Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – With indicator or control of power plant
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2001-08-21
Wolfe, Willis R. (Department: 3747)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
With indicator or control of power plant
C701S107000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278932
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method for controlling an internal combustion engine, having at least two cylinder heads, one engine control unit and actuators for the electromagnetic valve control.
The actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, which are designed to form a separate component, essentially comprise an opening magnet and a closing magnet that are connected to each other by at least one housing part. The opening magnet and the closing magnet are electromagnets that respectively consist of one coil and one yoke. An armature plate made of a ferromagnetic material is located between the opening magnet and the closing magnet. By supplying current to the coil for the opening magnet or the coil for the closing magnet, the armature plate is moved in the respective direction. The opening magnet has a through opening for a push rod, which connects the armature plate with an actuator spring plate. An actuator spring is arranged between the actuator spring plate and the housing part or the outside of the housing magnet. Together with a gas shuttle valve, an actuator for the electromagnetic valve control forms a functional unit, wherein the gas shuttle valve is pulled into the valve seat of the cylinder head by means of a valve spring and a valve spring plate, corresponding to a conventional cylinder head with camshafts.
If a functional unit consisting of an actuator and a gas shuttle valve is mounted on the internal combustion engine, the actuator spring plate and the valve spring plate are pushed against each other. In the resting position of the functional unit, the armature plate is positioned exactly in the center between the opening magnet and the closing magnet. The gas shuttle valve in that case is in the center position between the valve seat for the cylinder head where the valve is closed and the maximum opened position for the valve.
The actuators for the electromagnetic valve control are advantageously operated in a device where the actuators are arranged inside the actuator wells of an actuator support and where the actuator support is screwed onto the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. A cooled intermediate plane covers the actuator support. The cooled intermediate plane is provided with through openings for the connections of a pressed screen. The pressed screen is embedded in a multifunctional, injection-molded plastic part with thereon arranged actuator control unit, which is connected to the pressed screen. A covering that surrounds the actuator control unit covers the cooled intermediate plane. The actuator control unit is connected to an engine control unit that is arranged outside of the covering.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method for controlling an internal combustion engine with at least two cylinder heads, one engine control unit, and actuators, for electromagnetic value control. This method describes the connection between the actuator control unit and the engine control units and is also suitable for use with internal combustion engines having a plurality of cylinder heads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above object generally is achieved according to the invention by a method of controlling an internal combustion engine of the type mentioned above, wherein each cylinder head of the internal combustion engine has a separate actuator control unit for controlling the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, which are connected via data bus to the engine control unit. A CAN data bus is preferably used as data bus.
Besides the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, each cylinder head of the internal combustion engine is provided for this with additional actuators, which are also controlled by the actuator control unit for the cylinder head.
The engine control unit in particular controls those internal combustion engine functions which are based on the interplay of the various components of the internal combustion engine, e.g., the fuel injection, the operating cycle of the valves and the ignition sequence. In addition, a speed regulation system, the load detection and a Lambda regulation can be integrated into the engine control unit. The engine control unit also takes on diagnostic functions of the internal combustion engine.
The actuator control units assume the control of the individual function sequences for the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, as well as the additional actuators. The control can consist of simple start-up and shutdown functions of the actuators or complex regulating processes, which are realized in dependence on sensor data and/or performance characteristics.
The actuator control units control the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, as well as the additional actuators, with the aid of values that are preset by the engine control unit. For example, the respective actuator control unit regulates the current intensity with which the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control are actuated in order to open and close the valves. The engine control unit predetermines the times when the gas shuttle valves are opened or closed by the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control, so as to ensure the correct operating cycle of the valves for the internal combustion engine.
According to a modification of the invention, the engine control unit is integrated into one of the actuator control units.
Another modification of the invention provides that the sensors for the internal combustion engine, which detect the sensor data necessary for controlling the internal combustion engine, are directly connected to the engine control unit. Insofar as it is necessary, sensor data are transmitted via the data bus from the engine control unit to the actuator control units.
According to one advantageous modification of the invention, the data bus is designed in such a way that one actuator control unit can also obtain the sensor data from another actuator control unit.
In yet another modification of the invention, it is provided that the actuator control units have emergency running properties, which make it possible to continue the internal combustion engine operation, at least for a short period of time, following the occurrence of malfunctions.
In order to provide these emergency running properties, the actuator control units are not only connected via the data bus and the engine control unit to the engine sensors, but are also connected directly to engine sensors for the internal combustion engine, preferably to the sensors for determining the crankshaft speed and the crankshaft angle of rotation.
A modification of the invention furthermore provides for synchronizing the sensor data made available to the actuator control units via the data bus and the direct connection to the engine sensors.
If at least one actuator for the electromagnetic valve control fails, the coordinated actuator control unit will shut off the fuel supply to the affected cylinder, in keeping with the emergency running properties.
Should the connection between one actuator control unit and the engine control unit fail, the affected actuator control unit itself takes over control of the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control and the additional actuators in keeping with the emergency running properties. The values preset by the engine control unit for controlling the functions of the actuators for the electromagnetic valve control and the additional actuators are taken from performance characteristics, which are stored at least speed-dependent in the actuator control units. The performance characteristics relate, for example, to the ignition control, the fuel injection control and the control of the operating cycle for the valves.
In the following, the method according to the invention for controlling an internal combustion engine with at least two cylinder heads is explained and demonstrated with the aid of an exemplary embodiment for a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with two cylinder heads and in connection with a Figure.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4730256
Alberter Gunther
Baumel Hermann
Breu Gunther
Flierl Barbara
Flierl Werner
Flierl Barbara
Kunitz Norman N.
TEMIC Telefunken microelectronic GmbH
Venable
Wolfe Willis R.
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