Pneumatic resonator and accumulator system for controlling turbocharger wastegate movement

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pneumatic resonator and accumulator system for controlling turbocharger wastegate movement. A wastegate system of a vehicle includes a wastegate valve configured to regulate exhaust flow through a turbine of a turbocharger of an engine, a wastegate actuator including a lever mechanically coupled to the wastegate valve via one or more linkages and configured to linearly move based on a pressure within an interior of the wastegate actuator, a resonator fluidically coupled to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses and configured to counteract a force attributable to pressure changes in exhaust gas resulting from combustion events within the engine, and a regulator valve fluidically connected between a pneumatic source and the resonator via one or more second hoses and configured to regulate the pressure within the interior of the wastegate actuator.

Description

[0001] introduction

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of this disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the works of the currently attributed inventors and aspects of the description that may not constitute prior art at the time of filing are neither explicitly nor implicitly considered to be prior art of this disclosure. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to turbochargers, and more particularly to aerodynamic resonators and accumulators for controlling the movement of exhaust valves. Background Technology

[0004] Some types of vehicles consist solely of an internal combustion engine that generates propulsive torque. Hybrid vehicles include both an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. Some types of hybrid vehicles utilize both electric motors and an internal combustion engine to improve fuel efficiency. Other types of hybrid vehicles utilize both electric motors and an internal combustion engine to achieve greater torque output.

[0005] Examples of hybrid vehicles include parallel hybrid vehicles, series hybrid vehicles, and other types of hybrid vehicles. In a parallel hybrid vehicle, an electric motor operates in parallel with an engine to combine the power and range advantages of the engine with the efficiency and regenerative braking advantages of the electric motor. In a series hybrid vehicle, the engine drives a generator to produce electricity for the electric motor, which in turn drives the transmission. This allows the electric motor to take on some of the power responsibilities of the engine, which may allow for the use of a smaller and potentially more efficient engine. This application applies to electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and other types of vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In one aspect, a vehicle's wastegate system includes: a wastegate valve configured to regulate exhaust flow through a turbine of an engine's turbocharger; a wastegate actuator including a lever mechanically coupled to the wastegate valve via one or more linkage mechanisms, the lever being configured to move linearly based on pressure within the wastegate actuator; a resonator fluidly coupled to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses and configured to counteract forces attributable to pressure variations in the exhaust gas caused by combustion events within the engine; and a regulator valve fluidly coupled between a pneumatic source and the resonator via one or more second hoses and configured to regulate pressure within the wastegate actuator.

[0007] In another feature, the accumulator is fluidly connected between the pneumatic source and the regulator valve via one or more third hoses and is configured to dampen pressure changes from the pneumatic source.

[0008] In another feature, the first internal volume of the accumulator is larger than the second internal volume of the resonator.

[0009] In another feature, one or more second hoses are connected between the accumulator and the regulator valve.

[0010] In another feature, the engine control module is configured to actuate the regulator valve based on the target opening degree of the exhaust valve.

[0011] In another feature, the resonator, one or more first hoses, and one or more second hoses are configured to reduce the amplitude of movement of the rods, one or more linkages, and exhaust valves within a predetermined frequency range.

[0012] Another feature is that the internal volume of the resonator is approximately 110-125 cubic centimeters (cc).

[0013] In another feature, the length of one or more first hoses is approximately 100-150 millimeters (mm).

[0014] In another feature, the length of one or more second hoses is approximately 400-500 millimeters (mm).

[0015] In addition, the wastegate actuator also includes a spring configured to counteract pressure within the wastegate actuator.

[0016] Another feature is that the pneumatic source is an electric pneumatic pump.

[0017] In another feature, the pneumatic source is driven by the rotation of the rotating parts of the engine.

[0018] Another feature is the rotating component, the exhaust camshaft.

[0019] In another feature, the vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator closes the exhaust valve, and the reduction of the vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator opens the exhaust valve.

[0020] In another feature, positive pressure inside the wastegate actuator closes the wastegate valve, and a decrease in pressure inside the wastegate actuator opens the wastegate valve.

