GB2337123A - Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders - Google Patents

Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2337123A
GB2337123A GB9809966A GB9809966A GB2337123A GB 2337123 A GB2337123 A GB 2337123A GB 9809966 A GB9809966 A GB 9809966A GB 9809966 A GB9809966 A GB 9809966A GB 2337123 A GB2337123 A GB 2337123A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
engine
crankshaft
signal
controller
cylinders
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB9809966A
Other versions
GB9809966D0 (en
Inventor
Andrew John Burnard
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9809966A priority Critical patent/GB2337123A/en
Publication of GB9809966D0 publication Critical patent/GB9809966D0/en
Priority to AU38351/99A priority patent/AU3835199A/en
Priority to PCT/GB1999/001397 priority patent/WO1999058838A1/en
Publication of GB2337123A publication Critical patent/GB2337123A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/009—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents using means for generating position or synchronisation signals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/02—Circuit arrangements for generating control signals
    • F02D41/04—Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions
    • F02D41/06—Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions for engine starting or warming up
    • F02D41/062—Introducing corrections for particular operating conditions for engine starting or warming up for starting
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/009—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents using means for generating position or synchronisation signals
    • F02D2041/0092—Synchronisation of the cylinders at engine start
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02D—CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F02D41/00—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents
    • F02D41/0097—Electrical control of supply of combustible mixture or its constituents using means for generating speed signals

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combined Controls Of Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Electrical Control Of Ignition Timing (AREA)

Abstract

A four stroke engine 12 is disclosed which comprises an odd number of cylinders and is controlled by a controller 14 which derives the compression points of the cylinders within the four stroke cycle. Because there is an odd number of cylinders, the angle of the compression points with respect to the top dead centre (TDC) of number one cylinder is different between the revolutions of a cycle and the controller 14 is able to associate each compression point with its respective cylinder. The invention can be applied to four stroke engines having any odd number of cylinders and eliminates the need for a camshaft transducer in synchronising the camshaft timing with the crankshaft timing.

