Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein an NOx storing catalyst is arranged in an engine exhaust passage and an NOx selective reducing catalyst is arranged downstream of the NOx storing catalyst. Just before the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx storing catalyst is temporarily switched from lean to rich to release NOx from the NOx storing catalyst, an amount of NOx necessary for removing ammonia adsorbed on the NOx selective reducing catalyst is fed to the NOx selective reducing catalyst under a lean air-fuel ratio.

Abstract: A sight-line end estimation device includes a sight-line direction detection portion that detects a sight-line direction of a driver of a vehicle, a target object detection portion that detects the positions of target objects existing around the vehicle, a relative position acquisition portion that acquires relative positional information between the driver and the target object detection portion, and a sight-line end estimation portion that estimates the driver's sight-line end by detecting a target object whose position detected by the target object detection portion lies substantially in the driver's sight-line direction detected by the sight-line direction detection portion, factoring in the relative positional information acquired by the relative position acquisition portion.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an SOx sensor (16) having a sensor part (53, 60) trapping the SOx contained in the exhaust gas and able to detect the amount of SOx trapped at the sensor part (53, 60) from a change of property of the sensor part (53, 60) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOx storing catalyst (14). When estimating the amount of SOx stored in the NOx storing catalyst (14) from the amount of SOx trapped at the sensor part (53, 60), deviation of the estimated value of the amount of stored SOx arising due to the difference between the SOx trapping rate of the sensor part (53, 60) and the SOx trapping rate of the NOx storing catalyst (14) is corrected.

Abstract: An SOx trap catalyst able to trap SOx contained in the exhaust gas is arranged in an engine exhaust passage upstream of an NOx storing catalyst in an internal combustion engine. When the SOx trap rate of the SOx trap catalyst falls, fuel is added in the exhaust gas flowing into the SOx trap catalyst to form in the SOx trap catalyst a region in which an air-fuel ratio becomes locally rich. SOx released from the SOx trap catalyst in this region can be trapped in the SOx trap catalyst at the downstream side once again without flowing out from the downstream end of the SOx trap catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous composite oxide comprising an aggregate of secondary particles in the form of aggregates of primary particles of a composite oxide containing two or more types of metal elements, and having mesopores having a pore diameter of 2-100 nm between the secondary particles; wherein, the percentage of the mesopores between the secondary particles having a diameter of 10 nm or more is 10% or more of the total mesopore volume after firing for 5 hours at 600° C. in an oxygen atmosphere.

Abstract: The present invention provides a porous composite oxide comprising an aggregate of secondary particles in the form of aggregates of primary particles of a composite oxide containing two or more types of metal elements, and having mesopores having a pore diameter of 2-100 nm between the secondary particles; wherein, the percentage of the mesopores between the secondary particles having a diameter of 10 nm or more is 10% or more of the total mesopore volume after firing for 5 hours at 600° C. in an oxygen atmosphere.

Abstract: An SOX trap catalyst (11) in which at least one of an alkali metal and alkali earth metal is carried diffused is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. By holding the temperature of the SOX trap catalyst (11) during engine operation at the temperature where a nitrate of the at least one of the alkali metal and alkali earth metal becomes the melted state, a nitrate movement and coagulation action where the nitrate in the SOX trap catalyst (11) moves to and coagulates at the surface of the SOX trap catalyst (11) is promoted. Due to this nitrate movement and coagulation action, SOX is removed while restoring the SOX trap rate.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein an SOX trap catalyst (11) able to trap SOX contained in exhaust gas is arranged in an engine exhaust passage upstream of an NOX storing catalyst (12). When the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the SOX trap catalyst (11) is switched from lean to rich to make the NOX storing catalyst (12) release the NOX, if the temperature of the SOX trap catalyst (11) is the SOX release lower limit temperature or more, rich processing making the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the SOX trap catalyst (11) rich for making the NOX storing catalyst (12) release NOX is prohibited.

Abstract: HC feed control for feeding HC into exhaust gas upstream of an SOx trap 11 when a predetermined condition stands is executed. When an SOx trap amount is smaller than a predetermined amount, as HC feed control, first HC feed control feeding HC into the exhaust gas upstream of the SOx trap by a predetermined pattern is executed. When the SOx trap amount is larger than a predetermined amount, as HC feed control, second HC feed control feeding HC into the exhaust gas upstream of the SOx trap by a pattern different from the predetermined pattern, which pattern keeping the temperature of the SOx trap from locally becoming higher than the predetermined temperature or suppressing the formation of a region in the exhaust gas flowing into the SOx trap where the air-fuel ratio becomes locally rich, is executed.

Abstract: A metal compound (50) able to trap a sulfur component in exhaust gas is arranged in a flow path of the exhaust gas, a property of the metal compound (50) changing along with an increase of the amount of sulfur component trapped at the metal compound (50) is measured, and the cumulative value of the amount of SOX actually contained in the exhaust gas is calculated from the measured property. On the other hand, the assumed cumulative value of the amount of SOx, assumed to be contained in the exhaust gas when assuming that fuel or oil of a sulfur concentration assumed in advance is used, is calculated. It is judged if fuel or oil with a high sulfur concentration is being used from the actual cumulative value of the amount of SOX and the assumed cumulative value of the amount of SOx.

