Patent US5666916A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5666916A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for and method of controlling internal combustion engine
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1994-12-23
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Granted: 1997-09-16
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Expires: 2014-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Under a partial load, a pumping loss is reduced by a stratified combustion to enhance a fuel consumption, and during the maximum output operation, the output is increased by a premixture combustion, and the output of an engine is controlled, thereby enhancing the drivability. Under the partial load, an ignition source is provided in the vicinity of a fuel injection valve, and after the fuel is injected, the mixture is ignited, and a resulting flame is caused by a spray of the fuel to spread into a cylinder, thereby effecting a stratified combustion. When the load increases, so that soot and so on are produced in the stratified combustion, the fuel injection is effected a plurality of times in a divided manner, and a premixture is produced within the cylinder by the front-half injection, and a flame, produced by the latter-half injection, is injected into the cylinder to burn this premixture.
Inventors
- 👤 Mamoru Fujieda
- 👤 Toshiharu Nogi
- 👤 Yoshishige Oyama
- 👤 Minoru Ohsuga
- 👤 Takuya Shiraishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 11:29
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D13/00; F02D13/02; F02D13/0223; F02D13/0226; F02D13/023; F02D45/00; F01; F01L; F01L1/00; F01L1/26; F01L1/267; F01L13/00; F01L13/0015; F01L13/0036; F01L9/00; F01L9/20; F02B; F02B17/00; F02B17/005; F02B19/00; F02B19/12; F02B23/00; F02B23/08; F02B23/10; F02B23/101; F02D11/00; F02D11/06; F02D11/10; F02D11/105; F02D13/0261; F02D29/00; F02D29/02; F02D33/00; F02D35/00; F02D35/02; F02D35/023; F02D37/00; F02D37/02; F02D41/00; F02D41/02; F02D41/021; F02D41/0215; F02D41/0225; F02D41/023; F02D41/14; F02D41/1438; F02D41/1473; F02D41/1475; F02D41/1486; F02D41/1488; F02D41/149; F02D41/1497; F02D41/30; F02D41/3011; F02D41/3017; F02D41/3023; F02D41/3029; F02D41/3064; F02D41/307; F02D41/3082; F02D41/32; F02D41/34; F02D41/38; F02D41/3809; F02D41/3836; F02D41/3845; F02D41/40; F02D41/402; F02M; F02M45/00; F02M45/02; F02M69/00; F02M69/04; F02M69/042; F02M69/045; F01L2201/00; F01L2800/00; F02B2023/102; F02B2023/108; F02B75/00; F02B75/12; F02B2075/125; F02B2275/00; F02B2275/40; F02B3/00; F02B3/06; F02D41/0002; F02D2041/001; F02D2041/002; F02D2041/389; F02D2200/00; F02D2200/02; F02D2200/06; F02D2200/0602; F02D2250/00; F02D2250/18; F02D41/1444; F02D41/1446; F02D41/18; F02D41/187; F02F; F02F1/00; F02F1/24; F02F2001/241; F02M26/00; F02M2026/001; F02M2026/002; F02M2026/003; F02M26/52; F02M26/55; F02M26/56; F02M26/57; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H2061/0018; F16H61/02; F16H61/0202; F16H61/0204; F16H61/0213; F16H61/14; F16H63/00; F16H63/40; F16H63/50; F16H63/502; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
Apparatus for controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, comprising: fuel injection means for injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the spark-ignition engine; ignition means for igniting a mixture in said combustion chamber; torque detection means for detecting an output torque of the spark-ignition engine; valve means for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber; fuel control means for controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected from said fuel injection means, and a timing of the injection of the fuel; ignition timing control means for controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means; and intake air amount control means for controlling an amount of the intake air into said combustion chamber; wherein in order that a value of the output torque detected by said torque detection means can approach a predetermined value, said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, and said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount, thereby changing an air/fuel ratio; wherein said ignition means is provided in the vicinity of said fuel injection means; wherein under a partial load, an air-fuel mixture is ignited after the fuel is injected, and a resulting flame is caused by a spray of the fuel to spread into a cylinder of the engine, thereby effecting combustion; and wherein when a load is increased, so that soot is produced in a stratified combustion, the fuel injection is effected a plurality of times in a divided manner, and a premixture is produced within the cylinder by a front-half injection, and a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder to burn said premixture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
Apparatus for controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, comprising: fuel injection means for injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the spark-ignition engine; ignition means for igniting a mixture in said combustion chamber; torque detection means for detecting an output torque of the spark-ignition engine; valve means for introducing an intake air into said combustion chamber; fuel control means for controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected from said fuel injection means, and a timing of the injection of the fuel; ignition timing control means for controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means; and intake air amount control means for controlling an amount of the intake air into said combustion chamber; wherein in order that a value of the output torque detected by said torque detection means can approach a predetermined value, said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, and said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount, thereby changing an air/fuel ratio; wherein said ignition means is provided in the vicinity of said fuel injection means; wherein under a partial load, an air-fuel mixture is ignited after the fuel is injected, and a resulting flame is caused by a spray of the fuel to spread into a cylinder of the engine, thereby effecting combustion; and wherein when a load is increased, so that soot is produced in a stratified combustion, the fuel injection is effected a plurality of times in a divided manner, and a premixture is produced within the cylinder by a front-half injection, and a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder to burn said premixture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said intake air amount control means keeps the intake air amount constant while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, thereby changing the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount in a stepwise manner while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, thereby changing the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount in accordance with a predetermined function while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, thereby changing the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the spark-ignition engine using a fuel injection means; igniting, in a vicinity of said fuel injection means, a fuel-air mixture in said combustion chamber using an ignition means; detecting an output torque of the spark-ignition engine using a torque detection means; introducing intake air into said combustion chamber using a valve means; controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected from said fuel injection means, and a timing of the injection of the fuel, using a fuel control means; controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means using an ignition timing control means; controlling an amount of the intake air into said combustion chamber using an intake air amount control means; in order that a value of the output torque detected by said torque detection means can approach a predetermined value, using said fuel control means to change the fuel amount and using said intake air amount control means to change the intake air amount to thereby change an air/fuel ratio in said combustion chamber in such a manner so that said value approaches said predetermined value; when fuel consumption is under a partial load, igniting the air-fuel mixture after the fuel is injected into said combustion chamber as a spray, to thereby cause a resulting flame to spread into a cylinder of the engine to effect combustion therein; and when a fuel consumption load is increased to a point where soot is produced in a stratified combustion, injecting the fuel into the combustion chamber a plurality of times in a divided manner to produce a premixture within the cylinder by a front-half injection that is burned when a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
302 words
A method of controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of: injecting fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the spark-ignition engine using a fuel injection means; igniting, in a vicinity of said fuel injection means, a fuel-air mixture in said combustion chamber using an ignition means; detecting an output torque of the spark-ignition engine using a torque detection means; introducing intake air into said combustion chamber using a valve means; controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected from said fuel injection means, and a timing of the injection of the fuel, using a fuel control means; controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means using an ignition timing control means; controlling an amount of the intake air into said combustion chamber using an intake air amount control means; in order that a value of the output torque detected by said torque detection means can approach a predetermined value, using said fuel control means to change the fuel amount and using said intake air amount control means to change the intake air amount to thereby change an air/fuel ratio in said combustion chamber in such a manner so that said value approaches said predetermined value; when fuel consumption is under a partial load, igniting the air-fuel mixture after the fuel is injected into said combustion chamber as a spray, to thereby cause a resulting flame to spread into a cylinder of the engine to effect combustion therein; and when a fuel consumption load is increased to a point where soot is produced in a stratified combustion, injecting the fuel into the combustion chamber a plurality of times in a divided manner to produce a premixture within the cylinder by a front-half injection that is burned when a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of: keeping, under control of said intake air amount control means, the intake air amount constant while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, to thereby change the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount in a stepwise manner while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, to thereby change the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein said intake air amount control means changes the intake air amount in accordance with a predetermined function while said fuel control means changes the fuel amount, to thereby change the air/fuel ratio.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 5, wherein said ignition means is provided in a position in relation to said injection means so that said ignition means introduces a spark downstream of said fuel spray.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
265 words
