JP3401475B2 - Idle stop device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is used in automobiles.
The present invention relates to an improvement of a device that automatically stops an engine in an idling state without operating a key switch under a certain condition and automatically starts the stopped engine under a certain condition. . The present invention is an apparatus developed for implementation in a relatively large vehicle equipped with a diesel engine, but can be widely implemented in other vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an engine of a car stopped while running is in an idling state and a certain condition is satisfied, an idle stop device for automatically stopping the engine without operating a key switch is provided. Widely used. This idle stop device automatically stops the engine, then depresses the clutch pedal, depresses the foot switch operated by the left foot (in the case of an automatic vehicle), or performs other predetermined trigger operations Many are configured to automatically restart.

Such devices have come to be used particularly in large vehicles such as buses and trucks, and are automatically operated when passengers are getting on and off at stops or when roads are congested. Has been used. With such an idle stop device, there are advantages such as reducing exhaust gas and reducing fuel consumption without operating the key switch one by one, and it is economical and environmentally friendly. Is effective for. Since the device including the means for automatically restarting is simple in the starting operation, there is an advantage that the driver does not have to cancel the idle stop device itself to drive.

Such an idle stop device has been widely used, and various improvements have been made to the operating state of the device by incorporating the user's reputation and opinions.
Among them, a device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-16122 is known as a device for setting a certain condition to reduce a sense of discomfort during driving when the idle stop device is restarted after operating. .

[0005]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
The following inconveniences have been experienced when driving a vehicle equipped with a stop device, especially with the operation of automatically restarting an engine that has stopped automatically. For example,
In an automatic vehicle, after the engine has been stopped by the idle stop device, operate the foot switch with the left foot to restart it, immediately put the shift lever in the drive position (D position), and then use the right foot to operate the accelerator pedal. Suppose you perform a stepping operation. At this time, if the vehicle happens to stop on an uphill slope, the engine that has been started has not yet started up sufficiently, so the vehicle cannot be maintained by the automatic clutch, and the vehicle retreats (so-called slipping), After a short period of time, the accelerator pedal is depressed, so the engine speed rises sharply and advances rapidly. Even when the vehicle is stopped on a flat road surface, the vehicle may suddenly start due to such a driving operation.

This is a so-called "manipulating driving" operation, which is not a driving operation suitable for safe driving, so that the driver should not perform such driving operation on the road. However, when such a driving operation is repeated, deterioration of the clutch system and other drive system members is accelerated.

It is also known in the related art that the gear shift lever cannot be moved unless the brake pedal is depressed, or that the gear shift operation is substantially performed only when the gear shift lever is moved but the brake pedal is depressed. Has been. However, if the right foot that was stepping on the brake pedal is moved to the accelerator pedal simultaneously with the operation of the foot switch for the start trigger or quickly, the above-mentioned phenomenon may occur in the configuration of the conventional device. You can

The present invention has been made against such a background, and when the engine is automatically restarted after being stopped,
An object of the present invention is to provide an idle stop device configured so that a vehicle cannot be started unless a driver performs an appropriate and safe driving operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an idle stop device that prevents slippage and sudden start even by intentional so-called "tumble operation" and does not deteriorate drive system members.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when the engine is automatically restarted after being stopped,
The gear lever is mechanically fixed in the neutral position to prevent it from moving, and the mechanical position of the gear shift lever is released unless the brake pedal is depressed with appropriate force until the restarted engine has fully started up. If the driver intends to perform an inappropriate driving operation, the driver cannot perform the inappropriate driving operation.

That is, according to the present invention, the key switch is operated when the vehicle speed is substantially zero, the engine speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, and the engine stop condition including the condition that the transmission is set to the neutral position is satisfied. Idle equipped with means for stopping the engine even if not performed, and means for starting the engine without operating the key switch when a predetermined engine starting condition is satisfied after the engine is stopped by the control of this means. In the stop device, when the engine is stopped by the stopping means, a means for mechanically fixing the shift lever at the neutral position and a brake pedal generates a brake pressure of a predetermined value or more after the engine is started by the starting means. Is being stepped on and the engine is starting up after starting Wherein the release condition includes the elapse of a condition and means for inhibiting the deactivation of the mechanically fixed to means until satisfied.

