JP4970088B2 - Intake control device for vehicle engine - Google Patents

Description

According to the present invention, a switching valve that operates between a long path position and a short path position and a first electric motor that drives the switching valve are provided in an intake manifold that is joined to an engine so as to switch the effective length of the intake path inside the engine. And a throttle body having an intake passage connected to the air introduction portion thereof is connected to the intake manifold. The throttle body includes a throttle valve for opening and closing the intake passage, and an open spring for biasing the throttle valve in the opening direction. The present invention also relates to an intake control device for a vehicle engine in which a second electric motor that opens and closes a throttle valve is provided , and the operation of the first and second electric motors is controlled by a control means .

In an intake control device for a vehicle engine,
(1) An intake manifold joined to an engine is provided with a switching valve that operates between a long path position and a short path position in order to switch the effective length of the intake path inside and out of the intake manifold, and an actuator that drives this switching valve. Is already known as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below.
(2) A throttle body having an intake passage connected to the intake port of the engine, an electric motor that opens and closes a throttle valve that opens and closes the intake passage, and a limp that enables the vehicle to travel at a low speed when the electric motor is not energized A mechanism provided with a limp opening control mechanism (default mechanism) for controlling the opening is already known as disclosed in Patent Document 2 below, and the limp opening control mechanism is a valve shaft of a throttle valve. A plurality of levers provided above and a plurality of springs connected to these levers and biasing the throttle valve in different directions are configured in a complicated manner.
JP 2002-317637 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-131771

  An intake control device for an engine combining the devices (1) and (2) above can be considered. However, the simple combination of these devices increases the number of parts, resulting in an increase in cost. That is, especially in the apparatus (2), since the complicated limp opening degree control mechanism as described above is provided, the number of parts increases with a simple combination.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a vehicle engine intake control device that combines the above-described devices (1) and (2), that is, an intake manifold that is joined to the engine. A switching valve that operates between a position and a short path position, a first electric motor that drives the switching valve, and a throttle body having an intake passage connected to an air introduction portion of the intake manifold is connected to the throttle body. This includes a throttle valve that opens and closes the intake passage, an open spring that biases the throttle valve in the opening direction, and a second electric motor that opens and closes the throttle valve. when energized, while holding open fully open the throttle valve by the urging force of the spring, by using a switching valve of the intake manifold, the intake of the engine Can be controlled to a limp flow rate that enables the vehicle to travel at a low speed, and there is no need to provide a complicated limp opening control device on the throttle body side, thereby simplifying the overall structure and reducing costs. It aims to plan.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a switching valve that operates between a long path position and a short path position in order to switch the effective length of the intake path in the intake manifold joined to the engine between a long path position and a short path position. A throttle body having an intake passage connected to the air inlet of the intake manifold is connected to the intake manifold, and a throttle valve that opens and closes the intake passage, and opens the throttle valve. An intake control device for a vehicular engine , in which an opening spring that biases in a direction and a second electric motor that opens and closes a throttle valve are provided , and the operation of the first and second electric motors is controlled by control means. In addition to the long path position and the short path position, the switching position of the switching valve includes a limp for giving the engine an intake air amount that allows the vehicle to travel at a slow speed. The location provided, when the second electric motor becomes impossible energized, whilst retaining fully open the throttle valve by the urging force of the opening spring, and controls the first electric motor by said control means, that was so that to hold the switching valve in the limp position the first feature.

  The control means corresponds to the electronic control unit 20 in the embodiment of the present invention described later.

  In addition to the first feature, the present invention has a second feature that the limp position, the long path position, and the short path position are arranged in that order along the operation path of the switching valve.

According to the first feature of the present invention, when the second electric motor becomes unable to be energized during operation of the engine due to a disconnection failure of the electric circuit , the throttle valve is held in the fully open state by the biasing force of the opening spring, control means so actuates the first electric motor so as to hold the switching valve in the limp position, the intake air amount of the engine is regulated by the limp opening of the switching valve which is held in limp position, runaway of the vehicle In addition, the vehicle can travel at a low speed, and the vehicle can safely travel to the maintenance shop. In addition, since it is not necessary to provide a complicated limp opening degree control device on the throttle body side, the overall structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, after the engine is started, the switching valve is switched from the limp position to the long path position, and then reciprocates between the long path position and the short path position according to the operating state of the engine. Since switching is performed, there is no waste in the switching operation, and quick switching is possible.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on examples of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view of a main part of an intake control apparatus for a vehicle engine according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in a limp intake mode. FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the state of the apparatus in the low-speed intake mode, and FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the state of the apparatus in the high-speed intake mode. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the main part of the intake control device for a vehicle engine according to the second embodiment of the present invention, showing the state of the intake mode. 5 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the state of the apparatus in the low speed intake mode, and FIG. 6 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the state of the apparatus in the high speed intake mode.

  First, a first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be described.

