AUTOMATIC ENGINE DE-CHOKING

• US 20140288808A1
• Filed: 03/20/2013
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2013
• 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, Czekala, Michael Damian, Shelby, Michael Howard
• Granted Patent: US 9,347,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/113
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0205 working on the throttle valve and another valve, e.g. choke
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/025 Opening the throttle a little during starting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 33/006 depending on engine operating conditions, e.g. start, stop or ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/067 with control of the choke non electronic control of choke see F02M1/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/00 Starting of engines by means of electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0825 related to prevention of engine restart failure, e.g. disabling automatic stop at low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2019/002 Aiding engine start by acting on fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/02 said parameters being related to the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/06 Engine stall and related control features, e.g. for automatic restart
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine

Abstract

A method may comprise automatically de-choking an engine and cranking the engine in response to an engine flood event, wherein automatically de-choking the engine comprises automatically cutting fuel to the engine while opening an air intake throttle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

automatically de-choking an engine and cranking the engine in response to an engine flood event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically de-choking the engine comprises automatically cutting fuel to the engine while increasing an air intake throttle opening.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein de-choking the engine further comprises adjusting an air-fuel ratio to a de-choking air-fuel ratio.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein de-choking the engine further comprises extending a cranking duration to increase purging of fuel from the engine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the engine flood event based on a number of engine start attempts being greater than a threshold number of engine start attempts.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the engine flood event based on a cranking duration being greater than a threshold cranking duration.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the engine flood event based on an elapsed time since a last engine start attempt being less than a first threshold time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the engine flood event based on an elapsed engine-on time being less than a second threshold time.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting the engine flood event based on an amount of fuel delivered to the engine during engine start attempts.

10. A method of automatically de-choking an engine, comprising:

cutting fuel to engine fuel injectors;

increasing an opening of an intake air throttle;

cranking the engine; and

adjusting an air-fuel ratio to a de-choking air-fuel ratio.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein cranking the engine comprises cranking the engine for an extended cranking duration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically de-choking the engine is performed in response to detecting an engine flood event.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the engine flood event comprises detecting a crank duration exceeding a threshold crank duration and/or a number of engine start attempts exceeding a threshold number of engine start attempts.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the engine flood event comprises detecting an elapsed time since a last engine start attempt exceeding a first threshold time and/or an elapsed engine running time exceeding a second threshold time.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the engine flood event comprises detecting an engine stall.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the engine flood event comprises detecting a total amount of fuel delivered to the engine during engine start attempts exceeding a threshold amount of fuel.

17. A system, comprising

an engine;

an ignition system;

a starter motor coupled to a crankshaft of the engine;

a controller having a computer storage medium with executable instructions encoded thereon, the executable instructions comprising;

instructions to cut fuel to engine fuel injectors while opening a throttle and cranking the engine in response to detecting an engine flood event; and

instructions to extend a crank duration and adjust an air-fuel ratio for de-choking the engine in response to detecting an engine flood event.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the engine comprises a carbureted engine.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the engine comprises a non-carbureted engine.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the engine comprises a hybrid vehicle engine.