# US 9,435,272 B2 · Internal combustion engine and control apparatus of the internal combustion engine

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- Number: US 9,435,272 B2
- Document ID: US9435272B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/437,020
- Filed: 2012-10-25
- Published: 2015-10-08
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-25
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Fuminori Hosoda
- Inventors: Fuminori Hosoda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435272B2

## CPC

- F02D 13/0207: {changing valve lift or valve lift and timing}
- F01L 13/00: Modifications of valve-gear to facilitate reversing, braking, starting, changing compression ratio, or other specific operations
- F01L 13/0063: {by modification of cam contact point by displacing an intermediate lever or wedge-shaped intermediate element, e.g. Tourtelot}
- F01L 1/185: {Overhead end-pivot rocking arms}
- F01L 1/2405: {by means of a hydraulic adjusting device located between the cylinder head and rocker arm}
- F01L 1/267: {with means for varying the timing or the lift of the valves}
- F01L 2001/0537: {Double overhead camshafts [DOHC]}
- F01L 2305/00: Valve arrangements comprising rollers
- F01L 2800/08: Timing or lift different for valves of different cylinders
- F01L 2820/032: Electric motors
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- 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)
- F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An internal combustion engine includes a first bank and a second bank. The first bank includes a continuously variable valve apparatus that continuously changes a valve characteristic of an intake valve. The second bank includes a multi-stage variable valve apparatus that changes the valve characteristic in multiple stages. An engine control apparatus adjusts the intake air amount of the first bank by adjusting the valve characteristic that is changed by the continuously variable valve apparatus, based on the intake air amount of the second bank.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An internal combustion engine comprising:
a plurality of banks including a first bank and a second bank, and
a variable valve apparatus provided for each of the plurality of banks, the variable valve apparatus being configured to change a valve characteristic of an intake valve,
the variable valve apparatus provided in the first bank being a continuously variable valve apparatus that continuously changes the valve characteristic, and
the variable valve apparatus provided in the second bank being a multi-stage variable valve apparatus that changes the valve characteristic in multiple stages by selecting one valve characteristic from among a preset plurality of valve characteristics.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein
the multi-stage variable valve apparatus includes a variable mechanism portion that changes the valve characteristic of the intake valve, a control shaft that operates the variable mechanism portion, a cam that moves the control shaft in an axial direction, and an electric motor that rotates the cam and
a cam face of the cam includes a section where a displacement amount of the control shaft changes, and a plurality of sections where the displacement amount is constant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein
the continuously variable valve apparatus includes a variable mechanism portion that changes the valve characteristic of the intake valve, a control shaft that operates the variable mechanism portion, an electric motor, and a conversion mechanism that converts rotary motion of the electric motor into linear motion and moves the control shaft in an axial direction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A control apparatus of the internal combustion engine according to claim 1, comprising:
an adjusting portion configured to adjust an intake air amount of the first bank by adjusting the valve characteristic that is changed by the continuously variable valve apparatus, based on an intake air amount of the second bank.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The control apparatus of the internal combustion engine according to claim 4, wherein
the adjusting portion calculates an estimated intake pressure based on an actual intake air amount of the second bank, and adjusts the valve characteristic of the intake valve provided in the first bank, based on a difference between an actual intake pressure of the second bank and the estimated intake pressure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The control apparatus of the internal combustion engine according to claim 5, wherein
the adjusting portion adjusts the valve characteristic such that the intake air amount of the first bank becomes smaller as a value obtained by subtracting the estimated intake pressure from the actual intake pressure increases.