With this configuration, when the engine is restarted, unless the driver continues to depress the brake pedal with a corresponding force until the engine transits the transitional state of rising, the transmission lever is moved to the drive position. It is not possible to physically shift to (D) or the retracted position (R). Therefore, there is no possibility that the above-mentioned inappropriate driving operation is performed. Due to the gear shift lever being locked, the driver understands that it is not appropriate to shift the gear shift lever at that time. The device of the present invention is a device that is practical and easy for the driver to understand as compared with a device that explains the precautions to be strictly adhered to by the driver to the driver.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the essential parts of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the shift lever base of the device of the present invention. 2A is a top view of the structure, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the structure. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the main part of the idle stop control circuit of the device of the present invention according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows the connection relationship between the idle / stop control circuit 11 and related control circuits. That is, the idle / stop control circuit 11 is a program control circuit (CPU), and another program control circuit (CP)
U) is connected to the engine control circuit 12 and another program control circuit (CPU), which is an automatic shift control circuit 13, so that signals can be exchanged with each other. Information on the vehicle speed sensor 14, the foot switch 15, and the brake signal 16 is input to the idle / stop control circuit 11. Also, the idle stop control circuit 11
Sends a control signal to the shift control circuit 17 and sends an output signal to the starting relay 18 and the indicator 19.

Further, the idle / stop control circuit 11 is supplied with power from the power supply via the key switch 20 and the system switch 21, and the system switch 21 also inputs a control signal indicating its state.

The means for mechanically fixing the shift lever, which is a feature of the present invention, will now be described. The device of this embodiment is a so-called automatic vehicle. The speed change lever 1 provided in the driver's seat is configured so that it can be mechanically fixed in its neutral position. More specifically, it is provided with a pin 4 which is inserted between the member 2 and the fixed member 3 which are interlocked with the speed change lever 1, and a solenoid 5 which is an electromagnetic means for putting the pin into an inserted state and a removed state. 2B, the hole 6 formed in the member 2 reaches the position of the pin 4 when the shift lever is in the neutral position, and the solenoid 5 is excited at this time, so that the lever 7 moves around the fulcrum 8. Rotate the pin 4 to fix the pin 3
It is inserted between the member 2 and the member 2. When the current of the solenoid 5 disappears and the excitation disappears, the pin 4 is returned by the spring force and removed from the hole 6, so that the speed change lever 1
Will be able to operate freely. The position information of the shift lever 1 and the operating state of the mechanical fixing means are transmitted to the automatic shift control circuit 13.

The operation of such a device will be described. When the operation is started, the key switch 20 is operated, the start relay 18 is operated, and the starter 23 of the engine 24 is driven. This starts the engine 24. The engine control circuit 12 controls the governor 25 to adjust its rotation speed.

If the engine stop condition by idle stop is satisfied when the vehicle is stopped by driving and running, the engine is automatically stopped. This is because the vehicle speed generated by the vehicle speed sensor 14 is zero, the gear shift lever 1 is in the neutral position from the automatic gear shift control circuit 13,
From the engine control circuit 12, the rotation speed is substantially in an idling state, and the engine control circuit 12 may cause other engines to idle / stop, specifically, conditions such as battery, engine temperature, and fuel. When the "idle stop permission signal", which is satisfied, comes, it is executed by sending a stop request signal to the engine control circuit 12.

When the foot switch 15 is operated by the driver in this state, the idle / stop control circuit 1 can be operated without the normal starting operation by the key switch 20.
1 executes a series of starting operations to restart the engine. At this time, the idle / stop control circuit 11 sends a shift lock signal to the shift control circuit 17, and the shift control circuit 17 drives the solenoid 5 to move the pin 4 to the movable member 2 and the fixed member 3 as described above. The shift lever 1 is maintained in a mechanically fixed state by inserting the shift lever 1 through the hole 6. At this time, even if the driver tries to operate the speed change lever 1, the speed change lever 1 cannot physically operate because the speed change lever 1 does not physically move. During the execution of this starting operation, the shift control circuit 17 maintains the gear shift lever 1 in a mechanically fixed state so that the driver cannot operate the gear shift lever 1. This is maintained until the engine after the start-up transitional state has passed. Since the shift lever 1 does not physically move during this time, the driver can understand and recognize that the shift lever 1 must not be operated at this point.

