Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine is provided that an appropriate stratified fuel-air mixture is formed to conduct good stratified combustion over a wide range of loads. The engine has a fuel injection valve that is arranged at an upper surface of the combustion chamber on or near the center reciprocation axis of the piston and oriented such that the injection center axis of the fuel stream injected therefrom is slanted with respect to the center reciprocation axis of the piston. The piston is disposed in the combustion chamber to move along a cylinder center axis. The piston has a top surface having a first outer cavity having a first cavity center axis, and a second inner cavity located in the outer cavity. The second inner cavity has a second cavity center axis offset from the cylinder center axis of the piston in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder center axis.

Abstract: An exhaust emission control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel injection valve placed substantially at a midpoint above a combustion chamber of the engine; a piston having an outer cavity formed substantially in a midsection of an upper surface of the piston and an inner cavity formed in a bottom surface of the outer cavity; an ignition plug placed in a region right above the outer cavity; an exhaust purifying catalyst provided in an exhaust passage of the engine; and a controller. This controller is configured to carry out a stratified charge combustion when a temperature rise for the exhaust purifying catalyst is required, by forming air-fuel mixture which is richer than stoichiometric ratio and is able to be ignited by the ignition plug, within the outer cavity and in an area substantially right above the outer cavity, from a fuel injected through the fuel injection valve.

Abstract: In a direct injection internal combustion engine, a fuel injection valve and a spark plug of adjacent cylinders are inclined at different angles from each other in directions perpendicular to a cylinder arrangement direction in which the cylinders are arranged. Besides, the fuel injection valve and the spark plug of at least one of the cylinders are inclined at different angles from each other in directions parallel to the cylinder arrangement direction. A cooling channel is provided between the fuel injection valve and the spark plug of the at least one of the cylinders.

Abstract: A control unit is used for controlling a direct fuel injection type internal combustion engine. The control unit controls a fuel injection valve to have a first fuel injection mode wherein a penetration force of an injected fuel sharply increases at an initial stage of a fuel injection and thereafter an increasing rate of the penetration force gradually lowers with passage of time and a second fuel injection mode wherein the penetration force of the injected fuel sharply increases at a middle stage of the fuel injection. The control unit further controls the fuel injection valve in a manner to switch the first and second fuel injection modes in accordance with an operation condition of the engine.

Abstract: A control apparatus is configured for a hybrid vehicle that can operate highly efficiently in all operating regions. The hybrid vehicle utilizes an internal combustion engine that can be operating using either compression self-ignition combustion or spark ignition combustion. An electronic control unit has a combustion pattern determining section that determines (selects) the combustion method with which to run the internal combustion engine based on the output required by the vehicle. As a result, the internal combustion engine can be operated using the combustion method that is appropriate in view of the required output and unnecessary engine output can be prevented. Thus, a hybrid system that can be operated with high efficiency and at high output in all operating regions can be achieved.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device for a direct fuel injection engine is configured to selectively control a fuel injection valve, which is configured and arranged to directly inject a first fuel stream per cycle into a combustion chamber, to use a first fuel injection timing when the controller determines that a stratified air-fuel mixture will be difficult to form during a second fuel injection timing based on a determination of an engine operation parameter by at least one sensor. The first fuel injection timing is set to control the injection valve to inject the first fuel stream during an intake stroke while a piston in the combustion chamber is approximately at an intake top dead center position such that a majority of the first fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is received inside a cavity formed on the piston.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection internal combustion engine includes a fuel injector arranged above a center portion of the piston and positioned higher than a combustion chamber upper surface of a cylinder head. The cylinder head includes a recess portion in which a tip of the fuel injector is disposed in a cross sectional view of the cylinder head in a plane perpendicular to a fuel injection center axis. The recess portion is provided with a channel extending longitudinally away from the tip of the fuel injector configured and arranged to reduce negative pressure within the recess portion. The channel is oriented in such a direction as to avoid the interference between the channel and other parts of the cylinder head. When the fuel injector is a multi-hole fuel injector, the channel can be oriented toward a direction along a centerline between two adjacent injection vents of the fuel injector.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine is provided that an appropriate stratified fuel-air mixture is formed to conduct good stratified combustion over a wide range of loads. The engine has a fuel injection valve that is arranged at an upper surface of the combustion chamber on or near the center reciprocation axis of the piston and oriented such that the injection center axis of the fuel stream injected therefrom is slanted with respect to the center reciprocation axis of the piston. The piston is disposed in the combustion chamber to move along a cylinder center axis. The piston has a top surface having a first outer cavity having a first cavity center axis, and a second inner cavity located in the outer cavity. The second inner cavity has a second cavity center axis offset from the cylinder center axis of the piston in a direction perpendicular to the cylinder center axis.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine has a fuel injection valve that injects fuel toward a cavity formed in a top of a piston, and a spark plug that ignites the fuel-air mixture resulting from the fuel injection. The direct fuel injection engine is configured to strengthen the penetration of the fuel streams, to improve the directionality of the fuel streams and to form in the cavity an agglomerate fuel-air mixture that is homogeneous and has uniform concentration. The cavity preferably has a bottom surface, a curved surface, and a flat surface. The fuel injection valve has a plurality of injection vents that spray solid-core fuel streams with angles formed between adjacent injection vents that are less than or equal to the spray angle of the fuel stream sprayed from each injection vent. The fuel streams form a combined fuel stream having a hollow circular cone shape.