[0021] In one embodiment, the vehicle's wastegate system includes: a wastegate valve configured to regulate exhaust flow through a turbine of an engine's turbocharger; a wastegate actuator including a lever mechanically coupled to the wastegate valve via one or more linkages and configured to move linearly based on pressure within the wastegate actuator; a resonator fluidly coupled to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses and configured to dampen movement of the lever, the one or more linkages, and the wastegate valve, attributable to pressure variations in the exhaust gas resulting from combustion events within the engine; a pneumatic source; a regulator valve configured to regulate pressure within the wastegate actuator; and an accumulator fluidly coupled to the regulator valve via one or more second hoses and to the pneumatic source via one or more third hoses, configured to dampen pressure variations from the pneumatic source, wherein the wastegate actuator further includes a spring configured to counteract pressure within the wastegate actuator.

[0022] In another feature, the first internal volume of the accumulator is larger than the second internal volume of the resonator.

[0023] In another feature, the engine control module is configured to actuate the regulator valve based on the target opening degree of the exhaust valve.

[0024] In another feature, the resonator, one or more first hoses and one or more second hoses are configured to dampen the movement of the damping rod, one or more linkage mechanisms and the exhaust valve within a predetermined frequency range.

[0025] Among the other features, the pneumatic source is one of (a) an electric pneumatic pump and (b) driven by the rotation of the rotating parts of an engine.

[0026] The present invention provides the following technical solutions.

[0027] Technical Solution 1. A vehicle exhaust valve system, comprising:

[0028] Waste gas valve, which is configured to regulate the exhaust flow through the turbine of the engine's turbocharger;

[0029] An exhaust valve actuator includes a lever mechanically connected to the exhaust valve via one or more linkage mechanisms, and the lever is configured to move linearly based on pressure within the exhaust valve actuator.

[0030] A resonator, fluidly connected to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses, and configured to counteract forces attributable to pressure changes in the exhaust gas caused by combustion events within the engine; and

[0031] A regulator valve, which is fluidly connected between the pneumatic source and the resonator via one or more second hoses, is configured to regulate the pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator.

[0032] Technical Solution 2. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1 further includes an accumulator, which is fluidly connected between the pneumatic source and the regulator valve via one or more third hoses and is configured to dampen pressure changes from the pneumatic source.

[0033] Technical Solution 3. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 2, wherein the first internal volume of the accumulator is greater than the second internal volume of the resonator.

[0034] Technical Solution 4. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 2, wherein the one or more second hoses are connected between the accumulator and the regulator valve.

[0035] Technical Solution 5. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1 further includes an engine control module, the engine control module being configured to actuate the regulator valve based on a target opening degree of the exhaust valve.

[0036] Technical Solution 6. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the resonator, the one or more first hoses and the one or more second hoses are configured to reduce the amplitude of movement of the rod, the one or more linkage mechanisms and the exhaust valve within a predetermined frequency range.

[0037] Technical Solution 7. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the internal volume of the resonator is approximately 110-125 cubic centimeters (cc).

[0038] Technical Solution 8. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the length of the one or more first hoses is approximately 100-150 millimeters (mm).

[0039] Technical Solution 9. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the length of the one or more second hoses is approximately 400-500 millimeters (mm).

[0040] Technical Solution 10. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the exhaust valve actuator further includes a spring configured to resist pressure within the interior of the exhaust valve actuator.

[0041] Technical Solution 11. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the pneumatic source is an electric pneumatic pump.

[0042] Technical Solution 12. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the pneumatic source is driven by the rotation of the rotating component of the engine.

[0043] Technical solution 13. The exhaust valve system according to technical solution 12, wherein the rotating component is an exhaust camshaft.

[0044] Technical Solution 14. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein the vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator closes the exhaust valve, and the reduction of the vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator opens the exhaust valve.

[0045] Technical Solution 15. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 1, wherein positive pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator closes the exhaust valve, and a decrease in pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator opens the exhaust valve.

[0046] Technical Solution 16. A vehicle exhaust valve system, comprising:

[0047] Waste gas valve, which is configured to regulate the exhaust flow through the turbine of the engine's turbocharger;

[0048] An exhaust valve actuator includes a lever mechanically connected to the exhaust valve via one or more linkage mechanisms, and the lever is configured to move linearly based on pressure within the exhaust valve actuator.

[0049] A resonator, which is fluidly connected to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses, is configured to dampen the movement of the lever, the one or more linkages, and the wastegate valve, the movement being attributable to pressure changes in the exhaust gas caused by combustion events within the engine;

[0050] Pneumatic power source;

[0051] A regulator valve, configured to regulate the pressure within the interior of the exhaust valve actuator; and

[0052] An accumulator, fluidly connected to the regulator valve via one or more second hoses and fluidly connected to the pneumatic source via one or more third hoses, is configured to dampen pressure changes from the pneumatic source.

