JP2001082180A - Throttle device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive and small-size throttle device with excellent response of opening adjustment when a breakdown occurs. SOLUTION: In this throttle device, a throttle gear 20 is relatively unrotatably fixed to a throttle shaft with a bolt 17. A lock member 25 is relatively rotatably fitted on the throttle shaft. An opening side end part 21 of the throttle gear 20 and an abutment part 25a of the lock member 25 normally abut on each other by energizing force of a spring. When a motor 30 stops because of generation of wire breaking or the like in the motor 30, a current is supplied to a coil of an actuator 60 to retract a rod 61. One end 27a of a return spring 27 abuts on a projecting part 25b of the lock member 25 to energize the lock member 25 and the throttle gear 20 to a closing direction. The projecting part 25b of the lock member 25 is locked to a stopper 51 to set a throttle opening to the vicinity of a fully closing position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine (hereinafter referred to as "internal combustion engine").
The present invention relates to a throttle device for adjusting an intake flow rate of an “internal combustion engine”.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a throttle device in which a disk-shaped valve member for adjusting an intake flow rate flowing through an intake passage by rotating is driven by an electric drive means such as a motor, the operation of the motor is stopped due to disconnection of the motor or the like. However, in order to enable reliable limp-home running, various configurations have been considered in which the throttle opening is set at a predetermined position, for example, near a fully closed position. For example, by providing a return spring that urges the valve member in the closing direction and disposing a stopper that locks the valve member that rotates in the closing direction near the fully closed position, the motor cannot drive the valve member. Also, the throttle opening is set near the fully closed position to enable limp-home running. However, since the urging force of the return spring for urging the valve member in the closing direction is constantly applied to the valve member, a large driving force is required for the motor to drive the valve member against the urging force of the return spring. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size of the motor.

To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-246
In the throttle device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 246, a reset spring for defining a throttle opening is formed of a shape memory metal. When the drive current is supplied to the motor and the motor is operating, the urging force of the reset spring does not act on the valve member. When the supply line that supplies the drive current to the motor is disconnected, the current is supplied to the reset spring by the operation of the switching relay, and the shape of the reset spring changes due to an increase in the temperature of the reset spring. The reset spring rotates the regulating member that regulates the opening of the valve member by deforming, and sets the throttle opening near the fully closed position. Since the biasing force of the reset spring is not applied to the valve member during operation of the motor, the driving force of the motor can be reduced and the size of the motor can be reduced.

[0004]

However, since the shape of the reset spring formed of the shape memory metal changes depending on the temperature, the time required for the reset spring to be deformed and the throttle opening to be set near the fully closed position is reduced. There is a delay. Then, the vehicle may travel until the throttle opening is set near the fully closed position. Further, forming a reset spring for setting the vicinity of the fully closed position with high accuracy using a shape memory metal has a problem that the cost increases. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive and small throttle device which has excellent responsiveness of opening adjustment when a failure occurs.

[0005]

According to the throttle device of the present invention, the operation of the electric drive means for driving the valve member for adjusting the flow rate of the intake air flowing through the intake passage by rotating the throttle device. During the period, the urging force of the throttle urging means for urging the valve member to the predetermined throttle opening position is prohibited from being applied to the valve member, and the urging force of the throttle urging means is applied to the valve member while the electric drive means is stopped. There is an electric prohibition means for permitting participation. Since the urging force of the throttle urging means is not applied to the valve member when the electric driving means is operating, there is no need to drive the valve member against the urging force of the throttle urging means. Therefore, the driving force of the electric driving means can be reduced and the electric driving means can be downsized, so that the throttle device can be made smaller. Further, the manufacturing cost of the electric drive means is reduced.

Also, since the electric prohibiting means is only operated, the electric prohibiting means is operated after the electric driving means cannot drive the valve member due to a disconnection or the like, and the urging force of the throttle urging means is applied to the valve member so that a predetermined force is applied. There is almost no time delay until the valve member is biased to the throttle opening, and the responsiveness is excellent.

