EP1036936B1 - Monitoring system for starter device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for monitoring a starting device according to the preamble of claim 1.

In the case of starting devices for internal combustion engines, the start request of the Driver usually by closing an electrical contact, for example a switch communicated to the starting device. To avoid unintentional movement of the vehicle is already a device known that only enable starting if, for example, the Clutch pedal is depressed. In this context and further The environment is referred to WO 94/15808 and JP 09042005 A. In these Publications describe devices that are unintended Prevent driving away by only starting certain engines Vehicle operating conditions, such as operating a clutch pedal, allow.

The present invention is in contrast to a newer type of starting devices aimed for motor vehicles. With these starting devices electrical machines are used both as starters and operated as a generator. As an example, let's look at those that are now known Crankshaft starter generators noted. These electrical machines are connected via an inverter to a power supply network connected, to which consumers and batteries are connected are. An electrical valve train, for example, can serve as a consumer be provided, which is operated reliably during the starting process must become. With such an electric valve train, but also with others Consumers must have sufficient electrical energy already at Be ensured. For this purpose, a control unit used, which at certain time intervals not even with one vehicle in operation can be activated and the electrical state of the electrical system checked. With such an automatic activation the control unit must be completely excluded, that the electrical machine also serving as the starter is unintentionally is operated and, for example, with the gear engaged, the vehicle in Movement sets.

DE 195 32 163 A1 describes a system for reducing the rotational irregularity described a shaft of an internal combustion engine, at an inverter is connected to a control device. The control device controls the inverter and thus an electrical machine such that the positive and negative rotational irregularities of the Wave is counteracted. A device for activating the control unit or the inverter at certain intervals is not described. The object of the present invention is therefore a device of the beginning mentioned type to the extent that such an unintentional Movement is excluded.

This object is achieved by the features mentioned in claim 1.

Accordingly, an additional control is provided that the inverter activated or deactivated depending on vehicle operating information. The link between the vehicle operating information and the The inverter can be enabled or disabled using software. Most security, however, brings a hardware circuit in the form of a Driver. The inverter, which is the connection between the vehicle electrical system and the electrical machine, is only activated, if the vehicle operating information permits.

A speed signal can preferably be used as vehicle operating information of the engine and a clutch actuation signal can be used. In this Case, the additional control is designed such that the inverter is only set to active when either the clutch is actuated or the speed exceeds a certain value. With this configuration it is ensured that the electrical Only start the machine when the clutch pedal is depressed can. In addition, continued operation of the electrical machine is also without Clutch actuation possible when a certain engine speed has been reached or exceeded.

Of course, other signals can be used instead of the clutch actuation signal are used, for example a P / N signal of an automatic Gearbox. The signal just needs to ensure that the powertrain the vehicle is interrupted, so that when starting a locomotion of the vehicle is prevented in any case.

Fig. 1

ein schematisches Blockdiagramm einer Starteinrichtung mit Verbrauchern und

Fig. 2

eine konkrete Ausgestaltung einer zusätzlichen Steuerung aus Fig. 1 in Form eines schematischen Blockdiagramms.

A simple embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show in

Fig. 1

a schematic block diagram of a starting device with consumers and

Fig. 2

a concrete embodiment of an additional control from FIG. 1 in the form of a schematic block diagram.

In Fig. 1 is a starting device with a control unit in a schematic manner 10, which shows an inverter 14, a DC / DC converter 22, a central unit 30 and an additional controller 40. The inverter 14 is connected to an asynchronous motor 12 which can be operated both as a starter and as a generator. The of the asynchronous machine 12 in the generator mode current supplied or of this current required in starter mode is supplied via the inverter 14 converted into a direct current and fed into an electrical system or taken from this.

In the present case, the vehicle electrical system consists of a power supply unit 16 with a Mains voltage of 42 V, which is connected directly to a 36 V battery 20 as well as to a Consumers are concerned. In the present case, this consumer is an electrical one Valve train 18.

In addition, a 12 V electrical system 24 is provided, that of the 42 V electrical system is supplied via the DC / DC converter 22. There are 24 on the 12 V electrical system in the present case a 12 V battery 26 and other consumers 28 are connected.

