Charge control device for and method for controlling the functioning of a reciprocating internal combustion engine

Abstract

A charge control apparatus and a method for operating an reciprocating internal combustion engine are provided. The charge control apparatus includes a rotary disc valve disposed in the intake conduit upstream of the intake valve and connected to a motor and a control unit. The rotary disc valve is movable by the motor between a position in which the rotary disc valve closes the intake conduit and a position in which it permits flow along the intake conduit to the intake valve. The control unit controls the movement of the rotary disc valve in its closing position in the intake conduit such that the closing time point of the rotary disc valve is set increasingly ahead of the closing time point of the intake valve as a function of decreasing performance demands.

1. A charge control apparatus for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder in which a piston is reciprocably moved by crankshaft, the cylinder having at least one intake conduit and an intake valve which opens and closes the intake conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft and having at least one outlet conduit and an outlet valve which opens and closes the outlet conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft, the charge control apparatus comprising:
 a rotary disc valve disposed in the intake conduit upstream of the intake valve, the rotary disc valve having a rotatable member rotatably mounted in a housing and connected to an electric motor operable to move the rotatable member between a position in which the rotatable member closes the intake conduit and a position in which the rotatable member permits flow along the intake conduit to the intake valve; and  
 a control unit for controlling the operation of the electric motor as a function of the engine performance demand indicated by an engine performance demand element to thereby effect movement of the rotatable member of the rotary disc valve such that the closing time point of the rotary disc valve at which the rotatable member closes flow through the intake conduit is set increasingly ahead of the closing time point of the intake valve as a function of decreasing engine performance demands.  
 
     
     
       2. A charge control device according to  claim 1  and further comprising a torsion stiff and flexible connection coupling for interconnecting the rotatable member and the electric motor. 
     
     
       3. A charge control device according to  claim 1  wherein the electric motor includes a magnetic pole rotor and the rotatable member and the electric motor are configured to operate with one another as an electromagnetic rotational unit. 
     
     
       4. A charge control device according to  claim 1  wherein the electric motor which includes a magnetic field winding stator, and the housing together form an electromagnetic rotational unit. 
     
     
       5. A charge control device according to  claim 1  wherein the cylinder includes two intake conduits each having a respective intake valve associated therewith, a rotary disc valve is disposed in each intake conduit, and each rotary disc valve is connected to a separate motor for independent actuation of the rotary disc valve. 
     
     
       6. A charge control apparatus for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder in which a piston is reciprocably moved by a crankshaft, the cylinder having at least one intake conduit and an intake valve which opens and closes the intake conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft and having at least on outlet conduit and an outlet valve which open and closes the outlet conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft, the charge control apparatus comprising:
 a separation wall extending lengthwise within the intake conduit and having a separate shape and a plurality of valve openings each extending transverse to the intake conduit length;  
 a shaft;  
 at least two closure members fixedly disposed on the shaft and each associated with a respective valve opening for opening and closing the respective valve opening in correspondence with movement of the shaft, one of the closure members being disposed on one side of the serpentine separation wall and this other closure member being disposed on the other side of the serpentine separation wall such that the pressure differential acting on the closure members in their closed positions is compensated;  
 a magnetic stroke actuator for moving the shaft longitudinally in one direction so as to effect closing of the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall by the respective closure members associated therewith and for moving the shaft longitudinally in an opposite direction so as to effect opening of the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall by movement of the closure members away from the valve openings; and  
 a control unit for controlling the operation of the magnetic stroke actuator as a function of the negative performance demand indicated by an engine performance demand element to thereby effect movement of the closure members such that the closing time point of the valve openings at which the closure member close the valve openings is set increasingly ahead of the closing time point of the intake valve as a function of decreasing engine performance demands.  
 
     
     
       7. A charge control device according to  claim 5  wherein there are four valve openings in the serpentine separation wall and four closure members are each associated with a respective valve opening. 
     
