Abstract: An evaporative fuel processing apparatus which can optimally process fuel gas according to navigation information or the like. This apparatus obtains future running information from a navigation system and further predicts an amount quantity of fuel vapor generated in a fuel tank (13) according to the running information. Further, the apparatus determines an amount of fuel vapor to be purged from a canister (14), namely, a valve opening of a purge control valve (142) so that an amount of fuel vapor adsorbed in the canister (14) is not more than a predetermined upper limit and that an amount of fuel adsorbed in the canister (14) after running is almost zero. Thus, an evaporation emission is reduced and the durability of the canister is prolonged by controlling the purge control valve.

Abstract: The emission control system of the present invention removes the small amounts of polluting gases released from various parts of the automobile. These polluting gases are released from, for example, fuel oozing out from connections of the pipes in the fuel system, lubricating oil oozing out from engine body, and solvents and adhesives remaining in the interior and exterior parts of the automobile. In the emission control system of the present invention, collectors and suction pipes are provided. The collectors are disposed at the parts of the automobile from where the polluting gases are released in such a manner that the collectors enclose these parts. The suction pipes connect the respective collectors to an intake nose of an air cleaner disposed in an intake air passage of the engine. Therefore, the polluting gases released from various parts of the automobile are drawn into the engine through the respective suction pipes before they diffuse into the atmosphere, and are burned in the engine.

Abstract: The method for purifying combustion exhaust gas according to the present invention utilizes a NH.sub.3 decomposing catalyst. The NH.sub.3 decomposing catalyst in the present invention is capable of converting substantially all of the NH.sub.3 in the combustion exhaust gas to N.sub.2 when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean and the temperature of the catalyst is within a predetermined optimum temperature range. Further, when the exhaust gas contains NO.sub.x in addition to NH.sub.3, the NH.sub.3 decomposing catalyst is capable of reducing the NO.sub.x in the optimum temperature range even though the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean. In the present invention, the conditions of the exhaust gas containing NO.sub.x are adjusted before it is fed to the NH.sub.3 decomposing catalyst in such a manner that the temperature of the exhaust gas is within the optimum temperature range and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean. Further, NH.sub.

Abstract: An exhaust manifold of an engine is connected to a three way (TW) catalyst, and the TW catalyst is connected to an NH.sub.3 adsorbing and oxidizing (NH.sub.3 -AO) catalyst, such as the Cu-zeolite catalyst. The engine performs the lean and the rich operations alternately and repeatedly. When the engine performs the rich operation, the TW catalyst synthesizes NH.sub.3 from NO.sub.x in the inflowing exhaust gas, and the NH.sub.3 is then adsorbed in the NH.sub.3 -AO catalyst. Next, when the engine performs the lean operation, NO.sub.x passes through the TW catalyst, and the adsorbed NH.sub.3 is desorbed and reduces the inflowing NO.sub.x. When the rich operation is in process, or is to be started, the exhaust gas temperature flowing into the NH.sub.3 -AO catalyst is detected. If the temperature is equal to or higher than the upper threshold representing the rich endurance temperature, the lean or the stoichiometric operation is performed.

Abstract: In the present invention, the No. 1 cylinder of an engine is connected to a first exhaust passage and the No. 2 to No. 4 cylinders are connected to a second exhaust passage. A three-way catalyst and a NO.sub.X absorbent are disposed in the first and second exhaust passage, respectively. A denitrating catalyst is disposed in a common exhaust passage to which the first and second exhaust passage merge. The NO.sub.X absorbent absorbs NO.sub.X when the No. 2 to No. 4 cylinders are operated at a lean air-fuel ratio, and is regenerated, i.e., releases and reduces the absorbed NO.sub.X when the No. 2 to No. 4 cylinders are operated at a rich air-fuel ratio. However, NO.sub.X, without being reduced, is released from the NO.sub.X absorbent during a short period at the beginning of the regenerating operation. In the present invention, the No. 1 cylinder is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio during the short period at the beginning of the regenerating operation in order to produce NH.sub.3 at the three-way catalyst.

Abstract: In the present invention, the exhaust gas from the engine is divided into a first and a second branch exhaust passages after it passes through a three-way reducing and oxidizing catalyst, and the two branch exhaust passages merge into an exhaust gas outlet passage. In the first branch exhaust passage, an oxidizing catalyst is disposed, and in the exhaust gas outlet passage, a denitrating and oxidizing catalyst is disposed. NO.sub.x in the exhaust gas from the engine is all converted to N.sub.2 and NH.sub.3 by the three-way reducing and oxidizing catalyst and a part of the NH.sub.3 generated by the three-way catalyst flows into the first branch exhaust passage and is converted to NO.sub.x again by the oxidizing catalyst. The amount of NO.sub.x produced by the oxidizing catalyst and the amount of NO.sub.x flowing through the second branch exhaust passage is determined by the flow distribution ratio of the first and the second branch exhaust passages.

