Engine System and Method
First Claim
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1. An engine, comprising:
- a cylinder having cylinder bore formed in a cylinder block;
a piston reciprocally disposed within the cylinder bore;
a crankshaft connected to the piston such that reciprocal motion of the piston will result in rotational motion of the crankshaft;
one or more piston ring seals connected to the piston and disposed between the piston and the cylinder bore to sealably and slidingly engage the cylinder bore, and a cylinder head disposed to block an open end of the cylinder bore such that a combustion chamber is defined within the cylinder bore between the piston and the cylinder head;
a pressure sensor disposed to sense a cylinder pressure within the combustion chamber and provide a pressure signal, which is indicative of the cylinder pressure;
an engine timing sensor disposed to sense an angle of a rotating component of the engine and provide an engine timing signal, which is indicative of a position of the piston within the cylinder bore; and
an electronic controller programmed to;
receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor;
receive the engine timing signal from the engine timing sensor;
analyze the pressure signal and the engine timing signal to determine at least one of a misfire signal, a peak pressure signal, a pressure rise rate, an actual ignition signal, and a center of combustion signal; and
activate a fault flag when the at least one of the misfire signal, the peak pressure signal, the pressure rise rate, the actual ignition signal, and the center of combustion signal, indicates that an abnormal combustion is present in the cylinder.
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Abstract
A pressure sensor disposed to sense an engine cylinder pressure provides a pressure signal, and an engine timing sensor provides an engine timing signal to an electronic controller, which is programmed to receive and analyze the pressure and engine timing signals to determine a misfire signal, a peak pressure signal, a pressure rise rate, an actual ignition signal, and a center of combustion signal. The electronic controller is further programmed to activate a fault flag when at least one of the misfire signal, the peak pressure signal, the pressure rise rate, the actual ignition signal, and the center of combustion signal, indicates that an abnormal combustion is present in the cylinder.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An engine, comprising:
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a cylinder having cylinder bore formed in a cylinder block; a piston reciprocally disposed within the cylinder bore; a crankshaft connected to the piston such that reciprocal motion of the piston will result in rotational motion of the crankshaft; one or more piston ring seals connected to the piston and disposed between the piston and the cylinder bore to sealably and slidingly engage the cylinder bore, and a cylinder head disposed to block an open end of the cylinder bore such that a combustion chamber is defined within the cylinder bore between the piston and the cylinder head; a pressure sensor disposed to sense a cylinder pressure within the combustion chamber and provide a pressure signal, which is indicative of the cylinder pressure; an engine timing sensor disposed to sense an angle of a rotating component of the engine and provide an engine timing signal, which is indicative of a position of the piston within the cylinder bore; and an electronic controller programmed to; receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor; receive the engine timing signal from the engine timing sensor; analyze the pressure signal and the engine timing signal to determine at least one of a misfire signal, a peak pressure signal, a pressure rise rate, an actual ignition signal, and a center of combustion signal; and activate a fault flag when the at least one of the misfire signal, the peak pressure signal, the pressure rise rate, the actual ignition signal, and the center of combustion signal, indicates that an abnormal combustion is present in the cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for diagnosing an abnormal combustion in a cylinder of an engine, comprising:
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monitoring a pressure signal from an engine pressure sensor, which is indicative of a fluid pressure within a combustion chamber of the engine; monitoring an engine timing signal from an engine timing sensor, which is indicative of a rotation of an output shaft of the engine and also indicative of a position of a piston within the cylinder; receiving the pressure signal from the engine pressure sensor in an electronic controller; receiving the engine timing signal from the engine timing sensor in the electronic controller; analyzing the pressure signal and the engine timing signal using the electronic controller during normal engine operation to determine, in real time, at least one of a misfire signal, a peak pressure signal, a pressure rise rate, an actual ignition signal, and a center of combustion signal; and activating a fault flag in the electronic controller when at least one of the misfire signal, the peak pressure signal, the pressure rise rate, the actual ignition signal, and the center of combustion signal, indicates that the abnormal combustion is present in the cylinder. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification