JP3069786B2 - Idling continuation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention does not stop the engine immediately after the user manually turns off the ignition switch to stop the running engine. The present invention relates to an improvement in a vehicle idling continuation device that automatically stops an engine after a set time determined according to at least one or both of the situations.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an engine equipped with a supercharger (turbocharger), after a long time, especially after a high-speed operation, the engine is immediately stopped immediately after the ignition switch is turned off (turned off). It has been reported that this may cause stress on the supercharger mechanism and shorten the life. Therefore, conventionally, an idling continuation device called a "turbo timer" has been marketed as one of electrical components that can be attached to a purchased vehicle later. More recently, for the purpose of warm-up operation, or for the purpose of operating the air conditioner in advance, for example, when the set time comes or the set time elapses even if the driver is not on board. As one of the additional functions of the engine starting device for automatically starting the engine, such a function of continuing idling after the engine is stopped may be incorporated.

[0003] However, initially, such an idling continuation device also sets a fixed time predetermined by the manufacturer as a set time or a time manually set by a user within a range of at most 1 to 10 minutes as a set time. When the set time elapses after the ignition switch is turned off, the engine is stopped. But then, even if you only drive for a very short time or do not drive at that high speed,
The idling duration is constant and there is a disadvantage that the engine may be kept running unnecessarily.

[0004] Therefore, recent products are equipped with a so-called "auto mode" control mode, in which a timer operation is performed based on at least one or both (generally both) of the engine operating time and the rotation status until the ignition switch is turned off. The circuit calculates the appropriate set time from time to time,
There is something. In this case, the set time is based on a time that is additionally calculated after the operation of the engine is started. In other words, the longer the elapsed time from the start of the operation of the engine, the longer the set time in which idling should be continued, and the higher the rotational speed during operation, the longer the time with a predetermined weighting according to the current speed. As a result of increasing the addition value,
The setting time also becomes longer. Then, when the ignition switch is turned off, the timer operation circuit immediately outputs the set time thus obtained, and the control circuit performs the engine idling at that time based on this time.

[0005] Here, the base information for the calculation of the set time is an AC component included in the battery line mounted on the vehicle, that is, a ripple component. Because,
The pulsating current generated by the generator driven by the engine is superimposed on the battery line, and the frequency of the pulsating current is a direct function of the engine speed. This is because the number of revolutions of the engine can be known, and the accumulated revolution time of the engine can be extracted simply by simply integrating the time during which the ripple occurs. In fact, this approach itself is still the simplest and most reasonable. Vehicle speed sensor,
Since no other sensor is required, there is no need for installation and no troublesome wiring work or the like is required.

[0006]

However, in the conventional idling continuation device, as long as the engine is rotating, even if the vehicle is stopped, even if the engine is idling, the time addition value increases. It often happens. Rather, we must be aware of the potential. For example, even the same vehicle has a different idling speed at each time. What's more, if the model is different,
Quite different. Therefore, even though the engine speed at each time can be extracted by detecting the ripple component superimposed on the battery line, the addition of time is stopped uniquely at a certain speed or lower. Cannot be configured. This is because in some vehicles that would be appropriate, but in others it would be inappropriate. In other words, in order to be able to operate on any vehicle, it must be configured so that time integration can be performed from a considerably low rotation speed.

However, the fact that the time contributes to the addition for the final idling duration calculation until the engine is running at low speed is as follows.
It is undesirable for the essential purpose of this type of device and we do not want to leave it alone.

In view of this fact, the present invention makes it possible to prevent the time addition for the idling set time from being performed until it is unnecessary, and that such discrimination can be performed in any vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an idling continuation device capable of exerting the same function.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As described above, the present invention does not stop the engine immediately even when the ignition switch is turned off by manual operation, and at least one of the operating time and the rotational state of the engine up to that time. As a vehicle idling continuation device that automatically stops after a set time determined in addition according to elapses,
Stop the addition of the set time when it can be inferred that the vehicle has stopped;

Further, in addition to the above basic configuration, when it can be estimated that the vehicle is stopped, the set time obtained up to that time is added to the length of time that can be estimated to be stopped. And an idling continuation device characterized by subtracting according to the following.

