Method of supercharging an engine

• US 6,382,193 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Stockhausen, William Francis, Boyer, Bradley Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, THAI BA
• Application Number:
  US09/716,649
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 123/559.1, 123/560, 123/DIG.7, 123/198.F, 123/179.14, 123/179.18, 123/323, 123/184.53, 60/391.83
• US Class Current: 123/560
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 9/20 by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/32 Miller cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/026 delivering compressed fluid, e.g. air, reformed gas, to the active cylinders other than during starting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 123/07 Convertible

Abstract

A variable displacement internal combustion engine having an intake manifold for providing ambient air and a boost manifold is provided. Either designated cylinders or selected cylinders may be operated in a non-firing mode wherein air may be compressed in a non-firing cylinder and ported to the boost manifold to provide boosted air pressure to firing cylinders. Each cylinder has an intake valve, an intake/compressed air valve, and an exhaust valve. The intake valves are controlled by electromagnetic actuators. The exhaust valve may be controlled by an electromagnetic valve actuator or a conventional valve actuator, if desired. Intake/compressed air valves of cylinders operating in the non-firing, compressor mode are ported to the boost manifold and selectively timed to provide compressed air to the boosted manifold when additional torque is desired provided that some of the cylinders are operating in the compressor mode.

Claims

1. A variable displacement internal combustion engine having a plurality of internal combustion cylinders that have a firing mode and a compressor mode comprising:

an intake manifold for providing air to a first set of intake valves with one valve being provided for each of the cylinders;

a boost manifold for receiving compressed air from cylinders operating in the compressor mode and providing compressed air to cylinders operating in the firing mode;

each cylinder has an intake valve controlled by a first electromagnetic actuator, an intake/compressed air valve controlled by a second electromagnetic actuator, and at least one exhaust valve controlled by a third valve actuator; and

wherein the intake/compressed air valves of cylinders operating in the compressor mode are ported to the boost manifold and are selectively timed to provide compressed air to the boosted manifold when additional torque is desired when operating some of the cylinders in the compressor mode, the engine being a four-cycle engine having an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke and an exhaust stroke that is operated in a full cylinder mode wherein the intake valves and intake/compressed air valves open during the intake stroke and the exhaust valve opens during the exhaust stroke.

2. The engine of claim 1 wherein a subset of the cylinders is selectively operable in the compressor mode and are selectively ported to the boost manifold by the intake/compressed air valve.

3. The engine of claim 1 wherein all of the cylinders are selectively operable in the compressor mode and all of the cylinders are selectively ported to the boost manifold by the intake/compressed air valve.

4. A variable displacement internal combustion engine having a plurality of internal combustion cylinders that have a firing mode and a compressor mode comprising:

an intake manifold for providing air to a first set of intake valves with one valve being provided for each of the cylinders;

a boost manifold for receiving compressed air from cylinders operating in the compressor mode and providing compressed air to cylinders operating in the firing mode;

each cylinder has an intake valve controlled by a first electromagnetic actuator, an intake/compressed air valve controlled by a second electromagnetic actuator, and at least one exhaust valve controlled by a third valve actuator; and

wherein the intake/compressed air valves of cylinders operating in the compressor mode are ported to the boost manifold and are selectively timed to provide compressed air to the boosted manifold when additional torque is desired when operating some of the cylinders in the compressor mode, the engine being a four-cycle engine having an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke and an exhaust stroke that is operated in a variable displacement mode wherein the intake valves open during the intake stroke and the combustion stroke, the intake/compressed air valves open during the compression stroke and the exhaust valve opens during the exhaust stroke.

5. A variable displacement internal combustion engine having a plurality of internal combustion cylinders that have a firing mode and a compressor mode comprising:

an intake manifold for providing air to a first set of intake valves with one valve being provided for each of the cylinders;

a boost manifold for receiving compressed air from cylinders operating in the compressor mode and providing compressed air to cylinders operating in the firing mode;

each cylinder has an intake valve controlled by a first electromagnetic actuator, an intake/compressed air valve controlled by a second electromagnetic actuator, and at least one exhaust valve controlled by a third valve actuator; and

wherein the intake/compressed air valves of cylinders operating in the compressor mode are ported to the boost manifold and are selectively timed to provide compressed air to the boosted manifold when additional torque is desired when operating some of the cylinders in the compressor mode, the engine being a four-cycle engine having an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke and an exhaust stroke that is operated in a boosted variable displacement mode wherein the intake valves and intake/compressed air valves open during the intake stroke, the intake valves close during the compression stroke while the intake/compressed air valves are open during the compression stroke and the exhaust valve opens during the exhaust stroke.

6. The engine of claim 5 wherein cylinders operating in the compressor mode draw exhaust gases through the exhaust valves in addition to drawing air through the intake valves during a portion of a downward stroke, wherein the exhaust gases are compressed with the air in the cylinders operating in the compressor mode and recirculated through the boost manifold to reduce emissions of the cylinders operating in the firing mode.