Abstract: A control unit controls both a motor actuated throttle valve and a magnetically actuated variable valve in accordance with an operation condition of an internal combustion engine. The control unit is configured to provide both a first control mode wherein an intake air control is carried out by controlling the open/close timing of the variable valve while keeping the throttle valve at a full-open or near full-open position and a second control mode wherein the intake air control is carried out by controlling the position of the throttle valve while reducing a controllable range of the open/close timing of the variable valve. The first and second control modes are selectively switched in accordance with the operation condition of the engine. The first and second control modes allow the engine to output the same engine torque under the same operation condition of the engine.

Abstract: A control system for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is provided. The engine is of the kind in which switching between a full cylinder operation with all cylinders in operation and a part cylinder operation with some of cylinders kept out of operation is selectively performed. The control system comprises a first calculator for calculating, at the part cylinder operation, a target air fuel quantity per one operative cylinder that enables the engine to produce a torque equal to that at the full cylinder operation, a second calculator for calculating a throttle valve target opening area at the part cylinder operation from the target intake air quantity per one operative cylinder, and a controller for controlling a throttle valve opening degree so that the throttle valve target opening area is obtained. A control method is also provided.

Abstract: In control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine having variably operated engine valves, a target vacuum pressure is calculated on the basis of an engine driving condition and an opening angle of an electronically controlled throttle valve is disposed in an intake air passage to achieve the target vacuum pressure. A target air quantity to be sucked within an engine cylinder on the basis of the engine driving condition is calculated and a valve closure timing of an intake valve of, e.g., an electromagnetic operation type is controlled to achieve the target air quantity. At this time, in accordance with the target vacuum pressure TBOOST(or in accordance with an actual vacuum pressure BOOST detected by means of a vacuum pressure sensor), the target air quantity to calculate the valve closure timing of the intake valve calculated on the basis of target air quantity is corrected or the intake valve closure timing IVC per se is corrected by a correction value of &Dgr;IVC.

Abstract: A control system controls an intake air quantity to an engine by controlling an intake valve closing timing, instead of, or in cooperation with, a throttle valve. A controller estimates a quantity of internal EGR gases remaining in a cylinder, and controls the intake valve closing timing to a desired target timing determined in due consideration of the estimated internal EGR quantity. The estimated internal EGR quantity is a sum of a base quantity and an increase correction quantity determined in accordance with a valve overlap period, its middle angular position in crankshaft rotation and intake pressure. The target intake valve closing timing is determined in accordance with a target intake air quantity and the estimated internal EGR quantity.

Abstract: In an intake-air quantity control apparatus for an internal combustion engine with a variable valve timing system, an electronic engine control module has a microprocessor programmed to perform selecting one of a first control mode in which an intake-air quantity of the engine is controlled by adjusting the throttle opening, and a second control mode in which an intake-air quantity of the engine is controlled by adjusting the intake-valve closure timing. The microprocessor is programmed to perform a number of calculating and setting steps regarding the intake-air quantity and in-take valve closure timing.

Abstract: A quantity of internal EGR gases remaining in an engine is estimated in accordance with an exhaust valve closing timing, an intake valve opening timing and an engine speed. The estimated internal EGR quantity is a sum of a base quantity and an increase correction quantity determined in accordance with a valve overlap period, its middle angular position in crankshaft rotation and intake pressure. The estimated internal EGR quantity is used for estimating an engine cylinder intake air quantity and for engine control such as ignition timing control, and intake air quantity control.

Abstract: An engine with a charger, in which an intake passage is provided with a throttle valve which is electronically controlled to a target opening degree and the charger on the upstream side of the throttle valve, wherein a target supercharged pressure is corrected in a direction of eliminating a delay in the intake air amount based upon a difference between the target supercharged pressure of the charger and the supercharged pressure detected on the upstream side of the throttle valve, to thereby set a target supercharged pressure of the throttle valve based on the corrected target supercharged pressure. This suppresses a delay in the intake air amount caused by a delay in the change of the supercharged pressure during the transient period, makes it possible to accomplish acceleration/deceleration performance of good response, and suppresses a torque difference that occurs when the combustion system is changed over to the stratified charge combustion or to the homogeneous combustion.

Abstract: In control apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine having variably operated engine valves, a target vacuum pressure is calculated on the basis of an engine driving condition and an opening angle of an electronically controlled throttle valve is disposed in an intake air passage to achieve the target vacuum pressure. A target air quantity to be sucked within an engine cylinder on the basis of the engine driving condition is calculated and a valve closure timing of an intake valve of, e.g., an electromagnetic operation type is controlled to achieve the target air quantity. At this time, in accordance with the target vacuum pressure TBOOST(or in accordance with an actual vacuum pressure BOOST detected by means of a vacuum pressure sensor), the target air quantity to calculate the valve closure timing of the intake valve calculated on the basis of target air quantity is corrected or the intake valve closure timing IVC per se is corrected by a correction value of AIVC.

Abstract: A control unit controls both a motor actuated throttle valve and a magnetically actuated variable valve in accordance with an operation condition of an internal combustion engine. The control unit is configured to provide both a first control mode wherein an intake air control is carried out by controlling the open/close timing of the variable valve while keeping the throttle valve at a full-open or near full-open position and a second control mode wherein the intake air control is carried out by controlling the position of the throttle valve while reducing a controllable range of the open/close timing of the variable valve. The first and second control modes are selectively switched in accordance with the operation condition of the engine. The first and second control modes allow the engine to output the same engine torque under the same operation condition of the engine.

