Method and system for starting or restarting an internal combustion engine via selective combustion

• US 7,866,302 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Litens Automotive Partnership
• Original Assignee: Litens Automotive Partnership
• Inventors: Cleland, Terry P., Staniewicz, Stan Zbyslaw, Spicer, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KWON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US12/123,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20080257311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 123/480, 123/488, 123/486, 123/179.3, 123/491, 701/113, 701/115
• US Class Current: 123/480
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/34 characterised by the provision of means for changing the timing of the valves without changing the duration of opening and without affecting the magnitude of the valve lift
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0537 Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/00 Methods of operation using a variable valve timing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2820/041 Camshafts position or phase sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/28 Control for reducing torsional vibrations, e.g. at acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/083 taking into account engine load variation, e.g. air-conditionning
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1498 measuring engine roughness
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/40 with means for controlling injection timing or duration
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations

Abstract

A selective combustion starting system and method selectively provides a proper amount of fuel to one or more combustion chambers in an internal combustion engine. The particular combustion chambers selected depend upon the state of the piston of the combustion chamber and the volume of the combustion chamber, which is dependent upon the position of the piston. Once proper amounts of fuel have been provided to the one or more combustion chambers, the resulting fuel air mixture in the combustion chambers is ignited and combusts to rotate the crankshaft of the engine to commence normal operation of the engine.

Claims

1. A system for starting or restarting an internal combustion engine via selective combustion, comprising:

at least one sensor configured for determining the angular position of a rotatable member in the engine at any rotational position of the rotatable member;

a fuel injection system operable to provide determined amounts of fuel to combustion chambers in the engine;

an ignition system operable to ignite the fuel air mixture resulting from the injection of the determined amounts of fuel into respective combustion chambers;

an engine control unit operable to determine, from the at least one sensor, the state and position of the pistons in the engine and the volume of the respective combustion chambers formed by the pistons and to select at least one combustion chamber for selective combustion, the engine control unit operable to determine the amount of fuel to be provided to each selected combustion chamber and to have the injection system inject the determined amounts of fuel into each selected combustion chamber and to have the ignition system ignite the resulting fuel air mixture in each selected combustion chamber, the combustion of the fuel air mixture in the at least one selected combustion chamber rotating the crankshaft of the engine to start normal operation of the engine.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine control unit selects at least two combustion chambers.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine further includes an electric starter motor, the electric starter motor cooperating with the rotation of the crankshaft by the combustion of the fuel air mixture to start normal operation of the engine.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein combustion of the fuel air mixture overcomes the initial inertia of the engine and the electric starter motor then rotates the engine to complete the starting of normal operation of the engine.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the engine further includes an electric motor operable by the engine control unit to rotate the engine to position at least one piston in the engine to obtain at least one combustion chamber of a desired volume for selection by the engine control unit.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the electric motor is operable to rotate the engine in forward and reverse directions to position the at least one piston.

7. The system of any of claims 1-6 wherein the system is employed in a stop-start drive vehicle.

8. A method for starting or re-starting an internal combustion engine via selective combustion, comprising:

(i) determining the position and state of the pistons in the engine regardless of the position of the pistons;

(ii) selecting a piston for selective combustion based upon criteria including at least the state of the piston and the position of the piston within its respective cylinder;

(iii) determining an appropriate amount of fuel to be provided to the selected piston;

(iv) providing the determined amount of fuel to the selected cylinder;

(v) igniting the fuel provided to the selected cylinder to combust the fuel, moving the piston in the cylinder to commence rotation of the engine; and

(vi) commencing normal operation of the engine after step (v).

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said appropriate amount of fuel is a stoichiometric amount.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein step (i) includes determining a position of each piston relative to top dead center.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein step (i) includes determining whether a piston is in a combustion stroke.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the engine has an electrically controllable valvetrain and step (i) comprises determining the position of the pistons in the engine and selecting a state for said pistons and further comprising the step of, between steps (iv) and (v), operating the valvetrain to obtain the selected state for the pistons.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said appropriate amount of fuel is a stoichiometric amount.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein step (i) includes determining a position of each piston relative to top dead center.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein step (i) includes determining whether a piston is in a combustion stroke.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein steps (ii) to (v) are simultaneously carried out on at least two pistons.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said appropriate amount of fuel is a stoichiometric amount.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein step (i) includes determining a position of each piston relative to top dead center.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein step (i) includes determining whether a piston is in a combustion stroke.

20. The method of claim 8 wherein step (ii) includes rotating the engine to position the piston in a selected position to ensure that step (v) drives the engine in a selected rotational direction.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said appropriate amount of fuel is a stoichiometric amount.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein step (i) includes determining a position of each piston relative to top dead center.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein step (i) includes determining whether a piston is in a combustion stroke.