A longitudinally adjustable connecting rod with a hydraulic control device for effecting a change in the effective length of the connecting rod is provided. The hydraulic control device comprises a hydraulic control valve which comprises a hydraulically actuatable control slide that is preloaded by way of a control slide spring, and two outlet valves which can be actuated by the control slide by way of two control contours arranged at a distance from one another. The control slide comprises a low-pressure section with a low-pressure piston for hydraulically actuating the control slide. For optimizing the control slide for such a longitudinally adjustable connecting rod, the two control contours are arranged together in a high-pressure section of the control slide which is arranged on one side of the low-pressure section and separated therefrom by way of a sealing section disposed therebetween. The control contours each comprise a closure region with control cams and an opening region adjoining the control cams. The closure region has a smaller cross-section than the opening region. The mass of the section of the control slide disposed between the two closure regions corresponds at most to 0.95 times the envelope volume of this section multiplied by the density of steel (7.85 g/mm.sup.3) due to the selection of material and/or the contouring narrowing in comparison with the opening regions. A respective control slide and a reciprocating piston engine are also provided.

Methods and systems for enabling regeneration of a particulate filter of an engine system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, a request for particulate filter regeneration; in response to the request, determining, by the processor, at least one of a compression ratio and an expansion ratio; generating, by the processor, control signals to actuators of the engine system to adjust the at least one of the compression ratio and the expansion ratio to achieve a desired exhaust temperature; generating, by the processor, control signals to actuators of the engine system to optimize torque output based on the desired exhaust temperature, engine speed, and a desired engine load; and initiating, by the processor, regeneration of the particulate filter based on the command signals.

Methods and systems for enabling regeneration of a particulate filter of an engine system are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving, by a processor, a request for particulate filter regeneration; in response to the request, determining, by the processor, at least one of a compression ratio and an expansion ratio; generating, by the processor, control signals to actuators of the engine system to adjust the at least one of the compression ratio and the expansion ratio to achieve a desired exhaust temperature; generating, by the processor, control signals to actuators of the engine system to optimize torque output based on the desired exhaust temperature, engine speed, and a desired engine load; and initiating, by the processor, regeneration of the particulate filter based on the command signals.

A connecting rod for changing a compression ratio of an internal combustion engine includes a connecting rod head, a connecting rod pin, and an interlock. The connecting rod pin is supported by an eccentric of the connecting rod at a variable distance within the connecting rod head. The connecting rod head or the connecting rod pin includes a fluid chamber and the eccentric has a projection extending into the fluid chamber. In the alternative, the eccentric delimits a fluid chamber and the connecting rod head or the eccentric has a projection extending into in the fluid chamber. A fluid pressure in the fluid chamber exerts a force on the projection to change the position of the eccentric. In a locking position, the interlock inhibits rotation of the eccentric relative to the connecting rod head and the interlock is configured to be releasable.

Throttle-at-valve apparatus, internal combustion engines employing throttle-at-valve apparatus, and methods of throttling an internal combustion engine using a throttle-at-valve apparatus, where the throttle-at-valve apparatus includes a throttle slide body disposed within a throttle slide cavity that is defined between and in fluid communication with both an unobstructed air intake passage and an intake valve of an internal combustion engine, where the air flow from the air intake passage to the intake valve is regulated by the reciprocal movement of the throttle slide body within the throttle slide cavity.

Throttle-at-valve apparatus, internal combustion engines employing throttle-at-valve apparatus, and methods of throttling an internal combustion engine using a throttle-at-valve apparatus, where the throttle-at-valve apparatus includes a throttle slide body disposed within a throttle slide cavity that is defined between and in fluid communication with both an unobstructed air intake passage and an intake valve of an internal combustion engine, where the air flow from the air intake passage to the intake valve is regulated by the reciprocal movement of the throttle slide body within the throttle slide cavity.

A control method of an internal combustion engine including an in-cylinder injection fuel injection valve arranged to inject a fuel to a combustion chamber, and a port injection fuel injection valve arranged to inject the fuel to an intake port, the control method includes: sensing or estimating a fuel temperature at a tip end portion of the in-cylinder injection fuel injection valve; sensing an intake pressure; judging whether or not a flash boiling condition based on the fuel temperature and the intake pressure; setting the in-cylinder fuel injection valve to a default fuel injection valve; and injecting an entire or a part of the fuel from the port injection fuel injection valve by decreasing an injection amount ratio of the in-cylinder injection fuel injection valve when the flash boiling condition is satisfied.

The variable compression ratio piston system for an engine adjusts the compression ratio of the engine piston by way of hydraulic fluid distributed between a pair of chambers formed in a pair of bores receiving control pistons mechanically coupled to the engine piston. A control valve selectively permits flow of hydraulic fluid between the high compression ratio line and the low compression ratio line. A variable force solenoid controlled by an engine control unit preferably controls the position of the control valve. The position of the spool controls whether hydraulic fluid can flow toward the first chamber, toward the second chamber, or not at all. Flow of hydraulic fluid is actuated by alternating forces from inertial and combustion forces on a crankshaft from operation of the engine.

The variable compression ratio piston system for an engine adjusts the compression ratio of the engine piston by way of hydraulic fluid distributed between a pair of chambers formed in a pair of bores receiving control pistons mechanically coupled to the engine piston. A control valve selectively permits flow of hydraulic fluid between the high compression ratio line and the low compression ratio line. A variable force solenoid controlled by an engine control unit preferably controls the position of the control valve. The position of the spool controls whether hydraulic fluid can flow toward the first chamber, toward the second chamber, or not at all. Flow of hydraulic fluid is actuated by alternating forces from inertial and combustion forces on a crankshaft from operation of the engine.

A control device for an internal combustion engine has a controller configured to control a fuel injection valve arranged to directly inject a fuel into a combustion chamber, and a variable compression ratio mechanism arranged to vary an upper dead center position of a piston, and thereby to vary a compression ratio of the internal combustion engine. The controller is configured to control a fuel cut by which the fuel injection from the fuel injection valve is stopped, when a predetermined fuel cut condition is satisfied during a traveling of a vehicle. The fuel injection from the fuel injection valve is restarted when a predetermined fuel cut recovery condition is satisfied during the fuel cut.