Hybrid Vehicle With Engine Power Cylinder Deactivation
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorThomas Leone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid vehicle includes a reciprocating internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust poppet valves which are controlled so as to minimize the amount of power required to motor the engine during regenerative braking, so as to maximize energy stored within an energy storage device recharged by a rotating reversible machine operatively connected with the engine, the vehicle's road wheels, and the energy storage device.
Claims14
A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
- a reciprocating internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of power cylinders, with each cylinder having a piston reciprocably housed therein;
- at least one intake poppet valve and at least one exhaust poppet valve for each engine cylinder;
- a transmission, coupled to said engine, with said transmission being connected to at least one roadwheel;
- a rotating reversible machine, operatively connected with said transmission and said engine, as well as with an energy storage device, for providing power to said vehicle and for regeneratively charging said traction battery during braking of the vehicle;
- and
- an engine controller for disabling at least some of said power cylinders during regenerative braking of said vehicle, by operating at least some of said poppet valves such that the poppet valves open and close at points which are approximately symmetrical about rotational positions of the crankshaft at which the directions of motion of said pistons change.
A method for operating a reciprocating internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle during regenerative braking of the vehicle, comprising:
- operating a rotating reversible machine, coupled to the engine and to at least one roadwheel through a transmission, as a power absorber;
- and
- operating intake and exhaust poppet valves associated with the power cylinders of said engine such that said valves open and close at points which are approximately symmetrical about rotational positions of the engine's crankshaft at which the directions of motion of the engine's pistons change, whereby the power required to motor the engine during said regenerative braking will be minimized.
A method for motoring a reciprocating internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle during regenerative braking, such that the power required to motor the engine is reduced and regeneration is maximized, comprising:
- operating a rotating reversible machine, coupled to at least one roadwheel and to said engine, as a generator connected to an energy storage device;
- and
- disabling each of the power cylinders in the engine by operating intake and exhaust poppet valves associated with the power cylinders such that said valves open and close at points which are approximately symmetrical about rotational positions of the engine's crankshaft at which the directions of motion of the engine's pistons change.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.