Abstract: An engine decompressor includes a decompressor pin provided through a pin hole on the surface of a valve cam, a decompressor pin operating shaft in an oil passage provided in a valve cam shaft of the valve cam for vertically moving the decompressor pin by its rotation, a fly weight rotatable by rotation of the valve cam shaft so as to rotate the decompressor pin operating shaft, and a thrust receiving plate separate from the fly weight for restricting the axial movement of the decompressor pin operating shaft in the oil passage. The engine decompressor is capable of operating a decompressor mechanism normally even if the lubricating oil increases in pressure.

Abstract: An engine starting assist system includes an auxiliary ECU having a voltage booster, an engine ECU, a starter relay, and a starter that allows the engine to be started when a current flows through the starter relay. The auxiliary ECU and the engine ECU are powered by a battery and supply currents to the starter relay. When the engine ECU resets the supply of the current to the starter relay because of a voltage drop of the battery during starting of the engine, the auxiliary ECU increases the voltage supplied from the battery using the booster, thereby supplying the current to the starter relay.

Abstract: In a method for the individual shutdown and restart of cylinders of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having at least one intake and one exhaust valve per cylinder, a variable valve control, and a fuel injection system, according to the requirement of its shutdown, a deactivateable cylinder is filled with fresh gas and according to the requirement of its restart, an injection of a predetermined quantity of fuel as well as an ignition of the mixture takes place in the chronologically next intake phase or compression phase of the cylinder before the end of the compression phase at the latest. Furthermore, for the individual shutdown and restart of cylinders, the mass of fresh air present in the deactivateable cylinder in the deactivated operating state and/or the mixture parameters are determined and consulted for determining a fuel quantity to be injected when restarting said cylinder.

Abstract: A control system for a low cost, light duty combustion engine, where the control system generally utilizes an engine speed input signal and independent operating sequences to determine a desired ignition timing. There are several independent operating sequences, each one of which is designed to optimally control the engine under certain conditions. These operating sequences include a Cranking sequence, a Warm Up sequence, a Normal Mode sequence, an Acceleration sequence, a Come Down sequence, a Recovery Bump sequence, and a Part Throttle sequence. During idling conditions, the Normal Mode sequence uses rapid changes in the ignition timing to maintain the engine speed in a small, idle engine speed range. By utilizing these operational sequences, the control system improves the performance of a low cost, light duty engine across a wide array of conditions.

Abstract: A method for processing an accelerometer signal associated with the combustion process in an operating internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of measuring an accelerometer signal across a window of selected crank angle degrees during a cycle of the engine, the measured accelerometer signal including a combustion acceleration component and a motored acceleration components; and applying a shape function to the measured accelerometer signal to reduce the motored acceleration component.

Abstract: The invention entails a handle for a pull-rope starter of a drive motor, especially of a chain saw. The invention includes at least one handle section, at least one fastening section for a starter rope, and a damping for smoothing out force peaks produced in the handle during the starting of the drive motor. The damping is arranged in the handle section.

Abstract: Limitation of the opening rate of the throttle valve is prohibited unless the following conditions have been all satisfied: (i) the engine speed detected at starting opening the throttle valve is below a prescribed speed; (ii) the throttle angle detected at starting opening the throttle valve is below a prescribed throttle angle; (iii) the target throttle-open angle is above a prescribed throttle-open angle; and (ix) the target opening rate of the throttle valve is above a prescribed opening rate.

Abstract: A slave controller for a remote vehicle starting system. The slave controller is mounted in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine started by a starter motor. The slave controller has an antenna circuit input for connection to an antenna circuit suitable for picking up an RF signal and an output. The slave controller also has a control module, coupled to the antenna circuit input. The control module is responsive to a signal transmitted through the antenna circuit input and originating from the antenna circuit to generate a command signal at the output for directing the starter motor to crank the internal combustion engine. The control module is operative to establish a data communication with an external entity through the antenna circuit input to perform a maintenance procedure.

Abstract: When any one of a plurality of variable valve characteristic mechanisms which vary different operating characteristics of an intake valve is failed, a limit which is capable of satisfying predetermined conditions for a change in opening timing of the intake valve at the time when the other operating characteristic is varied by the normally operating variable valve characteristic mechanism, is set and the operating characteristics of the intake valve are controlled while limiting the intake valve opening timing by the limit, by the normally operating variable valve characteristic mechanism.

Abstract: Evaluation of a diagnosis function for diagnosing a transient response of a variable valve mechanism for an engine valve is executed in a manner such that a desired value on the variable valve mechanism is calculated based on testing signals of a rotating speed and a water temperature, that a controlled variable signal for testing indicating a state in which the transient response of the variable valve mechanism is delayed, is generated, and that the diagnostic function for the transient response is evaluated based on whether or not the delay of the transient response is diagnosed on the basis of a correlation between the desired value and a controlled variable signal.

