Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-16
2001-06-19
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S036000, C192S003310, C192S150000, C477S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06249726
ABSTRACT:
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
A microfiche appendix is included of a circuit schematic and computer program listing. The total number of microfiche is 1. The total number of frames is 31.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus and method for controlling the engagement of a driving force to a power take off accessory. More particularly, the present invention relates to a monitoring apparatus and method capable of disengaging the driving force from the accessory when a failure is detected, with the improved ability to correct minor failures and mitigate damage caused by major failures.
BACKGROUND
Most modern vehicles today have some form of air conditioning system installed for the comfort of the vehicle's operator and passengers. The air conditioning typically includes an air conditioning compressor powered by the vehicle's engine. The compressor is usually connected to the engine by a belt which connects a driving pulley on the engine to a pulley on the compressor. Further, the pulley on the compressor is typically connected to the compressor using some form of clutch mechanism. This clutch mechanism allows the compressor to be engaged or disengaged from the engine whenever the air conditioning is turned on or off. This prevents unnecessarily loading down the engine, saves fuel and reduces wear and tear on the various components involved.
It is common for such vehicle air conditioning compressors to fail when a bearing seizes, lubrication fails or other components break causing the compressor to substantially slow down or seize completely. When this happens, the load on the engine or the belt and clutch mechanism increases substantially. This could potentially result in serious damage to the engine, belt or clutch or further damage to the compressor. In engines utilizing a single belt to connect the compressor, the cooling fan and other components, the breakage of the belt can cause overheating of the engine which can result in serious damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,491 discloses a monitoring system to detect failure of the air conditioning compressor and disengage the compressor in the event of such failure. The disclosed system uses one or more sensors to detect the rotation of the pulleys on the engine and on the compressor. When the rotations of the engine pulley and the compressor pulley diverge by a pre-set amount, or when the rotation of the compressor pulley falls below a pre-set threshold, the monitoring system determines that a failure has occurred and disengages the compressor from the engine. This system keeps the compressor disengaged as long as the particular failure conditions are present. This system is not capable of distinguishing between different types of failures and therefore responds to any failure in the same way.
Accordingly there is a need for an improved monitoring apparatus which monitors a secondary load coupled to a primary mover and disengages the secondary load upon detection of a failure. Further, there is a need for a monitoring apparatus which provides a staged response to different failure situations and which has the ability to correct minor failures and mitigate damage caused by major failures. Still further, there is a need for monitoring apparatus which retains information regarding prior failures and prevents operation of the primary mover or secondary load before the prior failure has been repaired.
SUMMARY
Typically, not all failures of secondary loads are equal and some failures are more serious than others. In some cases, such as when starting the engine, the compressor may be temporarily stuck due to stiction caused by cold temperatures or inadequate lubrication. In cases such as these, disengaging the compressor and then re-engaging the compressor may provide enough “shock” to the compressor mechanism to overcome whatever is preventing it from moving freely. This can save an unnecessary trip to the repair shop and prevent unnecessary discomfort from the unavailability of the air conditioning system.
In other cases, the magnitude of the failure may be so severe that not even disengaging the compressor from the engine will prevent catastrophic damage. This can happen where the clutch mechanism fails and it becomes impossible to disengage the failed compressor from the engine. In this case, it would be advantageous to be able to automatically deactivate the engine to mitigate damage to the engine and compressor.
The problems outlined above are in large part solved by an apparatus for controlling engagement of a secondary load to a primary mover according to the present invention. In one embodiment, there is provided at least one sensor adapted to sense rotation of the secondary load or the primary mover, where the sensor provides a sensor output representative of rotational speed of the secondary load or the primary mover. Further, there is provided an electronic control module coupled to the sensor output and further coupled to the primary mover and the secondary load. The electronic control module comprises logic responsive to the sensor and operative to control the engagement of the secondary load to the primary mover and further operative to control the operation of the primary mover itself.
The present invention further contemplates a method for controlling a driving force applied by an engine to a power take-off driven accessory comprising the steps of: sensing rotational parameters of the engine or the accessory; calculating a slip parameter from the sensed rotational parameters; generating a disengagement signal to the accessory when the slip parameter is within a first range of slip; and generating a deactivation signal to the engine when the slip parameter is within a second range of slip.
The preferred embodiment described below monitors a secondary load coupled to a primary mover and disengages the secondary load upon detection of a failure. Further, this embodiment provides a staged response to different failure situations and has the ability to correct minor failures and mitigate damage caused by major failures. Still further, this embodiment retains information regarding prior failures and prevents operation of the primary mover or secondary load before the prior failure has been repaired.
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Burke, II James O.
Solberg Dean R.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Kold Ban International, Ltd.
Pipala Edward
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