Description

2337123 A Four Stroke Ewdne This invention relates to four stroke engines
and in particular to: a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders: to a control system for such an engine; a controller for such a control system; and to a method of controlling such a four stroke engine.
It is known to provide an engine with a control system which is arranged to determine the rotational speed and position of its crankshaft.
One such prior art arrangement is disclosed in GB 2065310, and is capable of indicating the rotational speed of a crankshaft and the top dead centre (TDC) position of one cylinder on each revolution of the crankshaft.
It is desirable to synchronise the camshaft timing with the crankshaft timing of a four stroke engine so that, for example, sequential fuel injection can be performed. This is equally true of both spark and compression ignition engines.
A known solution to the problem of synchronising the camshaft and crankshaft timing,_Js the provision of a camshaft transducer and associated circuitry and signal processing. A prior art arrangement of this type is disclosed in GB 2223803, but suffers itself from the higher cost, packaging difficulties and signal processing complexity associated with including an additional transducer.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders: a control system for such an engine; a controller for such a control system; and to provide a method of controlling such a four stroke engine.
According to the invention there is provided a four stroke engine comprising an odd number of cylinders, a crankshaft connected to a piston of the or each cylinder and a transducer arranged in use to provide a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the crankshaft to a controller, wherein the signal comprises the substantially instantaneous rotational speed of the crankshaft over at least part of at least one cycle of the engine and the controller is arranged to determine the compression point of. the; one; more than one; or each cylinder from at least one variation in said instantaneous rotational speed with respect to the angle of rotation of the crankshaft over said at least part of said at least one cycle.
The controller may be arranged to translate said signal into a synchronisation signal which relates the timing of a camshaft of said engine to the timing of said crankshaft.
The engine may comprise multiple cylinders and the controller may be arranged in use to determine the rotational position of said crankshaft, whereby the controller may be arranged to determine with which of said multiple cylinders the or each compression point is associated.
The controller may be arranged to control a fuelling program of said engine in response to said signal.
The engine may comprise a spark ignition engine and the controller may be arranged to control an ignition program of said engine in response to said signal.
The transducer may be arranged to derive said signal from: a measurement of the speed of said crankshaft; a measurement of the torque of said crankshaft; or from a measurement of an electrical current or voltage of an electrical machine connected to said engine and the electrical machine may comprise a starting motor of said engine.
The invention also provides a control system for an engine according to the invention and a controller for a control system according to the invention.
The invention also provides a method of determining the compression point of. the; one; more than one; or each cylinder of a four stroke engine comprising an odd number of cylinders, the method including the steps of..
a) determining a signal indicative of the speed at which a crankshaft of the engine is rotating in use over at least part of at least one cycle of the engine; and b) determining the or each compression point from at least one variation in said speed with respect to the angle of rotation of the crankshaft over said at least part of said at least one cycle.
The method may include translating said signal into a synchronisation signal which relates the timing of a camshaft of said engine to the timing of said crankshaft.
The engine may comprise multiple cylinders and the method may include arranging the controller to determine in use the rotational position of said crankshaft, whereby the controller determines with which of said multiple cylinders the or each compression point is associated.
The method may include controlling a fuelling program of said engine 15 in response to said signal.
The engine may comprise a spark ignition engine and the method may include controlling an ignition program of said engine in response to said signal.
The method may include determining said signal by: measuring the rotational speed of said crankshaft; by measuring the torque of said crankshaft; or by measuring an electrical current or voltage of an electrical machine connected to said engine.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a vehicle including an engine according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a control system associated with the engine of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a timing diagram of the top dead centre positions of the cylinders of the engine of Figure 1 over one cycle.
Referring to the figures, a vehicle 10 includes a four stroke compression ignition engine 12 having five cylinders and a firing order of 1,2,4,5,3. A controller 14 controls a set of five individual electrically actuated fuel injectors 16, associated one with each cylinder of the engine 12.
The engine 12 includes a crankshaft 18 having mounted thereon an encoder disc 20. The encoder disc 20 rotates with the crankshaft 18 and comprises a series of targets 22 equally spaced about its circumference, with one target missing at a point 24 equivalent to the top dead centre (TDC) position of number one cylinder.
A transducer 26 is associated with the encoder disc 20 and is arranged to detect the targets 22 as they pass it and to provide a signal to the controller 14. The signal is indicative of the -rate at which the targets 22 are passing the transducer 26 and is therefore also indicative of the speed at which the crankshaft 18 is rotating.
The missing target at the TDC point 24 is indicative of the start and finish of each revolution and confirms the crankshaft position at one point during each revolution. The controller 14 derives the position of the crankshaft 18 at other points in the revolution by interpolation from the TDC point 24 and the crankshaft speed.
As each cylinder approaches its respective compression point (TDC) on its compression stroke, the crankshaft speed decreases. As each cylinder passes beyond TDC, the crankshaft speed increases. These changes in crankshaft speed are detected by the controller 14 using the signal from the transducer 26, and the controller 14 can therefore determine an the compression points in the cycle.
Each cycle comprises two successive revolutions of the crankshaft 18 and the controller 14 can define each point in each cycle in terms of crankshaft angle over 7200. The controller 14 can therefore calculate the position of each compression point in any cycle with respect to the start and 5 finish of that cycle.
The crankshaft angle between successive compression points within each cycle is equal throughout the cycle and is determined in accordance with the following equation:
Angle = 7200 / (Number of cylinders in the engine).
It can be seen that, for an engine having an even number of cylinders, the distribution of compression points throughout each revolution of the cycle is identical. It is therefore difficult with such an engine to distinguish between the revolutions within a cycle so as to associate the compression points accurately with their respective cylinders without including a 15 camshaft transducer.
For the five cylinder engine 12 of this invention, the compression points are spaced apart over the cycle by 1440 of crankshaft rotation. From Figure 3 it can be seen that the compression points occur at different crankshaft angles with respect to the TDC point 24 of cylinder number one during each revolution of the cycle.
Thus the controller 14 determines in which revolution of the cycle the engine 12 is operating and at which angle in that revolution the compression points occur. The controller 14 can therefore synchronise the camshaft timing with the crankshaft timing using information derived only from the crankshaft 18.
The controller 14 is arranged to operate the set of injectors 16 to provide sequential fuel injection in accordance with the synchronisation of the camshaft and crankshaft timing as described above, without the need for a camshaft transducer.
This invention can be applied to a single cylinder four stroke engine. It may also be applied to a spark ignition engine to control either or both of fuelling and ignition timing.
It is not necessary to measure crankshaft position and 1 or speed directly. This information could be derived by measuring crankshaft torque. It could also be derived by measuring the current in an electrical machine associated with the engine, such as a starting motor or generator.
Fluctuations in the torque or current used and / or generated could then be - used to derive the compression points.
This invention can therefore be applied to four stroke engines having any odd number of cylinders and eliminates in many circumstances the 5 need for a camshaft transducer.