[0053] The exhaust valve actuator also includes a spring configured to counteract pressure within the exhaust valve actuator.

[0054] Technical Solution 17. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 16, wherein the first internal volume of the accumulator is greater than the second internal volume of the resonator.

[0055] Technical Solution 18. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 16 further includes an engine control module, the engine control module being configured to actuate the regulator valve based on a target opening degree of the exhaust valve.

[0056] Technical Solution 19. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 16, wherein the resonator, the resonator, the one or more first hoses and the one or more second hoses are configured to dampen the movement of the rod, the one or more linkage mechanisms and the exhaust valve within a predetermined frequency range.

[0057] Technical Solution 20. The exhaust valve system according to Technical Solution 16, wherein the pneumatic source is one of (a) an electric pneumatic pump and (b) a system driven by the rotation of a rotating component of the engine.

[0058] Further applications of this disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0059] This disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0060] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of an example engine system;

[0061] Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a functional block diagram of an example turbocharger system; and

[0062] Figure 4 This is an example graph showing the force on the exhaust valve that can be attributed to exhaust pressure over time.

[0063] In the accompanying drawings, reference numerals may be used repeatedly to identify similar and / or identical elements. Detailed Implementation

[0064] Some engines include one or more turbochargers, which are used to increase the airflow entering the engine. A turbocharger consists of a turbine and a compressor. The exhaust flow through the exhaust system drives the turbine to rotate. The rotation of the turbine drives the rotation of the compressor. The compressor increases the pressure of the air input to the engine for combustion.

[0065] The wastegate regulates the exhaust flow through the turbine. The wastegate can open to reduce the exhaust flow through the turbine and close to increase the exhaust flow through the turbine. The wastegate actuator actuates the wastegate via one or more mechanical linkages. A pneumatic source, such as a vacuum source, pneumatically actuates the wastegate actuator.

[0066] Exhaust gas includes an increase in pressure attributable to combustion events within the engine. However, this increased pressure can lead to wear on multiple linkage mechanisms and / or the wastegate actuator.

[0067] This application relates to a pneumatic system with a fluid connection between a pneumatic source and an exhaust valve actuator. The pneumatic system provides both flow resistance and compressible volume, which generates damping and reduces motion of the exhaust valve and (multiple) linkage mechanisms. Reduced motion at the resonant frequency reduces wear and increases lifespan. The pneumatic system may also include an accumulator volume that can offset response time delays and provide a balance between reduced motion and maximizing the response time of the actuated exhaust valve. The pneumatic system also improves acoustic performance because noise generated by contact between mechanical components can be reduced.

[0068] Now for reference Figure 1 The diagram presents a functional block diagram of an example powertrain system 100. The vehicle's powertrain system 100 includes an engine 102 that combusts an air / fuel mixture to produce torque. The vehicle can be non-autonomous or autonomous.

[0069] Air is drawn into the engine 102 through the intake system 108. The intake system 108 may include an intake manifold 110 and a throttle valve 112. By way of example only, the throttle valve 112 may include a butterfly valve with rotatable vanes. The engine control module (ECM) 114 controls the throttle actuator module 116, and the throttle actuator module 116 adjusts the opening of the throttle valve 112 to control the airflow into the intake manifold 110.

[0070] Air from intake manifold 110 is drawn into the cylinders of engine 102. Although engine 102 includes multiple cylinders, a single representative cylinder 118 is shown for illustrative purposes. By way of example only, engine 102 may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and / or 12 cylinders. ECM 114 may instruct cylinder actuator module 120 to selectively deactivate some of the cylinders in certain situations, which can improve fuel efficiency.

[0071] Engine 102 can be operated using a four-stroke cycle or another suitable engine cycle. The four strokes of the four-stroke cycle described below can be referred to as the intake stroke, compression stroke, combustion stroke, and exhaust stroke. During each rotation of the crankshaft (not shown), two of the four strokes occur within cylinder 118. Therefore, cylinder 118 requires two crankshaft rotations to experience all four strokes. For a four-stroke engine, one engine cycle can correspond to two crankshaft rotations.

[0072] When cylinder 118 is activated, during the intake stroke, air is drawn into cylinder 118 from intake manifold 110 through intake valve 122. ECM 114 controls fuel actuator module 124, which adjusts fuel injection to achieve a desired air / fuel ratio. Fuel can be injected into intake manifold 110 at a central location or multiple locations, such as near the intake valve 122 of each cylinder. In various embodiments (not shown), fuel can be injected directly into the cylinder or into a mixing chamber / port associated with the cylinder. Fuel actuator module 124 can stop injecting fuel into inactive cylinders.

