Claims
- 1. An internal combustion engine having multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers comprising an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber, including an electric controller for controlling each EGR valve individually in relation to at least one input parameter to the electric controller, and in which the electric controller comprises maps of individual combustion chamber EGR requirements and controls the operation of each EGR valve through the respective map.
- 2. An internal combustion engine having multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers comprising an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber, in which each EGR valve comprises an inlet port that receives exhaust gas through a common conduit communicated to the exhaust system, and including a rail member in which the EGR valves are mounted and which forms a manifold within which the inlet ports are disposed.
- 3. A method of exhaust gas recirculation in an internal combustion engine having multiple combustion chambers each having intake and exhaust valves for controlling intake and exhaust flows into and from the combustion chamber, an induction system to the intake valves, an exhaust system from the exhaust valves, and an EGR system for controlling recirculation of exhaust flow to the combustion chambers comprising an individual electric-actuated EGR valve associated with each respective combustion chamber for controlling the exhaust gas recirculation to the respective combustion chamber independent of the exhaust gas recirculated to any other combustion chamber, and an electric controller for controlling each EGR valve individually in relation to at least one input parameter to the electric controller, the method comprising controlling individual EGR valve operation through a respective map of the respective combustion chamber's EGR requirements that is contained in the electric controller.
- 4. An internal combustion engine having multiple combustion chambers, an exhaust system through which exhaust gas is conducted from the combustion chambers, and an exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly mounted on the engine, the exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly comprising an exhaust gas recirculation rail forming an exhaust gas recirculation manifold communicated to the exhaust system, plural electric-actuated EGR valves mounted on the rail, each comprising its own valve body received in a respective receptacle in the rail, each body having an inlet port communicated to the exhaust gas recirculation manifold and an outlet port for recirculation of exhaust gas from the exhaust system to a respective combustion chamber such that recirculation of exhaust gas through each EGR valve is controlled independent of the exhaust gas recirculated through the other EGR valves.
- 5. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 4 in which the exhaust gas recirculation manifold is communicated to the exhaust system through a common conduit.
- 6. An EGR valve comprising a ferromagnetic shell comprising a cylindrical side wall, a transverse end wall at an axial end of the side wall, the end wall containing a valve seat circumscribing a first port, a second port in the side wall proximate the end wall, a valve element that is selectively positionable relative to the valve seat to selectively control EGR flow between the two ports, the side wall comprising an internal shoulder spaced beyond the second port relative to the end wall, a shield disposed within the shell and having an outer margin seated on the shoulder and an inner margin circumscribing the valve element, the inner margin being spaced toward the end wall relative to the outer margin, a bearing guide disposed within the shell seated on the outer margin of the shield and providing guidance for the valve element, a first ferromagnetic pole piece disposed within the shell against the bearing guide, an electromagnet coil disposed within the shell beyond the first pole piece relative to the bearing guide, a second ferromagnetic pole piece disposed within the shell and cooperating with the first pole piece to axially capture the coil, and with the shell side wall, form a solenoid, the solenoid further comprising an armature reciprocal within the coil and joined to the valve element, and a cap closing the end of the shell opposite the end wall.
- 7. An EGR valve as set forth in claim 6 including a non-ferromagnetic sleeve within which the armature is reciprocal.
- 8. An exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly comprising an exhaust gas recirculation rail forming an exhaust gas recirculation manifold adapted to be communicated to exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, plural electric-actuated EGR valves mounted on the rail, each comprising its own valve body received in a respective receptacle in the rail, each body having an inlet port communicated to the exhaust gas recirculation manifold and an outlet port, each outlet port adapted to be communicated to a respective engine combustion chamber to provide for controlled recirculation of exhaust gas to a respective combustion chamber independent of exhaust gas recirculated to other combustion chambers.
- 9. An exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly as set forth in claim 8 in which each EGR valve comprises a ferromagnetic shell comprising a cylindrical side wall, a transverse end wall at an axial end of the side wall, the end wall containing a valve seat circumscribing the outlet port, the inlet port being disposed in the side wall proximate the end wall, a valve element that is selectively positionable relative to the valve seat to selectively control EGR flow between the two ports, the side wall comprising an internal shoulder spaced beyond the inlet port relative to the end wall, a shield disposed within the shell and having an outer margin seated on the shoulder and an inner margin circumscribing the valve element, the inner margin being spaced toward the end wall relative to the outer margin, a bearing guide disposed within the shell seated on the outer margin of the shield and providing guidance for the valve element, a first ferromagnetic pole piece disposed within the shell against the bearing guide, an electromagnet coil disposed within the shell beyond the first pole piece relative to the bearing guide, a second ferromagnetic pole piece disposed within the shell and cooperating with the first pole piece to axially capture the coil, and with the shell side wall, form a solenoid, the solenoid further comprising an armature reciprocal within the coil and joined to the valve element, and a cap closing the end of the shell opposite the end wall.
- 10. An exhaust gas recirculation rail assembly as set forth in claim 8 in which the rail member is integrated with an engine intake manifold.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09/107,514, filed on Jun. 30, 1998.
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/107514 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/542645 |
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US |