[0007]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention; (First Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The throttle device 1 shown in FIG.
The throttle opening is electrically controlled in accordance with engine operating conditions such as an engine speed, an engine load, and a water temperature, and the amount of intake air flowing through an intake passage 11a formed in the throttle body 11 is adjusted. The state shown in FIG. 2 is a fully opened state of the throttle device 1.

The throttle shaft 12 is rotatably supported by the throttle body 11 via bearings 15 and 116 provided at both ends of the throttle shaft 12. Valve member 13
Is formed in a disc shape, and is fixed to the throttle shaft 12 by screws 14. Throttle shaft 12 and valve member 1
3 and rotates together.

As shown in FIG. 1, the throttle gear 20 is formed in a semi-disc shape, and the throttle shaft 1 is
2 is fixed so as not to rotate relatively. The locking member 25 is formed in a circular shape, and is fitted to the throttle shaft 12 between the throttle gear 20 and the bearing 15 as shown in FIG. The locking member 25 is rotatable relative to the throttle shaft 12. The locking member 25 has a contact portion 25a protruding toward the throttle gear 20 in the axial direction, and a protruding portion 25b protruding radially outward. The spring 26 has one end fixed to the throttle gear 20 and the other end fixed to the locking member 25. The biasing force of the spring 26 acts in a direction in which the open end 21 of the throttle gear 20 and the contact portion 25a of the locking member 25 approach in FIG. Due to the urging force of the spring 26, the open end 21 of the throttle gear 20 and the contact portion 25a of the locking member 25 are normally in contact with each other. In FIG. 1, the opening direction is clockwise. The position where the projection 25b of the locking member 25 is locked by the stopper 51 formed on the throttle body 11 is near the fully closed position slightly opened from the fully closed position. When a driving force in the closing direction is further applied to the throttle gear 20 from near the fully closed position as a predetermined throttle opening, the throttle gear 20 rotates in the closing direction against the urging force of the spring 26, and the throttle side of the throttle gear 20 closes. The end 22 is locked by the fully closed stopper 52. The position of the fully closed stopper 52 is a fully closed position of the throttle opening.

One end 27a of a return spring 27 as a throttle urging means is locked to a rod 61 of an actuator 60 as an electric prohibiting means, and the other end is locked to the throttle body 11. When the lock by the rod 61 as the movable member is released, one end 27a of the return spring 27 abuts on the projection 25b of the lock member 25, and the lock member 25 and the throttle gear 20, that is, the throttle shaft 12 and the valve member 13 is urged in the closing direction.
1, a throttle gear 20 and a locking member 25 are shown.
Is in the fully open position, and the projection 25b is the return spring 2
7 is not in contact with one end 27a. Therefore, when the one end 27 a of the return spring 27 is locked to the rod 61, the locking member 25 and the throttle gear 2
0, that is, the throttle shaft 12 and the valve member 13 do not receive the urging force of the return spring 27.

The intermediate gear 28 has small diameter gear teeth 28a and large diameter gear teeth 28b. The small-diameter gear teeth 28a mesh with the gear teeth 20a of the throttle gear 20, and the large-diameter gear teeth 28a
b meshes with the gear teeth 32a of the motor gear 32 of the motor 30. The motor 30 as an electric drive unit is, for example, a DC motor, and is attached to the throttle body 11. The gear teeth 32 a of the motor gear 32 that rotates together with the rotation shaft 31 of the motor 30 mesh with the large-diameter gear teeth 28 b of the intermediate gear 28. As the motor 30 rotates, the driving force of the motor 30 is applied to the throttle shaft 12 and the valve member 13 via the intermediate gear 28 and the throttle gear 20, and the throttle opening is adjusted. The cover 50 covers each gear and the motor 30.

The rotation angle sensor 40 is connected to the throttle body 1 on the side opposite to the throttle gear 20 across the intake passage 11a.
It is attached to 1. The contact member 41 fixed to the throttle shaft 12 by the bolt 18 is a rotation angle sensor 40
(Not shown). Contact member 41
At the same time, the throttle member is detected by rotating the lever member of the rotation angle sensor 40.

The actuator 60 includes a rod 61, a coil 62 disposed on the outer periphery of the rod, and a rod 61.
Of the return spring 27 in a direction for locking the one end 27a of the return spring 27. When a current is supplied to the coil 62, the rod 61 is attracted against the urging force of the spring 63, and the locking of the one end 27 a of the return spring 27 is released.