Claims (1)

  1. A four stroke engine comprising an odd number of cylinders, a crankshaft connected to a piston of the or each cylinder and a transducer arranged in use to provide a signal indicative of the rotational speed of the crankshaft to a controller, wherein the signal comprises the substantially instantaneous rotational speed of the crankshaft over at least part of at least one cycle of the engine and the controller is arranged to determine the compression point of. the; one; more than one; or each cylinder from at least one variation in said instantaneous rotational speed with respect to the angle of rotation of the crankshaft over said at least part of said at least one cycle.
    2. An engine according to Claim 1, wherein the controller is arranged to translate said signal into a synchronisation signal which relates the timing of a camshaft of said engine to the timing of said crankshaft.
    An engine according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, the engine comprising multiple cylinders, wherein the controller is arranged in use to determine the rotational position of said crankshaft, whereby the controller is arranged to determine with which of said multiple cylinders the or each compression point is associated.
    4. An engine according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller is arranged to control a fuelling program of said engine in response to said signal.
    An engine according to any preceding claim comprising a spark ignition engine, wherein the controller is arranged to control an ignition program of said engine in response to said signal.
    6.
    An engine according to any preceding claim, wherein the transducer is arranged to derive said signal from a measurement of the speed of said crankshaft.
    7. An engine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the transducer is arranged to derive said signal from a measurement of the torque of said crankshaft.
    8. An engine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the transducer is arranged to derive said signal from a measurement of an electrical current or voltage of an electrical machine connected to said engine.
    9. An engine according to Claim 8, the electrical machine comprising a starting motor of said engine.
    10. An engine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
    11. A control system for an engine according to any preceding claim.
    12. A controller for a control system according to Claim 11.
    13. A method of determining the compression point of. the; one; more than one; or each cylinder of a four stroke engine comprising an odd number of cylinders, the method including the steps of:
    a) determining a signal indicative of the speed at which a crankshaft of the engine is rotating in use over at least part of at least one cycle of the engine; and b) determining the or each compression point from at least one variation in said speed with respect to the angle of rotation of the crankshaft over said at least part of said at least one cycle.
    A method according to Claim 13 including translating said signal into a synchronisation signal which relates the timing of a camshaft of said engine to the timing of said crankshaft.
    i A method according to Claim 13 or Claim 14, the engine comprising multiple cylinders, including arranging the controller to determine in use the rotational position of said crankshaft, whereby the controller determines with which of said multiple cylinders the or each compression point is associated.
    16. A method according to any one of Claims 13 to 15, including controlling a fuelling program of said engine in response to said signal.
    17. A method according to any one of Claims 13 to 16, the engine comprising a spark ignition engine, including controlling an ignition program of said engine in response to said signal.
    18. A method according to any one of Claims 13 to 17, including determining said signal by measuring the rotational speed of said crankshaft.
    19. A method according to any one of Claims 13 to 18, including determining said signal by measuring the torque of said crankshaft.
    20. A method according to any one of Claims 13 to 18, including determining said signal by measuring an electrical current or voltage of an electrical machine connected to said engine.
    21. A method of substantiaHy as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB9809966A 1998-05-09 1998-05-09 Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders Withdrawn GB2337123A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9809966A GB2337123A (en) 1998-05-09 1998-05-09 Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders
AU38351/99A AU3835199A (en) 1998-05-09 1999-05-05 A four stroke engine
PCT/GB1999/001397 WO1999058838A1 (en) 1998-05-09 1999-05-05 A four stroke engine

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9809966A GB2337123A (en) 1998-05-09 1998-05-09 Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9809966D0 GB9809966D0 (en) 1998-07-08
GB2337123A true GB2337123A (en) 1999-11-10

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GB9809966A Withdrawn GB2337123A (en) 1998-05-09 1998-05-09 Calculation of crankshaft angle in a four stroke engine having an odd number of cylinders

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AU (1) AU3835199A (en)
GB (1) GB2337123A (en)
WO (1) WO1999058838A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1138899A2 (en) * 2000-03-29 2001-10-04 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for detecting the working stroke of a single-cylinder four-cycle engine
FR2821887A1 (en) * 2001-03-07 2002-09-13 Siemens Automotive Sa Detection of internal combustion engine phase cycle, engine has an odd number of cylinders, uses a cam shaft sensor
EP1710421A1 (en) * 2005-04-06 2006-10-11 Scania CV AB (publ) Method and system for internal combustion engine
WO2009083492A1 (en) * 2007-12-20 2009-07-09 Renault S.A.S. Method for producing an internal combustion engine operating cycle synchronization signal
EP4219925A3 (en) * 2022-01-31 2023-08-09 BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG Method for managing start up of a four-stroke engine

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0085909A2 (en) * 1982-02-03 1983-08-17 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Crank angle detecting device for an internal combustion engine
GB2245933A (en) * 1990-07-10 1992-01-15 Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd I.C. Engine misfire diagnosis apparatus
GB2259988A (en) * 1991-09-30 1993-03-31 Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd Crank angle and cylinder number detecting system and method for internal combustion engine
EP0663595A2 (en) * 1991-03-29 1995-07-19 Cummins Electronics Company, Inc. Single sensor apparatus and method for determining engine speed and position
GB2313200A (en) * 1996-05-17 1997-11-19 Nissan Motor Measuring engine crankshaft acceleration

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DE2947412A1 (en) 1979-11-24 1981-06-04 Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart SPEED OR ROTATIONAL ENCODER AND RELATED EVALUATION
JPH061404B2 (en) * 1985-09-13 1994-01-05 フアナツク株式会社 Complex curved surface processing method
DE3611262A1 (en) * 1986-04-04 1987-10-08 Bosch Gmbh Robert METHOD FOR DETECTING THE WORKING STATE OF A CYLINDER OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
JP2541949B2 (en) 1986-11-28 1996-10-09 本田技研工業株式会社 Ignition timing control device for 4-cycle internal combustion engine
JPH0291433A (en) 1988-09-27 1990-03-30 Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd Crank angle timing detector of engine
JPH08121299A (en) * 1994-10-28 1996-05-14 Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd Individual ignition method
DE19638010A1 (en) * 1996-09-18 1998-03-19 Bosch Gmbh Robert Method for determining the phase position in a 4-stroke internal combustion engine

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0085909A2 (en) * 1982-02-03 1983-08-17 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Crank angle detecting device for an internal combustion engine
GB2245933A (en) * 1990-07-10 1992-01-15 Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd I.C. Engine misfire diagnosis apparatus
EP0663595A2 (en) * 1991-03-29 1995-07-19 Cummins Electronics Company, Inc. Single sensor apparatus and method for determining engine speed and position
GB2259988A (en) * 1991-09-30 1993-03-31 Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd Crank angle and cylinder number detecting system and method for internal combustion engine
GB2313200A (en) * 1996-05-17 1997-11-19 Nissan Motor Measuring engine crankshaft acceleration

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1138899A2 (en) * 2000-03-29 2001-10-04 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for detecting the working stroke of a single-cylinder four-cycle engine
EP1138899A3 (en) * 2000-03-29 2003-07-23 Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft Method for detecting the working stroke of a single-cylinder four-cycle engine
FR2821887A1 (en) * 2001-03-07 2002-09-13 Siemens Automotive Sa Detection of internal combustion engine phase cycle, engine has an odd number of cylinders, uses a cam shaft sensor
EP1710421A1 (en) * 2005-04-06 2006-10-11 Scania CV AB (publ) Method and system for internal combustion engine
WO2009083492A1 (en) * 2007-12-20 2009-07-09 Renault S.A.S. Method for producing an internal combustion engine operating cycle synchronization signal
RU2504680C2 (en) * 2007-12-20 2014-01-20 Рено С.А.С. Method of ice cycle sync signal generation
EP4219925A3 (en) * 2022-01-31 2023-08-09 BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG Method for managing start up of a four-stroke engine
US11905902B2 (en) 2022-01-31 2024-02-20 Brp-Rotax Gmbh & Co. Kg Method for managing start up of a four-stroke engine

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU3835199A (en) 1999-11-29
GB9809966D0 (en) 1998-07-08
WO1999058838A1 (en) 1999-11-18

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