IGNITION TIMING CONTROL DEVICE AND IGNITION TIMING CONTROL METHOD FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20120298073A1
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Murata, Masaya
• Granted Patent: US 9,261,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/406.55
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/084 Blends of gasoline and alcohols, e.g. E85
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/088 by estimation, i.e. without using direct measurements of a corresponding sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0414 Air temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0611 Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0612 determined by estimation
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1502 using one central computing unit
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1527 with means allowing burning of two or more fuels, e.g. super or normal, premium or regular
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An ignition timing control device for an internal combustion engine includes a retarding portion and a prohibiting portion. The retarding portion retards ignition timing according to a parameter that correlates with temperature inside a combustion chamber. The prohibiting portion prohibits the retarding portion from retarding the ignition timing when alcohol concentration in blended fuel is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. The internal combustion engine uses the blended fuel in which an alcohol fuel and a gasoline fuel are blended at arbitrary proportion.

Claims

1. An ignition timing control device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a retarding portion that retards ignition timing according to a parameter that correlates with temperature inside a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; and

a prohibiting portion that prohibits the retarding portion from retarding the ignition timing when alcohol concentration in blended fuel in which an alcohol fuel and a gasoline fuel are blended at arbitrary proportion is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, wherein the blended fuel is used in the internal combustion engine.

2. The ignition timing control device according to claim 1, wherein:

the retarding portion retards the ignition timing by a timing retarding correction amount; and

when the alcohol concentration is less than the predetermined value, the timing retarding correction amount is set smaller as the alcohol concentration increases.

3. The ignition timing control device according to claim 1, wherein the arbitrary proportion includes 100% of the alcohol fuel and 100% of the gasoline fuel.

4. The ignition timing control device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value is set to a value at which knocking does not occur in a condition that the parameter is a highest temperature during operation of the engine.

7. The ignition timing control device according to claim 1, wherein the parameter is at least one of intake air temperature, engine coolant temperature, and oil temperature.

8. The ignition timing control device according to claim 1, wherein the retarding portion retards the ignition timing by a timing retarding correction amount and sets the timing retarding correction amount larger as the parameter increases.

5. An ignition timing control device for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a retarding portion that retards ignition timing according to a parameter that correlates with temperature inside a combustion chamber; and

a prohibiting portion that prohibits the retarding portion from retarding the ignition timing when the internal combustion engine is using a high octane number fuel that is higher in octane number than a gasoline fuel, wherein a fuel that the internal combustion engine uses is one of the gasoline fuel and the high octane number fuel.

6. The ignition timing control device according to claim 5, wherein the high octane number fuel is liquefied petroleum gas fuel or compressed natural gas fuel.

9. An ignition timing control method for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

retarding ignition timing according to a parameter that correlates with temperature inside a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; and

prohibiting the retarding when alcohol concentration in a blended fuel in which an alcohol fuel and a gasoline fuel are blended at arbitrary proportion is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, wherein the blended fuel is used in the internal combustion engine.

10. An ignition timing control method for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

retarding ignition timing according to a parameter that correlates with temperature inside a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine; and

prohibiting the retarding when the internal combustion engine is using the high octane number fuel, wherein a fuel that the internal combustion engine uses is one of the gasoline fuel and the high octane number fuel.