KR20090065509A - Device for improving the starting reliability of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for improving the starting reliability of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, said combustion engine being started by a liquid electrolyte battery-fed starter. The device according to the invention comprises: at least one electrically operated device for mixing the liquid electrolyte, at least one temperature sensor for measuring the battery temperature, at least one voltage sensor for measuring the battery voltage, a first memory circuit for saving at least the battery temperature and the battery voltage, a second memory circuit in which the temperature/voltage table is saved, a first comparative and evaluation circuit which at least determines the actual charge and age status using the temperature and voltage values measured over time and comparing them with the comparative values which can be retrieved from the second memory circuit. The invention is characterized by a third memory circuit in which mixing tables are saved that provide, based on the actual charge and age status of the battery and the actual battery temperature, a required minimum duty time of the device for mixing the liquid electrolyte before the internal combustion engine should be started.

Description

DEVICE FOR IMPROVING THE STARTING RELIABILITY OF A VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for increasing the starting reliability of a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine started by a liquid electrolyte battery powered starter.

Lead-acid batteries are used in vehicles to operate starters, which are known to have a large weight due to the lead content. The automotive industry's efforts to reduce weight also include reducing the weight of batteries. At the same time, however, the demand for greater battery output also increases, for example, with conventional energy for starting a passenger car, such as a power window lifter, a servo motor for regulating the seat or for heating the seat electrically. Additional energy is also needed. In addition, it is desirable for the battery output to be assuredly maintained as consistently as high as possible throughout the battery life, since safety-related functional units such as steering and braking are increasingly controlled and operated electrically. Battery output refers to the capacity of the battery and the current supply or current consumption of the battery in the following. Battery output is influenced by several factors known to those skilled in the art.

In the prior art, various measures are known for increasing the capacity of batteries filled with liquid electrolyte, such as lead-acid batteries. A particular problem with lead-acid batteries is the so-called stratification of the acid. In other words, the acid concentration is not uniform at the electrode surface. This causes the electrode to corrode at a portion where the acid concentration is too high, thereby shortening the life of the battery, and at the electrode portion where the acid concentration is too low, the total capacity of the battery is not obtained.

Accordingly, various devices and methods have been developed for circulating the electrolyte such that acid concentrations are equal in all volume portions of the battery. In fixed batteries, for example, air enters the electrolyte. Electrolyte mixing devices for automotive batteries are known, which are also called hydrostatic pumps. This electrolyte mixing device is effective only in a moving vehicle because it utilizes braking and acceleration processes with respect to the inertial forces of the liquid electrolyte. As this technique is known to those skilled in the art, only by way of example US 4,963,444; Reference may be made to US 5,096,787 and US 5,032,476 and DE 297 18 004.5, in particular G 91 15 163.5 and G 91 15 597.5. To improve battery performance and extend battery life, it is a permanent challenge to keep the stratification of the battery as low as possible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which increases the performance of the battery and extends the life of the battery, thereby increasing the starting reliability of the internal combustion engine.

This object is achieved by the device according to claim 1. According to the present invention an electrolyte battery comprises an electrically operated device for mixing a liquid electrolyte. This includes any type of device that can be electrically driven or actuated, such as various pumps, magnet-stirring systems or thermal mixing devices that cause mixing of the electrolyte by heating. Similarly, a tilting device is also possible which can tilt a fixed battery, which is movably supported, for example, in a vehicle. To this end, the battery must be equipped with a hydrodynamic mixing device known in the prior art, which causes effective mixing during driving and, when the battery is moved by the moving device, enables mixing even when the vehicle is stopped.

One or more temperature sensors for measuring battery temperature and one or more voltage sensors for measuring battery voltage are provided. These sensor devices of the starting battery are known in the prior art and need not be described in more detail to those skilled in the art.

Also provided is a first memory circuit for storing at least battery temperature and battery voltage over time, and a second memory circuit for storing a temperature-voltage table. The temperature-voltage table includes a relationship between battery temperature and battery voltage, from which the state of charge and aging of the liquid electrolyte battery can be determined. The temperature-voltage table can be made for various battery types or given to manufacturers of modern batteries as long-term test results.

The first comparison and evaluation circuit determines the actual state of charge and aging of the battery using the temperature and voltage values measured over time in the battery and by comparison with comparison values taken from the second memory circuit.

According to the invention, based on the actual state of charge and aging of the battery and the actual battery temperature, a mixing table is provided which provides the required minimum connection time of the mixing device before the high current consumer is connected for start-up and implementation of the internal combustion engine. A third memory circuit is provided. Here, it is also taken into account how long the high current consumer has to be connected in order to surely start the internal combustion engine at actual temperatures, vehicle life and other relevant operating conditions.