Abstract: To provide a particulate matter purifying device which is capable of providing excessive deposition of particulate matter. In the particulate matter purifying device, a catalyst element 11 is carried on a porous filter substrate 10 through which an exhaust gas passes. The particulate matter purifying device traps particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas, and oxidizing the trapped particulate matter to remove. This particulate matter purifying device is characterized in that active oxygen producing fine particles 12 are carried on a surface of the filter substrate 10 between the catalyst elements 11. Therefore, the particulate matter is partially damaged by the active oxygen produced by the active oxygen producing fine particles 12. Consequently, oxidization of the particulate matter is promoted so that deposition of the particulate matter is prevented or minimized.

Abstract: Engine air-fuel ratio controlling means is provided to control an exhaust air-fuel ratio that is the ratio between the air contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the engine and the fuel element contained in the same exhaust gas and acting as a reducing agent at a NOx catalyst by controlling the air-fuel ratio of the gas combusted in the engine. Fuel adding means is provided upstream of the NOx catalyst in an exhaust passage to add fuel into the exhaust gas. During the SOx poisoning recovery control, when developing a state enabling SOx reduction reactions, the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine and the amount of fuel added from the fuel adding means are controlled to minimize the sum of the amount of fuel injected in the engine and the amount of fuel added from the fuel adding means.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, the engine is formed so that an output of an electric motor can be superposed on an output of the engine. An SOX trap catalyst able to trap the SOX contained in the exhaust gas is arranged inside the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOX storage catalyst. The vehicle drive power from the engine and the vehicle drive power from the electric motor are adjusted so that the SOX trap rate of the SOX trap catalyst is maintained at a predetermined high SOX trap rate.

Abstract: When performing temperature elevation control at a first exhaust purification device 1, a second exhaust purification device 2 is prevented from being raised in temperature to a set temperature or more.

Abstract: In a state where the entry word “account” retrieved from a dictionary and its explanatory information have been displayed, when the entry memo “Test point to notice” is input in handwritten characters at a handwriting input unit, the entry memo is caused to correspond to the retrieved entry word “account” and then registered. When the desired entry memo “Test point to notice” is selected from a list of the registered entry memos, the entry word “account” caused to correspond to the entry memo and its explanatory information are displayed immediately. Accordingly, as with a paper dictionary, an entry memo in which handwritten characters have been written as needed is related to the desired entry word and its explanatory information. Using the entry memo data as if it were a sticky note enables the desired entry word to be displayed easily and quickly.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which a front end catalyst (12) and rear end catalyst (14) comprising NOx storing catalysts are arranged in an engine exhaust passage. When these catalysts (12, 14) should recover from SOx poisoning, SOx poisoning recovery proceeding is performed in which the temperatures of the corresponding catalysts (12, 14) are raised to the SOx release temperature and the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the corresponding catalysts (12, 14) is made rich. In this case, the frequency of performing the SOx poisoning recovery proceeding of the rear end catalyst (14) is made higher than the frequency of performing the SOx poisoning recovery proceeding of the front end catalyst (12).

Abstract: An exhaust purification apparatus of an internal combustion engine purifying exhaust gas by removing SOx from the exhaust gas is provided. In the exhaust purification apparatus provided with sulfur oxide trapping material for trapping sulfur oxides exhausted from an internal combustion engine, aggregates of the sulfur oxide trapping material (41) are arranged able to contact the exhaust gas in spaces (44) separated by partitions comprised of a porous material (42) having permeability.

Abstract: A SOx trap catalyst, an oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter, an aqueous urea supply valve, and a NOx selective reduction catalyst are arranged in order from upstream to downstream in an engine exhaust passage. It is determined whether a discharge concentration of hydrogen sulfide H2S will become equal to or greater than a preset maximum concentration when SOx is released from the SOx trap catalyst. If it is estimated that the discharge concentration of the hydrogen sulfide H2S will become equal to or greater than the maximum concentration when SOx is released, an adsorbed ammonia amount adsorbed on the NOx selective reduction catalyst is reduced before SOx is released so that the discharge concentration of the hydrogen sulfide H2S is less than the maximum concentration when SOx is released.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an SOx trap catalyst (11) able to trap SOx contained in exhaust gas is arranged in an engine exhaust passage upstream of an NOx storing catalyst (12). When whether the SOx trap catalyst (11) has deteriorated should be judged, the SOx trap catalyst (11) is raised in temperature in the state with the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the SOx trap catalyst (11) maintained lean. At this time, the concentration of NOx released from the SOx trap catalyst (11) is detected by the NOx concentration sensor (24). When the NOx concentration is a set value or less, the catalyst is judged to have deteriorated.

Abstract: A post-treatment system comprised of an SOx trapping catalyst (11), a particulate filter (13) carrying an NOx storing and reducing catalyst, and an NOx storing and reducing catalyst (15) and a fuel feed valve (17) for feeding fuel for post processing to the post-treatment system are arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Each time an operating period of the engine passes a certain period, values of operating parameters of the engine and the method of feeding the post-treatment use fuel are reset so that the total amount of consumption of the combustion use fuel and post-treatment use fuel becomes smallest while maintaining the amounts of the harmful components discharged into the atmosphere at below the regulatory values.