JP2009150852A - Fuel residual amount display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fuel residual amount display device for informing a user of failure of a fuel detecting means. <P>SOLUTION: This fuel residual amount display device for displaying the fuel residual amount in a fuel tank mounted in a vehicle includes a displaying means 3, a fuel detecting means 1 for outputting a first detection signal according to the fuel residual amount, and a controlling means 2 that determines the fuel residual amount based on the first detection signal, makes the displaying means 3 display it, measures operating time of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle, determines that the fuel detecting means 1 fails when the variation amount of the fuel residual mount is a predetermined value or less even though the operating time has passed a predetermined time or more, and informs the user of the failure in the displaying means 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel remaining amount display device that displays a fuel remaining amount in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle.

As this type of fuel remaining amount display device, for example, a device described in Patent Document 1 is known. This fuel remaining amount display device includes a display means (indicator), a fuel detection means (fuel sender) that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the fuel remaining amount, and obtains the fuel remaining amount based on the detection signal to the display means. Control means (microcomputer) to display.
JP-A-10-239133

  Some of the remaining fuel amount display devices notify an abnormality when a short circuit or disconnection of a signal line that outputs a detection signal occurs.

  However, what notifies the abnormality when the signal line is short-circuited or disconnected cannot be notified to the user when a mechanical failure other than the signal line short-circuit or disconnection occurs. For this reason, it is difficult for the user to notice the failure, and there is a possibility that a difference occurs between the detection signal and the actual fuel remaining amount, resulting in an unnatural display.

  The present invention pays attention to the above-mentioned problems, and provides a fuel remaining amount display device capable of notifying the user of failure of the fuel detection means.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention is a fuel remaining amount display device that displays the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle, and includes a display unit and a detection signal corresponding to the remaining fuel amount. The fuel detection means for outputting, the remaining fuel amount is obtained based on the detection signal and displayed on the display means, and the operating time of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is measured, and the operating time has passed a predetermined time or more Control means for determining that the fuel detection unit has failed when the amount of change in the remaining amount of fuel is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and notifying the failure through the display unit or the predetermined notification unit. To do.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention is a fuel remaining amount display device for displaying the remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle, comprising a display means and a detection signal corresponding to the remaining fuel amount. A fuel detection means for outputting the fuel, the fuel remaining amount is obtained based on the detection signal and displayed on the display means, and the travel distance of the vehicle is measured, and the fuel is measured even if the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or more. And a control unit that determines that the fuel detection unit has failed when the amount of change in the remaining amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and notifies the failure through the display unit or the predetermined notification unit.

  Further, the present invention comprises a pointer-type meter in which the display means indicates the fuel remaining amount with a pointer, and the control means instructs the pointer to be less than the minimum remaining amount value when determining that the fuel detecting means has failed. The failure is notified by making it happen.

  Further, the present invention is provided such that the notification means is also used as a fuel warning means for notifying by emitting light or performing a predetermined display when the fuel remaining amount becomes a predetermined value or less, and the control means detects the fuel detection When the failure of the means is determined, the fuel warning means is notified by blinking or repeating display and non-display.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the initial objective can be achieved and the fuel remaining amount display apparatus which can notify a user of failure of a fuel detection means promptly can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a fuel remaining amount display device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the fuel remaining amount display device, and FIG. 2 shows a failure determination / notification. It is a flowchart which shows a process.

  In FIG. 1, the fuel remaining amount display device according to the present embodiment includes fuel detection means 1, control means 2, display means 3, and notification means 4.

  The fuel detection means 1 is, for example, a fuel sender that is installed in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle and has a resistance value that changes in accordance with a float that moves according to the fuel level. 1 as a detection signal (detection signal).

  For example, a microcomputer can be applied as the control means 2, and the first detection signal is input to perform arithmetic processing, and the display means 3 and the notification means 4 are operated according to the arithmetic processing result. Further, the control means 2 is connected to the tacho pulse detecting means 5 for detecting the tacho pulse corresponding to the engine speed and outputting it as a second detection signal corresponding to the engine speed. Then, based on the calculation processing result, failure determination and failure notification processing described later are performed. The fuel detection means 1 and the tacho pulse detection means 5 and the control means 2 may be connected via a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication cable (not shown).