An ECU 70 shown in FIG. 3 controls the drive current supplied to the motor 30 in accordance with the operating state of the engine to adjust the throttle opening. The motor detection circuit 71 detects whether there is a disconnection or the like in the motor 30, that is, whether or not the motor 30 is operating normally, and sends a detection signal to the ECU 70. The ECU 70 determines a detection signal sent from the motor detection circuit 71 and supplies a drive current to the motor 30.
The ECU 70 and the motor detection circuit 71 constitute control means for controlling the drive current supplied to the motor 30 and for controlling the operation of the actuator 60.

Next, the operation of the throttle device 1 will be described. When the ECU 70 determines that there is no disconnection or the like in the motor 30 based on the detection signal sent from the motor detection circuit 71, that is, that the motor 30 is operating normally, the motor 3
0 is supplied with the drive current. Also, no current is supplied to the coil 62 of the actuator 60. Therefore, the rod 61
Is at the position shown in FIG. 2 and locks one end 27 a of the return spring 27. The ECU 70 controls a current value sent to the motor 30 in accordance with an engine operation state such as an engine speed, an engine load, an accelerator opening, a water temperature, and a detection signal of the rotation angle sensor 40, and adjusts a throttle opening. From the fully open position shown in FIG.
Until the stopper 5b is locked by the stopper 51, the throttle gear 20 and the locking member 25 rotate integrally while contacting with the urging force of the spring 26. When the value of the current supplied to the motor 30 is increased while the protrusion 25b is locked by the stopper 51 and the driving force applied to the throttle shaft 12 in the closing direction increases, the throttle gear 20 further resists the urging force of the spring 26. Rotate in the closing direction. Throttle gear 20
The position where the closed end 22 of the valve member 13 is locked by the fully closed stopper 52 formed on the throttle body 11 is the fully closed position of the valve member 13.

When the ECU 70 determines that a failure such as disconnection has occurred in the motor 30 based on a detection signal from the motor detection circuit 71, the ECU 70 stops controlling the motor 30 and supplies a current to the coil 62 of the actuator 60. Then, the rod 61 is sucked against the urging force of the spring 63, so that the locking of the one end 27 a of the return spring 27 is released. Then, one end 27a of the return spring 27 abuts on the projection 25b of the locking member 25, and the return spring 27 is connected to the throttle gear 2 via the locking member 25.
0 is urged in the closing direction. By locking the projection 25b of the locking member 25 to the stopper 51, the throttle opening is set near the fully closed position. In the vicinity of the fully closed position, normal traveling is difficult, but low-speed evacuation traveling is possible.

If the failure diagnosis of the ECU 70 is erroneous, the ECU 70 supplies a current to the coil 62 of the actuator 60 to restart the rod 6 when the engine is restarted.
The throttle gear 20 is rotated by the motor 30 to a position where one end 27a of the return spring 27 passes through the rod 61. Return spring 27
When the one end 27a passes through the rod 61, the current supply to the coil 62 is stopped, and after the rod 61 pops out, the locking member 25 is rotated in the closing direction. Return spring 27
Since the rod 61 locks the one end 27a of the valve member 13, the urging force of the return spring 27 is not applied to the valve member 13, and the state returns to the normal state.

Since the urging force of the return spring 27 is not applied to the throttle shaft 12 when the motor 30 is operating, the motor 30 can adjust the throttle opening with a small driving force. Here, when the motor 30 controls the throttle opening between the vicinity of the fully closed position and the fully closed position, it is necessary to drive the throttle gear 20 against the urging force of the spring 26. However, since the biasing force of the spring 26 is much smaller than the biasing force of the return spring 27,
The motor 30 is downsized and the throttle device 1 is downsized.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
Shown in The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the first embodiment, and the description is omitted. When the motor 30 is operating normally, one end 27a of the return spring 27 is locked by a locking plate 81 as a rectangular movable member.
The rotating shaft 80 is eccentrically attached to one long side of the locking plate 81 and attached to the locking plate 81, and the locking plate 81 rotates together with the rotating shaft 80. The rotation shaft 80 is rotated by a motor (not shown).

