JP3551783B2 - Vehicle starter device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a starter device used for a vehicle such as an automobile.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art A vehicle such as an automobile keeps an engine idling when traveling is temporarily stopped. This idling state not only wastes fuel but also discharges exhaust gas into the air.
[0003]
In recent years, an automatic engine stop / start device that prevents unnecessary fuel consumption and exhaust gas emission during a temporary stop has been mounted on some vehicles. One example of this type of automatic engine stop / start device is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-13395. The automatic engine stop / start apparatus disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-13395 stops the engine when the vehicle is temporarily stopped, and operates the clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal when the vehicle restarts after the suspension. After being depressed, the pinion gear of the starter and the ring gear of the flywheel mesh with each other, and the engine is restarted.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional engine automatic stop / start device described above, when the running is temporarily stopped, such as when waiting for a relatively long signal, the engine is temporarily stopped, and the clutch pedal, the accelerator pedal, and the like are operated to restart the engine. Sometimes, the pinion gear and the ring gear mesh with each other to restart the engine.
[0005]
For this reason, a time delay occurs from when the clutch pedal or the accelerator pedal is depressed until the vehicle starts moving, and the driver tends to feel uncomfortable.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a starter device that has a function of temporarily stopping an engine when a vehicle stops and can suppress a sense of discomfort given to a driver when the vehicle restarts.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, a starter device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a ring gear that rotates in conjunction with an engine, a pinion gear that meshes with the ring gear when the engine starts, and a ring gear that rotates through the pinion gear when the engine starts. A starter motor, a magnet switch portion to which power is supplied from a power supply device to mesh the pinion gear and the ring gear with each other, a contact connected in a state where the pinion gear and the ring gear mesh with each other, and a power switch between the power supply device and the magnet switch portion. A starter switch that is provided and connected to the ignition switch and is turned on when the engine is started; first relay means arranged in parallel with the starter switch; and a starter motor provided between the starter motor and the contact. With power on, transfer to starter motor A second relay means for stopping rotation of the engine when the ignition switch is turned on and the vehicle is temporarily stopped, and a pinion gear before turning on the first relay means to restart the engine. And control means for rotating a pinion gear meshing with the ring gear by rotating a starter motor of the second relay means when a signal instructing to start the vehicle is generated. In this case, the control unit turns on the second relay unit when it is determined that the first relay unit is on and the vehicle is not in the pause state after the vehicle is temporarily stopped. To
[0007]
As described above, when the starter device is temporarily stopped from the running state, the engine is temporarily stopped and the pinion gear meshes with the ring gear. Thereafter, by restarting the pinion gear via the starter motor when restarting, it is possible to restart the engine and restart the vehicle without delay.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a starter device 1 for a vehicle such as an automobile includes a ring gear 2, a starter 3, and a control device 4 as control means. The ring gear 2 rotates in conjunction with a flywheel such as an engine.
[0009]
The starter 3 is a device that starts the engine by rotating the ring gear 2 based on a command from the control device 4. The starter 3 includes a starter switch 10, a first relay 11 as a first relay unit, a second relay 12 as a second relay unit, a magnet switch unit 13, a starter motor 14, It has. The starter 3 is supplied with desired power from a power supply device such as a battery 5 mounted on the vehicle.
[0010]
The starter switch 10 is connected to an ignition switch (not shown), and is turned on / off by the ignition switch or the like. The starter switch 10 is provided between the battery 5 and the magnet switch unit 13, and is turned on when the ignition switch or the like is turned on to transmit the power of the battery 5 to the magnet switch unit 13.
[0011]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the starter switch 10 is always kept in an off state while the vehicle is running. The ignition switch remains on even after the starter switch 10 is turned on and the engine is operated, as long as the engine is operating.
