DE10354875B4 - Internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

Internal combustion engine (10) with at least one sensor (14), which detects a state variable of the internal combustion engine (10), and with an electronics unit (18) which is connected to the sensor (14), wherein the internal combustion engine (10) has a cooling module (20 ) comprising at least one cooling station (40) which thermally contacts the electronic unit (18) and cools during operation, characterized in that the electronics unit (18) can be latched by means of a latching or snap-action device (62) on the cooling module (20).

Description

State of the art

The invention relates to an internal combustion engine with at least one sensor that detects a state variable of the internal combustion engine, and with an electronic unit that is connected to the sensor.

Internal combustion engines of the type mentioned are now commonplace. The current operating state of an internal combustion engine is detected by a plurality of sensors, for example temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, and so on. Many of these sensors are connected to their own electronic circuit, which processes the signals supplied by the sensor and forwards them to a control and regulating device. It is technically desirable that the line leading from the sensor to the electronics unit is as short as possible.

Today it is also increasingly required to record state variables of the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, for example the current pressure in the combustion chamber. The information obtained from this can be used to optimize fuel injection. For this purpose, optical or piezoelectric sensors are known. Even with such sensors, it is favorable for the signal quality, if the corresponding electronic unit is arranged as close to the sensor. However, this inevitably means that the electronics unit is exposed to the ruling in the combustion chamber near high temperatures.

The EP 0 309 986 A1 describes an electronic control device for use on an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. With an example flowed through by the cooling water base body an electronics unit is screwed, which contains, inter alia, a plurality of sensors. The US Pat. No. 6,415,757 B1 discloses a liquid-cooled heat shield for temperature-sensitive components that are mounted on a motor.

The present invention has the object, an internal combustion engine of the type mentioned in such a way that it builds as inexpensively.

This object is achieved in an internal combustion engine of the type mentioned above in that the internal combustion engine comprises a cooling module with at least one cooling station, which contacts the electronics unit thermally and cools during operation.

Advantages of the invention

In the internal combustion engine according to the invention, a commercially available electronic unit can be used for processing the sensor signals. Additional costs due to the use of a special high-temperature suitable electronic unit are therefore not incurred. The complex and costly integration of cooling in the electronics unit is not required in the internal combustion engine according to the invention.

Instead, a special cooling module is proposed, which has a cooling station. This is understood to mean a region of the cooling module to which an electronics unit can be "docked", that is to say arranged in such a way that it makes thermal contact with the electronics unit and cools it during operation. Such a cooling module can be built very simply, so that it causes little cost.

According to the invention, the electronics unit can be latched by means of a latching or snap-on device on the cooling module. This facilitates assembly and allows easy replacement in the event of maintenance or error.

Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in subclaims.

It is first proposed that the cooling module has a plurality of cooling stations. This reduces in the case in which a plurality of electronic units are provided, the effort required for the cooling of these electronic units, since the cooling of several cooling stations with the same cooling module requires only one connection of the cooling module, for example, to a coolant supply. Also, only one attachment for the cooling module must be provided.

In a further development, it is proposed that a thermally insulating element is arranged on a cooling station not occupied by an electronics unit. As a result, the same cooling module can be used without significant deterioration of its efficiency even in different configurations of the same internal combustion engine or even in different internal combustion engines, in which different numbers of electronic units are used. As a result, the costs for the production of the internal combustion engine are also reduced.

A preferred embodiment of the internal combustion engine according to the invention provides that the at least one electronic unit has a plurality of connection devices for each sensor. This will become a collector which also enables the use of the same electronic unit in different configurations of an internal combustion engine or in different types of internal combustion engines. If fewer sensors are required in one internal combustion engine than in another, the corresponding connection devices are simply released.

A secure hold of the electronic unit on the cooling module is made possible by the fact that the at least one cooling station comprises a recess into which an electronic unit can be used at least in some areas. In addition, this increases the contact area between the cooling module and the electronics unit, which enhances the cooling effect.

In a similar direction aims that development in which the cooling station comprises a contact element made of a material with high thermal conductivity, preferably copper or aluminum. This also improves the effectiveness of the cooling of the electronics unit is improved.

It is also proposed that the cooling module comprises a fluid space through which a coolant can flow. This leads to a simple and therefore cost-effective design of the cooling module. As a coolant, for example, in an internal combustion engine already existing cooling water or ambient air can be used.

A particularly advantageous arrangement of the cooling module is characterized in that it is attached to a cover of a cylinder head or integrated into it. This arrangement allows, especially in those cases where the sensor is located in the immediate vicinity of the combustion chamber, a short line length between the sensor and its associated electronic unit. The integration in the cover eliminates the need for separate holding devices and allows a protected housing of the electronics unit and the cooling module.

The efficiency of a cooling module is further improved if the cooling module outside a cooling station comprises a thermal insulation. A heating of the cooling module by a warm environment is thereby reduced, which improves the available cooling capacity for the electronics unit.

