AUTOMATIC STOP/RESTART CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AND VARIABLE VALVE ACTUATING APPARATUS

• US 20150369199A1
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: NAKAMURA, Makoto
• Application Number:
  US14/658,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20150369199A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/3442 using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0026 by means of an eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0537 Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/3443 Solenoid driven oil control valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34469 Lock movement parallel to camshaft axis
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/34483 Phaser return springs
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2013/0073 with an oscillating cam acting on the valve of the "Delphi" type
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2250/02 the camshaft being driven by chains
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2820/032 Electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0211 the change of valve timing is caused by the change in valve lift, i.e. both valve lift and timing are functionally related
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0219 by shifting the phase, i.e. the opening periods of the valves are constant
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/08 for rendering engine inoperative or idling
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2013/0292 in the start-up phase, e.g. for warming-up cold engine or catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/004 : Aiding engine start by using decompression means or variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine comprising: an engine stop device configured to stop fuel injection from a fuel injection valve in response to generation of an engine stop request during an operation of an internal combustion engine; and a restart device configured to restart the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve and opening an exhaust valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an expansion stroke end side in response to generation of a restart request by a driver in a course of a decrease in number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine during stop of the fuel injection by the engine stop device.

Claims

1. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine stop device configured to stop fuel injection from a fuel injection valve in response to generation of an engine stop request during an operation of an internal combustion engine; and

a restart device configured to restart the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve and to open an exhaust valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an expansion stroke end side, in response to generation of a restart request by a driver in a course of a decrease in number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine during stop of the fuel injection by the engine stop device.

2. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein the restart device closes an intake valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an intake stroke end side.

3. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein:

in response to the generation of the restart request by the driver, when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine is more than a first predetermined number of revolutions, the restart device opens the exhaust valve on a front side of the bottom dead center on the expansion stroke end side; and

when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be equal to or less than the first predetermined number of revolutions, the restart device opens the exhaust value in the vicinity of the bottom dead center on the expansion stroke end side.

4. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein in response to the generation of the restart request by the driver, when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be less than a second predetermined number of revolutions that is lower than the first predetermined number of revolutions, the restart device uses a starter to restart the internal combustion engine.

5. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

an engine stop device configured to stop fuel injection from a fuel injection valve in response to generation of an engine stop request during an operation of an internal combustion engine; and

a restart device configured to open an exhaust valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an expansion stroke end side, when number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be equal to or less than a predetermined exhaust valve control revolution number during stop of the fuel injection by the engine stop device, and to restart the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve at the valve timing in response to generation of a restart request by a driver.

6. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein during the stop of the fuel injection by the engine stop device, when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be equal to or less than the predetermined exhaust valve control revolution number, an intake valve is closed in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an intake stroke end side.

7. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein in response to the generation of the restart request by the driver, when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be less than a second predetermined number of revolutions that is lower than the exhaust valve control revolution number, the restart device uses a starter to restart the internal combustion engine.

8. An automatic stop/restart control system for an internal combustion engine according to claim 7, wherein the restart device drives the starter after a predetermined period from the stop of rotation of the internal combustion engine, and then restarts the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve.

9. A variable valve actuating apparatus, comprising an exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism configured to control an open/close state of an exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine, the exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism configured to be driven and controlled by an exhaust valve control signal from a control apparatus which calculates the open/close state of the exhaust valve,

wherein when an engine stop request is generated during an operation of the internal combustion engine so as to stop fuel injection from a fuel injection valve, and when a restart request by a driver is generated in a course of a decrease in number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine, the exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism transitions to a mechanically stable position so as to open the exhaust valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an expansion stroke end side.

10. A variable valve actuating apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an intake-side variable valve actuating mechanism configured to control an open/close state of an intake valve by an intake valve control signal from the control apparatus in addition to the exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism,

wherein when the restart request by the driver is generated, the intake-side variable valve actuating mechanism transitions to a mechanically stable position so as to close the intake valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an intake stroke end side.

11. A variable valve actuating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the engine stop request is generated during the operation of the internal combustion engine so as to stop the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve, and when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be equal to or less than a predetermined exhaust valve control number of revolutions in the course of the decrease in the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine, the exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism transitions to the mechanically stable position so as to open the exhaust valve in the vicinity of the bottom dead center on the expansion stroke end side.

12. A variable valve actuating apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an intake-side variable valve actuating mechanism configured to control an open/close state of an intake valve by an intake valve control signal from the control apparatus in addition to the exhaust-side variable valve actuating mechanism,

wherein when the number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine decreases to be equal to or less than the predetermined exhaust valve control revolution number, the intake-side variable valve actuating mechanism transitions to a mechanically stable position so as to close the intake valve in a vicinity of a bottom dead center on an intake stroke end side.