Patent ID: 6932034
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: F01L

Abstract:
1. A fail-safe control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a variable valve characteristic mechanism disposed for each of a plurality of cylinder groups, that varies a valve characteristic relating to an effective opening degree of an engine valve; a valve characteristic detector detecting the valve characteristic of said engine valve; and a control unit that controls said variable valve characteristic mechanism based on a detection result of said valve characteristic, wherein said control unit: detects a failed state of the variable valve characteristic mechanism for each cylinder group; when it is judged that the variable valve characteristic mechanism of any one of cylinder groups is failed, if the effective opening degree in the valve characteristic in said failed state detected by said valve characteristic detector is a predetermined value or above, controls the valve characteristic of the normal variable valve characteristic mechanism of the other cylinder group to be coincident with the valve characteristic of the failed variable valve characteristic mechanism; and if the effective opening degree is less than the predetermined value, performs a control for limiting the control to coincide the valve characteristic of said normal variable valve characteristic mechanism with the valve characteristic of said failed variable valve characteristic mechanism.