Patent · US Expired

Method for determining the air/fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine combustion chamber

US6550312B1 · kind B1 · utility

9Cited by

7References

8Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Daimlerchrysler AG · US

Inventors

Peter Hohner · Echterdingen, DE
Jurgen Schenk · Dresden, DE
Hartung Wilstermann · Gaildorf, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 10, 2000
Grant date	Apr 22, 2003
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Mar 10, 2020

Classification

Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
CPC primaryF02P17/12
WIPO fieldMeasurement
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for determining the air/fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine combustion chamber having at least two ignition plugs spaced apart from one another. Ion-current measurement is carried out during successive operating cycles, wherein a first ignition plug is operated as an ion-current sensor and does not release ignition energy. The time of arrival at the first ignition plug of a flame front formed at the ignition point of a second ignition plug, is detected. The detected time of arrival of the flame front, the ignition point and the ignition-plug spacing are used to determine the speed of the flame and, from this, the air/fuel ratio is determined as a function of the speed and/or load of the internal combustion engine.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.