JP2778154B2 - Engine automatic starter - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an engine starter, and more particularly to an automatic engine starter suitable for automatically starting the engine.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in an automatic engine starting apparatus, for example, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. Sho 62-195666, a predetermined time set in advance is measured by a timer circuit. In some cases, an engine is automatically started by an engine starting means via an engine starting circuit based on an engine starting signal generated by the end of timekeeping.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In such a configuration, the continuation of the operation of the engine after the start depends on the power supply from the battery to the ignition circuit via the automatic starter. If the engine is stopped due to a failure of the automatic starter, a situation may occur in which the engine suddenly stops. In response to this, after the engine is started by the automatic start device and before the vehicle is started, the engine is temporarily stopped, and then the engine is restarted by a normal manual operation of an ignition key. It is also conceivable to make the continuation of the operation of the engine dependent on the power supply from the battery to the ignition circuit via the ignition switch, not via the automatic starter. However, in such a case, even though the engine is automatically started, an operation of temporarily stopping the engine before starting the vehicle and then restarting the engine manually is always necessary, which is inconvenient. In addition, such extra operations also increase the number of operations of the starter and shorten the life of the starter.

On the other hand, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 63-90072, power supply to the starter is prohibited when the engine is operated by the automatic starter. It merely prevents malfunctions and causes the same problems as those described above.

Therefore, the present invention, in order to deal with the above,
In an automatic engine starting device, power supply to an ignition system is switched to power supply by a normal ignition key operation while maintaining the operation of the engine after automatic start as it is.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In solving the above problems, according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the engine is operated under both the operation of the ignition system 2 and the starter system 1 by power supply from the power supply 5. Command means 3 for generating a start command signal for starting the engine, an ignition switch SW which is turned on to supply power from a power source 5 to the ignition system 2, a starter system 1 and an ignition system based on the generation of the start command signal. Output signal generating means 4 for generating first and second output signals required for each operation of the second embodiment, and for stopping generation of the first output signal upon completion of engine start; and power supply based on the generation of the first output signal. A first power supply means 6 for supplying power to the starter system 1 from the power supply 5 and a power supply 5 for supplying power to the ignition system 2 based on the generation of the second output signal. (2) An automatic engine starter comprising: a power supply means (8); and a judgment means (9) for judging whether or not the ignition switch (SW) is turned on based on the stop of the generation of the first output signal. And stopping the generation of the second output signal based on the determination that the engine is turned on.

(Effects of the Invention) With the configuration of the present invention, when the start of the engine by both the operation of the starter system 1 and the operation of the ignition system 2 accompanying the generation of the first and second output signals is completed, the output signal is output. The generating means 4 stops generating the first output signal.

Then, based on this stop, the determination means 9 determines whether or not the ignition switch SW is turned on.

Here, if the ignition switch SW is turned on, the output signal generating means 4 stops generating the second output signal based on the judgment by the judging means 9 that the ignition switch SW is turned on.

In other words, the power supply system from the power supply 5 to the ignition system 2 is provided on the assumption that power is supplied from the power supply 5 through the ignition switch SW to the ignition system 2 by turning on the ignition switch SW after the start of the engine. Is switched from the power supply system passing through the second power supply means 8 to the power supply system passing through the ignition switch SW based on the stoppage of the generation of the second output signal, and the operating state of the engine after the start is completed is maintained.

Therefore, in such a state, even if a failure occurs in the output signal generating means 4 or the like for some reason, the ignition switch is not affected by the failure and is not affected by the ignition switch.
Under the power supply to the ignition system 2 through the SW, the operation of the engine after the completion of the start can be smoothly maintained as it is.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a vehicle engine automatic starter. The automatic engine starter includes a start command circuit 10. The start command circuit 10 generates a start command signal necessary for starting the engine of the vehicle in response to a radio signal from a radio device (not shown). I do. The brake switch 20 generates a brake signal in response to the operation of the side brake of the vehicle. Neutral switch 30 generates a neutral signal in response to a shift operation of a transmission of the vehicle to a neutral position.

A rotation speed sensor 40 detects the rotation speed of the engine and sequentially generates a pulse signal at a frequency proportional to the rotation speed. The water temperature sensor 50 detects the temperature of the cooling water of the cooling system of the engine and generates a signal as a water temperature detection signal. Waveform shaper 60
Generates a shaped pulse by sequentially shaping the waveform of each pulse signal from the rotation speed sensor 40. The A / D converter 70 converts the water temperature detection signal from the water temperature sensor 50 into a digital water temperature signal.

The microcomputer 80 is connected to the positive terminal of the battery B, the starter terminal ST and the ignition terminal IG of the ignition switch SW of the vehicle at each of the power supply terminals, and each input terminal of the microcomputer 80 is Start command circuit 10, brake switch 20, neutral switch 30, waveform shaper 60, and A / D converter
70 connected to each other. The microcomputer 80 is in an operating state in which a DC voltage is constantly applied from the positive terminal of the battery B. The microcomputer 80 operates according to the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. During this execution, the starter relay circuit 9 connected to the starter 90 and the ignition circuit 100 of the engine, respectively.
Calculation processing for drive control of the ignition relay circuit 100a and the ignition relay circuit 100a is performed. However, the above-described computer program is stored in the ROM of the microcomputer 80 in advance.

