Control apparatus for internal combustion engine

Abstract

A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve is disclosed. In one embodiment, the control apparatus includes a fuel injection timing correcting device that, when lift of the intake valve is varied, corrects and varies fuel injection termination timing according to the variation of the lift of the intake valve. In another embodiment, an injection quantity correcting device is included that, when lift of the intake valve is varied, corrects and varies an injection quantity. In still another embodiment, a swirl flow generating device is included that generates a swirl flow in the cylinder. In a further embodiment, an intake valve closing timing correcting device is included that, when lift of the intake valve is varied, controls the variable valve timing mechanism so that the valve closing timing of the intake valve remains substantially constant.

1 . A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve, the control apparatus comprising: 
 a fuel injection timing correcting device that, when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied, corrects and varies fuel injection termination timing according to the variation of the lift of the intake valve.    
   
   
       2 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel injection timing correcting device corrects and advances fuel injection termination timing when the amount of lift of the intake valve is increased.  
   
   
       3 . The control apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the fuel injection timing correcting device corrects and delays fuel injection termination timing when the amount of lift of the intake valve is reduced.  
   
   
       4 . A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve for a cylinder, the control apparatus comprising: 
 a swirl flow generating device that generates a swirl flow in the cylinder.    
   
   
       5 . A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable intake valve lifter that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve and a variable valve timing mechanism that varies the opening/closing timing of the intake valve, the control apparatus comprising: 
 an intake valve closing timing correcting device that, when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied by the variable intake valve lifter, controls the variable valve timing mechanism so that the valve closing timing of the intake valve remains substantially constant.    
   
   
       6 . A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve, the control apparatus comprising: 
 an injection quantity correcting device that, when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied, corrects and varies an injection quantity.    
   
   
       7 . A control apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the injection quantity correcting device corrects and increases an injection quantity when the amount of lift of the intake valve is increased by the variable intake valve lifter.  
   
   
       8 . A control apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the injection quantity correcting device corrects and reduces an injection quantity when the amount of lift of the intake valve is reduced by the variable intake valve lifter.  
   
   
       9 . The control apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the injection quantity correcting device sets an amount of correction for injection quantity based on a variation in the valve closing timing of the intake valve when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied.  
   
   
       10 . The control apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising an evaporative gas purge prohibiting device that, when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied, prohibits purge of evaporative gas into the air intake system.  
   
   
       11 . A method of controlling fuel injection timing for an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve, the method comprising: 
 correcting and varying fuel injection termination timing according to the variation of the lift of the intake valve when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the correcting and varying comprises correcting and advancing fuel injection termination timing when the amount of lift of the intake valve is increased.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the correcting and varying comprises correcting and delaying fuel injection termination timing when the amount of lift of the intake valve is reduced.  
   
   
       14 . A method of controlling opening/closing timing of an intake valve of an internal combustion engine equipped with a variable intake valve lifter that varies the amount of lift of an intake valve and a variable valve timing mechanism that varies the opening/closing timing of the intake valve, the method comprising: 
 controlling the variable valve timing mechanism so that the valve closing timing of the intake valve remains substantially constant when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied by the variable intake valve lifter.    
   
   
       15 . A method of controlling an injection quantity of an intake valve of an internal combustion engine that varies the amount of lift of the intake valve, the method comprising: 
 correcting and varying an injection quantity when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the correcting and varying comprises correcting and increasing an injection quantity when the amount of lift of the intake valve is increased by the variable intake valve lifter.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the correcting and varying comprises correcting and reducing an injection quantity when the amount of lift of the intake valve is reduced by the variable intake valve lifter.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising setting an amount of correction for injection quantity based on a variation in the valve closing timing of the intake valve when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising prohibiting purge of evaporative gas into the air intake system when the amount of lift of the intake valve is varied.