This application claims priority of German patent application no. 10 2013 005 807.4, filed Apr. 4, 2013, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
DE 195 04 105 A1 discloses an internal combustion engine which has a decompression device. The known decompression device is triggered automatically during the actuation of a pull-rope starter and in the process the decompression valve is opened. The decompression valve closes on account of the combustion pressure which is produced in the cylinder during a combustion.
The ignition of internal combustion engines is usually controlled by a control device. In an idling speed range, the ignition takes place at a comparatively retarded ignition time point. During idling, it is intended to be achieved that the rotational speed does not increase excessively, which results in a constant idling speed and only low rotational speed fluctuations during idling. It has been shown, however, that, in known decompression valves, the combustion pressure which prevails on account of the late ignition time point is not always reliably sufficient to close the decompression valve. In order to ensure that the decompression valve is closed reliably by the combustion pressure during idling, narrow tolerances have to be maintained on the decompression valve, which tolerances lead to a more complicated manufacture of the decompression valve.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for operating an internal combustion engine, by way of which method even a decompression valve of simple construction can be closed reliably.
In order to achieve reliable closing of the decompression valve, it is provided that, for at least one engine cycle, the ignition takes place at a closing ignition time point which lies approximately 5° of crankshaft angle before the most advanced ignition time point, in particular lies at least approximately 5° of crankshaft angle before the most advanced ignition time point. Here, the most advanced ignition time point is the most advanced ignition time point which is provided according to the idle control of the ignition time point. Accordingly, the ignition is adjusted in the direction of “advance” in the idle speed range for at least one engine cycle. Here, an adjustment in the advanced direction of the ignition time point for a single engine cycle can be sufficient. However, it can also be provided to adjust the ignition time point in the direction of “advance” for a plurality of engine cycles, in particular for a plurality of engine cycles which follow one another, in order to ensure that at least one sufficiently pronounced combustion takes place which leads to reliable closing of the decompression valve. The idle control can provide a comparatively retarded ignition time point which ensures that smooth running of the engine in the idle speed range results and which reliably prevents backward thrust of the engine, that is, driving of the engine in the opposite rotational direction. The ignition time point which is provided according to the idle control does not have to be adapted to the closing pressure of the decompression valve. A more pronounced combustion takes place in the combustion chamber in the at least one engine cycle, in which the ignition takes place at the closing ignition time point. As a result, a higher pressure is achieved in the combustion chamber, which higher pressure leads to reliable closing of the decompression valve. An excessively complicated construction of the decompression valve or excessively accurate production of the decompression valve is not necessary as a result.
The method according to the invention can be used in every type of internal combustion engine having a decompression valve, for example in a conventional internal combustion engine having a mechanical carburetor, in an internal combustion engine having a fuel quantity which is to be metered in electronically, or an engine of the like. In particular, the method according to the invention is used in two-stroke engines having a pull-rope starter or electric starter.
The closing ignition time point advantageously lies before the most advanced ignition time point by at most approximately 40° of crankshaft angle. As a result, backward thrust of the engine can still be avoided reliably. The closing ignition time point advantageously lies before the most advanced ignition time point by at least approximately 10° of crankshaft angle, in particular approximately 20° of crankshaft angle. As a result, a sufficiently high combustion pressure is achieved in the combustion chamber, with the result that the decompression valve closes reliably. The ignition time point is advantageously defined using the idle control to from 0° to approximately 20° of crankshaft angle before top dead center, and the closing ignition time point lies from approximately 25° to approximately 50° of crankshaft angle before top dead center.
The at least one engine cycle, in which the ignition takes place at the closing ignition time point, advantageously takes place during the first 100 engine cycles, in particular during the first 50 engine cycles after the starting operation. Here, the starting operation means the actuating operation of the internal combustion engine until the first combustion takes place in the combustion chamber. After the first combustion, the internal combustion engine is operated at idling, until an acceleration from the idling speed range takes place.
