System and method for reactivating engine cylinders

• US 10,107,216 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Glugla, Chris Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Manley, Sherman
• Application Number:
  US15/428,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20170356364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/181 Centre pivot rocking arms
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0005 Deactivating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0476 Camshaft bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0535 Single overhead camshafts [SOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0537 Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/186 Split rocking arms, e.g. rocker arms having two articulated parts and means for varying the relative position of these parts or for selectively connecting the parts to move in unison
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2013/001 Deactivating cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2250/04 the camshaft being driven by belts
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2305/00 Valve arrangements comprising rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/00 Methods of operation using a variable valve timing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2810/02 Lubrication
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/04 using engine as brake
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0012 with selective deactivation of cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/26 using computer, e.g. microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3094 : the fuel injection being effected by at least two different injectors, e.g. one in the intake manifold and one in the cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating valves are presented. In one example, deactivated valves may be reactivated to increase a rate of camshaft phase indexing relative to engine crankshaft position. However, if a desired rate of camshaft indexing is low, the engine cylinders may remain deactivated based on the low rate of desired camshaft indexing.

Claims

1. A method for operating an engine including a cylinder deactivation system and a variable valve timing system, comprising:

activating one or more deactivated cylinder valves via a controller in response to a request to adjust a phase of an engine camshaft relative to an engine crankshaft; and

adjusting a the phase of the engine camshaft via torque provided via activating the one or more deactivated cylinder valves.

2. The method of claim 1, where the one or more deactivated cylinder valves include an exhaust valve.

3. The method of claim 1, where the engine camshaft operates engine intake and exhaust valves.

4. The method of claim 1, where the engine camshaft operates engine exhaust valves and not engine intake valves.

5. The method of claim 1, where the engine camshaft operates engine intake valves and not engine exhaust valves.

6. The method of claim 1, where the one or more deactivated cylinder valves are activated before adjusting the phase of the engine camshaft.

7. A method for operating an engine including a cylinder deactivation system and a variable valve timing system, comprising:

activating one or more deactivated cylinder valves via a controller in response to a request to adjust the phase of an engine camshaft during a first condition; and

not activating one or more deactivated cylinder valves via a controller in response to a request to adjust the phase of an engine camshaft during a second condition.

8. The method of claim 7, where the first condition is a rate of cam movement less than a threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, where the second condition is the rate of cam movement greater than the threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, where the one or more deactivated cylinder valves are in a single cylinder.

11. The method of claim 7, where the one or more deactivated cylinder valves are in more than one cylinder.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising richening an air fuel ratio of a cylinder in response to activating the one or more deactivated cylinder valves.

13. The method of claim 12, where the air fuel ratio of the cylinder is in a different cylinder than cylinders including the one or more deactivated cylinder valves.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising moving the engine camshaft.

15. A vehicle system, comprising:

an engine including a torque actuated camshaft, a crankshaft, a cylinder deactivation system and a variable valve timing system; and

a controller including non-transitory executable instructions, which when executed by the controller, cause the controller to adjust a phase of the torque actuated camshaft relative to the crankshaft in response to reactivating one or more deactivated valves of the engine.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to reinitiate combustion in one or more cylinders in which the one or more deactivated valves are located.

17. The vehicle system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to determine a desired rate of cam motion.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, further comprising additional instructions to reactivate the one or more deactivated valves when the torque actuated camshaft cannot move at the desired rate of cam motion without activating the one or more deactivated valves.

19. The vehicle system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to richen an air-fuel ratio of a cylinder in response to reactivating the one or more deactivated valves.

20. The vehicle system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to exhaust combustion gases from a cylinder and intake fresh air into the cylinder before deactivating the one or more deactivated valves.