According to a lower aspect of the present invention, it is assumed that the vehicle is stopped in a detection circuit (for example, an electric switch which detects that a vehicle-mounted side brake is being applied). Good), or alternatively or additionally, if the vehicle is a so-called automatic vehicle, a gear change selector lever (shift lever)
May be performed based on a signal from a detection circuit (also an electric switch) for detecting that the vehicle is in the parking position or the neutral position. Such a determination method is the simplest, does not require additional components, and is reasonable. This is because a switch that is interlocked with the on / off of the side brake, a switch that is interlocked with the position of the selector lever, and the like are generally mounted as a vehicle standard. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if there is a means capable of discriminatively outputting an electric signal when the vehicle is stopped or in a state where it can be regarded as almost stopped, whether to stop adding the idling set time depending on the presence or absence of the output signal It can be configured to determine what to do.

[0012]

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the idling continuation apparatus of the present invention. However, the basic function itself as an idling continuation device may be the same as that provided so far, and there is no great difference even if the present invention is applied. That is, when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off and the ignition switch contact 21 is opened, a main control circuit 11 constituted by a microcomputer (hereinafter simply referred to as a microcomputer) 11 has recently detected this, and immediately an ignition switch bypass contact 22 To maintain the power supply to the ignition circuit and keep the engine idling. On the other hand, the elapsed time from the time when the ignition switch bypass contact 22 is closed is measured, and when this time reaches a preset time set by the timer arithmetic circuit 12, the contact 22 is opened and the engine is stopped there. .

The timer operation circuit 12 (which itself can be constituted by the microcomputer 11) additionally calculates the set time in accordance with at least one or both of the operating time and the rotational state of the engine up to that time. . In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the set time is obtained in addition according to both of them. The longer the engine rotation time, the longer the set time, and the higher the rotation speed during rotation. The addition value is increased by a predetermined weighted addition (however, there is generally an upper limit value).

In particular, in the case shown in the figure, the information from which the time is added is obtained by detecting the ripple component contained in the battery line 28 mounted on the vehicle by the ripple detection circuit 27, and the integrated value of the time during which the ripple is occurring Increases, the timer operation circuit 12 also adds the set time for continuing idling after the engine is stopped in the future, and increases the added value as the ripple frequency increases. Such a configuration itself is desirable, and the present invention does not require any particular change.

However, in the prior art, the configuration is such that the set time for continuing idling is only increased continuously as long as ripples of at least a certain frequency occur, and as described above. Such a problem has occurred. Even when it was not necessary to continue idling after stopping the engine, or even if it could be much shorter, idling could continue for a long time.

Therefore, according to the present invention, even if the engine is running, at least when it can be inferred that the vehicle has stopped, the set time for continuing idling is not added, and more preferably, it can be subtracted. I did it.

That is, according to this embodiment,
The control circuit controls the output of the side brake on / off detection circuit 26 that can detect the on / off state of the side brake, such as an electric switch that turns on the contact when the vehicle-mounted side brake is applied (when it is on). 11 monitor,
When the side brake is applied, at least the operation of determining the set time in the adding direction by the timer operation circuit 12 is stopped.

In addition, more preferably, the control circuit 11 instructs the timer arithmetic circuit 12 to set a predetermined time, which is the result of the addition, up to an appropriate predetermined time in accordance with the time during which the side brake is on. Instructs to subtract at the subtraction rate. This is because the longer the stop time, the less stress on the engine, and the less the load on the turbo system is reduced even if the engine is immediately stopped.

In general, such an idling continuation device is often incorporated in an automatic engine starting device, as described above. In such a case, the target vehicle type is generally an automatic vehicle. This is because if the driver manually selects the gear at that time in a fixed manner, that is, if the vehicle is a so-called manual vehicle, there is a danger that the engine will be started while the gear is still engaged. Although a device that can maintain high safety even when mounted on a manual car has been proposed by the applicant's special device).