  The control means 2 having such a function includes a CPU that executes arithmetic processing based on at least the first and second detection signals, and a readable and rewritable RAM that temporarily stores arithmetic processing results and the like in the CPU. And a storage unit comprising a ROM storing control programs and control data necessary for the operation of the display means 3 and the alarm means 4, the failure determination and the failure notification processing, and the first and second detection signals and control It has an input / output interface connected by bus for exchanging signals and clock signals. In addition to the RAM and ROM, a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM or a flash memory can be used as the storage unit. In this case, the control means 2 has a drive driver for driving the display means 3 and the alarm means 4.

  The display means 3 is composed of, for example, a pointer-type meter (pointer-type fuel meter), and is supported by a display plate 32 provided with an indicator portion 31 corresponding to the remaining amount of fuel and a rotating shaft of a stepping motor. A pointer 33 for indicating the indicator unit 31 is provided.

  The notifying means 4 is composed of a fuel warning means for warning the remaining amount of fuel by, for example, light emission. ). The alarm mark may be provided on the display board 32.

  Next, (1) control processing of the display means 3, (2) control processing of the notification means 4, and (3) failure determination / notification processing executed by the control means 2 will be described.

(1) Control processing of the display means 3 The control means 2 calculates and calculates the deflection angle data of the pointer 33 on the display plate 32 based on the first detection signal input every predetermined period. The deflection angle data thus obtained is temporarily stored in the RAM, and the pointer 33 is actually operated based on the comparison (difference) between the deflection angle data obtained last time and the latest deflection angle data obtained this time. Control data is generated, and the drive driver and the stepping motor are operated based on the control data to instruct the remaining fuel amount by the pointer 33.

(2) Control processing of the notification means 4 When the control means 2 determines that the remaining fuel amount has become a predetermined value or less (for example, 10 L or less) from the calculation processing result based on the first detection signal, the control means 2 operates the notification means 4. A low fuel alarm is performed to illuminate the alarm mark with the light source.

(3) Failure determination / informing process As shown in FIG. 2, the control means 2 first, in step S1 (operation time measurement), based on the second detection signal input at predetermined intervals and the clock signal, The operating time of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle (for example, any of the accumulated operating time excluding the stop period of the internal combustion engine from an arbitrary point in time or the operation continuation time from the start of the internal combustion engine) is measured. In the next step S2 (determination of predetermined time), it is determined whether or not the operation time in step S1 has exceeded a predetermined time (for example, 1 hour). If the determination result of step S2 is “YES”, that is, if a predetermined time or more has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S3 (fuel consumption calculation). In step S3, the amount of change in the remaining amount of fuel (fuel consumption) within a predetermined time is calculated based on the first detection signal. In the next step S4 (determination of fuel consumption), it is determined whether or not the fuel consumption in step S3 is a predetermined value or less (for example, 0 L), and the determination in step S4 is “YES”, that is, a predetermined value or less. In this case, even if the operation time of the internal combustion engine has elapsed for a predetermined time or more, the fuel consumption amount is not more than a predetermined value. Therefore, it is determined that the fuel detection means 1 has failed, and the process proceeds to step S5 (failure notification). In step S5, the failure of the fuel detection unit 1 is notified by forcibly instructing the pointer 33 of the display unit 3 to be equal to or less than the minimum remaining amount value (for example, the scale position indicating empty). That is, many users tend to refuel before the fuel gauge value reaches the minimum remaining amount value, and therefore can recognize a failure by a forcible instruction below the minimum remaining amount value.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the fuel remaining amount display device displays the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank mounted on the vehicle, and includes the display unit 3 and the first detection signal corresponding to the remaining amount of fuel. The fuel detection means 1 for outputting the fuel, the remaining fuel amount is obtained based on the first detection signal and displayed on the display means 3, and the operation time of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is measured, and the operation time has passed a predetermined time or more Even if the fuel detection unit 1 is provided with a control unit 2 that determines that the fuel detection unit 1 has failed when the amount of change in the remaining amount of fuel is equal to or less than a predetermined value and notifies the failure through the display unit 3. It is possible to inform the user of the failure of

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since a failure can be notified through the display means 3 provided in advance, there is an advantage that a dedicated notification means can be eliminated.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the failure is notified by instructing the indicator 33 of the display means 3 to be equal to or less than the minimum remaining amount value, it is possible to notify the user that the vehicle cannot travel. Note that the failure can be notified using the notification means 4 including the fuel warning means that notifies by emitting light when the remaining amount of fuel becomes a predetermined value or less. In this case, in order to differentiate from the normal fuel remaining amount warning, the failure can be notified by blinking the fuel warning means.

