JP6442946B2 - Fuel saving control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fuel saving control device.

  2. Description of the Related Art There is known a fuel saving control device that executes fuel saving control for limiting driving power (horsepower or acceleration) of a vehicle when a margin driving force is equal to or greater than a preset threshold.

  The marginal driving force is obtained by subtracting the required driving force calculated based on the accelerator opening from the maximum driving force calculated from the gear position or the like.

  In the fuel saving control device, during the fuel saving control, for example, when the marginal driving force decreases due to climbing or the like, or when a so-called kick down operation is performed by the driver, the fuel saving control is terminated and the normal operation is completed. It is comprised so that it may return to.

  Further, as a fuel saving control device, a device that includes a switch for fuel saving control and is configured to prohibit fuel saving control when the switch is turned off is known.

  In addition, there exists patent document 1 as prior art document information relevant to invention of this application.

JP 2010-53715 A

  As described above, in the fuel saving control device, the execution of the fuel saving control is determined based on the result of calculating the marginal driving force. For example, when the vehicle approaches a curve while climbing in normal driving, the driver However, if the accelerator opening is manipulated to reduce the speed, the marginal driving force increases and the fuel saving control may be executed. In such a case, the vehicle sometimes stalled on the uphill after the curve was completed. In actual roads, it is often the case that the slope is relatively flat before the curve even on an uphill road, and it is considered that there are many cases where fuel efficiency control is executed and the vehicle stalls.

  In order to prevent such a stall, it is necessary for the driver to perform a kick-down operation to end fuel saving control or to turn off the fuel saving control switch. It was getting bigger.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel-saving control device that solves the above-described problems and reduces the burden on the driver.

The present invention was devised to achieve the above object, and includes a margin driving force calculation unit that calculates a margin driving force obtained by subtracting a required driving force calculated based on the accelerator opening from a maximum driving force, and the margin An execution determination unit that executes fuel-saving control for limiting the driving force of the vehicle when a marginal driving force condition that the marginal driving force calculated by the driving force calculation unit is equal to or greater than a preset start threshold is satisfied. In the fuel consumption control device, the execution determination unit satisfies a first condition that the margin driving force condition is satisfied, the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a preset vehicle speed threshold, and an accelerator opening is equal to or less than a preset first accelerator opening threshold. When the fuel consumption control is satisfied, the fuel saving control is executed. Even when the first condition is not satisfied, the margin driving force condition is satisfied, and the accelerator opening is set in advance larger than the first accelerator opening threshold. The second or less accelerator opening thresholds, engine speed engine rotational speed threshold below a preset, if the fluctuation range of the engine speed satisfies the second condition that it is within the threshold range set in advance, A fuel saving control device configured to execute the fuel saving control.

The execution determination unit may determine that the first condition is satisfied when a state in which the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the vehicle speed threshold and the accelerator opening is equal to or less than the first accelerator opening threshold continues for a predetermined time. .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the fuel-saving control apparatus with few burdens to a driver can be provided.

It is a schematic block diagram of the fuel-saving control apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control flow of the fuel-saving control apparatus of FIG.

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

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fuel-saving control device according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the fuel-saving control device 1 is mounted on an ECM (engine control module) 4 that controls a vehicle engine (not shown).

  The ECM 4 is required for engine control, such as an accelerator position sensor 5 that detects the accelerator opening, a vehicle speed sensor 6 that detects the vehicle speed, a crank angle sensor 7 that detects the engine speed, and a gear position sensor 8 that detects the gear position. All kinds of sensors are connected.

  The fuel-saving control device 1 includes a margin driving force calculation unit 2 that calculates a margin driving force and an execution determination unit 3 that determines whether or not to execute fuel-saving control.

  The surplus driving force calculation unit 2 calculates a required driving force that is a driving force required by the driver based on the accelerator opening detected by the accelerator position sensor 5, and the engine speed and gear position detected by the crank angle sensor 7. The maximum driving force is calculated based on the gear position detected by the sensor 8, and the marginal driving force obtained by subtracting the required driving force from the maximum driving force is calculated.

  The execution determination unit 3 is a fuel-saving device that limits the driving force (horsepower or acceleration) of the vehicle when the marginal driving force condition that the marginal driving force calculated by the marginal driving force calculation unit 2 is equal to or greater than a preset start threshold value is satisfied. It is configured to perform control. For example, the execution determination unit 3 controls the fuel injection amount and the fuel injection timing, or appropriately selects a gear stage with the smallest fuel consumption, thereby limiting the horsepower and the acceleration and executing the fuel saving control.

  In addition, during the fuel saving control, the execution determination unit 3 ends the fuel saving control and returns to the normal operation when the margin driving force calculated by the margin driving force calculation unit 2 becomes less than the preset end threshold. Configured. The start threshold value and the end threshold value may be the same value or different values.

  Now, in the fuel-saving control device 1 according to the present embodiment, the execution determination unit 3 satisfies a stable condition that the above-described marginal driving force condition is satisfied and that the vehicle traveling state is stable or the vehicle is stopped. It is configured to execute the fuel saving control only when the condition is satisfied.

  More specifically, the execution determination unit 3 is configured such that the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 6 is equal to or less than a preset vehicle speed threshold, and the accelerator opening detected by the accelerator position sensor 5 is set in advance. When the first stability condition of being equal to or less than the threshold value is satisfied, it is determined that the traveling state of the vehicle is stable or the vehicle is stopped, and it is determined that the stability condition is satisfied.

