Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine

Claim 2

An internal combustion engine comprising: (a) a plurality of cylinders split into first and second groups; (b) an intake passage provided therein with a throttle valve, said intake passage divided downstream of said throttle valve into first and second branches leading to said first and second cylinder groups, respectively; (c) a stop valve provided at or near an entrance of said intake passage second branch; (d) an exhaust passage for said first and second cylinder groups; (e) an EGR passage communicating between said exhaust passage and said intake passage second branch; (f) an EGR valve provided in said EGR passage; and (g) control means, responsive to engine load conditions, for disabling said second cylinder group, closing said stop valve, and opening said EGR valve during the occurrence of high engine load conditions, said control means effective for closing said EGR valve and opening said stop valve with a delay relative to the closing of said EGR valve when the engine load changes from the low load conditions to a high load condition.

Claim 3

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises: a pulse generator means for generating a pulse signal corresponding to engine load; a load detector means, responsive to said pulse signal, for detecting the engine load and producing a control signal having first and second levels, said first level representing high load conditions, and said second level representing low load conditions; first actuator means, responsive to said first level of the control signal from said load detector, for opening said stop valve and, responsive to said second level of the control signal from said load detector, for closing said stop valve; second actuator means, responsive to said first level of the control signal from said load detector, for closing said EGR valve and, responsive to said second level of the control signal, for opening said EGR valve; and delay means, interposed between said load detector and said said first actuator means, for delaying change of said control signal from said second level to said first level applied to said first actuator.

Claim 4

An internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said first actuator means comprises: a servo mechanism, responsive to atmospheric pressure, for opening said stop valve and, responsive to vacuum, for closing said stop valve; and a solenoid valve, responsive to the first level of the control signal from said load detector, for providing communication between said servo mechanism and the atmosphere and, responsive to the second level of the control signal from said load detector, for providing communication between said servo mechanism and said intake passage first branch.

Claim 5

An internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein said servo mechanism comprises: a casing; a diaphragm disposed in said casing to define first and second chambers therein, said first chamber communicating with said solenoid valve, said second chamber opening into the atmosphere; and means, drivingly connecting said diaphragm to said stop valve, for opening said stop valve when said first chamber communicates with the atmosphere and for closing said stop valve when said first chamber communicates with said intake passage first branch.

Claim 6

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises: a pulse generator means for generating a pulse signal corresponding to engine load; a load detector means, responsive to said pulse signal, for detecting the engine load and producing a control signal having first and second levels, said first level representing high load conditions, and said second level representing low load conditions; first actuator means, responsive to said first level control signal from said load detector, for closing said EGR valve and, responsive to the second level control signal from said load detector, for opening said EGR valve; and second actuator means comprising: a casing; a diaphragm disposed in said casing to define first and second chambers therewith, said first chamber communicating with said intake passage first branch; means for drivingly connecting said diaphragm to said stop valve; and a solenoid valve, responsive to the first level of the control signal from said load detector, for providing communication between said second chamber and said intake passage second branch and for causing said stop valve to open after any pressure difference between said intake passage first and second branches decreases substantially to zero, said solenoid valve, responsive to said second level of the control signal from said load detector, for providing communication between said second chamber and the atmosphere and for causing said stop valve to close.