The central unit 30 and the electronic unit are connected via a local CAN bus 34 Valve train 18 connected to digital engine electronics DME 36. The digital engine electronics 36 is also with a further CAN bus system in connection and also receives signals from terminal 50 and one Diagnostic management.

The central processing unit 30 receives its commands from the digital motor electronics 36. In addition, information is read in via the CAN bus 32. Further input information of the central processing unit 30 is a wake-up signal W, a charge signal L, a voltage signal of the 36 V battery U _{36 V} and a temperature signal from the 36 V battery T _{36 V.}

The central controller 30 acts on the inverter 14, more precisely one Driver circuit 15 of the inverter 14 and causes one accordingly operation of the asynchronous machine as required by the input variables 12th

Via the wake-up signal W, the central control 30 is not activated even when one is temporarily activated (woken) vehicle in operation.

Alternatively, the wake-up signal can also be within the central controller 30 to be generated.

With the wake-up signal it has the following relevance: Already at the start the electrical valve trains are reliably supplied with electrical current become. For this purpose, the required performance must be available from the start be available. The central processing unit 30 now also checks when the computer is switched off Vehicle the 42 V vehicle electrical system voltage at certain intervals, to recognize whether the power / voltage required for a starting case can also be provided by the 36 V battery 20 can. If this is not the case, the 36 V battery 20 becomes the 12 V battery 26 loaded via the DC / DC converter 22.

In such a wake-up process, however, it must be prevented in any case that the vehicle is in operation of the asynchronous machine 12 moved in starter mode and in gear. To prevent this, a separate controller 40 is provided, which as the input signal Speed signal n of the engine and a clutch signal KS receives. Corresponding The controller 40 generates a signal and these input variables sends this to the driver circuit 15 of the inverter 14, which thereby being put into an active or a deactivated state.

A specific embodiment of the additional control 40 is shown in FIG Block diagram shown in Fig. 2. In a branch of this control, this is Speed signal n of the motor into a frequency-voltage converter Voltage converted. This voltage is applied to a threshold comparator 52 applied, which then generates a signal when the voltage U exceeds a predetermined value. The resulting signal is converted into 0/1 information in a unit 54 and sent to an AND Gate 58 passed.

in the second branch, the unit 56 converts according to the actuation of the Coupling switch KS the signal applied to it also in a logical 0/1 signal and also passes this on to the AND gate 58.

The AND gate 58 then only gives an activation signal to the driver circuit 15 of the inverter 14 from when both the clutch is actuated is as well as the engine speed n exceeds a predetermined limit. In the present case, the inverter 14 is blocked if at the Driver circuit 1 is present (1 = WR -> blocked).

With this design, the electrical machine can be operated upon automatic activation of the central processing unit 30 effectively avoided by the alarm signal W. An actuation of the asynchronous machine 12 from a standing position can thus only be activated when the Coupling switch done. Only when the engine speed then a certain The asynchronous machine can also exceed the threshold value continue to be operated without actuating the clutch switch.

Claims (4)

1. A system for monitoring a starting device in a motor vehicle with an electrical machine (12) serving as starter and generator, an inverter (14) to convert the current generated in the electrical machine (12) or required by it, and a control unit (30) to control the operation of the unit comprising the electrical machine (12) and the inverter (14) in dependency on input signals (W, L, U, T), whereby the control unit (30) can be activated at intervals of time even when the vehicle is not in operation,
   characterised in that
   an additional controller (40) is provided which activates or de-activates the inverter (15) depending on operating information (KS, n).
2. A system according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the additional controller (40) receives a revolutions signal from the motor (n) and a gearbox signal and is configured such that the inverter (14) is set to active when either the drive train is interrupted as regards the transmission of torque or the motor revolutions exceed a prescribed value.
3. A system according to Claim 2,
   characterised in that
   a clutch operation signal (KS) or a P/N signal from an automatic gearbox serves as the gearbox signal.
4. A system according to one of the foregoing Claims,
   characterised in that
   the inverter (15) has a driver for the activation or de-activation which is triggered by the additional controller (40).

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