Abstract: A method and apparatus for injecting fuel into the cylinders of an engine which has an injection valve for each cylinder that is positioned so that it can injection fuel into an open inlet port. The method and apparatus provide for fuel to be partially injected into a suction pipe leading to the cylinder before the corresponding intake-valve arrangement opens, so that it is stored in advance. Fuel is also partially injected into the open inlet port. A value which is a measure of the temperature in the suction pipe also is acquired. On the basis of this acquired value, the total required fuel quantity to be stored in advance is determined and to what extent this fuel quantity will be injected after the injection-valve arrangement opens. The method and apparatus avoid the formation of wall film in the suction pipe as a result of storing too much injected fuel in advance.

Abstract: In a method for lambda control, the lambda controller actual value for forming a control deviation is not only measured by a lambda probe having a jump response but in addition, the averaged lambda value is used as a lambda measurement actual lvalue which is compared to a lambda measurement desired value. The lambda measurement desired value is fixed in advance for different values of operating variables such that it corresponds to that lambda value for every operating condition for which an optimal toxic substance conversion results. If the lambda measurement actual value deviates from a pregiven value, then at least one control parameter for the two-position control is so changed that the desired value self adjusts thereafter. This method and an apparatus operating pursuant thereto permit the two-position control to be so controlled with respect to its characteristics in all operating conditions that the particular desired mean lambda value self adjusts for optimal toxic substance conversion.

Abstract: In a pressure transducer (11), the diaphragm (14) is fastened at the front side of the housing (10) facing the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine by weld connections. The pressure acting on the diaphragm (14) is transmitted via the plunger (16) to a sensor block (18) including a plurality of piezoelectrically acting crystals (19, 20). The quartz disks (19, 20) are glued together with one another and with an intermediate electrode (21) as well as with the housing (10) of the pressure transducer (11) by a conducting glue. The plunger (14), the abutment (23) and the piezoelectrically acting crystals (19, 20) are connected in the housing (10) so that force transmission to the crystals (19, 20) occurs without mechanical pretensioning. The pressure transducer (11) is virtually free of dynamic temperature errors and enables a relatively exact determination of the pressure curve with respect to time in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine in long-term operation.

Abstract: In a method for adjusting air and fuel masses for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with individual injection for each cylinder, the fuel mass for each injection operation is calculated taking into account the probable intake-pipe pressure during the opening time of the inlet valve. After a change of the accelerator pedal, the throttle flap is only adjusted when the fuel masses decisive for the new throttle-flap position have been calculated and substantially ejected.

Abstract: A multiple cylinder internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust recycling system including an exhaust return line connected with an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion cylinder and exhaust metering device comprising a first metering member connected with a throttle valve of an intake manifold for joint actuation therewith and a plurality of turbulence nozzles, each of the turbulence nozzles being located in an immediate vicinity of an inlet valve of each combustion cylinder communicating a combustion chamber of a respective combustion cylinder with the intake manifold, the exhaust recycling system further comprising a header reservoir located downstream of said first metering member, and a plurality of separate exhaust return lines communicating the header reservoir with the plurality of turbulence nozzles, respectively.

Abstract: A process for determining the combustion pressure of an internal combustion engine is proposed. Conventional processes of this type have the disadvantage that the determination methods are very costly. Furthermore, stringent requirements are made of the sensors to be used. By comparison, the process proposed here is distinguished in that the combustion pressure is calculated from the combustion chamber pressure (p(.alpha.)) determined with simple sensors, by determining the compression pressure (p.sub.k (.alpha.)). These values for the compression pressure are subtracted from the combustion chamber pressure in order to calculate the combustion pressure p*(.alpha.)). Preferably, the course of the compression pressure is obtained by measuring the combustion chamber pressure values during the compression until top dead center in the working phase and storing them in a memory.

Abstract: A method and a system for adjusting the lambda value of an air/fuel mixture to be supplied to an internal combustion engine wherein a throttle flap is adjusted in each case in such a manner that lean operation is obtained in a lower load range and a stoichiometric operation (lambda=1) is obtained in an upper load range.

