Control device for engine driven vehicle incorporating generator

• US 20060089233A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kokusan Denki Company Limited (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Kokusan Denki Company Limited (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Sato, Hiroyasu, Kishibata, Kazuyoshi, Kitagawa, Yuichi, Sekita, Tomoaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/84
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/003 for idle speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/006 for maximum speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/009 for maximum speed control

Abstract

An engine driven vehicle having a function of supplying power to an external load from a generator driven by an engine that is operated in a power generation mode while the vehicle is stopped, including: throttle position determination means for determining whether a throttle valve is placed closer to an acceleration side than a normal position in the power generation mode while the engine is operated in the power generation mode; and safety engine control means for conducting a control to prevent the engine from being operated at a higher speed than a set speed limit when the determination means determines that the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode.

Claims

1. A control device for an engine driven vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having drive wheels;

an engine incorporated in said vehicle body;

a power transmission device provided between a crankshaft of said engine and said drive wheels; and

a generator provided to be driven by said engine without via said power transmission device,

wherein said control device further comprises;

power generation time intake air amount control means for controlling an intake air amount adjustment valve that adjusts the amount of air flowing through an air passage that bypasses a throttle valve of said engine so as to rotate said engine at a rotational speed suitable for supplying power from said generator to an external load when a power generation mode is selected while said engine driven vehicle is stopped;

throttle position determination means for determining whether said throttle valve is placed closer to an acceleration side than a normal position in the power generation mode when said power generation mode is selected; and

safety engine control means for conducting a control to limit the rotational speed of said engine to a rotational speed which is equal to or less than a speed limit in the power generation mode when said throttle position determination means determines that said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode, and

said safety engine control means is comprised so as to stop at least either supply of fuel to said engine or an ignition operation of said engine to limit the rotational speed of said engine to said speed limit or less when the rotational speed of said engine exceeds said speed limit.

3. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein said power transmission device comprises a centrifugal clutch that is closed when the engine rotates at a rotational speed which is equal to or more than a clutch-in speed, and

said speed limit is set to a rotational speed which is equal to or less than a rotational speed of the engine when an output voltage of said generator reaches an allowable upper limit value, and which is less than said clutch-in speed.

7. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

9. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

13. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.

15. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.

2. A control device for an engine driven vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having drive wheels;

an engine incorporated in said vehicle body;

a power transmission device provided between a crankshaft of said engine and said drive wheels; and

a generator provided to be driven by said engine without via said power transmission device,

wherein said control device further comprises;

power generation time intake air amount control means for controlling a fully closed position of a throttle valve of said engine so as to rotate said engine at a rotational speed suitable for supplying power from said generator to an external load when a power generation mode is selected while said engine driven vehicle is stopped;

throttle position determination means for determining whether said throttle valve is placed closer to an acceleration side than a normal position in the power generation mode when said power generation mode is selected; and

safety engine control means for conducting a control to limit the rotational speed of said engine to a rotational speed which is equal to or less than a speed limit in the power generation mode when said throttle position determination means determines that said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode, and

said safety engine control means is comprised so as to stop at least either supply of fuel to said engine or an ignition operation of said engine to limit the rotational speed of said engine to said speed limit or less when the rotational speed of said engine exceeds said speed limit.

4. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein said power transmission device comprises a centrifugal clutch that is closed when the engine rotates at a rotational speed which is equal to or more than a clutch-in speed, and

said speed limit is set to a rotational speed which is equal to or less than a rotational speed of the engine when an output voltage of said generator reaches an allowable upper limit value, and which is less than said clutch-in speed.

8. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

10. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

14. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.

16. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.

5. A control device for an engine driven vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having drive wheels;

an engine incorporated in said vehicle body;

a power transmission device provided between a crankshaft of said engine and said drive wheels; and

a generator provided to be driven by said engine without via said power transmission device,

wherein said control device further comprises;

power generation time intake air amount control means for controlling an intake air amount adjustment valve that adjusts the amount of air flowing through an air passage that bypasses a throttle valve of said engine so as to rotate said engine at a rotational speed suitable for supplying power from said generator to an external load when a power generation mode is selected while said engine driven vehicle is stopped;

throttle position determination means for determining whether said throttle valve is placed closer to an acceleration side than a normal position in the power generation mode when said power generation mode is selected; and

safety engine control means for conducting a control to stop said engine when said throttle position determination means determines that said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode, and

said safety engine control means is comprised so as to stop at least either supply of fuel to said engine or an ignition operation of said engine to stop said engine.

11. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

17. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 5, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.

6. A control device for an engine driven vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having drive wheels;

an engine incorporated in said vehicle body;

a power transmission device provided between a crankshaft of said engine and said drive wheels; and

a generator provided to be driven by said engine without via said power transmission device,

wherein said control device further comprises;

power generation time intake air amount control means for controlling a fully closed position of a throttle valve of said engine so as to rotate said engine at a rotational speed suitable for supplying power from said generator to an external load when a power generation mode is selected while said engine driven vehicle is stopped;

throttle position determination means for determining whether said throttle valve is placed closer to an acceleration side than a normal position in the power generation mode when said power generation mode is selected; and

safety engine control means for conducting a control to stop said engine when said throttle position determination means determines that said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode, and

said safety engine control means is comprised so as to stop at least either supply of fuel to said engine or an ignition operation of said engine to control said engine.

12. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a position sensor that detects the position of said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from an output of said position sensor.

18. The control device for an engine driven vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a position detection switch that is in different states between when said throttle valve is in the normal position in the power generation mode and when the throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode,

wherein said throttle position determination means is comprised so as to determine whether said throttle valve is placed closer to the acceleration side than the normal position in the power generation mode from a state of said position detection switch.