Methods for controlling an air-to-fuel (AFR) ratio in the metering of fuel to an operating internal combustion engine (ICE) are provided using software-implemented logic controls to enable the determination of one or more of a maximum-power AFR fiducial and a maximum-efficiency AFR fiducial. Control of the fuel delivered to achieve any desired AFT using the fiducial values and/or a known or derived power-AFR curve for the ICE, and pressures of 5 psi or less, without chemical or temperature sensing of the exhaust gas of the ICE.

A utility vehicle includes: an engine; a drive wheel; a power transmission path between the engine and the drive wheel; a clutch that is provided in the power transmission path and configured to disconnect power transmission when an engine rotational speed is lower than an engage rotational speed; an engine rotational speed sensor configured to sense the engine rotational speed; and a controller configured to control an operation of the engine, the controller including an engine brake necessity determination circuitry configured to determine necessity of engine braking, and an engine rotational speed control circuitry configured to control the engine rotational speed, and when the engine brake necessity determination circuitry determines that engine braking is necessary, the engine rotational speed control circuitry is configured to perform automatic engine brake control that increases the engine rotational speed so as to be equal to or higher than the engage rotational speed.

A utility vehicle includes: an engine; a drive wheel; a power transmission path between the engine and the drive wheel; a clutch that is provided in the power transmission path and configured to disconnect power transmission when an engine rotational speed is lower than an engage rotational speed; an engine rotational speed sensor configured to sense the engine rotational speed; and a controller configured to control an operation of the engine, the controller including an engine brake necessity determination circuitry configured to determine necessity of engine braking, and an engine rotational speed control circuitry configured to control the engine rotational speed, and when the engine brake necessity determination circuitry determines that engine braking is necessary, the engine rotational speed control circuitry is configured to perform automatic engine brake control that increases the engine rotational speed so as to be equal to or higher than the engage rotational speed.

Closing timing of an intake port is changed without using a variable valve timing mechanism. An electric vehicle includes an engine for electricity generation in which closing timing of an intake port maximizes intake air charging efficiency in a specific revolution speed region, a sensor which outputs a signal related to a revolution speed of the engine, a controller which drives the engine at a revolution speed based on the signal of the sensor, a requested electricity generation amount being satisfied at the revolution speed, and a motor which applies a positive or negative torque to the engine. When the engine is driven in a revolution speed region other than the specific revolution speed region, the controller uses the motor to apply a positive or a negative torque to the engine in an intake stroke to change the closing timing of the intake port to increase intake air charging efficiency.

A surgical stapler including an anvil, a staple cartridge, and a buttress material removably retained to the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In various embodiments, the staple cartridge can include at least one staple removably stored therein which can, when deployed, or fired, therefrom, contact the buttress material and remove the buttress material from the anvil and/or staple cartridge. In at least one embodiment, the anvil can include at least one lip and/or groove configured to removably retain the buttress material to the anvil until deformable members extending from the surgical staple are bent by the anvil and are directed toward and contact the buttress material.

A battery pack for use in providing starting power for a starter motor of an internal combustion engine and to supply power to one or more auxiliary loads. The battery pack includes an outer housing that encloses a plurality of battery cells. The battery pack further includes a control module. The control module includes a processing circuit configured to control one or more functions associated with the internal combustion engine and an interface circuit configured to interface with the internal combustion engine.

According to some embodiments, the present disclosure may relate to a system including a gaseous fuel consuming engine operating at an air to fuel ratio (AFR) and including a throttle valve controlling a speed of engine, and an engine controller coupled to the engine. The engine controller may be configured to obtain the speed of the engine and obtain the AFR of the engine. The engine controller may also be configured to, based on a transient event affecting the engine, coordinate modification of both the throttle valve to change the speed of the engine and trim valve to change the AFR of the engine to maintain at least one of the speed and the AFR of the engine within a threshold deviance.

One embodiment of the invention relates to an internal combustion engine including an engine block, a crankshaft configured to rotate about a crankshaft axis, a flywheel coupled to the crankshaft, a throttle body, an electric fan, and an air filter assembly configured to filter incoming air from an air intake and provide cleaned air to a throttle body. The engine block includes a cylinder. The throttle body is configured to throttle incoming air to the cylinder.

A vehicle controller includes processing circuitry and a storage device. The storage device stores relationship specifying data that specifies a relationship between a state of a vehicle and at least one action variable. The at least one action variable is a variable related to operation of an operating unit of an internal combustion engine. The processing circuitry is configured to execute an obtaining process that obtains a state of the vehicle, an operating process that operates the operating unit based on a value of the at least one action variable, a reward calculation process, an updating process that updates the relationship specifying data, and a determination process that determines whether the internal combustion engine has deteriorated. The determination process is executed on condition that at least one of the at least one action variable equals a predetermined value.

A method includes detecting a change in a loading condition on an engine based on use of an implement system including a pump driven by the engine, an actuator fluidly coupled to the pump, and an implement repositionable with the actuator. The change in the loading condition is detected based on a variation in a command signal from a joystick that controls movement of the implement, an outlet pressure of the pump, a displacement of the pump, and/or an engagement signal of a clutch positioned to selectively couple the pump to the engine. The method further includes commanding a fueling system to increase an amount of fuel provided to the engine and/or an air handling system of the machine to increase an amount of air and/or a boost pressure of the air provided to the engine in response to detection of an increasing loading condition based on the variation.