Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an angular position of a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine includes a disk which is rotatable in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft, a row of magnetic elements disposed on the disk along a circumferential periphery thereof at circumferentially equal intervals, an electromagnetic pick-up device disposed orthogonally to a plane of rotation of the disk in opposition to the row of magnetic elements, and a shaping circuit for shaping an output signal of the electromagnetic pick-up device into a rectangular waveform signal. The shaping circuit is combined integrally with the electromagnetic pick-up device into a single unit to prevent external noise from being superposed on the output signal from the pick-up device. The shaping circuit includes an integrator for integrating the output signal to produce a reference signal for the comparator.

Abstract: The present system sets, as numeral information, the characteristic data of a space navigation vehicle and characteristic data of a circumstance situation and sets action setting condition information of the space navigation vehicle with the use of a nonprogramming language containing symbols, and computes, based on the characteristic data and action condition setting information, circumstance data in a circumstance generation unit which are actual action variables necessary for maneuver operation, and performs operation maneuver simulation in a simulator library on the basis of the circumstance data, whereby the characteristic data and action setting condition information can achieve substantially the same function as in the case of the system modification and it is possible to compute the circumstance data under various action setting conditions.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a reduced number of component parts which can be arranged or laid out without difficulty within a limited space such as a vehicle engine room. The apparatus can be manufactured at low costs and it is also highly resistant to electrical noise from adjacent electrical and electronic elements and hence has improved reliability in operation. The apparatus includes an ignition coil connected to a spark plug which has electrodes present in a combustion chamber of a cylinder, a switch unit for controlling power supply to the ignition coil, and an ion current sensing unit connected to the spark plug for sensing an ion current generated between the electrodes of the spark plug during combustion of a mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignition coil and the switch unit, or the ion current sensing unit and the switch unit, or all of these elements, are integrally formed with each other to provide an integral assembly.

Abstract: A direct current power supply applies a positive voltage between the center electrode and the ground electrode of a spark plug in an internal combustion engine after discharge of the spark plug. Ionic current flowing between the electrodes due to the positive voltage is measured by a current sensor. The ionic current caused by the positive voltage is due to electrons, so it has a large magnitude and can be easily measured.

Abstract: An ignition system for internal combustion engines has an ignition coil having a primary winding and a secondary winding. The secondary winding supplies a high voltage for ignition to an ignition plug when the ignition coil is energized at the primary winding at a predetermined period. A voltage producing circuit produces a voltage on the basis of a signal developed across the primary winding when the primary winding is energized at a predetermined period. The voltage causes discharge across the electrodes of the ignition plug to form a path for an ion current developed in the cylinder. A comparator or detector detects the ion current to determine the combustion in a cylinder.

Abstract: A capacitor is connected to an ignition coil for an internal combustion engine so as to be charged by ignition current generated by the ignition coil. After firing of a spark plug in a cylinder by the ignition current, the voltage across the capacitor is applied between the center electrode and the ground electrode of the spark plug to induce an ionic current between the electrodes. The resulting ionic current is measured by a current sensor connected to the capacitor.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a reduced number of component parts which can be arranged or laid out without difficulty within a limited space such as a vehicle engine room. The apparatus can be manufactured at low costs and it is also highly resistant to electrical noise from adjacent electrical and electronic elements and hence has improved reliability in operation. The apparatus includes an ignition coil connected to a spark plug which has electrodes present in a combustion chamber of a cylinder, a switch unit for controlling power supply to the ignition coil, and an ion current sensing unit connected to the spark plug for sensing an ion current generated between the electrodes of the spark plug during combustion of a mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignition coil and the switch unit, or the ion current sensing unit and the switch unit, or all of these elements, are integrally formed with each other to provide an integral assembly.

Abstract: An angle detecting device including a magnetism gap where a magnetic-flux shutter rotates synchronously with a detection subject, a magnetic flux generator provided at one side of the gap, a magnetic-flux detector provided at the other side of the gap, an outlet of the signals from the detector, a frame integrally including the above-described generator, detector and outlet, and anchoring portions mechanically fixing the detector in a housing portion of the frame. In one embodiment, the anchoring portions are a pair of saw-toothed tabs formed by cutting and bending out a section of the plate. The saw-toothed tabs cut into the inner wall of the housing when the detector is inserted. In another embodiment, the anchoring portions are a pair of supporting tabs formed by bending extensions of the plate. The supporting tabs are clamped between a lower surface of the housing and a cover.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided in which malfunctions due to noise induced by a high ignition voltage can be avoided in a reliable manner. A controller controls the ignition timing of a cylinder of the engine in synchronism woth the rotation thereof. A detector 7-13 detects an ion current which is generated between the electrodes of the spark plug upon combustion of an air/fuel mixture in the cylinder. A filter 21 is connected to an input side of the detector for filtering noise contained in the ion current, the noise being induced by the ignition coil upon sparking of the spark plug. The ignition coil has a primary winding connected to the controller and a secondary winding connected to the spark plug. The filter is connected between the detector and a node P2 between the secondary winding of the ignition coil and the spark plug.

