Internal-combustion engines – Starting device – Condition responsive control of starting device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-24
2004-04-20
Yuen, Henry C. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Starting device
Condition responsive control of starting device
C180S065230, C701S022000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06722332
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-327672 filed on Oct. 26, 2000, including the specification, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a vehicular engine start control apparatus and method. Specifically, a control process of starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle during the running of the vehicle is disclosed. The invention also relates to a fuel injection apparatus and control method of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A known hybrid vehicle has: (a) a drive electric motor for propelling a vehicle by turning a wheel; (b) an internal combustion engine for propelling the vehicle by turning a wheel via a power connection/disconnection mechanism; and (c) a starter electric motor for turning the internal combustion engine when the engine is to be started. An example of such a vehicle is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-71815, in which a drive electric motor (motor
4
) is connected to an internal combustion engine (engine
2
) via a power connection/disconnection mechanism (clutch
3
). If an internal combustion engine start request is output while the vehicle is running in a state in which the power connection/disconnection mechanism has been disconnected and the engine has been stopped, the internal combustion engine is started by turning, i.e., cranking the engine through the use of the starter electric motor (motor
1
) and by supplying fuel to the engine.
After the engine is started, the starter electric motor is controlled so that the input rotation speed and the output rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous. After the input and output rotation speeds of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous, the power connection/disconnection mechanism is connected and the control of synchronizing the input and output rotation speeds through the use of the starter electric motor is stopped. Thus, output of the internal combustion engine is transferred to a drive wheel to run the vehicle.
However, if fuel is supplied to the internal combustion engine to start the engine before the power connection/disconnection mechanism is connected, fuel is consumed wastefully without contributing to the running of the vehicle, so that the fuel efficiency is not very high, and exhaust gas is produced corresponding to the wasteful fuel consumption. Furthermore, the synchronizing control is performed while the engine is in operation. Therefore, further problems occur. That is, due to torque fluctuations of the internal combustion engine or the like, the rotation speed control through the use of the starter electric motor becomes rather difficult, and a longer time is required before the synchronization is achieved. Therefore, the wasteful fuel consumption further increases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to minimize the wasteful consumption of fuel and the production of exhaust gas that occur before a power connection/disconnection mechanism is connected in conjunction with the starting of an internal combustion engine during the running of the vehicle.
To achieve the aforementioned and other objects, a vehicular engine start control apparatus in accordance with the invention includes: (a) an internal combustion engine that propels a vehicle by turning a wheel via a power connection/disconnection mechanism; (b) a starter electric motor that turns the internal combustion engine when the internal combustion engine is to be started; and (c) a control unit that operates as follows.
When a request for starting the internal combustion engine occurs during a run of the vehicle in an engine stopped state, where the power connection/disconnection mechanism is disconnected and the internal combustion engine is stopped, the control unit turns the internal combustion engine by using the starter electric motor without causing explosion in the internal combustion engine. Furthermore, the control unit controls the starter electric motor so that an input rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism and an output rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous. The control unit also controls the internal combustion engine to have a self-driven revolution based on explosion by supplying a fuel to the internal combustion engine after the input rotation speed and the output rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous, and the power connection/disconnection mechanism is connected.
To achieve the aforementioned and other objects, the invention provides a control method of a vehicular engine start control apparatus including an internal combustion engine that propels a vehicle by turning a wheel via a power connection/disconnection mechanism, and a starter electric motor that turns the internal combustion engine when the internal combustion engine is to be started.
The control method includes the steps of turning the internal combustion engine by using the starter electric motor without causing explosion in the internal combustion engine. This step occurs when a request for starting the internal combustion engine occurs during a run of the vehicle in an engine stopped state where the power connection/disconnection mechanism is disconnected and the internal combustion engine is stopped.
The control method also controls the starter electric motor so that an input rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism and an output rotation speed of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous.
The control method further connects the power connection/disconnection mechanism.
Finally, the control method causes the internal combustion engine to have a self-driven revolution based on explosion by supplying a fuel to the internal combustion engine.
According to the vehicular engine start control apparatus and the control method thereof as described above, if the internal combustion engine start request occurs during the running of the vehicle in an engine stopped state, where the power connection/disconnection mechanism is disconnected and the internal combustion engine is stopped, the internal combustion engine is turned by using the starter electric motor without causing explosion in the engine. Moreover, the starter electric motor is controlled so that the input and output rotation speeds of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous. After the input and output rotation speeds of the power connection/disconnection mechanism become substantially synchronous and the power connection/disconnection mechanism is connected, i.e., after the engine is connected to the drive wheel via the power connection/disconnection mechanism, the engine is caused to have self-driven revolution based on explosion by supplying fuel to the engine. Therefore, the problems associated with wasteful consumption of fuel that does not contribute to the running of the vehicle and the corresponding production of exhaust gas are eliminated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6083139 (2000-07-01), Deguchi et al.
patent: 6253127 (2001-06-01), Itoyama et al.
patent: A 9-164851 (1997-06-01), None
patent: A 10-331749 (1998-12-01), None
patent: A 11-205907 (1999-07-01), None
patent: A 2000-71815 (2000-03-01), None
patent: 2002-225859 (2000-08-01), None
Castro Arnold
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
Yuen Henry C.
LandOfFree
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