JPH06146945A - Running control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify a start operation, on a slope, of a vehicle provided with a manually operated transmission so as to lighten the burden of a driver. CONSTITUTION:A vehicle running control device is constituted of an electronic control unit (ECU) 10 of an engine 1, a speed sensor 13, a shift position sensor 15, a clutch position sensor 17, and the like. When the vehicle is stopped and a gear shift lever is on the position of forward first step or reverse, by detecting that connection of a clutch is begun (for example, a clutch pedal ie returned to the position of half clutch), from respective outputs of the speed sensor 13, the shift position sensor 15, and the clutch position sensor 17, the electronic control unit (ECU) 10 judges that a driver executes a start operation, and increases the setting value of the idling speed of the engine 1 by a decided quantity. At starting on a slope, although the driver does not operate an accelerator, the engine speed is increased and the engine torque is increased, and hence the vehicle can be started by operating only a brake pedal and a clutch pedal by the driver.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a travel control device for a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission, and more particularly to a travel control device capable of reducing a driver's burden when starting a slope.

[0002]

In vehicles equipped with a manual transmission, the driver
Since it is necessary to operate the gear shift lever and the clutch pedal in addition to the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal, the operation load at the time of driving is larger than that of a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. Especially when starting on a slope, accelerator, brake,
Since it is necessary to operate the three pedals of the clutch with two legs, the driving operation becomes complicated and skill is required for the operation.

That is, in the case of a vehicle equipped with a conventional manual transmission, at the time of starting on a hill, the brake pedal is depressed with the right foot and the clutch pedal is depressed with the left foot. Prepare. When starting, it is necessary to release the right foot from the brake pedal, immediately move it to the accelerator pedal, depress the accelerator pedal, increase the engine speed, and at the same time return the clutch pedal with the left foot to gradually connect the clutch. become. In addition, if the time from when the brake pedal is released to when the accelerator pedal is depressed during the start operation is long, the vehicle may start to move backward against the driver's will. Also, when releasing the brake pedal and depressing the accelerator pedal, if the vehicle is suddenly started or the engine stalls on the contrary if the accelerator pedal is not precisely depressed by the required amount by judging the road gradient. There is. For this reason, when starting on a slope, it is necessary to accurately operate the three pedals of the brake, the accelerator, and the clutch at delicate timing, which imposes a heavy burden on the driver.
In addition, it is often difficult for a beginner to properly perform these operations.

[0004]

The above-mentioned problems are particularly caused by the fact that it is necessary to depress the accelerator pedal with the same right foot immediately after the brake pedal is released, in the exact amount required. ing. In fact, in order to avoid this problem, the hand brake is used to prevent the vehicle from retreating when starting on a slope, and the hand brake is gradually returned while starting the vehicle by operating only the accelerator pedal and the clutch pedal with both feet. The method of making is also generally performed.

However, this method has a problem that the starting operation is complicated because it involves an extra operation of manually operating the handbrake at the time of starting, and the burden on the driver is not always reduced. An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to reduce the burden on the driver by simplifying the hill start operation of a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission.

[0006]

According to the present invention, as shown in the block diagram of the invention of FIG. 1, there is provided a travel control device for a vehicle, which is provided with a manual transmission, and which detects a stop state of the vehicle. State detection means A, gradient detection means B for detecting the gradient of the road surface, starting operation detection means C for detecting the vehicle start operation of the driver, and traveling state detection for detecting that the vehicle has transitioned to a predetermined traveling state. Means D and a torque for increasing the idle operation torque of the vehicle engine F in accordance with the gradient of the road surface from the time when the starting operation is detected in the stop state of the vehicle until the transition to the running state is detected. A travel control device for a vehicle is provided, which is provided with a control means E.

[0007]

The starting operation detecting means C detects the starting operation of the vehicle by the driver from, for example, the clutch pedal operation and the gear shift position. When the vehicle start operation is performed when the stop state detection unit A detects that the vehicle is in the stopped state, the torque control unit E determines the vehicle according to the magnitude of the road surface slope detected by the slope detection unit B. The idle operation torque of the engine F is increased to prevent engine stall and reverse of the vehicle when the clutch is engaged while the accelerator operation amount is insufficient during the vehicle start operation.

