System for controlling the temperature of a hot spot or a glow plug in an internal combustion engine

US4658772A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Robert Bosch GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Werner Auth · Stuttgart, DE
• Martin Lenfers · Aidlingen, DE
• Johannes Locher · Stuttgart, DE
• Hans Peter · Urdorf, CH
• Hannes Pflug · Gerlingen, DE
• Michel Friedbert · Esslingen am Neckar, DE
• Josef Steiner · Eßlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 31, 1985
• Grant date: Apr 21, 1987
• Expiry date: May 31, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F02P19/025
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A glow plug electrically heated during start-up to help bring the air-fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine to ignition temperature when the engine is cold, instead of being turned off as soon as the engine is running, has its heating current controlled so as to maintain the glow plug temperature within a desired range, as the result of which the engine can be made to run more quietly and more smoothly under many conditions. The current control unit which varies the glow plug current responds to the output signal of a computing unit responsive to various engine operation parameters, including especially a signal representative of the rate of feeding fuel to the engine.