Particularly preferred is also that embodiment of an internal combustion engine is provided with a set of adapter elements, which allows an arrangement of different types of electronic units at the same cooling station. This ultimately also reduces the manufacturing costs of the internal combustion engine, since the same cooling station can also be used for very different electronic units. The production of different adapter elements is cheaper in each case than the production of different cooling modules.

Very pronounced are the above-mentioned advantages when the sensor is arranged on or in the combustion chamber and detects at least one state variable of the combustion chamber, for example a pressure prevailing in the combustion chamber. In this case, the electronic unit, in order to enable a good signal conditioning, should be located in the vicinity of the sensor and thus in a comparatively warm or hot area of the internal combustion engine, which is easily and inexpensively possible by the proposed cooling module.

drawing

Hereinafter, particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing show:

1 a schematic representation of components of an internal combustion engine, including an electronic unit for a sensor and a cooling module for the electronic unit;

2 a perspective view of the cooling module and the electronics unit of 1 ;

3 a partial section through the electronics unit and the cooling module of 2 ;

4 a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a cooling module with a plurality of electronic units; and

5 a partially sectioned view of an electronics unit and a cooling module, which are integrated in a cylinder head cover.

Description of the embodiments

In 1 an internal combustion engine carries the reference numeral 10 , It includes several combustion chambers 12 , on each of which a pressure sensor 14a . 14b , and so on. From the pressure sensors 14 lead lines 16a . 16b , and so on to an electronics unit 18 , This is with a cooling module 20 connected, which is flowed through by a coolant. This becomes the cooling module 20 over a line 22 to and from the cooling module 20 over a line 24 dissipated.

The cooling module 20 is on a cylinder head 26 the internal combustion engine 10 attached. From the electronics unit 18 leads a line 28 through a cylinder head cover 30 through to a tax and control device 32 , The administration 28 is opposite the cylinder head cover 30 through a seal 34 sealed.

In 2 are the cooling module 20 and the electronics unit 18 shown in more detail: It can be seen that the cooling module 20 via two connection nipples 36 and 38 has, to which the line 24 respectively 26 can be connected. Furthermore, one recognizes 2 that the cooling module 20 a rectangular recess 40 has, in which an area 42 the electronics unit 18 is used.

The electronics unit 18 is in the present embodiment, the cooling module 20 fastened by screws, not shown. It has a total of eight connection devices 44a -H, to which one of the lines 16a . 16b , and so on can be connected. At the in 2 shown electronic unit is thus a sensor collector. Such can be used in a four-cylinder internal combustion engine, in which case four of the connection devices 44a to 44h remain free. But it can also be used, for example, in an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine, in which then all eight connection devices 44a -H are occupied.

How out 3 shows, includes the cooling module 20 a multi-part housing 46 in which a fluid space 48 is available. The cylinder head 26 facing bottom surface and the side walls of the fluid space 48 are with a thermally insulating material 50 lined. The boundary wall of the fluid space 48 towards the electronics unit is partly due to a contact plate 52 formed from a thermally highly conductive material, such as copper or aluminum.

The internal combustion engine 10 , the electronics unit 18 and the cooling module 20 work as follows:
Signals from the pressure sensors 14a . 14b , and so on will be over the wires 16a . 16b , and so on to the electronics unit 18 transfer. There, the signals are processed and over the line 28 to the control and regulating device 32 where they are used, among other things, for the calculation of the injection quantity and the injection timing of the fuel into the combustion chambers 12 be used.

How out 1 is apparent, is the electronics unit 18 in the immediate vicinity of the cylinder head 26 within a through the cylinder head cover 30 and the cylinder head 26 arranged in a limited space. Thus, only comparatively short lines 16 from the sensors 14 to the electronics unit 18 required. Inside of the cylinder head cover 30 However, limited space prevails relatively high temperatures. So that the temperature of the electronics unit 18 A maximum permissible value for their safe operation is the cooling module 20 intended:
This is done via the feed line 22 and the connection nipple 36 Cooling fluid, for example, cooling water or cooling air, fed, which in the fluid space 48 passes and over the connection nipple 38 and the line 24 is discharged again. The contact plate 52 is due to the cooling fluid on the fluid space 48 facing side contacted directly. The temperature of the contact plate 52 is thus comparatively low. The electronics unit 18 is like that in the cooling station 40 arranged this with a bottom 54 ( 3 ) the contact plate 52 contacted flatly. This will cause the electronics unit 18 from the cold contact plate 52 cooled. Is in case of failure, the replacement of the electronics unit 18 required, the cooling module can 20 remain in place. Instead, only the electronics unit 18 from the cooling module 20 solved and by another electronics unit 18 replaced.

Another embodiment of a combination of electronic unit 18 and cooling module 20 is in 4 shown. In this case, carry such elements and areas, which equivalent functions to elements and areas in the 2 and 3 shown embodiment, the same reference numerals. They are not explained in detail except in individual cases.

