Valve lash detection and analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10563545-B2
Application number	US-201815952578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2018
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

Some examples described herein may involve determining an advance timing window between the valve opening or closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to open or close; determining a closing velocity of the valve; monitoring an engine speed of the engine; determining valve lash information based on the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed, wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and performing an action based on the valve lash information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device to detect valve lash of a valve of an engine, the device comprising:
one or more processors to:
determine an advance timing window between the valve opening or closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to open or close;
determine a closing velocity of the valve;
monitor an engine speed of the engine;
determine valve lash information based on the advance timing window the closing velocity, and the engine speed,
wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and

perform an action based on the valve lash information.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors, when determining the advance timing window, are to:
determine timing associated with a crank shaft of a cylinder of the engine, wherein the valve is configured to allow a fluid to flow in or out of the cylinder; and
determine the advance timing window based on the timing associated with the crank shaft.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors, when determining the closing velocity, are to:
obtain an acceleration measurement associated with a cylinder head of a cylinder from a valve sensor associated with the valve,
wherein the valve allows a fluid to flow in or out of the cylinder;

calculate at least one of a root mean square (RMS) from the acceleration measurement, a peak-to-peak value from the acceleration measurement, or a wavelet decomposition from the acceleration measurement; and
determine the closing velocity based on at least one of the RMS, the peak-to-peak value, or the wavelet decomposition.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors, when determining the valve lash information, are to:
use the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed to a mapping identifying the magnitude of the valve lash.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further to:
utilize machine learning to determine the magnitude of the valve lash based on previously detected occurrences of valve lash associated with the valve.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors, when performing the action, are to:
send an alert to a user interface of a machine associated with the engine,
wherein the alert indicates an occurrence of abnormal valve lash associated with the valve lash.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors, when performing the action, are to:
cause an engine control module (ECM) to adjust the valve lash of the valve via a hydraulic lash adjuster.

8. A system comprising:
a valve sensor; and
a valve lash detector to:
determine an advance timing window between a valve, of an engine, closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to close;
determine a closing velocity of the valve based on information received from the valve sensor;
monitor an engine speed of the engine;
determine valve lash information based on the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed,
wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and

perform an action based on the valve lash information.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a cam sensor to determine a position of a crank shaft of a cylinder,
wherein the valve allows fluid to flow in or out of the cylinder, and

wherein the valve lash detector is to determine the advance timing window based on the position of the crank shaft.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the valve lash detector, when determining the closing velocity, is to:
obtain an acceleration measurement associated with a cylinder head of a cylinder from the valve sensor associated with the valve,
wherein the valve allows a fluid to flow in or out of the cylinder;

calculate at least one of a root mean square (RMS) from the acceleration measurement, a peak-to-peak value from the acceleration measurement, or a wavelet decomposition from the acceleration measurement; and
determine the closing velocity based on at least one of the RMS, the peak-to-peak value, or the wavelet decomposition.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the valve lash detector, when determining the valve lash information, is to:
use at least one of the advance timing window, the closing velocity, or the engine speed to a mapping identifying the magnitude of the valve lash.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the valve lash detector, when performing the action, is to:
cause a notification to be provided to at least one of visibly or audibly indicate an occurrence of the valve lash.

13. The system of claim 8 , further comprising
a communication device,
wherein the valve lash detector, when performing the action, is to transmit the valve lash information, via the communication device and a network, to a device that is located remotely from the engine.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the valve sensor comprises a vibration sensor.

15. A method comprising:
receiving, by a valve lash detector, a position of a crank shaft of a cylinder of an engine;
receiving, by the valve lash detector, a schedule indicating when a valve of the cylinder is scheduled to close;
determining, by the valve lash detector, an advance timing window between the valve closing and a designated time that the valve is scheduled to close based on the position of the crank shaft and the schedule;
determining, by the valve lash detector, a closing velocity of the valve;
determining, by the valve lash detector, valve lash information based on the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and an engine speed of the engine,
wherein the valve lash information identifies a magnitude of the valve lash or whether the magnitude of the valve lash associated with the valve satisfies a threshold; and

performing, by the valve lash detector, an action based on the valve lash information.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the closing velocity comprises:
obtaining an acceleration measurement associated with a cylinder head of a cylinder from a valve sensor associated with the valve,
wherein the valve allows a fluid to flow in or out of the cylinder;

calculating at least one of a root mean square (RMS) from the acceleration measurement, a peak-to-peak value from the acceleration measurement, or a wavelet decomposition from the acceleration measurement; and
determining the closing velocity based on at least one of the RMS, the peak-to-peak value, or the wavelet decomposition.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining the valve lash information comprises:
using a mapping associated with the advance timing window, the closing velocity, and the engine speed to identify the magnitude of the valve lash.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
utilizing machine learning to determine the magnitude of the valve lash based on previously detected occurrences of valve lash associated with the valve.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein performing the action comprises at least one of:
sending an alert to a user interface of a machine associated with the engine,
wherein the alert indicates the magnitude of the valve lash, or

transmitting the valve lash information, via a network, to a device that is located remotely from the engine.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein performing the a

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Zhang Yanchai
• Dong Zhaoxu
• Rajendran Arun
• Lu Yifeng
• Hu Xuefei
• Chen Lidi
• Harms Rodney D

Classifications

• F01L2820/045

  Valve lift · CPC title

• F01L1/20

  Adjusting or compensating clearance · CPC title

• F01L1/18

  Rocking arms or levers · CPC title

• F01L2800/11

  Fault detection, diagnosis · CPC title

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title