Electronically controlled throttle apparatus

• US 20050092292A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakano, Syuuichi, Kamimura, Yasuhiro, Uchiyama, Yasuhisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,036,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/396
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/10 of the electric type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/024 Increasing intake vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/2037 for preventing bouncing of the valve needle
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0065 Specific aspects of external EGR control constructional details of EGR system F02M26/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/105 having a throttle position sensor detection of actuation F02D11/106
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1065 Mechanical control linkage between an actuator and the flap, e.g. including levers, gears, springs, clutches, limit stops of the like

Abstract

That is an electronically controlled throttle device comprising a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body; an actuator for driving the throttle valve; a return spring which gives a force to return the throttle valve in the full open direction; a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of the throttle valve; and a throttle actuator control unit for driving the actuator based on the opening of the throttle valve detected by the throttle position sensor and a target opening. Wherein the throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which controls the actuator, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, so that the throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which the throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by the return spring only.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which controls said actuator, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, so that said throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which said throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by said return spring only.

2. The throttle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said control means performs an open loop control by providing said actuator with a control signal corresponding to a target angle which causes said throttle valve to gradually turn toward the full open position of said throttle valve.

3. The throttle apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein said control means gradually decreases the duty of a duty signal given to said actuator in said open loop control.

4. The throttle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said control means repeats, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, a controlled state and a non-controlled state of said actuator.

5. The throttle apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said control means causes, in said controlled state, said actuator to operate as a regenerative brake.

6. The throttle apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said control means cuts off, in said non-controlled state, an electric power supply to said actuator.

7. The throttle apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein said control means forcibly fixes the duty of the duty signal given to said actuator to 0% and outputs it in said non-controlled state.

8. The throttle apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said control means has a selection means for selecting, as the method of returning the throttle valve position to the full open position, either said control means forcibly fixing the duty of the duty signal given to said actuator to 0% and outputting it in said non-controlled state if the result of self-diagnosis of the throttle position sensor or the like is abnormal, or said control means cutting off, in said non-controlled state, an electric power supply to said actuator if there is no abnormality in the result of self-diagnosis.

9. The throttle apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein said control means repeats, after EGR control or DPF control is determined to be ended, said controlled state and said non-controlled state of said actuator after performing control to hold the opening of said throttle valve in the vicinity of the full open point for a predetermined length of time.

10. The throttle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said control means places, after EGR control or DPF control is determined to be ended, said actuator in a non-controlled state after performing control to hold the opening of said throttle valve in the vicinity of the full open point for a predetermined length of time.

11. The throttle apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein said control means repeats, after EGR control or DPF control is determined to be ended, said controlled state and said non-controlled state of said actuator after performing control to hold the opening of said throttle valve in the vicinity of the full open point for a predetermined length of time.

12. The throttle apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said control means determines that EGR control or DPF control has ended when a state in which the target opening of said throttle valve surpasses a predetermined target opening, the variation quantity of said target opening is not greater than a predetermined opening variation quantity, and the target opening is not less than a predetermined opening and its variation quantity is not greater than a predetermined opening variation quantity continues for a duration not less than a predetermined length of time.

13. The throttle apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said control means starts again the throttle valve position control using the actuator when at least one of said three conditions fails to be satisfied after having determined that EGR control or DPF control has ended.

14. The throttle apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said electronic throttle body is equipped with a first gear fixed to the output shaft of said actuator, a second gear fixed to a throttle shaft supporting said throttle valve, and an intermediate gear which transmits a driving force for said second gear from said first gear, and

further equipped with a washer, which is a wear-resistant member, between said intermediate gear and said throttle body supporting this intermediate gear.

15. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which controls said actuator, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, so that said throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which said throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by said return spring only;

furthermore, the particulars of said control means is that performs an open loop control by providing said actuator with a control signal corresponding to a target angle which causes said throttle valve to gradually turn in the full open direction of said throttle valve.

16. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which repeats, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, a controlled state and a non-controlled state of said actuator, so that said throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which said throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by said return spring only.

17. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which controls said actuator, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, so that said throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which said throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by said return spring only,

furthermore, the particulars of said control means is that repeats said controlled state and said non-controlled state of said actuator after performing control to hold the opening of said throttle valve in the vicinity of the full open point for a predetermined length of time.

18. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle actuator control unit is provided with a control means which controls said actuator, when EGR control or DPF control has ended, so that said throttle valve turns toward the full open position in a longer period of time than the length of time in which said throttle valve is turned toward the full open position by said return spring only,

furthermore, the particulars of said control means is that places said actuator in a non-controlled state after performing control to hold the opening of said throttle valve in the vicinity of the full open point for a predetermined length of time.

19. An electronically controlled throttle apparatus comprising:

a throttle valve held rotatably in a throttle body,

an actuator for driving said throttle valve,

a return spring which gives a force to return said throttle valve in the full open direction,

a throttle position sensor for detecting the opening of said throttle valve, and

a throttle actuator control unit for driving said actuator based on the opening of said throttle valve detected by said throttle position sensor and a target opening,

wherein said throttle body is equipped with a first gear fixed to the output shaft of said actuator, a second gear fixed to a throttle shaft supporting said throttle valve, and an intermediate gear which transmits a driving force for said second gear from said first gear, and

further equipped with a washer, which is a wear-resistant member, between said intermediate gear and said throttle body supporting this intermediate gear.