Cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine
First Claim
1. A cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine comprising:
- a variety of sensors for detecting operating conditions of an engine having a plurality of cylinders;
a catalytic converter for purifying exhaust gas of said engine; and
a cylinder disabling control means for performing cylinder disabling control on at least one specific cylinder among said plurality of cylinders by inhibiting fuel supplied to the at least one specific cylinder in accordance with the engine operating conditions;
wherein said variety of sensors includes a water temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of cooling water of said engine; and
when the temperature of cooling water upon starting of said engine is equal to or higher than a first predetermined temperature, said cylinder disabling control means performs cylinder disabling control on said at least one specific cylinder immediately after the starting of said engine until a determined time has elapsed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine is provided which is capable of efficiently reducing the exhaust gas of the engine immediately after the starting thereof. The cylinder disabling control apparatus includes a variety of sensors (2, 3, 12-14, and 16), a catalytic converter (17) and a cylinder disabling control element (21) for inhibiting or stopping fuel supplied to the at least one specific cylinder in accordance with the engine operating conditions. The variety of sensors includes a water temperature sensor (14) for detecting a temperature of cooling water (WT). When the temperature (WT) upon starting of the engine 6 is equal to or higher than a first predetermined temperature (WT1), the cylinder disabling control element (21) performs cylinder disabling control on the at least one specific cylinder until a predetermined time has elapsed immediately after the starting of the engine (6).
46 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine comprising:
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a variety of sensors for detecting operating conditions of an engine having a plurality of cylinders;
a catalytic converter for purifying exhaust gas of said engine; and
a cylinder disabling control means for performing cylinder disabling control on at least one specific cylinder among said plurality of cylinders by inhibiting fuel supplied to the at least one specific cylinder in accordance with the engine operating conditions;
wherein said variety of sensors includes a water temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of cooling water of said engine; and
when the temperature of cooling water upon starting of said engine is equal to or higher than a first predetermined temperature, said cylinder disabling control means performs cylinder disabling control on said at least one specific cylinder immediately after the starting of said engine until a determined time has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21)
said cylinder disabling control means comprises;
catalyst temperature estimation means for estimating a temperature of said catalytic converter based on the temperature of cooling water, the amount of intake air, and the number of revolutions per minute of said engine; and
return means for deciding return timing for returning said at least one specific cylinder from a cylinder-disabled state to a normal state in accordance with the estimated temperature of said catalytic converter;
wherein said return means decides said return timing after the estimated temperature of said catalytic converter has reached its activation temperature or higher.
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4. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 1, wherein said variety of sensors include a catalyst temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said catalytic converter;
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said cylinder disabling control means includes return means for deciding return timing for returning said at least one specific cylinder from its cylinder-disabled state to a normal state in accordance with the temperature of said catalytic convener; and
said return means decides said return timing after the temperature of said catalytic converter has reached its activation temperature or higher.
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5. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder disabling control means performs cylinder disabling control on two or more cylinders when the temperature of cooling water upon engine starting is equal to or higher than a second predetermined temperature which is higher than said first predetermined temperature.
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6. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 5, wherein said second predetermined temperature is set in accordance with a warm up temperature of said engine.
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7. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 6, wherein the respective cylinders of said engine are arranged on opposite banks of V type, and in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control means decides cylinders to be disabled in such a manner that said cylinders to be disabled are distributed substantially evenly to the opposite banks of V type.
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8. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 6, wherein in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control means decides the cylinders to be disabled in such a manner that said two or more cylinders to be disabled are not successively subjected to the cylinder disabling control.
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9. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 6, wherein in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control means prevents a single cylinder from being successively subjected to the cylinder disabling control, by sequentially disabling said two or more cylinders.
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10. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder disabling control means excludes a cylinder, in which fuel is to be first fired to combust upon engine starting, at least from a specific cylinder that is first subjected to the cylinder disabling control.
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21. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 1, wherein said water temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the cooling water before said engine is started.
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11. A cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine comprising:
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a variety of sensors which detect operating conditions of an engine having a plurality of cylinders;
a catalytic converter for purifying exhaust gas of said engine; and
a cylinder disabling control circuit which performs cylinder disabling control on at least one specific cylinder among said plurality of cylinders by inhibiting fuel supplied to the at least one specific cylinder in accordance with the engine operating conditions;
wherein said variety of sensors includes a water temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of cooling water of said engine; and
when the temperature of cooling water upon starting of said engine is equal to or higher than a first predetermined temperature, said cylinder disabling control circuit performs cylinder disabling control on said at least one specific cylinder immediately after the starting of said engine until a determined time has elapsed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
said cylinder disabling control circuit comprises;
a catalyst temperature estimation circuit for estimating a temperature of said catalytic converter based on the temperature of cooling water, the amount of intake air, and the number of revolutions per minute of said engine; and
a return circuit which decides return timing for returning said at least one specific cylinder from a cylinder-disabled state to a normal state in accordance with the temperature of said catalytic converter;
wherein said return circuit decides said return timing after the temperature of said catalytic convener has reached its activation temperature or higher.
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14. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 11, wherein said variety of sensors include a catalyst temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said catalytic converter;
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said cylinder disabling control circuit includes a return circuit for deciding return timing for returning said at least one specific cylinder from its cylinder-disabled state to a normal state in accordance with the temperature of said catalytic converter; and
said return circuit decides said return timing after the temperature of said catalytic converter has reached its activation temperature or higher.
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15. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 11, wherein said cylinder disabling control circuit performs cylinder disabling control on two or more cylinders when the temperature of cooling water upon engine starting is equal to or higher than a second predetermined temperature which is higher than said first predetermined temperature.
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16. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 15, wherein said second predetermined temperature is set in accordance with a warm up temperature of said engine.
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17. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 16, wherein the respective cylinders of said engine are arranged on opposite banks of V type, and in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control circuit decides cylinders to be disabled in such a manner that said cylinders to be disabled are distributed substantially evenly to the opposite banks of V type.
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18. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 16, wherein in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control circuit decides the cylinders to be disabled in such a manner that said two or more cylinders to be disabled are not successively subjected to the cylinder disabling control.
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19. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 16, wherein in case of said two or more cylinders being subjected to cylinder disabling control, said cylinder disabling control circuit prevents a single cylinder from being successively subjected to the cylinder disabling control, by sequentially disabling said two or more cylinders.
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20. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 11, wherein said cylinder disabling control circuit excludes a cylinder, in which fuel is to be first fired to combust upon engine starting, at least from a specific cylinder that is first subjected to the cylinder disabling control.
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22. The cylinder disabling control apparatus for a multi-cylinder engine according to claim 11, wherein said water temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the cooling water before said engine is started.
Specification