Apparatus for controlling an air-fuel ratio in an internal combustion engine

Claim 2

An internal combustion engine, comprising: an engine body; an intake system connected to the engine body for an introduction of an amount of intake air to the engine body; an exhaust system connected to the engine body for a removal of a resultant exhaust gas from the engine body; for introducing an amount of fuel into a flow of an intake air at a predetermined timing in one complete engine cycle to obtain a combustible mixture to be introduced into the engine; means for controlling the air-fuel ratio of the combustible mixture in the intake system by controlling said amount of fuel first air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to the lean mixture side; second air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to obtain an engine power; means for detecting a load of the engine; first calculating means for calculating a rate of change in the engine load during a first period short enough for a detection of a change in the engine load during a slight acceleration condition; second calculating means for consecutively calculating an accumulated value of values of a rate of change in the engine load in a predetermined second period; means, based on the calculated accumulated value, for determining an acceleration operation of the engine; and switching means for switching a connection of the air-fuel ratio control means from the first setting means to said second setting means when the acceleration operation is determined.

Claim 3

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said determining means comprise means for setting a predetermined threshold value, and means for comparing the accumulated value with said threshold value for determining an occurrence of an acceleration when the accumulated value is larger than the threshold value.

Claim 4

An internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said setting means comprise a map of threshold values with respect to values of an engine operating condition, detecting means for detecting the engine operating condition, and means for interpolating from the map a threshold value corresponding to the detected engine operating condition.

Claim 5

An internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein said engine operating condition is a vehicle speed.

Claim 6

An internal combustion engine according to claim 3, wherein said engine operating condition is an engine rotational speed.

Claim 7

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising swirl control means responsive to engine operating condition for switching between a condition at which a swirl movement of the combustible mixture is obtained when the air-fuel ratio is controlled to the lean side, and a condition in which no swirl movement occurs when the air-fuel ratio is controlled to the engine output power air-fuel ratio.

Claim 8

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said air-fuel ratio control means comprise a sensor for detecting an air-fuel ratio, and a feedback means for generating a signal to make the detected air-fuel ratio equal to the set air fuel ratio.

Claim 9

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said load of the engine detected by said means for detecting a load of the engine is a degree of opening of a throttle valve in said intake system.

Claim 10

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising means for holding said connection of the air-fuel ration setting means to said second setting means once said switching has occurred and until a deceleration is detected.

Claim 11

An internal combustion engine, comprising: an engine body; an intake system connected to the engine body for an introduction of an amount of intake air to the engine body; an exhaust system connected to the engine body for a removal of a resultant exhaust gas from the engine body; means for introducing an amount of fuel into a flow of an intake air at a predetermined timing in one complete engine cycle to obtain a combustible mixture to be introduced into the engine; means for controlling the air-fuel ratio of the combustible mixture in the intake system by controlling said amount of fuel; first air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to the lean mixture side; second air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to obtain an engine power; first switching means, responsive to the engine operating condition, for switching the connection of the air-fuel ration control means between the first and second air-fuel ratio setting means; means provided in the intake system for selectively generating a swirl movement of the combustible mixture; means responsive to the engine operating condition for operating the swirl means so that the swirl movement is obtained when the air-fuel ratio is controlled to the lean mixture side; means for detecting a load of the engine; first calculating means for calculating a rate of change in the engine load during a first period short enough for a detection of a change in the engine load during a slight acceleration; second calculating means for calculating consecutively an accumulated value of values of a rate of change in the engine load in a predetermined second period; means, based on the calculated accumulated value, for determining an acceleration operation of the engine; and second switching means, overriding the operation of the first switching means, for switching a connection of the air-fuel ratio control means from the first setting means to said second setting means when the acceleration operation is determined.

Claim 12

An internal combustion engine, comprising: an engine body; an intake system connected to the engine body for an introduction of an amount of intake air to the engine body; an exhaust system connected to the engine body for a removal of a resultant exhaust gas from the engine body; means for introducing an amount of fuel into a flow of an intake air at a predetermined timing in one complete engine cycle to obtain a combustible mixture to be introduced into the engine; means for controlling the air-fuel ratio of the combustible mixture in the intake system by controlling said amount of fuel; first air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to the lean mixture side; second air-fuel ratio setting means for setting said air-fuel ratio to obtain an engine power; first switching means, responsive to the engine operating condition, for switching the connection of the air-fuel ration control means between the first and second air-fuel ratio setting means; means provided in the intake system for selectively generating a swirl movement of the combustible mixture; means responsive to the engine operating condition for operating the swirl means so that the swirl movement is obtained when the air-fuel ratio is controlled to the lean mixture side; means for detecting a load of the engine; first calculating means for calculating a rate of change in the engine load during a first period short enough for a detection of a change in the engine load during a slight acceleration; second calculating means for calculating consecutively an accumulated value of values of a rate of change in the engine load in a predetermined second period; means, based on the calculated accumulated value, for determining an acceleration operation of the engine; and second switching means, overriding the operation of the first switching means, for switching a connection of the air-fuel ratio control means from the first setting means to said second setting means when the acceleration operation is determined.

Claim 13

An internal combustion engine according to claim 10, wherein said determining means comprise means for setting a predetermined threshold value, and means for comparing the accumulated value with said threshold value for determining an occurrence of an acceleration when the accumulated value is larger than the threshold value.

Claim 14

An internal combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein said setting means comprise a map of threshold values with respect to values of an engine operation condition, detecting means for detecting an engine operation condition, and means for interpolating from the map a threshold value corresponding to the detected engine operating condition.

Claim 15

An internal combustion engine according to claim 12, wherein said engine operating condition is a vehicle speed.

Claim 16

An internal combustion engine according to claim 12, wherein said engine operating condition is an engine rotational speed.