Abstract: A method for lambda control works with two control circuits for different groups of cylinders. In each control circuit, a two-position control is carried out which leads to a control oscillation in each case. The phase shift between the two oscillations is determined and set to a predetermined value. If the predetermined value of the phase shift corresponds to half an oscillation period, this leads to the condition that the exhaust gas from one group of cylinders oscillates from rich to lean exactly when the exhaust gas from the other group of cylinders oscillates from lean to rich, and vice versa. If these two exhaust gases are mixed in front of a catalyst, the latter receives a mixed gas which has essentially the lambda value 1. The method thus makes it possible to obtain an amplitude of oscillation of the lambda value of the exhaust gas which is lower than the amplitudes of oscillation of the lambda values of the air/fuel mixtures fed to the two groups of cylinders.

Abstract: A known control system for adjusting the lambda value of an internal combustion engine includes a corrective value ROM for transient operation wherein corrective values are stored for correcting the injection times for transient operation. In contrast thereto, the system according to the invention includes a corrective base value ROM 30, an adaptation value RAM 35 and an adaptation unit 34. The values from the corrective base value ROM are not utilized directly for correcting injection times; instead, these values serve as corrective base values which only become adapted corrective values by means of multiplication with adaptation values. The adaptation unit adapts the adaptation values in the adaptation value RAM. For this purpose, the adaptation unit determines the lambda value control deviations during a transient operation.

Abstract: An evaluation device for producing an interference free output signal from a measuring signal of a lambda probe arranged in an exhaust gas outlet of an internal combustion engine includes the following function units: an integrator for integrating the measuring signal from the probe for an adjustable time interval; a computer for computing from predetermined operational variables of the engine periods of pressure pulsations of the exhaust gas; and a computerized timer cooperating with the computer to define a time interval for the integrating operation corresponding to an integer multiple of a period of special pulsations computed by the computer.

Abstract: A device for detecting pressure fluctuations in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion chamber includes two ionic current gages positioned in an end gas region of the combustion chamber and spaced from each other by a predetermined distance in an axial direction. The device detects pressure knocks in the combustion chamber by defining various time intervals for the occurrence of the ionic current during the knocking combustion and non-knocking combustion of gases in the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Engine knock sensor signals are amplified, band-pass filtered and rectified and then a sequence of integrated signal peak values are compared with reference signals relating to a typical engine knock signal. If the deviation of the integration values or peak values or their sum over a measurement period differs by less than a predetermined amount from the corresponding reference values, a knock indication is produced. The initial integration or peak value may be given less weight than those that follow. The knock sensor may be an engine block sound sensor, or a combustion chamber light, pressure or iron current sensor. Additional criteria, such as the interval between null transitions or signal maxima or the number of them in a measuring period may be used to inhibit a knock indication in case the main processing should occasionally provide an anomalous knock signal, but this precaution is not sufficiently needed to warrant its inclusion in simplified systems.

Abstract: To modify engine operation and reduce the tendency of the engine to knock or ping, a knocking signal is generated which is representative of knocking intensity and/or frequency of knocking occurrence, and compared with a permissible knocking signal. The result of the comparison is utilized to change an operating parameter of the engine, for example by injecting a fluid, e.g. water, into the engine, changing charge pressure, for example of a turbocharger or the like. The permissible engine knock signal can be modified in accordance with an engine operating parameter, for example at low temperature, or low speed, the permissible knocking limit can be raised since the damaging effect of knocking at low temperature or low speed is less than under different operating conditions.

Abstract: The internal combustion engine has at least one combustion chamber, an inlet conduit leading to it, and an adjustable means for varying flows of a medium, such as air or a fuel-air mixture, flowing into the combustion chamber for the sake of an optimized acceleration of curves defined by the process of combustion, so that economical engine operation is attained while producing as little in the way of toxic exhaust gas components as possible. An adjusting motor acting upon the means is controlled by a regulator, which is connected via a comparator with a set-point value transducer and an actual-value transducer. The actual-value transducer includes an optoelectric sensor connected to the combustion chamber for measuring the curves of combustion. The set-point value transducer indicates a set-point value for optimal curves of combustion, and the regulator, via the adjustable means, reduces any difference that may exist between the set-point value and the actual value.

