System and method for controlling internal combustion engine
AssigneeNissan Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsTakahiko Hirasawa, Mikio Matsumoto, Hatsuo Nagaishi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
When a failure of a variable valve timing mechanism of an internal combustion engine is detected, both a cylinder which is associated with the mechanism in failure and another cylinder which has a symmetrical phase in operation to the above-mentioned cylinder with respect to the stroke cycle are brought into inoperative condition. At the same time, the amount of air/fuel mixture fed to the remaining cylinders is increased. With this measure, engine vibration and power drop are suppressed or at least minimized.
Claims12
In an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable valve timing mechanism which variably controls operation timing of intake or exhaust valves of respective cylinders,
- A system for controlling the engine, comprising:
- a first unit which detects a failure of said variable valve timing mechanism;
- a second unit which discriminates a first cylinder which is associated with the variable valve timing mechanism in failure;
- a third unit which discriminates a second cylinder whose inoperative condition would cancel a possible unbalanced rotation of the engine which would be caused by an inoperative condition of said first cylinder;
- a fourth unit which causes said first and second cylinders to take the inoperative conditions;
- and
- a fifth unit which increases the amount of air/fuel mixture fed to the remaining cylinders.
In an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable valve timing mechanism which variably controls operation timing of intake or exhaust valves of respective cylinders,
- a method for controlling the engine, comprising:
- detecting a failure of said variable valve timing mechanism;
- discriminating a first cylinder which is associated with the variable valve timing mechanism in failure;
- discriminating a second cylinder whose inoperative condition would cancel a possible unbalanced rotation of the engine which would be caused by an inoperative condition of said first cylinder;
- causing said first and second cylinders to take the inoperative conditions;
- and
- increasing the amount of air/fuel mixture fed to the remaining cylinders.
In an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders, a variable valve timing mechanism for each cylinder, a fuel injector for each cylinder and an ignition plug for each cylinder,
- a system for controlling the engine, comprising:
- a first unit which detects a failure of the variable valve timing mechanism;
- a second unit which, upon detection of the failure by said first unit, selects a first cylinder of the cylinders, which is associated with the variable valve timing mechanism in failure;
- a third unit which, upon selection of the first cylinder by said second unit, selects a second cylinder of the cylinders, whose operation has a phase substantially symmetrical to that of the first cylinder with respect to the stroke cycle of the engine;
- a fourth unit which, upon selection of the second cylinder by said third unit, makes said first and second cylinders inoperative;
- and
- a fifth unit which, upon making the inoperative condition of said first and second cylinders, increases the amount of air/fuel mixture fed to the remaining cylinders.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.