Abstract: An engine system with a thermal storage device is capable of efficiently supplying heat from a thermal storage device to an internal combustion engine. The engine system equipped with the thermal storage tank supplies the hot water stored in the thermal storage tank to a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine before the starting thereof. At this time, an electronic control unit sets a target value of the temperature of the internal combustion engine at the start of the hot water supply in such a manner that the lower the temperature of the internal combustion engine, the lower the target value becomes. As a result, a variation in combustion states between cylinders can be suppressed at the starting of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: An engine system with a thermal storage device is capable of efficiently supplying heat from a thermal storage device to an internal combustion engine. The engine system (1) equipped with the thermal storage tank (100) supplies the hot water stored in the thermal storage tank (100) to a cylinder head (20a) of the internal combustion engine (20) before the starting thereof. At this time, an electronic control unit (90) sets a target value of the temperature of the internal combustion engine (20) at the start of the hot water supply in such a manner that the lower the temperature of the internal combustion engine (20), the lower does the target value become. As a result, a variation in combustion states between cylinders can be suppressed at the starting of the internal combustion engine (20).

Abstract: A control apparatus for a drive system, in which a power source is activated to output a torque by an energy fed from an energy source so that the torque is transmitted to rotary members through a torque transmission element having a variable transmission torque capacity. The stop of the power source due to the exhaustion of energy is predicted to increase the transmission torque capacity of the torque transmission element.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a drive system, in which a power source is activated to output a torque by an energy fed from an energy source so that the torque is transmitted to rotary members through a torque transmission element having a variable transmission torque capacity. The stop of the power source due to the exhaustion of energy is predicted to increase the transmission torque capacity of the torque transmission element.

Abstract: The exhaust gas purification device according to the present invention utilizes two NOx absorbents in order to remove NOx from the exhaust gas of an engine operated at a lean air-fuel ratio. The NOx absorbents are disposed, in series, in the exhaust passage of the engine and a nozzle for supplying a reducing agent is disposed in the exhaust passage at a position between the two NOx absorbents. Further, the device includes switching valves for changing the direction of the exhaust gas flow in the exhaust gas passage. When the switching valves are set to direct the exhaust gas flow to one direction, the exhaust gas first flows through one of the NOx absorbents (first NOx absorbent), and after passing through the first NOx absorbent, the reducing agent is supplied to the exhaust gas before it flows into the other NOx absorbent (second NOx absorbent). Thus, the first NOx absorbent absorbs NOx in the exhaust gas, and the NOx absorbed by the second NOabsorbent is released from the second NOx absorbent.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold (7) of an engine (1) is connected to a three way (TW) catalyst (8a), and the TW catalyst (8a) is connected to an NH3 adsorbing and oxidizing (NH3-AO) catalyst (10a). The engine (1) performs the lean and the rich engine operations alternately and repeatedly. When the engine (1) performs the rich operation and thereby the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the TW catalyst (8a) is made rich, NOx in the inflowing exhaust gas is converted to NH3 in the TW catalyst (8a). The NH3 is then adsorbed in the NH3-AO catalyst (10a). Next, when the engine (1) performs the lean operation and thereby the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the TW catalyst (8a) is made lean, NOx in the exhausted gas passes through the TW catalyst (8a), and flows into the NH3-AO catalyst (10a). At this time, NH3 adsorbed in the catalyst (10a) is desorbed therefrom, and reduces the inflowing NOx.