  Further, the notifying means 4 for notifying the failure is not limited to the light emitting type warning means such as the fuel warning means, and any notifying means 4 can be used. For example, when an electronic display panel such as a liquid crystal is used as the notification means 4, a message or icon for notifying a failure may be displayed, or display and non-display of these messages and icons may be repeated periodically.

  3 and 4 show a second embodiment of the fuel remaining amount display device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the fuel remaining amount display device. FIG. 4 shows a failure determination / notification. It is a flowchart which shows a process.

  In FIG. 3, the remaining fuel amount display device according to the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment only in that the speed pulse detection means 6 is connected to the control means 2 instead of the tacho pulse detection means 5. The speed pulse detection means 6 detects a speed pulse corresponding to the travel distance of the vehicle and outputs it as a third detection signal corresponding to the travel distance. Then, the control means 2 receives the third detection signal and performs arithmetic processing, and performs failure determination and failure notification processing, which will be described later, based on the calculation processing result.

Next, failure determination / notification processing in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S11 (travel distance measurement), the control means 2 determines the travel distance of the vehicle (for example, the accumulated distance from an arbitrary start time or the start of the internal combustion engine, based on the third detection signal input every predetermined cycle. Any of the continuous accumulated distances of the above) may be measured. In the next step S12 (predetermined distance determination), it is determined whether or not the travel distance in step S11 has reached a predetermined distance (for example, 20 km) or more. If the determination result in step S12 is “YES”, that is, if the distance reaches a predetermined distance or more, the process proceeds to step S13 (fuel consumption calculation). In step S13, the amount of change in fuel remaining amount (fuel consumption) at a predetermined distance is calculated based on the first detection signal. In the next step S14 (fuel consumption determination), it is determined whether or not the fuel consumption in step S13 is a predetermined value or less (for example, 0 L), and the determination in step S14 is “YES”, that is, a predetermined value or less. In this case, even if the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or more, the fuel consumption amount is not more than a predetermined value. Therefore, it is determined that the fuel detection unit 1 has failed, and the process proceeds to step S15 (failure notification). In step S15, the failure is notified by an arbitrary notification method.

  The same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained by this embodiment configured as described above.

1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a fuel remaining amount display device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The flowchart which shows the failure determination and alerting | reporting process in the embodiment. The block diagram which shows the system configuration | structure of the fuel residual amount display apparatus by the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the failure determination and alerting | reporting process in the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel detection means 2 Control means 3 Display means 4 Notification means 5 Tacho pulse detection means 6 Speed pulse detection means 31 Indicator part 32 Display board 33 Pointer

Claims (4)

A fuel remaining amount display device for displaying a remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle,
Display means;
Fuel detection means for outputting a detection signal corresponding to the remaining fuel amount;
Based on the detection signal, the remaining fuel amount is obtained and displayed on the display means, and the operating time of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle is measured, and the change in the remaining fuel amount even if the operating time has exceeded a predetermined time. Control means for determining that the fuel detection means has failed when the amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and notifying the failure through the display means or predetermined notification means;
A fuel remaining amount display device comprising: A fuel remaining amount display device for displaying a remaining amount of fuel in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle,
Display means;
Fuel detection means for outputting a detection signal corresponding to the remaining fuel amount;
Based on the detection signal, the fuel remaining amount is obtained and displayed on the display means, the travel distance of the vehicle is measured, and the amount of change in the fuel remaining amount is a predetermined value even if the vehicle travels a predetermined distance or more. Control means for determining that the fuel detection means has failed at the following time, and notifying the failure through the display means or predetermined notification means;
A fuel remaining amount display device comprising: The display means comprises a pointer-type meter that indicates the fuel remaining amount with a pointer, and the control means instructs the pointer to indicate a value not more than the minimum remaining amount when determining that the fuel detecting means has failed. The remaining fuel amount display device according to claim 1, wherein the remaining fuel amount is displayed. The notifying means is provided also as a fuel warning means for notifying by emitting light or a predetermined display when the fuel remaining amount becomes a predetermined value or less, and the control means determines a failure of the fuel detecting means. 3. The fuel remaining amount display device according to claim 1, wherein the failure is notified by repeatedly blinking or displaying and not displaying the fuel warning means.

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