Apparatus and method for controlling combustion in internal combustion engines

Claim 2

An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, wherein the engine selectively operates in a stratified charge combustion mode and a lean homogeneous charge combustion mode to burn fuel in the cylinder, the engine comprising: a fuel supply device for supplying the fuel into the cylinder; an output fluctuation detector for detecting fluctuations in the output rotation of the engine; determining means for determining which combustion mode is being performed; a controller for establishing a first fuel supply is amount to cause the output fluctuation of the engine to approach a predetermined target value when the determination result indicates lean homogeneous charge combustion and for controlling the fuel supply device in accordance with the first fuel supply amount; and wherein the controller establishes a second fuel supply amount in accordance with the first fuel supply amount when the determination result indicates stratified charge combustion and, wherein the controller controls the fuel supply device in accordance with the second fuel supply amount.

Claim 3

The engine according to claim 1, wherein the fuel supply device is a fuel injector for injecting the fuel into the cylinder, and wherein the first and second fuel supply amounts are first and second amounts of fuel injection, respectively.

Claim 4

The engine according to claim 1 including an acceleration pedal and a pedal angle detector for detecting the degree of depression of the acceleration pedal.

Claim 5

The engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine output fluctuation is torque fluctuation.

Claim 6

The engine according to claim 2, wherein the controller establishes the first fuel injection amount by varying a predetermined basic amount of fuel injection.

Claim 7

The engine according to claim 5, wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by increasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection amount is established by increasing the basic amount.

Claim 8

The engine according to claim 5, wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by decreasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection amount is established by decreasing the basic amount.

Claim 9

The engine according to claim 5, wherein the second fuel injection amount is calculated by correcting the basic amount of fuel injection with first and second correction coefficients.

Claim 10

The engine according to claim 8, wherein the first correction coefficient varies in accordance with the torque fluctuation of the engine and the second correction coefficient varies in accordance with the basic amount.

Claim 11

An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, wherein the engine selectively operates in a stratified charge combustion mode and a lean homogeneous charge combustion mode to burn fuel in the cylinder, the engine comprising: a fuel injector for injecting the fuel into the cylinder; an output fluctuation detector for detecting fluctuations in the output rotation of the engine; determining means for determining which combustion mode is being performed; a controller for establishing a first fuel injection amount to cause the output fluctuation of the engine to approach a predetermined target value when the determination result indicates lean homogeneous charge combustion and for controlling the fuel injector in accordance with the first fuel injection amount, wherein the controller establishes the first fuel injection amount by varying a predetermined basic amount of fuel injection; and wherein the controller establishes a second fuel injection amount in accordance with the first fuel injection amount when the determination result indicates stratified charge combustion, wherein the controller controls the fuel injector in accordance with the second fuel injection amount, and wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by increasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection amount is established by increasing the basic amount, and wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by decreasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection is established by decreasing the basic amount.

Claim 12

An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, wherein the engine selectively operates in a stratified charge combustion mode and a lean homogeneous charge combustion mode to burn fuel in the cylinder, the engine comprising: a fuel injector for injecting the fuel into the cylinder; an output fluctuation detector for detecting fluctuations in the output rotation of the engine; determining means for determining which combustion mode is being performed; a controller for establishing a first fuel injection amount to cause the output fluctuation of the engine to approach a predetermined target value when the determination result indicates lean homogeneous charge combustion and for controlling the fuel injector in accordance with the first fuel injection amount, wherein the controller establishes the first fuel injection amount by varying a predetermined basic amount of fuel injection; and wherein the controller establishes a second fuel injection amount in accordance with the first fuel injection amount when the determination result indicates stratified charge combustion, wherein the controller controls the fuel injector in accordance with the second fuel injection amount, and wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by increasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection amount is established by increasing the basic amount, and wherein the controller establishes the second fuel injection amount by decreasing the basic amount when the first fuel injection is established by decreasing the basic amount.

Claim 13

The engine according to claim 10, wherein the second fuel injection amount is calculated by correcting the basic amount with first and second correction coefficients.

Claim 14

The engine according to claim 11, wherein the first correction coefficient varies in accordance with the torque fluctuation of the engine and the second correction coefficient varies in accordance with the basic amount of fuel injection.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 13, wherein the degree of depression of an acceleration pedal and the engine speed are detected during the detecting step.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 13, including the step of detecting torque fluctuation of the engine, wherein the torque fluctuation is the output fluctuation.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 13, wherein the first fuel supply amount is established by varying a predetermined basic amount of fuel supply.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 16, wherein the second fuel supply amount is established by increasing the basic amount when the first fuel supply amount is established by increasing the basic amount.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 16, wherein the second fuel supply amount is established by decreasing the basic amount when the first fuel supply amount is established by decreasing the basic amount.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 16, wherein the second fuel supply amount is calculated by using correction coefficients when correcting the basic amount.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 19, wherein the correction coefficients include first and second correction coefficients, wherein the first correction coefficient varies in accordance with the output fluctuation of the engine and the second correction coefficient varies in accordance with the basic amount.