In order to ensure that a pronounced combustion takes place in the at least one engine cycle, in which the ignition takes place at the closing ignition time point, it is advantageously provided that at least one engine cycle precedes this engine cycle, during which at least one engine cycle no ignition takes place. In particular, a plurality of engine cycles without ignition precede the at least one engine cycle, at which the ignition takes place at the closing ignition time point. The internal combustion engine is advantageously ignited at the closing ignition time point until a combustion has taken place in the combustion chamber. This ensures that the decompression valve is closed. To this end, it is provided that a determination is carried out as to whether a combustion has taken place in the combustion chamber after an engine cycle, in which the ignition has taken place at the closing ignition time point. If no combustion has been detected, it is provided that the ignition in the next engine cycle again takes place at the closing ignition time point. The determination as to whether a combustion has taken place can be carried out in a simple way by virtue of the fact that the rotational speed of the crankshaft is monitored. If the rotational speed increases to a more pronounced extent during the downward stroke of the piston, that is, the acceleration exceeds a limit value, a combustion has taken place. However, it can also be provided to perform the determination as to whether a combustion has taken place via a pressure sensor in the combustion chamber. It can also be provided to monitor whether the decompression valve is closed and to perform the ignition at the closing ignition time point until the decompression valve has closed.
The closing ignition time point can be a fixed ignition time point which is stored in the control device. However, it can also be provided that the closing ignition time point is determined starting from an ignition time point which is provided according to the idle control. For example, the ignition time point, which is provided according to the idle control, can be adjusted in the direction of “advance” by a number of degrees of crankshaft angle which is stipulated in the control unit. Here, the ignition time point which is provided according to the idler controller can be the ignition time point for the following engine cycle or an ignition time point of the preceding engine cycle. The control unit can make provision to interrupt the idle control in the engine cycle or engine cycles, in which the ignition takes place at the closing ignition time point. However, the control unit according to the idle control can also be overridden or the ignition time point which is provided can be shifted to a more advanced ignition time point.
The idle control advantageously controls the ignition time point depending on the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. It is provided here, in particular, that the ignition time point is adjusted in the direction of “retard” in the case of an increasing rotational speed. As a result, smooth running of the internal combustion engine during idling with low rotational speed fluctuations is achieved. However, it can also be provided that the idle control fixes the ignition time point to a constant ignition time point. The decompression valve opens into a pressure relief space. The pressure relief space is, in particular, the surroundings or the interior of a crankcase of the internal combustion engine.
The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
The internal combustion engine 7, which is shown schematically in
The crossflow windows 35 are controlled by the piston 15 (shown diagrammatically in
As
During operation of the internal combustion engine 7, in the region of the top dead center of the piston 15, that is, at a crankshaft angle α of 0°, combustion air is drawn into the interior of the crankcase 28. Fuel is metered into the combustion air via the fuel valve 25. The fuel is atomized on account of the rotating parts in the crankcase interior and is prepared with the combustion air to produce an air/fuel mixture. The mixture in the interior of the crankcase 28 is compressed during the downward stroke of the piston 15, that is, during the movement of the piston 15 in the direction of the crankcase 28, and is pressed into the combustion chamber 29 as soon as the crossflow windows 35 are opened by the piston 15. During the subsequent upward stroke of the piston 15, that is, during the movement of the piston 15 in the direction of the combustion chamber 29, the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber 29 is compressed and is ignited by the spark plug 23 in the region of top dead center of the piston 15. During the subsequent downward stroke of the piston 15, the outlet 33 is opened, and the exhaust gases escape from the combustion chamber 29.
