# US 9,435,256 B2 · Control apparatus for an internal combustion engine

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- Number: US 9,435,256 B2
- Document ID: US9435256B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/462,959
- Filed: 2014-08-19
- Published: 2015-02-26
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-08-22
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yoshihisa Shinoda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435256B2

## CPC

- F02B 37/183: {Arrangements of bypass valves or actuators therefor}
- F01N 3/103: {Oxidation catalysts for HC and CO only}
- F01N 3/2892: {Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device}
- F01N 13/107: {More than one exhaust manifold or exhaust collector}
- F02B 37/025: {Multiple scrolls or multiple gas passages guiding the gas to the pump drive}
- F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)}
- F02D 41/0082: {per groups or banks (F02D41/0087 takes precedence)}
- F02D 41/025: {by changing the composition of the exhaust gas, e.g. for exothermic reaction on exhaust gas treating apparatus}
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G)
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a first exhaust passage through which an exhaust gas of a first cylinder group flows, a second exhaust passage through which an exhaust gas of a second cylinder group flows, a third exhaust passage formed by merging of the first exhaust passage and the second exhaust passage, a centrifugal supercharger equipped with a turbine arranged in the third exhaust passage, an exhaust gas purification device arranged in the third exhaust passage at a location downstream of the turbine of the centrifugal supercharger, a bypass passage branching from the first exhaust passage, and merging into the third exhaust passage at a location upstream of the exhaust gas purification device, and a waste gate valve for switching opening and closing of the bypass passage, wherein when inter-cylinder-group imbalance processing is carried out, the bypass passage is made to open.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control apparatus comprising:
an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of fuel injectors, the plurality of cylinders are grouped into a first cylinder group and a second cylinder group;
a first exhaust passage that is connected to said internal combustion engine, with an exhaust gas of said first cylinder group flowing therethrough;
a second exhaust passage that is connected to said internal combustion engine, with an exhaust gas of said second cylinder group flowing therethrough;
a third exhaust passage that is formed by merging of said first exhaust passage and said second exhaust passage;
a centrifugal supercharger that is equipped with a turbine arranged at a merging portion of said first exhaust passage and said second exhaust passage or in said third exhaust passage;
an exhaust gas purification device that is arranged in said third exhaust passage at a location downstream of said turbine of said centrifugal supercharger, with a catalyst having an oxidation function being received therein;
a bypass passage that branches from said first exhaust passage, and merges into said third exhaust passage at a location upstream of said exhaust gas purification device, while bypassing said turbine;
a waste gate valve that switches opening and closing of said bypass passage; and
an electronic control unit operatively connected to said waste gate valve and said plurality of fuel injectors, said electronic control unit configured to:
carry out an imbalance processing by controlling the plurality of fuel injectors such that an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in a cylinder of either one of said first cylinder group and said second cylinder group is made richer than a stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in a cylinder of the other of said first cylinder group and said second cylinder group is made leaner than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio; and
control said waste gate valve so as to open said bypass passage when the imbalance processing is carried out by said electronic control unit,
wherein when said electronic control unit cannot control said waste gate valve to open said bypass passage, said electronic control unit controls the plurality of fuel injectors such that an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in each of a part of the cylinders of said first cylinder group is made leaner than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and at the same time, an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in each of the remaining cylinders of said first cylinder group is made richer than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and
said electronic control unit controls the plurality of fuel injectors such that an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in each of a part of the cylinders of said second cylinder group leaner than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and at the same time, an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in each of the remaining cylinders of said second cylinder group is made richer than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein when the imbalance processing is carried out said electronic control unit controls said plurality of fuel injectors to have an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in a cylinder of said first cylinder group richer than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio, and at the same time, have an air fuel ratio of a mixture to be combusted in a cylinder of said second cylinder group leaner than the stoichiometric air fuel ratio.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The control apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:
an auxiliary bypass passage that branches from said second exhaust passage, and merges into said third exhaust passage at a location upstream of said exhaust gas purification device, while bypassing said turbine; and
an auxiliary waste gate valve that switches opening and closing of said auxiliary bypass passage;
wherein when in cases where the imbalance processing is carried out, said electronic control unit controls said waste gate valve so that said bypass passage is opened, and also controls said auxiliary waste gate valve so that said auxiliary bypass passage is opened.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:
an auxiliary bypass passage that branches from said second exhaust passage, and merges into said third exhaust passage at a location upstream of said exhaust gas purification device, while bypassing said turbine; and
an auxiliary waste gate valve that switches opening and closing of said auxiliary bypass passage;
wherein when the imbalance processing is carried out, said electronic control unit controls said waste gate valve so that said bypass passage is opened, and also controls said auxiliary waste gate valve so that said auxiliary bypass passage is opened.