# US 10,371,084 B2 · Drive device for fuel injection devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,084 B2 - Document ID: US10371084B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/314,981 - Filed: 2015-04-22 - Published: 2017-08-03 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-30 - Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Ryo Kusakabe; Motoyuki Abe; Toshihiro Aono; Takashi Okamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371084B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/32: of the low pressure type {(F02D41/3082 takes precedence)} - F02D 41/20: Output circuits, e.g. for controlling currents in command coils - F02D 41/34: with means for controlling injection timing or duration - F02D 41/36: with means for controlling distribution - F02D 41/3809: {Common rail control systems (common rail apparatus F02M55/025, F02M63/0225)} - F02D 45/00: Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00 - F02D 2041/2034: {Control of the current gradient} - F02D 2041/2055: {with means for determining actual opening or closing time} - F02D 2200/0602: Fuel pressure - F02D 2200/0614: Actual fuel mass or fuel injection amount - F02D 2200/0618: Actual fuel injection timing or delay, e.g. determined from fuel pressure drop - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) ## Abstract A method for detecting variations between the quantities of fuel injected into cylinders by fuel injection devices and correcting the fuel injection quantity variation while minimizing the computational load on a drive device and the level of performance required of a pressure sensor includes a drive device for fuel injection control, wherein movable valves are driven so that predetermined quantities of fuel are injected by applying, for the duration of a set energization time, a current that will reach an energization current to solenoids of a plurality of fuel injection devices which open/close fuel flow paths. The drive device is characterized in that the set energization time or energization current is corrected on the basis of a pressure detection value from a pressure sensor that is attached to a fuel supply pipe disposed upstream of the plurality of fuel injection devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive device for fuel injection devices, the drive device comprising: a drive circuit that controls current to a solenoid of each of a plurality of fuel injectors, wherein the solenoid of each of the plurality of fuel injectors, in response to the current, drives a movable valve of a respective fuel injector to open/close a respective fuel flow path from a fuel supply pipe to the respective fuel injector in order to inject predetermined quantities of fuel; a pressure sensor that is attached to the fuel supply pipe disposed upstream of a particular fuel injector from the plurality of fuel injectors; and an Engine Control Unit (ECU) that is communicatively coupled to the drive circuit, and the pressure sensor, wherein the ECU: acquires, from the pressure sensor, a pressure detection value at a predetermined timing after opening of the respective fuel flow path of the particular fuel injector, corrects a set energization time or an energization current to form corrected values based on the pressure detection value, and controls, using the drive circuit, the particular fuel injector according to the corrected values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 1, wherein the ECU: corrects the set energization time by decreasing the set energization time in response to a pressure drop measured by the pressure sensor increases during fuel injection from any of the plurality of fuel injectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 2, wherein the pressure drop is obtained by subtracting a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor at a valve opening start timing of the particular fuel injector from a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor at a valve closing finish timing of the particular fuel injector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 3, wherein the ECU further: detects a maximum timing when the movable valve of the particular fuel injector reaches a maximum opening; and calculates the valve opening start timing of the particular fuel injector from the maximum timing, wherein the pressure detection value is acquired based on the valve opening start timing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 4, wherein the ECU further: detects a valve closing timing when a valve body of the particular injector is in contact with a valve seat of the particular injector based on a voltage value applied to the solenoid, wherein the valve opening start timing is determined from the detection value of the valve closing finish detecting unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 4, wherein the ECU further: detects a valve closing timing when a valve body of the particular fuel injector is in contact with a valve seat based a voltage value applied to the solenoid, calculates the valve opening start timing of the valve body of the particular fuel injector from the valve closing timing, and determines valve timings for the plurality of fuel injectors based on the valve opening start timing of the valve body of the particular fuel injector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 6, wherein the ECU further: estimates a total injection quantity provided by the plurality of fuel injectors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive device for fuel injection devices according to claim 1, wherein the ECU further: detects a valve closing timing when a valve body of the particular fuel injection is in contact with a valve seat of the particular fuel injector; detects a maximum timing when the movable valve of the particular fuel injector reaches a maximum opening; calculates a valve opening start timing of the valve body of the particular fuel injector from the valve closing timing the maximum timing; calculates injection times for each of the plurality of fuel injectors based on the valve opening start timing of the valve body of the particular fuel injector; and controls, using the drive circuit, the plurality of fuel injectors based on the injection times calculated.