Control system and method for internal combustion engine
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsHirohito Ide, Hideharu Takamiya
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of preventing a variable valve-operating mechanism from suffering problems due to insufficiency of lubrication oil immediately after starting the engine. The ECU of the engine determines an amount of lubrication oil lubricating the variable valve-operating mechanism which is capable of continuously changing an intake lift, holds the intake lift at a predetermined lift if it is determined that the oil amount is less than a predetermined amount, and controls the amount of intake air by changing the opening of a throttle valve capable of adjusting the amount of intake air, when the operation of the variable valve-operating mechanism is inhibited.
Claims20
A control system for an internal combustion engine including a variable valve-operating mechanism which is capable of continuously changing a lift of an intake valve, and an intake air amount-adjusting valve which is disposed at a location upstream of the intake valve and is capable of adjusting an intake air amount, comprising:
- oil amount-determining means for determining whether or not an oil amount of lubrication oil that lubricates the variable valve-operating mechanism reaches a predetermined amount;
- variable valve-operating mechanism control means for inhibiting an operation of the variable valve-operating mechanism and holding a lift of the intake valve at a predetermined lift except when it is determined by said oil amount-determining means that the oil amount reaches the predetermined amount;
- and
- intake air amount-adjusting valve control means for controlling the intake air amount by changing an opening of the intake air amount-adjusting valve when the operation of the variable valve-operating mechanism is inhibited by said variable valve-operating mechanism control means.
A method of controlling an internal combustion engine including a variable valve-operating mechanism which is capable of continuously changing a lift of an intake valve, and an intake air amount-adjusting valve which is disposed at a location upstream of the intake valve and is capable of adjusting an intake air amount, comprising:
- an oil amount-determining step of determining whether or not an oil amount of lubrication oil that lubricates the variable valve-operating mechanism reaches a predetermined amount;
- a variable valve-operating mechanism control step of inhibiting an operation of the variable valve-operating mechanism and holding a lift of the intake valve at a predetermined lift except when it is determined in said oil amount-determining step that the oil amount reaches the predetermined amount;
- and
- an intake air amount-adjusting valve control step of controlling the intake air amount by changing an opening of the intake air amount-adjusting valve when the operation of the variable valve-operating mechanism is inhibited in said variable valve-operating mechanism control step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.