Abstract: An auxiliary machine-driving device has a first idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of a motor/generator roller and an engine roller, a second idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the engine roller and a rotating roller, and a third idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the rotating roller and the motor/generator roller. When the engine starts, the engine is started by transmitting the driving force of the motor/generator to the engine via the motor/generator roller, the first idler roller and the engine roller. After the engine starts, power is generated from the driving force of the engine being transmitted to the motor/generator via the engine roller, the second idler roller, the rotating roller, the third idler roller and the motor/generator roller.

Abstract: An auxiliary machine-driving device has a first idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of a motor/generator roller and an engine roller, a second idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the engine roller and a rotating roller, and a third idler roller having an outer peripheral surface biased into contact with the outer peripheral surfaces of the rotating roller and the motor/generator roller. When the engine starts, the engine is started by transmitting the driving force of the motor/generator to the engine via the motor/generator roller, the first idler roller and the engine roller. After the engine starts, power is generated from the driving force of the engine being transmitted to the motor/generator via the engine roller, the second idler roller, the rotating roller, the third idler roller and the motor/generator roller.

Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for controlling an amount of fuel injection into a fuel injection port of an intake passage in an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection control apparatus including an exhaust air-fuel ratio sensor configured to detect an exhaust air-fuel ratio, an exhaust temperature sensor configured to detect an exhaust temperature, an intake air flow meter configured to detect an intake air amount in the intake passage, and a controller configured to estimate a wall flow amount of the fuel injection port based on the fuel injection amount, the exhaust air-fuel ratio, and the intake air amount, estimate a catalyst bed temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage based on the exhaust air-fuel ratio and the exhaust temperature and to correct the estimated catalyst bed temperature in accordance with the wall flow amount, and control the fuel injection amount based on the catalyst bed temperature.

Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus for controlling an amount of fuel injection into a fuel injection port of an intake passage in an internal combustion engine, the fuel injection control apparatus including an exhaust air-fuel ratio sensor configured to detect an exhaust air-fuel ratio, an exhaust temperature sensor configured to detect an exhaust temperature, an intake air flow meter configured to detect an intake air amount in the intake passage, and a controller configured to estimate a wall flow amount of the fuel injection port based on the fuel injection amount, the exhaust air-fuel ratio, and the intake air amount, estimate a catalyst bed temperature of a catalyst provided in an exhaust passage based on the exhaust air-fuel ratio and the exhaust temperature and to correct the estimated catalyst bed temperature in accordance with the wall flow amount, and control the fuel injection amount based on the catalyst bed temperature.

Abstract: An intake control valve of an intake device of an internal combustion engine comprises a given portion defined by an air intake passage that leads to a combustion chamber of the engine through an intake valve; a pivot shaft passing through the given portion; and a valve plate secured to the pivot shaft to pivot therewith within the given portion. The valve plate is pivotal between a close position to close the air intake passage and an open position to open the air intake passage. When the valve plate assumes the close position, the interior of the air intake passage downstream the valve plate is formed with mutually isolated first and second air flows that are separated and oriented to enhance a flow of air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An intake control valve of an intake device of an internal combustion engine comprises a given portion defined by an air intake passage that leads to a combustion chamber of the engine through an intake valve; a pivot shaft passing through the given portion; and a valve plate secured to the pivot shaft to pivot therewith within the given portion. The valve plate is pivotal between a close position to close the air intake passage and an open position to open the air intake passage. When the valve plate assumes the close position, the interior of the air intake passage downstream the valve plate is formed with mutually isolated first and second air flows that are separated and oriented to enhance a flow of air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that includes a cylinder block formed with a cylinder bore, a cylinder head operatively connected to the cylinder block; a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder bore to define a combustion chamber; an engine front side squish area and a rear side squish area where the engine front and rear side squish areas include narrow gaps formed between a cylinder head and the piston is disclosed. The engine front side squish area and the engine rear side squish area generate a squish flow in the combustion chamber in response to the piston moving within the cylinder bore. Engine front and rear side igniter plugs are also provided that each include a pair of electrodes placed adjacent the respective engine front and rear side squish areas so that squish flow may pass through an igniter gap defined between the pairs of electrodes of the front and rear side igniter plugs.