[0073] The injected fuel mixes with air, creating an air / fuel mixture in cylinder 118. During the compression stroke, a piston (not shown) within cylinder 118 compresses the air / fuel mixture. Engine 102 can be a compression ignition engine, in which compression results in the ignition of the air / fuel mixture. Alternatively, engine 102 can be a spark ignition engine, in which case a spark actuator module 126 energizes the spark plug 128 in cylinder 118 based on a signal from ECM 114, which ignites the air / fuel mixture. Some types of engines, such as homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines, can perform both compression ignition and spark ignition simultaneously. The timing of the spark can be specified relative to the time when the piston is at its highest position, which will be referred to as top dead center (TDC).

[0074] The spark actuator module 126 can be controlled by a timing signal specifying how far before or after the TDC (Temperature Directional Control) the spark is generated. Because the piston position is directly related to crankshaft rotation, the operation of the spark actuator module 126 can be synchronized with the crankshaft position. The spark actuator module 126 can disable or enable spark supply to a deactivated cylinder.

[0075] During the combustion stroke, the combustion of the air / fuel mixture drives the piston downward, which in turn drives the crankshaft. The combustion stroke can be defined as the time between the piston reaching top dead center and the piston returning to its lowest position (which will be called bottom dead center (BDC)).

[0076] During the exhaust stroke, the piston begins to move upward from the BDC and discharges combustion byproducts through exhaust valve 130. The combustion byproducts are then discharged from the vehicle through exhaust system 134.

[0077] Intake valve 122 can be controlled by intake camshaft 140, while exhaust valve 130 can be controlled by exhaust camshaft 142. In various embodiments, multiple intake camshafts (including intake camshaft 140) can control multiple intake valves (including intake valve 122) of cylinder 118, and / or can control intake valves (including intake valve 122) of multiple exhaust cylinders (including cylinder 118). Similarly, multiple exhaust camshafts (including exhaust camshaft 142) can control multiple exhaust valves of cylinder 118 and / or can control exhaust valves (including exhaust valve 130) of multiple exhaust cylinders (including cylinder 118). Although camshaft-based valve actuation has been shown and discussed, camless valve actuators can be implemented. Although separate intake and exhaust camshafts are shown, a single camshaft with both intake and exhaust valves for a convex angle can be used.

[0078] Cylinder actuator module 120 can deactivate cylinder 118 by preventing the intake valve 122 and / or exhaust valve 130 from opening. The opening time of intake valve 122 can be varied by intake cam phaser 148 relative to piston TDC. The opening time of exhaust valve 130 can be varied by exhaust cam phaser 150 relative to piston TDC. Phaser actuator module 158 can control intake cam phaser 148 and exhaust cam phaser 150 based on signals from ECM 114. In various embodiments, cam phasing can be omitted. Variable valve lift (not shown) can also be controlled by phaser actuator module 158. In various other embodiments, intake valve 122 and / or exhaust valve 130 can be controlled by actuators other than the camshaft, such as electromechanical actuators, electrohydraulic actuators, electromagnetic actuators, etc.

[0079] Engine 102 may include one, one, or more supercharging devices that supply pressurized air to intake manifold 110. For example, Figure 1 A turbocharger including a turbocharger turbine 160-1 is shown, which is driven by exhaust gas flowing through an exhaust system 134. A supercharger is another type of supercharging device.

[0080] The turbocharger also includes a turbocharger compressor 160-2, which is driven by the turbocharger turbine 160-1 and compresses the air introduced into the throttle valve 112. The wastegate (WG) 162 controls the exhaust flow through and around the turbocharger turbine 160-1. The wastegate can also be referred to as a turbocharger bypass valve. The wastegate 162 allows exhaust to bypass the turbocharger turbine 160-1, reducing the intake compression provided by the turbocharger. The ECM 114 can control the turbocharger by controlling the opening of the wastegate 162.

[0081] A cooler (e.g., a booster air cooler or intercooler) can dissipate some of the heat contained in the compressed air charge, which can be generated when the air is compressed. Although shown separately for illustrative purposes, the turbocharger turbine 160-1 and turbocharger compressor 160-2 can be mechanically linked to each other, placing the intake air close to the hot exhaust. The compressed air charge can absorb heat from components of the exhaust system 134.

