ECM STARTER ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED ENGINE

Abstract

This invention relates to a starter system for an electronically controlled internal combustion engine which is particularly, although not exclusively, suitable for use on electronically controlled diesel engines used in trackless mining machinery. The starter system adapted to actuate an electronic engine control module (ECM) of an electronically controlled fuel-injection engine when the engine is started, wherein the engine comprises a fuel tank and a high pressure injector pump which are arranged in flow communication with a series of injector nozzles. The starter system is characterised therein that it comprises an alternator which is operatively associated with the ECM for actuating the ECM, the arrangement being such that when the engine is started, the alternator supplies the ECM with electrical current before the engine is cranked.

Claims

1. A starter system adapted to actuate an electronic engine control module (ECM) of an electronically controlled fuel-injection engine when the engine is started, wherein the engine comprises a fuel tank and a high pressure injector pump which are arranged in flow communication with a series of injector nozzles; the starter system comprising an alternator which is operatively associated with the ECM for actuating the ECM, the arrangement being such that when the engine is started, the alternator supplies the ECM with electrical current before the engine is cranked.

2. The starter system according to claim 1, wherein the alternator is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator.

3. The starter system according to claim 2, wherein the alternator is operatively associated with hydraulic or pneumatic actuators of the engine.

4. The starter system according to claim 2, wherein the starter system includes secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators which are operatively associated with the alternator such that the secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators actuate only the alternator.

5. The starter system according to claim 2, wherein the alternator is actuated through a release valve, which releases hydraulic or pneumatic energy from an accumulator to a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator driver motor, which driver motor in turn is mechanically linked to the alternator for supplying the alternator with mechanical energy, thus enabling the alternator to generate electrical current supply to the ECM for actuating the ECM.

6. The starter system according to claim 1, wherein the ECM alternator is disconnected from the engine such that the ECM alternator is actuated first and before the engine starts running.

7. The starter system according to claim 1, wherein the starter system includes a secondary low pressure primer pump which is arranged in flow communication with the fuel tank and the injector pump, the primer pump being adapted to maintain a positive fuel pressure at the injector pump at commencement of an engine starting process, thus enabling substantially immediate starting of the engine.

8. The starter system according to claim 7, wherein the primer pump is positioned intermediate the fuel tank and the injector pump such that fuel from the fuel tank passes through the primer pump before proceeding to the injector pump, the arrangement being such that a constant fuel pressure is maintained at the injector pump.

9. The starter system according to claim 5, wherein the primer pump is mechanically linked to the alternator driver motor such that when the alternator driver motor is actuated by the hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, the driver motor not only actuates the alternator, but also actuates the primer pump, such that the primer pump draws fuel from the fuel tank and provides priming pressure to the injector pump either before the engine cranked, or simultaneously while the engine is being cranked.

10. The starter system according to claim 5, wherein the primer pump is operatively associated with a second, independent actuator which is actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, the arrangement being such that upon actuation of the primer pump, the primer pump draws fuel from the fuel tank and provides priming pressure to the injector pump either before the engine is cranked, or simultaneously while the engine is being cranked.

11. The starter system according to claim 7, wherein the primer pump is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure actuated primer pump.

12. The starter system according to claim 11, wherein the primer pump is operatively associated with hydraulic or pneumatic actuators of the engine.

13. The starter system according to claim 11, wherein the starter system includes secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators which are operatively associated with the primer pump such that the secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators actuate the primer pump and an alternator driver motor.

14. The starter system according to claim 5, wherein the primer pump is actuated through a release valve, which releases hydraulic or pneumatic energy from an accumulator to the hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator driver motor, which driver motor in turn is mechanically linked to the primer pump for supplying the primer pump with mechanical energy, thus enabling the primer pump to supply priming fuel pressure to the injector pump.

15. The starter system according to claim 1, wherein the starter system includes a timer sequence unit which manages time delay between actuation of the alternator and ECM, fuel supply to the engine and cranking of the engine, thus ensuring that sufficient electricity and fuel is supplied to the engine, either before the engine is cranked or while the engine is being cranked.

16. The starter system according to claim 15, wherein the timer sequence unit is operatively associated with the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators of the engine, the alternator and an engine starter motor.

17. The starter system according to claim 1, wherein the starter system is particularly suitable for use on electronically controlled fuel-injection diesel engines used in trackless mining machinery.

18. An electronically controlled fuel-injection engine comprising an ECM and a starter system for actuating the ECM, the starter system comprising an alternator which is operatively associated with the ECM for actuating the ECM such that when the engine started, the alternator supplies the ECM with electrical current either before the engine is cranked, or while the engine is being cranked.

19. The electronically controlled fuel-injection engine according to claim 18, wherein the alternator is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator.

20. An electronically controlled fuel-injection engine comprising an ECM and a starter system according to claim 1.

21. A method of actuating an ECM of an electronically controlled fuel-injection engine, the method comprising the use of an alternator which is operatively associated with the ECM for actuating the ECM such that when the engine is started, the alternator supplies the ECM with electrical current before the engine is cranked or while the engine is being cranked.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the alternator is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator.

23. The method according to claim 22, including the additional steps of providing hydraulic or pneumatic actuators which are positioned such that they actuate only the alternator and which include a release valve; and a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator driver motor which is operatively associated with the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators and with the alternator; the arrangement being such that by releasing the release valve, hydraulic or pneumatic energy is released to the alternator driver motor, which in turn supplies the alternator with energy such that the alternator generates electrical current supply to the ECM for actuating the ECM.

24. The method according to claim 22, including the additional steps of providing hydraulic or pneumatic actuators which are positioned such that they actuate both the alternator and the primer pump, either simultaneously or sequentially, the arrangement being such that the primer pump is selectively disengaged once a common rail system can sustain its own low pressure fuel supply.

