user-requested high idle breakpoint speed and the minimum engine speed, and difference between the minimum and maximum engine speeds. Thus, the relationship between engine speed and throttle input is rescaled to eliminate the deadband. Where this relationship is linear, the present invention essentially alters the slope of the line between the minimum and maximum throttle positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Inventors: Dusan M. Janic, Randal L. Bergstedt
  • Patent number: 6148809
    Abstract: A continuous flow fuel system includes an oxygen sensor for analyzing the exhaust gases of an engine. The output from the oxygen sensor, representing the oxygen content in the exhaust gases, is transmitted to an electronic control module, which in turn controls the output of a fuel pump. The output of the fuel pump provides fuel to maintain a desired fuel/air ratio. The desired fuel/air ratio may be selected by a user of the engine or it may be predetermined and factory-set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Inventor: Vincent J. Cinquegrani
  • Patent number: 6041765
    Abstract: Engine (60) has manifold (62) and includes an air pathway (20) and a fuel line (30) coupled to the manifold (62) for supplying a fuel charge. Fuel line (30) has a controllable valve (40) for regulating fuel flow and a first sensor (38) providing a fuel signal corresponding to mass flow rate of fuel through the fuel line. A second sensor (65) provides a speed signal corresponding to rotational speed of the engine. A third sensor (63) provides a temperature signal corresponding to temperature within the manifold. A fourth sensor (64) provides a pressure signal corresponding to pressure within the manifold. A fifth sensor (76) provides an exhaust signal corresponding to air/fuel ratio for combusted air and fuel in the exhaust pathway. A controller (80) responsive to the controllable valve (40) and sensors (38), (63), (64), (65), and (76) determines an air signal corresponding to the mass flow rate of air through the air pathway (20) as a function of the speed signal, temperature signal, and pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff S. O'Neill, Martin A. Iwamuro, John A. Connally, Matthew S. Carroll, Jim A. Zigan
  • Patent number: 6016794
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an injector control apparatus 120B for controlling a fuel injection amount toward a target fuel injection amount Fm. The injector control apparatus 120B includes an expected engine revolution number calculating means 9 for calculating an expected engine revolution number Nf for a predetermined interval based on the engine revolution number Ne, expected throttle opening degree calculating means 10 for calculating an expected throttle opening degree .theta.f for the predetermined interval based on a throttle opening degree .theta., expected drawn air amount calculating means 11 for calculating an expected drawn air amount Qf for the predetermined interval based on the expected engine revolution number and the expected throttle opening degree, and target fuel injection amount calculating means 12 for calculating a target fuel injection amount Fm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsuko Hashimoto, Shiro Yonezawa, Hirofumi Ohuchi, Tatsuhiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6000367
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine without a PCV solenoid during a boil-off condition. The methodology records the temperature of the engine when the vehicle is turned off. When the vehicle is restarted, the methodology determines the amount the engine has cooled since it was shut down. Based on the difference in engine temperature and the current engine temperature, the methodology determines the amount of boil-off corruption remaining. The methodology then determines a new boil-off corruption fuel multiplier based on the amount of boil-off corruption remaining. The new boil-off corruption fuel multiplier is used to modify fuel control until the boil-off condition ceases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: DimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Shean P. Huff, Zhong Li
  • Patent number: 5960773
    Abstract: When feedback control of air/fuel ratio is not being performed in an engine and the engine is idling, the fuel supply amount is increased according to the engine coolant temperature. When feedback control of air/fuel ratio is not being performed and the engine is not idling, the fuel supply amount is decreased according to the engine coolant temperature. Due to this decrease correction, during the time period from when idling operation is terminated directly after starting the engine to when the feedback control of the air/fuel ratio is started, the air/fuel ratio is made lean at an early stage, and the oxygen concentration in the engine exhaust gas is increased, so that the conversion of HC by the catalyst is quickly started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Shino, Kimiyoshi Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 5937798
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine during wide open throttle or part throttle enrichment operation. Oxygen sensor rich and lean counts above and below a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio are counted during an injector pulse width period while a fuel concentration determination is being made at wide open throttle and part throttle enrichment. The ratio of lean counts to rich counts is compared to a calibratable value for incrementing the fuel concentration delivered to the internal combustion engine. The fuel concentration is further controlled if a boil-off condition is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Karin Rak
    Inventors: Yi Cheng, Shean Huff, Robert J. Nankee, II, Mary Joyce, Jerry Kennie, Gary L. Seitz
  • Patent number: 5915342
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of controlling combustion parameters of an internal combustion engine without a PCV solenoid during a boil-off condition. The methodology detects a boil-off condition and implements one of two modes of boil-off compensation depending on the active status of an inferred alcohol content multiplier update system. The methodology also determines the nature of the air-flow through the internal combustion engine and determines the level of boil-off corruption present and the time when the corruption is complete. After the boil-off condition is determined to be complete, control of the combustion parameters are returned to a normal regime of a flexible fuel compensation system using the inferred alcohol content from the employed mode of boil-off compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Shean Huff, Mark E. Hope, Mary Joyce, Howard W. Krausman, Richard K. Moote, William D. Rotramel, Gary L. Seitz
  • Patent number: 5904131
    Abstract: Engine (60) has manifold (62) and includes an air pathway (20) and a fuel line (30) coupled to the manifold (62) for supplying a fuel charge. Fuel line (30) has a controllable valve (40) for regulating fuel flow and a first sensor (38) providing a fuel signal corresponding to mass flow rate of fuel through the fuel line. A second sensor (65) provides a speed signal corresponding to rotational speed of the engine. A third sensor (63) provides a temperature signal corresponding to temperature within the manifold. A fourth sensor (64) provides a pressure signal corresponding to pressure within the manifold. A fifth sensor (76) provides an exhaust signal corresponding to air/fuel ratio for combusted air and fuel in the exhaust pathway. A controller (80) responsive to the controllable valve (40) and sensors (38), (63), (64), (65), and (76) determines an air signal corresponding to the mass flow rate of air through the air pathway (20) as a function of the speed signal, temperature signal, and pressure signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Cummins Engine Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff S. O'Neill, Martin A. Iwamuro, John A. Connally, Matthew S. Carroll, Jim A. Zigan
  • Patent number: 5860407
    Abstract: A gaseous fuel control system for engines for delivering and regulating fuel and air flows to the engine and an electronically controlled rotary pressure regulator implementing fine adjustments in the pre-mixing pressure of gaseous fuel. Gaseous fuel from a high-pressure fuel tank is forced into a passage and through a series of pressure regulators during combustion. Inside a throttle body, butterfly plates respond to signals from an electronic controller to regulate the flows of air and gaseous fuel. The fuel passes into a stagnation chamber and mixes with the air flow through a series of radial mixing orifices in a common wall between the stagnation chamber and air passageways. The fuel/air ratio is coarsely controlled by the reaction of the butterfly plates to the signals of the electronic controller and is more finely controlled by electronic rotation of the rotary gas pressure regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Inventors: Lee Chapin, deceased, Lloyd Chapin, legal representative