An adaptive, any-fuel reciprocating engine using sensor feedback integration of high-speed optical sensors with real-time control loops to adaptively manage the electronic actuation schemes over a range of engine loads and fuels. The engine uses one or more optical sensors to collect specific types of gas property data via a spectroscopic technique to adaptively control various components within the engine.

The present disclosure provides a sensor for measuring cam and tappet contact force of an engine and a measuring method. The sensor comprises a force carrying element, a force transmission element, a piezoelectric element, a force bearing element, a tappet head and a guide woodruff key. Meanwhile, the present disclosure also provides a measuring method by using the sensor. The sensor is simple in mechanism and convenient to use and can realize the measurement of the cam tappet contact force in the normal direction, the tangential direction and the axial direction of the contact surface.

A valve opening and closing timing control device includes: a drive-side rotary body rotating synchronously with a crankshaft; a driven-side rotary body arranged coaxially with the drive-side rotary body and rotating integrally with a valve opening and closing camshaft; a fluid pressure chamber defined between the drive-side and driven-side rotary bodies; advance and retard chambers defined by partitioning the fluid pressure chamber; an intermediate lock mechanism selectively switches between a lock state and a lock release state; advance and retard flow paths allowing a flow of the working fluid to be supplied to and discharged from the advance and retard chambers; a control valve including a spool; and a phase control unit moving a position of the spool by controlling a power supply amount to the control valve to supply and discharge the working fluid to and from the advance and retard chambers to displace a relative rotation phase.

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting engine cranking. In one example, a method for an engine cold start may include extending engine cranking at least based on one or more engine cold start conditions, where extending engine cranking may increase an engine oil pressure in a plurality of camshaft phaser cavities of a variable camshaft timing (VCT) phaser. In some examples, the method may further include, after engine cranking, enabling fueling. In this way, fuel efficiency considerations may be balanced with increases to the engine oil pressure such that components of the VCT phaser may be actuated and/or lubricated.

Various embodiments include a method for detecting deviations occurring in the valve drive of an internal combustion engine comprising: measuring dynamic pressure oscillations of intake air in an air intake tract of respective internal combustion engine during operation; calculating an inlet valve stroke phase difference and/or an outlet valve stroke phase difference based on the measured dynamic pressure oscillation; calculating a valve stroke phase deviation value with respect to a valve stroke phase reference value based on the calculated phase difference; and calculating a first valve drive deviation value based on the valve stroke phase deviation value.

A novel cylinder head arrangement for an in-line four cylinder or eight cylinder engine. A modified arrangement allows additional space for installation of wider rocker arm assemblies used for variable valve lift (VVL), cylinder deactivation (CDA) and other types of variable valve actuation (VVA). In one embodiment, cam towers adjacent the end two cylinders are not used. At least one end support is used, which may be an outboard bearing on a camshaft for each end. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed. In another embodiment, cam towers adjacent the inner two cylinders are eliminated and a single camshaft support piece with a support bearing is installed between the inner cylinders to provide support for the camshafts. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed on at least one of the middle cylinders. A novel oil control valve operates latches in switching rocker arm assemblies.

A control device and a control method for variable valve timing mechanism according to the present invention obtains a first measurement of a rotational phase based on a rotational angle of the motor, obtains a second measurement of the rotational phase based on a relative relationship between a rotational angle of the crankshaft and a rotational angle of the camshaft, calibrates the first measurement based on the second measurement, obtains a derivative term proportional to a rate of change in a deviation between the first measurement and a target value, reduces change in derivative term when calibrating the first measurement based on the second measurement, and controls the motor based on a manipulated variable including the derivative term.

A sensor mounting structure for an engine is provided. The sensor mounting structure offers a greater flexibility in mounting a sensor which detects an operation of an actuation member disposed at an inner wall spaced apart from an outer wall of a cylinder head of a valve gear. A sensor mounting structure for an engine includes a valve gear provided at a cylinder head and a sensor detecting an operation of the valve gear. The sensor is mounted on a sensor mounting hole formed at a head inner wall of the cylinder head covered with a cylinder head cover.

A valve opening and closing timing control device includes: a drive-side rotary body rotating synchronously with a crankshaft; a driven-side rotary body arranged coaxially with the drive-side rotary body and rotating integrally with a valve opening and closing camshaft; a fluid pressure chamber defined between the drive-side and driven-side rotary bodies; advance and retard chambers defined by partitioning the fluid pressure chamber; an intermediate lock mechanism selectively switches between a lock state and a lock release state; advance and retard flow paths allowing a flow of the working fluid to be supplied to and discharged from the advance and retard chambers; a control valve including a spool; and a phase control unit moving a position of the spool by controlling a power supply amount to the control valve to supply and discharge the working fluid to and from the advance and retard chambers to displace a relative rotation phase.

A novel cylinder head arrangement for an in-line four cylinder or eight cylinder engine. A modified arrangement allows additional space for installation of wider rocker arm assemblies used for variable valve lift (VVL), cylinder deactivation (CDA) and other types of variable valve actuation (VVA). In one embodiment, cam towers adjacent the end two cylinders are not used. At least one end support is used, which may be an outboard bearing on a camshaft for each end. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed. In another embodiment, cam towers adjacent the inner two cylinders are eliminated and a single camshaft support piece with a support bearing is installed between the inner cylinders to provide support for the camshafts. The wider rocker assemblies may then be installed on at least one of the middle cylinders. A novel oil control valve operates latches in switching rocker arm assemblies.