Abstract:
A control apparatus for a marine engine capable of effectively suppressing a great variation in the rotational speed of the engine due to a great variation in an intake air pressure particularly when the engine is trolling. In one form, an air/fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine is made constant to maintain engine output power at a constant level. In another form, the intake air pressure, based on which the engine is controlled, is averaged in such a manner as to reduce a variation in the engine rotational speed by using a greater averaging coefficient during trolling than at other times. In a further form, if a variation in the intake air pressure is less than a predetermined value, the intake air pressure is used controlling the engine, whereas if otherwise, another engine operating parameter such as an opening degree of a throttle valve is used instead of the intake air pressure.
Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling operation of an internal combustion engine including a multiplicity of cylinders. The apparatus comprises a control means for detecting speedily reference positions for control of the individual cylinders with high reliability. In the control means, a reference position signal generating means for generating a reference position signal containing six equiinterval rectangular pulses each having a duty cycle of 1/2 during a single rotation of a crank shaft is provided in combination with a cylinder identification signal generating means for generating a plurality of different-interval rectangular pulses during a rotation of a shaft interlocked to the cam shaft so that a series of four successive signal levels of the different-interval rectangular pulses sampled at one edges of the equi-interval rectangular pulses differ from one to another succeeding series. The series of the signal levels thus fetched are stored in a signal level data storage means. A reference position determination unit is provided for generating a decision signal by determining the reference positions for the individual cylinders, respectively, on the basis of the four successive signal levels as stored.
Abstract:
An engine control apparatus capable of detecting occurrence of abnormality in the ignition coil with high reliability. The apparatus includes an initial detection level hold device for holding an initial level (In) of a detected ion current value I, and an ignition coil diagnosis device for generating an abnormality decision signal of the ignition coil in dependence on the initial level of the ion current. By positively utilizing noise produced in an initial phase of the ignition cycle instead of eliminating it, the abnormality decision signal is generated, on the basis of which an appropriate engine protection measure is taken.
Abstract:
A knock suppressing apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes knock sensing means for sensing knocking of an engine and lag angle calculating means responsive to the knock sensing means for calculating a lag angle when knocking is sensed. A basic ignition timing for the engine is calculated by a basic ignition timing calculating means based on an operating condition of the engine, and a load sensing means senses a transition of a load of the engine between a light load region and a heavy load region. A weighting means responsive to the load sensing means produces a weighting factor multiplies the lag angle by the weighting factor to obtain a corrected lag angle and changes the weighting factor, when the load sensing means senses a transition of the load, from its value prior to the transition to a new value in a plurality of steps. A final ignition timing calculating means calculates a final ignition timing for the engine based on the basic ignition timing and the corrected lag angle.
Abstract:
An outboard marine engine capable of preventing the generation of cavitation around a propulsion screw due to an abrupt increase in the rotational speed thereof for improved acceleration performance. To this end, a rotational speed sensor senses the number of revolutions per minute of the engine, and a bubble sensor senses the amount of bubbles generated around the propulsion screw and generates a corresponding bubble signal. A controller generates, based on the output signals of the sensors, a drive signal for controlling engine operating parameters. The controller includes a speed limiter for determining, based on the bubble signal from the bubble sensor, whether the amount of bubbles generated around the screw is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. An actuator is driven by the drive signal to control the engine operating parameters in a manner to limit the number of revolutions per minute of the engine when the speed limiter determines that the amount of bubbles is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.
Abstract:
An engine timing control apparatus has a crankshaft position sensor that generates an output signal in the form of a series of pulses having gaps at regular intervals, the gaps indicating reference positions of the crankshaft. The crankshaft position sensor is mounted on an engine such that ignition of the engine does not occur during any of the gaps. A microcomputer controls the engine timing based on the reference positions.
Abstract:
A cylinder identification apparatus for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes the following units. A reference signal generator that senses the rotation of an engine crankshaft and generates a reference signal indicating each time the crankshaft is at a prescribed rotational angle. An identification signal generator senses the rotation of the engine camshaft or other member coupled to and rotating at 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft and generates a cylinder identification signal having a different form for different cylinders of the engine. A control unit identifies each cylinder of the engine based on the form of the cylinder identification signal.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus for detecting a failure of a pressure sensor provided in association with a cylinder of an internal combustion engine for detecting the pressure therein. Decision as to occurrence of a failure in the pressure sensor is made on the basis of the cylinder pressure detected by the pressure sensor through comparison with a prescribed reference value or range. Failure of the pressure sensor is determined if the detected cylinder pressure deviates from the reference value or range by a predetermined amount. Upon detection of a pressure sensor failure, an engine control parameter such as ignition timing for controlling the associated cylinder in dependence on the pressure sensor output is set to a fixed value or the operation of the cylinder is stopped.
Abstract:
A signal generator generates a crank angle reference signal containing a plurality of pulses for one ignition cycle of each cylinder which correspond to prescribed crank positions, respectively, of a corresponding cylinder. The operation of an engine is controlled on the crank angle reference signal so that reference crank positions for engine control are able to be switched over between the pulses depending upon changes in the operating condition of the engine, thereby improving the reliability and stability in the engine control. In addition, a reference position for engine control can be set as near as possible to a control timing, at which an engine control operation such as ignition, fuel injection, etc., is performed, by using an appropriate one(s) of the rising and falling edges of the pulses contained in the crank angle reference signal.
Abstract:
An ignition timing controlling apparatus which is supplied electric current by a relay circuit for backing up and outputs an ignition control signal instructing ignition to an ignition unit in association with a detecting signal of a rotation sensor. Further, the apparatus stops output of the ignition control signal at the stopping time of the engine due to an open state of an ignition switch and prevents the ignition unit from being ignited earlier than desired at the starting time when the ignition switch is in a closed state again, by detecting the open and closed state of the ignition switch and by not outputting the ignition control signal when the ignition switch is in the open state.