Internal-combustion engines – Engine speed regulator – Idle speed control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-05-01
Solis, Erick (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Engine speed regulator
Idle speed control
C123S339250, C123S399000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223719
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine by electrically controlling the throttle valve through a throttle actuator. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine, for improving the starting performance of when the accelerator pedal is depressed from the idling state.
2. Prior Art
There has heretofore been known a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by the engine by controlling the throttle valve through a throttle actuator as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-167438.
The conventional device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by the engine will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 6
is a block diagram schematically illustrating the constitution of the conventional device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by the engine, and wherein an accelerator pedal
1
operated by a driver is provided with an accelerator opening degree detection means
2
and an idle detection means
3
.
The accelerator opening degree detection means
2
detects the opening degree of the accelerator pedal
1
as an accelerator opening degree &agr;.
The idle detection means
3
detects an idle signal D that corresponds to the fully closed position of the accelerator pedal
1
.
The engine
4
is provided with an intake pipe
5
which includes a throttle valve
6
for adjusting the amount of the air Qa taken in by the engine
4
.
The throttle valve
6
is driven by a throttle actuator
7
. Further, the throttle valve
6
is provided with a throttle opening degree detection means
8
for detecting the opening degree of the throttle valve
6
as a throttle opening degree &thgr;.
A throttle control means
10
comprising a microcomputer operates a target throttle opening degree &thgr;o based on the throttle opening degree &thgr;, accelerator opening degree &agr; and idle signal D.
The throttle control means
10
receives not only the throttle opening degree &thgr; but also the data from various other kinds of sensors (not shown) that detect the operation conditions of the engine
4
, and operates the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o.
In this case, the throttle control means
10
produces, as a final target throttle opening degree &thgr;o, either a target throttle opening degree corresponding to the accelerator opening degree &agr; or the target throttle opening degree at the time of ISC feedback corresponding to the idle signal D whichever is larger.
The throttle actuator
7
is driven by the throttle control means
10
and opens or closes the throttle valve
6
so that the throttle opening degree &thgr; comes into agreement the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o.
Thus, the throttle valve
6
is adjusted to the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o permitting the air to be taken in by a required amount Qa by the engine
4
.
That is, during the normal operation, the intake air amount Qa is adjusted by a target throttle opening degree &thgr;o that corresponds to the accelerator opening degree &agr; and during the idling operation (during the ISC feedback operation), the intake air amount Qa is adjusted by a target throttle opening degree &thgr;o required for maintaining the idling speed.
When the driver depresses the accelerator pedal
1
from the idling state to start the vehicle, however, the throttle valve
6
has already been adjusted to the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o for idling. In practice, therefore, the accelerator pedal is ineffectively depressed until the target throttle opening degree corresponding to the accelerator opening degree &agr; (depressed amount) exceeds the throttle opening degree of during the idling, and it is not allowed to start the vehicle.
This is because in the conventional device, when the target throttle opening degree corresponding to the accelerator opening degree &agr; becomes greater than the throttle opening degree of during the idling as a result of depressing the accelerator pedal
1
, the throttle valve
6
is controlled being switched over to the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o that corresponds to the accelerator opening degree &agr;.
According to the conventional device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by the engine as described above, the amount of depressing the accelerator pedal is not reflected by the throttle opening degree &thgr; unless the target throttle opening degree &thgr;o of when the accelerator pedal
1
is depressed reaches the throttle opening degree of during the idling, leaving a problem in that the driver feels a delay in the response after having depressed the accelerator pedal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was accomplished in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, and its object is to provide a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine improving the starting performance of when the accelerator pedal is depressed from the idling state.
A device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine according to the present invention comprises:
a throttle valve provided in the intake pipe of the engine for adjusting the amount of the air taken in by said engine;
a throttle opening degree detection means for detecting the opening degree of said throttle valve as a throttle opening degree;
an accelerator opening degree detection means for detecting the opening degree of the accelerator pedal as an accelerator opening degree;
an idle detection means for producing an idle signal that corresponds to the fully closed position of said accelerator pedal;
a throttle control means for opening a target throttle opening degree of said throttle valve based on said throttle opening degree, said accelerator opening degree and said idle signal; and
a throttle actuator for opening and closing said throttle valve so that said throttle opening degree comes into agreement with said target throttle opening degree;
wherein said throttle control means includes:
a first opening degree operation means for operating a first target throttle opening degree based on said accelerator opening degree;
a second opening degree operation means for operating a second target throttle opening degree based on said idle signal; and
a target throttle opening degree operation means for operating said target throttle opening degree by adding up said first and second target throttle opening degrees together.
The present invention is further concerned with a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine, wherein the target throttle opening degree operation means includes a proportional correction means for operating a proportional correction value for the first target throttle opening degree and adds the proportional correction value to the second target throttle opening degree to obtain the target throttle opening degree, and the proportional correction means so operates the proportional correction value that the fully opened position in the accelerator opening degree corresponds to the fully opened position in the throttle opening degree.
The present invention is further concerned with a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine, wherein the proportional correction means operates the proportional correction value &thgr;oc
1
by using the operation range W &thgr; of the throttle opening degree, the second target throttle opening degree &thgr;o
2
, the accelerator opening degree &agr; and the operation range W &agr; of the accelerator opening degree in compliance with the following formula,
&thgr;oc
1
=(
W&thgr;−&thgr;o
2
)×&agr;/
W&agr;
The present invention is further concerned with a device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an engine, wherein the throttle control means includes a learning means which learns the target throttle opening degree in response to the idle signal, and the target throttle opening degree operation means sets the first target throttle
Hanazaki Ryoichi
Nishimoto Koji
Yano Takayuki
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Solis Erick
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
LandOfFree
Device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Device for controlling the amount of the air taken in by an... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2443236