Vibration-damping control apparatus and method for internal combustion engine

• US 8,015,960 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Watanabe, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): KAMEN, NOAH P
• Application Number:
  US12/330,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 123/192.1, 123/198.F
• US Class Current: 123/192.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/024 Belt drive
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/143 for use with overhead camshafts
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 1/267 with means for varying the timing or the lift of the valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0026 by means of an eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0537 Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2013/0073 with an oscillating cam acting on the valve of the "Delphi" type
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2305/00 Valve arrangements comprising rollers
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/00 Methods of operation using a variable valve timing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2820/032 Electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/125 Direct injection in the combustion chamber for spark ignition engines, i.e. not in pre-combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0226 changing valve lift or valve lift and timing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/001 for engines with variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0012 with selective deactivation of cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/21 during a transition between engine operation modes or states
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/24 by using an external load, e.g. a generator
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/28 Control for reducing torsional vibrations, e.g. at acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 : peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 : Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 : Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/307 : to avoid torque shocks
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 : the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method of controlling vibration-damping for a vehicular internal combustion engine. The combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders among a plurality of cylinders, and the engine is operated by the remaining cylinders. Then, a variable valve mechanism which varies a valve lift amount of at least one of intake and exhaust valves of each cylinder is controlled, to decrease the valve lift amount of at least one of the intake and exhaust valves of each cylinder in which the combustion is temporarily stopped. Further, a rotating electric machine having at least one of functions of an electric motor and a generator is controlled, to apply torque to an output shaft of the engine thereby suppressing torque variation in the output shaft at the time when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, so that the torque variation due to uneven explosion intervals is reduced.

Claims

1. A vibration-damping control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a variable valve mechanism which varies a valve lift amount of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of the internal combustion engine;

a rotating electric machine which has at least one of functions of an electric motor and a generator, capable of mutually transmitting a torque to/from an output shaft of the internal combustion engine; and

a control unit comprising

a cylinder combustion control section that temporarily stops the combustion in some cylinders among a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine, to operate the internal combustion engine by the combustion in the remaining cylinders other than the cylinders in which the combustion is temporarily stopped;

a variable valve mechanism control section that controls the variable valve mechanism, to decrease the valve lift amount of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve of each cylinder in which the combustion is temporarily stopped; and

a rotating electric machine control section that controls the rotating electric machine, to apply, to the output shaft, a torque for suppressing torque variation in the output shaft at the time when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders;

wherein,

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinder, the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine to apply a torque for preventing a rotation of the output shaft in a state where a varying torque of the output shaft is larger than a target torque, and controls the rotating electric machine to apply the torque for accelerating the rotation of the output shaft in a state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque;

the rotating electric machine has functions of the electric motor and the generator by being configured by a single body or a plurality of bodies; and

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine to function as the generator to thereby apply the torque for preventing the rotation of the output shaft in the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is larger than the target torque, and controls the rotating electric machine to function as the electric motor to thereby apply the torque for accelerating the rotation of the output shaft in the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque;

the apparatus further comprises;

a first electric power storage device capable of charging therein generated electric power of the rotating electric machine functioning as the generator, and also, capable of supplying the electric power to the rotating electric machine functioning as the electric motor; and

an electric power state detecting section included in the control unit, that detects an electric power state including a charged electric power residual amount in the first electric power storage device; and

the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine while changing over between the torque applied by the function of the generator and the torque applied by the function of the electric motor, according to the electric power state detected by the electric power state detecting section, when controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque for preventing the rotation of the output shaft.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the control unit further comprises;

a torque variation storing section that previously stores data of torque variation in the output shaft at the time when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, and

wherein the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine, based on the data of torque variation output from the torque variation storing section.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1

wherein the control unit further comprises a torque variation detecting section that detects the torque variation in the output shaft when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders;

and

wherein the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine, based on a detection value of the torque variation output from the torque variation detecting section.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotating electric machine is configured by a single body having the function of the electric motor, and

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine to apply the torque opposite to each other between the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is larger than the target torque and the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the variable valve mechanism is configured to be driven by the electric power,

the control unit is configured to be divided into a sub-control unit including the variable valve mechanism control section and a main control unit, and

the electric power state detecting section detects the electric power state including the electric power consumption of at least one of the variable valve mechanism and the sub-control unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising;

a second electric power storage device capable of charging therein the generated electric power of the rotating electric machine functioning as the generator, and also, capable of supplying the electric power to the variable valve mechanism and the sub-control unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylinders of the internal combustion engine are divided into a plurality of cylinder groups,

the variable valve mechanism is disposed to be commonly used for the cylinders in the same group, and

the cylinder combustion control section temporarily stops the combustion in the all cylinders in the same group.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the rotating electric machine control section controls the rotating electric machine to apply, to the output shaft, the torque for suppressing the torque variation in the output shaft due to uneven cylinder explosion intervals.

9. A vibration-damping control method for an internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

temporarily stopping the combustion in some cylinders among a plurality of cylinders of the internal combustion engine, to operate the internal combustion engine by the combustion in the remaining cylinders other than the cylinders in which the combustion is temporarily stopped;

controlling a variable valve mechanism which varies a valve lift amount of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of each cylinder of the internal combustion engine, to decrease the valve lift amount of at least one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve of each cylinder in which the combustion is temporarily stopped; and

controlling a rotating electric machine which has at least one of functions of an electric motor and a generator, to apply, to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, a torque for suppressing torque variation in the output shaft at the time when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders;

wherein,

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft controls the rotating electric machine to apply a torque for preventing a rotation of the output shaft in a state where a varying torque of the output shaft is larger than a target torque, and controls the rotating electric machine to apply the torque for accelerating the rotation of the output shaft in a state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque;

the rotating electric machine has functions of the electric motor and the generator by being configured by a single body or a plurality of bodies;

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft controls the rotating electric machine to function as the generator to thereby apply the torque for preventing the rotation of the output shaft in the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is larger than the target torque, and controls the rotating electric machine to function as the electric motor to thereby apply the torque for accelerating the rotation of the output shaft in the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque; and

the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft controls the rotating electric machine while changing over between the torque applied by the function of the generator and the torque applied by the function of the electric motor, according to an electric power state including a charged electric power residual amount in a first electric power storage device capable of charging therein generated electric power of the rotating electric machine functioning as the generator, and also, capable of supplying the electric power to the rotating electric machine functioning as the electric motor, when controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque for preventing the rotation of the output shaft.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft controls the rotating electric machine, based on previously stored data of torque variation in the output shaft at the time when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft detects the torque variation in the output shaft when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, and controls the rotating electric machine, based on a detection value of the torque variation.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rotating electric machine is configured by a single body having the function of the electric motor, and

when the combustion is temporarily stopped in some cylinders, the step of controlling the rotating electric machine to apply the torque to the output shaft controls the rotating electric machine to apply the torque opposite to each other between the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is larger than the target torque and the state where the varying torque of the output shaft is smaller than the target torque.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the cylinders of the internal combustion engine are divided into a plurality of cylinder groups,

the variable valve mechanism is disposed to be commonly used for the cylinders in the same group, and

the step of temporarily stopping the combustion in some cylinders among the plurality of cylinders temporarily stops the combustion in the all cylinders in the same group.