Abstract: A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake pipe, and a throttle valve arranged in the intake pipe. A basic value of a fuel amount to be supplied to the engine is determined based on a load on the engine. The determined basic value of the fuel amount is corrected by a correction value for increasing the fuel amount during and/or after acceleration of the engine. The correction value is determined based on a change in the opening degree of the throttle valve. The correction valve is further determined based on a change in the magnitude of the load on the engine.

Abstract: A viscosity measuring transducer especially useful for process control of fluids. The transducer oscillates an immersed blade sensor in the direction of the plane of the blade in order to maximize generation of shear waves and to minimize generation of compression waves. The transducer includes a bar which penetrates and is secured and peripheral sealed to an isolation plate which serves to protect the oscillation driver and pickup adjacent one end of the bar from the sensor blade to be immersed in a fluid adjacent the other end of the bar. Either the bar is relatively rigid and the isolation plate is relatively compliant, or vice versa. In the former case the isolation plate acts as an intrinsic flexible member of the oscillating system of the transducer; and in both cases the isolation plate constitutes a strong impermeable seal between the fluid and the driver/pickup mechanism.

Abstract: Electronic control circuitry for obtaining precise inline process control data as to viscosity of fluids over a wide viscosity range, with high tolerance of ambient noise and vibration. An electromechanical transducer with an oscillating sensor is immersed in a flowing liquid, with the power required to sustain predetermined oscillation parameters being a measure of viscosity-density product. The gain of a variable gain amplifier which provides positive feedback to sustain oscillation is controlled in response to the integrated error signal output of a comparator which compares a DC value corresponding to the RMS amplitude of mechanical oscillation with a DC reference value. The monitoring of RMS amplitude rather than peak amplitude (as is done by a phase-sensitive sample-and-hold arrangement in the prior art), coupled integration of the error signal, results in a great improvement in immunity to ambient noise and vibration.

Abstract: Deterioration of an exhaust gas concentration sensor for an internal combustion engine is detected by integrating a difference between an output from the exhaust gas concentration sensor and a predetermined reference value which is outside a range of the output which can be assumed during normal operation of the exhaust gas concentration sensor, comparing a thus obtained integral value with a predetermined deterioration-determining value, and determining from the result of the comparision whether the exhaust gas concentration sensor is deteriorated.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method controls the air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine having spark plugs, and heaters for heating the air-fuel mixture in the vicinity of respective ones of the heaters, the air-fuel mixture containing a fuel which is poor in atomizing characteristic at a low temperature. The method comprises the steps of (1) determining whether or not a temperature of the engine is lower than a predetermined value, (2) determining whether or not the engine is being cranked, (3) detecting an amount of electric current flowing through each of the heaters, and (4) controlling an amount of fuel supplied to the engine based on the detected amount of electric current when it is determined that the temperature of the engine is lower than the predetermined value and at the same time the engine is being cranked.

Abstract: An improved method of determining activation of an exhaust gas concentration sensor for detecting the concentration of an exhaust gas ingredient in exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The sensor comprises an exhaust gas ingredient-detecting element, and a heater for heating the element. An output signal from the sensor is used for air-fuel ratio feedback control of an air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine. It is determined that activation of the sensor has been completed when an output voltage from the sensor has become lower than a predetermined activation-determining reference voltage. The predetermined activation-determining reference voltage is changed depending on a time period over which the heater has been energized while the engine is in an operating condition under which the air-fuel ratio feedback control should be carried out.

Abstract: A method of controlling the air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine including the step of interrupting the feedback control of the air-fuel ratio responsive to a detected value of the concentration of an exhaust gas ingredient after a high load operating condition of the engine in which a detected load on the engine is above a predetermined reference value has continued over a predetermined time period. Calculation is made of a value of a parameter dependent on a ratio of a time period over which the detected load on the engine continued to be above a predetermined value to a time period over which the detected load on the engine continued to be below the predetermined value. The predetermined time is set based on the calculated value of the parameter dependent on the ratio. The predetermined value may be equal to the predetermined reference value, or alternatively may be smaller than the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A baseball bat having a handle adjacent an end of the bat. An upper hand grip is rotatably mounted on the handle to allow a more natural swing than is available with conventional fixed-grip arrangements. A fixed lower hand grip acts as a spacer for positioning the upper hand grip a desired distance from the end of the bat. The upper hand grip has an inner sleeve with a low friction inner surface permitting rotation of the inner sleeve on the baseball bat handle, and a resilient outer sheath for urging the inner sleeve against the bat handle.

Abstract: A steering angle detecting system for a vehicle includes a sensor responsive to rotation of a steering wheel for generating angular pulses corresponding in number to the steering angle of the steering wheel. Another sensor generates a reference pulse at a predetermined angle of the steering wheel. The angular pulses are counted by a counter. The steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the counted value of the counter is not within a predetermined value range when the reference pulse is generated. Further, the rate of change of the counted value by the counter is detected, and the steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the detected rate of change of the counted value is greater than a predetermined value. Further, the steering angle detecting system is determined to be abnormal if the detected rate of change of the counted value has continued to be smaller than a predetermined value for a predetermined time period or longer.

