Abstract:
A knocking device for an internal combustion engine which detects the ionization current through an ignition coil just prior to the time of ignition, and judges whether or not the ionization current is above a predetermined level after a predetermined time or crank angle from the ignition. If the ionization current is above the predetermined level, it is judged that knocking has taken place. Accordingly, knocking can be detected simply and surely.
Abstract:
A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a reference position sensor which generates a reference position signal indicating occurrence of a first and a second reference position of each piston of an engine. Using the reference position signal, the period between two occurrences of one of the reference position and the separation between an occurrence of the first reference position and an occurrence of the second reference position are measured. An error in the reference position signal with respect to the first or the second reference position is calculated based on a ratio of the reference position separation to the measured period. A control timing for the engine, such as the ignition timing, is calculated based on operating conditions of the engine, and a control period corresponding to the length of time from an occurrence of one of the reference positions until an occurrence of the control timing is calculated based on the calculated error. The calculation of the control period compensates for the presence of error in the reference position signal, so the engine timing can be accurately controlled despite the presence of error.
Abstract:
An engine control apparatus and method can prevent hunting during engine deceleration in a reliable manner, thereby improving the driving sensation or comfort of the driver of a vehicle. An air/fuel mixture is supplied to engine cylinders through an intake passage with a throttle valve disposed therein, and a bypass passage with an air valve disposed therein is connected with the intake passage for bypassing the throttle valve to supply auxiliary air to the cylinders. An electronic control unit includes a deceleration determining section for determining whether the engine is decelerating and for determining whether the rotational speed of the engine is equal to or less than a predetermined reference value, a deceleration processing section for performing a deceleration processing whereby the amount of auxiliary air is swiftly increased to a maximum and then gradually decreased when the engine rotational speed becomes equal to or less than the predetermined reference value during engine deceleration, and a deceleration processing disabling section for determining whether a deceleration processing is being performed and for disabling the deceleration determining section when the deceleration processing is being performed. Thus, even if the engine rotational speed, having once fallen below the reference speed, rises above it and then falls below it during the deceleration processing, the deceleration processing disabling section disables the decelerating determining section whereby the engine rotational speed can be gradually and smoothly reduced to an idling speed without hunting.
Abstract:
A signal generator generates a crank angle reference signal and a cylinder identification signal in synchronism with the rotation of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The crank angle reference signal has high and low levels which change at a first reference crank position and at a second reference crank position of each cylinder. The cylinder identification signal corresponds to a specific cylinder and is out of phase with respect to the crank angle reference signal. The operating position of each cylinder is determined on the basis of the crank angle reference signal and the cylinder identification signal so that the ignition of each cylinder is controlled based on these signals. The ignition control for the cylinders is stopped if there is an abnormality in the crank angle reference signal or in the cylinder identification signal. This improves reliability and stability in the control of the overall system.
Abstract:
An ignition timing controller for an internal combustion engine controls the supply of current to the primary winding of an ignition coil. When the engine has started, current is supplied to the primary winding beginning at a certain piston position. When the engine is starting, current is supplied to the primary winding beginning when a special delay time has elapsed from a prescribed first piston position. The special delay time is inversely proportional to the engine rotational speed. The period of time for which the ignition coil conducts at starting is thereby shortened, and thermal damage to the ignition coil and other portions of the ignition system is prevented.
Abstract:
An ignition controlling apparatus of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine which distinguishes successively at least one cylinder to be ignited among plural cylinders of the internal combustion engine, distributes an ignition controlling signal switching on/off an ignition coil on the basis of successively distinguishing information, and stores and learns the distinguishing information, thereby being capable of distinguishing cylinders normally according to the stored and learned distinguishing information even when it is impossible to distinguish cylinders.
Abstract:
An ignition timing control device for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine is disclosed, which determines the control timings of the ignition system on the basis of a rotational position signal, the leading and trailing edges of the pulses of which signal correspond to the first and second rotational positions of the crankshaft in relation to respective cylinders, wherein the second rotational position with respect to a specific cylinder is displaced by an offset angle. The pulses corresponding to the specific cylinder are identified by a cylinder identifying means on the basis of duty ratio t/T of the pulses. When the control timings such as the ignition timings are determined on the basis of the second rotational positions of the crankshaft, an offset compensator means compensates for the offset angle of the second rotational position with respect to the specific cylinder in the determination of the control timings, in response to an identification of a pulse corresponding to the specific cylinder by the cylinder identifying means.
Abstract:
A magnetic object motion sensor which can operate with high accuracy not only when a magnetic object moves at high speeds but also even when it moves at low speeds, which can be produced with a greater production tolerance and a greater dimensional tolerance. The magnetic object motion sensor includes: magnetoelectric transducer elements disposed opposite protrusions of a moving magnetic object; a magnet for generating bias magnetic flux toward the magnetoelectric transducer elements; unbalanced bias producing means for producing imbalance in the magnetic field sensitivity between the magnetoelectric transducer elements; a differential amplifier for amplifying in a differential fashion the electric signals output by the magnetoelectric transducer elements; a waveform shaping circuit for converting the differential signal output by the differential amplifier to a pulse signal corresponding to the edges of the magnetic material protrusion; the unbalanced bias producing means producing a difference in the amplitude of the magnetic flux density between that applied to one element of the pair of magnetoelectric transducer elements and that applied to the other element so that the difference in the electric signal level corresponding to the difference in the amplitude of the magnetic flux density becomes greater than the hysteresis of the waveform shaping circuit, thereby, in effect, introducing imbalance in the sensitivity between the magnetoelectric transducer elements.
Abstract:
An exhaust gas recirculation control system for internal combustion engines, comprising an exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating a part of an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into the engine; an exhaust gas recirculation control valve for controlling a flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust gas recirculation passage; an opening degree controller for controlling an opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve; an operating condition detector for detecting an operating condition of the engine; means for setting a target exhaust gas recirculation ratio depending on the detected operating condition; a combustion state detector for detecting a combustion state in at least one cylinder of the engine; means for finding an actual exhaust gas recirculation ratio of the engine based on the detected combustion state; and means for controlling the opening degree controller so as to bring the actual exhaust gas recirculation ratio to the target exhaust gas recirculation ratio.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing an inexpensive rotation sensor having excellent performance, high workability, and high reliability is provided. In the method, the rotation sensor is manufactured by providing an insert conductor having a predetermined shape and insert-molding the insert conductor in a resin base such that at least a connector terminal and an conversion device terminal of the insert conductor remains exposed from the resin base. Also, a resin connector part is molded after the resin base is molded such that the resin connector part encircles the connector terminal.