Abstract: Sulphur oxides in the exhaust gas of a vehicle engine (1) are trapped by a nitrogen oxide trapping catalyst (5A). A controller (6) calculates the sulphur oxide poisoning amount of the trapping catalyst (5A) from the running condition of the vehicle (S13), and desulphating the sulphur oxides by a removing mechanism (3, 4, 14). The release amount of sulphur oxides per unit time due to desulphating is set as a parameter based on the sulphur oxide poisoning amount (S11), and by integrating the calculated release amount using the parameter, the current poisoning amount is calculated, and the release completion timing is precisely found.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine that includes a cylinder block formed with a cylinder bore, a cylinder head operatively connected to the cylinder block; a piston slidably disposed in the cylinder bore to define a combustion chamber; an engine front side squish area and a rear side squish area where the engine front and rear side squish areas include narrow gaps formed between a cylinder head and the piston is disclosed. The engine front side squish area and the engine rear side squish area generate a squish flow in the combustion chamber in response to the piston moving within the cylinder bore. Engine front and rear side igniter plugs are also provided that each include a pair of electrodes placed adjacent the respective engine front and rear side squish areas so that squish flow may pass through an igniter gap defined between the pairs of electrodes of the front and rear side igniter plugs.

Abstract: A learning apparatus for a variable valve control of an internal combustion engine includes a variable valve operating mechanism, an actuator that rotationally drives the control shaft, a control shaft sensor that detects an angular position of the control shaft, a reference position determining section that determines whether or not the control shaft has reached a predetermined reference position under the drive from the actuator, a learning section that learns an output value of the control shaft sensor when it is determined that the control shaft has reached the reference position and stores the learned output value as a sensor output reference value, and a learning preparing section that causes the control shaft to be driven by the actuator toward the reference position when a crankshaft of the engine is rotating and supply of fuel to the engine is stopped. A learning method is also provided.

Abstract: A variable valve control system for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders, the variable valve control system including a variable lift characteristic control mechanism to adjust a valve lift characteristic of each of intake valves.

Abstract: A learning apparatus for a variable valve control of an internal combustion engine includes a variable valve operating mechanism, an actuator that rotationally drives the control shaft, a control shaft sensor that detects an angular position of the control shaft, a reference position determining section that determines whether or not the control shaft has reached a predetermined reference position under the drive from the actuator, a learning section that learns an output value of the control shaft sensor when it is determined that the control shaft has reached the reference position and stores the learned output value as a sensor output reference value, and a learning preparing section that causes the control shaft to be driven by the actuator toward the reference position when a crankshaft of the engine is rotating and supply of fuel to the engine is stopped.

Abstract: A variable valve control system for an internal combustion engine including a plurality of cylinders, the variable valve control system including a variable lift characteristic control mechanism to adjust a valve lift characteristic of each of intake valves.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an intake port leading to an engine cylinder. The intake port is divided into first and second passage section by a partition extending in the intake port in a longitudinal direction of the intake port. A gas motion control valve is arranged to open and close an upstream end of the second passage section. A connection passage connects an upstream end portion of the second passage section to the first passage section. A fuel injector is directed to inject fuel toward a valve opening of the intake valve through a space on the downstream side of the downstream end of the partition.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes an intake port leading to an engine cylinder. The intake port is divided into first and second passage section by a partition extending in the intake port in a longitudinal direction of the intake port. A gas motion control valve is arranged to open and close an upstream end of the second passage section. A connection passage connects an upstream end portion of the second passage section to the first passage section. A fuel injector is directed to inject fuel toward a valve opening of the intake valve through a space on the downstream side of the downstream end of the partition.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are presented for correcting corner images of an integrated circuit pattern, for example, in an real image produced by optical scanning and deleting defects from the corner sections. Design data describing rectangular or trapezoidal patterns are expanded in a design data expansion section in multi-level gradations to produce a reference data for each pixel having resolution capability less than the inspection resolution capability. In a reference image forming section, based on the edge position of the real image, the reference data are processed to produce a reference image by rounding off the corner section and the line width while maintaining multi-level gradations. The boundary regions are blended using optical point spread functions obtained from the real image.

Abstract: Sulphur oxides in the exhaust gas of a vehicle engine (1) are trapped by a nitrogen oxide trapping catalyst (5A). A controller (6) calculates the sulphur oxide poisoning amount of the trapping catalyst (5A) from the running condition of the vehicle (S13), and desulphating the sulphur oxides by a removing mechanism (3, 4, 14). The release amount of sulphur oxides per unit time due to desulphating is set as a parameter based on the sulphur oxide poisoning amount (S11), and by integrating the calculated release amount using the parameter, the current poisoning amount is calculated, and the release completion timing is precisely found.

Abstract: A reference image forming method is used in a pattern inspection apparatus for scanning a pattern formed on an object to be inspected on the basis of design data with a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength, focusing transmitted light passing through the object on a light-receiving element by using an objective lens, forming a real image from pattern information obtained from the light-receiving element, and comparing the real image with a reference image obtained by imaging the design data, thereby detecting a defect in the object. In this method, reference data is formed by developing the design data as a pattern made of multilevel gradation values on pixels having a resolution higher than an inspection resolution. A reference image is formed by increasing or decreasing the width of each pattern of the reference data as a multilevel gradation pattern with a precision higher than the inspection resolution on the basis of an edge position of a corresponding pattern in the real image.