     
       8. A method for controlling the operation of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder in which a piston is reciprocably moved by a crankshaft, the cylinder having at least one intake conduit by an intake valve which opens and closes the intake conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft and having at least one outlet conduit and an outlet valve which opens and closes the outlet conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft, an engine performance demand member whose position controls the amount of refresh air charge introduced through the intake conduit to the cylinder, and a charge control apparatus including a rotary disc valve disposed in the intake conduit upstream of the intake valve movable between a position in which the rotary disc valve closes the intake conduit and a position in which it permits flow along the intake conduit to the inlet valve, the method comprising:
 controlling the opening of the rotary disc valve in the intake conduit to precede the opening of the intake valve such that, when the rotary disc valve is moved into its position in the intake conduit while the intake valve is still closed, a pressure wave produced by the vacuum existing between the rotary disc valve and the intake valve arrives, after reflection on the open end of the intake conduit, at the intake valve substantially contemporaneously with the opening of the intake valve, whereby the intake effort performed by the piston in drawing in a fresh charge into the cylinder is reduced.  
 
     
     
       9. A method for controlling the operation of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the reciprocating internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder in which a piston is reciprocably moved by a crankshaft, the cylinder having at least one intake conduit and an intake valve which opens and closes the intake conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft and having at least one outlet conduit and an outlet valve which opens and closes the outlet conduit as a function of the rotation of the crankshaft, an engine performance demand member whose position controls the amount of fresh air charge introduced through the intake conduit to the cylinder, a separation wall extending lengthwise within the intake conduit and having a serpentine shape and a plurality of valve openings each extending transverse to the intake conduit length, a shaft, at least two closure members fixedly disposed on the shaft and each associated with a respective valve opening for opening and closing the respective valve opening in correspondence with movement of the shaft, one of the closure members being disposed on one side of the serpentine separation wall and the other closure member being disposed on the other side of the serpentine separation wall such that the pressure differential acting on the closure members in their closed positions is compensated, and a magnetic stroke actuator for moving the shaft longitudinally in one direction so as to effect closing of the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall by the respective closure members associated therewith and for moving the shaft longitudinally in an opposite direction so as to effect opening of the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall by movement of the closure members away from the valve openings, the method comprising:
 controlling the movement of the closure members to effect opening their associated valve openings in the serpentine separation wall in the intake conduit to precede the opening of the intake valve such that, when the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall in the intake conduit are open while the intake valve is still closed, a pressure wave produced by the vacuum existing between the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall in the intake conduit and the intake valve arrives, after reflection upon the open end of the intake conduit, at the intake valve substantially contemporaneously with the opening of the intake valve, whereby the intake effort performed by the piston in drawing in a fresh charge into the cylinder is reduced.  
 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 8  and further comprising controlling the movement of the rotary disc valve as a function of a selected one of the charging volume and the charging pressure of a charging apparatus. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 8  wherein the reciprocating internal combustion engine includes a series of exhaust gas turbo charges and an exhaust gas distribution valve is controlled to effect the immediate impact of exhaust gas on the exhaust gas turbo chargers as a function of the control of the rotary disc valve. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11  wherein each exhaust gas turbo charge includes a variable intake geometry which is controlled as a function of the content of the rotary disc valve. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 9  and further comprising controlling the movement of the closure member to open and close the valve openings in the serpentine separation wall in the intake conduit as a function of a selected one of the charging volume and the charging pressure of a charging apparatus. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 13  wherein the reciprocating internal combustion engine includes an exhaust gas turbo charger and an exhaust gas valve is controlled to effect the immediate impact of exhaust gas on the exhaust gas turbo charger as a function of the control of the closure members. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14  wherein the exhaust gas turbo charger includes a variable intake geometry which is controlled as a function of the control of the closure members. 
     
     
       16. A method for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine,
 wherein the internal combustion engine comprises:    at least one cylinder,    a piston reciprocally movable in the at least one cylinder,    at least one intake conduit in communication with the cylinder,    an intake valve arranged and constructed to open and close the intake conduit as a function of crankshaft rotation,    means for generating signals representative of engine performance demands, and    a charge control valve movably disposed in the at least one intake conduit upstream of the intake valve, the charge control valve being arranged and constructed to open and close the intake conduit based upon the signals from the means for generating signals representative of engine performance demands,    the method comprising:    closing the charge control valve increasingly ahead of closing the intake valve in response to signals indicating decreasing engine performance demands, whereby a reduced pressure condition is generated between the charge control valve and the intake valve; and    opening the charge control valve ahead of opening the intake valve, such that the charge control valve is opened, while the intake valve is still closed, at a timing to generate a pressure wave by the reduced pressure condition between the charge control valve and the intake valve, which pressure wave is reflected by an open end of the intake conduit, and such that the pressure wave arrives at the intake valve substantially contemporaneously with the opening of the intake valve.   
     
