Internal Combustion Engine with Cylinders that can be De-Activated, with Exhaust Gas Recirculation by Variable Control of the Intake Valves, and Method for Controlling an Internal Combustion Engine
First Claim
1. Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
- at least one intake valve for each cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine,actuator means for the at least one intake valve suitable to vary the time and/or the opening stroke of the at least one intake valve of each cylinder depending on the operating conditions of the engine, and independently from the at least one intake valve of each other cylinder of the plurality of cylinders,electronic control means for controlling said actuator means and for controlling the supply of fuel to the plurality of cylinders of the engine,said electronic control means programmed for;
deactivating at least one deactivated cylinder of the cylinders of the engine by cutting off fuel supply to said at least one deactivated cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption,keeping the intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stage in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, in the abovementioned operating conditions with the at least one deactivated cylinder, so that in the at least one deactivated cylinder part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder,keeping the intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder closed after the discharge stage in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, as soon as—
with the subsequent intake stage—
the burnt gases left in the respective intake conduit return into the cylinder, and before any substantial amount of fresh air starts getting into the cylinder,keeping said intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, over the duration of the deactivation condition.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided with a system for the variable actuation of the intake valves. At least one part of the engine cylinders is deactivated, cutting off fuel supply to said cylinders, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are kept at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stages in the deactivated cylinders, hence, in the deactivated cylinders, part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder. The intake valves are closed after the discharge stage. The intake valves of the deactivated cylinders are further kept closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, comprising:
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at least one intake valve for each cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of the engine, actuator means for the at least one intake valve suitable to vary the time and/or the opening stroke of the at least one intake valve of each cylinder depending on the operating conditions of the engine, and independently from the at least one intake valve of each other cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, electronic control means for controlling said actuator means and for controlling the supply of fuel to the plurality of cylinders of the engine, said electronic control means programmed for; deactivating at least one deactivated cylinder of the cylinders of the engine by cutting off fuel supply to said at least one deactivated cylinder of the plurality of cylinders, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption, keeping the intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stage in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, in the abovementioned operating conditions with the at least one deactivated cylinder, so that in the at least one deactivated cylinder part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, keeping the intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder closed after the discharge stage in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, as soon as—
with the subsequent intake stage—
the burnt gases left in the respective intake conduit return into the cylinder, and before any substantial amount of fresh air starts getting into the cylinder,keeping said intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder of the at least one deactivated cylinder, over the duration of the deactivation condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Method for controlling a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine,
wherein the engine comprises: -
at least one intake valve for each cylinder, and actuator means for the intake valves suitable to vary the time and/or the opening stroke of the intake valves of each cylinder depending on the operating conditions of the engine, and independently from the intake valves of the other cylinders, at least one deactivated cylinder deactivated, cutting off fuel supply to said at least one deactivated cylinder, under operating conditions that do not require the maximum power of the engine and in which one wants to reduce fuel consumption, in the abovementioned operating conditions with cylinders deactivated, the intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder are kept at least partly open during at least one part of the discharge stages in the deactivated cylinders, so that, in the at least one deactivated cylinder, part of the burnt gases generated during the operation prior to the deactivation flows into the respective intake conduits during the discharge stage of each cylinder, said intake valves being closed after the discharge stage in the respective deactivated cylinder, as soon as—
with the subsequent intake stage—
the burnt gases left in the respective intake conduit return into the cylinder, and before any substantial amount of fresh air starts getting into the cylinder,said intake valves of the at least one deactivated cylinder being further kept closed during the compression and expansion stages in each deactivated cylinder, over the duration of the deactivation condition. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification