Method for operating an engine with a hybrid valvetrain
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsThomas George Leone, Diana Dawn Brehob, John D. Russell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for controlling intake valves in an internal combustion with intake valves operated by more than one type of actuation device includes defining operating modes of the intake valve and mapping these onto engine torque and engine speed operating regions. Torque control within regions and steps to accomplish smooth transitions among regions are defined.
Claims65
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, with the engine having at least one cylinder, at least one randomly operable intake valve, at least one selectable intake valve with a predetermined valve closing time, a throttle valve disposed in the intake system, and an engine control unit, the method comprising the steps of:
- sensing demanded engine torque;
- sensing engine speed;
- admitting air into the cylinder through the randomly operable intake valve when the engine is operating in a first region characterized by a first relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque;
- admitting air into the cylinder through the selectable intake valve when the engine is operating in a second region characterized by a second relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque, wherein for a given engine torque said second region provides a higher engine speed than said first region;
- and
- admitting air into the cylinder through both the randomly operable intake valve and the selectable intake valve when the engine is operating in a third region characterized by a third relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque, wherein for a given engine speed said third region provides a higher engine torque than said first and said second regions.
A valvetrain system in an internal combustion engine, with the engine having at least one cylinder, at least one randomly operable intake valve, at least one selectable intake valve, and an engine control unit which:
- senses demanded engine torque;
- senses engine speed;
- provides a signal to actuate the randomly operable intake valve so that air is admitted into the cylinder through the randomly operable intake valve alone when the engine is operating in a first region characterized by a first relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque;
- provides a signal to actuate the selectable intake valve so that air is admitted into the cylinder through the selectable intake valve alone when the engine is operating in a second region characterized by a second relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque, wherein for a given engine torque said second region provides a higher engine speed than said first region;
- and
- provides a signal to actuate both the randomly operable intake valve and the selectable intake valve so that air is admitted into the cylinder through said both intake valves when the engine is operating in a third region characterized by a third relationship between said engine speed and said demanded engine torque, wherein for a given engine speed said third region provides a higher engine torque than said first and said second regions.
A control system for an internal combustion engine have a first region of operation characterized by a first relationship between engine speed and engine torque, a second region of operation characterized by a second relationship between engine speed and engine torque, wherein for a given engine torque said second region provides a higher engine speed than said first region, and a third region of operation characterized by a third relationship between engine speed and engine torque, wherein for a given engine speed said third region provides a higher engine torque than said first and said second regions comprising:
- at least one cylinder within the engine;
- at least one randomly operable intake valve disposed in said cylinder,
- at least one selectable intake valve disposed in said cylinder,
- an air intake for conducting air to said cylinder;
- a throttle valve positioned in said air intake;
- and
- an engine controller for sensing engine speed, sensing engine torque, and determining operating region of the engine based on sensed engine speed and sensed engine torque.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.