Therefore, when mounted on such an automatic vehicle, a selector lever position detecting circuit 25 such as an electric switch for discriminatively detecting the current position of the selector lever is provided as a standard equipment of the vehicle. Therefore, the present invention can also be used in the present invention. That is, when the selector lever is attached to the neutral position or the parking position, and therefore, it can be inferred that the vehicle is stopped, the main control circuit 11 detects this through the selector lever position detection circuit 25. It is possible to instruct the arithmetic circuit 12 to stop the time addition. Also, according to the time during which such a situation continues, the set time can be subtracted at a predetermined subtraction rate according to the situation up to that time, as before.

As described above, according to the present invention, the inconvenience that idling is continued for a long time after the engine is stopped is reduced. And this is a unique fact that does not depend on the characteristics of the vehicle model. Of course, when the side brake is turned off and the selector lever is in a position other than the neutral position or the parking position (or at least when the vehicle is in the forward position), a command is issued to the timer arithmetic circuit 12 and, in accordance with a predetermined addition method, The addition operation of the set time is restarted.

The operation after the ignition switch contact 21 is opened may be the same as that of the conventional idling continuation device. The control circuit 11 keeps the ignition switch bypass contact 22 on for the set time calculated and calculated by the timer calculation circuit 12 up to that time, and continues idling of the engine. However, as described above, the present invention uses a circuit for detecting the on / off state of the side brake and the position of the selector lever, so that the circuit is used after the ignition switch 21 is opened by the user.
When the side brake is turned off during automatic idling by this device or when the selector lever is parked or other than the neutral position, the ignition switch bypass contact 22 is opened for safety, and idling is forcibly stopped there. It may be configured as follows.

In such a case, the reason why the idling operation is forcibly stopped may be displayed on an appropriate display unit 23 such as a liquid crystal display device. The display unit 23 can also display a set time value as a result calculated by the timer calculation circuit 12 up to that time, or can display a remaining time after the automatic idling of the engine is started. The operation unit 24 is a command for selecting whether or not the user uses the apparatus, selecting whether to use the auto mode or the manual mode described above, and setting the idling time in the manual mode. However, since the present invention does not directly relate to the present invention, a detailed description is omitted.

The input information from which the timer calculation circuit 12 calculates the set time is an AC component detected by the ripple detection circuit 27 and superimposed on the battery line 28, which is the simplest and most reasonable. However, it may be based on other information. As a means for estimating whether or not the vehicle is stopped, in addition to the above-described on / off state of the side brake and the position information of the selector lever, if there is an appropriate one, it may be used.

[0025]

According to the present invention, the idling duration after the ignition switch is turned off can be automatically and variably set in consideration of the operating state of the engine up to that time. The inconvenience of continuing is avoided or alleviated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of an idling continuation device configured according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Control circuit (microcomputer) 12 Timer operation circuit 21 Ignition switch contact 22 Ignition switch bypass contact 23 Display 25 Selector lever position detection circuit 26 Side brake on / off detection circuit 27 Ripple detection circuit 28 Battery line

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (58) Investigated field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F02B 39/16 F02D 17/02 F02D 29/02 321 F02D 41/04 301 F02P 9/00 303

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] An engine is not stopped immediately even if an ignition switch is manually turned off in order to stop an engine mounted on a vehicle, and an addition is made according to at least one or both of a running time and a rotation state of the engine up to that time. An idling continuation device for a vehicle that automatically stops after a lapse of a set time that has been determined in a desired manner; and stops adding the set time when it can be estimated that the vehicle has stopped. Idling continuation device to do. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when it can be inferred that the vehicle is stopped, the set time obtained by the addition up to that time is a time in which it can be estimated that the vehicle is stopped. Subtracting according to the length of the course of the process. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:
The apparatus as described above, wherein the estimation that the vehicle is stopped is made based on a signal from a detection circuit that detects that a vehicle-mounted side brake is being applied. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is assumed to be stopped, and the selector lever for selecting a gear position mounted on the vehicle is in the parking position or in the neutral position. Idling device based on a signal from a detection circuit capable of detecting the presence of the idling device.