Time delay ignition circuit for an internal combustion engine

Details Time delay ignition circuit for an internal combustion engine Time delay ignition circuit for an internal combustion engine

1998-12-03

2001-01-16

Wolfe, Willis R. (Department: 3747)

Internal-combustion engines

Combustion chamber means having fuel injection only

Having a particular relationship between injection and...

C123S335000, C123S406470, C123S478000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06173692

ABSTRACT:

Attention is directed to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/507,664, filed Jul. 25, 1995, abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and particularly to an ignition timing circuit for an internal combustion engine.
Spark-ignited internal combustion engines require a spark at the spark plug in order to ignite the fuel and air mixture in the cylinder of the engine. The timing of the combustion event is critical in the operation of the internal combustion engine. Particularly, the timing of the combustion event controls the speed and acceleration of the engine as well as the efficiency with which the fuel in the cylinder is burned. Various methods of timing the combustion event are known. In particular, it is generally known to make use of various engine operating parameters to time the combustion event. Such parameters may include crankshaft angle, engine temperature and/or cylinder pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the case of an internal combustion engine utilizing fuel injectors, the air/fuel mixture is atomized into a “stratified” fuel/air cloud that “floats” from the injector nozzle in the cylinder toward the spark gap at the spark plug. If the ignition spark jumps the spark gap before the fuel/air cloud reaches the spark gap, the fuel/air cloud will not be completely burned. In order to assure that complete combustion of the stratified fuel/air cloud is attained, it is necessary to time the ignition spark for the precise moment when the fuel/air cloud reaches the spark gap.
Accordingly, this invention provides an absolute time delay ignition circuit for an internal combustion engine. The time delay ignition circuit bases the timing of the ignition spark on the elapsed time from the fuel injector event. That is, the electronic control unit of the engine generates a signal causing injection of fuel by the fuel injector and subsequently generates a signal causing an ignition spark based on an absolute period of elapsed time measured from the injection signal. The electronic control unit can generate the time delay based upon either a fixed calibrated time period, a predetermined time period stored in a memory based look-up table, or a time period calculated from a software based algorithm that evaluates various parameters such as temperature, pressure, etc.
In one embodiment, the engine is operated with time-based ignition at low speeds, and is operated with crank-angle-based ignition at high speeds, i.e., the change from time-based ignition to crank-angle-based ignition is based solely on engine speed. In another embodiment, the engine is operated with time-based ignition at low engine loads (as measured by throttle position), and is operated with crank-angle-based ignition at high engine loads, i.e., the change from time-based ignition to crank-angle-based ignition is based solely on engine loads. In another embodiment, the engine is operated with time-based ignition at low loads and low speed, and is operated with crank-angle-based ignition at either high loads or high speeds, i.e., the change from time-based ignition to crank-angle-based ignition is based on both the engine speed and engine load.
The invention also provides an internal combustion engine assembly comprising: an internal combustion engine including an engine block having at least one cylinder; a piston mounted within the cylinder for reciprocal movement in the cylinder; a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the cylinder; and circuit means for generating an injection control signal indicative of a fuel injection event and for generating a spark in the cylinder a predetermined amount of time after generation of the injection control signal.
The invention also provides an internal combustion engine assembly comprising: an internal combustion engine including an engine block having at least one cylinder; a piston mounted within the cylinder for reciprocal movement in the cylinder; a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the cylinder; and a circuit for generating an injection control signal indicative of a fuel injection event, the circuit including a timer having a timer output for generating an electrical timing signal, the timing signal having a predetermined duration indicating an amount of time elapsed from generation of the injection control signal.
The invention also provides a method of timing the ignition of fuel in an internal combustion engine, the engine including an engine block having at least one cylinder, a piston mounted within the cylinder for reciprocal movement in the cylinder, a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the cylinder, the method comprising the steps of: (A) initiating an injection event; and (B) generating an ignition signal solely in response to the time elapsed since the injection event.
It is an advantage of the invention to provide an ignition system that bases the timing of the ignition spark on an absolute period of time measured from the fuel injection event.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide an ignition timing system allowing operation of the engine at idling speeds of less than 200 rotations of the crankshaft per minute.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide an ignition timing system that causes efficient and complete combustion of the fuel/air cloud in the cylinder.
It is another advantage of the invention to provide an ignition timing system that is resistant to minor engine speed fluctuations.
Other features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following detail description and claims.


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