Starter alternator with variable displacement engine and method of operating the same
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAllan Dale Murray, John Edward Brevick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system 40 for starting a variable displacement internal combustion engine 12 of an automotive vehicle 10 has a controller 54 coupled to a starter/alternator 42 that is used for initiating the rotation crankshaft 50 of the engine 12. The controller 54 controls the amount of torque provided by the starter/alternator 42 of the crankshaft. The starter/alternator rotates the crankshaft to a predetermined torque to reduce torque ripple in the crankshaft.
Claims17
A method of controlling the output of a crankshaft of a variable displacement internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders having a starter/alternator coupled to the crankshaft of the engine, said method comprising:
- closing a cylinder;
- monitoring crankshaft torque;
- rotating the crankshaft of the engine with the starter/alternator;
- and,
- varying a torque of the starter/alternator to a predetermined torque in response to crankshaft torque.
A method of controlling the output of a crankshaft of a variable displacement internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders having a starter/alternator coupled to the crankshaft of the engine, said method comprising:
- closing a cylinder;
- monitoring crankshaft torque having a torque ripple corresponding to a torque imbalance as a function of closing a cylinder;
- rotating the crankshaft of the engine with the starter/alternator;
- selectively increasing a torque of the starter/alternator to a predetermined torque in response to said torque ripple;
- and
- smoothing said torque ripple in response to said predetermined torque and said torque ripple.
A system for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a variable displacement internal combustion engine having a crankshaft and a plurality of cylinders, said chankshaft having a crankshaft torque;
- a starter/alternator coupled to the crankshaft;
- a controller coupled to the starter/alternator for rotating said crankshaft to a predetermined torque to reduce torque ripple in the crankshaft when at least one of said plurality of cylinders is closed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.