The ignition switch SW is set to a movable contact Mc according to the turning operation of inserting the ignition key into the key cylinder lock.
To both the accessory terminal ACC and the ignition terminal IG (hereinafter, referred to as a first closed state), or to both the ignition terminal IG and the starter terminal ST (hereinafter, referred to as a second closed state), or the movable contact Mc. The accessory terminal ACC, the ignition terminal IG, and the starter terminal ST are cut off. The movable contact Mc of the ignition switch SW is connected to the positive terminal of the battery B. The starter relay circuit 90a selectively supplies a DC voltage from the positive terminal of the battery B to the starter 90 under the control of the microcomputer 80, and
Drive. This means that the starter 90 engages the meshing portion with the ring gear of the engine in accordance with the driving thereof, and puts the engine in a cranking state.

The ignition relay circuit 100a selectively applies a DC voltage from the positive terminal of the battery B to the ignition circuit 100 under the control of the microcomputer 80.
The ignition circuit 100 is an ignition relay circuit 1
The high voltage required for ignition of each spark plug of the engine is generated in response to the DC voltage from 00a. In addition, the ignition circuit 100 receives a DC voltage from the positive terminal of the battery B via the ignition terminal IG of the ignition switch SW and the movable contact Mc, and generates a high voltage as described above.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, it is assumed that the microcomputer 80 is performing an arithmetic process that circulates through the steps 210 and 220 of the computer program according to the flowchart of FIG. 3 when the vehicle is stopped. In such a state, when the start command circuit 10 generates a start command signal in response to a radio signal from the wireless device, the microcomputer 80 determines in step 220 that “Y
ES ”. At this stage, the brake switch 20
If the neutral signal is generated from the neutral switch 30 at the same time as the brake signal is generated from the
ES ”.

Thereafter, the microcomputer 80 generates an ignition relay output signal in step 240a, and
At 250, it is determined as “NO” in relation to the engine speed (hereinafter referred to as “rotation speed N”) based on the non-generation of the shaping pulse from the waveform shaper 60, and at step 260, the starter operation frequency Fre It is determined to be "NO" based on (Fre = 0 at this stage), and in step 260a, a starter relay output signal is generated, and "1" is added to the starter operation frequency Fre to update it to Fre. Here, the symbol N ₁ (> 0) in step 250 represents the predetermined number of revolutions of the engine, while the symbol Freo in step 260 represents the allowable number of operations of the starter 90. The predetermined rotational speed N ₁ and operation permitted number Freo is the microcomputer 90 ROM
Is stored in advance.

When the ignition relay output signal and the starter relay output are generated from the microcomputer 80 as described above, the ignition relay circuit 100a responds to the ignition relay output signal to directly apply the DC voltage from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100, The starter relay circuit 90a applies the DC voltage from the battery B directly to the starter 90 in response to the starter relay output signal. Then, the starter 90 operates in accordance with the DC voltage from the starter relay circuit 90a to keep the engine in the cranking state, and the ignition circuit 100 generates a high voltage in accordance with the DC voltage from the ignition relay circuit 100a to generate each of the ignition plugs. , The air-fuel mixture in each combustion chamber of the engine is sequentially burned.

Further, as described above, the elapsed time after the starter relay output signal is generated in step 260a, that is, the operation time of the starter 90 (hereinafter, referred to as starter operation time T) is within the allowable operation time To at this stage. On the basis of this, the microcomputer 80 determines “NO” in step 270. Next, in step 280, the microcomputer 80 calculates the number of revolutions N based on each shaped pulse from the waveform shaper 60, and determines "NO" under N <No. However, the above-mentioned allowable operation time To represents the time during which the operation of the starter 90 can be continued for one time, and the reference numeral No represents the number of revolutions at which the engine has been started. The allowable operation time To
The start completion rotation speed No is determined by the RO of the microcomputer 80.
M is stored in advance.

If the determination in step 280 is “YES” based on the completion of the start of the engine during the circulation calculation in both steps 270 and 280, the microcomputer 80 proceeds to step 280a.
The output signal of the starter relay is extinguished, and in step 280b, the computer program returns to step 250 after waiting for a predetermined time. When the starter relay output signal from the microcomputer 80 disappears as described above,
Since the starter relay circuit 90a stops applying the DC voltage from the battery B to the starter 90, the starter 90 shifts to the stop state while disengaging the meshing portion from the ring gear of the engine.

In such a case, the waiting time in step 280b may be the time required for stopping the starter 90 after the arithmetic processing in step 280a or the starter time after the determination of "YES" in step 280.
Since it is set to be somewhat longer than the required inertia rotation stop time of 90, when the starter 90 is restarted thereafter, poor meshing between the meshing portion and the ring gear of the engine does not occur. For example, even if the microcomputer 80 generates a starter relay output signal when the computer program passes through the step 280b and returns to the step 260a again after the determination of “YES” in the step 270, the starter 90 sets the meshing portion of the engine to the engine. It can smoothly mesh with the ring gear.