[0082] Engine 102 may include an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve 170 that selectively redirects exhaust gas back to intake manifold 110. EGR valve 170 may receive exhaust gas upstream of turbocharger turbine 160-1 in exhaust system 134. EGR valve 170 may be controlled by EGR actuator module 172.

[0083] The crankshaft position can be measured using a crankshaft position sensor 180. Engine speed can be determined based on the crankshaft position measured using the crankshaft position sensor 180. The engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor 182 can be used to measure the engine coolant temperature. The ECT sensor 182 can be located within the engine 102 or at other locations in the coolant circulation system, such as the radiator (not shown).

[0084] The pressure within the intake manifold 110 can be measured using a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor 184. In various embodiments, engine vacuum, which is the difference between ambient air pressure and the pressure within the intake manifold 110, can be measured. The mass flow rate (MAF) of air flowing into the intake manifold 110 can be measured using a mass flow rate (MAF) sensor 186. In various embodiments, the MAF sensor 186 can be located within a housing that also includes a throttle valve 112.

[0085] One or more throttle position sensors (TPS) 190 can be used to measure the position of the throttle valve 112. An intake air temperature (IAT) sensor 192 can be used to measure the temperature of the air drawn into the engine 102. One or more other sensors 193 can also be implemented. These other sensors 193 include an accelerator pedal position (APP) sensor, a brake pedal position (BPP) sensor, and may include a clutch pedal position (CPP) sensor (e.g., in the case of a manual transmission), and may include one or more other types of sensors. The APP sensor measures the position of the accelerator pedal within the vehicle's passenger compartment. The BPP sensor measures the position of the brake pedal within the vehicle's passenger compartment. The CPP sensor measures the position of the clutch pedal within the vehicle's passenger compartment. Other sensors 193 may also include one or more acceleration sensors that measure the vehicle's longitudinal (e.g., front / rear) acceleration and lateral acceleration. An accelerometer is an example type of acceleration sensor, although other types of acceleration sensors can be used. The ECM 114 can use the signals from the sensors to make control decisions for the engine 102.

[0086] ECM 114 can communicate with transmission control module 194, for example, to coordinate engine operation and gear shifting in transmission 195. ECM 114 can also communicate with hybrid power control module 196, for example, to coordinate the operation of engine 102 and electric motor 198 (motor). While an example of an electric motor is provided, multiple electric motors can be implemented. Electric motor 198 can be a permanent magnet electric motor or another suitable type of electric motor based on the back electromotive force (EMF) output voltage during free rotation, such as a direct current (DC) electric motor or a synchronous electric motor. In various embodiments, the various functions of ECM 114, transmission control module 194, and hybrid power control module 196 can be integrated into one or more modules.

[0087] Each system that alters engine parameters can be referred to as an engine actuator. Each engine actuator has associated actuator values. For example, the throttle actuator module 116 can be referred to as an engine actuator, and the throttle opening area can be referred to as an actuator value. Figure 1 In the example, the throttle actuator module 116 adjusts the angle of the blades of the throttle valve 112 to achieve the throttle opening area.

[0088] Spark actuator module 126 can also be referred to as an engine actuator, and the corresponding actuator value can be the spark advance relative to the cylinder TDC. Other engine actuators may include cylinder actuator module 120, fuel actuator module 124, phaser actuator module 158, wastegate valve 162, and EGR actuator module 172. For these engine actuators, the actuator values ​​can correspond to the cylinder activation / deactivation sequence, fuel rate, intake and exhaust cam phaser angles, target wastegate opening, and EGR valve opening, respectively.

[0089] ECM 114 can control actuator values ​​to cause engine 102 to output torque based on a torque request. ECM 114 can determine the torque request, for example, based on one or more driver inputs (such as APP, BPP, CPP, and / or one or more other suitable driver inputs). ECM 114 can determine the torque request, for example, using one or more functions or lookup tables that associate the driver input(s) with the torque request.

[0090] In some cases, the hybrid power control module 196 controls the electric motor 198 to output torque, for example, to supplement the engine torque output. The hybrid power control module 196 can also control the electric motor 198 to output torque for vehicle propulsion when the engine 102 is off.

