MULTI-STROKE VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT ENGINE

• US 20110239963A1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Surnilla, Gopichandra, Michelini, John Ottavio
• Granted Patent: US 8,523,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/21
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 69/06 for different cycles, e.g. convertible from two-stroke to four stroke
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/02 Four-stroke combustion engines with electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/04 Two-stroke combustion engines with electronic control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3058 the engine working with a variable number of cycles

Abstract

A vehicle propulsion system and method of operation are presented. As one example, cylinder deactivation and transitioning from four to two strokes is coordinated with transmission shifting to improve vehicle response. Additionally, it is possible to reduce transitions in operating modes to improve drive feel.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for a vehicle having an engine coupled to a transmission, comprising:

transitioning from a four-stroke cycle to a two-stroke cycle during a transmission shift from first gear to third gear, skipping second gear therebetween;

transitioning from the two-stroke cycle to the four-stroke cycle while maintaining third gear; and

transitioning from the four-stroke cycle to the two-stroke cycle during a transmission shift from third gear to fifth gear, skipping fourth gear therebetween.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein vehicle speed is increasing during each of the transitions.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising selectively deactivating engine cylinders during engine operation while maintaining the transmission in a selected gear.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the shift from first to third gear occurs at a lower vehicle speed than the shift from third to fifth gear.

25. A method for a vehicle having an engine coupled to a transmission, comprising:

transitioning from a two-stroke cycle to a four-stroke cycle during a transmission down-shift to a gear, the down-shift skipping an intermediate gear, while vehicle speed is decreasing; and

transitioning from the four-stroke cycle to the two-stroke cycle while maintaining the transmission in the gear while vehicle speed is further decreasing.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

transitioning from the two-stroke cycle to the four-stroke cycle during a further transmission down-shift from the gear, the down-sift skipping another intermediate gear, while vehicle speed is still further decreasing.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising selectively deactivating engine cylinders during engine operation.

28. A method for a vehicle propulsion system, comprising:

producing an engine output that propels the vehicle via a transmission by repeatedly performing combustion in a first engine cylinder without performing combustion in a second engine cylinder; and

transitioning the first cylinder from a four-stroke cycle to a two-stroke cycle to increase the engine output while up-shifting a transmission gear ratio from a lower gear to a higher gear.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

activating the second cylinder and repeatedly performing combustion in the first and second cylinders of the engine to increase engine output; and

shifting the transmission responsive to activating the second cylinder.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising, reducing a throttle opening in an intake passage of the first and second cylinders in response to the transition from four-stroke to two-stroke.