  In FIG. 1, an intake manifold M is joined to one side of a cylinder head of a multi-cylinder engine E. The intake manifold M includes a surge chamber 2 having an air introduction path 1 on one side, a cylindrical valve chamber 3 provided on the opposite side of the air introduction path 1 and on the upper portion of the surge chamber 2, A plurality of (as many as the number of cylinders of the engine E) first intake passages 4 extending from one side and opening into the surge chamber 2 and extending from the valve chamber 3 in a direction perpendicular to the first intake passage 4 and opening into the surge chamber 2. A plurality of (the same number as the number of cylinders of the engine E) second intake passages 5 and a plurality of (the same number as the number of cylinders of the engine E) extending from the valve chamber 3 to the outside of the surge chamber 2 and communicating with the intake port of the engine E An intake passage 6 is provided. At that time, the first intake passage 4 is formed so that the flow passage length thereof is longer than that of the second intake passage 5. A fuel injection valve 7 that can inject fuel toward the intake port of the engine E is attached to the third intake passage 6.

  The cylindrical valve chamber 3 is provided with a butterfly type switching valve 8. The switching valve 8 includes a limp position A that moderately restricts communication between the first and third intake paths 4, 6, a long path position B that connects the first intake path 4 to the third intake path 6, and a second path It is controlled to the short path position C connecting the intake path 5 to the third intake path 6. The limp position A is set as the initial position, and the forward path is moved to the short path position C via the long path position B. Then, it moves backward to the limp position A via the short path position C. That is, the limp position A, the long path position B, and the short path position C are arranged in that order along the rotation path of the switching valve 8. The valve shaft 8a of the switching valve 8 is connected to a first electric motor 11 that drives the valve shaft 8a.

  The throttle body 10 is joined to the upper side of the intake manifold M so that the intake passage 14 is connected to the air inlet of the air introduction path 1. A throttle valve 15 that opens and closes the intake passage 14 of the throttle body 10 is disposed.

  A lever 16 is connected to the valve shaft 15a of the throttle valve 15, and the lever 16 comes into contact with a fully open stopper 17 fixed to the throttle body 10, whereby the fully open position of the throttle valve 15 is regulated. The lever 16 is connected to an opening spring 18 that biases the lever 16 toward the fully open stopper 17.

  A second electric motor 12 is connected to the valve shaft 15a of the throttle valve 15 via a reduction gear device 19, and the rotation of the second electric motor 12 is decelerated and applied to the valve shaft 15a to open and close the throttle valve 15. To get.

  The first and second electric motors 11 and 12 are connected to an electronic control unit 20 that controls their operation. The electronic control unit 20 includes a switching valve position sensor 21 that detects the switching position of the switching valve 8, a throttle opening sensor 22 that detects the opening of the throttle valve 15, and an accelerator operating member (for example, an accelerator pedal) by a driver. An accelerator opening sensor 23 for detecting the operation amount of the engine E, a low speed operation sensor 24 for detecting the low speed operation region of the engine E, and a high speed operation sensor 25 for detecting the high speed operation region of the engine E are connected. When the second electric motor 12 is not energized, the electronic control unit 20 causes the first electric motor 11 to close the switching valve 8 to the limp position A regardless of the output signals of the throttle opening sensor 22 and the accelerator opening sensor 23. The operation of is controlled.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

When the operation amount of the accelerator operation member by the driver is detected by the accelerator opening sensor 23 during the operation of the engine E, an electrical signal corresponding to the operation amount is input to the electronic control unit 20. When receiving the signal from the accelerator opening sensor 23, the electronic control unit 20 operates the second electric motor 12 so that the output signal of the throttle opening sensor 22 corresponds to the output signal of the accelerator opening sensor 23, The opening degree of the throttle valve 15 is controlled to an opening degree corresponding to the operation amount of the accelerator operation member. In this way, the intake amount corresponding to the operation amount of the accelerator operation member is supplied to the engine E, and a desired engine output can be obtained.
[Low-speed intake mode (see Fig. 2)]
During the low speed operation of the engine E, the electronic control unit 20 receives the output signal of the low speed operation sensor 24 and operates the first electric motor 11 to direct the switching valve 8 toward the long path position B. When the switching valve 8 reaches the long path position B, the electronic control unit 20 receives the output signal of the switching valve position sensor 21 at that time, stops the operation of the first electric motor 11, and makes the switching valve 8 longer. Hold at road position B. Thus, in the intake stroke of each cylinder of the engine E, when the air whose flow rate is controlled by the throttle valve 15 of the throttle body 10 flows into the surge chamber 10 from the air inlet 1a, the first intake passage having a long flow path length. 4, the engine E is supplied through the valve chamber 3 and the third intake passage 6. Therefore, the inside of the intake manifold M becomes a low-speed intake mode adapted for low-speed operation, and the low-speed output performance of the engine E can be enhanced.
[High-speed intake mode (see Fig. 3)]
During high speed operation of the engine E, the electronic control unit 20 receives the output signal of the high speed operation sensor 25 and operates the first electric motor 11 to direct the switching valve 8 toward the short path position C. When the switching valve 8 reaches the short path position C, the electronic control unit 20 receives the output signal of the switching valve position sensor 21 at that time, stops the operation of the first electric motor 11, and moves the switching valve 8 to the short path position C. Hold on. Thus, in the intake stroke of each cylinder of the engine E, when the air whose flow rate is controlled by the throttle valve 15 of the throttle body 10 flows into the surge chamber 10 from the air inlet 1a, this time, the short first flow path resistance is small. After passing through the two intake passages 5, the fuel is supplied to the engine E through the valve chamber 3 and the third intake passage 6. Therefore, the inside of the intake manifold M becomes a high-speed intake mode adapted to high-speed operation, and the high-speed output performance of the engine E can be enhanced.
[Limp intake mode]
While the engine E is in operation, when the second electric motor 12 is de-energized due to a disconnection failure of the electric circuit , the throttle valve 20 is held fully open by the biasing force of the opening spring 18, while the electronic control unit 20 is Regardless of the output signals of the opening sensor 23 and the throttle opening sensor 22, the first electric motor 11 is immediately actuated to move the switching valve 8 toward the limp position A, and when the switching valve 8 reaches the limp position A. The electronic control unit 20 receives the output signal of the switching valve position sensor 21 at that time, thereby stopping the operation of the first electric motor 11 and holding the switching valve 8 at the limp opening.

