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US 11,530,664 B2Granted
Methods and system for cold starting an engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsChris Paul Glugla, Garlan J. Huberts, Joseph Thomas, David Andrew Ord, Michael Damian Czekala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for starting and operating a direct injection engine are described. In one example, the air and fuel are injected into a pre-chamber of a cylinder of an engine while the engine is not rotating. The air and fuel are combusted in the pre-chamber to improve ignition of an air and fuel mixture in the cylinder.
Claims18
A method, comprising:
- receiving a request to start an engine;
- and
- in response to receiving the request to start the engine and while the engine is stopped:
- flowing air from a pre-chamber to a cylinder of the engine on its expansion stroke while the engine is stopped;
- injecting fuel into the cylinder while flowing air from the pre-chamber to the cylinder, wherein an amount of the fuel injected into the cylinder is adjusted according to an amount of the air flowed from the pre-chamber to the cylinder;
- initiating combustion in the cylinder after injecting the fuel into the cylinder;
- and
- engaging an electric machine to rotate the engine after initiating the combustion in the cylinder.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- in response to a request to start an engine that is not rotating:
- combusting a first air-fuel mixture in a pre-chamber of a cylinder on its expansion stroke while the engine is not rotating;
- combusting a second air-fuel mixture in the cylinder on its expansion stroke while the engine is not rotating after combusting the first air-fuel mixture in the pre-chamber;
- and
- providing torque to rotate the engine via an electric machine after combusting the second air-fuel mixture in the cylinder.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- an engine;
- a cylinder;
- a pre-chamber coupled to the cylinder;
- and
- a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
- ignite a first air-fuel mixture in the pre-chamber while the cylinder is on an expansion stroke in response to a request to start the engine while the engine is stopped;
- ignite a second air-fuel mixture in the cylinder after igniting the first air-fuel mixture in the pre-chamber while the cylinder is on the expansion stroke in response to the request to start the engine while the engine is stopped;
- and
- provide torque to rotate the engine via an electric machine after combusting the second air-fuel mixture in the cylinder.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.