Also provided is a detection device capable of detecting with a high probability that an internal combustion engine should be started. The reason why the detection device is necessary is that the vehicle driver has recently become accustomed to starting the engine immediately after the operation of the ignition key or the start button. Since start-up delay is perceived as a limited performance of the vehicle, the vehicle manufacturer would like to avoid this if it is technically possible and desirable.

If the start up of the internal combustion engine is intended, the detection device sends out a signal for the connection of the mixing device.

According to claim 2, the detection device is connected with the door lock of the door, since the probability of the intended driving is high when the door is opened. For example, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that the detection device is connected so that if the door is opened again after the end of the run-because the driver has forgotten something in the vehicle-the mixing does not have to be carried out.

According to claim 3, the detection device is technically connected with the remote control of the door lock. This allows the driver to start mixing earlier, so that the driver may not feel his habitual comfort deterioration even when the mixing time is long because the driver spends longer time in the vehicle. . However, a disadvantage of this embodiment of the present invention is that it is indistinguishable whether to use only one object from the vehicle or to start the vehicle when using the remote control.

If very high comfort is important and at the same time the battery is to be optimally protected, a combination of the embodiments according to claims 2 and 3 can also be achieved: if only a short mixing time is detected, only upon operation of the door lock according to claim 2 Mixing begins. In other words, the mixing starts when the probability of starting the vehicle is very high. Thus, the mixing is prevented from already starting when the vehicle is opened by the remote control just to put the object in. However, mixing is already already started, for example after a long lifetime or at low external temperatures, when the mixing time is long, when the remote control of the door lock is activated. Therefore, the minimum mixing duration is not obtained or the driver is prevented from feeling the waiting time uncomfortable.

Only when the mixing time provided by the embodiment according to claim 2 or 3 is not sufficient, i.e. only when the driver is in a waiting situation, a display control circuit is provided for control of the display which the driver can identify. The display provides the driver with a wait-recommend until the minimum mixing time has elapsed. Of course, it is left to the driver to start before the minimum mixing time has elapsed.

According to the present invention, the life of the battery can be extended by reducing the acid stratification of the battery to a minimum possible mass while giving the driver a feeling of ready to travel, which is not limited by technical means. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that the mixing of the electrolyte must be maintained during startup since the battery is heavily loaded by the high current consumer in the startup phase, and the mixing of the electrolyte promotes the current supply and reduces the wear of the battery.

Other measures and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

1 is a functional flow diagram of an apparatus according to the invention.

Since the configuration of the device according to the invention has already been described, only the functional flow of the device is described step by step:

In the first functional stage, it is determined which high current consumer should be connected during the intended start-up and how long the internal combustion engine should be connected before driving the generator, i.e. how severely the battery is heavily loaded.

On the basis of the results of the first functional step, in the second functional step a minimum mixing time of the electrolyte is determined, ie a time interval which is mixed but not yet started.

In a third functional step, mixing of the electrolyte is carried out.

After the minimum mixing time has elapsed, the high current consumers are connected in the order provided according to their operation.

By the above-described embodiment, those skilled in the art can fully know the technical spirit of the present invention. It is clear that the above embodiments can be further developed, modified or combined by those skilled in the art using the idea according to the present invention. Accordingly, other embodiments that are not specified or shown are included within the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims (4)

A device for increasing the starting reliability of an internal combustion engine started by a liquid electrolyte battery powered electric starter, the electrolyte battery Electrically operated devices for mixing liquid electrolytes, One or more temperature sensors for measuring battery temperature, One or more voltage sensors for measuring battery voltage, A first memory circuit for storing at least battery temperature and battery voltage over time, A second memory circuit in which a temperature / voltage table is stored which makes it possible to determine the state of charge and aging of the electrolyte battery, the temperature / voltage table comprising at least a relationship between operating temperature and operating voltage; A first comparison and evaluation circuit that determines the actual state of charge and the actual state of aging using at least temperature and voltage values measured over time and by comparison with the comparison value taken out of the second memory circuit. In the device for increasing the starting reliability comprising: On the basis of the actual state of charge and aging of the battery and the actual battery temperature, a mixing table is stored which provides the required minimum connection time of the liquid electrolyte mixing device before the high current consumer is connected for start-up and implementation of the internal combustion engine. A third memory circuit, and A detection device capable of detecting with a high probability that the internal combustion engine has to be started, if the start of the internal combustion engine is intended, a detection device that sends out a signal for connection of the device for mechanical mixing of the electrolyte; Apparatus for increasing the starting reliability, characterized in that it further comprises. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detection device is connected to a door lock of a door. The device of claim 1, wherein the detection device is technically connected to a remote control of the door lock. 2. A display control circuit is provided for controlling the display as recited in claim 1, wherein if the driver wants to start but the minimum mixing time has not yet elapsed, the display control circuit is provided for the control of the driver identifiable display, which gives the driver a recommendation for waiting. Apparatus for increasing the starting reliability, characterized in that.

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