Abstract: A NOx sensor abnormality detection device senses a NOx concentration and an O2 concentration from output signals of a NOx sensor and calculates an estimated NOx concentration from the O2 concentration when an engine is in a steady operation state, when a zero point of the NOx concentration is sensed, and when an O2 sensing section of the NOx sensor is normal. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device calculates a sensed inclination and an estimated inclination of a NOx concentration output characteristic of the NOx sensor based on the sensed NOx concentration, the sensed O2 concentration and the estimated NOx concentration calculated from the O2 concentration. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device determines that the NOx sensor is faulty when an absolute value of a difference between the sensed inclination and the estimated inclination is larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a collector, which collects exhaust particles in exhaust gas. The apparatus computes a pressure-difference-based measured value of a collected amount of the particles based on a pressure difference, and computes a pressure-difference-based estimated value by correcting the measured value. The apparatus computes an operational-state-based estimated value of the collected amount. The apparatus regenerates the collector by burning the exhaust particles when one of the pressure-difference-based estimated value and the operational-state-based estimated value reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A NOx sensor abnormality detection device senses a NOx concentration and an O2 concentration from output signals of a NOx sensor and calculates an estimated NOx concentration from the O2 concentration when an engine is in a steady operation state, when a zero point of the NOx concentration is sensed, and when an O2 sensing section of the NOx sensor is normal. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device calculates a sensed inclination and an estimated inclination of a NOx concentration output characteristic of the NOx sensor based on the sensed NOx concentration, the sensed O2 concentration and the estimated NOx concentration calculated from the O2 concentration. The NOx sensor abnormality detection device determines that the NOx sensor is faulty when an absolute value of a difference between the sensed inclination and the estimated inclination is larger than a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a fuel injection nozzle including multiple nozzle hole groups each having multiple solitary nozzle holes, a group distance C between two of the nozzle hole groups is 0.8 or more times larger than an in-group hole distance ? in a nozzle hole group. The group distance C is the minimum interval of inter-group intervals that are formed between (i) peripheral boundaries of solitary nozzle holes belonging to a first nozzle hole group and (ii) peripheral boundaries of solitary nozzle holes belonging to a second nozzle hole group adjacent to the first nozzle hole group. The in-group hole distance ? is the minimum of intervals between peripheral boundaries belonging to each nozzle hole group.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for a diesel engine having a diesel particulate filter provided in an exhaust pipe, a pressure loss at the filter is detected. An accumulated amount of diesel particulates in the filter is calculated based on the pressure loss and a map for a relationship between the pressure loss and the accumulated amount. A compulsory re-generating operation is carried out when the calculated accumulated amount reaches at a predetermined threshold value, which is decreased to a smaller value depending on a combustion amount of the diesel particulates which are combusted and removed from the filter as a natural re-generating operation.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes: an injection outlet having a plurality of injection holes. Each injection hole has an injection hole diameter defined as D, an outlet port and a center axis. The center axes of the injection holes cross at a cross point with a cross angle. A cross point distance between each outlet port of the injection holes and the cross point is defined as X. The cross angle of the center axes of the injection holes is defined as ?. The cross point distance X is in a range between 10 D and 100 D, and the cross angle ? is in a range between 1° and 10°.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a collector, which collects exhaust particles in exhaust gas. The apparatus computes a pressure-difference-based measured value of a collected amount of the particles based on a pressure difference, and computes a pressure-difference-based estimated value by correcting the measured value. The apparatus computes an operational-state-based estimated value of the collected amount. The apparatus regenerates the collector by burning the exhaust particles when one of the pressure-difference-based estimated value and the operational-state-based estimated value reaches a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes: an injection outlet having a plurality of injection holes. Each injection hole has an injection hole diameter defined as D, an outlet port and a center axis. The center axes of the injection holes cross at a cross point with a cross angle. A cross point distance between each outlet port of the injection holes and the cross point is defined as X. The cross angle of the center axes of the injection holes is defined as ?. The cross point distance X is in a range between 10D and 100D, and the cross angle ? is in a range between 1° and 10°.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying device for an engine includes a particulate filter midway in an exhaust passage for collecting particulate matters. A control means calculates an accumulating amount of particulate matters on the particulate filter. An accumulating amount calculating means calculates the accumulating amount in accordance with an accumulating characteristic and differential pressure of the particulate filter detected using a differential pressure detecting means. When the accumulating amount becomes a predetermined regeneration demand amount, the control means performs a forcible regeneration, in which particulate matters on the particulate filter are burned and removed to regenerate the particulate filter.

Abstract: A compression ignition engine injects fuel through injection holes of an injector at a substantially constant injection rate to atomize the fuel so that the fuel can be easily vaporized and to make the fuel penetrate an atmosphere inside a cylinder. A spatial distribution of the injected fuel in which mixing of the fuel and air is promoted as the fuel recedes from the injection hole and the fuel reaches a premixing space where the fuel is premixed with the air is provided. The engine controls oxygen concentration inside the cylinder and an ignition delay so that a ratio of a quantity of the fuel injected before a start of ignition to a total fuel injection quantity falls within a range from 25% to 50% and so that the premixed gas formed in the premixing space is combusted serially.

Abstract: The amount of accumulated particulate matter, which is accumulated in a particulate filter, is computed based on the amount of exhausted particulate matter, which is exhausted from an engine, and the amount of reduced particulate matter, which is reduced in the filter. The amount of reduced particulate matter includes the amount of reduced particulate matter, which is reduced through oxidizing reaction of the accumulated particulate matter with NO2. At the time of computing this amount, reduction of the particulate matter through oxidizing reaction with adsorbed NO2, which is adsorbed by the accumulated particulate matter, is concerned in addition to reduction of the particulate matter through oxidizing reaction with NO2, which is present in the surrounding atmosphere around the accumulated particulate matter.

