Abstract: An object is to capture unburned fuel immediately after startup of an engine effectively. A vessel is disposed in an exhaust manifold of an engine and opened only at one end, its opening directed toward exhaust ports. Catalyst carrier is stored in the vessel. Since exhaust material has high specific gravity as compared to that of vaporized exhaust gas, the unburned fuel is exhausted rectilinearly from the exhaust ports due to its inertia, entering the vessel to be captured in the catalyst carrier. When the temperature of the catalyst reaches the temperature required for activating as the exhaust gas temperature rises, exhaust material is exhausted with purified condition. Since the vessel is opened only at one end, the current passing through this does not occur, making it possible to prevent the damage of the catalyst carrier due to the excessive high-temperature.

Abstract: A fuel injector wherein a piston driven by the extension and contraction of a piezoelectric actuator changes the pressure of a working fluid in a variable pressure chamber and back pressure chamber so as to drive a needle valve to open and close a fuel injection hole, wherein undesirable secondary injection after a main injection in prevented by providing a throttle portion for narrowing the communicating passage between the variable pressure chamber and back pressure chamber when the piston moves forward and the needle valve closes the fuel injection hole.

Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus which, when raising fuel of a low viscosity and a low lubricating ability such as gasoline or methanol to a high pressure by a fuel injection pump and injecting it into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine etc., prevents the lubricating oil for the fuel injection pump from being diluted by this fuel by pressurizing a separate working oil with a viscosity and lubricating ability higher than the fuel by the fuel injection pump and raising the pressure of the fuel by a diaphragm apparatus by the pressure of the high pressure working oil and thereby supplies the same to the fuel injector.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus for cooling an internal combustion engine having a coolant passing through the engine is provided. A heat exchanger performs a heat-energy exchange and a heat exchanger bypass passage prevents part of the coolant flowing out from the engine from flowing into the heat exchanger. A coolant combination device forms a mix of coolant which flows in a passage bypassing a thermostat with coolant which flows in a passage through the thermostat, while a flow rate ratio adjusting valve continuously adjusts the ratio of the flow rate of the part of the coolant which bypasses the thermostat to the part of the coolant which passes through the thermostat in accordance with a temperature of the coolant. Accordingly, the higher the temperature is, the larger the ratio is. Moreover, the temperature is controlled in accordance with a load of the engine so that the larger the load is, the higher the temperature is.

Abstract: A fuel vapor purging system includes a container in which a set of divided chambers are formed by partition walls. Absorbent is disposed in the divided chambers. The divided chambers are sequentially connected to form a zigzag passage. Fuel vapor can enter the container from a fuel tank via a vapor line connecting the fuel tank and the container. In the container, an end of the vapor line faces the divided chamber which occupies an end of the set of the divided chambers. In the container, the fuel vapor is absorbed by the absorbent. Air can escape from the container via an opening in the container. The fuel vapor can be separated from the absorbent. The separated fuel vapor can be drawn into a suitable drawing device such as an engine air induction device via a purge line connecting the container and the drawing device. Fresh air can flow into the container via an air inlet provided on the container.

Abstract: A hydraulic valve drive device for intake/exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine using an oil pump similar to a distributor type injection pump. A plunger rotates and engages in reciprocating motion to pressurize hydraulic fluid taken into a pressure chamber and opens to discharge the same into a hydraulic cylinder of a specific intake/exhaust valve in register with the passage. The intake/exhaust valve maintains its valve lift to continue remaining open when the supply of the hydraulic fluid is stopped, but closes when the plunger rotates so that the passage is communicated with a relief channel and the relief valve opens.

