Abstract: A system for actuating one or more engine valves comprises a lost motion assembly including locking elements to selectively lock and unlock a locking mechanism disposed within a valve train such that motions may be likewise selectively applied to, or prevented from being applied to, one or more engine valves. In an embodiment, the locking elements comprise wedges having at least one wedge inclined surface defined according to a cone frustum and configured to engage an outer recess formed in a housing, the outer recess comprising an outer recess inclined surface also defined according to the cone frustum. The device may comprise a locking mechanism disposed within a housing bore in the housing and a snubber also disposed in the housing bore. Furthermore, the outer recess may be configured to permit movement of the locking element along a longitudinal axis of the housing bore.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements for transitioning an engine between a deceleration cylinder cutoff (DCCO) state and an operational state are described. In one aspect, transitions from DCCO begin with reactivating cylinders to pump air to reduce the pressure in the intake manifold prior to firing any cylinders. In another aspect, transitions from DCCO, involve the use of an air pumping skip fire operational mode. After the manifold pressure has been reduced, the engine may transition to either a cylinder deactivation skip fire operational mode or other appropriate operational mode. In yet another aspect a method of transitioning into DCCO using a skip fire approach is described. In this aspect, the fraction of the working cycles that are fired is gradually reduced to a threshold firing fraction. All of the working chambers are then deactivated after reaching the threshold firing fraction.

Abstract: A method for managing the mass of fuel injected into the cylinder of an internal combustion engine fed by direct injection. The pressure and the pressure drop per unit of time are monitored (13) during the starting phase. If the pressure becomes too low (7), or if it drops too quickly (9), the mass of fuel injected on each cycle is adjusted (15) in order to maintain a high fuel pressure in the injector (37). The method can be applied, for example, in the event of low-temperature starting using any type of fuel, for example pure or mixed ethanol.

Abstract: A target compression ratio ?(t+Tact) after a prescribed time Tact has expired from a current point of time is calculated from an intake air volume drawn into a cylinder after expiration of the prescribed time Tact from the current point of time. A control command to an electric motor that drives a variable compression ratio mechanism is calculated so as to bring an actual compression ratio ?r(t+Tact) after the prescribed time Tact into accordance with the target compression ratio ?(t+Tact) after the prescribed time Tact. This enables the actual compression ratio to follow the target compression ratio accurately.

Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is provided. The engine includes a compressor, a three way catalyst, a canister, an evaporated fuel passage, an ejector, and a purge control valve. The controller includes an ECU. The ECU is configured to decrease an opening degree of the purge control valve in response to an increase in pressure on the downstream side of the compressor in a lean supercharging range. The is a range in which an operation air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is leaner than a theoretical air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine, and in which the pressure on the downstream side of the compressor is higher than pressure on the upstream side of the compressor.

Abstract: An engine control device includes: a pre-ignition determination module that determines whether an operation state of an engine indicated by a rotation speed detected by a rotation speed detection unit and a load calculated by a load calculating module is in a pre-ignition occurring region; a catalyst protection determination module that determines whether the operation state of the engine is in a catalyst protection region; and a fuel cut execution control module that stops a fuel supplied to the engine, when a remaining amount of a fuel tank is determined to be smaller than a tank threshold value and the operation state is determined to be in the pre-ignition occurring region, and when the remaining amount of the fuel tank is determined to be smaller than the tank threshold value and the operation state is determined to be in the catalyst protection region.

Abstract: A variety of methods and arrangements are described for controlling transitions between firing fractions during skip fire operation of an engine in order to help reduce undesirable NVH consequences and otherwise smooth the transitions. In general, both feed forward and feedback control are utilized in the determination of the firing fractions during transitions such that the resulting changes in the firing fraction better track cylinder air charge changing dynamics associated with the transition.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine, a method of operating the internal combustion engine, and a controller are disclosed. The method may comprise measuring a first pressure at a first position in a fluid line containing pressurized fluid; comparing the first pressure to a first threshold; in response to the first pressure exceeding the first threshold, transmitting a signal to depressurize the fluid line; after transmitting the signal to depressurize the fluid line, measuring a second pressure in the fluid line and comparing the second pressure to at least one of a second threshold and a third threshold, the second threshold being greater than the third threshold and less than the first threshold; and in response to the second pressure being less than the second threshold and exceeding the third threshold, transmitting another signal to depressurize the fluid line.

Abstract: A vehicle fuel system for use in a vehicle having an engine. The system includes a fuel tank having a fuel pump module area and a bulk area, and a fuel pump mounted in the fuel pump module area, having an inlet and an outlet. A thermostatic valve has a fuel inlet connected to a return fuel line from the engine, a first outlet and a second outlet, with the valve directing fuel through the first outlet when the temperature is below a threshold and directing fuel through the second outlet when the temperature is above the threshold. A cold fuel line connects to the first outlet of the valve and directs fuel to the fuel pump inlet, and a warm fuel line connects to the second outlet of the valve and directs fuel into the bulk area of the fuel tank away from the fuel pump.

Abstract: In an alcohol concentration estimation apparatus for an engine, a first crank angular speed (?1) within a first predetermined interval overlapping with the compression top dead center is calculated, and a first variation amount (??1) is calculated by subtracting ?1 from an average engine speed. A second crank angular speed (?2) within a second predetermined interval overlapping with the combustion bottom dead center is calculated, and a second variation amount (??2) is calculated by subtracting ?1 from ?2. In a relationship between air fuel ratio A/F and an indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP)/charging efficiency (?c) of the engine when the engine is operated with a predetermined fuel injection map indicating a relationship between A/F and IMEP/?c for each desired alcohol concentration, IMEP/?c is substituted by ??2/??1 ratio to estimate an alcohol concentration in fuel. The alcohol concentration estimation apparatus eliminates requirement of sensors for detecting an intake air mass.

