Engine control system with motorized butterfly body

An engine control system for a spark-ignition internal combustion engine of a vehicle equipped with a fuel injection system, comprising:

• an integrated assembly including:
• a motorized butterfly unit, having a butterfly body including:
• a) a duct and a spindle, b) at least one butterfly rotatably mounted on said spindle in said duct of said body, c) at least one first actuator for actuating said butterfly by controlling rotation of said spindle, and d) at least one first sensor for sensing a butterfly angular position, and wherein said first actuator and said first sensor are incorporated within said butterfly body;
• a first electronic calculation and control unit (ECCU) for controlling said butterfly, said first ECCU being directly built into said butterfly body and including:
• a) at least one power circuit for operating said first actuator and directly connected to said first actuator, b) at least one control circuit for automatically controlling said butterfly angular position, said control circuit directly connected to said first sensor;
• said control circuit receiving a butterfly angular position signal from said first sensor, comparing said butterfly angular position signal with at least one butterfly angular position reference signal corresponding to a desired angular position of said butterfly, and formulating, on the basis of an error signal resulting from the comparison, control signals for regulating said butterfly angular position, which control signals are transmitted to said power circuit;
• an interface stage between said power circuit and said control circuit, said interface stage providing for shaping of said control signals;
• and
• an electric power supply unit for powering at least said power circuit, said control circuit, and said first sensor;
• second sensors for sensing operating parameters of said engine including engine rotational speed, engine shaft position, engine cooling water temperature, and at least one parameter chosen from a group comprising intake manifold air pressure and intake manifold air flowrate;
• second actuators for actuating fuel injection and ignition circuits of the engine;
• a second ECCU, connected to said second sensors and to said second actuators, for controlling said engine by transmitting, via said second actuators, on the basis of signals received from said second sensors, orders for controlling fuel injection and ignition to injector windings, to a fuel pump, and to ignition coils of said vehicle, said second ECCU further formulating said butterfly angular position reference signal, as well as a reconstructed butterfly angular position signal, said reconstructed butterfly angular position signal being formulated on the basis of an engine rotational speed signal and of a signal chosen from the group comprising intake manifold air pressure and intake manifold air flowrate, received from said second sensors;
• a third sensor, directly connected to said second ECCU, for sensing the angular position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle and transmitting an accelerator pedal angular position signal to said second ECCU, said second ECCU formulating said butterfly angular position reference signal based on said accelerator pedal angular position signal;
• a fourth sensor, for sensing actuation of said accelerator pedal, being one of a contactor sensitive to the actuation of said accelerator pedal or an additional sensor for sensing the angular position of said accelerator pedal, said fourth sensor being directly connected to said first ECCU so as to dissociate the signals coming from said accelerator pedal toward said first ECCU via said fourth sensor, and toward said second ECCU via said third sensor;
• a fifth sensor for sensing actuation of a brake pedal of the vehicle being directly connected to said first ECCU;
• and
• a communication line interconnecting said first and second ECCUs, said first and second ECCUs exchanging information via said communication line, said information including signals from said first, fourth and fifth sensors transmitted from said first to said second ECCU as well as said butterfly angular position reference signal and said reconstructed butterfly angular position signal transmitted from said second to said first ECCU.