Diagnostic device

• US 10,519,875 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2016
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakanishi, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US15/220,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20170030274A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/16 concerning coolant temperature F01P11/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2031/32 Deblocking of damaged thermostat
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2037/00 Controlling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 7/16 by thermostatic control
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0425 Air cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0215 changing the valve timing only
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 37/02 one of the functions being ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/221 relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1502 using one central computing unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An ECU that is a diagnostic device includes a calculation unit that is a water temperature obtaining unit obtaining the temperature of a discharge coolant which is a coolant discharged from an engine, a diagnostic unit that diagnoses a thermostat which is a temperature adjusting valve by comparing the temperature of the discharge coolant and a threshold, and a suspending unit that suspends a diagnosis performed by the diagnostic unit. The suspending unit suspends a diagnosis performed by the diagnostic unit in a case where the temperature of the discharge coolant is estimated to be lower than the threshold according to an operating condition of the vehicle even though the thermostat is normal.

Claims

1. A diagnostic device for a temperature adjusting valve that adjusts a temperature of a coolant supplied to an engine of a vehicle, the device comprising:

a processing system, including a computer processor, the processing system being at least configured to;

obtain the temperature of a discharge coolant which is the coolant discharged from the engine;

diagnose the temperature adjusting valve by comparing the temperature of the discharge coolant and a threshold; and

suspend a performed diagnosis of the temperature adjusting valve in a case where the temperature of the discharge coolant is estimated to be lower than the threshold according to an operating condition of the vehicle even though the temperature adjusting valve is normal;

calculate a heat receiving amount of the coolant after completion of a warm-up of the engine; and

calculate a heat radiating amount of the coolant after completion of the warm-up of the engine;

wherein a performed diagnosis of the temperature adjusting valve is suspended in a case where the calculated heat radiating amount of the coolant after completion of the warm-up of the engine is greater than the calculated heat receiving amount of the coolant after completion of the warm-up of the engine.

2. The diagnostic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

calculate the heat receiving amount of the coolant during a predetermined period after completion of the warm-up of the engine, and

calculate the heat radiating amount of the coolant during the predetermined period.

3. The diagnostic device according to claim 2,

wherein the processing system is further configured to:

suspend a performed diagnosis in a case where the ratio of the length of time in which the calculated heat radiating amount is greater than the calculated heat receiving amount in the predetermined period to the time length of the predetermined period is greater than a predetermined value.

4. The diagnostic device according to claim 3, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

release suspending performed by the processing system on the basis of an increase in the temperature of the discharge coolant.

5. The diagnostic device according to claim 4, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

perform a suspending release promotion control which at least increases the heat receiving amount of the coolant or decreases the heat radiating amount of the coolant in a case where a performed diagnosis is suspended.

6. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the heat receiving amount of the coolant by not permitting an idle stop operation that stops supply of fuel to the engine during a stoppage of the vehicle.

7. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the heat receiving amount of the coolant by increasing the engine speed during a stoppage of the vehicle.

8. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the heat receiving amount of the coolant by not performing a fuel cut-off operation that stops supply of fuel to the engine during traveling of the vehicle.

9. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the heat receiving amount of the coolant by restraining driving of an electric motor that assists the engine by generating a torque during traveling of the vehicle.

10. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to increase the heat receiving amount of the coolant by retarding an ignition timing in the engine.

11. The diagnostic device according to claim 5,

wherein the processing system is further configured to decrease the heat radiating amount of the coolant by restraining operation of a heating device that heats the inside of a vehicle interior of the vehicle using the coolant as a heat source.

12. The diagnostic device according to claim 5, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

diagnose the temperature adjusting valve in a case where a performed diagnosis is suspended,

wherein the temperature adjusting valve is diagnosed as having a malfunction in a case where the temperature of the discharge coolant is not increased even though the processing system performs the suspending release promotion control.