Global cam sensing system
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsJason Thomas Davis, Donald Clayton Warner, David Stewart Mathews
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camshaft system for use with an internal combustion engine including a camshaft having a plurality of lobes to actuate valves in the internal combustion engine, a sprocket coupled to the camshaft to drive the camshaft, and a target wheel coupled to the camshaft, the target wheel having an irregular surface capable of providing process data for operation of a plurality of internal combustion engine configurations.
Claims24
A target wheel for providing timing information for a camshaft in an internal combustion engine, the target wheel comprising a substantially circular member having an irregular surface coupled to the camshaft, said irregular surface capable of providing camshaft position and speed information for a plurality of different internal combustion engine configurations.
A camshaft system for use with an internal combustion engine comprising:
- a camshaft having a plurality of lobes to actuate valves in the internal combustion engine;
- a sprocket coupled to said camshaft to drive said camshaft;
- and
- a target wheel coupled to said camshaft, said target wheel having an irregular radial surface;
- said irregular radial surface comprising a plurality of tabs providing engine timing information for a plurality of engine configurations such that the camshaft system may be operated with a plurality of engine configurations.
A method of adapting a camshaft control system to a plurality of engine configurations comprising the steps of:
- providing a target wheel with tabs protruding from a radial surface of the target wheel;
- configuring said tabs to provide engine timing information for a plurality of engine configurations;
- mounting said target wheel to a camshaft;
- providing a sensor to detect said tabs;
- and
- electronically coupling said sensor to an engine controller, said controller including calibration software to determine the timing of said tabs with respect to the operation of a particular engine configuration.
An internal combustion engine control system comprising:
- an intake manifold for providing air to the internal combustion engine;
- a throttle plate controlling the flow of said air;
- a fuel injector introducing fuel into said air to form an air-fuel mixture;
- at least one piston for combusting said air-fuel mixture using a spark plug;
- a plurality of valves to control intake and exhaust of said at least one piston;
- a first camshaft having a plurality of lobes to actuate said exhaust valves;
- a sprocket coupled to said first camshaft to drive said first camshaft;
- a crankshaft to drive said sprocket;
- a target wheel coupled to said camshaft, said target wheel having an irregular radial surface capable of providing process data for operation of a plurality of internal combustion engine configurations;
- and
- said irregular radial surface comprising sixteen teeth, said sixteen teeth providing said process data for said plurality of internal combustion engine configurations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.