Apparatus and method for controlling variable valve mechanism

1. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism in an internal combustion engine, wherein:

the variable valve mechanism has a cam shaft of a double shaft structure including an outer cam shaft and an inner cam shaft, and a cam is attached to each of the outer and inner cam shafts, such that a phase of a cam of one of the cam shafts is adjustable with respect to a cam of the other cam shaft;

the cams are arranged to operate with at least one of a pair of intake valves and a pair of exhaust valves of the internal combustion engine; and

the apparatus includes

a current phase determination section configured to determine, when an abnormality is detected in one of the cam shafts, a current phase of the one of the cam shafts in which the abnormality is detected, and

a phase control section configured to control the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft, in accordance with the determined current phase of the one cam.

2. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

a phase control of the cam of the other cam shaft in the phase control section is performed to control an overlapping period during which at least one of the intake valves and at least one of the exhaust valves are open.

3. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein:

a phase control of the cam of the other cam shaft in the phase control section is performed to control an open or close timing of at least one of the valves.

4. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein:

the current phase determination section determines, when locking is detected in one of the cam shafts, whether a current phase of the cam of the locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position or at a retarded angle position; and

the phase control section advances or retards the cam of the other cam shaft in accordance with the determined current phase of the cam, so that the overlapping period of the at least one of the intake valves and the at least one of the exhaust valves is a required period.

5. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein:

the current phase determination section determines, when locking is detected in one of the cam shafts, whether a current phase of the cam of the locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position or at a retarded angle position; and

the phase control section advances or retards the cam of the other cam shaft in accordance with the determined current phase of the cam, so that the open or close timing of at least one of the intake valves or at least one of the exhaust valves is a required timing.

6. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein:

when the current phase determination section determines that the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position, the phase control section retards the cam of the other cam shaft; and

when the current phase determination section determines that the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is at a retarded angle position, the phase control section advances the cam of the other cam shaft so as to regulate the overlapping period of the at least one intake valve and the at least one exhaust valve.

7. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein:

when the current phase determination section determines that the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position, the phase control section retards the cam of the other cam shaft; and

when the current phase determination section determines that the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is at a retarded angle position, the phase control section advances the cam of the other cam shaft so as to regulate the open or close timing of at least one of the intake valves or at least one of the exhaust valves.

8. An apparatus for controlling a variable valve mechanism in an internal combustion engine, the valve mechanism having a double shaft structure including an outer cam shaft and an inner cam shaft, and a cam attached to each of the outer and inner cam shafts, such that a phase of a cam of one of the cam shafts is adjustable with respect to a cam of the other cam shaft; the cams being arranged to operate at least one of a pair of intake valves and a pair of exhaust valves of the internal combustion engine, comprising:

a current phase determination means for determining, when an abnormality is detected in one of the cam shafts, a current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected; and

a phase control means for controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft, in accordance with the determined current phase of the one cam.

9. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism in an internal combustion engine, in which the variable valve mechanism has a cam shaft of a double shaft structure including an outer cam shaft and an inner cam shaft, and a cam is attached to each of the outer and inner cam shafts, such that a phase of a cam of one of the cam shafts is adjustable with respect to a cam of the other cam shaft; and the cams are arranged to operate at least one of a pair of intake valves and a pair of exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

determining, when an abnormality is detected in one of the cam shafts, a current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected; and

controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft, in accordance with the determined current phase of the one cam.

10. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein:

controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft comprises controlling an overlapping period during which at least one of the intake valves and at least one of the exhaust valves are open.

11. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 9 , wherein:

controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft comprises controlling an open or close timing of at least one of the valves.

12. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 10 , wherein:

determining the current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected comprises determining, when locking is detected in one of the cam shafts, whether a current phase of the cam of the locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position or at a retarded angle position; and

controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft advances or retards the cam of the other cam shaft in accordance with the determined current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected, so that the overlapping period is a required period.

13. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 11 , wherein:

determining the current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected comprises determining, when locking is detected in one of the cam shafts, whether a current phase of the cam of the locked cam shaft is at an advanced angle position or at a retarded angle position; and

controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft advances or retards the cam of the other cam shaft in accordance with the determined current phase of the cam of the cam shaft in which the abnormality is detected, so that the open or close timing of at least one of the intake valves or the exhaust valves is a required timing.

14. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 12 , wherein controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft comprises:

when the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is determined to be at an advanced angle position, retarding the cam of the other cam shaft; and

when the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is determined to be at a retarded angle position, advancing the cam of the other cam shaft so as to regulate overlapping period.

15. A method for controlling a variable valve mechanism according to claim 13 , wherein controlling the phase of the cam of the other cam shaft comprises:

when the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is determined to be at an advanced angle position, retarding the cam of the other cam shaft; and

when the current phase of the cam of the one locked cam shaft is determined to be at a retarded angle position, advancing the cam of the other cam shaft so as to regulate the open or close timing of at least one of the intake valves or at least one of the exhaust valves.