Abstract: In the present invention, in a control system for a spark ignition internal combustion engine, when a catalyst is not sufficiently active, the ignition timing is advanced to be earlier than MBT to decrease the quantity of hydrocarbons (HC) discharged from the internal combustion engine, and oxygen is supplied to the exhaust gas upstream of the catalyst to thereby oxidize carbon monoxide (CO) discharged from the internal combustion engine. According to this invention, exhaust emissions emitted before activation of the exhaust gas purification apparatus can be decreased as much as possible, and early activation of the catalyst can be achieved by making use of heat generated by oxidation reaction of carbon monoxide (CO).

Abstract: An ignition control system for a spark ignition internal combustion engine has: over-advancing means for over-advancing an ignition time for a cylinder of the internal combustion engine beyond an MBT; obtaining means for obtaining an adhering fuel amount that is the amount of fuel that adheres to the inner face of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and controlling means for controlling the over-advancing means to execute the ignition time over-advancement when the adhering fuel amount obtained by the obtaining means is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The oil pressure for a hydraulic actuator (60) of a variable valve train (52,54) is controlled in accordance with a duty value of a control signal for a hydraulic control valve (66,68). When predetermined inching control execution conditions are established, inching control in which the duty value is varied in a pulsed manner between a retention duty value, which retains an operation of the hydraulic actuator, and a forced drive duty value, which forcibly drives the hydraulic actuator, is exercised instead of duty value feedback control in which the duty value is calculated in accordance with the deviation between an actual valve opening characteristic and a target valve opening characteristic. If the oil temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, inching control is exercised to ensure that the first pulse width generated after the start of inching control is wider than normal.

Abstract: The oil pressure for a hydraulic actuator (60) of a variable valve train (52,54) is controlled in accordance with a duty value of a control signal for a hydraulic control valve (66,68). When predetermined inching control execution conditions are established, inching control in which the duty value is varied in a pulsed manner between a retention duty value, which retains an operation of the hydraulic actuator, and a forced drive duty value, which forcibly drives the hydraulic actuator, is exercised instead of duty value feedback control in which the duty value is calculated in accordance with the deviation between an actual valve opening characteristic and a target valve opening characteristic. If the oil temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, inching control is exercised to ensure that the first pulse width generated after the start of inching control is wider than normal.

Abstract: An object to be achieved by the present invention is to achieve ignition timing that is suitable for an environment in which a spark ignition internal combustion engine is used during the period of starting of the internal combustion engine and warm-up thereof just after starting. To achieve this object, according to the present invention, in an ignition control system for an internal combustion engine in which, ignition timing is controlled by feedback in such a way that the engine rotation speed becomes equal to a target rotation speed when the temperature of the internal combustion engine is lower than a prescribed temperature, and retard control for retarding the ignition timing by a predetermined amount from target ignition timing is performed when the temperature of the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than the prescribed temperature, the aforementioned prescribed temperature is changed according to the altitude of the place where the internal combustion engine is used.

Abstract: In the present invention, in a control system for a spark ignition internal combustion engine, when a catalyst is not sufficiently active, the ignition timing is advanced to be earlier than MBT to decrease the quantity of hydrocarbons (HC) discharged from the internal combustion engine, and oxygen is supplied to the exhaust gas upstream of the catalyst to thereby oxidize carbon monoxide (CO) discharged from the internal combustion engine. According to this invention, exhaust emissions emitted before activation of the exhaust gas purification apparatus can be decreased as much as possible, and early activation of the catalyst can be achieved by making use of heat generated by oxidation reaction of carbon monoxide (CO).

Abstract: An ignition control system for a spark ignition internal combustion engine has: over-advancing means for over-advancing an ignition time for a cylinder of the internal combustion engine beyond an MBT; obtaining means for obtaining an adhering fuel amount that is the amount of fuel that adheres to the inner face of the cylinder of the internal combustion engine; and controlling means for controlling the over-advancing means to execute the ignition time over-advancement when the adhering fuel amount obtained by the obtaining means is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An object to be achieved by the present invention is to achieve ignition timing that is suitable for an environment in which a spark ignition internal combustion engine is used during the period of starting of the internal combustion engine and warm-up thereof just after starting. To achieve this object, according to the present invention, in an ignition control system for an internal combustion engine in which, ignition timing is controlled by feedback in such a way that the engine rotation speed becomes equal to a target rotation speed when the temperature of the internal combustion engine is lower than a prescribed temperature, and retard control for retarding the ignition timing by a predetermined amount from target ignition timing is performed when the temperature of the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than the prescribed temperature, the aforementioned prescribed temperature is changed according to the altitude of the place where the internal combustion engine is used.

