Method and system for valve movement detection
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsDaniel R. Puckett, Kranti K. Nellutla, Gregory L. Armstrong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel injection method includes applying a first method current to close a spill valve according to a first method, applying a control valve current to open a control valve, and discontinuing the application of the control valve current to thereby cause the control valve to close. The method also includes applying a second method current to maintain the spill valve closed according to a second method and detecting a timing of a closing of the control valve while applying the second method current according to the second method, the second method being different than the first method.
Claims20
A fuel injection method, comprising:
- applying a first method current to close a spill valve according to a first method;
- applying a control valve current to open a control valve;
- discontinuing the application of the control valve current to thereby cause the control valve to close;
- applying a second method current to maintain the spill valve closed according to a second method;
- generating an induced current due to motion of a control valve member of the control valve as the control valve member moves to a position that closes the control valve;
- and
- detecting a timing at which the control valve member moves to the position that closes the control valve, based on the induced current generated due to the motion of the control valve member, while applying the second method current according to the second method, the second method being different than the first method.
A fuel injection method for a mechanically-actuated electronically-controlled fuel injector having a spill valve and a control valve, comprising:
- applying a chopped spill valve current to close the spill valve according to a first method;
- applying a control valve current to cause a control valve member of the control valve to move from a first position to a second position;
- stopping the application of the control valve current to cause the control valve member to return to the first position from the second position;
- switching the chopped spill valve current to a non-chopped spill valve current to maintain the spill valve closed, according to a second method;
- and
- detecting a timing of the return of the control valve member to the first position while applying the non-chopped spill valve current.
A fuel injection control system, comprising:
- at least one power source;
- a fuel injector including a spill valve including a spill valve solenoid, and a control valve including a control valve solenoid and a control valve member;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- apply a chopped current to the spill valve solenoid according to a first method;
- apply a control valve current to the control valve solenoid to open a control valve;
- discontinue the application of the control valve current to the control valve solenoid;
- cause generation of an induced current by discontinuing the application of the control valve current, the induced current being generated due to motion of the control valve member to a position that causes the control valve to close;
- apply a non-chopped current to hold the spill valve closed according to a second method;
- and
- detect a timing of a closing of the control valve by monitoring the induced current generated due to the motion of the control valve member, while applying the non-chopped current according to the second method, wherein the second method has a lower cross-talk potential than the first method.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.