The fact that the engine has risen to a transitional state after startup has a condition that a predetermined time has elapsed since the engine speed reached a predetermined value.
The predetermined value of the rotation speed is suitably a standard idling rotation speed of the engine, and the predetermined time is suitably set to about 1 second to 4 seconds.

The idle / stop control circuit 11 is sufficiently operated so that the brake signal 16 still arrives and the foot brake cannot start when the engine has passed the transitional state of rising after restarting. When in the operating state, the shift lock signal sent to the shift control circuit 17 is released. As a result, the shift control circuit 17 cuts off the exciting current of the solenoid 5, and the pin 4 is restored by the spring force to release the mechanically fixed state. FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a main part of a series of control operations during this period.

It is necessary for the driver to continue to depress the brake pedal with his right foot for a corresponding period until the engine starts after restarting, and it is substantially difficult to operate the accelerator pedal during this period. During the transitional period until the engine starts up, improper driving operation such as applying excessive force to the drive system will not occur.

In the above embodiment, the automatic vehicle and the foot switch in which the restarting trigger operation is operated by the left foot have been described. However, a normal shift vehicle equipped with a clutch pedal or an operation by the clutch pedal only at the time of starting However, the present invention can be similarly applied to a semi-automatic vehicle in which the gear shift during traveling can be executed without pressing the clutch pedal each time. In either case, whether the gearshift lever directly operates the gearshift or remote control,
The present invention can be similarly implemented by arranging the transmission lever that the driver can operate with his / her own hand so as to be mechanically fixed in the neutral position.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the driver intentionally tries to perform a so-called "twisting operation", the driver should apply the brake pedal until the restarted engine becomes stable. Unless the pedal is continuously depressed with the strength, the mechanically fixed state of the shift lever is not released, and such an inappropriate driving operation cannot be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory view of means for mechanically fixing the shift lever of the device of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a control flowchart of a main part of an idle stop control circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 shift lever 2 Members that interlock with the shift lever 3 fixing members 4 pin 5 solenoid 6 holes 7 lever 8 fulcrum 11 Idle stop control circuit 12 Engine control circuit 13 Automatic shift control circuit 14 vehicle speed sensor 15 foot switch 16 Brake signal 17 Shift control circuit 18 Start relay 19 Indicator 20 key switch 21 system switch 23 Starter 24 engine 25 governors

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI B60K 41/28 B60K 41/28 F02D 17/00 F02D 17/00 Q (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B60K 20 / 02 F02D 29/02 F02D 17/00 B60K 41/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key switch is operated when the vehicle speed is substantially zero, the engine speed is less than a predetermined value, and an engine stop condition including a condition in which the transmission is set to the neutral position is satisfied. An idle stop device having at least means for stopping the engine and means for starting the engine without operating a key switch when a predetermined engine starting condition is satisfied after the engine is stopped by the control of this means In the above, when the engine is stopped by the means for stopping, the means for mechanically fixing the shift lever at the neutral position, and the brake pedal after the engine is started by the means for starting are depressed so that a brake pressure exceeding a predetermined level is generated. What is rare and the engine has passed a transient transition after startup And a means for prohibiting the release of the operation of the mechanically fixing means until a release condition including the above is satisfied. 2. The mechanically fixing means includes a pin that is inserted between a member that interlocks with the speed change lever and a fixing member at a neutral position of the speed change lever, and an electromagnetic means that inserts and removes the pin. Item 1. The idle stop device according to item 1. 3. The determination condition that the transition of the engine after the start has risen is that a predetermined time has elapsed after the engine speed reaches a predetermined value. Idle stop device.