Abstract: A fuel injector for fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines, including an actuator, a valve needle operable by the actuator for operating a valve-closure member, which, together with a valve-seat surface forms a sealing seat and a swirl device including at least one swirl channel, through which fuel flows with a tangential component relative to a longitudinal axis of the fuel injector. The axial position of a plunger element determines a cross-section of at least one bypass channel that bypasses the at least one swirl channel without a tangential component.

Abstract: A method of starting a multi-cylinder, direct-injection, internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle in particular without using a starter motor is described. The position of a piston in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is determined, and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber of the cylinder whose piston is in a working phase, and the fuel is ignited immediately thereafter, thus triggering the starting operation. To improve the processing of the mixture during the starting operation, as the starting operation continues, immediately after ignition of the fuel in the cylinder which is in the working phase, fuel is injected into a combustion chamber of another cylinder whose piston is in an intake phase, and the injected fuel is ignited while still in the intake phase.

Abstract: A fuel injector (1), in particular for fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines, including an actuator (27), a valve needle (3) operable by the actuator (27) for operating a valve-closure member (4), which, together with a valve-seat surface (6) forms a sealing seat and a swirl device (34) having at least one swirl channel (35), through which fuel flows with a tangential component relative to a longitudinal axis (38) of the fuel injector (1). The axial position of a plunger element (36) determines a cross-section of at least one bypass channel (37) that bypasses the at least one swirl channel (35) without a tangential component.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.

Abstract: There are internal combustion engines with at least one cylinder and a reciprocating piston that can be moved in this cylinder, with a cylinder head associated with the cylinder, with a direct injector, and optionally with an electric spark plug, and with a device that is disposed in a stationary fashion on or in the cylinder head and is for absorbing electrical energy so that a surface of the device can be heated and used to at least partially vaporize fuel and at least partially for encouraging the ignition of the fuel/air mixture, particularly when the relevant internal combustion engine needs to be started, for example when cold.

Abstract: In the case of a method for operating an internal combustion engine (10) installed in a motor vehicle having controlled intake and exhaust valves and that is coupled in fixed fashion with an electrical machine (16) charging an electrical energy accumulator (21), in order to enable recuperation on overrun or during braking operation of the internal combustion engine (10) while maintaining the braking or deceleration behavior of the motor vehicle expected by the driver, the drag or braking power of the internal combustion engine is regulated by intervening in the valve actuation process so that the sum of the braking power of the electrical machine and the internal combustion engine corresponds at any point during vehicle deceleration to the braking power produced by a conventional internal combustion engine having “conventional” valve actuation.

Abstract: A desired gradual stopping position of a piston in at least one cylinder of an internal combustion engine can be attained very accurately and simply by closing the gas exhaust valves of one or more cylinders of an internal combustion engine for one or more time segments after the ignition has been turned off, the beginning and the end of each valve closing segment being controlled so that the crankshaft comes to a stop in the desired stopping position.

Abstract: A fuel injector, in particular an injector for fuel injection systems in internal combustion engines, includes a valve needle (6) having a valve-closure member (7) which cooperates with a valve-seat surface (8) situated in valve-seat member (5) to form a sealing seat (9) and which has several injection orifices (4, 12) which are situated downstream from the sealing seat (9), and are sealed by sealing seat (9) against a fuel supply. A disk element (10) is arranged downstream from the sealing seat (9), the disk element (10) having at least one valve section (11), which changes its shape when the temperature changes. Valve section (11) is connected to a heating element (13) and is possibly covering an injection orifice (12).

Abstract: An internal combustion engine, especially an engine for a motor vehicle, is described which is provided with a piston, which is movable in a cylinder and acts on a crankshaft. The piston can run through an intake phase, a compression phase, a work phase and a discharge phase. A control apparatus is provided with which the fuel can be injected directly into a combustion chamber delimited by the cylinder and the piston in a first operating mode during a compression phase or in a second operating mode during an intake phase. The control apparatus is so configured that, for starting the engine at standstill of the crankshaft, fuel can be injected into that cylinder (no. 1) whose piston is disposed in the compression phase and can be ignited (20, 21) so that the crankshaft moves rearwardly (22).