The ignition time point ZZP is controlled by the control device 24 in dependence on the rotational speed (n) of the internal combustion engine 7 according to the diagram shown in
In the idling speed range 39, the ignition time point ZZP is controlled using an idle control 43 which sets the ignition time point ZZP to a fixed, most advanced ignition time point ZZP1. However, it can also be provided that the ignition time point ZZP is controlled in the idling speed range 39 depending on the rotational speed (n). It is provided here, in particular, that the ignition time point ZZP is adjusted in the direction of “retard” as the rotational speed (n) increases, the adjustment taking place linearly, in particular. A corresponding idle control 44 is shown by way of a dashed line in
The starting operation begins with the beginning of the pull-rope starter operation, that is, when an operator begins to pull the pull-rope handle 11, and ends with the first combustion in the combustion chamber 29. Until the first combustion, the ignition time point ZZP is controlled using the line 52. If the rotational speed (n) drops during operation from the idling speed range 39 into the starting speed range 38, that is, below 2000 rpm in the embodiment, the ignition time point ZZP is controlled in dependence on the line 53. It is provided here to adjust the ignition time point ZZP in the direction of “advance”. Here, the ignition time point ZZP, which is provided according to the line 53, can also lie ahead of the most advanced ignition time point ZZP1.
The decompression valve 22 serves to reduce the compression pressure during starting of the internal combustion engine 7, with the result that the operator has to apply less force to pull the pull-rope handle 11. The decompression valve 22 can be opened by hand by the operator before starting of the internal combustion engine 7. However, it can also be provided that the decompression valve 22 is set into the open position automatically, for example before or during the actuation of the pull-rope starter 10. As soon as a combustion takes place in the combustion chamber 29, the decompression valve 22 is to close on account of the combustion pressure.
The closing element 46 is connected to an actuating button 49 which is to be pressed by the operator in order to open the decompression valve 22. Here, a spring 48 is compressed and latching balls 50 latch in a latching depression 51 of the closing element 46. A pressure face 57, on which the combustion pressure acts, is formed on the end side of the closing element 46. If the combustion pressure is sufficiently high, the force which acts on the pressure face 57 is sufficient to move the latching balls 50 out of the latching depression 51 and to deflect them counter to the force which is applied by a spring element 58 which resiliently biases the latching balls 50. This takes place with the assistance of the force of the spring 48.
The decompression valve 22 has to be designed in such a way that the closing element 46 latches reliably in the open position, and that secure closing of the decompression valve 22 is ensured after starting of the internal combustion engine 7. Depending on the internal combustion engine 7, the combustion pressure in the combustion chamber 29 can be comparatively low after the starting operation.
At an engine cycle x1, which is the 30th engine cycle after starting in the embodiment, the ignition time point ZZP is adjusted in the “advance” direction from an ignition time point ZZP3 to a closing ignition time point ZZP2. The closing ignition time point ZZP2 advantageously lies at least approximately 5° crankshaft angle α, preferably at least approximately 10° crankshaft angle α, in particular 20° crankshaft angle α before the most advanced ignition time point ZZP1. Here, the closing ignition time point ZZP2 lies at most approximately 40° crankshaft angle before the most advanced ignition time point ZZP1. In the embodiment, the closing ignition time point ZZP2 lies by from 30° to 35° crankshaft angle, in particular approximately 33° crankshaft angle ahead of the ignition time point ZZP3.
As
The closing ignition time point ZZP2 can be a fixed value which is stored in the control device 24. However, it can also be provided that the ignition time point ZZP which is determined using the idle control 44 for this or a preceding engine cycle (x) is adjusted in the direction of “advance” by a predefined crankshaft angle α, for example by from approximately 30° to approximately 35° crankshaft angle α. Here, the control device 24 can interrupt the control of the ignition time point ZZP according to the idle control 44 for the at least one engine cycle (x1, x2), at which the closing time point ZZP2 is set. However, the control device 24 can also override the ignition time point ZZP, which is provided according to the idle control 44, by the ignition time point ZZP being triggered at the more advanced time point and sufficient energy for triggering an ignition spark no longer being available for the triggering of an ignition spark at the more retarded time point which is provided by the idle control 44.
It is provided in the embodiment according to
In
It is understood that the foregoing description is that of the preferred embodiments of the invention and that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2013 005 807.4 | Apr 2013 | DE | national |