Method and arrangement for equalizing at least two cylinder banks of an internal combustion engine

• US 6,712,042 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kustosch, Mario
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Johnny H.
• Application Number:
  US09/697,312
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 123/399, 123/436, 123/406.23, 123/406.47, 123/406.24
• US Class Current: 123/406.23
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/1004 Estimation of the output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/30 Controlling fuel injection F02D41/182, F02D41/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 43/00 Conjoint electrical control of two or more functions, e.g. ignition, fuel-air mixture, recirculation, supercharging or exhaust-gas treatment

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for equalizing at least two cylinder banks of an internal combustion engine wherein a control parameter is corrected. The control parameter influences the torque contributions of the cylinder banks when a deviation in the quantities is determined. These quantities represent the torque contributions of the cylinder banks.

Claims

1. A method for equalizing at least two cylinder banks of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of:

controlling each of the cylinder banks with at least one control variable;

determining a quantity representing the torque contributions of said cylinder banks; and

correcting said at least one control variable in dependence upon said quantity in a sense of an equalization of said torque contributions of said cylinder banks.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further steps of detecting segment times assigned to cylinders of said cylinder banks;

and deriving said quantity from the following;

the segment times, a spacing of two combustion operations in a cylinder or a spacing of ignitions in a cylinder of the corresponding cylinder bank.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of correcting a setting of a power adjusting element in dependence upon a value representing a deviation of said torque contributions of said cylinder banks.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said quantity is the mean value of said segment times and wherein the method further comprises correcting a setting of a power adjusting element in dependence upon a deviation of the mean values of said cylinder banks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said internal combustion engine is a diesel engine;

and, wherein the method comprises the further step of correcting a quantity of fuel to be injected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said internal combustion engine is a spark ignition engine;

and, wherein the method comprises the further step of adjusting at least one of the following;

a power adjusting element, an ignition angle of at least one cylinder of a cylinder bank and a metering of fuel.

7. An arrangement for equalizing at least two cylinder banks of an internal combustion engine, the arrangement comprising:

a control apparatus for controlling the at least two cylinder banks by outputting at least one control variable; and

said control apparatus including means for determining quantities representing the torque contributions of said cylinder banks; and

means for correcting said at least one control variable in dependence upon said quantities in a sense of an equalization of said torque contributions of said cylinder banks.