Abstract: A fuel injection valve, in particular for direct injection of fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, includes an actuator that is in working engagement with a valve needle, the valve needle including at its spray-discharge end a valve closure element that coacts with a valve seating surface configured on a valve seat element to form a sealing seat. Also provided is a swirl disk in which swirl channels are configured. The swirl disk includes extensions that coact with a cam disk in such a manner that a tangential component of the swirl generated by the swirl disk is modifiable.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), in particular of a motor vehicle, in the forward direction, wherein the position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is ascertained, and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of the particular cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is in a working phase.

Abstract: A friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) is proposed. The friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) has bevel wheels (12, 42), which roll on a friction wheel (14) and drive a gear output shaft (26). The contact pressure between the bevel wheels (12, 42) and the friction wheel (14) is variable. A detection of the slip between the bevel wheels (12, 42) and the friction wheel (14) is provided, and the contact pressure is variable as a function of the slip. In this way, the friction-wheel epicyclic gear (10, 10a) can always be operated at the slip limit, so that the wear is only slight and the efficiency is high.

Abstract: In a fuel-injection system, a fuel injector (1) has a valve-closure member (4), which cooperates with a valve seat surface (6) on a valve seat element (5) to form a sealing seat. At least one spray-discharge opening (7. 49) is situated downstream of the sealing seat and it is sealed from a fuel inlet (16) by the sealing seat. The spray-discharge opening (7, 49) has a spray-shaping section (34) which is made of a thin-walled wall section of the spray-discharge opening (7, 49) lying opposite to a pressure chamber (44), and the pressure chamber (44) may have pressure applied to it by a pressure fluid.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of controlling catalytic converter heat losses during coasting shutoff in an internal combustion engine which includes a valve and a valve positioner having an adjustable stroke set point, and a catalytic converter. In the method, the stroke set point is fixed as a function of a temperature of the catalytic converter.

Abstract: A method of starting a multi-cylinder, direct-injection, internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle in particular without using a starter motor is described. The position of a piston in a cylinder of the internal combustion engine is determined, and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber of the cylinder whose piston is in a working phase, and the fuel is ignited immediately thereafter, thus triggering the starting operation. To improve the processing of the mixture during the starting operation, as the starting operation continues, immediately after ignition of the fuel in the cylinder which is in the working phase, fuel is injected into a combustion chamber of another cylinder whose piston is in an intake phase, and the injected fuel is ignited while still in the intake phase.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for starting a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (1), especially of a motor vehicle. The position of a piston (2) in a cylinder (3) of the engine (1) is determined and fuel is injected into a combustion chamber (4) of that cylinder (3) whose piston (2) is disposed in a work phase. In order to make possible a start of the internal combustion engine (1) as reliable as possible without an electro-motoric starter, it is suggested that the inlet and/or outlet valves (5) of at least one cylinder (3), whose piston (2) is disposed after top dead center (TDC), is brought into a position corresponding to a work phase in advance of the starting operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuator unit, for actuating variable valve control systems having an actuator and a deflection device that deflects the motion of the actuator to a substantially linear actuating motion. In order for the actuator unit to increase the actuation dynamics the actuator is embodied as an electromagnet.

Abstract: An adjusting unit for actuating a device for variable control of valves of an internal combustion engine for load control of the engine via the inlet stroke function of the valves. The adjusting unit includes a gear unit with a cylindrical worm, on whose circumferential surface a thread is embodied. A displacement element that meshes with the thread of the worm is guided displaceably on the worm, and the displacement element is in communication with an actuating element of the device. A drive unit sets the worm into a rotary motion about its longitudinal axis which drives the displacement element.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of controlling catalytic converter heat losses during coasting shutoff in an internal combustion engine which includes a valve and a valve positioner having an adjustable stroke set point, and a catalytic converter. In the method, the stroke set point is fixed as a function of a temperature of the catalytic converter.

Abstract: An apparatus for adjusting a camshaft of an internal combustion engine, having first and second shafts, of which the first shaft is driven to rotate at least indirectly by the engine and of which at least the second shaft is embodied as a camshaft for actuating a gas exchange valve of the engine, and the transmission of the rotary motion of the driven first shaft to the driven second shaft is effected by means of a coupling gear, by way of which moreover the relative rotary position of the shafts to one another can be varied. For the freest possible adjustment of the phase location of the shafts to one another, the coupling gear is embodied between the shafts as a planetary gear.