Abstract: A method of controlling air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to an internal combustion engine in a feedback manner responsive to an output signal from an exhaust gas concentration sensor. The air-fuel ratio of the mixture is controlled to a desired value by means of proportional control and integral control. The proportional control is inhibited, when the value of the output signal has changed from a lean side to a rich side with respect to a predetermined reference value while the engine is operating in one of a predetermined high load condition and a predetermined high rotational speed condition.

Abstract: An operation control system for internal combustion engines at and after starting has an engine temperature sensor, a control valve for controlling the amount of intake air to be supplied to the engine, and a valve opening determining device responsive to an output from the engine temperature sensor for determining the opening of the control valve. The valve opening determining device sets the opening of the control valve at the start of the engine to a value such that the intake air amount is smaller as the engine temperature is lower. A fuel amount determining device is responsive to the output from the engine temperature sensor for determining the amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine at starting. A correction value determining device is responsive to the opening of a throttle valve of the engine for determining a correction value for the fuel amount in such a manner as to increase the fuel amount at a larger rate as the throttle opening is larger.

Abstract: An output correction method for a proportional-output type O.sub.2 sensor including an oxygen concentration detecting element formed by an oxygen-pumping element and a cell element, each of the oxygen-pumping element and the cell element being composed of a wall of a solid electrolytic material having oxygen ion-conductivity, and a pair of electrodes having the wall interposed therebetween. The oxgen-pumping element is supplied with an output voltage corresponding to a difference between a voltage developed between the electrodes of the cell element and a predetermined reference voltage, and current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element is detected. A correction resistance supplies information indicative of a deviation of an air-fuel ratio detected by the sensor with respect to a predetermined reference air-fuel ratio. A correction value is determined on the basis of the information and the direction of flow of the current. The detected current is corrected by the use of the determined corrected value.

Abstract: An output control system for an internal combustion engine for an automotive vehicle having a variable capacity type compressor installed therein and driven by the engine, in which the output torque of the engine is increased by means of an engine output incremental value in response to operation of the compressor. Load torque produced by the compressor is detected through the piston stroke and discharge pressure of the compressor, and the engine output incremental value is set depending on the detected load torque. The engine output incremental value is also set depending on the engine rotation speed.

Abstract: A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine in which an accelerating fuel increment of fuel supplied to the engine is set in response to the detected change rate in the opening degree of the throttle valve. Further, the accelerating fuel increment is set in such a manner that it is smaller as the detected reduction gear ratio of the transmission is larger. Advantageously, the accelerating fuel increment is set to increase at a smaller rate as the above detected change increases within a region within which the change rate is smaller than a region in which the change rate is larger.

Abstract: A method of controlling supercharging pressure in an internal combustion engine wherein the supercharging pressure created by a supercharger is controlled based on a basic control amount determined in dependance on operating conditions of the engine. The basic control amount is corrected in response to the difference between an actual value of the supercharging pressure and a desired value thereof when the engine is in a feedback control region. The basic control amount is corrected in accordance with the rate of change of the supercharging pressure when the engine is in an operating condition immediately before the feedback control region. The supercharging pressure is controlled based upon a second basic control amount other than the first-mentioned basic control amount when the supercharging pressure is below a predetermined value determined by the engine rotational speed and the rate of change of supercharging pressure in the above operating condition.

Abstract: A fuel supply control system for an internal combustion engine, wherein when the engine is at idle, a correction value is determined based on a difference between a desired idling engine rotational speed and an actual engine rotational speed, and an amount of fuel to be supplied to the engine is corrected by the determined correction value. Correction value-changing means sets a rate of change in the correction value relative to a change in the difference to a greater value when the detecting means detects that the engine means is not engaged with the transmission of an automotive vehicle, and to a smaller value when the detecting means detects that the engine is engaged with the transmisison.

Abstract: A system for controlling the idling rotational speed of an internal combustion engine controls a control valve for adjusting the opening area of an intake air passage bypassing a throttle valve after cranking of the engine, by the use of control terms including a differential term which is based on a variation in the engine rotational speed and is set and held at zero before a predetermined time period elapses after completion of cranking of the engine.

Abstract: An air-fuel ratio control method for an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas-ingredient concentration sensor provided in an exhaust system and generating an output proportional to the concentration of an ingredient in exhaust gases emitted from the engine. The air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine is controlled to a desired air-fuel ratio corresponding to an operating condition in which the engine is operating, in a feedback manner responsive to the output of the sensor. Supply of fuel to the engine is interrupted while the engine is in a predetermined decelerating condition. The method comprises the steps of progressively decreasing the desired air-fuel ratio from a value larger than a value corresponding to the operating condition of the engine to the latter value after the engine leaves the predetermined decelerating condition, and controlling the air-fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine to the progressively decreased air-fuel ratio in the feedback manner.

Abstract: A method of detecting failure of an exhaust gas component concentration sensor for detecting concentration of a component of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine. The method comprises the steps of: (1) applying a predetermined voltage to the sensor, (2) determining whether or not a change in an output voltage from the sensor caused by the application of the predetermined voltage to the sensor is smaller than a predetermined value, and (3) deciding that the sensor is faulty when the change in the output voltage is smaller than the predetermined value. A device for sensing concentration of a component of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprising an electric resistance member connected in series between an electric current supply source and one of a pair of electrodes provided on a solid electrolytic element.