A method for heating a catalytic converter in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, in which an exhaust gas burner for heating the catalytic converter is arranged, upstream of the catalytic converter. A lambda probe for controlling the combustion air ratio of the exhaust gas burner is arranged immediately downstream of the exhaust gas burner and upstream of the catalytic converter. The method includes operating the internal combustion engine with a stoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.E=1), activating the exhaust gas burner, which is operated alternately with a substoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B<1) and a superstoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B>1), wherein from the substoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B<1) to the superstoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B>1) as soon as a rich breakthrough is detected by the second lambda probe (34), and wherein a switchover from the superstoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B>1) to the substoichiometric combustion air ratio (λ.sub.B<1) takes place as soon as a lean breakthrough is detected by the second lambda probe.

A fuel pump includes a camshaft that rotates in accordance with operation of an engine and a tappet provided in contact the camshaft. An ECU includes an angle determination unit configured to determine whether a rotation angle from a start of rotation of the camshaft when starting the engine is under a predetermined angle required for forming an oil film on a sliding portion of the tappet, and a control unit configured to, when the rotation angle from the start of rotation of the camshaft is determined to be under the predetermined angle, execute a limit process including at least one of limiting a fuel discharge pressure of the fuel pump or limiting a rotation of the camshaft.

A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine involving (1) cylinder trapping strategies where one of several pneumatic spring types are dynamically selected for cylinders based at least partially on a predicted number of upcoming skips for each of the cylinders respectively and/or (2) staggering various valvetrain dependent operational engine strategies as operating conditions permit as the internal combustion engine warms up following a cold start.

At a time of a startup in a non-lock state (at the time of a next startup in a case where an internal combustion engine is stopped in a non-lock state in which a VCT phase is not locked in an intermediate lock phase), it is determined whether or not the engine can be started up by most delayed startup processing. In a case where it is determined that the engine can be started up by the most delayed startup processing, the most delayed startup processing is performed. In this most delayed startup processing, the engine is cranked in a high rotation range not less than a specified rotation speed and a fuel injection and an ignition are started in a state in which the VCT phase is controlled to a vicinity of the most delayed phase (most delayed phase or within a specified range from the most delayed phase) to thereby start up the engine. In this way, at the time of the startup in the non-lock state, the engine can be quickly started up without locking the VCT phase.

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 of controlling a rate of warm-up of an internal combustion engine fluidly connected to an exhaust system is disclosed. The method includes identifying a cold-start of the engine. The method also includes regulating, in response to the identified cold-start of the engine, an exhaust pressure modulation (EPM) valve arranged in a main exhaust passage of the exhaust system. The main exhaust passage channels engine exhaust gas to the ambient. Such regulation of the EPM valve will restrict a flow of the engine exhaust gas to the ambient and increase exhaust gas backpressure in the exhaust system up to a predetermined pressure value. Furthermore, the subject regulation of the EPM valve will increase a load on and the rate of warm-up of the engine. A vehicle having an engine and a controller programmed to control a rate of the engine's warm-up of according to the method is also disclosed.

An apparatus for retrieving exhaust heat of an engine, may include the engine including a plurality of combustion chambers, an intake line, an exhaust line, a turbocharger including, a turbine provided on the exhaust line, and a compressor provided on the intake line and compressing external air, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) apparatus including an EGR line branched from the exhaust line at a rear end of the turbocharger and merged with the intake line, an EGR cooler disposed on the EGR line, and an EGR valve to adjust an amount of re-circulated exhaust gas, an intercooler to cool the intake gas introduced through the intake line, an intercooler cooling line passing through a radiator and the intercooler, an EGR cooling line passing through the radiator and the EGR cooler, an EGR exhaust line, and an exhaust adjusting valve disposed on the EGR exhaust line.

An internal combustion engine 2 is started by being cranked by an electric motor. An internal combustion engine start control device performs a feedback-control of an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine to a target idle intake air amount, learns a feedback correction amount applied in a feedback control, and performs a learning control using a learnt value in parallel with the feedback control. An engine rotation speed is converged to a target idle rotation speed in an early stage by setting an allowable correction range of a feedback correction amount applied before a start of learning of the intake air amount wider than the allowable correction range of the feedback correction amount applied after the start of the learning of the intake air amount.

A method for cold start pre-warming of a pressure-charged internal combustion engine and/or of an exhaust gas aftertreatment device of a internal combustion engine, includes arranging a cold-starting aid in the intake duct for warming the charge air while the engine is stationary. The internal combustion engine has at least one working cylinder with at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve and further includes a device for setting a valve position. The internal combustion engine can be pressure-charged by a pressure-charging device operable by an electric motor. In the method, after detection of a cold start of the internal combustion engine: the cold-starting aid is activated while the engine is stationary; electric-motor operation of the pressure-charging device is activated; and a valve overlap between at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve is set.

A diesel engine, in particular a high-power diesel engine, which has a variable valve train including an adjusting unit for adjusting a valve opening time, a valve lift, a camshaft phase position and/or a valve steering, and a control or regulating unit for controlling the adjusting unit. The control and/or regulating unit includes at least one operational mode provided for starting the engine when the engine is at a low temperature, in which the control and/or regulating unit is provided to adjust the valve opening time, at least during a preliminary phase for at least one inlet valve, which overlaps at least with one compression stroke of an associated cylinder, and to interrupt an injection of fuel at least into the cylinder associated with the inlet valve. The invention also relates to a method for starting such a diesel engine.