US4594984A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Regulation device for the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1985-07-15
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Granted: 1986-06-17
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Expires: 2005-07-15
Abstract
Abstract A regulating device is proposed for the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having a signal sensor and having regulating ranges which can be switched over between lambda equals one and the lean range. The lambda-equal-to-one regulation is effected by means of a two-point regulator and the lean regulation is effected either via an altered set-point value of the two-point regulator or with the aid of a steady regulator. The transitions between the two types of regulation take a course dependent on a selectable function, in order to avoid abrupt changes in rpm. A switchover is also made to controlled operation for a brief period at the beginning of each type of regulation.
Inventors
- 👤 Lothar Raff
- 👤 Hans-Martin Wiedenmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:35
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/02; F02D41/14; F02D41/1438; F02D41/1473; F02D41/1475; F02D41/1477; F02D41/1479
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising: a two-point regulator means wherein the integral term output decreases with a constant slope when the air/fuel ratio is rich, and the integral term output increases with a constant slope when the air/fuel ratio is lean, said regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong to the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising: a two-point regulator means wherein the integral term output decreases with a constant slope when the air/fuel ratio is rich, and the integral term output increases with a constant slope when the air/fuel ratio is lean, said regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong to the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
210 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture compostition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltge range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising: a regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means, wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong substantially to at least the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
210 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture compostition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltge range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising: a regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means, wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong substantially to at least the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
222 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges comprising: a PI regulator means including a comparator means and an integrator means, said regulator means having an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means, wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong substantially to at least the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
222 words
A regulating device for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having an oxygen sensor whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies therefrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges comprising: a PI regulator means including a comparator means and an integrator means, said regulator means having an actual value input and a reference value input for providing a regulating mixture signal at its output; a means for producing a set of discrete reference values for said regulator means, wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong substantially to at least the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal; a means for selecting one of said reference values as an input to said reference value input of said regulating means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load; and a means for amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to a usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means, whereby said regulator means processes the lean peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
214 words
A method for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having a PI regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input thereto for providing a control signal output, an oxygen sensor connected to said actual value input of said regulator means whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies threfrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising the steps of producing a set of discrete reference values for said PI regulator means wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong to the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal, selecting one of said reference values for said reference value input to said regulator means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load, and amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means when one of said reference values is selected, whereby said regulator means processes the leans peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
214 words
A method for controlling the mixture composition of an internal combustion engine having a PI regulator means including an actual value input and a reference value input thereto for providing a control signal output, an oxygen sensor connected to said actual value input of said regulator means whose typical characteristic output signal is substantially linear in the vicinity of lambda equal to stoichiometric or 1 and has a steep gradient within a given voltage range, and varies threfrom in a rich peripheral range below stoichiometric and in a lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and has a shallow gradient in the peripheral ranges, comprising the steps of producing a set of discrete reference values for said PI regulator means wherein said reference values correspond to such values of said output signal which belong to the lean peripheral range above stoichiometric and to the stoichiometric range of said output signal, selecting one of said reference values for said reference value input to said regulator means in dependence on the engine parameters of speed and load, and amplifying said output signal above stoichiometric to usable signal magnitude for said actual value input to said regulator means when one of said reference values is selected, whereby said regulator means processes the leans peripheral range of said output signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein during idling the stoichiometric portion of said sensor output signal is processed by said regulating means for providing a two-state regulation of said mixture signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein beyond an upper partial-load range the stoichiometric portion of said sensor output signal is processed by said regulating means for providing a two-state regulation of said mixture signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein for a lower and middle partial-load range the rich peripheral range of said sensor output signal is processed by said regulating means for providing a steady regulation of said mixture signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, further comprising means for controlling transitions between said reference values.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, wherein said transitions between said reference values are characterized by a signal curve in accordance with an exponential function.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein said regulating means comprises a two-state regulator having means for a controllable threshold.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein said regulating means comprises a two-state regulator and a linear regulator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, wherein said means for controlling the transition between said reference values includes means for controlling threshold values.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, further comprising a means responsive to a change in regulation of said sensor output signal by said regulating means for switching over to a controlled operation of the mixture composition.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, further comprising a means in accordance with at least load and rpm for controlling and regulating a λ performance graph storage means for providing said reference values of λ.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 2, wherein during λ changes the ignition angle is variable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, wherein said regulating means comprises a two-state regulator having a controllable threshold.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, wherein said regulating means comprises a two-state regulator and a linear regulator.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, further comprising a means in accordance with at least load and rpm for controlling and regulating a λ performance graph storage means for providing said reference values of λ.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A regulating device as defined by claim 8, wherein during λ changes the ignition angle is variable.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-06-16 | 1989-12-16 | 1990-06-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-06-16 | 1993-12-16 | 1994-06-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-06-16 | 1997-12-16 | 1998-06-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |