ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL DEVICE OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE

• US 20060235602A1
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishida, Yasuhiko, Murao, Shunji
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,014 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/107 Safety-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/26 by applying a torque limit
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2400/06 Small engines with electronic control, e.g. for hand held tools
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables

Abstract

An electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine includes an electronic control unit (ECU) having a judgment function portion that judges whether an engine control system and an engine driving condition are normal, and plural kinds of pre-set characteristic conversion coefficient maps used to compute a command value of a target throttle opening degree from a manipulation quantity of the accelerator pedal. The command value of the target throttle opening degree is computed using a specific map selected from the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps depending on the judgment result of the judgment function portion.

Claims

1. An electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine that controls an engine output by computing a quantity of a throttle opening degree on the basis of a manipulation quantity of an accelerator pedal by a driver by means of a computation portion in an electronic control unit, and by controlling a throttle opening degree using a specific actuator on the basis of a computed command value of the throttle opening degree,

wherein the electronic control unit includes:

a judgment function portion that judges whether an engine control system and an engine driving condition are normal; and

plural kinds of pre-set characteristic conversion coefficient maps used to compute the command value of a target throttle opening degree from the manipulation quantity of the accelerator pedal, and

wherein the command value of the target throttle opening degree is computed by selecting a specific map from the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps depending on a judgment result of the judgment function portion.

2. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps has a characteristic conversion coefficient value corresponding to a case where a defect occurs in one of a sensor and an actuator forming the engine control system with the coefficient value being set in a direction to lower the throttle opening degree to be smaller than in normal condition, and is selected and used when the defect occurs in one of the sensor and the actuator.

3. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps has a characteristic conversion coefficient value corresponding to a case where a defect occurs in a driving condition of the engine with the coefficient value being set in a direction to lower the throttle opening degree to be smaller than in normal condition; and

the judgment function portion of the electronic control unit judges the defect of the driving condition of the engine on the basis of detection information from a detection unit that detects an engine speed, an engine temperature, and an engine oil pressure in one of the following cases;

(1) where the engine speed reaches or exceeds an allowable engine speed, (2) where the engine temperature reaches or exceeds an allowable temperature, and (3) where the engine speed reaches or exceeds a specific engine speed and the engine oil pressure is dropped to a specific pressure or below, and selects and uses a characteristic conversion coefficient map that suits a condition of the defect.

4. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the plural kinds of characteristic conversion coefficient maps has a characteristic conversion coefficient value with the coefficient value being set in one of a direction to lower the throttle opening degree to be smaller and a direction to increase the throttle opening degree to be larger than in normal condition depending on driver'"'"'s manipulation skills; and

the electronic control unit selectively uses a characteristic conversion coefficient map that matches with the manipulation skills at a command from a characteristic switching portion, so that the driver is allowed to change an engine output characteristic arbitrarily by manipulating the characteristic switching portion.

5. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

when a characteristic conversion coefficient map to be selected is switched, a limit is set to a variance in change from a previous value of the characteristic conversion coefficient, so that the coefficient value varies step-by-step.

6. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic control unit includes a value limiting map of the throttle opening degree in which an upper limit of the throttle opening degree is set in response to a steering quantity when a steering angle of a steering wheel is equal to or larger than a specific angle, so that when the steering angle is equal to or larger than the specific value, a limit is set in a direction to lower the throttle opening degree to be smaller than in normal condition to suppress the engine output, on the basis of a signal from a steering sensor.

7. The electronic throttle control device of an internal-combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein:

the electronic throttle control device is used as one of an engine and an outboard engine of a water eject propulsion ship that is propelled by thrust produced by ejecting water pressurized in a jet propulsion device backward from an ejection nozzle.