Accordingly, the throttle body 10, the non-energized state of the second electric motor 12, while the throttle valve 15 is ing the full open state, the intake air quantity of the engine E, limp opening of the switching valve 8 which is held in limp position A Therefore, it is possible to drive the vehicle safely to the maintenance shop by preventing the vehicle from running out of control and allowing the vehicle to travel at a low speed.

  Such a non-energized state of the second electric motor 12 occurs not only when the electric circuit is disconnected, but also when the engine key is turned off and the operation of the engine E is stopped. Therefore, after the engine E is started, the switching valve 8 is switched from the limp position A to the long path position B, and then reciprocally switched between the long path position B and the short path position C according to the operating state of the engine E. Therefore, there is no waste in the switching operation, and quick switching is possible.

  In this way, when the second electric motor that drives the throttle valve 15 is de-energized, the first electric motor 11 holds the switching valve of the intake manifold M at the limp position A, so that a complicated limp is provided on the throttle body 10 side. It is not necessary to provide an opening control device, so that the overall structure can be simplified and the cost can be reduced.

  Even when the switching valve 8 becomes inoperable due to a failure of the first electric motor 11, the opening / closing control of the throttle valve 15 by the second electric motor 12 can be performed. Absent.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 will be described.

  This second embodiment is equivalent to the previous embodiment except that the switching valve 8 is configured as a rotary type with a crescent-shaped cross section and the arrangement of the first and second intake passages 4 and 5 is changed. 4 to 6, the same reference numerals are assigned to the portions corresponding to those of the previous embodiment, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a principal part vertical side view of the intake control apparatus of the vehicle engine which concerns on 1st Example of this invention, and shows in the state of limp intake mode. The corresponding figure with FIG. 1 which shows the state of the low speed intake mode of the same apparatus. The corresponding figure with FIG. 1 which shows the state of the high-speed intake mode of the same apparatus. It is a principal part vertical side view of the intake control apparatus of the vehicle engine which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention, and shows in the state of limp intake mode. FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a state of the apparatus in a low-speed intake mode. FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the state of the high-speed intake mode of the apparatus.

E ... Engine M ... Intake manifold A ... Switching valve limp position B ... Switching valve long path position C ... Switching valve short path position 1 ... Air introduction path 8 ... Switch valve 10 ... Throttle body 11 ... First electric motor 12 ... Second electric motor 14 ... Intake passage 15 ... ... Throttle valve 18 ... Opening spring 20 ... Control means Electronic control unit)

Claims (2)

A switching valve (8) that operates between the long-path position (B) and the short-path position (C) to switch the effective length of the internal intake path to the intake manifold (M) that is joined to the engine (E); A first electric motor (11) for driving the switching valve (8) is provided, and a throttle body (10) having an intake passage (14) connected to an air introduction portion thereof is connected to the intake manifold (M), The throttle body (10) has a throttle valve (15) for opening and closing the intake passage (14), an opening spring (18) for biasing the throttle valve (15) in the opening direction, and an opening and closing for the throttle valve (15). An intake control device for a vehicle engine, provided with a second electric motor (12) to be driven, and the operation of the first and second electric motors (11, 12) being controlled by a control means (20). ,
In addition to the long path position (B) and the short path position (C), the switching position of the switching valve (8) includes a limp position (for providing the engine (E) with an intake air amount that allows the vehicle to travel at a low speed. A) is provided, and when the second electric motor (12) cannot be energized , the throttle valve (20) is kept fully open by the biasing force of the opening spring (18), while the control means ( 20) by controlling the first electric motor (11), the characterized in that said switching valve (8) which was so that to hold the the limp position (a), the intake control device for a vehicle engine. The intake control apparatus for a vehicle engine according to claim 1,
An intake control device for a vehicular engine, wherein the limp position (A), the long path position (B), and the short path position (C) are arranged in this order along the operation path of the switching valve (8).

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