Abstract: A malfunction diagnostic apparatus for a combustion improvement device that is disposed in an intake passage connected to each of combustion chambers in an internal combustion engine to improve a combustion state, includes a detector that detects an average crank angular acceleration or a correlated value correlated with the average crank angular acceleration in each of cylinders in the internal combustion engine; an operating state detector that detects a current operating state of the combustion improvement device; and a malfunction determination device that determines whether a malfunction occurs in the combustion improvement device for each of the cylinders, based on the average crank angular acceleration or the correlated value and the current operating state of the combustion improvement device.

Abstract: A shift control system and a shift control method perform shift control of an automatic transmission in a vehicle that includes a catalyst and an air-fuel ratio detector. The shift control system includes an operation detector that detects an operation corresponding to a drivel's request for stopping of the vehicle, and a condition detecting/estimating unit that detects or estimates a condition of at least one of the catalyst and the air-fuel ratio detector. In the shift control system and shift control method, if the operation corresponding to the driver's request for stopping of the vehicle is detected when an operation to switch the automatic transmission from a non-driving range to a driving range is selected is performed, the automatic transmission is controlled so that driving force of the engine is not substantially transmitted to the driving wheels, based on the detected or estimated result of at least one of the catalyst and the air-fuel ratio detector.

Abstract: In an ignition control system for an internal combustion engine which is capable of advancing the ignition timing beyond the MBT, the amount of fuel used for the combustion in a cylinder is made appropriate by performing a decreasing correction of the amount of fuel injection of a fuel injection valve when the ignition timing is advanced beyond the MBT.

Abstract: A malfunction diagnostic apparatus for a combustion improvement device that is disposed in an intake passage connected to each of combustion chambers in an internal combustion engine to improve a combustion state, includes a detector that detects an average crank angular acceleration or a correlated value correlated with the average crank angular acceleration in each of cylinders in the internal combustion engine; an operating state detector that detects a current operating state of the combustion improvement device; and a malfunction determination device that determines whether a malfunction occurs in the combustion improvement device for each of the cylinders, based on the average crank angular acceleration or the correlated value and the current operating state of the combustion improvement device.

Abstract: When starting an engine, the engine is driven by a starting motor and, at the same time, a fuel heating heater can be operated. If the engine is stopped and then immediately restarted, the operation of fuel heating heater is controlled according to the operation time of the fuel heating heater in the last operation. That is, if a period of time is brief between a stopping and a restarting of the engine, heat generated when the fuel heating heater was operated last remains and, in consideration of the amount of that residual heat, generation of heat by the fuel heating heater is restricted.

Abstract: A fuel heating control method and apparatus includes an operation of a heater heating a fuel for an engine started by being driven by a starting motor. The heater is not operated until after an operation of the starting motor is substantially terminated at a time of starting the engine.

Abstract: When starting an engine, the engine is driven by a starting motor and, at the same time, a fuel heating heater can be operated. If the engine is stopped and then immediately restarted, the operation of fuel heating heater is controlled according to the operation time of the fuel heating heater in the last operation. That is, if a period of time is brief between a stopping and a restarting of the engine, heat generated when the fuel heating heater was operated last remains and, in consideration of the amount of that residual heat, generation of heat by the fuel heating heater is restricted.

Abstract: A fuel heating control method and apparatus includes an operation of a heater heating a fuel for an engine started by being driven by a starting motor. The heater is not operated until after an operation of the starting motor is substantially terminated at a time of starting the engine.

Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. An injection hole thereof has a width larger than a height thereof. In the fuel injector, the fuel before being injected is imparted with a swirl component about the center axis of the injection hole by a spiral groove.

Abstract: A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. In the fuel injector, an opening on the outer side of the injection hole has a width generally larger than a height thereof. The width of the injection hole is gradually narrowed inward so that the fuel is injected at a predetermined angle in the direction of width. The height of the injection hole is nearly uniform in the direction of injecting the fuel within the predetermined angle in the direction of width. A height at both ends of the opening on the outer side of the injection hole is larger than the height at the central portion thereof.

Abstract: A device for controlling fuel injection into an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The device comprises an accumulator for supplying pressurized fuel to a fuel injection valve, a high-pressure pump for discharging fuel into the accumulator using the engine as a power source, and a low-pressure pump for discharging fuel into the high-pressure pump using a power source other than the engine. At the start of the engine, the fuel discharged from the low-pressure pump is substantially directly introduced into the accumulator through a pump chamber of the high-pressure pump. To elevate the pressure within the accumulator for a short period to a fuel pressure capable of injecting fuel at the start of the engine, an opening and closing valve is provided in a suction passage that communicates the discharge side of the low-pressure pump with the suction side of the high-pressure pump, and is maintained to be opened at the start of the engine.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve with improved fuel atomization which has a valve body, a needle valve accommodated in the valve body for opening and closing a fuel path at a sealing portion, and a metering member provided at a front end of the valve body and having a plurality of nozzle holes for metering a fuel and determining the fuel-injecting direction.