[0012]
The first relay 11 is provided in parallel with the starter switch 10. The first relay 11 is connected to the control device 4 and the like, and is turned on / off based on a command from the control device 4. The first relay 11 transmits power of the battery 5 to the magnet switch unit 13 by being turned on by a command from the control device 4 or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the first relay 11 is always kept off while the vehicle is running.
[0013]
The magnet switch section 13 includes a plunger 20, a coil section 21, a contact section 22, and the like. The plunger 20 is formed in a shaft shape, and is slidably supported along the axis thereof by the frame 6 of the device 1 or the like. The plunger 20 slides along an axis of the plunger 20 so that a first contact 22a and a second contact 22b, which will be described later, of the contact portion 22 come into contact with and separate from each other.
[0014]
The plunger 20 is urged by urging means such as a return spring (not shown) in a direction in which the first contact 22a and the second contact 22b of the contact portion 22 are separated from each other.
[0015]
The coil section 21 includes a holding coil 23 and a pull-in coil 24 wound around the plunger 20, respectively. The coil portion 21 generates a magnetic attraction between the holding coil 23 and the pull-in coil 24 by electric power supplied from the battery 5 via the starter switch 10 and the like, and the first contact 22a and the second contact 22a are generated by the attractive force. The plunger 20 is displaced in a direction in which the two contact points 22b contact each other.
[0016]
The contact section 22 includes a first contact 22a and a second contact 22b. The first contact point 22a is provided at one end 20a of the plunger 20. The second contact 22b is connected to the second relay 12. When the second contact point 22b is connected to the first contact point 22a by the attraction generated by the coils 23 and 24, the power supplied from the battery 5 or the like is transmitted to the second relay 12.
[0017]
The second relay 12 is provided between the second contact 22 b of the magnet switch unit 13 and the starter motor 14. The second relay 12 is connected to the control device 4 and the like, and is turned on / off based on a command from the control device 4.
[0018]
When the second relay 12 is turned on by a command from the control device 4 or the like, the power of the battery 5 transmitted through the contact portion 22 of the magnet switch portion 13 and the like is transmitted to the starter motor 14. Note that the second relay 12 is kept off during the running of the vehicle.
[0019]
The starter motor 14 includes a field coil 30, an armature 31, and the like. The field coil 30 is connected to the second relay 12. The armature 31 includes a main body 32 and an output shaft 33 that can be protruded and retracted from the main body 32. When electric power is supplied to the field coil 30 via the second relay 12 or the like, the starter motor 14 rotates the output shaft 33 about the axis.
[0020]
Further, a pinion gear 7 that is capable of meshing with the ring gear 2 is attached to a tip portion 33a of the output shaft 33. Further, one end 34a of a shift lever 34 whose center is rotatably supported by the frame 6 or the like is attached to the tip 33a of the output shaft 33. The shift lever 34 has another end 34 b attached to the other end 20 b of the plunger 20.
[0021]
With the configuration described above, when power is supplied to the coil unit 21, the plunger 20 is displaced in a direction in which the first contact 22a and the second contact 22b contact each other. The displacement of the plunger 20 causes the output shaft 33 to protrude from the main body 21 via the shift lever 34 and the like, so that the pinion gear 7 meshes with the ring gear 2.
[0022]
When the engine is started in which the starter switch 10 and the first relay 11 are turned on from a state where the vehicle is completely stopped, the starter switch 10 and the first relay 11 are turned off, so that the coils 23, When the suction force generated by 24 is lost, the plunger 20 is displaced by the return spring in a direction in which the first contact point 22a and the second contact point 22b move away from each other. Then, the engagement between the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 is released.
[0023]
The control device 4 is an arithmetic processing device provided with a microprocessor and the like, and is connected to the first relay 11 and the second relay 12, and controls the entire starter device 1. The control device 4 determines in step S1 in FIG. 3 whether or not the ignition switch is on. If it is determined that the ignition switch is on, the process proceeds to step S2. If it is determined that the ignition switch is not on, this step S1 is repeated. ing.
