Patent ID: 6446610
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: F02D

Abstract:
Method for controlling the pressure in a high-pressure fuel circuit (22) for feeding, through at least one injector (2), an internal combustion engine (1), in particular with direct injection, and especially with externally supplied ignition, that mechanically drives a high-pressure pump (11) of the type with at least one reciprocating piston (12) in a corresponding cylinder (13) that discharges into said high-pressure circuit (22), which is the type without a continuous return of the fuel from the downstream end to the upstream end of said pump (11), and wherein the fuel pressure is measured by at least one pressure sensor (4), said pump (11) being equipped, for each piston (12), with an on-off solenoid valve (18) for controlling the fuel supply of said corresponding pump cylinder (13), characterized in that it includes the step that consists of controlling the fuel pressure by operating said solenoid valve (18) so that the fuel mass delivered by said pump (11) into said high-pressure circuit (22) is equal to the algebraic sum of a fuel mass to be injected into said engine (1) and of a required fuel mass, or a quantity determined from said required mass, for at least partially correcting the pressure difference between the fuel pressure measured in the high-pressure circuit (22) by means of said pressure sensor (4) and a target pressure desired in said high-pressure circuit (22).