Abstract: An NOx occluding and reducing catalyst is disposed in an exhaust gas passage of an internal combustion engine that operates at a lean air-fuel ratio. When the engine is operating at a lean air-fuel ratio, the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst absorbs NOx in the exhaust gas. To release NOx, the engine is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio so that the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx occluding and reducing catalyst acquires a rich air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: A mean vehicle speed Va and a mean variation .DELTA.Va are factors reflecting a current driving condition and an expected driving condition of a vehicle, which relate to a charge-discharge amount of a battery. A target state SOC* of the battery is calculated from the mean vehicle speed Va and the mean variation .DELTA.Va. The charge-discharge amount of the battery increases with an increase in mean vehicle speed Va and mean variation .DELTA.Va. The lower charging state of the battery results in the higher charge-discharge efficiency. The structure of the present invention sets the target state SOC* of the battery and controls the actual state of the battery to the target state SOC*, thereby enhancing the charge-discharge efficiency of the battery and ensuring a sufficient supply of electric power required for driving the vehicle.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying catalyst, for reducing nitrogen oxides and ammonia in an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, in an oxidizing atmosphere, is provided. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst comprises a first catalyst having zeolite carrying platinum and copper thereon. Preferably, the exhaust gas purifying catalyst further comprises a second catalyst having zeolite carrying copper thereon. Preferably, the second catalyst is arranged upstream of the first catalyst, with respect to the exhaust gas flow.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technology of diagnosing an exhaust gas purifying apparatus about a fault in its temperature control function of controlling a temperature of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst. The exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes the exhaust gas purifying catalyst, and a temperature control means for controlling the temperature of this exhaust gas purifying catalyst. The exhaust gas purifying apparatus is judged to be faulted, wherein at least one of a state of the temperature control means and a state of the exhaust gas purifying catalyst serves as a parameter.

Abstract: An exhaust purifying apparatus purifies an unburnt gas component, such as unburnt hydrocarbon (HC), discharged from an internal combustion engine without fail and prevents the unburnt hydrocarbon from being discharged into the atmosphere. In order to achieve this, the exhaust gas purifying apparatus is provided with a plurality of exhaust passages connected to the internal combustion engine. A joint exhaust passage is formed by merging the exhaust passages and an exhaust gas flows through the joint exhaust passage. An adsorption/desorption unit is provided in each of the exhaust passages for adsorbing an unburnt gas component contained in the exhaust gas that flows through each of the exhaust passages at a temperature lower than a predetermined temperature. The adsorption/desorption unit desorbs the adsorbed unburnt gas component at a temperature equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A three-way catalyst (8a) is connected to a first cylinder group 1a. The exhaust gas of the first cylinder group (1a), which has passed through the three-way catalyst (8a), and the exhaust gas of a second cylinder group (1b) are introduced to an exhaust gas purifying catalyst (14). The second cylinder group (1b) performs the lean operation. The first cylinder group (1a) performs the rich operation to synthesize NH.sub.3 from NO.sub.X in the exhaust gas of the first cylinder group (1a) in the three-way catalyst (8a). In the exhaust gas purifying catalyst (14), NO.sub.X in the exhaust gas of the second cylinder group 1b is purified by NH.sub.3 from the three-way catalyst (8a). The amount of HC flowing to the three-way catalyst (8a) is obtained. When the HC amount exceeds a predetermined amount, the first cylinder group 1a must perform the lean operation temporarily, to thereby maintain the excellent catalytic activity of the three-way catalyst (8a).

Abstract: In an exhaust gas purification device, a three-way catalyst, an NO.sub.x absorbing-reducing catalyst and an NH.sub.3 adsorbing-denitrating catalyst are disposed in an exhaust gas passage of the internal combustion engine. The engine is provided with direct cylinder injection valves which inject fuel directly into the respective cylinders. A control circuit controls the amount of fuel injected from the injection valve so that the air-fuel ratio of the combustion in the cylinders becomes a lean air-fuel ratio during the normal operation of the engine. Therefore, a lean air-fuel ratio exhaust gas is discharged from the cylinders during the normal operation and NO.sub.x, in the exhaust gas is absorbed by the NO.sub.x absorbing-reducing catalyst. When the amount of NO.sub.x absorbed in the NO.sub.

Abstract: An engine (1) has first and second cylinder groups (1a) and (1b). The first cylinder group (1a) is connected to a three way (TW) catalyst (8a). The second group (1b) and the TW catalyst (8a) are connected, via an interconnecting duct (13) to an NH.sub.3 adsorbing and oxidizing (NH.sub.3 -AO) catalyst (14a). The first group (1a) performs the rich operation, and the second group (1b) performs the lean operation. In the TW catalyst (8a), NO.sub.x exhausted from the first group (1a) is converted to NH.sub.3, and the NH.sub.3 reduces the NO.sub.x exhausted from the second group (1b) in the NH.sub.3 -AO catalyst (14a). A NO.sub.x occluding and reducing (NO.sub.x -OR) catalyst (11a) is arranged in the exhaust passage between the second group (1b) and the interconnecting duct (13), to thereby suppress the NO.sub.x amount flowing into the NH.sub.3 -AO catalyst (14a).

