Quick starting engine with electromechanical valves
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDonald J. Lewis, John D. Russell, Nate Trask
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method to control engine valve timing so that an internal combustion engine may be quickly started. Electromechanical valves are controlled to allow an engine to start with reduced cranking time. The method controls intake and exhaust valves without an explicit four-stroke engine cycle during a start.
Claims22
A method for starting an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising;
- during engine starter motor cranking of a first start, setting valve timing of a first electrically actuated valve of a first cylinder to generate a selected stroke in said first cylinder, where said first valve is set at a first engine position and where a remainder of cylinders in the engine are set so that the engine performs sequential combustion;
- and
- during engine starter motor cranking of a second start, setting valve timing of a second electrically actuated valve of a second cylinder to generate said selected stroke in said second cylinder, where said second valve is set at a second engine position different from said first engine position and where the remainder of cylinders in the engine are set so that the engine performs sequential combustion.
A method for starting an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising;
- during engine starter motor cranking of a first start, setting an electrically actuated valve of a first cylinder to generate a selected stroke, where said valve is set at a first engine position in which a piston of said first cylinder is after top dead center but before bottom dead center or before top dead center but after bottom dead center;
- and
- during engine starter motor cranking of a second start, setting an electrically actuated valve of a second cylinder to generate said selected stroke, where said valve is set at a second engine position in which a piston of said second cylinder is after top dead center but before bottom dead center or before top dead center but after bottom dead center, where said first engine position is different from said second engine position.
A method for starting an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising;
- during engine starter motor cranking of a first start, setting an electrically actuated valve of a cylinder to generate a first stroke, where said valve is set at a first piston position before top dead center but after bottom dead center of said cylinder;
- and
- during engine starter motor cranking of a second start, setting said valve to generate a second stroke, different from said first stroke, where said valve is set at a second piston position after top dead center but before bottom dead center of said cylinder.
A method for starting an internal combustion engine with electrically actuated valves, the method comprising;
- during engine starter motor cranking of a first start, setting valve timing of a first electrically actuated valve of a first cylinder to generate an intake stroke in said first cylinder, where said first valve is set at a first engine position and where a remainder of cylinders in the engine are set so that the engine performs sequential combustion in a firing order, and where said first valve is open before said setting;
- and
- during engine starter motor cranking of a second start, setting valve timing of a second electrically actuated valve of a second cylinder to generate said intake stroke in said second cylinder, where said second valve is set at a second engine position different from said first engine position and where the remainder of cylinders in the engine are set so that the engine performs sequential combustion in said firing order, and where said second valve is open before said setting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.