Control system for variable valve timing apparatus

Abstract

When a cam shaft phase is changed during engine operation is stopped, a power supply increase control to an electric motor is carried out, according to which a power-supply duty ratio to the electric motor is increased to a predetermined power increase value which is necessary for moving a VVT apparatus during the stop of the engine operation. Then, the power-supply duty ratio is feedback controlled so that an actual changing speed of the cam shaft phase becomes equal to a target changing speed. As a result, the cam shaft phase can be surely changed and operating sound can be reduced by preventing the changing speed of the cam shaft phase from becoming too fast.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-251708 filed on Nov. 2, 2009 and No. 2010-000944 filed on Jan. 6, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a variable valve timing apparatus of an electrically-driven type, more particularly to a control system for such variable valve timing apparatus, according to which a rotational phase of a cam shaft with respect to a crank shaft of an internal combustion engine is changed by an electric motor in order to change valve timing.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Conventionally, a variable valve timing apparatus is known in the art, which is mounted in an internal combustion engine for a vehicle, and according to which a valve timing (a valve opening and / or valve closing timing) for an intake valve and / or an exhaust valve is changed, in order to increase engine output power, to improve fuel...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]According to the above feature, the power supply increase control is carried out when changing (advancing or retarding) the rotational phase of the cam shaft during the engine operation is stopped, so that the power supply to the electric motor is increased to the power increase amount at the beginning of the power supply to the electric motor. As a result, the output torque of the electric motor can be properly increased to drive the VVT apparatus, and thereby the cam shaft phase can be surely changed. The power increase amount corresponds to such a power supply amount, with which a torque necessary for driving the VVT apparatus (that is, a torque necessary for overcoming the static friction forces of respective portions of the VVT apparatus) during the engine operation is stopped. For example, such power supply amount corresponds to a duty ratio higher than a ratio of 80%, which is larger than a power-supply duty ratio (that is, a power holding duty ratio) necessary for keeping the camshaft phase at a constant value during the engine is operated.

[0010]In addition, after the above power supply increase control, the feedback control is carried out for the power supply to the electric motor, so that the actual changing speed of the rotational phase of the can shaft is controlled to be equal to the target changing speed. Accordingly, the changing speed of the cam shaft phase is prevented from becoming too fast and the operating sound of the VVT apparatus can be decreased.

[0011]When the cam shaft phase is changed, a load torque for compressing a valve spring of an intake valve or an exhaust valve becomes larger, while the load torque becomes smaller in the case that the valve spring is expanded. Therefore, since the actual changing speed of the cam shaft phase varies depending on the load torque of the VVT apparatus during its power supply increase control, the actual changing speed of the cam shaft phase during the power supply increase control is one of parameters which accurately reflect the load torque of the VVT apparatus.

[0014]When the cam shaft phase is changed during the engine operation is stopped, the load torque for the VVT apparatus may easily vary and the changing speed of the cam shaft phase may easily vary. Therefore, according to a further feature of the invention, during the feedback control for the changing speed of the rotational phase, the power supply amount may be feedback controlled by use of an integral term. According to such feature, it is possible to effectively reduce a deviation between the actual changing speed and the target changing speed of the cam shaft phase during the feedback control, and thereby to stabilize the actual changing speed of the cam shaft phase.

Problems solved by technology

However, the necessary output torque is not considered in the above mentioned prior art (JP Patent No. 4,267,635).

It may happen that the output torque of the electric motor may come short and thereby the variable valve timing apparatus may not be driven.

As a result, it may happen that the cam shaft phase may not be changed.

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