Abstract: In the present invention, a NO.sub.x absorbent is used for removing the NO.sub.x in the exhaust gas. The NO.sub.x absorbent absorbs NO.sub.x in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean, and releases the absorbed NO.sub.x and reduces it to nitrogen when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is rich or stoichiometric. To prevent the NO.sub.x absorbent from being saturated with the absorbed NO.sub.x, the NO.sub.x absorbent must be regenerated periodically by causing the NO.sub.x in the absorbent to be released and reduced. However, it is found that when the regenerating process by supplying a rich air-fuel ratio exhaust gas to the NO.sub.x absorbent is carried out at high NO.sub.x absorbent temperature, a part of NO.sub.x flows out from the NO.sub.x absorbent at the beginning of the regenerating process without being reduced. In the present invention, this outflow of NO.sub.x is suppressed by, for example, carrying out the regenerating process only when the temperature of the NO.sub.

Abstract: A fuel storing device for an automobile comprises a flexible separator means disposed in a fuel storage container for separating the inside of the fuel storage container into a fuel storage portion and a space portion and a fuel vapor preventing means for preventing fuel vapor from gathering in a space between a surface of fuel and said separator means. The fuel vapor preventing means introduces fuel vapor which appears over a surface of liquid fuel into a vapor draining pipe.

Abstract: A device for controlling a fuel evaporative purge system having a solenoid valve arranged in a purge passage, comprises a unit for determining a maximum amount of fuel vapor to be purged, an air flow meter, a unit for calculating a maximum purging ratio of the maximum amount of fuel vapor to an amount of intake air, a unit for setting a purging ratio which is gradually varied during the purging process, and a unit for activating the solenoid valve. In the purging operation, the activating unit drives the valve at a duty-ratio identical to a ratio of the purging ratio to the maximum purging ratio.

Abstract: A system for detecting engine speed in a multicylinder internal combustion engine provided with at least two sets of camshafts which are adapted for separate operation of valves connected to the sets of camshafts. The time detected is that for allowing one of the camshafts to rotate for an angle which is equal to or substantially equal to (720/N).times.n, where N is the number of cylinders and n is the number of sets of camshafts. The engine speed is calculated from the detected time. When the engine is in a predetermined state, such as an acceleration condition, the time is that for allowing the camshaft to rotate for an angle equal to or substantially equal to 720/N.

Abstract: While running of an engine used to be unstable in warming-up, the output of the engine is large and the running of the engine is maintained stably in high vehicle speed even if the engine is in the warming-up. According to the present invention, an automatic transmission is allowed to be run in the high speed stage in the high vehicle speed even during the warming-up.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein fuel injectors are provided for each of the cylinders. The injectors are divided into two groups, the cylinders in each of the groups having operational phases which are spaced from each other by a crank angle of 360 degrees. Injection systems are provided for each group for attaining independent injections between the groups. In each of the groups, a basic amount of fuel for one engine cycle, and then a final injection amount, is calculated, as a difference of the basic amount with respect to the actual amount of fuel injected during a preceding injection of the corresponding group. An injection of a precise amount of fuel is attained irrespective of any change in the engine condition.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a base fuel amount is calculated, and a synchronous fuel amount to be supplied to the engine is calculated in accordance with the base fuel amount. Further, an air-fuel ratio deviation is calculated when the engine is in an acceleration state, and an asynchronous fuel amount is calculated for the transition of the engine from a fuel cut-off state to a fuel cut-off recovery state in accordance with the calculated air-fuel ratio deviation.

Abstract: A speed change method and apparatus for the transmission of a vehicle provides for a speed change stage to produce a reduction gear ratio lower than a predetermined value when the engine temperature is low and vehicle speed is high, otherwise the speed change stage is prohibited from operating.

Abstract: In an altimetric compensation apparatus and method for a speed change pattern of an automatic transmission, first to third memory locations corresponding respectively to idling, low load and highload conditions of an engine are provided. A feedback air fuel ratio is calculated on the basis of feedback signals from an air fuel ratio sensor. A value in the memory corresponding to the detected running condition of the engine is compensated on the basis of deviation of the feedback air fuel ratio from the base air fuel ratio. When the values in at least two memory locations deviate by at least a predetermined value from the base value, the altimetric compensation value is adjusted and the speed change pattern is altered on the basis of the altimetric compensation value thus obtained.

Abstract: A compensation value computing method for an electronic fuel injection controlled engine according to this invention measures an operating parameter for detecting the idling, low-load and high-load running conditions of the engine. First, second and third memory locations are provided corresponding, respectively, to these running conditions of the engine to compute feedback air-fuel ratios on the basis of feedback signals from an air-fuel ratio sensor. Values in the memory are compensated corresponding to the detected running conditions of the engine on the basis of the deviation of a feedback air-fuel ratio from the base air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: A method of electronically controlling fuel injection in an engine including a bypass line running in parallel to the portion of an intake passage in which a throttle valve is provided. The communicable cross sectional area of the bypass line is controlled so as to maintain the idling speed of an engine at a predetermined desired value. When the engine temperature is higher than a predetermined value, the engine is idling and the communicable cross sectional area of the bypass line is being controlled, a value is stored related to the mean value of the flow rate of intake air or the mean amount of fuel being injected into the engine. When the engine is later being started, when the engine temperature is lower than a predetermined value, or when the engine is accelerating while the engine temperature is yet lower than a predetermined value, the amount of fuel to be injected is calculated by using the value thus stored as a parameter to compensate for internal friction in the engine.