Abstract: An oxygen concentration detecting apparatus having, a pumping cell and a sensing cell, electrodes formed on both surfaces of each of the pumping and sensing cells, a related support structure forming a closed space by being connected with the pumping and sensing cells, an opening communicating between the closed space and the surrounding environment, an electromotive force detector for detecting an electromotive force generated between the electrodes of the sensing cell, a voltage source for applying a voltage between the electrodes of the pumping cell, a current detector for detecting as a signal representing the oxygen concentration a current flowing in the pumping cell when a voltage is applied between the electrodes of the pumping cell, and a controller for controlling the voltage so that the electromotive force is constant at a specified value at which value the above-mentioned current is 70% or less of the limiting current.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for a hydrogen gas engine, having a metal hydride tank in which pellets or powders of a metal hydride absorbing and storing alloy are stored. A heat exchange device is arranged in the tank in contact with the metal hydride therein. The heat exchange device is connected to a heating medium source, such as an engine water jacket, for supplying the heating medium to the heat exchange device, for separating hydrogen gas from the metal hydride. A fuel supply conduit is provided for connecting the metal hydride tank with the engine. A hydrogen gas flow control valve and a hydrogen gas flow meter are arranged in series in the conduit. A controller is provided for controlling the hydrogen gas flow control valve so that a desired amount of the hydrogen gas, as detected by the hydrogen gas flow meter, is obtained. A sub tank may be provided for storing an excess amount of hydrogen gas from the main tank, which is introduced into the engine via a sonic valve.

Abstract: An oil pan is provided with a partition member so as to be divided into a main chamber and an antechamber. A vertical wall of the partition member is provided at a lower region thereof with first holes adjacent to an opening of a draft tube of an oil pump and at an upper region thereof with second holes in the vicinity of an oil level. In a state of warming up following the starting, since the oil temperature is low and the viscosity of the oil is large, the oil in the antechamber cannot pass through the first holes. Accordingly, only the oil in the main chamber a quantity of which is small is circulated through the engine by the oil pump, thereby warming up the engine quickly. Low temperature oil in the antechamber is interchanged with the oil in the main chamber little by little through the second holes, so that the temperature thereof is raised gradually.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an evaporated fuel purge system for directly feeding evaporated fuel of a fuel tank into an intake pipe of the engine during the engine is running. This system comprises a purge control valve for opening or closing a flow line which connects an upper space of the fuel tank with the intake pipe, a controller for controlling the operation of the valve, a throttle section formed in series with the purge control valve, and pressure and temperature sensors which are located on the upstream side of the throttle section for detecting a pressure and a temperature of the evaporated fuel. When a value detected by the pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined value of pressure for providing a critical pressure ratio at which a flow rate of the evaporated fuel at the throttle section substantially equals to a sonic velocity, the controller opens the purge control valve to cause a purged flow of the evaporated fuel whose flow rate is constant.

Abstract: A gas/liquid separator device includes a separator, such as a cyclone type separator, provided in a blowby gas passage for introducing a blowby gas from a blowby gas chamber of an internal combustion engine, an oil accumulator in the form of a container for accumulating separated and condensed oil mist, another passage provided separately from the blowby gas passage for returning the oil from the oil accumulator to an oil collection chamber, and a communication blocking element for blocking a communication between the oil accumulator and the oil collection chamber while the engine is running.

Abstract: A fluid flow control valve comprises a fluid heating device for supplying a heat energy to a fluid, a valve device for controlling a flow rate of the fluid, an electromagnetic coil for generating a magnetic field at the fluid heating device and the valve device so that the fluid heating device is heated to supply the heat energy to the fluid and the valve device is operated to control the flow rate of the fluid, and a power source for applying a voltage to the electromagnetic coil to generate the magnetic field, the power source supplying a current whose value fluctuates to the electromagnetic coil when the fluid heating device supplies the heat energy to the fluid.

Abstract: A fuel injector for injecting a heated fuel into a combustion engine, comprises, an electro-magnetic coil for generating a fluctuating magnetic flux density, a fuel heating member in which the fluctuating magnetic flux density is generated by the electro-magnetic coil so that the fuel heating member is heated by the fluctuating magnetic flux density and a heat energy of the fuel heating member generated by the fluctuating magnetic flux density is transmitted to the fuel to supply the heated fuel, and a fuel path member in which the fuel flows to be injected from the fuel injector into the combustion engine and in which the fuel heating member is arranged to heat the fuel, wherein a magnetic permeability of the fuel heating member is larger than that of the fuel path member so that a magnetic flux density in the fuel heating member is larger than a magnetic flux density in the fuel path member.

