The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 19, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 13, 1995
Kazuo Koga, Okazaki, JP;
Kojiro Okada, Nagoya, JP;
Yoshiaki Danno, Kyoto, JP;
Kazuhide Togai, Takatsuki, JP;
Osamu Hirako, Okazaki, JP;
Shogo Ohmori, Okazaki, JP;
Daisuke Sanbayashi, Toyota, JP;
Yoshiaki Kodama, Okazaki, JP;
Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine having an exhaust purifying catalytic device which absorbs nitrogen oxides contained in exhaust when the engine is in a lean-combustion mode and which deoxidizes the absorbed nitrogen oxides when the engine is in a rich-combustion mode. The engine control apparatus includes an electronic control unit for estimating the amount of purifying capability reducing substances other than nitrogen oxides, which decreases the nitrogen oxide adsorbing ability of the catalytic device, absorbed by the catalytic device, on the basis of the accumulated value of vehicle travel distance, fuel consumption of engine, or intake air amount. The control unit changes the operating condition of engine so that the exhaust gas temperature is increased when it is judged that the estimated adsorption amount has reached a predetermined adsorption amount. The exhaust purifying catalytic device is heated by high-temperature exhaust gas to remove the purifying capability reducing substances from the catalytic device.