[0091] The hybrid power control module 196 applies electrical power from the battery to the electric motor 198, causing the electric motor 198 to output positive torque. The electric motor 198 can output torque to, for example, the input shaft of the transmission 195, the output shaft of the transmission 195, or another component. The clutch 200 can be implemented to engage the electric motor 198 with the transmission 195 and disengage the electric motor 198 from the transmission 195. One or more transmission devices can be implemented between the output of the electric motor 198 and the input of the transmission 195 to provide one or more predetermined gear ratios between the rotation of the electric motor 198 and the rotation of the input of the transmission 195. In various embodiments, the electric motor 198 may be omitted. This application is also applicable to systems comprising multiple electric motors.

[0092] Figure 2 and Figure 3 This is a functional block diagram of an example embodiment of an exhaust valve system including a pneumatic resonator. As illustrated, exhaust valve 162 may be a lift valve. The exhaust pressure increases with each combustion event and decreases after each combustion event. Pulses in the exhaust pressure exert a force on exhaust valve 162. Figure 4 Example graphs include the force 404 on the exhaust valve 162 over time 408.

[0093] The exhaust valve actuator 204 actuates the exhaust valve 162 via one or more mechanical linkages 208, such as one or more rods, arms, etc. The exhaust valve actuator 204 includes a housing (canister) 212, a rod 216, and a spring 220. The rod 216 may seal the housing 212, or may include a seal to seal the housing 212, such that the rod 216 can be pneumatically actuated. The chamber on the spring side is sealed via a diaphragm. The chamber on the rod 216 side is vented to the atmosphere and may not be sealed. The spring 220 is disposed within the housing 212 and biases the rod 216 toward an orifice to open the exhaust valve 162. The rod 216 may seal the housing 212, or may include a seal to seal the housing 212, such that the rod 216 can be pneumatically actuated.

[0094] A pneumatic (e.g., vacuum or positive pressure) system 224 is fluidly connected to a second orifice of the exhaust valve actuator 204. While an example of the exhaust valve actuator 204 is shown as an example for a vacuum pneumatic system, this application is also applicable to actuation using positive pressure.

[0095] The pneumatic system 224 includes a resonator 228, a regulator valve 232, an accumulator 236, and a pneumatic (air) source 240. The resonator 228 is fluidly connected to the second orifice of the exhaust valve actuator 204 via one or more hoses 244. The resonator 228 is fluidly connected to the regulator valve 232 via one or more hoses 248. The regulator valve 232 is fluidly connected to the accumulator 236 via one or more hoses 252. The accumulator 236 is fluidly connected to the pneumatic source 240 via one or more hoses 256. The hoses may also be referred to as pipes. The system, including the resonator and pneumatic connections with properties of volume, impedance, and geometry, is used to generate reflected pressure waves with amplitude and phase to apply a reaction force to the exhaust valve combustion gas force source at the pneumatic-mechanical interface. This is to counteract the amplitude of motion of the mechanical system 225, which is caused by excitation at the natural frequency of the mechanical exhaust valve system and might otherwise not attenuate. The resonator 228 is used to reduce the amplitude of pressure oscillations in the pneumatic system generated when the mechanical system is excited at its resonant frequency. Mechanical resonance is excited by exhaust pressure pulses on the exhaust valve 162 at a frequency associated with the engine's ignition frequency.

[0096] The resonator 228 can generate a control system response delay associated with the time it takes to increase and decrease the pressure within the exhaust valve actuator 204. The accumulator 236 acts as an air reservoir to reduce the response delay and also absorbs pressure pulses from the pneumatic source 240.

[0097] The pneumatic system 224 (including the geometry, shape, and volume of components, component positions, component lengths, etc.) is configured to reduce the amplitude of motion of the mechanical system 225 within a predetermined frequency range related to the resonant frequency of the mechanical system 225. The predetermined resonant frequency of the mechanical system 225 is aligned with the exhaust pressure pulsation frequency (e.g., 55-60 Hz) within the engine speed range. The predetermined frequency range may vary for different types of mechanical wastegate systems, different wastegate positions, and different spring 220 properties. The exhaust pressure pulsation frequency may vary depending on the number of cylinders.

[0098] The resonator 228 includes the internal volume, geometry, and relative orientation of the hose, as well as the cross-sectional area ratio between the hose and the resonator at the hose connection. The internal volume of the resonator 228 may be, for example, approximately 110-125 cubic centimeters (cc), such as approximately 119 cc, or another suitable internal volume. The length of the (multiple) hoses 244 may be approximately 100-150 millimeters (mm), such as approximately 123 mm, or another suitable length. The cross-sectional area ratio may be 1:10 and 10:1, and the relative orientation of the hoses may be approximately 90 degrees.

