# US 10,767,588 B2 · Control apparatus for engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,767,588 B2 - Document ID: US10767588B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/120,688 - Filed: 2018-09-04 - Published: 2019-03-28 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-25 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Ryosuke Itano; Toshiyuki Miyata; Hitoshi Toda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10767588B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/182: {for the control of a fuel injection device} - F02B 25/145: {with intake and exhaust valves exclusively in the cylinder head} - F02D 13/0234: {changing the valve timing only} - F02D 13/0238: {by shifting the phase, i.e. the opening periods of the valves are constant} - F02D 13/0261: {Controlling the valve overlap} - F02D 41/0007: {for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines (control of the pumps per se F02B37/12)} - F02D 41/345: {Controlling injection timing (F02D41/365 takes precedence)} - F02D 2041/001: {for engines with variable valve actuation} - F02D 2200/04: Engine intake system parameters - F02D 2200/0411: Volumetric efficiency - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The control apparatus for an engine includes: a first controller that sets a valve-opening timing of an intake valve of the engine in response to an amount of intake air; and a second controller that sets an injection start time of a fuel injector of the engine in response to the amount of intake air. In a case where the amount of intake air is within a first range being equal to or more than a predetermined value, the first controller advances the valve-opening timing as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is equal to the predetermined value, and the second controller delays the injection start time as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is within a second range being less than the predetermined value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control apparatus for an engine, the engine comprising a fuel injector that injects fuel into an intake port, a variable valve mechanism that changes opening/closing timings of at least an intake valve, and a first detector that detects an amount of intake air flowing through an intake passage of the engine, the control apparatus comprising: a first controller that sets a valve-opening timing of the intake valve in response to the amount of intake air; and a second controller that sets an injection start time of the fuel injector in response to the amount of intake air, wherein: in a case where the amount of intake air is within a first range being greater than a predetermined value, the first controller advances the valve-opening timing as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is equal to the predetermined value; and in the case where the amount of intake air is within the first range, the second controller delays the injection start time as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is within a second range being less than the predetermined value, and wherein the first controller advances the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases within the first range; and the second controller continuously increases the delay of the injection start time as the amount of intake air increases within the first range. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engine includes a turbocharger, and the first range covers a range of the amount of intake air being in a condition where supercharging pressure is equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the engine includes a second detector that detects atmospheric pressure, and the control apparatus further comprising: a first calculator that calculates charging efficiency based on the amount of intake air; and a second calculator that calculates volumetric efficiency based on the amount of intake air and the atmospheric pressure, wherein the second controller calculates the injection start times based on the charging efficiency and the volumetric efficiency, respectively, and when the injection start times calculated by the second controller differ from each other, sets more delayed one as the injection start time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the engine includes a second detector that detects atmospheric pressure, the control apparatus further comprising: a first calculator that calculates charging efficiency based on the amount of intake air; and a second calculator that calculates volumetric efficiency based on the amount of intake air and the atmospheric pressure, wherein the second controller calculates the injection start times based on the charging efficiency and the volumetric efficiency, respectively, and when the injection start times calculated by the second controller differ from each other, sets more delayed one as the injection start time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first controller continuously increases delay of the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases toward the predetermined value, at which the second range switches from the second range to the first range, within the second range. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first controller continuously increases delay of the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases toward a predetermined value, at which the second range switches from the second range to the first range, within the second range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first controller continuously increases delay of the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases toward a predetermined value, at which the second range switches from the second range to the first range, within the second range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first controller continuously increases delay of the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases toward a predetermined value, at which the second range switches from the second range to the first range, within the second range. ### Claim 9 A control apparatus for an engine, the engine comprising a fuel injector that injects fuel into an intake port, a variable valve mechanism that changes opening/closing timings of at least an intake valve, and a first detecting means that detects an amount of intake air flowing through an intake passage of the engine, the control apparatus comprising: a first control means that sets a valve-opening timing of the intake valve in response to the amount of intake air; and a second control means that sets an injection start time of the fuel injector in response to the amount of intake air, wherein: in a case where the amount of intake air is within a first range being greater than a predetermined value, the first control means advances the valve-opening timing as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is equal to the predetermined value; and in the case where the amount of intake air is within the first range, the second control means delays the injection start time as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is within a second range being less than the predetermined value, and wherein the first control means advances the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases within the first range; and the second controller continuously increases the delay of the injection start time as the amount of intake air increases within the first range. ### Claim 10 A control apparatus for an engine, the engine comprising a fuel injector that injects fuel into an intake port, a variable valve mechanism that changes opening/closing timings of at least an intake valve, and a first detector that detects an amount of intake air flowing through an intake passage of the engine, the control apparatus comprising: a first controller that sets a valve-opening timing of the intake valve in response to the amount of intake air; and a second controller that sets an injection start time of the fuel injector in response to the amount of intake air, wherein: in a case where the amount of intake air is within a first range being greater than a predetermined value, the first controller advances the valve-opening timing as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is equal to the predetermined value; and in the case where the amount of intake air is within the first range, the second controller delays the injection start time as compared with a case where the amount of intake air is within a second range being less than the predetermined value, and wherein the engine includes a second detector that detects atmospheric pressure, and the control apparatus further comprising: a first calculator that calculates charging efficiency based on the amount of intake air; and a second calculator that calculates volumetric efficiency based on the amount of intake air and the atmospheric pressure, wherein the second controller calculates the injection start times based on the charging efficiency and the volumetric efficiency, respectively, and when the injection start times calculated by the second controller differ from each other, sets more delayed one as the injection start time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein: the first controller advances the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases within the first range; and the second controller delays the injection start time as the amount of intake air increases within the first range. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the engine includes a turbocharger, and the first range covers a range of the amount of intake air being in a condition where supercharging pressure is equal to or higher than atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the first controller continuously delays the valve-opening timing as the amount of intake air increases toward a predetermined intake air amount, at which the second range switches from the second range to the first range, within the second range.