[0024]
In step S2, it is determined whether the vehicle speed is zero. If it is determined that the vehicle speed is zero, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined that the vehicle speed is not zero, the process returns to step S1.
[0025]
In step S3, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in a temporary stop state. In step S3, it is determined that the vehicle is in the temporary stop state, for example, when the accelerator pedal is not operated and a predetermined time has elapsed since the vehicle speed became zero. If it is determined that the vehicle is in the temporary stop state, the process proceeds to step S4.
[0026]
In step S4, it is determined whether or not the first relay 11 is on. If it is determined that the first relay 11 is not on, the process proceeds to step S5 or step S6. If it is determined that the first relay 11 is on, the process returns to step S1. In step S5, a signal is output from the control device 4 to each component so as to temporarily suspend the functions of the engine component such as fuel injection and ignition, and the engine is stopped. In step S6, the first relay 11 is turned on, and the process returns to step S1.
[0027]
In step S10, it is determined whether or not the second relay 12 is on. If it is determined that the second relay 12 is not on, the process proceeds to step S11. If it is determined that the second relay 12 is on, the process proceeds to step S20. In step S11, the second relay 12 is turned on, and the process returns to step S1.
[0028]
In step S20, it is determined whether the engine has started. When it is determined that the engine has started, the process proceeds to step S21, and when it is determined that the engine has not started, the process returns to step S1. In step S21, the second relay 12 is turned off, the starter motor 14 is stopped, and the process proceeds to step S22. In step S22, the first relay 11 is turned off.
[0029]
The control device 4 may be configured by adding the above-described functions to an ECU (Engine Control Unit) or the like, or may be configured as a dedicated arithmetic device separate from the ECU.
[0030]
With the configuration described above, while the vehicle is running, that is, while the engine is rotating, the first relay 11 and the second relay 12 are each turned off, and power is not supplied to the coils 23 and 24. At the same time, the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 are not meshed with each other. Note that the ignition switch is kept in the ON state, and the control device 4 repeats the processing of steps S1 and S2.
[0031]
Then, when the vehicle speed becomes zero and stops by operating a brake pedal or the like, the control device 4 proceeds to the processing after step S3. For example, when the accelerator pedal is not operated and the vehicle speed is maintained at zero for a predetermined time, the control device 4 determines that the vehicle is in the pause state.
[0032]
Thereafter, in step S4, it is determined whether the first relay 11 is on. At this time, since the first relay 11 is off immediately after the suspension, the engine is stopped and the first relay 11 is turned on based on step S5 and step S6.
[0033]
Then, power is supplied from the battery 5 to the coil unit 21 of the magnet switch unit 13, and the plunger 20 is caused to contact the first contact 22 a and the second contact 22 b by the attraction generated by the coil 21. Displace. As shown in FIG. 2, the displacement of the plunger 20 causes the output shaft 33 to protrude from the main body 32 of the armature 31 via the shift lever 34, and the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 mesh with each other.
[0034]
At this time, since the second relay 12 is off, the electric power is not supplied to the field coil 30 and the starter motor 14 maintains the rotation stopped state. Thus, when the vehicle is temporarily stopped, the engine is stopped, and the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 of the starter motor 14 mesh with each other.
[0035]
Thereafter, when the driver attempts to start the vehicle by, for example, operating the accelerator pedal, the second relay 12 has been turned off by this time. Is supplied to the field coil 30 of the starter motor 14.
[0036]
The output shaft 33 of the starter motor 14 rotates, and the engine restarts. After the engine is restarted, the second relay 12 and the first relay 11 are turned off again to stop the starter motor 14 and stop supplying power to the coil unit 21 to reduce the elasticity of the return spring. The engagement between the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 is released by the restoring force.
[0037]
As described above, the pinion gear 7 meshes with the ring gear 2 when the engine is started, and is disengaged from the ring gear 2 during rotation of the engine. The starter motor 14 rotates the ring gear 2 via the pinion gear 7 when starting the engine.