Abstract: A control unit is used for controlling a direct fuel injection type internal combustion engine. The control unit controls a fuel injection valve to have a first fuel injection mode wherein a penetration force of an injected fuel sharply increases at an initial stage of a fuel injection and thereafter an increasing rate of the penetration force gradually lowers with passage of time and a second fuel injection mode wherein the penetration force of the injected fuel sharply increases at a middle stage of the fuel injection. The control unit further controls the fuel injection valve in a manner to switch the first and second fuel injection modes in accordance with an operation condition of the engine.

Abstract: An direct fuel injection spark ignition internal combustion engine comprises a fuel injection valve arranged at a substantially center part of an upper are of a combustion chamber, and a piston having a crown surface with a cavity shaped so that a center axis of a substantially conical-shaped fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is substantially coincident with a center axis of the piston. In a low-load stratified combustion operating region when spark ignition is executed, the fuel injection angle is increased to form a first combustible air-fuel mixture before the fuel stream collides against the cavity of the piston crown surface. In a high-load stratified combustion operating region, the fuel injection angle is reduced to form a second combustible air-fuel mixture after the fuel stream collides against the cavity of the piston crown surface.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine has a fuel injection valve that injects fuel toward a cavity formed in a top of a piston, and a spark plug that ignites the fuel-air mixture resulting from the fuel injection. The direct fuel injection engine is configured to strengthen the penetration of the fuel streams, to improve the directionality of the fuel streams and to form in the cavity an agglomerate fuel-air mixture that is homogeneous and has uniform concentration. The cavity preferably has a bottom surface, a curved surface, and a flat surface. The fuel injection valve has a plurality of injection vents that spray solid-core fuel streams with angles formed between adjacent injection vents that are less than or equal to the spray angle of the fuel stream sprayed from each injection vent. The fuel streams form a combined fuel stream having a hollow circular cone shape.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine basically comprises a combustion chamber, a piston with a cavity, a fuel injection valve, a spark plug and a control unit. The fuel injection valve is configured and arranged to directly inject a fuel stream into the combustion chamber in a substantially constant hollow circular cone shape in a stratified combustion region. The control unit is configured to ignite a first air-fuel mixture formed directly after the fuel stream is injected and prior to a majority of the fuel stream striking the cavity when the direct fuel injection engine is operating in a low-load stratified combustion region, and to ignite a second air-fuel mixture formed after a majority of the fuel stream is guided by the cavity toward an upper portion of the combustion chamber above the cavity when the direct fuel injection engine is operating in a high-load stratified combustion region.