Abstract: A cylinder identification apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes the following units. A reference signal generator that senses the rotation of an engine crankshaft and generates a reference signal indicating each time the crankshaft is at a prescribed rotational angle. An identification signal generator senses the rotation of the engine camshaft or other member coupled to and rotating at 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft and generates a cylinder identification signal having a different form for different cylinders of the engine. A control unit identifies each cylinder of the engine based on the form of the cylinder identification signal.

Abstract: An ignition plug for an internal combustion engine includes an ionization current detector electrode 20 adapted to be coupled to an external ionization detector circuit. Preferably, the ionization current detector electrode extends through a lateral through-hole formed vertically through an expanded portion of the electrical insulator 3. The lower end of the ionization current detector electrode may extend into the combustion chamber by a predetermined length. Further, the lower end of the ionization current detector electrode exposed to the fuel/air mixture within the combustion chamber may form a cylindrical grid to increase the contact area with the combustion gas.

Abstract: An ion current sensing device for an internal combustion engine is able to accurately sense an ion current generated between electrodes of a spark plug during combustion of a mixture even when the electrodes have been smeared by carbon or other combustion products deposited or accumulated thereon. A power source 14 supplies a bias voltage to the electrodes of the spark plug. An ion current sensing resistor 15 is connected between the elecrodes of the spark plug and the power source for sensing an ion current as generated between the electrodes of the spark plug each time a mixture in the combustion chamber is combusted. A comparator 11 compares the voltage across the ion current sensing resistor with a reference voltage and generates an output signal when the voltage is higher than the reference voltage.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine can prevent malfunctions due to noise induced by a high ignition voltage which is developed by an ignition coil upon ignition. Generation of a misfiring detection signal can also be prevented during fuel supply cut-off operations. To these ends, in one aspect, and ignition apparatus includes: a controller for controlling the ignition of a cylinder of the engine in synchronism with the rotation thereof; a detector connected to a spark plug and an ignition coil for detecting an ion current which is generated between the electrodes of the spark plug upon combustion of an air/fuel mixture in the cylinder; and mask a for masking the output signal of the detector in response to discharge of the spark plug.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines of which configuration is simplified to reduce production cost and improve reliability of the apparatus. The present invention with the above object can be completed in three main embodiments. The ignition apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention has a distributor cap. The distributor cap comprises an ignition coil; a central electrode connected to the ignition coil; a plurality of side electrodes each connected to an ignition plug of each cylinder of the engine and selectively connected to the central electrode; a plurality of diodes each connected to the plurality of side electrodes each; a terminal connected to the diodes for outputting ion detecting signals; and a resin portion for holding the central electrode, the plurality of side electrodes, the plurality of diodes, and the terminal.

Abstract: A position estimation apparatus is adapted to estimate the position of a target in the steps as will be set forth below. The target is observed four or more times by an image sensor during a time period in which the target and movable body unit move in those directions not parallel to each other. Acceleration is applied to an accelerator at least once at a time between the observation times. Two-dimensional angle information of the target's azimuth and elevation angles is detected from the image information of the target acquired by the image sensor at the time of observation. A coordinate system of the movable body unit is found in accordance with the position and attitude information of the movable body unit, and the two-dimensional angle information of the target is plotted on the coordinate system.

Abstract: An angular position detector mounted within an engine ignition distributor for detecting an angular position of a rotary shaft. The detector comprises a detecting element disposed about the rotary shaft for generating a detection signal corresponding to an angular position of the rotary shaft and a processing circuit disposed around the rotary shaft for processing the detection signal from the detecting element. The detecting element and the processing circuit are connected by an electrical conductor member which is arranged at a position sufficiently remote from the rotary shaft for reducing an undesirable effect of a high voltage which may appear in the rotary shaft.

Abstract: A rotational angle detector provided in an engine ignition distributor. Light emitting and the light receiving sections are disposed in opposed positions on the two sides of a disk fixed to a rotary shaft, and a pair of slit plates are respectively disposed in front of the light emitting and the light receiving sections with the disk interposed between the slit plates. At least one of the slit plates is formed of an electroconductive material and is grounded.

Abstract: An assembling structure of a Hall-effect sensor device suitable to be used as a crankshaft angle sensor of an automotive internal combustion engine is disclosed.

Abstract: A rotation angle detector comprises a case housing a rotary shaft, a detection unit including a detection element and a processing circuit, and plural projections provided on an outside circumferential surface of the detection unit so as to put in contact with an inside circumferential surface of the case.

Abstract: An angle measuring device for measuring the turning angle of a crankshaft in an internal combustion engine in order to control the ignition timing, etc.