Abstract: To provide an exhaust gas purifying system for an internal combustion engine capable of executing an optimal regenerative operation by predicting a temperature of an absorbent based on running state information.There are predicted the amount of nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x) to be absorbed by an absorbent 125 incorporated in a catalyst 124 and the temperature of the absorbent, based on the running state information obtained from a car navigation system 141 or traffic information service receiver 142, and the regenerative operation schedule is determined based on the prediction. Thus, the regenerative operation is conducted at the timing where NO.sub.x has been duly absorbed by the absorbent and the absorbent temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, so that the leakage of NO.sub.x into the exterior of a vehicle can be restrained.

Abstract: A device for purifying exhaust gas includes an HC adsorbent and an exhaust gas purifying catalyst disposed in an exhaust gas passage in this order from the upstream side. The exhaust gas purifying catalyst is provided with an O.sub.2 storage capability, i.e., the exhaust gas purifying catalyst is capable of absorbing oxygen in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean, and is capable of releasing the absorbed oxygen when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas becomes rich. When the engine starts, the HC adsorbent adsorbs HC in the exhaust gas. When the temperature of the exhaust gas becomes high, the HC adsorbent releases the adsorbed HC. The device also includes an engine control unit which operates the engine at a lean air-fuel ratio during a predetermined period before the releasing of the HC from the HC adsorbent occurs. Therefore, oxygen is absorbed and stored in the exhaust gas purifying catalyst before the releasing of HC occurs.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas purification device, a No. 1 cylinder of the engine is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio and other cylinders (No. 2 to No. 4) are operated at a lean air-fuel ratio. The exhaust gases from the No. 1 and No. 2 cylinders are mixed with each other to form a rich air-fuel ratio exhaust gas mixture. Further, since the air-fuel ratio of the No. 2 cylinder is lean, the exhaust gas from the No. 2 cylinder contains a relatively large amount of NO.sub.x. This rich air-fuel ratio exhaust gas mixture which contains a relatively large amount of NO.sub.X is supplied to a three-way catalyst. At the three-way catalyst, part of the NO.sub.X in the exhaust gas mixture is converted to NH.sub.3. The exhaust gas mixture flowing out from the three-way catalyst and the lean exhaust gas from the No. 3 and No. 4 flow into a common exhaust gas passage where they mix with each other to form a lean exhaust gas containing NH.sub.3 from the three-way catalyst and NO.sub.X from the No. 3 and No. 4 cylinders.

Abstract: A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an engine having a plurality of cylinders divided into first and second cylinder groups, the first and the second cylinder groups being connected to first and second exhaust passage, respectively, and performing a lean operation, comprises an NH.sub.3 synthesizing catalyst arranged in the first exhaust passage, and an exhaust gas purifying catalyst arranged in an interconnecting passage, which interconnects the first passage downstream of the NH.sub.3 synthesizing catalyst and the second exhaust passage, for purifying the inflowing NO.sub.X and NH.sub.3. An additional engine performing a rich operation is provided and the exhaust gas thereof is fed to the first exhaust gas passage upstream of the NH.sub.3 synthesizing catalyst to make the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NH.sub.3 synthesizing catalyst rich, to thereby synthesize NH.sub.3 therein. An amount of NH.sub.3 or NO.sub.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an engine oil deterioration preventing agent comprising, an addition agent for preventing a deterioration of an engine oil, and a housing body for housing the addition agent therein to discharge the addition agent to the engine oil when the engine oil is deteriorated.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling auxiliary equipment driven by an internal combustion engine, which can suppress the deterioration of a specific fuel consumption by controlling the auxiliary equipment based on running environment information provided from a car navigation system or the like. Namely, this apparatus predicts the future maximum output of the internal combustion engine and a running load thereof according to running environment information and vehicle information. Further, if the maximum output is larger than the running load, the auxiliary equipment (for example, a light and an air conditioner) are directly driven by the internal combustion engine. Moreover, surplus energy is stored in an energy storing device. When the maximum output is nearly equal to the running load and that the specific fuel consumption is deteriorated when driving the auxiliary equipments, they are driven by using the energy stored in the energy storing device.