Abstract: There is provided a valve gear of an internal combustion engine, comprising a cam mechanism for converting rotational motion of an electric motor into linear motion to drive a valve for opening and closing a cylinder against a valve spring, and a torque reduction mechanism for adding an opposite torque, which serves so as to reduce a torque applied to the cam mechanism from the valve spring at the time of driving the valve, to the cam mechanism.

Abstract: A valve-driving system, which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, comprising: a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses, each of which is provided for at least each one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, each valve-driving apparatus having an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion and a power transmission mechanism provided with a transmitting section for transmitting the rotation motion generated by the electrical motor and a converting section for converting the rotation motion transmitted from the transmitting section into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven; and a motor control device which controls operations of electric motors of the respective valve-driving apparatuses in accordance with the operation state of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A valve-driving system, which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, comprising: a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses, each of which is provided for at least each one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, each valve-driving apparatus having an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion and a power transmission mechanism provided with a transmitting section for transmitting the rotation motion generated by the electrical motor and a converting section for converting the rotation motion transmitted from the transmitting section into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven; and a motor control device which controls operations of electric motors of the respective valve-driving apparatuses in accordance with the operation state of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention is characterized by that in a port injection type internal combustion engine, fuel is supplied in the interior of a cylinder that is in its compression stroke or expansion stroke upon stoppage of the internal combustion engine, and upon the next start of the internal combustion engine, the fuel in the interior of the aforementioned cylinder is burned to rotate the engine output shaft utilizing the pressure generated when the fuel is burned. Thus, the torque required for cranking the internal combustion engine is reduced and the load applied on a starter apparatus such as a starter motor is reduced.

Abstract: An engine is cranked by a motor generator at a start time of the engine. An engine ECU opens an intake valve or an exhaust valve during a compression stroke using a valve control mechanism during a period from when cranking is started until when a predetermined crank angle position (detected by a crank angle sensor) is reached, thereby reducing a compression workload.

Abstract: A start control apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the present invention is characterized by that in a port injection type internal combustion engine, fuel is supplied in the interior of a cylinder that is in its compression stroke or expansion stroke upon stoppage of the internal combustion engine, and upon the next start of the internal combustion engine, the fuel in the interior of the aforementioned cylinder is burned to rotate the engine output shaft utilizing the pressure generated when the fuel is burned. Thus, the torque required for cranking the internal combustion engine is reduced and the load applied on a starter apparatus such as a starter motor is reduced.

Abstract: In a valve gear mechanism of an internal combustion engine, there is provided a valve opening and closing a combustion chamber, a spring device which generates a force pressing the valve toward a valve seat, a drive mechanism driving the valve in an opening direction via an operating section capable of being in contact with and separated from the valve, and a separation inhibiting device which inhibits a separation between the operating section and the valve.

Abstract: There is provided a valve gear of an internal combustion engine, comprising a cam mechanism for converting rotational motion of an electric motor into linear motion to drive a valve for opening and closing a cylinder against a valve spring, and a torque reduction mechanism for adding an opposite torque, which serves so as to reduce a torque applied to the cam mechanism from the valve spring at the time of driving the valve, to the cam mechanism.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system includes a honeycomb structural member and a center electrode. The honeycomb structural member is disposed in an exhaust emission flow path from an engine. The center electrode extends along an axis of the honeycomb structural member from an upstream side thereof. A voltage of a polarity opposite from the polarity of the honeycomb structural member is applied to the center electrode. Sub-electrodes are further provided for controlling an electric field between the center electrode and the honeycomb structural member.

Abstract: A valve-driving system for an internal combustion engine is provided with: an electric motor for generating a rotational driving force to drive a valve for intake or exhaust mounted on a cylinder in the internal combustion engine so as to open and close the valve in synchronization with a piston motion in the internal combustion engine; a transmitting device capable of changing between (i) a first condition to transmit therethrough the rotational driving force to the valve from said electric motor and (ii) a second condition to stop an opening or closing operation of the valve or to make the valve driven by a low lift amount; a judging device for judging whether or not synchronization between the opening or closing operation of the valve and the piston motion is abnormal; and a fail-safe device for changing said transmitting device to the second condition if it is judged by the judging device that the synchronization is abnormal.

