JPH0942005A - Automatic engine stopping-starting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an engine from automatically starting except by operating a starting switch at least at the first one time according to a driver's definite intention by making a control means for automatically starting ineffective at least once when a prohibiting mode is once set, and then released. SOLUTION: A control circuit 4 is provided with a control means for automatically stopping an engine 12 when the stopping conditions are satisfied, and a control means for automatically starting the engine 12 when the starting conditions are satisfied. Further, a means for setting a prohibiting mode for temporarily prohibiting a control means for automatically stopping and automatically starting the engine when a specified operation is done, is provided. Especially, when the prohibiting mode is once set, and then released, a means for making the control means for automatically starting the engine ineffective at least one time, is provided. Thus, the engine is started by operating a starting switch at least at the first one time under driver's definite intention, and the engine is not automatically started except by the above-mentioned operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is used in an automobile equipped with an internal combustion engine. The present invention, when a vehicle is waiting for a signal, in a traffic jam, while passengers are getting on and off, when loading and unloading luggage, and in other cases, when the predetermined stop condition is satisfied, the engine is automatically operated without the driver's operation. The present invention relates to an improvement in a device for automatically starting an engine without stopping by operating a engine start switch when a driver operates a clutch or other predetermined starting conditions are satisfied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a technology of an automatic engine stop device for stopping the engine and reducing the amount of exhaust gas emitted from the engine even when the vehicle is stopped for a relatively short time such as waiting for a signal while the vehicle is in operation. Are known. This is to automatically stop the engine according to a certain control condition without depending on the operation of the driver, and is executed, for example, while waiting for a signal or during a traffic jam while the automobile is running.

When the engine is automatically stopped, the engine is frequently restarted, and at this time, a large current must be supplied to the starting motor. For this reason, a technique has been developed that monitors the amount of charge of the battery and does not automatically stop the engine when the amount of charge is not sufficient (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-110846, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 3-46656). (See the official gazette).

When the engine is stopped by the automatic stop device without the driver's operation, it is convenient to restart the engine automatically without the driver's starting operation. As a device for this purpose, there is known a device that automatically restarts when the clutch pedal is depressed after the engine is automatically stopped (Actual Fairness 4-13).
395).

Further, conventionally, a switch for automatically detecting that the inspection door of the engine is opened is provided, and when the switch is operating, the operation of automatically stopping the engine is temporarily prohibited. An apparatus having the above-mentioned structure is known (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-65832). This is a device that can prevent the engine from being stopped against the driver's wishes while the driver is inspecting the engine.

[0006]

The inventor of the present application noticed the following problems during repeated tests for mounting the above-described automatic engine stop / start device on an automobile. That is, when the driver operates the engine inspection door or the like, the operation of the automatic stop / start device is prohibited for safety. After finishing the inspection work and closing the inspection door, the driver returns to the driver's seat. At this time, the engine may be in a stopped state, and while the driver is inspecting around the driver's seat, the driver may unintentionally step on the clutch pedal without sufficient intention.
In such a case, sudden start of the engine is not desirable. In other words, once the engine is in the prohibit mode in which automatic stop and automatic start are prohibited due to some operation, the next time the engine is started, the engine must be operated by the driver's start switch. It is good to keep the car from starting.

The present invention has been made against such a background. After the automatic stop and the automatic start are prohibited, the engine should be started at least once at the first intention of the driver. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which is operated by operating a start switch and in which the engine does not automatically start. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which the engine does not start automatically against the driver's intention. An object of the present invention is to provide a highly safe engine automatic start / start device. The present invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide an engine automatic stop / start device that is ergonomically rational for driver's operation.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is characterized by avoiding an automatic start contrary to the driver's intention when a prohibition mode for prohibiting automatic stop or automatic start of an engine is once set.

