Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes two intake side solenoid driving valve mechanisms for opening and closing intake valves by cooperation of an electromagnetic coil and a spring, and/or two exhaust side solenoid driving valve mechanisms for opening and closing exhaust valves provided on each cylinder. A controller commands a driving circuit to cause the valve-opening timing of the exhaust valves or the intake valves to be different.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which includes an internal combustion engine of a lean-burn type, an NOx catalyst disposed in an exhaust passage of the engine so as to remove nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust gas emitted from the engine, and a variable valve control system capable of changing the opening and closing timing and/or a lift of the intake valve and/or the exhaust valve for each cylinder of the engine. The variable valve control system is controlled so that the exhaust gas to which the NOx catalyst is exposed is controlled so as to be suitable for removing a selected gaseous component from the NOx catalyst when the selected gaseous component should be removed. A method of purifying an exhaust gas emitted from the above engine is also provided.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes two intake side solenoid driving valve mechanisms for opening and closing intake valves by cooperation of an electromagnetic coil and a spring, and/or two exhaust side solenoid driving valve mechanisms for opening and closing exhaust valves provided on each cylinder. A controller commands a driving circuit to cause the valve-opening timing of the exhaust valves or the intake valves to be different.

Abstract: In a multi-plate high frequency parallel strip-line cable including a strip-shaped dielectric body made of either an electrical insulating material having a flexibility or another electrical insulating material having a plasticity, the dielectric body is composed of a pair of dielectric layers. A pair of thin-film-shaped earth conductors is formed on both surfaces of the dielectric body so as to oppose to each other, and a thin-film-shaped center conductor is formed between the pair of dielectric layers in the dielectric body so as to be located between a pair of earth conductors. Further, a circuit device part such as an impedance adjusting circuit, a filter, an attenuator or the like is formed between a pair of dielectric layers in the dielectric body so as to be electrically connected with the center conductor, thereby the parallel strip-line cable having either a flexibility or a plasticity.

Abstract: An NO.sub.x absorber (18) is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. The NO.sub.x absorber (18) absorbs the NO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorber (18) is lean while releases the absorbed NO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorber (18) becomes the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or rich. An air-fuel ratio sensor (22) is arranged in the exhaust passage downstream of the NO.sub.x absorber (18). When the air-fuel ratio detected by the air-fuel ratio sensor (22) is switched from lean to rich after the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into NO.sub.x absorber (18) is switched from lean to rich, it is decided that the releasing action of NO.sub.x from the NO.sub.x absorber (18) is completed.

Abstract: An NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and the exhaust gas is constantly made to circulate through the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) during the operation of the engine. The NO.sub.x absorbent (18) absorbs the NO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is lean and releases the absorbed NO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) becomes the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or rich. In the majority of the engine operation region, the lean air-fuel mixture is burned in the combustion chamber (3), and the NO.sub.x generated at this time is absorbed into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18). The air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is periodically made the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio or rich, and the NO.sub.x absorbed in the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is released, and simultaneously reduced.

Abstract: An NO.sub.x absorbent (19) which absorbs NO.sub.x when an air-fuel ratio of an inflowing exhaust gas is lean, while releases the absorbed NO.sub.x when lowering an oxygen concentration in the inflowing exhaust gas, is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. An SO.sub.x absorbent (18) which absorbs SO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the inflowing exhaust gas is lean, while releases the absorbed SO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the inflowing exhaust gas is made rich is arranged in the exhaust passage on the upstream side of the NO.sub.x absorbent (19). When the lean air-fuel mixture is burned, the SO.sub.x is absorbed into the SO.sub.x absorbent (18) and, at the same time, the NO.sub.x is absorbed into the NO.sub.x absorbent (19), and when the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture is switched from lean to rich, SO.sub.x is released from the SO.sub.x absorbent (18), and NO.sub.x is released from the SO.sub.x absorbent (19 ).

Abstract: A NO.sub.x absorbent (18) which absorbs the NO.sub.x when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is lean and releases the absorbed NO.sub.x when the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas flowing into the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) is lowered, is arranged in the exhaust passage of the engine. The amount of alkali metals, alkali-earth metals or rare-earth metals contained in the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) positioned on the downstream side, is made lower than the amount of alkali metals, alkali-earth metals or rare-earth metals contained in the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) positioned on the upstream side, to increase a reducing ability of the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) positioned on the downstream side as compared to the reducing ability of the NO.sub.x absorbent (18) positioned on the upstream side.

Abstract: A lean NOx reduction catalyst capable of reducing NOx through reaction of H.sub.2 with NOx at low temperatures below 350.degree. C. is installed in a downstream portion of an exhaust pipe of an internal combustion engine in or near a muffler. Such an NOx reduction catalyst comprises, for example, Pt/zeolite catalyst. An H.sub.2 generator is installed so as to supply the H.sub.2 to an inlet side of the NOx reduction catalyst. The H.sub.2 generator may include a reforming catalyst for reforming methanol, LPG, or natural gas to generate H.sub.2. The generated H.sub.2 flows to the NOx reduction catalyst where it reacts with NOx to purify the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A cooling system of an internal combustion engine has a plurality of cylinder coolant passages. Each of the passages is provided for one of a plurality of cylinders. The plurality of cylinder coolant passages has grooves provided on outer surfaces of cylinder liners of the plurality of cylinders. The system also includes a cylinder head coolant passage located so as to extend in a cylinder head and a coolant supply for supplying coolant to the cylinder head coolant passage. The cylinder head coolant passage has branch passages connected therewith, each of the branch passages being also connected with respective one of the plurality of cylinder coolant passages.