When the ECU 70 determines from the detection signal from the motor detection circuit 71 that a failure such as disconnection has occurred in the motor 30, the ECU 70 stops controlling the motor 30 and supplies a current to the motor that drives the rotating shaft 80. , Rotating shaft 80
Then, the locking plate 81 is rotated by 180 °. Then, one end 27a of the return spring 27 is disengaged from the locking plate 81, and urges the locking member 25 and the throttle gear 20 in the closing direction.

In the above-mentioned plural embodiments showing the embodiment of the present invention, the return spring 2 for urging the valve member in the closing direction when the motor 30 is operating normally.
7 to prevent the urging force of the return spring 27 from being applied to the valve member. Since there is no need to drive the valve member 13 against the urging force of the return spring 27, the driving force of the motor 30 that drives the valve member 13 can be reduced.
This reduces the cost of the motor 30 and
The physique becomes smaller and the throttle device 1 becomes smaller. When the operation of the motor 30 is stopped due to a disconnection or the like, the electric prohibiting means is operated to apply the urging force of the return spring 27 to the valve member 13 via the locking member 25. There is almost no time delay from the detection of the failure of the motor 30 to the actuation of the electric prohibiting means to the setting of the throttle opening near the fully closed position, and the response is excellent. In the above embodiments, the predetermined throttle opening is set near the fully closed position by the biasing force of the return spring 27, but the predetermined throttle opening is not limited to the vicinity of the fully closed position.

In a system that does not require retreating, the locking member 25 and the spring 26 are eliminated, and in the event of a failure, the throttle gear 20 directly locks the return spring 27 to return the throttle opening to the fully closed position. Is also good. Between the vicinity of the fully closed position and the fully closed position, the motor 30 resists the urging force of the spring 26 so that the throttle gear 20 is closed.
It is no longer necessary to drive the motor 30, so that the size of the motor 30 can be further reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view in the direction of an arrow I in FIG. 2 showing a throttle device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with a cover removed.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a throttle device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing control means of the motor.

FIG. 4 is a schematic operation explanatory view showing an electric locking means according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Throttle device 11 Throttle body 12 Throttle shaft 13 Valve member 20 Throttle gear 25 Locking member 27 Return spring (Throttle urging means) 28 Intermediate gear 30 Motor (Electric drive means) 60 Actuator (Electric prohibition means) 61 Rod (Movable member) ) 62 Coil 63 Spring (prohibiting urging means) 70 ECU (control means) 71 Motor control circuit (control means) 80 Rotary shaft (electric prohibiting means) 81 Locking plate (movable member, electric prohibiting means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A valve member for adjusting an intake air flow rate flowing through an intake passage by rotating, an electric driving means for driving the valve member, and a throttle capable of urging the valve member to a predetermined throttle opening position. Urging means, prohibiting the urging force of the throttle urging means from being applied to the valve member during operation of the electric driving means, and urging the throttle urging means while the electric driving means is stopped. A throttle device, comprising: electric prohibiting means for permitting application to a valve member. 2. The throttle urging means has a spring capable of urging the valve member at a predetermined throttle opening position, the electric prohibiting means includes a movable member capable of reciprocating movement,
Prohibiting urging means for urging the movable member in one direction, and a coil for generating a magnetic force to attract the movable member against the urging force of the prohibiting urging means, wherein the movable member has a spring. When the one end is locked, the urging force of the spring is inhibited from being applied to the valve member, and when the movable member moves and the locking by the movable member is released, the urging force of the spring is applied to the valve member. The throttle device according to claim 1, wherein the throttle device is used. 3. The throttle urging means includes a spring capable of urging the valve member at a predetermined throttle opening position, and the electric prohibiting means includes a rotatable movable member and one of the movable member. Prohibiting urging means for urging in the rotation direction of
A motor for rotating the movable member in the other rotational direction against the urging force of the prohibiting urging means, and the urging force of the spring is reduced by locking one end of the spring to the movable member. 2. The throttle device according to claim 1, wherein application to the valve member is prohibited, and when the movable member moves and the locking by the movable member is released, the urging force of the spring is applied to the valve member.