[0099] Regulator valve 232 regulates the airflow between resonator 228 and accumulator 236. Regulator valve 232 can also be configured to adjust the pressure within exhaust valve actuator 204 toward or to atmospheric pressure. In other words, regulator valve 232 regulates the air pressure within exhaust valve actuator 204. ECM 114 controls the actuation (opening and closing) of regulator valve 232 to achieve a target exhaust valve opening. For example, ECM 114 can open regulator valve 232 to increase the vacuum within exhaust valve actuator 204 to close exhaust valve 162. ECM 114 can close regulator valve 232 and connect the exhaust valve actuator to atmospheric pressure to open exhaust valve 162. The length of the (multiple) hoses 248 can be approximately 400-500 mm, such as approximately 476 mm or another suitable length. In various embodiments, approximately may refer to + / - 10%.

[0100] Accumulator 236 includes an internal volume and is configured to absorb pressure changes attributable to the operation of pneumatic source 240. The internal volume of accumulator 236 may be greater than or equal to the internal volume of resonator 228. Accumulator 236 is configured to minimize exhaust valve opening response delay after a request to change the target exhaust valve opening. Accumulator 236 is designed to compensate for the response delay associated with resonator 228. Pneumatic source 240 may be an air vacuum pump. The pump may be an electric pump or driven by one or more mechanical components of the engine, such as the exhaust camshaft.

[0101] In the provided example, vacuum actuator 216 abuts against spring 220 and closes exhaust valve 162. As the vacuum decreases, spring 220 opens exhaust valve 162. In the example including a pneumatic source 240 with a positive pressure air pump, where the pressure pneumatic system does not require volume to ensure sufficient pressure for rapid opening of the exhaust valve, accumulator 236 can be omitted, and the spring position can be changed to the opposite side of exhaust valve actuator 204.

[0102] Figure 3 An example spring-mass damper diagram is shown, including one for fully closing regulator valve 232. Exhaust valve actuator 204 acts as a spring and damper connected in series. Air in (multiple) hoses 244 acts as a spring and damper connected in parallel. Resonator 228, including its pneumatic connector, acts as a spring connected in series between two dampers. Air in (multiple) hoses 248 acts as a spring and damper connected in parallel. Regulator valve 232 is illustrated as grounded when closed.

[0103] The preceding description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in many forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, specification, and appended claims. It should be understood that one or more steps in the method may be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, although each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in any other embodiment and / or combined with features of any other embodiment, even if such combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the arrangement of one or more embodiments with respect to each other remains within the scope of this disclosure.

[0104] Spatial and functional relationships between components (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including “connected,” “joined,” “linked,” “adjacent,” “right next to,” “on top of,” “above,” “below,” and “set on.” Unless explicitly described as “direct,” when describing the relationship between the first and second components in the foregoing disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which no other intermediate components exist between the first and second components, or an indirect relationship (spatially or functionally) in which one or more intermediate components exist between the first and second components. As used herein, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” should be interpreted as using the non-exclusive logic “OR” to represent logic (A or B or C) and should not be interpreted as representing “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C.”

[0105] In the accompanying drawings, the direction of the arrows typically indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest. For example, when components A and B exchange various types of information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the illustration, the arrow can point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is transmitted from component B to component A. Furthermore, for information transmitted from component A to component B, component B can send a request for the information to component A or receive an acknowledgment.

[0106] In this application, including the following definitions, the term "module" or "controller" may be replaced by the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be a part of, or include: application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital discrete circuit; digital, analog, or mixed-signal analog / digital integrated circuit; combinational logic circuit; field-programmable gate array (FPGA); processor circuitry (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; memory circuitry (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuitry; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or some or all of the foregoing, such as in a system-on-a-chip.

[0107] A module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuits may include wired or wireless interfaces connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module disclosed herein may be distributed across multiple modules connected via the interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In another example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may perform some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0108] As used above, the term "code" can include software, firmware, and / or microcode, and can refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures, and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuitry" covers a single processor circuitry that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuitry" covers a processor circuitry that, in conjunction with additional processor circuitry, executes some or all of the code from one or more modules. References to multiple processor circuitry cover multiple processor circuitry on a discrete die, multiple processor circuitry on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuitry, multiple threads of a single processor circuitry, or a combination thereof. The term "shared memory circuitry" covers a single memory circuitry that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuitry" covers a memory circuitry that, in conjunction with additional memory, stores some or all of the code from one or more modules.

