HEV internal combustion engine pre-positioning
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorAl Berger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling an engine that operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions, the method comprising of providing an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position and adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.
Claims19
A method for controlling an engine that operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions, the method comprising:
- providing an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position at each engine shutdown;
- adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.
A system for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle, the system comprising:
- an engine with a plurality of cylinders, wherein at least one cylinder operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions;
- an electric motor/generator;
- a one-way clutch coupled to the engine's crankshaft;
- and
- a controller for periodically stopping the engine and operating the motor to drive said vehicle, where, at each engine shutdown, the engine is stopped at an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position, said controller adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.
A computer storage medium having instructions encoded therein for controlling an engine that operates with negative valve overlap between an intake valve and an exhaust valve during at least some conditions, the medium comprising:
- code for providing an engine stop position with at least one cylinder near top dead center of piston position by adjusting an engine position at each engine shutdown through an electric motor coupled to the engine, and holding that position with a one-way clutch;
- and
- code for adjusting at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to position the at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of said at least one cylinder so that the at least one of said intake and exhaust valves is substantially closed at said engine stop position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.