CONTROL DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD FOR VARIABLE COMPRESSION RATIO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

There are provided a variable compression-ratio mechanism (20) capable of varying an engine compression ratio in accordance with a rotational position of a control shaft (24); a speed reducer (44) configured to reduce in speed a rotational power of an actuator and transmit the speed-reduced rotational power to the control shaft (24); and a speed-reducer accommodating case (43) accommodating the speed reducer (44). An input shaft of the speed reducer (44) which is connected to the actuator has a shaft center line extending along a horizontal direction, and at least a part of the input shaft is kept under a lubricating oil retained in the speed-reducer accommodating case (43). The input shaft of the speed reducer (44) is swung by a predetermined swing angle to avoid inadequate lubrication of the input shaft of the speed reducer (44), during an operating state where the engine compression ratio is maintained constant.