Abstract: A honeycomb support structure of an electrically-heated catalyst apparatus is disclosed, in which a support member of retainers for preventing an electrically-heated catalyst moving backward is coupled to an outer cylinder while causing the support member to follow the thermal deformation of the outer cylinder thereby to suppress the deformation of the support member due to the thermal stress. A metal foil laminate having a corrugated foil and a tabular foil superposed one on the other is spirally wound to form a cylindrical honeycomb unit, which is accommodated in a metal outer cylinder and is heated by being supplied with power. The honeycomb unit support structure includes a plurality of ceramic bars and at least a support member having a plurality of recesses for holding the ceramic bars at such a position as to traverse the end surface of the honeycomb unit downstream of the exhaust gas flow and in such a manner as to follow the deformation of the outer cylinder.

Abstract: Device for cleaning exhaust gases by a metallic catalyst carrier that is installed in an exhaust gas passage and is contained in a metallic outer cylinder, wherein a structure for absorbing a difference in the thermal expansion between the metallic catalyst carrier and the outer cylinder is realized without causing stress to the metallic catalyst carrier and without requiring strict tolerance in production. A cushioning material made of a heat-resistant wire gauze is arranged between the metallic catalyst carrier and the metallic outer cylinder, and the cushioning material, metallic carrier and metallic outer cylinder are conductively joined. The cushioning material is compressed between the metallic catalyst carrier and the outer cylinder, and the cushioning material is joined to the metallic catalyst carrier and to the outer cylinder. Here, the junction is accomplished locally without overlapping one upon the other in the axial direction of the outer cylinder.

Abstract: A valve system for an engine comprises a plurality of intake or exhaust valves, adapted to be driven by cams of which the profiles are different from each other to make maximum valve lifts of the valves different from each other, and compression springs biassing the valves toward the corresponding closing directions, the springs being identical to each other. An initial length of the spring is made shorter as the maximum valve lift of the valve becomes smaller, to make an initial load of the spring larger as the maximum valve lift of the valve becomes smaller.

Abstract: An electrically heated catalytic converter having a substrate for a catalyst, a rod-like metal electrode connected to the substrate, and a casing accommodating the substrate. The substrate for the catalyst is formed as a scroll-like cylindrical laminated assembly of thin metal sheets wound around the electrode. The electrode extends from the laminated assembly along the central axis, bends towards the wall of the casing and penetrates the casing. The electrode is fixed to the casing via an insulating material at the point where it penetrates the casing. When the electricity is fed to the electrode, electric current flows through the electrode to the laminated assembly, and to the casing, and heat is generated in the substrate by the electric current and the temperature of the catalyst carried by the substrate quickly reaches the activating temperature. The rod-like electrode of the present invention is formed as a hollow pipe.

Abstract: An electrically heating catalytic apparatus that quickly heats catalyst to an activation temperature even when the engine is started at a low temperature below the catalyst activation temperature. The apparatus employs an electrically conductive catalyst carrier that is electrically heated. The carrier is provided with local hot spots to be energized. Since the heat is locally generated, the heat capacity of the catalyst carrier is small to shorten a temperature increasing time.

Abstract: An electrically heating catalytic apparatus that quickly heats catalyst to an activation temperature even when the engine is started at a low temperature below the catalyst activation temperature. The apparatus employs an electrically conductive catalyst carrier that is electrically heated. The carrier is provided with local hot spots to be energized. Since the heat is locally generated, the heat capacity of the catalyst carrier is small to shorten a temperature increasing time.

Abstract: An engine including at least two digital computers wherein controlled systems each including a switching unit, an ignitor, and a spark plug are independently provided for each cylinder, and controlled systems each including a switching unit, a drive circuit, and a fuel injector are independently provided for each cylinder. The controlled systems are normally controlled by one of the digital computers, but when one of the digital computers malfunctions, the controlled systems are controlled by the other digital computer.

Abstract: A torque sensor which can detect instantaneous output torque of the engine is disposed on the output shaft of the engine, and the output signal thereof is frequency-analyzed to extract a half synchronous frequency component having a frequency equals to a half of the number of the revolutions of the engine per second and a synchronous frequency component having a frequency equals to the number of the revolutions of the engine per second, the electronic control unit (ECU) of the engine determines the misfiring mode of the engine including the number of the misfiring cylinders and the interval thereof in the firing order of the engine based on the amplitude of the frequency components and the waveform thereof, then the ECU determines the misfiring cylinders based on the determined misfiring mode and the phase angle of the frequency components of the torque sensor relative to a reference crank angle signal.

Abstract: A device for heating the passenger compartment and warming up the engine, including a turbo heater having a blower and a turbine driven by the exhaust gas of the engine. The turbo heater is operated as soon as the engine is started. Hot air discharged from the blower is fed into the engine soon after the engine is started, and the hot air discharged from the blower is fed into the passenger compartment. When the temperature of the engine coolant become high, the operation of the turbo heater is stopped.

Abstract: An engine having a rotary valve arranged in the intake port. The valve shaft of the rotary valve is eccentrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of the intake port. A projecting wall projects downward from the upper wall of the intake port and surrounds the valve guide of the intake valve. The projecting wall has an air flow guide portion the thickness and width of which gradually decreases in the direction towards the rotary valve. The upstream end of the air flow guide portion is aligned with the valve plate of the rotary valve when the rotary valve is fully open.

