A control valve for a valve train in an internal combustion engine using four-way control logic for dynamic skip fire control of a pair of cylinders is described. A four cylinder engine can be controlled using two control valves, with each control valve controlling a pair of cylinders. Each control valve has four ports: one control port for each cylinder, a pressure inlet port, and a tank port. The control valve is used to activate or deactivate a cylinder's intake and/or exhaust valves.

A control valve for a valve train in an internal combustion engine using four-way control logic for dynamic skip fire control of a pair of cylinders is described. A four cylinder engine can be controlled using two control valves, with each control valve controlling a pair of cylinders. Each control valve has four ports: one control port for each cylinder, a pressure inlet port, and a tank port. The control valve is used to activate or deactivate a cylinder's intake and/or exhaust valves.

An engine includes: a cylinder head that forms an intake port connected to a combustion chamber; a throttle body that is joined to the intake port and adjusts a degree of an opening of an intake passage by rotating a throttle vale around a rotation axis of a valve shaft, the throttle vale being fixed to the valve shaft; and a case that stores a drive member and supports a drive motor, the drive member being fixed to the valve shaft, the drive motor generating a drive force that is transmitted to the drive member. The case overlaps with the intake port as seen in a side view. Accordingly, in the engine, it is possible to reduce the volume of the intake passage between the throttle valve and the combustion chamber.

An air intake apparatus includes a plurality of funnel-shaped portions provided in a plurality of intake ports. The plurality of funnel-shaped portions respectively include open ends located at positions at which lengths of the plurality of intake ports are aligned with each other, the open ends being provided along a direction perpendicular to a direction in which respective centerlines of the plurality of intake ports extend.

An air intake apparatus includes a plurality of funnel-shaped portions provided in a plurality of intake ports. The plurality of funnel-shaped portions respectively include open ends located at positions at which lengths of the plurality of intake ports are aligned with each other, the open ends being provided along a direction perpendicular to a direction in which respective centerlines of the plurality of intake ports extend.

Control is performed so as to occur SPCCI combustion in which, after an air-fuel mixture in a first area of a combustion chamber that includes an electrode portion of an ignition device is burned by receiving ignition energy, an air-fuel mixture formed in a second area located on an outer periphery of the first area is self-ignited. Control is also performed such that, in a high load operation region of an SPCCI combustion execution region, an air-fuel ratio in the entire combustion chamber becomes richer than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and that an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture in the first area becomes leaner than an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture in the second area.

Control is performed so as to occur SPCCI combustion in which, after an air-fuel mixture in a first area of a combustion chamber that includes an electrode portion of an ignition device is burned by receiving ignition energy, an air-fuel mixture formed in a second area located on an outer periphery of the first area is self-ignited. Control is also performed such that, in a high load operation region of an SPCCI combustion execution region, an air-fuel ratio in the entire combustion chamber becomes richer than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio and that an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture in the first area becomes leaner than an air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture in the second area.

A blow-by gas return device includes: a gas path which is configured to introduce a blow-by gas generated in a crankcase into an intake system through an inside of a head cover, a pressure control valve and a blow-by pipe; and an orifice provided to the gas path, the orifice mounted on a wall portion of an intake manifold on a cylinder head side. A passage for a blow-by gas is formed in the wall portion on the cylinder head side, and the orifice is formed on a joint pipe mounted on the passage for the blow-by gas for communicably connecting the blow-by pipe with the passage for the blow-by gas.

A blow-by gas return device includes: a gas path which is configured to introduce a blow-by gas generated in a crankcase into an intake system through an inside of a head cover, a pressure control valve and a blow-by pipe; and an orifice provided to the gas path, the orifice mounted on a wall portion of an intake manifold on a cylinder head side. A passage for a blow-by gas is formed in the wall portion on the cylinder head side, and the orifice is formed on a joint pipe mounted on the passage for the blow-by gas for communicably connecting the blow-by pipe with the passage for the blow-by gas.

The invention relates to a power unit, in particular for a hybrid vehicle, comprising a two-cylinder reciprocating piston engine comprising two pistons guided in two cylinders in tandem arrangement, and two counter-rotating crankshafts connected to the pistons by connecting rods, a generator which is rotatable in the same direction as the first crankshaft and in the opposite direction to the second crankshaft, and a balancer shaft which is rotatable in the same direction as the second crankshaft and in the opposite direction to the first crankshaft. The generator is operatively connected directly to the first crankshaft by a first traction mechanism and the balancer shaft is operatively connected directly to the second crankshaft by a second traction mechanism. The balancer shaft and/or the second crankshaft support(s) a flywheel mass element. The invention further relates to a vehicle, in particular a hybrid vehicle, having such a power unit.