Abstract: A cooling system for an internal combustion engine able to realize a cooling effect matching a distribution of incoming heat of a cylinder liner. A plurality of annular grooves are formed on an outer surface of the cylinder liner, and a passage connecting the annular grooves is also provided. An introducing passage part is formed between an inlet passage of a coolant and the uppermost annular groove. A curved portion is provided to the introducing passage part. A flow direction of the coolant flowing into the introducing passage part is smoothly changed so as to flow along a direction of a passage connecting the annular grooves. An amount of coolant flowing into the annular grooves located lower than the uppermost annular groove is increased appropriately.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustion engine includes an engine capable of fuel combustion at lean air-fuel ratios, a catalyst constructed of zeolite carrying at least one kind of metal selected from transition metals and noble metals to reduce NOx under oxidizing conditions and in the presence of HC, engine operating condition detecting means for detecting the current engine operating condition, engine operating range determining means for determining whether or not the current engine operating condition is within an insufficient HC amount range, and an HC amount control means for controlling the amount of HC included in the exhaust gas when the engine operating range determining means determines that the engine operating condition is within the insufficient HC amount range.

Abstract: A porous slide bearing (1) made of a porous sintered compact (5) is impregnated with an oil or a lubricant (6) containing a thickening agent at a concentration of less than 3 percent by weight and in the outer surface area thereof with a lubricant (7) containing a thickening agent at a concentration of 3 percent by weight or more. Such a bearing can prevent leakage of lubricant owing to fluctuations in temperature.A method for producing a porous slide bearing includes the steps of homogenizing a lubricant to make the crystals contained therein into fine particles and to disperse them uniformly, and impregnating under vacuum said lubricant into pores in a porous slide bearing. This method makes it possible to improve the penetration of grease into the bearing, to lower its apparent viscosity and to improve the impregnating efficiency.

Abstract: In an air-fuel ratio feedback control system including at least one air-fuel ratio sensor downstream of a catalyst converter provided in an exhaust gas passage, an actual air-fuel ratio is controlled in accordance with the output of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor. When at least one of the air-fuel ratio feedback control conditions for the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor is not satisfied the controlled air-fuel ratio is made an air-fuel ratio by an open loop control, while all the air-fuel ratio feedback control conditions for the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor are satisfied the controlled air-fuel ratio is made the stoichometric ratio (.lambda.=1) in accordance with the output of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve includes an injector body having a fuel injection hole and an adapter having a fuel collision surface, two air injection holes and two injected fuel paths. The fuel injected from the fuel injection hole flows in a slug-like pattern and collides with the fuel collision surface where the fuel is atomized a first time. Then, the fuel flows in a direction away from an axis of the adapter in a membrane-like pattern getting thinner in thickness to be finally broken to pieces, that is, to be atomized a second time. The air injected from the air injection holes collides with the membrane-like pattern of fuel to be atomized a third time before the fuel goes out of the injected fuel paths.

Abstract: In an air-fuel ratio feedback control system including at least one air-fuel ratio sensor downstream of a catalyst converter provided in an exhaust gas passage, an actual air-fuel ratio is controlled in accordance with the output of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor. When at least one of the air-fuel ratio feedback control conditions for the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor is not satisfied the controlled air-fuel ratio is made an air-fuel ratio by an open loop control, while all the air-fuel ratio feedback control conditions for the downstream-side air-fuel ration sensor are satisfied the controlled air-fuel ratio is made the stoichiometric ratio (.lambda.=1) in accordance with the output of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve for an internal combustion engine includes an injector body and an adapter. The injector body includes a single fuel injection hole and the adapter includes a concave portion defining a dead volume portion and a pillar extending from a bottom surface of the concave portion toward the fuel injection hole formed in the injector body. Fuel injected through the fuel injection hole into the dead volume portion collides with a top surface of the pillar to form a cone-like fuel flow pattern and a large portion of the fuel can directly flow into injected fuel paths formed in the adapted without attaching to and collecting on surfaces of various portions of the adapter. Thus, stable fuel injection from the injected fuel paths can be obtained.

Abstract: Improved greases for use in homokinetic joints are proposed which comprise a base oil, a thickening agent, and an organic molybdenum compound. Greases comprising a base oil, a thickening agent, an organic molybdenum compound, and an organic zinc compound are also proposed. These greases exhibit smaller friction coefficients than conventional greases used for this purpose. On the homokinetic joint lubricated with the grease according to the present invention, the axial force produced is reduced and vibrations generated on the engine are absorbed. The vehicle is prevented from vibrating. The use of an expensive organic metallic extreme-pressure additive is unnecessary.

Abstract: An air-fuel mixture intake system of an internal combustion engine includes a helical passage and a straight passage for conducting the air-fuel mixture to an intake port of the engine, the straight passage being selectively closed by a straight passage switchover control valve. A control device for operating the straight passage switchover control valve comprises a valve drive system including a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by intake vacuum of the engine, a vacuum switching valve for selectively either connecting the diaphragm to the intake manifold or releasing the diaphragm to the atmosphere, and a one way valve provided between the vacuum switching valve and the intake manifold so as to hold vacuum on one side thereof toward the diaphragm.

Abstract: A method of reducing the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in an internal combustion engine in which the air/fuel ratio is controlled higher than a theoreticl air/fuel ratio during normal operation of a vehicle, characterized in that the air/fuel ratio is controlled lower than the theoretical air-fuel ratio for a predetermined period of time during acceleration from the start of acceleration, the control being effected by means for detecting an accelerated state of the vehicle, means for measuring the lapse of time during acceleration from the start of acceleration and means for performing an acceleration increment correction upon detection of acceleration.