As described above, the computer program executes step 280b.
When the determination in step 250 is "YES" when the process returns to step 250, the microcomputer 80 sets the starter operation frequency to Fre = 0 in step 285, and sets the A / D converter in step 290. The value of the digital water temperature signal from 70 (hereinafter referred to as the water temperature value Tw) is the predetermined water temperature value
Compare with Two. In this case, the predetermined water temperature value Two corresponds to the warm-up completion temperature of the engine, and
It is stored in advance in 80 ROMs. If the ignition switch SW is in the cut-off state under Tw ≦ Two, the microcomputer 80 sequentially sets “N” in each of steps 290 and 300.
O ".

In such a state, when the ignition switch SW is operated to enter the first turned-on state before Tw> Two is established, the microcomputer 80 switches the battery B from the battery B through the movable contact Mc of the ignition switch SW and the ignition terminal IG to apply the DC voltage. And in step 300, "YE
In step 310, the ignition relay output signal is extinguished, and the computer program returns to step 200 via step 320. Then
As described above, when the ignition relay output signal from the microcomputer 80 is extinguished, the ignition relay circuit 100a stops directly applying the DC voltage from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100. In other words, the application of the DC voltage from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100 is switched from the application via the ignition relay circuit 100a to the application via the movable contact Mc of the ignition switch SW and the ignition terminal IG.

As described above, since the switching of the system for applying the DC voltage to the ignition circuit 100 as described above is always achieved before the start of the vehicle after the start of the engine is completed, the vehicle can be switched via the ignition relay circuit 100a. Not
The vehicle starts after always ensuring the application of the DC voltage from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100 via the ignition switch SW in the first turned-on state. Therefore,
Even if a failure occurs in the microcomputer 80 for any reason during the travel of the vehicle, the engine is not affected by the DC voltage applied from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100 via the ignition switch SW. , The proper running of the vehicle can be maintained.

Also, as described above, after the computer program returns from step 310 to step 200 via step 320, the microcomputer 80 sets each of the steps 210, 330, 320,
The execution of the computer program through 200 and 210 will be repeated. In such a case, for example, the engine is stopped for some reason before the vehicle starts moving, and
Even if the determination at 330 becomes "NO", the ignition switch SW is operated and the microcomputer 80 enters the second closed state while the microcomputer 80 performs the cyclic operation processing of each of the steps 340, 210 and 330. If so, step 34
The determination at 0 is “YES”.

Then, the microcomputer 80 generates a starter relay output signal in step 340a, and in response to this, the starter relay circuit 90a applies the DC voltage from the battery B to the starter 90. Therefore, the starter 90 keeps the engine in a cranking state under the application of a DC voltage from the battery B to the ignition circuit 100 via the ignition switch SW. Then both steps 35
If the restart of the engine is completed during the cyclic operation process of 0,360 and the determination in step 360 becomes "YES", the microcomputer 80 stops the starter 90 by extinguishing the starter relay output signal in step 360a. In addition,
If the determination in step 350 is “NO”,
In step 350a, the microcomputer 80 stops the starter 90 due to the disappearance of the starter relay output signal.

Also, as described above, when the determination at step 260 is “YES” when the process reaches step 260 (see FIG. 4), the microcomputer 80 proceeds to step 260b.
Fre = 0 is reset, and in step 310, the ignition relay output signal is extinguished. This means that the starter 90
Means that the start of the engine is prohibited based on the number of times of the operation exceeds the allowable limit. Also, as described above, when the determination at step 290 is "YES" when the computer program reaches step 290 (see FIG. 3), the microcomputer 80 executes step 310.
Turn off the ignition relay output signal with. This means that the engine is stopped based on the determination that the driver is absent, since the ignition switch SW is not set to the first ON state even though the warm-up of the engine has been completed.

In practicing the present invention, the generation of the start command signal from the start command circuit 10 does not depend on the radio signal from the wireless device. The above-mentioned start command signal may be generated by setting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to the claims, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer shown in FIG. Explanation of reference symbols B: battery, SW: ignition switch, 10:
... Start command circuit, 40 ... Revolution sensor, 80 ... Microcomputer, 90 ... Starter, 90a ... Starter relay circuit, 100 ... Ignition circuit, 100a ... Ignition relay circuit.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A start command means for generating a start command signal for starting an engine under both an operation of an ignition system and a starter system by power supply from a power supply, and a power supply from the power supply to the ignition system. An ignition switch to be turned on, and first and second necessary for each operation of the starter system and the ignition system based on the generation of the start command signal.
Output signal generating means for generating the first output signal and stopping the generation of the first output signal when the start of the engine is completed; and a first power supply for supplying power to the starter system from the power supply based on the generation of the first output signal. Means for automatically starting the ignition switch based on the generation of the second output signal, and a second power supply means for supplying power to the ignition system from the power supply based on the generation of the second output signal. A determination means for determining the presence / absence of the second output signal, wherein the output signal generation means stops generating the second output signal based on the determination by the determination means to be turned on.