Engine system and method with cylinder deactivation

• US 6,978,204 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 12/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Surnilla, Gopichandra, Doering, Jeff, Bidner, David, Elwart, Shane, Goralski, Christian T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US10/794,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 701/103, 701/104, 123/325, 123/326, 123/481, 123/198.F, 602/99, 603/01, 602/74, 602/76
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/107 More than one exhaust manifold or exhaust collector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/027 using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0814 combined with catalytic converters, e.g. NOx absorption/storage reduction catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0842 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/101 Three-way catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0802 Temperature of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/602 Pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0042 Controlling the combustible mixture as a function of the canister purging, e.g. control of injected fuel to compensate for deviation of air fuel ratio when purging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0045 Estimating, calculating or determining the purging rate, amount, flow or concentration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/022 in relation with the clutch status
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0235 in relation with the state of the exhaust gas treating apparatus control of exhaust gas treating apparatus per se F01N
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0275 the exhaust gas treating apparatus being a NOx trap or adsorbent
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/064 at cold start F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/086 taking into account the temperature of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/126 transitional corrections at the end of the cut-off period
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/182 for the control of a fuel injection device
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 : Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/045 : combined with electronic control of other engine functions, e.g. fuel injection in general F02D37/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1504 : with particular means during a transient phase, e.g. acceleration, deceleration, gear change during starting F02P5/1506
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

Various systems and methods are disclosed for carrying out combustion in a fuel-cut operation in some or all of the engine cylinders of a vehicle. Further, various subsystems are considered, such as fuel vapor purging, air-fuel ratio control, engine torque control, catalyst design, and exhaust system design.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by a computer for operating an engine, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for operating with at least a portion of all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel,

instructions for, after said operation with at least a portion of all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel and in response to a decrease in requested engine output, disabling fuel injection to all of the cylinders of the engine, and

instructions for, in response to an increase in requested engine output, after said requested decrease, commencing combustion in at least some of the cylinders at a lean air-fuel ratio at least during some circumstances.

2. The medium recited in claim 1 further comprising instructions for, after said requested decrease, commencing combustion in all of the cylinders at a lean air-fuel ratio, at least during some circumstances.

3. The medium recited in claim 1 incorporated into an emission control system having an upstream three-way catalyst and a downstream NOx trap.

4. The medium recited in claim 1 further comprising instructions for regenerating an emission control device with a rich exhaust gas air-fuel ratio based on NOx exiting an emission system of a vehicle.

5. The medium recited in claim 1 wherein said requested engine output includes a decreased pedal position.

6. The medium recited in claim 1 wherein said requested engine output includes a decreased desired engine torque.

7. The medium recited in claim 1 wherein said requested engine output includes a decreased desired acceleration.

8. The medium recited in claim 1 wherein said requested engine output includes a pedal tip-out.

9. The medium recited in claim 1 wherein said instructions for operating with at least said portion of all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel operates all of the cylinders of the engine at a lean air-fuel ratio.

10. The medium recited in claim 1 further comprising instructions for, in response to said increase in requested engine output, after said requested decrease, commencing combustion in a portion of the cylinders at said lean air-fuel ratio at least during some circumstances.

12. The medium recited in claim 1 further comprising instructions for, after said requested decrease, commencing combustion in all of the cylinders at a lean air-fuel ratio, at least during some circumstances.

13. The medium recited in claim 1 incorporated into an emission control system having an upstream three-way catalyst and a downstream NOx trap.

11. A computer readable storage medium having stored data representing instructions executable by a computer for operating an engine, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for operating with all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel,

instructions for, after said operation with at least a portion of all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel and in response to a decrease in requested engine output indicated by a tip-out by a vehicle operator, disabling fuel injection to all of the cylinders of the engine, and

instructions for, in response to an increase in requested engine output by a tip-in by said vehicle operator, after said requested decrease, commencing combustion in at least some of the cylinders at a lean air-fuel ratio at least during some circumstances.

14. A method for operating an engine, comprising:

operating with all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel,

after said operation with at least a portion of all cylinders of the engine combusting air and injected fuel and to provide a decrease in engine output in response to a tipout by a vehicle operator, disabling fuel injection to all of the cylinders of the engine, and

in response to an increase in engine output caused by a tip-in by said vehicle operator, after said decrease, commencing combustion in at least some of the cylinders at a lean air-fuel ratio at least during some circumstances.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

mixing gasses exhaust from all the engine cylinders and treating the mixed exhaust gasses in an emission control device capable of storing NOx in excess oxygen conditions.