Further, when the running state detecting means D detects that the starting of the vehicle has been completed and the vehicle has shifted to a predetermined running state, the torque control means E restores the idle operating torque of the engine to a normal value. .

[0009]

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2
In the figure, 1 is an engine of the vehicle, and 3 is a manual transmission connected to the engine 1. Further, 11 is a rotation speed sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the engine 1, 13 is a speed sensor for detecting a vehicle running speed, 15 is a shift position sensor for detecting a gear shift lever position operated by a driver, and 17 is a clutch connected. A clutch position sensor for detecting whether or not the vehicle is engaged, and an inclination angle sensor 19 for detecting a road surface gradient.

Reference numeral 10 in FIG. 2 denotes an electronic control unit (ECU) for executing basic control such as fuel supply amount control of the engine 1, ignition timing control, idle speed control and the like. In the present embodiment, the ECU 10 is composed of a known digital computer and executes the above-mentioned basic control of the engine 1,
The vehicle travel control at the time of starting, which will be described later, is performed. In the present embodiment, the rotation speed sensor 11 includes an ignition distributor of the engine 1 or a magnetic pickup provided on the engine crankshaft, and supplies a pulse signal proportional to the rotation speed of the engine 1 to the ECU 10.

Further, the speed sensor 13 is provided with a magnetic pickup provided on the wheel, and supplies a pulse signal proportional to the rotational speed of the wheel to the ECU 10. Limit switches are used for the shift position sensor 15 and the clutch position sensor 17, and signals are sent to the ECU 10 when the gear shift lever of the manual transmission 3 is at the first speed position and when the clutch pedal is at a predetermined engagement position. Output.

The inclination angle sensor 19 is attached to the vehicle body of the vehicle and supplies the ECU 10 with an output signal corresponding to the inclination angle of the vehicle, that is, the road surface gradient. FIG. 3 shows the structure and operating principle of the tilt angle sensor used in this embodiment. It should be noted that the type of the tilt angle sensor used in the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and tilt angle sensors of other suitable types can be used.

A tilt angle sensor 19 shown in FIG. 3 detects a tilt angle by a torque balance method.
a and 32b are housings 19a of the tilt angle sensor 19
Light-emitting elements such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes) mounted inside, and 33a and 33b are light-receiving elements. Further, a light shielding piece 34 attached to the movable coil 35 is arranged between the light emitting elements 32a and 32b and the light receiving elements 33a and 33b. The movable coil 35 generates a rotating torque according to the energized current to rotate the light shielding piece 34, similarly to the case where it is used as a pointer of an ammeter.

Further, the light receiving elements 33a and 33b have resistance sides R
1 and R2 form a DC bridge, and an unbalanced current detection circuit of the bridge has a load resistor R0 and a movable coil 3
5 is connected. As shown in FIG. 3A, the light blocking piece 34
Is in the center of the two sets 32a, 33a and 32b, 33b of the light emitting element and the light receiving element which face each other when the tilt angle sensor 19 is not tilted, and the light receiving elements 33a, 33b receive the same amount of light. Therefore, the bridge is balanced and no current flows through the movable coil 35. However, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the tilt angle sensor 19 is tilted by the angle θ, the light blocking piece 34 rotates due to its own weight, which causes a difference in the amount of light received by the light receiving elements 33a and 33b, causing a current to flow in the unbalanced current detection circuit of the bridge. Flowing. This unbalanced current flows through the movable coil 35 and generates a torque that pulls back the light shielding piece 34 in the original direction. As a result, the light shielding piece 34 is rotated to a position where the rotation torque due to its own weight (gravitational force) and the rotation torque due to the unbalanced current are balanced (position indicated by θ ₁ in FIG. 3B).

Here, the rotational torque T of the movable coil 35 is expressed by T = K · I (K is a proportional constant) using the unbalanced current I, and the rotational moment M due to its own weight applied to the light shielding piece 34 is the light shielding piece 34. Is represented by M, and the distance L from the center of rotation to the light-shielding piece 34 is used, M = g.L.SIN ([theta]-[theta] ₁ ).

