Vacuum management system on a variable displacement engine
First Claim
1. A vehicle variable displacement internal combustion engine arrangement comprising:
- a first group of cylinders;
a second selectively deactivatable group of cylinders;
a manifold exposed to at least one of said group of cylinders;
a vacuum system communicating with said manifold; and
an engine controller cognizant of a vacuum level of said vacuum system, said controller modifying operation of said engine to increase a vacuum level of said manifold when said second group of cylinders is deactivated and said vacuum system vacuum level is lower than a predetermined level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle reciprocating piston, variable displacement internal combustion engine arrangement 7 is provided. The arrangement 7 includes a first cylinder group 12. A second selectively deactivatable cylinder group 14 is also provided. A manifold 18 is provided which is exposed to at least one of the cylinder groups. A vacuum system 24 is powered by manifold 18. An engine controller 16 is cognizant of a vacuum level of the vacuum system 24. The controller modifies operation of the engine arrangement 7 to increase a vacuum level of the manifold 38 when the second cylinder group 14 is deactivated and the vacuum system 24 vacuum level is lower than a predetermined level
12 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A vehicle variable displacement internal combustion engine arrangement comprising:
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a first group of cylinders;
a second selectively deactivatable group of cylinders;
a manifold exposed to at least one of said group of cylinders;
a vacuum system communicating with said manifold; and
an engine controller cognizant of a vacuum level of said vacuum system, said controller modifying operation of said engine to increase a vacuum level of said manifold when said second group of cylinders is deactivated and said vacuum system vacuum level is lower than a predetermined level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A vehicle reciprocating piston, variable displacement internal combustion engine arrangement comprising:
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a first group of cylinders;
a second selectively deactivatable group of cylinders;
a first throttled manifold exposed to at least one of said first group of cylinders;
a second independently throttled manifold exposed to said second group of cylinders;
a vacuum system communicating with said first and second manifolds, and an engine controller cognizant of a vacuum level of said vacuum system, said controller modifying operation of said engine to increase a vacuum level of said vacuum system by firing a cylinder of said second group when said second group of cylinders is deactivated and said vacuum system vacuum level is lower than a predetermined level.
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27. A method of operating an arrangement of a vehicle having a variable displacement internal combustion engine which additionally powers a vacuum system, said engine including a first group of cylinders and a second group of cylinders which may be selectively deactivated when a power demand for said engine is below a predetermined valve, said method comprising:
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operating said first group of cylinders to power said vehicle;
connecting said vacuum system with a manifold supplying air to said engine;
fluidly exposing said manifold to one or more of said groups of cylinders;
signaling an engine controller of a vacuum level of said vacuum system; and
controlling said engine to increase a vacuum level of said manifold when said vacuum level is lower than a predetermined level and said second group of cylinders is deactivated. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification