1879results about "Advancing/retarding ignition" patented technology

A variety of methods and arrangements for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines are described. Generally, selected combustion events are skipped during operation of the internal combustion engine so that other working cycles can operate at a better thermodynamic efficiency. In one aspect of the invention, an engine is controlled to operate in a variable displacement mode. In the variable displacement mode, fuel is not delivered to the working chambers (e.g. cylinders) during selected “skipped” working cycles. During active (“non-skipped”) working cycles, a maximum (e.g., unthrottled) amount of air and an optimized amount of fuel is delivered to the relevant working chambers so that the fired working chambers can operate at efficiencies closer to their optimal efficiency. A controller is used to dynamically determine the chamber firings required to provide the engine torque based on the engine's current operational state and conditions. The chamber firings may be sequenced in real time or in near real time in a manner that helps reduce undesirable vibrations of the engine.

A calculation unit (3) determines whether or not an operation which worsens fuel economy has been performed, and if it is determined that an operation which worsens fuel economy has been performed, the calculation unit (3) respectively calculates the actual amount of consumed fuel and an amount of fuel that would have been consumed had the operation that worsens fuel economy not been performed. The calculation unit (3) then calculates an amount of fuel consumed in excess due to the operation which worsens fuel economy by subtracting the amount of fuel that would have been consumed had the operation that worsens fuel economy not been performed from the actual amount of consumed fuel. A display (4) displays the calculated excess fuel consumption amount.

An apparatus and method to detect combustion conditions using ion signals for use in a feedback control of a diesel engine is presented. The apparatus is a spark plug type of sensor or a sensor integrated with a fuel injector. The spark plug type of sensor is used to provide a cold start mechanism combined with an ion sensing device.

A method is provided for engaging a starter pinion of a starter with a starter ring gear of an internal combustion engine during the running-down of the internal combustion engine, which internal combustion engine has an arrangement for determining rotational speed and rotational direction of a crankshaft. The starter pinion is engaged with the starter ring gear when the following conditions are satisfied: a) the speed of the internal combustion engine is below a maximum speed and above a minimum speed; and b) the rotational direction corresponds to the forward rotational direction of the crank shaft.

A calculation unit (3) determines whether or not an operation which worsens fuel economy has been performed, and if it is determined that an operation which worsens fuel economy has been performed, the calculation unit (3) respectively calculates the actual amount of consumed fuel and an amount of fuel that would have been consumed had the operation that worsens fuel economy not been performed. The calculation unit (3) then calculates an amount of fuel consumed in excess due to the operation which worsens fuel economy by subtracting the amount of fuel that would have been consumed had the operation that worsens fuel economy not been performed from the actual amount of consumed fuel. A display (4) displays the calculated excess fuel consumption amount.