Abstract: In a fuel injection nozzle including multiple nozzle hole groups each having multiple solitary nozzle holes, a group distance C between two of the nozzle hole groups is 0.8 or more times larger than an in-group hole distance ? in a nozzle hole group. The group distance C is the minimum interval of inter-group intervals that are formed between (i) peripheral boundaries of solitary nozzle holes belonging to a first nozzle hole group and (ii) peripheral boundaries of solitary nozzle holes belonging to a second nozzle hole group adjacent to the first nozzle hole group. The in-group hole distance ? is the minimum of intervals between peripheral boundaries belonging to each nozzle hole group.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying device for an engine includes a particulate filter midway in an exhaust passage for collecting particulate matters. A control means calculates an accumulating amount of particulate matters on the particulate filter. An accumulating amount calculating means calculates the accumulating amount in accordance with an accumulating characteristic and differential pressure of the particulate filter detected using a differential pressure detecting means. When the accumulating amount becomes a predetermined regeneration demand amount, the control means performs a forcible regeneration, in which particulate matters on the particulate filter are burned and removed to regenerate the particulate filter.

Abstract: In an exhaust gas purifying apparatus for a diesel engine having a diesel particulate filter provided in an exhaust pipe, a pressure loss at the filter is detected. An accumulated amount of diesel particulates in the filter is calculated based on the pressure loss and a map for a relationship between the pressure loss and the accumulated amount. A compulsory re-generating operation is carried out when the calculated accumulated amount reaches at a predetermined threshold value, which is decreased to a smaller value depending on a combustion amount of the diesel particulates which are combusted and removed from the filter as a natural re-generating operation.

Abstract: The amount of accumulated particulate matter, which is accumulated in a particulate filter, is computed based on the amount of exhausted particulate matter, which is exhausted from an engine, and the amount of reduced particulate matter, which is reduced in the filter. The amount of reduced particulate matter includes the amount of reduced particulate matter, which is reduced through oxidizing reaction of the accumulated particulate matter with NO2. At the time of computing this amount, reduction of the particulate matter through oxidizing reaction with adsorbed NO2, which is adsorbed by the accumulated particulate matter, is concerned in addition to reduction of the particulate matter through oxidizing reaction with NO2, which is present in the surrounding atmosphere around the accumulated particulate matter.

Abstract: A compression ignition engine injects fuel through injection holes of an injector at a substantially constant injection rate to atomize the fuel so that the fuel can be easily vaporized and to make the fuel penetrate an atmosphere inside a cylinder. A spatial distribution of the injected fuel in which mixing of the fuel and air is promoted as the fuel recedes from the injection hole and the fuel reaches a premixing space where the fuel is premixed with the air is provided. The engine controls oxygen concentration inside the cylinder and an ignition delay so that a ratio of a quantity of the fuel injected before a start of ignition to a total fuel injection quantity falls within a range from 25% to 50% and so that the premixed gas formed in the premixing space is combusted serially.

Abstract: A gas concentration detector using solid electrolyte layers laminated measures a concentration of gas constituents in measuring gas such as exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine without being influenced by oxygen concentration in the measuring gas. The measuring gas is introduced into an inner cavity of the detector and outside air as a reference gas is introduced into an air passage in the detector. Oxygen concentration in the measuring gas in the inner cavity is maintained at a predetermined level by operation of an oxygen pumping cell constituted by an ion conductive solid electrolyte layer and a pair of electrodes formed on both surfaces of the layer. The oxygen concentration in the inner cavity is measured by an oxygen sensor cell having one electrode exposed to the inner cavity and the other electrode exposed to the reference gas.

Abstract: A self-heat generating type honeycomb filter is mounted in an exhaust pipe line of an engine, and a plane plate and a corrugated plate are layered, then wound, and the first slit portion and second slit portion having openings, respectively, are formed between an up-stream and down stream side end portions of the plane and corrugated plates. An electric current is applied between the up-stream and down stream side end portions, to heat the first and second slit portions. Accordingly, a self-heat generation type catalytic converter capable of realizing both high resistance and low thermal capacity, and further ensuring a reduction in thermal conduction, and durability, and raising the temperature up to the sufficient level with less power consumption, can be provided.

Abstract: The device of this invention has a variable capacity pump, a channel through which the discharged fluid from the pump passes toward an actuator, a variable choke located in the channel and pressure detecting means which detects the pressure difference on opposite sides of the variable choke. The pump varies its volume in relation with the pressure difference detected by the pressure detecting means. The opening area of the channel is varied by the variable choke in relation with the pressure of the fluid being supplied to the actuator, namely the pressure of the fluid flowing downstream of the variable choke. The device of this invention may also have an auxiliary variable choke located in the channel. The auxiliary variable choke can control the amount of fluid being supplied to the actuator in response to the operating condition of the actuator.

Abstract: In a fog detecting apparatus with optoelectronic system, comprising infrared-emitting means and infrared-receiving means, is provided means for adjusting a reference which is compared with a voltage value of a detecting signal generated according to an electrical signal produced by the infrared-receiving means in order to distinguish whether a windshield of a vehicle is in the fogging condition or not. The reference is changed according to the detecting signal which is produced when the windshield is in good condition against the fogging after a fog removing apparatus has been actuated to remove the fog attached on the windshield, so that the fogging condition is detected in accuracy independently of the contamination of the optoelectronic system or the like.