A method for controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a fuel injection means for injection fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the engine, an ignition means, located in a vicinity of said fuel injection means, for igniting a fuel/air mixture in said combustion chamber, a torque detection means for detecting an output torque of the engine, a valve means for introducing air into said combustion chamber, and a control means for controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected into said combustion chamber, an amount of the air to be introduced into said combustion chamber, timing of fuel injection into said combustion chamber, and timing of ignition of said air/fuel mixture in said combustion chamber, said method comprising the steps of: controlling the relative amounts of fuel and air passing into said combustion chamber to change an air/fuel ratio in said combustion chamber to such a degree that a value of the output torque of the engine approaches a predetermined value; igniting the air/fuel mixture at a predetermined time after said fuel is injected as a spray into said combustion chamber to produce a flame which spreads into a cylinder of the engine for effecting combustion therein; and injecting the fuel into the combustion chamber a plurality of times in a divided manner, when a fuel consumption load increases to such a degree that soot is produced in a stratified combustion, so as to produce a premixture within said cylinder by a front-half injection that is burned when a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
265 words
A method for controlling a spark-ignition internal combustion engine, said engine including a fuel injection means for injection fuel directly into a combustion chamber of the engine, an ignition means, located in a vicinity of said fuel injection means, for igniting a fuel/air mixture in said combustion chamber, a torque detection means for detecting an output torque of the engine, a valve means for introducing air into said combustion chamber, and a control means for controlling an amount of the fuel to be injected into said combustion chamber, an amount of the air to be introduced into said combustion chamber, timing of fuel injection into said combustion chamber, and timing of ignition of said air/fuel mixture in said combustion chamber, said method comprising the steps of: controlling the relative amounts of fuel and air passing into said combustion chamber to change an air/fuel ratio in said combustion chamber to such a degree that a value of the output torque of the engine approaches a predetermined value; igniting the air/fuel mixture at a predetermined time after said fuel is injected as a spray into said combustion chamber to produce a flame which spreads into a cylinder of the engine for effecting combustion therein; and injecting the fuel into the combustion chamber a plurality of times in a divided manner, when a fuel consumption load increases to such a degree that soot is produced in a stratified combustion, so as to produce a premixture within said cylinder by a front-half injection that is burned when a flame, produced by a latter-half injection, is jetted into the cylinder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said ignition means is positioned in relation to said injection means so that said ignition means introduces a spark downstream of said fuel spray.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
167 words
A spark-ignition internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder having therein a combustion chamber defined by a cylindrical portion and a vertically-movable piston; a fuel injection means for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber; ignition means for igniting a mixture of air and fuel in said combustion chamber; ignition timing control means for controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means, said ignition means being provided at an inner peripheral wall surface of said cylindrical portion of said combustion chamber; and fuel injection control means for causing said fuel injection means to inject fuel into said combustion chamber as a late injection during a stroke of the cylinder which corresponds to a time approaching said ignition timing, wherein said fuel is injected into said combustion chamber in such a manner as to cause the air/fuel mixture in said chamber to become stratified, and to thereby form a fuel-rich mixture in a central region of said chamber and a fuel-lean mixture at a peripheral region of said chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
167 words
A spark-ignition internal combustion engine comprising: a cylinder having therein a combustion chamber defined by a cylindrical portion and a vertically-movable piston; a fuel injection means for injecting fuel directly into said combustion chamber; ignition means for igniting a mixture of air and fuel in said combustion chamber; ignition timing control means for controlling an ignition timing of said ignition means, said ignition means being provided at an inner peripheral wall surface of said cylindrical portion of said combustion chamber; and fuel injection control means for causing said fuel injection means to inject fuel into said combustion chamber as a late injection during a stroke of the cylinder which corresponds to a time approaching said ignition timing, wherein said fuel is injected into said combustion chamber in such a manner as to cause the air/fuel mixture in said chamber to become stratified, and to thereby form a fuel-rich mixture in a central region of said chamber and a fuel-lean mixture at a peripheral region of said chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The engine recited in claim 12, wherein: said ignition means includes a gasket having electrodes and an insulating layer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The engine recited in claim 12, wherein said igniting means ignites said fuel-lean mixture before said fuel-rich mixture is ignited.
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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) | 2000-09-15 | 2001-03-17 | 2001-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-15 | 2005-03-17 | 2005-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-15 | 2009-03-17 | 2009-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |