Circuit arrangement for controlling an injection valve

• US 8,555,859 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Wirrer, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwon, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, JOHNNY H
• Application Number:
  US13/001,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 123/472, 123476-478, 123/482, 123/487, 123/490, 123/299, 239/533.4, 251/129.05, 251/129.09, 251/129.1, 361152-156, 361/160, 323/222, 323/266, 323/282, 323/283, 323/288, 323/223, 323/232, 323/290, 323/305, 323/363, 363/84, 363 88- 90, 363/127
• US Class Current: 123/478
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2003 using means for creating a boost voltage, i.e. generation or use of a voltage higher than the battery voltage, e.g. to speed up injector opening
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2006 by using a boost capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2058 using information of the actual current value
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/20 Output circuits, e.g. for controlling currents in command coils

Abstract

A circuit arrangement controls at least one injection valve, in particular a solenoid injection valve, for an internal combustion engine. The circuit includes a supply potential connection, a reference potential connection; one or more solenoids; a controllable voltage boosting circuit for generating from the first voltage a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage. The voltage boosting circuit is connected at a first input to the supply potential connection and at a first output to the solenoids by means of a respective first controllable semiconductor switching element. A control circuit is connected at least to a respective first semiconductor switching element and the voltage boosting circuit. The control circuit applies the first or the second voltage to the first coil connection of exactly one solenoid depending on an actuation state of one of the injection valves.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement for actuating at least one injection valve of an internal combustion engine, the circuit arrangement comprising:

a supply potential connection for carrying a first voltage;

a reference-ground potential connection;

at least one cylinder coil having a first coil connection and a second coil connection, wherein a voltage is applied to said first coil connection of said cylinder coil for operating an associated injection valve;

a controllable voltage doubling circuit configured to produce from the first voltage a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage, said voltage doubling circuit having a first input connected to said supply potential connection, said voltage doubling circuit including a second input connected to said reference-ground potential connection, said voltage doubling circuit including two semiconductor elements connected in series with each other and connected between said supply voltage connection and said reference-ground potential connection, each one of said two semiconductor switching elements having a control connection, said voltage doubling circuit including a first output, a second output, a first diode, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a second diode, a first node connected between said two semiconductor switching elements, and a second node, said first diode, said first capacitor, said second capacitor, and said second diode connected in series to thereby form a series circuit having a center tap at said second node said series circuit connected between said supply potential connection and said reference-ground connection, said voltage doubling circuit including a first output formed by a connecting point between said first diode and said first capacitor, said voltage doubling circuit including a second output formed by a connecting point between said second capacitor and said second diode, and said voltage doubling circuit including a first controllable semiconductor element connecting said first output to said cylinder coil;

an actuation circuit connected to said control connection of each one of said two semiconductor switching elements;

a first current measurement device connecting said second coil connection of said at least one cylinder coil to said reference-ground potential connection; and

a component selected from the group consisting of;

said first current measuring device and a fourth semiconductor switching element being different from said first current measurement device, said component selectively breaking a connection between said second coil connection and said reference-ground potential connection.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one injection valve is one of a plurality of injection valves, and said actuation circuit is configured to ensure that, at a given time, only precisely one of said cylinder coils has the first or the second voltage applied thereto by way of an actuation of an associated said first switching element.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said first rectification element is a second semiconductor switching element, controlled by said actuation circuit, and wherein said rectification element is a body diode of said second semiconductor switching element.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one cylinder coil has a second coil connection connected to said supply potential connection via a second rectification element.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said second rectification element comprises a third semiconductor switching element, controlled by said actuation circuit, and wherein said rectification element is a body diode of said third semiconductor switching element.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cylinder coils having second coil connections connected together.

7. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said cylinder coil or cylinder coils and the respective said first semiconductor switching elements and also said first rectification element or elements are discrete components and are configured for a dielectric strength for the second voltage.

8. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the components of said voltage doubling circuit, said first current measurement device, an optional fourth semiconductor switching element connected in a current path of said first current measurement device, and said second rectification element are configured for a dielectric strength for the first voltage and integrated on a common semiconductor chip.

9. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuation circuit has a switching device for pulse width modulation connected to a respective control connection of said controllable switching element for adjusting a current flowing through the respective said cylinder coil.

10. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuation circuit is configured to open an injection valve by applying the second voltage to said first coil connection of the associated cylinder coil and to adjust a current through the cylinder coil by virtue of pulse width modulation in said first semiconductor switching element by turning on said first semiconductor switching element and actuating said voltage doubling circuit a first time, with the current being measured by said first current measurement device.

11. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuation circuit is configured to maintain an opening of the injection valve by applying the first voltage to said first coil connection of the associated cylinder coil and to adjust a current through the cylinder coil by virtue of pulse width modulation in a fourth semiconductor switching element, which is connected in a current path of said first current measurement device, or by virtue of pulse width modulation in said first current measurement device, which is embodied as a sense FET, by turning on said first semiconductor switching element and actuating said voltage doubling circuit a second time, with the current being measured by said first current measurement device.

12. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said actuation circuit is configured to close the injection valve by applying a third voltage, which is applied to said reference-ground potential connection, to said first coil connection of the associated cylinder coil and adjust a current through the cylinder coil by virtue of pulse width modulation in a second semiconductor switching element by turning off said first semiconductor switching element and turning on said second semiconductor switching element and also actuating said voltage doubling circuit a second time, with the current being measured by a third semiconductor switching element.

13. The circuit arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said actuation circuit is configured to close the injection valve by applying a third voltage, which is applied to said reference-ground potential connection, to said first coil connection of the associated cylinder coil and adjust a current through the cylinder coil by virtue of pulse width modulation in said second semiconductor switching element by turning off said first semiconductor switching element and turning on said second semiconductor switching element and also actuating said voltage doubling circuit a second time, with the current being measured by a third semiconductor switching element.

14. The circuit arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said actuation circuit is configured to close the injection valve by applying a third voltage, which is applied to said reference-ground potential connection, to said first coil connection of the associated cylinder coil and adjust a current through the cylinder coil by virtue of pulse width modulation in said second semiconductor switching element by turning off said first semiconductor switching element and turning on said second semiconductor switching element and also actuating said voltage doubling circuit a second time, with the current being measured by a third semiconductor switching element.

15. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, configured for operating a solenoid injection valve of an internal combustion engine.

16. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said component is selected to be said first current measuring device, and said first current measuring device is formed as a sense FET.

17. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said component is selected to be said fourth semiconductor switching element.