That is, the present invention includes the control means for automatically stopping the engine when the vehicle speed is zero and the stop condition including the transmission being in the neutral position is satisfied, and the transmission being in the neutral position. A control means for automatically starting the engine when the start condition is satisfied, and an engine automatic stop and start device provided with a prohibition mode for temporarily prohibiting the control means for automatically stopping and automatically starting the engine when a specific operation is performed. In the above, when the prohibit mode is once set and then released, the control means for automatically starting is disabled at least once.

It is desirable that the specific operation includes an operation of a prohibition mode setting switch and / or an operation of opening / closing an inspection door.

When the vehicle speed is zero and the stop condition including the transmission in the neutral position is satisfied, it is assumed that the vehicle is completely stopped and the engine is automatically stopped, and the transmission is in the neutral position. The engine is automatically started when the starting conditions including the above conditions are satisfied. Further, when a prohibit mode setting switch is operated, an inspection door is opened / closed, or other specific operation is performed, a prohibit mode is set to temporarily prohibit automatic stop and automatic start of the engine. Even when the prohibit mode is once set and then released, the automatic start of the engine is disabled at least once to prohibit the engine from being automatically started.

Thus, after the automatic stop and automatic start of the engine are once prohibited, it is possible to prevent the engine from being automatically started at least once at the first time unless the start switch is operated by the driver's intention. Therefore, it is possible to increase the safety, and to perform the automatic stop and automatic start of the engine which is ergonomically rational to the operation of the driver.

[0013]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the essential parts of the first embodiment of the present invention.

The first embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle speed sensor 1 for detecting a vehicle speed, a neutral switch 2 for indicating that the transmission 11 is in a neutral position, and a clutch switch 3 for detecting a clutch engagement / disengagement. A rotation sensor 16 that detects the rotation speed of the engine 12, a control circuit that takes in the outputs of the vehicle speed sensor 1, the neutral switch 2, the clutch switch 3, and the rotation sensor 16 and performs various controls including automatic stop and automatic start of the engine 12. 4 and.

The control circuit 4 includes a control means for automatically stopping the engine 12 when the vehicle speed is zero and the stop condition is satisfied, including that the transmission 11 is in the neutral position, and the transmission 11 is in the neutral position. Control means for automatically starting the engine 12 when a start condition including the following is satisfied, and means for setting a prohibition mode for temporarily prohibiting the control means for automatically stopping and automatically starting the engine 12 when a specific operation is performed, And a means for invalidating the control means for automatically starting at least once when the prohibit mode is once set and then released. The specific operation includes operation of the prohibit mode setting switch 5 and operation of the inspection door opening / closing switch 6, and the prohibit mode setting switch 5 is provided in the driver's seat.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment of the present invention thus constructed will be described. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of control operation of the control circuit in the first embodiment of the present invention.

The control circuit 4 takes in the output from the clutch switch 3 and determines whether the clutch 20 is in the "disengaged" or "closed" state. Clutch 20
Is in the "contact" state, the output from the neutral switch 2 is taken and it is determined whether or not the transmission 11 is in the neutral position. If the transmission 11 is in the neutral position, the output from the vehicle speed sensor 1 is taken and it is determined whether or not the vehicle speed is zero.

If the vehicle speed is zero, it is judged whether or not the specific operation is performed, and if it is performed, the control is returned to the original condition. If not, the electronic governor control means 13 stops the engine. Send a signal. The electronic governor control means 13 controls the electronic governor 17 by this engine stop signal to stop the fuel supply from the fuel injection pump 18 to the engine 12 and automatically stops the engine 12. After the automatic stop, if the flag is set, this is canceled and the control operation is restored.

Since the clutch 20 is in the "contact" state, the gear position of the transmission 11 is in the start position, and the vehicle speed does not show zero, the condition for stopping the engine 12 is not satisfied. The engine 12 similarly returns the control operation to the original state while rotating.

When the clutch pedal is depressed while the engine 12 is automatically stopped, there is generally no specific operation and no flag, so the engine 12 is automatically started.

