Aspects of the present invention relate to methods of stop/start of an internal combustion engine provided with a CVVL system; also a control unit and a vehicle for employing the methods.

An estimation apparatus, includes: a sensor, disposed in the proximity of a crank rotor, configured to output a signal in response to a positional variation of an outer periphery of the crank rotor, the crank rotor including a plurality of protruding teeth formed at given distances and a tooth-missing region on an outer periphery of the crank rotor and configured to rotate in an interlocking relationship with a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine; and a processor configured to calculate a crank angular velocity of the internal combustion engine at given time intervals from the signal output from the sensor and estimate a first crank angular velocity corresponding to the tooth-missing region from second crank angular velocities at two or more points corresponding to at least one of portions before and after the tooth-missing region.

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 method for an engine is provided. Following an engine-off event, engine cylinders are sequentially positioned with an intake valve open and an exhaust valve open. The contents of the engine cylinder are then purged to an exhaust catalyst. In this way, existing vehicle hardware may be used to evacuate residual hydrocarbons and uncombusted fuel to the exhaust catalyst, provided the catalyst remains above the light-off temperature.

A control device of a vehicle including an engine, an electric motor, and a clutch disposed on a power transmission path between the engine and the electric motor, the control device of a vehicle performing an ignition start causing combustion in a cylinder of the engine to rotate the engine at a start of the engine, the control device of a vehicle switching a cylinder in which combustion is first caused in the engine based on an actuation during a rotation stop process of the engine of an exhaust valve in a cylinder stopped in an expansion stroke, when performing the ignition start at the start of the engine.

A toothed target rotationally fixed to a shaft of the engine includes a series of n real teeth, followed by m dummy teeth forming a reference zone. For each tooth k, the period of time separating the latter from the preceding tooth k1 is measured. A signal exhibits at least one transition in level in a portion of the signal corresponding to the passage of the reference zone. A first and a second product are calculated for at least some of the values of k; the ratio between these two products is calculated; and the direction of rotation of the engine is detected, in case of correspondence of the ratio with a first noteworthy value and with a second noteworthy value which are representative, respectively, of rotation in a normal direction and rotation in a reverse direction.

A method for controlling a vehicle power train that includes a heat engine connected to the transmission of the vehicle by a clutch controlled between an open position and a closed position of the transmission by a computer of the transmission exchanging information with a computer of the heat engine. The method includes sending, in order to shut down the engine before the clutch is opened when the vehicle is in motion, the kinematic chain being closed and the injection interrupted, a message from the computer of the transmission to the computer of the engine at a first moment in time so as to synchronize an opening of the clutch and the closure of an air flap of the engine at a second moment in time subsequent to the first moment.

The invention relates to a control device of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. The control device starts executing an ignition engine start control to restart the engine operation when a predetermined engine restart request is generated, a last signal output from a crank angel sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and a signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches a predetermined time. The control device starts executing a starter engine start control when the engine restart request is generated, the last signal output from the sensor corresponds to the compression TDC and no signal is output from the sensor before a time elapsing from the output of the last signal reaches the predetermined time. The control device sets the predetermined time on the basis of a last engine speed acquired on the basis of the last signal and a signal output from the sensor immediately before the last signal is output such that the predetermined time set when the last engine speed corresponds to a first engine speed, is longer than the predetermined time set when the last engine speed corresponds to a second engine speed larger than the first engine speed.

Disclosed is a method for processing a primary signal produced by a sensor detecting the rotation of a rotating target. The primary signal includes pulses having, for a given speed of rotation of the target, a first positive voltage level for rotation in a first determined direction or a second positive voltage level for the opposite direction. A first secondary signal is generated by comparing the primary signal to a first determined voltage threshold between the first and second voltages. A second secondary signal is generated by comparing the primary signal to a second determined voltage threshold between the second voltage level and zero. A determined delay is introduced in the second secondary signal. A determined time threshold is compared to the duration between an active edge of the second secondary signal and the last preceding active edge of the first secondary signal, indicating direction.

An end effector for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The end effector comprises an anvil including a staple forming portion, a cutting member, and a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body, an elongate slot, and a deck. The deck comprises a first deck surface and a second deck surface, wherein one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface is stepped up from the other one of the first deck surface and the second deck surface. The staple cartridge further comprises a plurality of first staple cavities, a plurality of second staple cavities, and a plurality of third staple cavities, a driven element, a securement member releasably engaged with the deck, an implantable portion, and a plurality of staples deployable concurrently into tissue captured between the anvil and the staple cartridge.