[0016] In equilibrium position, since it is T = M, the unbalanced current I from above, the I = g · L · SIN ( θ-θ 1) / K. Here, in actuality, the design is set so that θ >> θ ₁ , so the relationship of I = A · SIN θ (A is a proportional constant) is established between the inclination angle θ and the current I. However, the inclination angle can be detected by measuring the current I. In this embodiment, the inclination angle sensor 19 is attached to the vehicle body of the vehicle to detect the inclination angle of the vehicle body to detect the road surface gradient.

Next, the traveling control executed by the ECU 10 when the vehicle starts will be described. In this embodiment, the ECU
Reference numeral 10 indicates that the clutch is started when the vehicle is stopped and the gear shift lever is in the first forward speed or the reverse (reverse) position (for example, the clutch pedal is returned to the half-clutch position). When detected by the outputs of the speed sensor 13, the shift position sensor 15, and the clutch position sensor 17, respectively, it is determined that the driver has performed the starting operation, and the set value of the idle speed of the engine 1 is increased to a predetermined value. For this reason, when starting on a slope, the engine speed increases and the engine torque increases even if the driver does not operate the accelerator, so the driver can start the vehicle by operating only the brake pedal and the clutch pedal. it can.

That is, in this embodiment, the driver performs an operation of gradually returning the clutch pedal while stepping on the brake pedal with the right foot when starting on a slope. When the clutch pedal is returned and the clutch is fully connected, the engine speed automatically increases and the engine torque increases as described above.In this condition, release the right foot from the brake pedal and step on the accelerator pedal again. The vehicle does not move backward even if the timing is delayed. Therefore, it is possible to operate the accelerator pedal with a sufficient margin, and it is possible to easily start on a slope. The amount of increase in the idle rotation speed set value is predetermined according to the road surface gradient detected by the inclination angle sensor 19, and the idle rotation speed is set to increase as the road surface gradient becomes steeper. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the engine torque from becoming insufficient and the engine to stall when the clutch is engaged, and to prevent the vehicle from suddenly starting due to the excessive engine torque.

Further, when the ECU 10 detects that the vehicle has reached a predetermined running state after starting and determines that the engine stall does not occur even if the idle speed is returned to the original state, the idle speed is normally set. Therefore, the idle speed does not remain high when the vehicle next stops. 4 and 5 show an embodiment of a flowchart of the above control operation. This routine is executed by the ECU 10 at regular intervals.

When the routine starts in FIG. 4, in step 401, the road surface slope INC, the vehicle speed V, the gear shift lever position SP, the clutch pedal position CL, and the engine speed NE are the inclination angle sensor 19, the speed sensor 13, and the shift position sensor 15, respectively. , The clutch position sensor 17 and the rotation speed sensor 11. Next, at step 403, it is judged if the road surface slope INC is positive. Here, when the road surface slope is positive (INC> 0),
Negative (INC <0) means downhill road.

When it is determined in step 403 that the vehicle is on the climbing road, the process proceeds to step 405, and it is determined whether the flag F is set (F = 1). The flag F is a flag that is set (= 1) when the vehicle is started. If the flag F is not set in step 405, that is, if the vehicle has not been started, steps 407 to 411 are executed to determine whether or not the vehicle has been started this time. To be done.

As described above, in this embodiment, the vehicle is not moving forward (step 407), the gear shift lever is in the forward first speed position (step 409), and the clutch is engaged (step 411). When all the conditions are satisfied, it is determined that the start operation has been performed. If any of the conditions of Steps 407 to 411 is not satisfied, it is determined that the starting operation is not performed, and Step 42 is performed.
1, the engine idle speed is set to the normal set value N ₀ , and the flag F is reset (= 0) in step 423.
Then, the routine ends. If it is determined in steps 407 to 411 that the start operation is being performed, step 41
After proceeding to step 3 and setting the flag F, the procedure proceeds to step 415.

At steps 415 and 417, the set value of the idle speed is increased. In the present embodiment, the set value of the idle speed is predetermined according to the road surface gradient,
As shown in FIG. 8A, in a region where the road surface slope is positive (uphill road), the idling speed is set to be higher as the slope becomes steeper. The relationship between the set value N ₁ of the idle speed and the road surface slope INC shown in FIG.
It is stored in the OM, and in step 415, step 4
The set value N ₁ of the idle speed is read from this numerical table using the value of the road surface slope INC input in 01, and in step 417, the engine speed during idling is adjusted so that the engine speed becomes equal to the set value N _1. The injection quantity is increased. . As a result, the idle speed of the engine is increased, and the starting operation can be smoothly performed as described above.

