Exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10968872-B2
Application number	US-202016804621-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2020
Priority date	Mar 18, 2019
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

An exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device includes an exhaust throttle arranged in an exhaust passage, an exhaust gas recirculation passage that extends from a portion of the exhaust passage that is upstream of the exhaust throttle and is connected to an intake passage, an exhaust gas recirculation valve arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation passage, and a branch passage that extends from a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation passage that is upstream of the exhaust gas recirculation valve in a direction in which exhaust gas flows, in which the branch passage is connected to a portion of the exhaust passage that is downstream of the exhaust throttle. The exhaust gas recirculation valve includes a valve passage that forms part of the exhaust gas recirculation passage and a warming passage that forms part of the branch passage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device comprising:
a valve member arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, wherein the valve member is configured to adjust a flow rate of exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust passage;
an exhaust gas recirculation passage that extends from a portion of the exhaust passage that is upstream of the valve member and is connected to an intake passage of the internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation passage is configured to recirculate exhaust gas to the intake passage;
an exhaust gas recirculation valve arranged in the exhaust gas recirculation passage, wherein the exhaust gas recirculation valve is configured to adjust a flow rate of exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas recirculation passage; and
a branch passage that extends from a portion of the exhaust passage that is upstream of the valve member or a portion of the exhaust gas recirculation passage that is upstream of the exhaust gas recirculation valve in a direction in which exhaust gas flows, wherein the branch passage is connected to a portion of the exhaust passage that is downstream of the valve member,
wherein the exhaust gas recirculation valve includes a valve passage that forms part of the exhaust gas recirculation passage and a warming passage that forms part of the branch passage.

2. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 1 , comprising a valve controller configured to selectively control opening and closing of the exhaust gas recirculation valve, wherein the valve controller controls the exhaust gas recirculation valve to a fully closed state after the internal combustion engine is started until a temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation valve reaches a preset temperature.

3. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 2 , wherein
the valve controller is configured to selectively control opening and closing of the valve member, wherein the valve controller controls the valve member at an opening degree that is less than an opening degree in a fully open state after the internal combustion engine is started until the temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation valve reaches the preset temperature.

4. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 3 , wherein the valve controller controls the valve member at an opening degree that is greater than an opening degree in a fully closed state after the internal combustion engine is started until the temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation valve reaches the preset temperature.

5. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 1 , wherein at least part of the warming passage is equally spaced from the valve passage and extends in a same direction as the valve passage.

6. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 2 , wherein
a portion of the branch passage that is upstream of the exhaust gas recirculation valve is connected to a first coolant passage in which coolant flows,
a portion of the branch passage that is downstream of the exhaust gas recirculation valve is connected to a second coolant passage in which coolant flows,
a first three-way valve is arranged at a location where the branch passage and the first coolant passage are connected to each other, and
a second three-way valve is arranged at a location where the branch passage and the second coolant passage are connected to each other.

7. The exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device according to claim 6 , the exhaust gas recirculation valve warming device comprising a three-way valve controller that controls the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve, wherein
the three-way valve controller is configured to, after the internal combustion engine is started until the temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation valve reaches the preset temperature, control the first three-way valve to block a flow of coolant between the first coolant passage and the branch passage, and control the second three-way valve to block a flow of coolant between the second coolant passage and the branch passage, and
the three-way valve controller is configured to, when the temperature of the exhaust gas recirculation valve exceeds the preset temperature, control the first three-way valve to allow a flow of coolant between the first coolant passage and a portion of the branch passage that extends to the exhaust gas recirculation valve from the first three-way valve, and control the second three-way valve to allow a flow of coolant between the second coolant passage and a portion of the branch passage that extends to the exhaust gas recirculation valve from the second three-way valve.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nanno Keishi
• Nishitani Koichi

Classifications

• F02M26/23

  Layout, e.g. schematics · CPC title

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• F02M26/53 Primary

  using electric actuators, e.g. solenoids · CPC title

• F02M26/33

  controlling the temperature of the recirculated gases · CPC title

• F01P2060/16

  Outlet manifold · CPC title