Exhaust emission control apparatus of internal combustion engine

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• fuel-injection means for injecting fuel into an intake air passage;
• valve means for controlling intake air flow exerting an influence upon a behavior of fuel injected from the fuel-injection means;
• drive means electrically operated by a storage battery serving as an electric power source for driving the valve means;
• and
• a control unit connected electrically to at least the drive means and the storage battery for controlling an opening of the valve means, the control unit comprising:
• (a) means for controlling the opening of the valve means to a predetermined intermediate valve opening by the drive means during an engine stopping period;
• and
• (b) means for holding the valve means at the predetermined intermediate valve opening to which the valve means has been driven in advance during the engine stopping period, by inhibiting operation of the drive means during an engine-cranking operating mode at an engine restarting period.

A method of controlling exhaust emissions emitted from an internal combustion engine with a fuel injector injecting fuel into an intake air passage, an intake air flow control valve, and an electric valve actuator electrically operated by a storage battery serving as an electric power source to drive the intake air flow control valve, the method comprising:

• controlling intake air flow exerting an influence upon a behavior of fuel injected from the fuel injector;
• controlling the opening of the intake air flow control valve to a predetermined intermediate valve opening by the electric valve actuator during an engine stopping period;
• and
• holding the intake air flow control valve at the predetermined intermediate valve opening, by inhibiting operation of the electric valve actuator during an engine-cranking operating mode at an engine restarting period.