Next, at step 419, it is judged if the starting operation is completed. In this embodiment, when the vehicle forward speed exceeds the predetermined value V _a , it is determined that the starting operation is completed, steps 421 and 423 are executed, the idle speed setting is returned to the normal value N ₀ , and the flag is set. F is reset and the routine ends. If the flag F has already been set in step 407, step 40
Do not judge the start operation of 7 to 411 directly without performing the step 4
Fifteen or less are executed. As a result, the engine idle speed is kept rising until it is determined in step 419 that the starting operation is completed.

When it is determined in step 403 that the road surface slope INC is negative, that is, the vehicle is on a downhill road, the process proceeds to FIG. 5 and steps 425 to 443 shown in FIG. 5 are replaced with steps 405 to 423 shown in FIG. To be executed. Step 42
The operations of 5 to 443 are the same as the operations of steps 405 to 423, but since the target is the starting operation at the time of the backward movement of the vehicle on the downhill road, the following points are steps 405 to 4:
23 is different.

That is, it is determined in step 427 in FIG. 5 whether the vehicle is moving backward, and in step 429 it is determined whether the gear shift lever is in the reverse position. Further, in step 437, the set value of the idle speed is set to the value N ₂ obtained from FIG. 8B instead of FIG. 8A, and in step 439, when the reverse speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined value (V <−V _b ) It is determined that the start operation has been completed.

Next, FIGS. 6 and 7 show flowcharts of the traveling control operation at the time of starting the vehicle, which are different from those of FIGS. 4 and 5. This embodiment is directed to, for example, an engine having a large displacement, and steps 619A and 619B are performed.
(FIG. 6) and 639A, 639B (FIG. 7) are different from the flowcharts of FIGS. That is, in the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5, it is determined that the starting operation is completed when the vehicle exceeds a predetermined traveling speed (steps 419 and 439), but in the present embodiment, the vehicle starts to move forward or backward. (Step 619
A, 639A) and the gear shift lever is in the first forward speed or the reverse position (steps 619B, 639A).
B), it is determined that the start operation is completed. This is because the vehicle starts to move with the gear shift lever in the first forward speed or the reverse position and the driving force is large, so in an engine with a sufficiently large idle torque, even if the idle speed is returned to the normal set value, the engine stalls, etc. This is because it is considered that the driver can depress the accelerator pedal with a sufficient margin before the occurrence of.

[0028]

As described above, according to the vehicle running control device of the present invention, the driver can operate the pedals with a margin even when the vehicle equipped with the manual transmission is started on a slope, and the starting operation is performed. The burden on the driver at the time of is greatly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of a vehicle travel control device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operating principle of a tilt angle sensor used in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a part of a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of a control operation of the vehicle travel control device of FIG.

5 is a part of a diagram showing an example of a flowchart of a control operation of the vehicle travel control device of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a part of a diagram showing an embodiment different from those of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the flowchart of the control operation of the vehicle travel control device of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a part of a diagram showing an embodiment different from FIGS. 4 and 5 of the flowchart of the control operation of the vehicle travel control device of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship between a road surface gradient and an idle speed setting value.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Engine 3 ... Manual transmission 11 ... Rotation speed sensor 10 ... ECU 13 ... Speed sensor 15 ... Shift position sensor 17 ... Clutch position sensor 19 ... Tilt angle sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A travel control device for a vehicle, comprising a manual transmission, comprising: a stop state detecting means for detecting a stop state of the vehicle; a slope detecting means for detecting a slope of a road surface; and a vehicle start operation by a driver. A starting operation detecting means for detecting the start state, a running state detecting means for detecting that the vehicle has transitioned to a predetermined traveling state, and a transition to the traveling state from when the starting operation is detected while the vehicle is stopped. Until then, a travel control device for a vehicle comprising: torque control means for increasing the idle operation torque of the vehicle engine in accordance with the gradient of the road surface.