System and method of adjusting actuation timing of valves in a piston engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10329969-B2
Application number	US-201515522529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Nov 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A system that provides adjustable actuation timing of one or more valve(s) (16) in a piston engine includes a position sensor (12) and a variable valve actuation assembly (10). The valve(s) (16) can be intake and/or exhaust valves in an internal combustion engine of an automobile. The position sensor (12) takes position readings of the valve(s) (16) as the valve(s) (16) actuate in the piston engine. The variable valve actuation assembly (10) controls actuation timing of the valve(s) (16). Actuation timing of the valve(s) (16) is adjustable based, in part or more, upon one or more position reading(s) of the position sensor (12). The variable valve actuation assembly (10) can be a lost motion assembly (10).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system that provides adjustable actuation timing of at least one valve ( 16 ) in a piston engine, the system comprising:
a position sensor ( 12 ) taking position readings of a valve ( 16 ) as the valve ( 16 ) actuates in the piston engine; and
a variable valve actuation assembly ( 10 ) equipped at the valve ( 16 ) of the piston engine to control actuation timing of the valve ( 16 );
wherein actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ) is adjustable based at least in part upon at least one position reading of the valve ( 16 ) taken by the position sensor ( 12 );
wherein the position sensor ( 12 ) takes position readings of the valve ( 16 ) of a first cylinder of the piston engine;
a second position sensor ( 12 ) taking position readings of a second valve ( 16 ) of a second cylinder of the piston engine as the second valve ( 16 ) actuates at the second cylinder; and
a second variable valve actuation assembly ( 10 ) equipped at the second valve ( 16 ) of the second cylinder to control actuation timing of the second valve ( 16 );
wherein the second position sensor ( 12 ) takes a position reading of the second valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent a closed position, the position reading is referenced to a predefined position of the second valve ( 16 ), and actuation timing of the second valve ( 16 ) is adjustable based at least in part upon the position reading being referenced to the predefined position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor ( 12 ) takes a first position reading of the valve ( 16 ) when the valve ( 16 ) is at a closed position, the position sensor ( 12 ) takes a second position reading of the valve ( 16 ) when the valve ( 16 ) is at a fully open position, and wherein the first and second position readings are used for calibration to relate subsequent position sensor readings to valve position.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the position sensor ( 12 ) takes a third position reading of the valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent the closed position, the third position reading is referenced to a predefined position of the valve ( 16 ), and actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ) is adjustable based at least in part upon the third position reading being referenced to the predefined position.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein, after adjustments to actuation timing have been made to the valve ( 16 ) based upon the third position reading being referenced to the predefined position, the position sensor ( 12 ) takes a fourth position reading of the valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent the closed position, the fourth position reading is referenced to the predefined position of the valve ( 16 ), and actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ) is adjustable based at least in part upon the fourth position reading being referenced to the predefined position.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein position readings of the valve ( 16 ) taken by the position sensor ( 12 ) are referenced to predefined positions of the valve ( 16 ) in order to monitor the functionality of the variable valve actuation assembly ( 10 ).

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor ( 12 ) is a variable inductance position sensor ( 12 ).

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the variable valve actuation assembly ( 10 ) is a lost motion assembly ( 10 ) that comprises a master piston ( 18 ), a slave piston ( 26 ), a solenoid valve ( 20 ), an accumulator ( 22 ), and a fluid-flow circuit ( 28 ), the fluid-flow circuit ( 28 ) fluidly communicating the master piston ( 18 ), slave piston ( 26 ), solenoid valve ( 20 ), and accumulator ( 22 ).

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ) is adjustable via activations and deactivations of the solenoid valve ( 20 ).

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control unit ( 14 ) receiving input from the position sensor ( 12 ), and wherein actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ) is adjustable based at least in part upon the received input.

10. A method of adjusting actuation timing of at least one valve ( 16 ) in a piston engine via at least one variable valve actuation assembly ( 10 ), the method comprising:
taking a first position reading of a valve ( 16 ) in the piston engine when the valve ( 16 ) is at a closed position;
taking a second position reading of the valve ( 16 ) in the piston engine when the valve ( 16 ) is at a fully open position;
using the first and second position readings to calibrate subsequent position readings of the valve ( 16 );
taking a third position reading of the valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent the closed position;
referencing the third position reading to a predefined position of the valve ( 16 ); and
making adjustments to actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ), if called for, based at least in part upon the third position reading being referenced to the predefined position.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
after adjustments to the actuation timing are made based upon the third position reading being referenced to the predefined position, taking a fourth position reading of the valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent the closed position;
referencing the fourth position reading to the predefined position of the valve ( 16 ); and
making adjustments to the actuation timing of the valve ( 16 ), if called for, based at least in part upon the fourth position reading being referenced to the predefined position.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method of adjusting actuation timing of valves ( 16 ) in the piston engine via variable valve actuation assemblies ( 10 ) is performed on a plurality of valves ( 16 ) in the piston engine and at a plurality of cylinders in the piston engine, the plurality of valves ( 16 ) having variable valve actuation assemblies ( 10 ) equipped thereat.

13. A system that provides adjustable actuation timing of valves ( 16 ) in a piston engine, the system comprising:
a first position sensor ( 12 ) located near a first valve ( 16 ) of a first cylinder of the piston engine;
a first lost motion assembly ( 10 ) actuating the first valve ( 16 ), the first lost motion assembly ( 10 ) including a first master piston ( 18 ), a first slave piston ( 26 ), and a first solenoid valve ( 20 );
a second position sensor ( 12 ) located near a second valve ( 16 ) of a second cylinder of the piston engine;
a second lost motion assembly ( 10 ) actuating the second valve ( 16 ), the second lost motion assembly ( 10 ) including a second master piston ( 18 ), a second slave piston ( 26 ), and a second solenoid valve ( 20 ); and
an electronic control unit ( 14 ) receiving a first position reading from the first position sensor ( 12 ) of the first valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent a closed position, the first position reading referenced to a first predefined position, and actuation timing of the first valve ( 16 ) is adjustable via activation and deactivation of the first solenoid valve ( 20 ) based at least in part upon the first position reading being referenced to the first predefined position, and the electronic control unit ( 14 ) receiving a second position reading from the second position sensor ( 12 ) of the second valve ( 16 ) before slowdown occurs adjacent a closed position, the second position reading referenced to a second predefined position, and actuation timing of the second valve ( 16 ) is adjustable via activation and deactivation of the second solenoid valve ( 20 ) based at least in part upon the second position reading being referenced to the second predefined position.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first position sensor

Assignees

• Jacobs Vehicle Systems Inc

Inventors

• Simpson Roger T
• Moore Jacob M
• Steines Alan
• Schwoerer John A

Classifications

• F01L2009/0467

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F01L9/023

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F01L9/025 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F01L9/02

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F01L9/021

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic