System for controlling valve timing of an engine with cylinder deactivation

• US 7,249,583 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe; Willis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benton; Jason
• Application Number:
  US11/125,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 123/198.DB, 123/198.F, 123402-405
• US Class Current: 123/198.0DB
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/00 Modifications of valve-gear to facilitate reversing, braking, starting, changing compression ratio, or other specific operations
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0015 for optimising engine performances by modifying valve lift according to various working parameters, e.g. rotational speed, load, torque
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/08 Timing or lift different for valves of different cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/002 the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0093 the purifying devices are of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0807 by using absorbents or adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0842 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/101 Three-way catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/288 for performing a transformation into the frequency domain, e.g. Fourier transformation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0032 Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions
• 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 41/187 using a hot wire flow sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/43 in which exhaust from only one cylinder or only a group of cylinders is directed to the intake of the engine
• 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 method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, the engine having a first variable valve actuator coupled to said first group and a second variable valve actuator coupled to said second group, the method comprising:

operating said first group of cylinders to combust air and injected fuel at a first air-fuel ratio, with the first actuator adjusted based on said first air-fuel ratio; and

operating said second group of cylinder to pump air with substantially no injected fuel, with the second actuator adjusted to provide different valve lift or timing in said second group than in said first group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said fist and second actuator are adjusted to different conditions.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said fist and second actuator are adjusted to different positions to affect engine pumping losses in said second group.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said fist and second actuator are variable cam timing actuators, which are adjusted to different cam timings.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first group of cylinders is a first bank of the engine, and said second group is a second bank of the engine.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said engine is a V-6 engine.

7. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, the engine having a variable valve actuator coupled to said first group and said second group, the method comprising:

operating the actuator at a first condition when both groups are combusting inducted air and injected fuel, and

operating the actuator at a second position when one group is carrying out combustion and the other group is operating without injected fuel but still inducting air.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said engine is a V-8 engine.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said variable valve actuator is a variable cam timing actuator.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said engine has a second variable valve actuator coupled to a third and fourth group of cylinders, wherein the method further comprises operating the second actuator at said first condition when both groups are combusting inducted air and injected fuel, and operating the second actuator at said second position when one group is carrying out combustion and the other group is operating without injected fuel but still inducting air.

11. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, the engine having a first variable valve actuator coupled to said first group and a second variable valve actuator coupled to said second group, the method comprising:

operating said first group of cylinders to combust air and injected fuel at a first air-fuel ratio, with the first actuator adjusted based on said first air-fuel ratio; and

operating said second group of cylinder to pump air with substantially no injected fuel, with the second actuator adjusted based on whether fuel injection in said second group is being re-enabled.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said variable valve actuator is a variable cam timing actuator.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said engine is a V-6 engine.

14. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, and a variable valve adjustment mechanism for adjusting cylinder valves of both said first and second group, the method comprising:

determining whether at least one of said first and second groups is operating without injected fuel and pumping at least air; and

adjusting the mechanism to adjust valve operation of both said first and second group based on said determination.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said engine is a V-8 engine.

16. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, and a variable valve adjustment mechanism for adjusting cylinder valves of both said first and second group, the method comprising:

determining whether at least one of said first and second groups is transitioning into or out of operation without injected fuel and pumping at least air; and

adjusting the mechanism to adjust valve operation of both said first and second group based on said determination.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said engine is a V-8 engine.

18. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, the engine having a first variable valve actuator coupled to said first group and a second variable valve actuator coupled to said second group, the method comprising:

operating in a first mode with said first group of cylinders to combust air and injected fuel at a first air-fuel ratio and said second group of cylinder to pump air with substantially no injected fuel;

transitioning to operation with both groups combusting air with injected fuel; and

during said transition, adjusting valve operation of at least said second group based on said transition to enable efficient re-starting of combustion in said second group.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said first air-fuel ratio is lean of stoichiometry.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said first air-fuel ratio oscillates about stoichiometry.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said first air-fuel ratio is rich of stoichiometry.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein combustion in said second group is re-started rich of stoichiometry.

23. A method for controlling an engine having a first and second group of cylinders, the engine having a first variable valve actuator coupled to said first group and a second variable valve actuator coupled to said second group, the method comprising:

adjusting the variable valve actuators of said respective first and second groups based on whether at least one of said first and second group of cylinders is inducting air with substantially no injected fuel.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said variable valve actuators are variable cam timing mechanisms.