System for controlling an internal combustion engine

Details System for controlling an internal combustion engine System for controlling an internal combustion engine

1991-02-07

1992-09-15

Dolinar, Andrew M.

Internal-combustion engines

Engine speed regulator

Responsive to deceleration mode

123320, 123399, F02D 1110

Patent

active

051468867

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a system for controlling an internal combustion engine with the engine having at least one electronically controllable adjusting component such as for influencing the power of the engine.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many areas of automotive engineering, positions of movable positioning components such as actuating elements are potentiometrically sensed, in particular in connection with engine controls. The movable tap of the potentiometric measuring arrangement is connected to the shaft of the particular positioning component.
The movable potentiometer contact results in abraded material on the slider track of the potentiometer, which forms an insulating layer on the slider track. This may cause misinterpretation of the measuring signal or failure of the measuring arrangement and consequently of the electronic control connected to it. Availability of the system is thus considerably restricted.
Accordingly, the invention is based on the task of specifying measures which lead to an increase in the availability of the engine control system.
In electronic engine power controls, the principle of which is known for example from EP-A 171 641 or from the publication of G. Kolberg: "Elektronische Motorsteuerung fuor Kraftfahrzeuge", Motortechnische Zeitschrift, 46th year, Volume 4, 1985, potentiometers are used for sensing the accelerator pedal position and for position feedback of the throttle flap position. In such systems, the throttle flap is controlled by electronic means directly and/or indirectly as a function of measured variables, among which the accelerator pedal position representing the driver's requirement is counted, by an electronic control unit via a positioning motor connected to the throttle flap and the position feedback potentiometer.
Further, it is known to use such systems in the idle case for controlling the idle speed via the throttle flap. For this purpose, the throttle flap maintains the idle opening angle when the accelerator pedal is released in order to supply the internal combustion engine with the pregiven idle air. To control the idle speed, the throttle flap is then adjusted between its minimum idle position and its maximum idle position.
The insulating abraded material generated by the potentiometer slider on the potentiometer track is pushed back and forth in the driving operation by the movement of the positioning component connected to the potentiometer and becomes deposited on the potentiometer track particularly at the turning points of the movement. There, an insulating layer forms between potentiometer track and slider, which results in the above-mentioned failure of the potentiometer and of the control system.
In the case of an electronic engine power control, the idle position is taken up most frequently, so that the failure frequency of the potentiometer due to dirt accumulation in its idle position is particularly great. For safety reasons, the electronic engine power control reacts to this error, which can be detected by means of a plausibility comparison with a further position signal, with a power restriction so that considerable impairments to the availability of the motor vehicle may occur. Safety monitoring functions which detect such error conditions and initiate the corresponding measures are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,675.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the measure is therefore introduced that, in at least one pregiven operating condition of the internal combustion engine, in particular in overrun operation, the positioning component briefly leaves its position fixed by measured variables, such as the accelerator pedal position etc., and thus the abraded material is removed from the critical area. In this context, briefly means that the period of time for which the positioning component leaves its fixed position is small when compared to the average duration of the pregiven operating condition.
For systems in which the active range of movement of the positioning com

REFERENCES:
patent: 4603675 (1986-08-01), Junginger et al.
patent: 4622936 (1986-11-01), Junginger et al.
patent: 4644922 (1987-02-01), Glockler et al.
patent: 4955346 (1990-09-01), Kaneyasu et al.
Article entitled "Elektronische Motorsteuerung fur Kraftfahrzeuge" by Gerhard Kolberg, published in Motortechnische Zeitschrift, 46th year, vol. 4, (Apr. 1985).

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