Patent classifications
F01L13/0005
System and method for mitigating cylinder deactivation degradation
Systems and methods for operating an engine with deactivating and non-deactivating valves are presented. In one example, valves of a cylinder are deactivated in a closed state in response to an indication of degradation of a valve of the cylinder. Further, fuel flow to the cylinder may be stopped via ceasing to inject fuel to the cylinder.
TWO-STEP VALVE CLOSING ROCKER ASSEMBLY
A valve actuation system includes a rocker for conveying motion to an engine valve, a motion source arranged to impart motion to the rocker, rocker stop assembly configured to operate in an activated mode, in which the rocker stop assembly maintains the rocker in a position corresponding to partial valve lift, and a deactivated mode, in which the rocker stop assembly allows the rocker to move to a position corresponding to a fully closed valve position, and a rocker stop reset assembly for resetting the rocker stop assembly to the deactivated mode subsequent to a main event peak lift to thereby achieve late valve closing. A damper assembly may interact with the rocker stop assembly to provide a smooth transition of the rocker and valve motion to a late intake valve closing dwell. A valve catch assembly may control the seating velocity of the at least one valve.
Methods and systems for reducing engine exhaust emissions
Methods and systems are provided for cylinder deactivation to reduce tailpipe emissions and increase exhaust temperature. In one example, a method may include operating a first set of cylinders in a first combustion cycle over modified eight strokes and a second set of cylinders in a second combustion cycle over modified four strokes. Each cylinder in the first set of cylinders may be selectively deactivated via a variable displacement engine (VDE) mechanism while each cylinder in the second set of cylinders may be selectively deactivated via an active decompression technology (ADT) mechanism.
VALVETRAIN WITH ROCKER SHAFT HOUSING MAGNETIC LATCH
A valvetrain for an internal combustion engine includes a camshaft, an electromagnetic latch assembly, a rocker shaft, and a rocker arm assembly. The rocker arm assembly may include a cam follower configured to engage a cam mounted on the camshaft as the camshaft rotates and a rocker arm configured to rotate on the rocker shaft. The electromagnetic latch assembly may include a pin translatable between a first position and a second position and an electromagnet that causes the pin to actuate. The movement of the pin may provide mode switching for a switching rocker arm, a cylinder deactivating rocker arm, or an engine brake rocker arm. The electromagnet is powered by a circuit that passes through the rocker shaft. The electromagnet may be mounted to the rocker shaft. Running the circuit through the rocker shaft allows the electromagnet to be powered with wiring that remains stationary.
Response time in lost motion valvetrains
Hydraulic systems in an engine valvetrain having lost motion and/or braking hydraulic circuits are provided with a conditioning circuit that may include a supplemental supply passage, which provides continuous and supplemental supply of hydraulic fluid from a supply source to the braking and lost motion circuits, as well as a venting of the circuits to ambient, such that the hydraulic fluid in these circuits is kept in a refreshed and conditioned state without air contamination. A vented three-way solenoid valve may be utilized. The supplemental supply passage may be provided at various locations in the valvetrain and in the engine head environment. The supplemental supply passage may include flow and pressure control devices to control the flow of the supplemental supply of hydraulic fluid.
Methods and system for operating skipped cylinders to provide secondary air
Methods and systems are provided for providing secondary air to an exhaust system during catalyst warm-up. In one example, a method may include, during a cold start condition, operating an engine with a first number of cylinders unfired and a remaining number of cylinders fired during an engine cycle, opening an intake valve of an unfired cylinder of the first number of cylinders during an expansion stroke of the unfired cylinder, and opening an exhaust valve of the unfired cylinder during a compression stroke of the unfired cylinder. In this way, the unfired cylinders may provide the secondary air to the exhaust system during a stroke that increases mixing of the secondary air with burned exhaust gas from fired cylinders, thus increasing exotherm production in the exhaust system to increase a temperature of the catalyst.
SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR ROCKER ARM POSITION SENSING
A system for monitoring operation of an internal combustion engine having a rocker arm assembly for actuating an engine valve is disclosed. The rocker arm assembly includes a first arm with a first end and a second end, at least one slider pad connected to the first arm near the second end of the first arm, a second arm also having a first end pivotally connected near the first end of the first arm along a pivot axle, a latch that when latched secures the first arm relative to the second arm in a latched mode, and when unlatched allows the first arm to move relative to the second arm in an unlatched mode. The system also employs a sensor attached to one of the arms that can detect when the arms are moving relative to each other, and adapted to provide a signal indicating the detected movement.
VALVE TRAIN ASSEMBLY
A type II valve train assembly that selectively opens first and second intake valves and first and second exhaust valves is provided. The valve train assembly includes an intake rocker arm assembly and an exhaust rocker arm assembly. The valve train assembly is configurable for operation in any combination of activated and deactivated states of engine braking and cylinder deactivation. The exhaust rocker arm assembly includes a first exhaust rocker arm, a second exhaust rocker arm and an engine brake exhaust rocker arm. A first exhaust HLA is associated with the first exhaust rocker arm. A second exhaust HLA is associated with the second exhaust valve. An exhaust actuation assembly selectively actuates to alter travel of the first and second exhaust HLA's to change a state of cylinder deactivation between activated and deactivated.
CLASSIFIER FOR VALVE FAULT DETECTION IN A VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
A classifier capable of predicting if cylinder valves of an engine commanded to activate or deactivate failed to activate or deactivate respectively. In various embodiments, the classifier can be binary or multi-class Logistic Regression, or a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) classifier. The variable displacement engine can operate in cooperation with a variable displacement engine using cylinder deactivation (CDA) or skip fire, including dynamic skip fire and/or multi-level skip fire.
SWITCHING ROLLER FINGER FOLLOWER WITH INNER ARM HAVING ASYMMETRIC INNER ROLLER
A switching roller finger follower (SRFF) assembly for valve actuation comprises an outer arm, an inner arm, an inner roller, a bearing axle and a pair of outer rollers. The outer arm is pivotally coupled to a pivot axle. The inner arm is at least partially disposed within the outer arm and pivotally coupled to the pivot axle. The inner roller assembly comprise a bushing and an outer ring. The bushing defines a curved slot therein. The bushing is fixed to the inner arm. The outer ring is configured to rotate around the bushing. The bearing axle extends through the curved slot. The pair of outer rollers are disposed on each end of the bearing axle.