[0038]
The control device 4 stops the rotation of the engine when the ignition switch is turned on and the running of the vehicle is temporarily stopped, and meshes the pinion gear 7 with the ring gear 2 before the engine is restarted. The control device 4 rotates the pinion gear 7 meshing with the ring gear 2 by rotating the starter motor 14 when a signal instructing to start the vehicle is generated.
[0039]
According to the starter device 1 of the present embodiment, when the vehicle is temporarily stopped from the running state, the engine is temporarily stopped, the first relay 11 is turned on, and the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 mesh with each other. Thereafter, a signal for starting the vehicle, such as operation of an accelerator pedal, is generated, and when restarting, the second relay 12 is turned on, the starter motor 14 is rotated, and the engine is restarted.
[0040]
As described above, the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 are engaged with each other during the temporary stop, and the starter motor 14 is rotated simultaneously with the operation of the accelerator pedal to restart the engine. Starting and restarting of the vehicle can be performed.
[0041]
Therefore, the engine can be temporarily stopped at the time of a temporary stop to suppress unnecessary consumption of fuel and emission of exhaust gas, and at the same time, a sense of discomfort given to the driver at the time of restart can be suppressed.
[0042]
Further, in the present embodiment, only the second relay 12 and this relay mechanism are provided as engagement means for engaging the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 in advance when the engine is restarted. It is a low-cost system without changing.
[0043]
In the present invention, a coil 15 may be provided between the first relay 11 and the magnet switch 13 as shown in FIGS. In this case, when the first relay 11 is turned on and power is supplied to the coil unit 21, the power supplied to the coil unit 21 gradually increases. Then, the displacement of the plunger 20 and the projection of the output shaft 33 are performed relatively slowly, so that the noise generated when the pinion gear 7 and the ring gear 2 come into contact can be suppressed.
[0044]
Further, when the first relay 11 is turned on to supply power to the coil unit 21, the power may be gradually increased by inverter control such as pulse width modulation.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when running is temporarily stopped, the engine is temporarily stopped, and the pinion gear meshes with the ring gear. Thereafter, by restarting the starter motor when restarting, the engine can be restarted and restarted without a time delay.
[0046]
Therefore, the engine can be temporarily stopped at the time of a temporary stop to suppress unnecessary consumption of fuel and exhaust gas emission, and at the same time, it is possible to suppress an uncomfortable feeling given to the driver at the time of restart.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle starter device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a pinion gear and a ring gear of the starter device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 are meshed with each other.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of a process of a control device of the starter device of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Starter device 2 ... Ring gear 3 ... Starter 4 ... Control device (control means)
7 Pinion gear 14 Starter motor

Claims (2)

A ring gear that rotates in conjunction with the engine, a pinion gear that meshes with the ring gear when the engine is started, a starter motor that rotates the ring gear via the pinion gear when the engine is started, and a pinion gear and the ring gear that are supplied with power from a power supply device. A magnet switch unit that meshes with each other, a contact that is connected in a state where the pinion gear and the ring gear mesh with each other, and that is provided between the power supply device and the magnet switch unit, is connected to an ignition switch, and is turned on when the engine is started. A starter switch, first relay means arranged in parallel with the starter switch, and the starter motor provided between the starter motor and the contact and turned on by the power from the power supply device. Second relay means to inform ,
When the ignition switch is on and the running of the vehicle is temporarily stopped, the rotation of the engine is stopped , and the pinion gear is meshed with the ring gear in advance before the first relay means is turned on and the engine is restarted,
Control means for turning on the second relay means and rotating the starter motor when a signal instructing to start the vehicle is generated, thereby rotating a pinion gear meshing with the ring gear. A starter device for a vehicle, comprising:   The control means turns on the second relay means when it is determined that the vehicle is not in the pause state while the first relay means is on after the vehicle is in the pause state. The vehicle starter device according to claim 1, wherein:

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