Abstract: A system and devices to actively induce turbulent flow in the intake tract of an internal combustion engine. At least certain of the devices include moving components which induce a swirling or rotating movement about a major intake axis. The adjustment to the flow provides more complete atomization or vaporization of liquid fuel components in an incoming fuel air mixture. Individual devices can be provided in individual intake runners. A single device can be provided in the plenum region of integral or monolithic intake manifolds. Rotation axes of rotating flow diverters can be inclined to also provide a tumbling or rolling component to the mixture flow. Inclined vanes of non-moving flow adjusters can also be provided to induce a tumbling flow component.

Abstract: A glow plug comprising: a cylindrical housing; a heater member as defined herein; a conductive center pole as defined herein; a first piezoelectric element as defined herein; and a second piezoelectric element as defined herein, wherein each of said first piezoelectric element and said second piezoelectric element is subjected to a preload for compressing it in said axial direction and is arranged such that, when said center pole is displaced to a root-end side, a load to be applied to one of said first piezoelectric element and said second piezoelectric element for compressing the same in said axial direction increases whereas a load to be applied to the other for compressing the same in said axial direction decreases.

Abstract: Device for determining the position of an engine includes: a sensor that has a rotary part and a fixed part, whereby said fixed part comprises: elements (for generating a first signal based on the position of the rotary part relative to the fixed part), Second elements for generating a second phase-shifted signal relative to the first signal, elements for comparing the value of the second signal to a reference value, elements for detecting at least one characteristic event on the first signal, for generating a third signal of binary type, and for alternating the binary signal from a first value to a second after detection of at least one of the characteristic events if the result of the comparison is positive, engine control elements that include members for detecting the alternations of third signal and a counter.

Abstract: A diesel engine (10) operates by alternative diesel combustion. Formation of fuel and charge air mixtures is controlled by processing a particular set of values for certain input data according to a predictor algorithm model (50) to develop data values for predicted time of auto-ignition and resulting torque, and also develop data values for control of fuel and air that will produce the predicted time of auto-ignition and resulting torque. The data values developed by the predictor algorithm and data values for at least some of the input data are processed according to a control algorithm (52) that compensates for any disturbance introduced into any of the data values for at least some of the input data being processed by the control algorithm. This causes the systems to be controlled by compensated data values that produce predicted time of auto-ignition and resulting torque in the presence of any such disturbance.

Abstract: An engine control circuit includes a battery voltage detector, a signal supervisor, and a processor that operates in a normal mode and a power-down mode. The battery voltage detector senses the output voltage of a battery that supplies current to the engine, and asserts a detection signal when the voltage is below a predetermined value. The signal supervisor measures the length of time for which the detection signal remains asserted. The processor switches from the normal mode to the power-down mode when the measured length of time reaches a predetermined value. This scheme avoids loss of engine control when the battery voltage drops briefly and then recovers.

Abstract: A control apparatus for an engine increases an intake air quantity just before engine stop to increase a compression pressure in a compression stroke. As the compression pressure is increased, a negative torque in the compression stroke increases and obstructs engine rotation, and brakes the engine rotation. Thus, a range of crank angle, in which torque is below engine friction, that is, in which engine rotation can be stopped, is reduced. As a result, variation in engine rotation stop position is reduced to be within a small range of crank angle. Information of engine rotation stop position is stored, and the stored information of engine rotation stop position is used at the start of an engine to accurately determine an initial injection cylinder and an initial ignition cylinder to start the engine.

Abstract: A method, a control unit, and a computer program for detecting a defective intake-manifold pressure sensor and/or a defective ambient-pressure sensor in an internal combustion engine having a variable valve timing are provided. The desired detection is carried out exclusively on the basis of a direct evaluation of the pressure upstream from the throttle valve and the pressure in the intake manifold. This method eliminates the need for deriving load signals from these pressures, at least for the determination as to whether at least one of the pressure sensors is defective.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel injector which can be subjected to fuel at high pressure and is actuatable via a metering valve device by which the pressure in a pressure booster control chamber is controllable such that the pressure in a pressure booster pressure chamber, defined by a pressure booster piston, that can be filled with fuel from the high-pressure fuel source via a filling path in which a check valve is disposed and that is in communication with an injection valve member pressure chamber, is increased by the pressure booster piston such that an injection valve member opens for injecting fuel, whereupon fuel is positively displaced out of a damping chamber via a damping path, in which a damping throttle is disposed.

Abstract: An engine diagnostic system is provided that enables a service technician to evaluate engine cylinder contribution to output power. The service technician couples one or more signal leads to the vehicle's battery, alternator, or accessory receptacle (e.g., cigarette lighter receptacle) to provide an alternator output signal to a signal analyzer. The signal analyzer processes the alternator output signal to generate an engine signature, which represents engine cylinder contribution to engine output power.

Abstract: The present invention provides one or more methods of placing a machine with an internal combustion engine in an intelligent sleep mode. The system minimizes fuel costs and reduces wear for a machine using an internal combustion engine by monitoring various engine parameters to determine if during waiting or idle periods, it would be best to place the engine in a sleep mode. The system continues to monitor the machine while it is in sleep mode to determine if it is most advantageous, taking into consideration one or more factors, such as engine wear, fuel costs, duration of idle time, and the like, for the engine to remain in the current sleep mode, be shut down, be restarted, or in some instances, be placed in a different level of intelligent sleep mode.