At the in 4 shown embodiment is for three pressure sensors each have their own electronics unit 18a . 18b , and 18c intended. All electronic units 18 however, are from the same cooling module 20 cooled. For this one has this at the in 4 shown embodiment of four cooling stations 40a . 40b . 40c , and 40d , However, of these, only three cooling stations are present 40a . 40b and 40c with a corresponding electronics unit 18a . 18b , and 18c busy. The cooling station 40d however, it is not from an electronics unit 18 but by an insulating element 56 busy. This will cause unnecessary heating of the contact plate 52d the cooling station 40d and thus inside the cooling module 20 circulating cooling fluid avoided.

The attachment of the individual electronic units 18a . 18b and 18c in the cooling stations 40a . 40b , and 40c , as well as the insulating element 56 in the cooling station 40d takes place in each case via a locking device, which per cooling station 40 includes four locking tongues. For reasons of illustration, only one latching tongue of the cooling station 40a with the reference number 58 Mistake. Each catch tongue 58 includes a bending section 60 and a resting section 62 , When inserting an electronics unit 18a and 18b or the insulating element 56 in the respective cooling station 40a -D becomes the corresponding bending section 60 a latching tongue 58 bent outwards. If the electronics unit 18a C or the insulating element 56 completely into the appropriate cooling station 40a -D is inserted, the snap section snaps 62 a latching tongue 58 inwards and engages on the exposed upper side of the corresponding electronic unit 18 or the insulating element 56 at.

The integration of the electronic units 18a C and the insulating element 56 in the cooling module 20 is thus possible without tools. To the cooling stations 40a -D to arrange as close to each other, are the locking tongues 58 a cooling station 40 to the respective adjacent cooling station 40 staggered. The locking tongues 58 Thus, when inserting an electronics unit 18a C and the insulating element 56 bend outwards without a latching tongue 58 a neighboring cooling station 40 to be disabled.

At the in 4 shown embodiment are in the cooling stations 40a and 40b two identical electronic units 18a and 18b taken, which exactly in the respective cooling station forming recess 40 fit. In the cooling station 40c of the cooling module 20 is however an electronic unit 18c which is smaller than the two electronic units 18a and 18b , Not a separate cooling module 20 or a cooling module 20 with different sized cooling stations 40 to provide, is the electronics unit 18c in an adapter element 64 added. This has in the present case U-shaped cross-section and the same outer dimensions as the two electronic units 18a and 18b , The adapter element 64 is part of a set of adapter elements that allow for the adaptation of different electronic units 18 to the same cooling station 40 are provided.

In 1 is shown that the cooling module 20 on the cylinder head 26 is attached. This is a special, in 1 However, not shown bracket required.

Out 5 shows that the cooling module 20 and the electronics unit (in 5 from the cooling module 20 hidden and therefore not visible) also in the cylinder head cover 30 can be integrated. For this purpose, the cylinder head cover 30 multi-part with a partial element 30a and a subelement 30b executed. Between these two subelements 30a and 30b is the cooling module 20 jammed with the electronics unit. For exact fixation of the cooling module 20 is in the part 30b a bead 66 and in part 30a a rib 68 available. The administration 16 , which from the electronics unit to the in 5 is not visible sensor, is also between the bead 66 and the rib 68 braced. This is particularly advantageous if it is the case of the line 16 connected sensor to an optical sensor and the line 16 thus is an optical line. By the tension of the line 16 between bead 66 and rib 68 becomes the particularly sensitive connection area of the line 16 relieved to the electronics unit. The administration 16 is opposite to that between the parts 30a and 30b formed gap by means of a seal 70 sealed. The two parts 30a and 30b are by screws 72 attached to each other.

Claims (11)

Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) with at least one sensor ( 14 ), which is a state variable of the internal combustion engine ( 10 ) and with an electronics unit ( 18 ) connected to the sensor ( 14 ), wherein the internal combustion engine ( 10 ) a cooling module ( 20 ) with at least one cooling station ( 40 ) comprising the electronic unit ( 18 ) is thermally contacted and cools during operation, characterized in that the electronic unit ( 18 ) by means of a latching or snap-in device ( 62 ) on the cooling module ( 20 ) can be locked. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling module ( 20 ) a plurality of cooling stations ( 40a -D). Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to claim 2, characterized in that at a not occupied by an electronic unit cooling station ( 40d ) a thermally insulating element ( 56 ) is arranged. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one electronic unit ( 18 ) several connection devices ( 44a -H) for one sensor each ( 18 ) having. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cooling station has a recess ( 40 ) into which an electronics unit ( 18 ) can be used at least in certain areas. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling station ( 20 ) a contact element ( 52 ) of a material having high thermal conductivity, preferably copper or aluminum. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized that the cooling module ( 20 ) a fluid space ( 48 ), which can be flowed through by a coolant. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling module ( 20 ) on a cover ( 30 ) of a cylinder head ( 26 ) is attached or integrated in this. Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling module ( 20 ) outside a cooling station ( 40 ) a thermal insulation ( 56 ). Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a set of adapter elements ( 64 ) comprising an arrangement of different types of electronic units ( 18c ) at the same cooling station ( 40c ). Internal combustion engine ( 10 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor ( 14 ) on or in a combustion chamber ( 12 ) and at least one state variable of the combustion chamber ( 12 ) detected.

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