Abstract: An EGR device includes a housing having an outer pipe and an inner pipe. The inner pipe is accommodated in the outer pipe to define an annular passage externally with the outer pipe. The inner pipe defines an inner passage internally. The inner pipe has pipe through holes. A rotary valve is accommodated in the inner pipe. The rotary valve has valve through holes. The rotary valve is rotatable to communicate the annular passage with the inner passage through the valve through holes and the pipe through holes. The rotary valve is rotatable to block the inner passage from the annular passage.

Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a storage capability module and at least one of an engine speed control module and a spark control module. The storage capability module determines a capability of a catalytic converter to store oxygen. The engine speed control module controls a speed of an engine based on the oxygen storage capability of the catalytic converter. The spark control module controls a spark timing of the engine based on the oxygen storage capability of the catalytic converter.

Abstract: It is possible to adjust electromagnetic energy introduced from a low-voltage side of a primary winding 20 of an ignition coil 2 after start discharging to a spark plug 1 from the ignition coil 2 in the correct proportion by threshold-determining either one or both of a primary voltage V1 applied to a primary side of the ignition coil 2 and a secondary current I2 flowing in a secondary side of the ignition coil 2, and by opening and closing a discharging switch 32 disposed between an auxiliary power supply 3 including an energy storage coil 330 and a low-voltage side terminal 201 of the ignition coil 2.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a low pressure pump in port fuel direct injection (PFDI) engines. One method includes, when operating a high pressure pump in a default pressure mode, pulsing the low pressure pump when pressure in a high pressure fuel rail decreases below a threshold. The method further includes, when operating the high pressure pump in a variable pressure mode, pulsing the low pressure pump based on presence of fuel vapor at an inlet of the high pressure pump.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine of the present invention is an internal combustion engine equipped with port injectors. Further, the internal combustion engine has an ISC passage that connects an upstream side and a downstream side of a throttle valve in an intake passage, and an ISC valve that regulates an amount of air flowing in the ISC passage. A control device of the present invention performs valve opening control that makes an opening degree of the ISC valve an opening degree larger than a reference opening degree when request torque required by the internal combustion engine is smaller than estimated torque that can be generated in the internal combustion engine, and sets a timing for fuel injection from the port injector at an opening timing of an intake valve of a cylinder in which the port injector is installed during the valve opening control.

Abstract: A piston for an internal combustion engine includes a piston head and a piston skirt, wherein the piston head has a piston base, a circumferential ring part and, in the region of the ring part, a circumferential closed cooling channel or sealed cavity. An inner side of the piston has two lower surfaces which transform continuously in the region of the piston central axis (M) to form an arched surface. The piston skirt has piston hubs provided with hub bores which are interconnected by means of running surfaces which have inner surfaces facing the inside of the piston. Starting from the free ends of the piston skirt, inside the piston on the pressure side (DS) and/or counter pressure side (GDS), an inner surface of a running surface continuously transforms into a guiding surface for a coolant which transforms continuously on the side thereof into a lower surface.

Abstract: A control technique for an engine having a two-step variable valve lift system includes a controller receiving a pressure in an intake manifold of the engine from a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor and a position of an EGR valve of the engine from an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) sensor. In response to the controller detecting an upcoming HL-to-LL valve state transition, a set of airflow actuators of the engine is controlled, based on the intake manifold pressure and the EGR valve position, to generate a first torque reserve. In response to generating the first torque reserve, the controller then commands the HL-to-LL transition and depletion of the first torque reserve during the HL-to-LL transition to mitigate torque disturbance associated with this transition.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for coordinating throttle bypass flows from brake booster vacuum reservoir, a fuel vapor purge system, and a crankcase ventilation system via active, electrical control of a crankcase ventilation valve. In one example, a method may include actively opening the crankcase ventilation valve to allow crankcase ventilation flow into the engine during conditions in which doing so will not result in engine air flow rate and/or engine fuel flow rate exceeding desired rates. Priority is given first to brake booster replenishment, then to fuel vapor purging, and then to crankcase ventilation during conditions where all three throttle bypass flows are desired.

Abstract: A thermostatic valve for controlling the temperature of the coolant in an internal combustion engine controls the flow of coolant between the internal combustion engine and a heat exchanger. The valve includes an actuation element which functions in a temperature-dependent manner for actuating lift of a main valve and of a bypass valve in a valve housing. The actuation element has a stationary piston supported on a valve housing part. A housing can be displaced relative to the piston and on which the valve members of the main valve and of the bypass valve are arranged. Further provided is a monitoring device for the position of the main valve, which works in a contactless manner and which has at least one sensor element contained in the valve housing part, and at least one associated permanent magnet for generating a magnetic field to which the sensor element is exposed.

Abstract: An intake device for a vehicle, in which an intake passage wall surface defining an intake passage is charged with positive charges, includes: a self-discharge static eliminator that is provided on the intake passage wall surface and that decreases an electrification charge amount on that part of the intake passage wall surface which is within a limited range around a mounting part of the self-discharge static eliminator, by providing the self-discharge static eliminator on the intake passage wall surface.