25. The starter system according to claim 1, substantially as illustrated and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. The electronically controlled fuel-injection engine according to claim 18, substantially as illustrated and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.

27. The method of actuating an ECM of an electronically controlled fuel-injection engine according to claim 21, substantially as illustrated and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The invention will now further be described by way of non-limiting example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior art electronically controlled fuel injection engine, illustrating the battery and ECM assembly in a flame proof enclosure;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an electronically controlled fuel injection engine according to one embodiment of the invention comprising a starter system according to the invention, including an alternator and primer pump, wherein the primer pump is mechanically linked to the alternator driver motor;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an electronically controlled fuel injection engine according to a second embodiment of the invention, wherein the primer pump is operatively associated with a second, independent driver which is actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure; and

[0032] FIG. 4 is a three dimensional illustration of an electronically controlled fuel injection engine according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0033] In prior art electronically controlled engines [10] (FIG. 1), an electronic engine control module (ECM) [12] is encased in a flameproof enclosure [14], together with a battery [16]. During an engine [30] starting process, the battery [16] first supplies electrical power to the ECM [12], which in turn monitors a series of engine sensors [18] and controls fuel supply to a series of injector nozzles [20]. The engine is typically started with either a hydraulically or pneumatically actuated starter valve [22], which releases hydraulic or pneumatic pressure stored in (an) accumulator(s) [24] as available energy to a starter motor [32] to crank the engine [30]. When signalled by the ECM [12], a fuel injector pump [26] opens and sprays pressurised fuel directly from a fuel tank [28] through the injector nozzles [20] into the engine [30]. The fuel tank [28] is directly linked to the injector pump [26], which in turn is directly linked to a high pressure common rail fuel line [29]. Injector nozzles are connected to the high pressure common rail fuel line [29].

[0034] The invention as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 provides a novel starter system [34] which is adapted to actuate the ECM [12] of an electronically controlled fuel-injection engine [30] when the engine is started. The engine [30] comprises a fuel tank [28] and a high pressure injector pump [26] which are arranged in flow communication with a series of injector nozzles [20]. The starter system [34] is characterised therein that it comprises an alternator [36] which is operatively associated with the ECM [12] for actuating the ECM [12], the arrangement being such that when the engine [30] is started, the alternator [36] supplies the ECM [12] with electrical current before and while the engine [30] is cranked.

[0035] The alternator [36] may be anyone of a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator [36]. In one embodiment of the invention the alternator [36] is associated with the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators [24] of the engine [30]. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the alternator [36] is operatively associated with secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators [25] which are positioned to actuate only the alternator [36].

[0036] With reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the alternator [36] is actuated by a hydraulic or pneumatic release valve [42] (the release valve is indicated by reference numeral [22] in FIGS. 1 to 3), which releases hydraulic or pneumatic energy from (an) accumulator(s) [25] to a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven alternator driver motor [44]. The driver motor [44] is mechanically linked to the alternator [36] for supplying the alternator [36] with mechanical energy. This enables the alternator [36] to generate electrical current supply to the ECM [12] for actuating the ECM [12].

[0037] The ECM alternator [36] is disconnected from the engine [30] such that the alternator [36] is actuated first and before the engine [30] starts running.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiments the starter system [34] also includes a secondary low pressure primer pump [38] which is arranged in flow communication with the fuel tank [28] and the injector pump [26]. The primer pump [38] is positioned intermediate the fuel tank [28] and the injector pump [26] such that fuel from the fuel tank [28] passes through the primer pump [38] before proceeding to the injector pump [26]. The primer pump [38] is adapted to maintain a positive fuel pressure at the injector pump [26] at commencement of an engine [30] starting process, thus enabling substantially immediate starting of the engine [30].

[0039] In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4, the primer pump [38] is mechanically linked to the alternator driver motor [44] such that when the alternator driver motor [44] is actuated by the hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, it not only actuates the alternator [36], but also actuates the primer pump [38]. The primer pump [38] then draws fuel from the fuel tank [28] and provides positive fuel pressure to the injector pump [26] even before the engine [30] is cranked, or simultaneously while the engine [30] is being cranked.

[0040] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the primer pump [38] is operatively associated with a second, independent actuator [39] which is actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, the arrangement being such that upon actuation of the primer pump [38], the primer pump [38] draws fuel from the fuel tank [28] and provides priming pressure to the injector pump [26] either before the engine [30] is cranked, or simultaneously while the engine [30] is being cranked. In particular, the primer pump [38] is a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure driven primer pump [38]. In one embodiment of the invention, the primer pump is [38] operatively associated with the hydraulic or pneumatic actuators [24] of the engine [30]. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the starter system includes secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators [25] which are operatively associated with the primer pump [38] such that the secondary hydraulic or pneumatic actuators [25] actuate the primer pump actuator [39] and the alternator driver motor [44]. The primer pump [38] is actuated through a release valve [22], which releases hydraulic or pneumatic energy from an accumulator [25] to the hydraulic or pneumatic actuator [39], which actuator [39] in turn is mechanically linked to the primer pump [38] for supplying the primer pump [38] with mechanical energy. This enables the primer pump [38] to generate priming fuel pressure to the high pressure injector pump.

[0041] The starter system [34] also includes a timer sequence unit [40] which manages time delay between actuation of the alternator [36] and the ECM [12], fuel supply to the engine [30], and cranking of the engine [30] thus ensuring that sufficient electricity and fuel is supplied to the engine [30] before the engine is cranked.

[0042] It will be appreciated that other embodiments of the invention may be possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the claims.