A solenoid actuator for an injection valve or an intake valve is driven with current control during closed-loop control phases. In between the closed-loop current control, the actuator must be clamped to an opposite voltage so as to quickly decrease the current through the solenoid. The current is measured immediately following the clamping phase so as to determine whether or not the clamping phase resulted in the correct current level. If the measured current indicates an extraneous reduction in the current, the clamping phase duration is shortened for the next activation of this clamping phase. If the measured current indicates an insufficient decrease, the clamping phase duration is lengthened for the next following activation cycle.

The system, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises a stationary coil linear motor to drive a valve with a stem comprising a ferromagnetic property. The linear motor moves the valve in response to control governed by an electronic valve control computer. The valve is movable between a closed position at a selectable rate of both acceleration and speed for a selectable distance (“lift”) to a second selectable open position, including all position variations between the fully open and fully closed states. Valve position, velocity and acceleration can be varied both during a valve stroke and from one stroke to the next, as controlled by the logic programmed on a non-transitive memory of the electronic valve control computer.

A linear motor actuated valve assembly in which a linear motor enables electrical actuation and control of intake and exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine.

The present invention concerns a method and a device for electrically controlling a valve actuator in a two-stroke or four-stroke combustion engine where the actuator comprises a solenoid (A), a plunger (5) and a spring (6), wherein the engine has at least one cylinder (1) with at least one freely controllable engine valve disc (10) with corresponding valve stem (11) and a valve spring (4), where a distance (7) is provided between the lower end of the plunger and the upper end of the valve stem and where air is supplied, or exhaust gases are evacuated from, a combustion chamber (3) past a lower part of the valve stem with the valve disc via at least one channel (2) in the cylinder, wherein the valve actuator is activatable to open the engine valve. The invention is characterized in that the opening of the engine valve is initiated after activation of the solenoid, wherein the following acceleration of the plunger brings its lower end to strike the upper end of the valve stem for initial opening of the valve.

An internal combustion engine includes a hollow cylinder, a piston within the hollow cylinder, and a cylinder head. A base valve assembly at a base of the hollow cylinder permits or restricts fluid flow from an intake manifold into a sub-chamber below the piston. The piston includes at least one intake port connecting a combustion chamber above the piston with the sub-chamber, and a transfer valve that opens and closes the at least one intake port. When the transfer valve opens the at least one intake port, fluid is permitted to flow from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine operates according to a four-stroke piston cycle, wherein multiple intake stages are provided. The intake stages may include intake of air into the sub-chamber during a compression stroke, transfer of air from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during a power stroke, intake of air-fuel mixture into the sub-chamber during an exhaust stroke, and transfer of air-fuel mixture from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during an intake stroke.

A rocker arm assembly that includes an electromagnetic latch assembly with a latch pin and an actuator operative to actuate the latch pin between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes an electromagnet powered through a coil circuit. The rocker arm assembly further includes a switch in a switch circuit. The coil circuit and the switch circuit are connected in parallel. Moving the latch pin between the first position and the second position opens and closes the switch. In an alternate embodiment, relative motion of two rocker arms opens and closes the switch. The rocker arm assembly allows OBD information to be obtained without making electrical connections to the rocker arm assembly other than ones provided to power the electromagnet.

An internal combustion engine includes a hollow cylinder, a piston within the hollow cylinder, and a cylinder head. A base valve assembly at a base of the hollow cylinder permits or restricts fluid flow from an intake manifold into a sub-chamber below the piston. The piston includes at least one intake port connecting a combustion chamber above the piston with the sub-chamber, and a transfer valve that opens and closes the at least one intake port. When the transfer valve opens the at least one intake port, fluid is permitted to flow from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber. The internal combustion engine operates according to a four-stroke piston cycle, wherein multiple intake stages are provided. The intake stages may include intake of air into the sub-chamber during a compression stroke, transfer of air from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during a power stroke, intake of air-fuel mixture into the sub-chamber during an exhaust stroke, and transfer of air-fuel mixture from the sub-chamber to the combustion chamber during an intake stroke.

A fuel injection control device includes an additional energization unit. Concerning an undershoot state caused by a first energization for fuel injection, a return period is an estimated period required for a movable core to return to an initial position from a first energization. An injection interval ranges from the first energization to a second energization that is for a next fuel injection. An allowable period is obtained by subtracting a rise period estimated for the second energization from the return period. The additional energization unit adds an additional energization between the first energization and the second energization when the injection interval is longer than or equal to the allowable period and is shorter than or equal to the return period.

The present invention concerns a method and a device for electrically controlling a valve actuator in a two-stroke or four-stroke combustion engine where the actuator comprises a solenoid (A), a plunger (5) and a spring (6), wherein the engine has at least one cylinder (1) with at least one freely controllable engine valve disc (10) with corresponding valve stem (11) and a valve spring (4), where a distance (7) is provided between the lower end of the plunger and the upper end of the valve stem and where air is supplied, or exhaust gases are evacuated from, a combustion chamber (3) past a lower part of the valve stem with the valve disc via at least one channel (2) in the cylinder, wherein the valve actuator is activatable to open the engine valve. The invention is characterized in that the opening of the engine valve is initiated after activation of the solenoid, wherein the following acceleration of the plunger brings its lower end to strike the upper end of the valve stem for initial opening of the valve.

A rocker arm assembly that includes an electromagnetic latch assembly with a latch pin and an actuator operative to actuate the latch pin between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes an electromagnet powered through a coil circuit. The rocker arm assembly further includes a switch in a switch circuit. The coil circuit and the switch circuit are connected in parallel. Moving the latch pin between the first position and the second position opens and closes the switch. In an alternate embodiment, relative motion of two rocker arms opens and closes the switch. The rocker arm assembly allows OBD information to be obtained without making electrical connections to the rocker arm assembly other than ones provided to power the electromagnet.