Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpiller Inc.

Kranti Kumar Nellutla

Daniel Reese Puckett

Michael E Sattler

Bradley Scott Bashore

James Ulstad

Sasidhar Rayasam

Bryan Moore

Anand Krishnamurthygopalan

Gregory Lance Armstrong

Brian P Brennan

Prasanna Mohan Ballal

Greg Armstrong

Ye Tian

Sylvain Joseph Charbonnel

Andrew O Marrack

Steven Y Tian

Dustin K Fee

Purvarag S Shah

Michael Scott Marchionda

Purna Chandra Sekhar Mokkarala

Mohammed Rafi H

A method for controlling a fuel injector includes applying a spill valve current, applying a control valve current, the control and spill valves including components in electrical communication with each other, and detecting a timing at which the spill valve returns to an open position based on induced spill valve current. The method includes detecting a timing at which the control valve returns to a resting position based on induced control valve current, the induced spill valve current and the induced control valve current being included in respective freewheeling currents that at least partially overlap each other, adjusting a spill valve current that is applied during an injection, based on the detected spill valve return timing, and adjusting a control valve current that is applied during the injection, based on the detected control valve return timing.

Method and system for monitoring injector valves

A fuel injection method includes applying a first method current to close a spill valve according to a first method, applying a control valve current to open a control valve, and discontinuing the application of the control valve current to thereby cause the control valve to close. The method also includes applying a second method current to maintain the spill valve closed according to a second method and detecting a timing of a closing of the control valve while applying the second method current according to the second method, the second method being different than the first method.

Method and system for valve movement detection

A fuel injector controller is disclosed. The fuel injector controller may determine respective values of a set of parameters of the engine; process, using a neural network, the respective values to determine a target fuel output of a fuel injector, wherein the neural network is configured to determine the target fuel output based on the set of parameters being an input layer of the neural network; determine, based on an output of the neural network, the target fuel output; and provide the determined target fuel output to the fuel injector to permit the fuel injector to inject fuel according to the target fuel output.

Fuel injection control using a neural network

An engine has an injector communicating with a combustion chamber to introduce a plurality of dosing shots to mix with exhaust gases and regenerate an aftertreatment device downstream of the combustion chamber. An apportionment strategy can apportion a per cylinder quantity, representing the quantity of dosing fuel to introduce per cylinder per combustion cycle, among a predefined number of dosing shots each having a first per shot quantity. The strategy compares the predefined number of dosing shots with a temporal dosing window to determine if predefined number of dosing shots can be conducted within the temporal dosing window. If so, the strategy proceeds to introduce the predefined number of dosing shots and if not, the strategy may recalculate a reduced number of dosing shots and reapportions a second per shot quantity.

Fuel apportionment strategy for in-cylinder dosing

A fuel delivery system for an engine is provided. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel rail, a pressure sensor, a relief valve, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a fuel rail pressure, identify exceeding of the fuel rail pressure beyond a first threshold, identify the fuel rail pressure drop below a second threshold, and initiate a counter for a first predefined amount of time accordingly. The controller is also configured to identify if the fuel rail pressure drops below a third threshold within the first predefined amount of time, and identify if the fuel rail pressure remains below the third threshold for at least a second predefined amount of time. The controller is further configured to determine an open status of the relief valve based, at least in part, on the identification.

Fuel delivery system

A fuel system is disclosed for use with an engine. The fuel system may have a plurality of fuel injectors, a common rail fluidly, a pump, and an outlet valve associated with the pump. The fuel system may also have a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of fuel in the common rail, and an electronic control module. The electronic control module may be configured to detect a zero-fueling condition, to determine a first pressure decay rate of the common rail during the zero-fueling condition while the pump is rotating, and to determine a second pressure decay rate of the common rail during the zero-fueling condition after the pump has stopped rotating. The electronic control module may also be configured to selectively generate a diagnostic flag associated with wear of the outlet valve based on the first and second pressure decay rates.

Fuel system having pump prognostic functionality

Fuel is injected by energizing a solenoid of a fuel injector for an on-time that terminates at a first end-of-current timing. An end-of-current trim is determined at least in part by estimating a duration between an induced current event in a circuit of the solenoid and a valve/armature interaction event. An induced current event occurs when an armature abruptly stops, and a valve/armature interaction event occurs when the armature couples with or de-couples from the valve member. Fuel is injected in a subsequent injection event by adjusting the end-of-current timing by the end-of-current trim.

End-of-current trim for common rail fuel system

End-of current trim for common rail fuel system

Growing community of inventors

Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Kranti Kumar Nellutla