     
       17. A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises means for increasing an amount of fresh charge supplied via the intake conduit to the cylinder, the method further comprising opening and closing the charge control valve based, at least in part, upon one of charging volume and charging pressure. 
     
     
       18. A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises:
 at least first and second exhaust gas turbo charges, each comprising an exhaust turbine connected in series with a charger turbine and    a divider valve disposed upstream of the first exhaust turbine,    the method further comprising selectively directing exhaust gas directly to the charger turbine in dependence upon operational parameters of the internal combustion engine.   
     
     
       19. A method as in  claim 18 , wherein each exhaust gas turbine comprises a variable intake geometry and the method further comprises controlling the variable intake geometry as a function of the operational parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       20. A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises an electric step motor receiving the signals from the means for generating signals representative of engine performance demand and being arranged and constructed to control the opening and closing of the charge control valve based upon said signals. 
     
     
       21. A method as in  claim 20 , wherein the charge control valve comprises a rotary valve. 
     
     
       22. A method as in  claim 21 , wherein the rotary valve and the electric step motor are interconnected by a torsion-stiff, but flexible bending connection. 
     
     
       23. A method as in  claim 16 , wherein the change control valve comprises a linearly movable valve. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus suitable for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine, wherein the internal combustion engine comprises:
 at least one cylinder having at least one intake opening and at least one exhaust opening,    a piston reciprocally movable in the at least one cylinder,    an intake valve arranged and constructed to open and close the intake opening as a function of crankshaft rotation,    means for generating signals representative of engine performance demands,    wherein the claimed apparatus comprises:    at least one intake conduit in communication with the at least one intake opening,    a change control valve movably disposed in the at least one intake conduit upstream of the intake valve,    a motor being arranged and constructed to open and close the charge control valve, and    a controller arranged and constructed to receive the signals from the means for generating signals representative of engine performance demands and being arranged and constructed to supply charge control valve signals to the motor, such that:    the charge control valve is closed increasingly ahead of closing of the intake valve in response to signals indicating decreasing engine performance demands, whereby a reduced pressure condition is generated between the charge control valve and the intake valve, and    the charge control valve is opened ahead of opening of the intake valve, such that the charge control valve is opened, while the intake valve is still closed, at a timing to generate a pressure wave by the reduced pressure condition between the charge control valve and the intake valve, which pressure wave is reflected by an open end of the intake conduit, and such that the pressure wave arrives at the intake valve substantially contemporaneously with the opening of the intake valve.   
     
     
       25. An apparatus as in  claim 24 , wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises means for increasing an amount of fresh charge supplied via the intake conduit to the cylinder, wherein the controller is further arranged and constructed to open and close the charge control valve based, at least in part, upon one of charging volume and charging pressure. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus as in  claim 24  wherein the internal combustion engine further comprises:
 at least first and second exhaust gas turbo chargers, each comprising an exhaust turbine connected in series with a charger turbine, and    a divider valve disposed upstream of the first exhaust turbine, wherein the divider valve is arranged and constructed to selectively direct exhaust gas directly to the charger turbines in dependence upon operational parameters of the internal combustion engine.   
     
     
       27. An apparatus as in  claim 26 , wherein each exhaust gas turbine comprises a variable intake geometry arranged and constructed to be controlled as a function of the operational parameters of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       28. An apparatus in  claim 24 , wherein the motor is an electric step motor. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus as in  claim 28 , wherein the charge control valve comprises a rotary valve. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus as in  claim 29 , wherein the rotary valve and the electric step motor are interconnected by a torsion-stiff, but flexible bending connection. 
     
     
       31. An apparatus as in  claim 24 , wherein the charge control valve comprises a linearly movable valve.