Abstract: To facilitate assembly of a central glass rod in an optical sensor-spark plug combination, electrical energy is conducted to the spark end of the combination by a high temperature resistant tube or sleeve 11 surrounding a central glass rod 2 for only a limited portion of the entire length; electrical energy is conducted to the high temperature resistant sleeve 11, which forms the sparking end of the spark plug, from a terminal connector 1 by a packing 10 of electrically conductive powder, which may include radio noise suppression resistance characteristics, held in place by a compression spring 8, in electrical connection with the terminal connector 1; or by a separate tube 12 surrounding the glass rod 1, and of non-heat resistant material, the glass rod 1 being separated from the other tube 12 by an adhesive which, at the connecting end of the spark plug, need not be high temperature resistant.

Abstract: A parameter characterizing the course of combustion is ascertained by means of a sensor, preferably an optical sensor. In order to distinguish irregular combustion processes from regular ones, the filtered signal is examined as to its symmetry relative to an imaginary axis of symmetry in the signal maximum. If it is thereby determined that the signal is not symmetrical with respect to this axis, then a recognition signal for irregular combustion is emitted. In order to perform this method, a symmetry pulse is generated, which marks the temporal appearance of the signal maximum. In accordance with this pulse, a characteristic variable is generated which characterizes the course of the signal before the signal maximum and another characteristic variable is generated which characterizes the course of the signal after the signal maximum, and these characteristic variables are then compared with one another.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for controlling an internal combustion engine equipped with glow plugs. The arrangement includes a heat-control circuit for controlling the temperature of the glow plug and an ancillary control circuit which can be a fuel control circuit for example. The ancillary control circuit takes over from the heat-control circuit for the purpose of controlling the ignition time point of the mixture when the temperature-control has reached its limit. A comparator is provided to monitor the heat-control circuit and to activate the ancillary control circuit if necessary.

Abstract: An apparatus is proposed for detecting operating characteristics of an internal combustion engine. It has an optical sensor whose output signal is delivered to an amplifier with a variable transmission behavior. As a result, it is possible to have either a stepped or a continuous adaptation of the sensor sensitivity to various operational points of the engine. It is particularly proposed that the amplification for the measurement signal be selected to be high in the case of an opto-electrical combustion chamber observation in a low load range, while it is selected to be low in a high load range, so that relatively equalized measurement results are available for use.

Abstract: To protect the light guide element of a combustion sensor, for example combined with a spark plug, and extending through a bore in the center electrode thereof against high temperatures and attach due to environmental conditions occurring within the combustion chamber, a protective element of a high temperature resistant, light transmitting ceramic, preferably alpha-crystalline aluminum oxide is located at the combustion end portion, for example in form of a disc 14, held in position by a turned-over flange of the end portion of the center electrode 13 of a spark plug-sensor combination.

Abstract: To permit individual evaluation of the combustion processes in the respective cylinders (1a-d) of an internal combustion (IC) engine (2), individual optical pick-ups (3a-d; 4a-d) are coupled to the respective cylinders, the output signals either in optical or electrical form are conducted to separate pick-ups for individual evaluation or, alternatively, the output signals are combined and then again separated out by a steering circuit. Individual evaluation can be accomplished by locating light guide fibers from the sensors in a predetermined position with respect to opto-electrical transducers; by forming scanning windows, for example by a rotating disk (19, 20) rotating n in synchronism with the engine and permitting passage of light from the respective fibers of the light guides to respective pick-ups; or by combining the light outputs from the respective sensors (4) either optically by intermixing light guide fibers in a common cable (6'), or electrically in an equivalent OR-circuit (FIG. 8: R.sub.