[0109] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not cover transient electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as a carrier wave); therefore, the term "computer-readable medium" can be considered tangible and non-transient. Non-limiting examples of non-transient tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard disk drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0110] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented, in part or in whole, by a special-purpose computer created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The function blocks, flowchart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into computer programs through the routine work of a skilled technician or programmer.

[0111] A computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium. A computer program may also include or depend on stored data. A computer program may encompass a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of a special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0112] Computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JS Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) source code executed by an interpreter, (v) source code compiled and executed by a just-in-time (JIT) compiler, and so on. As an example only, source code may be written using the syntax of languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, Visual Basic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

Claims

1. A vehicle exhaust valve system, comprising: Waste gas valve, which is configured to regulate the exhaust flow through the turbine of the engine's turbocharger; An exhaust valve actuator includes a lever mechanically connected to the exhaust valve via one or more linkage mechanisms, and the lever is configured to move linearly based on pressure within the exhaust valve actuator. A resonator, which is fluidly connected to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses, is configured to counteract forces attributable to pressure changes in the exhaust gas caused by combustion events within the engine; and A regulator valve, which is fluidly connected between the pneumatic source and the resonator via one or more second hoses, is configured to regulate the pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator.

2. The exhaust valve system of claim 1 further includes an accumulator, the accumulator being fluidly connected between the pneumatic source and the regulator valve via one or more third hoses, and configured to dampen pressure changes from the pneumatic source.

3. The exhaust valve system according to claim 2, wherein, The first internal volume of the energy storage device is greater than the second internal volume of the resonator.

4. The exhaust valve system according to claim 2, wherein, The one or more second hoses are connected between the accumulator and the regulator valve.

5. The exhaust valve system of claim 1 further includes an engine control module configured to actuate the regulator valve based on a target opening of the exhaust valve.

6. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The resonator, the one or more first hoses, and the one or more second hoses are configured to reduce the amplitude of movement of the rod, the one or more linkages, and the exhaust valve within a predetermined frequency range.

7. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The internal volume of the resonator is between 110 and 125 cubic centimeters.

8. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The length of the one or more first hoses is 100 mm to 150 mm.

9. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The length of the one or more second hoses is 400 mm to 500 mm.

10. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The exhaust valve actuator also includes a spring configured to counteract pressure within the interior of the exhaust valve actuator.

11. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The pneumatic source is an electric pneumatic pump.

12. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The pneumatic source is driven by the rotation of the rotating components of the engine.

13. The exhaust valve system according to claim 12, wherein, The rotating component is the exhaust camshaft.

14. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, The vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator closes the exhaust valve, and the reduction of the vacuum inside the exhaust valve actuator opens the exhaust valve.

15. The exhaust valve system according to claim 1, wherein, Positive pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator closes the exhaust valve, and a decrease in pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator opens the exhaust valve.

16. An exhaust valve system for a vehicle, comprising: Waste gas valve, which is configured to regulate the exhaust flow through the turbine of the engine's turbocharger; An exhaust valve actuator includes a lever mechanically connected to the exhaust valve via one or more linkage mechanisms, and the lever is configured to move linearly based on pressure within the exhaust valve actuator. A resonator, which is fluidly connected to the interior of the wastegate actuator via one or more first hoses, is configured to dampen the movement of the lever, the one or more linkages, and the wastegate valve, the movement being attributable to pressure changes in the exhaust gas caused by combustion events within the engine; Pneumatic power source; A regulator valve configured to regulate the pressure inside the exhaust valve actuator; and An accumulator, fluidly connected to the regulator valve via one or more second hoses and fluidly connected to the pneumatic source via one or more third hoses, is configured to dampen pressure changes from the pneumatic source. The exhaust valve actuator also includes a spring configured to counteract pressure within the exhaust valve actuator.

17. The exhaust valve system according to claim 16, wherein, The first internal volume of the energy storage device is greater than the second internal volume of the resonator.

18. The exhaust valve system of claim 16, further comprising an engine control module configured to actuate the regulator valve based on a target opening of the exhaust valve.

19. The exhaust valve system according to claim 16, wherein, The resonator, the resonator, the one or more first hoses, and the one or more second hoses are configured to dampen the movement of the rod, the one or more linkages, and the exhaust valve within a predetermined frequency range.

20. The exhaust valve system according to claim 16, wherein, The pneumatic source is one of (a) an electric pneumatic pump and (b) a component of the engine that is driven by rotation.

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