More specifically, if the output from the clutch switch 3 indicates that the clutch 20 is in the "disengaged" state, it is determined whether the engine 12 is automatically stopped. If the engine 12 is not automatically stopped,
The same processing is repeated until the automatic stop condition is satisfied. If the engine 12 is automatically stopped, the output from the neutral switch 2 of the transmission 11 is taken and it is determined whether or not the gear position is in neutral.

If the gear position is not in neutral, the same processing is repeated until the automatic stop condition of the engine 12 is satisfied. If it is in the neutral position, the outputs from the prohibit mode setting switch 5 and the inspection door opening / closing switch 6 are fetched to determine whether or not a specific operation is performed. If the specific operation is being performed, the flag is set and the process is returned to the original state. If the specific operation is not performed, it is confirmed whether or not the flag is set. If the flag is not set, an engine start signal is sent to the electronic governor control means 13, and the electronic governor 17 is controlled to inject fuel. Fuel is injected from the pump 18 to the engine 12. At the same time, the starter 19 is driven to start the engine 12. If the flag is not set, a manual start display is displayed on the driver's seat and the driver is urged to perform the start operation by operating the key switch 15.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the essential parts of a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment of the present invention shows an example in the case of being applied to a hybrid vehicle (WO88 / 06107) manufactured and sold by the applicant under the name of HIMR. In addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, an engine A multi-phase rotary induction machine 21 directly connected to 12 and an inverter circuit 22 for applying a rotating magnetic field to the multi-phase rotary induction machine 21 are provided, and the control circuit 4 has an inverter circuit 22 according to the output of the rotation sensor 16. Means are included for controlling the velocity of the rotating magnetic field generated.

The control operation in the second embodiment is performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment according to the flow of the flow chart shown in FIG. 2, except that the starter 19 in the first embodiment is replaced by a polyphase rotary induction machine 21 as an electric motor. As a result, the engine 12 is started. That is, when performing automatic start, the control circuit 4 sends a control signal to the inverter circuit 22, and the inverter circuit 22 controls the speed of the rotating magnetic field given to the polyphase rotary induction machine 21 according to this control signal, and the battery 23 The electric energy is supplied from the engine to drive it as an electric motor to start the engine 12. Fuel injection pump 18 to engine 1
The fuel injection into the fuel cell 2 is performed by the electronic governor control means 13 that has received the start signal from the control circuit 4 in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the AC energy is generated from the polyphase rotary induction machine 21 when the vehicle is braked.
The generated AC energy is converted into DC energy by the inverter circuit 22, and the battery 23 is regeneratively charged.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, once the automatic stop and automatic start of the engine is prohibited, it is possible to avoid energy start other than the operation of the start switch intended by the driver. it can. As a result, it is possible to improve safety and ergonomically and automatically stop the engine in response to the driver's operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of control operation of a control circuit in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vehicle speed sensor 2 Neutral switch 3 Clutch switch 4 Control circuit 5 Prohibition mode setting switch 6 Inspection door open / close switch 11 Transmission 12 Engine 13 Electronic governor control means 14 Accelerator pedal 15 Key switch 16 Rotation sensor 17 Electronic governor 18 Fuel Injection pump 19 Starter 20 Clutch 21 Multi-phase rotary induction machine 22 Inverter circuit 23 Battery

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A control means for automatically stopping an engine when a vehicle speed is zero and a stop condition including a transmission in a neutral position is satisfied, and a start condition including a transmission in a neutral position is satisfied. An engine automatic stop / start device provided with a control means for automatically starting the engine, and provided with a prohibition mode for temporarily prohibiting the control means for automatically stopping and automatically starting the specific operation. An automatic engine stop / start device, comprising means for invalidating the control means for automatically starting the mode at least once when the mode is once set and then released. 2. The engine automatic stop / start device according to claim 1, wherein the specific operation includes an operation of a prohibition mode setting switch and / or an opening / closing operation of an inspection door.