# US 8,464,674 B2 · Control apparatus for variable operation angle mechanism

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- Number: US 8,464,674 B2
- Document ID: US8464674B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/497,379
- Filed: 2011-03-11
- Published: 2013-01-10
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-30
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Takashi Nakagawa; Shunsuke Yamamoto; Shunsuke Habara
- Inventors: Takashi Nakagawa; Shunsuke Yamamoto; Shunsuke Habara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464674B2

## CPC

- F02D 41/0002: {Controlling intake air}
- F02D 13/0207: {changing valve lift or valve lift and timing}
- F02D 41/065: {at hot start or restart (F02D41/067 takes precedence)}
- F02D 41/042: {for stopping the engine}
- F02D 2041/001: {for engines with variable valve actuation}
- 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)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An electronic control unit that controls a variable operation angle mechanism that varies an operation angle of an intake valve reduces an operation angle of the intake valve to a normal startup operation angle after first maintaining the operation angle of the intake valve at a high temperature restart operation angle that is larger than the normal startup operation angle for a predetermined period of time after an engine is stopped.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control apparatus of a variable operation angle mechanism that varies an operation angle of an intake valve, comprising: a control unit that, after the operation angle is maintained at a high temperature restart operation angle that is larger than a normal startup operation angle for a first predetermined period of time, after an engine is stopped, reduces the operation angle to the normal startup operation angle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the normal startup operation angle is 200° CA and the high temperature restart operation angle is 240° CA.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined period of time is set to a period of time between a point in time when the engine is stopped and a point in time when an engine temperature has decreased to a temperature at which a high temperature restart will not be performed even if the engine is restarted.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when reducing the operation angle to the normal startup operation angle, after a drive duty necessary to start operating an actuator of the variable operation angle mechanism is applied to the actuator for a second predetermined period of time, apply a drive duty that is smaller than the drive duty necessary to start operating the actuator of the variable operation angle mechanism to the actuator until the operation angle comes to match the normal startup operation angle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second predetermined period of time is set longer for a lower operation speed of the actuator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a target operating speed of the actuator of the variable operation angle mechanism when reducing the operation angle to the normal startup operation angle is set; and
the control unit feedback-controls the operating speed of the actuator such that an actual operating speed of the actuator comes to match the target operating speed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the normal startup operation angle is able to be mechanically maintained even without operating the actuator of the variable operation angle mechanism; and
the high temperature restart operation angle is able to be maintained by operating the actuator.