Abstract: An electromagnetic rotary driving device including a rotor of a permanent magnet arranged in a hole formed in a bored stator core block of a stator core, made from magnetic material. The air gap formed between the bored block of the stator core and the rotor in the direction parallel with the magnetic path in the stator core is relatively long, while the air gap formed between the bored block of the stator core and the rotor in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic path in the stator core is relatively short. In this device, the angle of rotation of the rotor is continuously changed by the current flowing through the coil of the stator without requiring a spring for return motion.

Abstract: A device molding a link member interconnecting an actuator to arms fixed onto valve shafts of rotary valves arranged in gas passages. The link member includes a control rod connected to the actuator and a plurality of plate springs which extend from the control rod and are outwardly bent. The outer ends of the plate springs are pivotally connected to the tips of corresponding arms.

Abstract: A solenoid valve for opening and closing a fluid passage is disclosed. It includes a valve member supported rotatably within a case and having alternately different magnetic poles formed on the outer periphery of one end thereof and also having a fluid passage formed in the other end thereof; an electromagnetic drive means for creating alternately different and invertible magnetic poles in an opposed relation to the magnetic poles of the valve member to rotate the valve member by a predetermined angle; and plural fluid passages formed within the case and adapted to be brought into communication with each other through the fluid passage of the valve member upon rotation of the valve member at said predetermined angle.

Abstract: A rotary driving apparatus suitable for use for a flow control valve provided with a rotor valve rotatably mounted in a housing. The rotor valve is connected to a permanent magnet member. The permanent magnet member is arranged adjacent to a pair of diametrically spaced ends of a core on which a coil is wound so that the ends are oppositely magnetized to provide a two pole electric motor, stopper means is provided for allowing limited rotary motion of the rotor between a first position and a second position. The permanent magnet member is so arranged with respect to the ends of the core that a torque is, during the de-energization of the coil, generated in order to engage the stopper means. Thus, the first or second position of the rotor valve is maintained without energization of the coil.

Abstract: A solenoid type flow control valve having a valve body formed with an outlet and inlet ports, a cylindrical core disposed in the valve body between the inlet and outlet ports and formed with a suitable number of valve ports for connecting the inlet port with the outlet port, a valve member slidable along the outer surface of the core to cover the valve ports, a linear motor assembly for moving the valve member to uncover the valve ports, and fluid flow passages formed around the linear motor assembly so that the fluid from the inlet port is introduced through the passages into the valve ports.

Abstract: A rotary drive apparatus including a frame having at least three holes; a yoke having a center portion and two side bar portions on opposite sides of the center portion, the center portion having a hole, coils mounted on the side bar portions of the yoke, a collar having a bore and being tightly mounted on the surface of the hole of the yoke, magnetic parameter changing elements being mounted on the surface of the bore of the collar, and a rotor having magnetic poles in the radial direction and being inserted into the bore of the collar with a predetermined clearance. In the apparatus, a first hole of the frame is parallel to a first direction of the apparatus and has a cross-section for tightly receiving the center portion of the yoke, and a second and third holes of the frame are in a second direction perpendicularly intersecting the first direction and being concentric with each other oppositely the first hole, the center portion of the yoke being fit into the first hole.

Abstract: A rotary solenoid actuator for proportionally controlling the flow of fluid, such as air, in a pipe comprises a housing with a rotor rotatably mounted thereon. A stationary coreless coil for generating a magnetic field in response to a control current therethrough is mounted in the housing. A permanent magnet is affixed to a rotatably mounted shaft within the coil, and a return spring is attached to the rotating shaft. Due to low hysteresis in the coreless coil, there is a linear relationship between the control current and the fluid flow.

Abstract: A rotary actuator for driving a fluid control valve comprises a yoke which forms a closed magnetic path an excitation coil which produces a magnetic flux in the yoke, a permanent magnet which is rotatably arranged in a through hole or in a slit formed in the yoke, and a restoring spring which produces a force acting against a rotational torque generated in the magnet by a main magnetic flux which flows through the yoke and the permanent magnet when the excitation coils is energized. Shielding portions are formed on both sides of the ends of the yoke, which ends oppose the permanent magnet, so as to substantially shield the permanent magnet together with the ends of the yoke, whereby a magnetic reluctance of a path of the magnetic flux remains substantially constant irrespective of the rotating position of the permanent magnet with respect to the yoke when the excitation coil is de-energized.

Abstract: A rotation driving device is constructed from a bobbin, a coil wound on the bobbin, a stator inserted in the bobbin, and a permanent magnet arranged inside the stator. The stator consists of a hollow cylindrical body having a first, second, and third recesses. In accordance with the command electrical signal supplied to the coil, the rotation driving device changes the rotational position of the rotor.

Abstract: A valve apparatus of a solenoid drive type having a valve member in a housing defining an inlet port and first and second outlet ports. The valve member connects the inlet port to the second outlet port while closing the first outlet port when no electric current is received by the apparatus. The valve member controls the opening of the first outlet port while maintaining the second outlet port closed when an electric current larger than a predetermined offset value is applied to the apparatus. When the electric current is equal to the offset value, the valve member closes both the first and the second outlet ports.