Abstract: A control system controls an intake air quantity to an engine by controlling an intake valve closing timing, instead of, or in cooperation with, a throttle valve. A controller estimates a quantity of internal EGR gases remaining in a cylinder, and controls the intake valve closing timing to a desired target timing determined in due consideration of the estimated internal EGR quantity. The estimated internal EGR quantity is a sum of a base quantity and an increase correction quantity determined in accordance with a valve overlap period, its middle angular position in crankshaft rotation and intake pressure. The target intake valve closing timing is determined in accordance with a target intake air quantity and the estimated internal EGR quantity.

Abstract: A system and method of optimally controlling ignition timings in an engine conditioned in first and second modes of intake control. A control unit includes an unthrottled operation control conducting the first mode by varying a closing timing of an intake valve and fixing a throttle position of a throttle valve, a throttled operation control conducting the second mode by varying the throttle position of the throttle valve and fixing the closing timing of the intake valve, and an ignition timing control determining different ignition timings to be used in the first and second modes.

Abstract: A system and method for unthrottled intake air control for an internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one combustion chamber provided with electromagnetic intake means. The opening and closing times of the intake means are adjustable entirely independently from the crankshaft position to control intake air supplied to the combustion chamber. A control unit is used to implement instructions for determining a first portion of requested intake airflow, which first portion requests a first engine response performance, and instructions for determining a second portion of requested intake airflow, which second portion requests a second engine response performance.

Abstract: An automotive variable valve timing engine arranged to control the quantity of intake air to be supplied to a cylinder by regulating valve timings of an intake valve. An intake air quantity measuring device is provided for measuring the intake air quantity. An intake air quantity estimating system is provided including a control unit which is programmed to carry out (a) judging that a trouble arises in the intake air quantity measuring device, so as to provide a judgment result, and (b) calculating the intake air quantity in accordance with the valve timing of the intake valve, upon providing the judgment result.

Abstract: A continuous sintering apparatus to be used for sintering nuclear fuel pellets includes a casing integrally constructed to have an upper portion enclosed in a maintenance glove box. The furnace casing includes a casing body and a ceiling cover removably mounted on the casing body, and the ceiling cover can be opened in the glove box while retaining containment. A furnace member to be accommodated in the casing body comprises a combination of a plurality of divided furnace member units, and the furnace member units can be maintained by glove operations when they are delivered from the inside of the casing body into the glove box. A ceiling crane is disposed at an upper portion of the inside of the glove box, and a ceiling cover tentative space and a maintenance working space are provided in the glove box. A turntable for placing the delivered furnace member unit is preferably disposed in the maintenance working space.

Abstract: In an engine whose target air-fuel ratio during the idle state is set to a leaner value than a theoretical air-fuel ratio, the target air-fuel ratio is forcibly switched to the theoretical air-fuel ratio and the learning is performed, when learning a learning correction quantity of the idle rotation speed, and the learning performed by switching to said theoretical air-fuel ratio is executed only once during an on state of an ignition switch.

Abstract: A basic fuel injection amount is calculated based on the intake air amount detected by an air flow meter, and the basic fuel injection amount is corrected based on a phase delay of an intake air amount variation between the engine and air flow meter so as to calculate a first correction injection amount. The first correction injection amount is corrected to a second correction injection amount based on an increase amount which is different according to whether or not the engine is in the idle running state. A fuel injector performs fuel injection based on this second correction injection amount. The increase amount is determined by multiplying a difference between the first correction injection amount and basic fuel injection amount, by a predetermined gain. Due to this, a shift of the air-fuel ratio to the lean side when a new load such as an air conditioner is exerted on the engine in the idle running state, is suppressed.

Abstract: In a vehicle engine, when an accelerator pedal is released and a vehicle speed has decreased after fuel injection by a fuel injector has stopped, a controller restarts fuel injection. An engine rotation speed decrease rate immediately prior to restarting fuel injection is calculated, and a restart fuel injection amount is set which is larger the larger the decrease rate. In this way, the torque generated by the engine quickly recovers even during rapid deceleration, while during gradual deceleration, the generated torque increases gradually so that a torque shock does not occur.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an auxiliary device incorporated therewith. An idling speed control device of the engine includes a first air amount control device which controls the amount of air fed to the engine in accordance with an operation condition of the engine, a second air amount control device which controls the amount of air fed to the engine when a load of the auxiliary device is being applied to the engine; and an air/fuel varying device which varies an air/fuel ratio of a mixture fed to the engine.

Abstract: A cyclone dust collector wherein the interior of a cyclone body is divided into an upper space and a lower space by a partition member provided with a plurality of cylindrical filters, a suction port is so provided as to communicate with the lower space, a common discharge port is so provided as to communicate with the upper space, a collected dust recovery box is fixed to the lower end of the cyclone body, and a discharge blower is connected to the discharge port of the cyclone body. The dust collector is further provided with backwashing stop valves capable of opening and closing upper end portions of the filters and having backwashing nozzles, stop valve driving mechanisms adapted to open and close the stop valves, compressed air hoses connected to the backwashing nozzles of the stop valves, and backwashing electromagnetic valves for controlling the supply and cutoff of backwashing compressed air to the compressed air hoses.

Abstract: Based upon a running condition of an engine, the air-fuel ratio of the fuel mixture supplied to the engine is controlled by open loop control to a target air-fuel ratio. The engine includes a mechanism which adsorbs evaporated fuel from a fuel tank, and a purge conduit which supplies a purge gas which is a mixture of this adsorbed fuel and air to the engine in a predetermined running condition. The purge flow rate is changed according to change in the target air-fuel ratio by controlling the flow rate through the purge conduit according to the proportion between the target air-fuel ratio and a predetermined value. By doing this, deviations in the air-fuel ratio precipitated by purging are eliminated, and the accuracy of air-fuel ratio control is enhanced.