Abstract: Power from a high voltage battery (10) (for example 36V) is supplied through an inverter (12) to a motor generator (14). A low voltage battery (20) (for example 12V) is connected through a reactor (18) to the neutral point of the motor generator (14). A voltage ratio of the low voltage battery (20) to the high voltage battery (10) is preferably from 1:2 to 1:4. In order to set the neutral point voltage to a desired charging voltage into the low voltage battery (20), the inverter (12) is controlled so as to follow a current distortion phenomenon. In this way, in a dual-power source system with a voltage ratio of a low voltage battery (20) to a high voltage battery (10) between 1:2 and 1:4, voltage switching means for use in charging a charge voltage of a high voltage side into a low voltage source can be implemented at low cost.

Abstract: A power source unit includes an inverter connected to a power transfer device, a first battery that can be charged and discharged through the inverter and a second battery that can be charged and discharged through the inverter. The second battery has a power voltage lower than that of the first battery. The power source unit further includes a power conversion device connected to the inverter, providing a transforming function, and a switching device provided between the power conversion device and the first and second batteries. The switching device switches a connection between the power conversion device and the first battery, and the power conversion device and the second battery. The inverter is connected to the first and the second batteries through the power conversion device.

Abstract: A three phase alternating current generator-motor that serves as a starter motor or the alternator includes switching elements for controlling current. When the three phase alternating current generator-motor generates electricity, current flowing to the switching elements is suppressed by current control units in accordance with quantity of generated electricity. A plurality of rectifying diodes are provided in the three-phase alternating current generator-motor are connected in parallel with the corresponding switching elements.

Abstract: A valve-driving system which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, including a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses provided for driving valves of different cylinders of the internal combustion engine, wherein each valve-driving apparatus includes an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion; and a power transmission mechanism for converting the rotation motion of the electric motor into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven and for transmitting the opening and closing motion to the valve through a cam or a link.

Abstract: A valve-driving system, which is applied to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, for driving an intake or exhaust valve provided in each cylinder, comprising: a plurality of valve-driving apparatuses, each of which is provided for at least each one of the intake valve and the exhaust valve, each valve-driving apparatus having an electrical motor as a driving source for generating rotation motion and a power transmission mechanism provided with a transmitting section for transmitting the rotation motion generated by the electrical motor and a converting section for converting the rotation motion transmitted from the transmitting section into opening and closing motion of the valve to be driven; and a motor control device which controls operations of electric motors of the respective valve-driving apparatuses in accordance with the operation state of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A stop control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided with a valve mechanism capable of operating at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve independently a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, and a valve controlling device for controlling an operation of the valve mechanism so that the internal combustion engine is stopped in a predetermined state.

Abstract: In a method of starting an internal combustion engine, a combustion energy is generated by combusting a fuel that has been injected into a cylinder in an expansion stroke when the internal combustion engine is stopped. In the aforementioned method, the combustion energy generated by combusting the fuel is obtained based on a state of an air/fuel mixture within the cylinder to which the fuel has been injected. Based on the obtained combustion energy, a kinetic energy to be supplied to the internal combustion engine from a primary energy supply source is estimated. A difference between a predetermined target kinetic energy required for starting the internal combustion engine subsequent to the start of combustion and the estimated kinetic energy to be supplied from the primary energy supply source is obtained. The kinetic energy corresponding to the obtained difference is supplied from a secondary energy supply source in the form of a starter motor.

Abstract: An engine is cranked by a motor generator at a start time of the engine. An engine ECU opens an intake valve or an exhaust valve during a compression stroke using a valve control mechanism during a period from when cranking is started until when a predetermined crank angle position (detected by a crank angle sensor) is reached, thereby reducing a compression workload.

Abstract: A voltage conversion apparatus is connected between a first charging/discharging device and a second charging/discharging device, and performs voltage conversion between the first and second charging/discharging devices. The apparatus includes a first switching device having one terminal connected to the first charging/discharging device, a second switching device connected between the other terminal of the first switching device and the earth, a third switching device having one terminal connected to the second charging/discharging device, a fourth switching device connected between the other terminal of the third switching device and the earth, and a coil provided between the other terminal of the first switching device and the other terminal of the third switching device.

Abstract: A three phase alternating current generator-motor that serves as a starter motor or the alternator includes switching elements for controlling current. When the three phase alternating current generator-motor generates electricity, current flowing to the switching elements is suppressed by current control units in accordance with quantity of generated electricity. A plurality of rectifying diodes are provided in the three-phase alternating current generator-motor are connected in parallel with the corresponding switching elements.