Abstract: A fuel injection control device for a direct fuel injection engine is configured to selectively control a fuel injection valve, which is configured and arranged to directly inject a first fuel stream per cycle into a combustion chamber, to use a first fuel injection timing when the controller determines that a stratified air-fuel mixture will be difficult to form during a second fuel injection timing based on a determination of an engine operation parameter by at least one sensor. The first fuel injection timing is set to control the injection valve to inject the first fuel stream during an intake stroke while a piston in the combustion chamber is approximately at an intake top dead center position such that a majority of the first fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is received inside a cavity formed on the piston.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine basically comprises a combustion chamber, a piston with a cavity, a fuel injection valve, a spark plug and a control unit. The fuel injection valve is configured and arranged to directly inject a fuel stream into the combustion chamber in a substantially constant hollow circular cone shape in a stratified combustion region. The control unit is configured to ignite a first air-fuel mixture formed directly after the fuel stream is injected and prior to a majority of the fuel stream striking the cavity when the direct fuel injection engine is operating in a low-load stratified combustion region, and to ignite a second air-fuel mixture formed after a majority of the fuel stream is guided by the cavity toward an upper portion of the combustion chamber above the cavity when the direct fuel injection engine is operating in a high-load stratified combustion region.

Abstract: An direct fuel injection spark ignition internal combustion engine comprises a fuel injection valve arranged at a substantially center part of an upper are of a combustion chamber, and a piston having a crown surface with a cavity shaped so that a center axis of a substantially conical-shaped fuel stream injected from the fuel injection valve is substantially coincident with a center axis of the piston. In a low-load stratified combustion operating region when spark ignition is executed, the fuel injection angle is increased to form a first combustible air-fuel mixture before the fuel stream collides against the cavity of the piston crown surface. In a high-load stratified combustion operating region, the fuel injection angle is reduced to form a second combustible air-fuel mixture after the fuel stream collides against the cavity of the piston crown surface.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection internal combustion engine comprises a combustion chamber, a fuel injection valve and a spark plug. The combustion chamber has a piston including an outer cavity located in a top surface of the piston and an inner cavity located in the outer cavity. The outer and inner cavities are substantially axially symmetrical about the reciprocation axis of the piston. The fuel injection valve is arranged adjacent the reciprocation axis of the piston to inject a fuel stream directly into the combustion chamber. The spark plug is arranged adjacent the reciprocation axis of the piston to ignite a fuel-air mixture inside the combustion chamber. The direct fuel injection internal combustion engine further comprises a control unit configured to vary at least one of frequency and start timings of the fuel injection valve based on an engine operating condition.

Abstract: A direct fuel injection engine has a fuel injection valve that injects fuel toward a cavity formed in a top of a piston, and a spark plug that ignites the fuel-air mixture resulting from the fuel injection. The direct fuel injection engine is configured to strengthen the penetration of the fuel streams, to improve the directionality of the fuel streams and to stably form an agglomerate fuel-air mixture close to the spark plug. The cavity preferably has a bottom surface, a curved surface, and a flat surface. In a plan view taken along the center axis of the engine cylinder, cavity C is shaped like an ellipse whose foci are located at the tip of fuel injection valve and the spark discharge gap of spark plug, respectively. The fuel injection valve has a plurality of injection vents that spray solid-core fuel streams.

Abstract: A control apparatus is configured for a hybrid vehicle that can operate highly efficiently in all operating regions. The hybrid vehicle utilizes an internal combustion engine that can be operating using either compression self-ignition combustion or spark ignition combustion. An electronic control unit has a combustion pattern determining section that determines (selects) the combustion method with which to run the internal combustion engine based on the output required by the vehicle. As a result, the internal combustion engine can be operated using the combustion method that is appropriate in view of the required output and unnecessary engine output can be prevented. Thus, a hybrid system that can be operated with high efficiency and at high output in all operating regions can be achieved.

Abstract: A split injection of gasoline produces stratified charge in at least one cylinder. A sensor measures cylinder pressure or knock and generates a sensor signal indicative of combustion event timing of stratified charge. From the sensor signal, a controller determines an actual value of a characteristic parameter representing combustion event timing in the cylinder. The controller modifies at least one of operating variables governing a split injection for the subsequent cycle in such a direction as to decrease a deviation between the actual value of the characteristic parameter and a target value thereof toward zero.