Control apparatus and method of variable valve event and lift mechanism

Abstract

In a variable valve event and lift mechanism that rotates a control shaft by a motor to successively vary a valve event and a valve lift amount of engine valves, a VEL control unit integrally provided with an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of the control shaft, is disposed and a signal of a target rotation angle of the control shaft is output to the VEL control unit from an engine control unit, so that the VEL control unit feedback controls the motor.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism of an engine for rotating a control shaft by a motor to successively vary a valve event and a valve lift amount of engine valves, comprising; 
 an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of said control shaft; and    a VEL control unit that receives a detection signal from said angle sensor, and calculates a control signal of said motor based on said detection signal to output said control signal to said motor,    wherein said VEL control unit is integrally provided with said angle sensor.    
     
     
         2 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said VEL mechanism comprises: 
 a control cam that is eccentrically fixed to a periphery of said control shaft;  
 a rocker arm that is axially supported by said control cam so as to be enable to swing;  
 a swinging-driving member that drives to swing one end portion of said rocker arm in response to rotation of the engine; and  
 a swing cam that is connected with the other end portion of said rocker arm and swings to open and close the engine valves.  
   
     
     
         3 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said angle sensor is a sensor that detects the rotation angle of said control shaft in a non-contact manner.    
     
     
         4 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit feedback controls said control signal so as to coincide the rotation angle of said control shaft detected by said angle sensor with a target rotation angle of said control shaft.    
     
     
         5 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 an operating condition sensor that detects an engine operating condition; and    an engine control unit that receives a detection signal from said operating condition sensor, and calculates a target rotation angle signal of said control shaft based on said detection signal to output said target rotation angle signal to said VEL control unit.    
     
     
         6 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit performs a failure diagnosis of said VEL mechanism, and outputs a result of the failure diagnosis to said engine control unit.    
     
     
         7 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 6 , 
 wherein said engine control unit fixes the target rotation angle signal of said control shaft to be output to said VEL control unit to a previously set value when said engine control unit receives a failure judgment signal of said variable event and lift mechanism.    
     
     
         8 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 5 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit outputs a signal indicating the rotation angle of said control shaft detected by said angle sensor, to said engine control unit.    
     
     
         9 . A control apparatus of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism of an engine for rotating a control shaft by a motor to successively vary a valve event and a valve lift amount of engine valves, comprising; 
 an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of said control shaft;    an operating condition sensor that detects an engine operation condition;    an engine control unit that receives a detection signal from said operating condition sensor; and    a VEL control unit that receives a detection signal from said angle sensor, and is capable to communicate mutually with said engine control unit,    wherein said engine control unit calculates a target rotation angle signal of said control shaft to output said target rotation angle signal to said VEL control unit, and    said VEL control unit is integrally provided with said angle sensor;    feedback controls said motor so as to coincide the rotation angle detected by said angle sensor with a target rotation angle of said control shaft; and    performs a failure diagnosis of said VEL mechanism, and outputs a signal indicating a result of said failure diagnosis and a signal indicating the rotation angle of said control shaft detected by said angle sensor to said engine control unit.    
     
     
         10 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism of an engine for rotating a control shaft by a motor to successively vary a valve event and a valve lift amount of engine valves, comprising: 
 detecting a rotation angle of said control shaft by an angle sensor;    outputting a detection signal of said rotation angle to a VEL control unit integrally provided with said angle sensor;    calculating a control signal of said motor based on the detection signal of said rotation angle by said VEL control unit; and    outputting said control signal to said motor by said VEL control unit.    
     
     
         11 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein said VEL mechanism comprises: 
 a control cam that is eccentrically fixed to a periphery of said control shaft;  
 a rocker arm that is axially supported by said control cam so as to be enable to swing;  
 a swinging-driving member that drives to swing one end portion of said rocker arm in response to rotation of the engine; and  
 a swing cam that is connected with the other end portion of said rocker arm and swings to open and close the engine valves.  
   
     
     
         12 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein said angle sensor is a sensor that detects the rotation angle of said control shaft in a non-contact manner.    
     
     
         13 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift mechanism according to  claim 10 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit feedback controls said control signal so as to coincide the rotation angle of said control shaft detected by said angle sensor with a target rotation angle of said control shaft.    
     
     
         14 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift (VEL) mechanism according to  claim 13 , 
 wherein a detection signal of an engine operating condition from an operating condition sensor is output to an engine control unit,    a target rotation angle signal of said control shaft is calculated based the detection signal of said engine operating condition by said engine control unit, and    said target rotation angle signal is output by said engine control unit to said VEL control unit.    
     
     
         15 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift mechanism according to  claim 14 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit performs a failure diagnosis of said VEL mechanism, and    said VEL control unit outputs a result of the failure diagnosis to said engine control unit.    
     
     
         16 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift mechanism according to  claim 15 , 
 wherein said engine control unit fixes the target rotation angle signal of said control shaft to be output to said VEL control unit to a previously set value when the failure of said VEL mechanism is judged.    
     
     
         17 . A control method of a variable valve event and lift mechanism according to  claim 14 , 
 wherein said VEL control unit outputs a signal indicating the rotation angle of said control shaft detected by said angle sensor, to said engine control unit.