  That is, the execution determination unit 3 is configured not to start the fuel saving control when the vehicle speed is high or the accelerator opening is large even when there is a sufficient driving force. As a result, if the vehicle speed threshold and the first accelerator opening threshold are set appropriately, it is possible to suppress, for example, the problem that the fuel saving control is started and the vehicle stalls when it reaches a curve while climbing up. .

  Since the case where the accelerator opening is temporarily reduced may be considered, the first stability condition is that the vehicle speed is not more than the vehicle speed threshold and the accelerator opening is not more than the first accelerator opening threshold. It does not matter if it continues for a predetermined time.

  By the way, since the above-mentioned first stability condition includes a vehicle speed condition, for example, when traveling on an expressway, the fuel saving control is not started.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the accelerator opening detected by the accelerator position sensor 5 is equal to or smaller than the second accelerator opening threshold set in advance, and the engine speed detected by the crank angle sensor 7 is set in advance. When the second stability condition that the engine speed is less than the threshold value and the fluctuation range of the engine speed is within a preset threshold range is determined, it is determined that the running state of the vehicle is stable, and the stability condition is The execution determination unit 3 is configured to determine that it is satisfied.

  That is, in the present embodiment, the execution determination unit 3 is configured to start the fuel saving control when the margin driving force condition is satisfied and at least one of the first stability condition and the second stability condition is satisfied. .

  Note that the fluctuation range of the engine speed under the second stable condition is a fluctuation range at an appropriately set time, but this time can be set as appropriate. Further, the expression that the fluctuation range of the engine speed is within a preset threshold range is that the fluctuation range of the engine speed is equal to or greater than a preset lower limit threshold and equal to or less than a preset upper limit threshold. It means that.

  Since the second stability condition does not include the vehicle speed condition, even when the vehicle is traveling at high speed, if the running state is stable, fuel saving control is started, and further fuel saving can be expected.

  Next, a control flow of the fuel saving control device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The fuel-saving control device 1 is configured to execute the control flow of FIG. 2 when, for example, an ignition switch (not shown) of the vehicle is turned on.

  As shown in FIG. 2, first, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the marginal driving force condition is satisfied, that is, whether or not the marginal driving force calculated by the marginal driving force calculation unit 2 is greater than or equal to a preset start threshold value. If NO is determined in step S1, the fuel saving control is terminated or the normal operation is continued in step S5, and the process returns to step S1.

  If YES is determined in step S1, whether or not the first stability condition is satisfied in step S2, that is, whether or not the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the vehicle speed threshold and the accelerator opening is equal to or less than the first accelerator opening threshold. to decide. If YES is determined in step S2, since both the surplus driving force condition and the first stability condition are satisfied, the fuel saving control is started or the fuel saving control is continued in step S4, and the process returns to step S1. .

  If NO is determined in step S2, whether the second stability condition is satisfied in step S3, that is, the accelerator opening is equal to or smaller than the second accelerator opening threshold, and the engine speed is equal to or smaller than the engine speed threshold. And whether or not the fluctuation range of the engine speed is within the threshold range. If YES is determined in step S3, both the surplus driving force condition and the second stability condition are satisfied, so in step S4, the fuel saving control is started or the fuel saving control is continued, and the process returns to step S1. .

  If NO is determined in step S2, both the first stability condition and the second stability condition are not satisfied. Therefore, in step S5, the fuel saving control is terminated or the normal operation is continued, and the process returns to step S1. .

  In the control flow of FIG. 2, the fuel saving control is terminated when both the first stability condition and the second stability condition are not satisfied during the fuel saving control. The first stability condition and the second stability condition may not be included. That is, even when both the first stability condition and the second stability condition are not satisfied, the execution determination unit 3 may be configured to continue the fuel saving control if the marginal driving force condition is satisfied. .

  As described above, in the fuel-saving control device 1 according to the present embodiment, the execution determination unit 3 satisfies the marginal driving force condition, and the vehicle running state is stable or the vehicle is stopped. Only when the condition is satisfied, the fuel saving control is executed.

  That is, in the present embodiment, once the fuel saving control is canceled, it is possible to return to the fuel saving control only when the running state is stable or the vehicle is stopped.

  As a result, for example, even when there is a curve or a short flat road during climbing, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from returning to the fuel saving control and stalling, and the driver ends the fuel saving control. Therefore, there is no need to perform a kick-down operation or turn off a switch that prohibits fuel saving control. Therefore, the burden on the driver can be reduced, and drivability can be improved.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Fuel-saving control apparatus 2 Margin driving force calculation part 3 Execution determination part

Claims (2)

A margin driving force calculation unit that calculates a margin driving force obtained by subtracting the required driving force calculated based on the accelerator opening from the maximum driving force;
An execution determination unit that executes fuel saving control for limiting the driving force of the vehicle when a margin driving force condition that the margin driving force calculated by the margin driving force calculation unit is equal to or greater than a preset start threshold value;
In a fuel-saving control device equipped with
The execution determination unit satisfies the first condition that the margin driving force condition is satisfied, the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a preset vehicle speed threshold, and the accelerator opening is equal to or less than a preset first accelerator opening threshold. Even if the fuel efficiency control is executed and the first condition is not satisfied, a preset second accelerator opening threshold value that satisfies the margin driving force condition and the accelerator opening is larger than the first accelerator opening threshold. In the following, when the second condition that the engine speed is equal to or less than a preset engine speed threshold and the fluctuation range of the engine speed is within a preset threshold range is satisfied, the fuel saving control is executed. A fuel-saving control device that is configured as described above. The execution determination unit determines that the first condition is satisfied when a state where the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the vehicle speed threshold and the accelerator opening is equal to or less than the first accelerator opening threshold continues for a predetermined time. The fuel saving control device described.

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