Abstract: A spark plug for internal combustion engines includes a third electrode in addition to a center electrode and a ground electrode which define a normal or main spark gap. Defined between the center electrode and the third electrode is an auxiliary gap adjoining the normal gap and adapted to produce a capacitive discharge at a voltage lower than that of the normal gap, and a discharge is induced across the normal gap by the capacitive discharge across the auxiliary gap.

Abstract: An electrostrictive actuator which can be used, e.g., in a distributor type fuel injection device of a diesel engine has an electrostrictive actuator for generating an electric charge upon reception of a load and an electric circuit unit connected to the electrostrictive actuator. The electric circuit unit has an electric charge changing means for changing the electric charge of the electrostrictive actuator in the state of generation of electric charge due to a load exerted on the electrostrictive actuator and thereby constricting the electrostrictive actuator, and an electrical charging means for charging the electrostrictive actuator in the state of constriction due to the operation of the electric charge changing means when the load exerted on the electrostrictive actuator is reduced and thereby extending the electrostrictive actuator.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oil heating apparatus for an internal combustion engine, in which a heating unit for heating an oil is arranged adjacent to an oil pump on an oil path which extends from an oil pan to the oil pump of the internal combustion engine and allows the oil to pass therethrough, and energization of the heating unit is controlled by a heating control unit. When an oil having a high viscosity due to a low temperature is heated to increase the viscosity thereof, the load on the oil pump is reduced to allow an easy starting operation of the internal combustion engine at a low temperature.

Abstract: A fuel injection pump including a valve opening and closing an overflow passage formed in a body of the pump to connect a high pressure chamber to a low pressure chamber. The low pressure chamber is provided for reserving low pressure fuel, and the high pressure chamber is provided for pressurizing fuel sent from the low pressure chamber and for discharging the pressurized fuel to fuel injectors. A plunger has intake grooves which open the feed passage to communicate the high pressure chamber with the low pressure chamber on an intake action of the pump. The body of the pump has a feed passage formed therein which connects the high pressure chamber to a control chamber. The pressure in the control chamber is changed by the expansion and contaction of a piezoelectric actuator, and the pressure in the control chamber urges the valve in a direction in which the valve closes the overflow passage.

Abstract: A fuel injection system in which a fuel injector having a fuel pressure control chamber formed therein to create a pressure which forces a needle valve in the closing direction to open and close the nozzle hole, an accumulator to retain fuel discharged from the nozzle hole, and a fuel injector provided at each of the cylinders of the engine, are connected to the fuel injection pump by a single piping system without utilizing a special distribution mechanism. The volume of the fuel pressure control chamber in the fuel injector can be changed by a piezo-actuator. A check valve is provided at a half way point of the piping which leads the fuel fed under pressure from the fuel injection pump to the fuel injector into the fuel pressure control chamber and the accumulator, so that the fuel is fed through the check valve into the fuel pressure control chamber and the accumulator.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a capacitive-type load using a direct current power source, a charging circuit connected in series to the load, a discharging circuit connected in parallel to the load, and an electric circuit for controlling the charging and discharging circuits, and wherein at least one of the charging and discharging circuits has a primary coil, and a secondary coil coupled to the primary coil restores energy, generated when the charging or discharging is turned OFF, to the power source. This provides a highly efficient driving by a restoration of energy.

Abstract: A high voltage generating device with a PZT element is disclosed. The device includes an energization control unit for generating an energization voltage, a PZT element unit for performing voltage conversion in response to an output from the energization control unit, and a load unit for receiving an output from the PZT element unit. The PZT element unit is provided with a resonating member and an electrostrictive element, and a period of an output voltage from the energization control unit is controlled so that a primary voltage from the PZT element unit becomes maximum at a timing when the output voltage from the energization control unit is not supplied.