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US 10,378,459 B2Granted
Method and system for engine control
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorChris Paul Glugla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for indicating degradation of a VCR mechanism that mechanically alters a cylinder compression ratio. Degradation is detected based on an elevated knock incidence and increased spark retard usage. If the VCR mechanism is stuck, knock and pre-ignition that could be induced by continued operation in a higher than intended compression ratio is mitigated by limiting the engine load.
Claims20
An engine operating method, comprising:
- mechanically varying a compression ratio of an engine via a variable compression ratio mechanism and a controller;
- and
- responsive to the variable compression ratio mechanism being degraded, limiting an engine load via adjusting a position of a throttle, the throttle adjusted via the controller.
A method, comprising:
- indicating degradation of a variable compression ratio mechanism that mechanically alters a piston position within a cylinder via a controller based on one or more of output from a position sensor coupled to the mechanism, knock sensor output, and adaptive spark retard usage;
- and
- responsive to the indication, limiting an engine load while advancing spark timing via the controller, the engine load adjusted via adjusting a position of a throttle via the controller.
An engine system, comprising:
- an engine having a cylinder;
- a variable compression ratio mechanism for mechanically altering a piston position within the cylinder;
- a position sensor coupled to the variable compression ratio mechanism;
- a spark plug for providing spark to the cylinder;
- an intake throttle;
- a turbocharger having an intake compressor driven an exhaust turbine;
- a knock sensor;
- and
- a controller configured with computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory for:
- actuating the variable compression ratio mechanism to transition the engine from a higher compression ratio setting to a lower compression ratio setting;
- indicating that the mechanism is stuck at the higher compression ratio setting based on output from one or more of the position sensor and the knock sensor;
- and
- responsive to the indication, reducing an intake air charge delivered to the engine via the intake throttle while advancing spark timing.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.