Throttle control apparatus and method for throttle control

• US 20070240676A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kazushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,669,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/337
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/04 concerning exhaust conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1015 Details of the edge of the flap, e.g. for lowering flow noise or improving flow sealing in closed flap position
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/48 EGR valve position sensors details of the sensor installation in the valve housing F02M26/72
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/54 Rotary actuators, e.g. step motors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/70 Flap valves; Rotary valves; Sliding valves; Resilient valves
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/73 with means for heating or cooling the EGR valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/221 specially adapted operating means therefor operating means per se F16K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/043 characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means

Abstract

A throttle control apparatus includes a valve. A motor is provided for generating driving force to rotate the valve. Gears transmit the driving force to the valve. A biasing unit generates biasing force to bias the valve in a close rotative direction. A control unit is provided for supplying electricity to the motor to generate the driving force. When the control unit terminates electricity supply to the motor, the valve is biased to a full close position by the biasing force. When the control unit performs a full close control to manipulate the valve toward the full close position, the control unit continues electricity supply to the motor to stop the valve at a full close control point, which is set in advance of the full close position.

Claims

1. A throttle control apparatus having a fluid passage connecting with a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the throttle control apparatus comprising:

a valve for communicating and blocking the fluid passage;

a motor for generating driving force to rotate the valve in at least one of an open rotative direction and a close rotative direction;

a plurality of gears for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the valve;

a biasing unit for generating biasing force to bias the valve in the close rotative direction; and

a control unit for supplying electricity to the motor to generate the driving force,

wherein when the control unit terminates electricity supply to the motor, the valve is biased to a full close position by being applied with the biasing force of the biasing unit, and

when the control unit performs a full close control to manipulate the valve toward the full close position, the control unit continues electricity supply to the motor to stop the valve at a full close control point, which is set in advance of the full close position.

2. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a throttle position detecting unit for detecting a throttle position of the valve,

wherein the control unit maintains electricity supplied to the motor at a substantially constant value when the throttle position becomes the full close control point in the full close control.

3. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the full close control point and a full open position defines therebetween a control range in which the control unit is capable of manipulating the valve by controlling electricity supplied to the motor.

4. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the full close control point is an intermediate position in which the valve is manipulated from the full close position in the open rotative direction.

5. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the valve is in the full close control point defining an intermediate position, the control unit controls electricity supplied to the motor such that the driving force of the motor and the biasing force of the biasing unit balance with each other.

6. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the full close control in an operation of the internal combustion engine.

7. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the plurality of gears includes a valve gear rotatable integrally with the valve, and

the biasing unit includes a spring for applying the biasing force to one of the valve gear and the valve in a direction where the valve returns to the full close position.

8. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a housing that has a wall surface defining therein a fluid passage; and

a seal ring that is fitted to an annular groove defined entirely in an outer circumferential periphery of the valve for sealing a gap between the wall surface of the housing and the outer circumferential periphery of the valve when the valve is in the vicinity of the full close position in the full close control.

9. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 8,

wherein the valve, the housing, and the seal ring construct a fluid control valve for controlling fluid supplied to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine,

the fluid control valve has a dead band, in which leakage of fluid is substantially constant, in the vicinity of the full close position, and

the full close control point is defined in the dead band.

10. A throttle control apparatus having a fluid passage connecting with a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the throttle control apparatus comprising:

a valve for communicating and blocking the fluid passage;

a motor for generating driving force to rotate the valve in at least one of an open rotative direction and a close rotative direction;

a plurality of gears for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the valve;

a biasing unit for generating biasing force to bias the valve in at least one of the open rotative direction and the close rotative direction; and

a control unit for supplying electricity to the motor to generate the driving force;

wherein when the control unit terminates electricity supply to the motor, the valve is biased to a full close position by being applied with the biasing force of the biasing unit, and

when the valve is in a predetermined range in the vicinity of the full close position, the control unit is adapted to controlling electricity supplied to the motor such that the valve repeats movement to pass through the full close position.

11. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the predetermined range in the vicinity of the full close position includes a throttle position, which defines a control range with respect to a full open position, and

the control unit is capable of manipulating the valve by controlling electricity supplied to the motor in the control range.

12. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the valve is movable from the full close position to a first intermediate position in the open rotative direction,

the valve is movable from the full close position to a second intermediate position in the close rotative direction, and

the predetermined range in the vicinity of the full close position is defined from the first intermediate position to the second intermediate position through the full close position.

13. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a throttle position detecting unit for detecting a throttle position of the valve,

wherein the control unit controls electricity supplied to the motor to reverse a moving direction of the valve when the throttle position becomes the second intermediate position after passing through the first intermediate position, in a condition where the control unit performs a full close control to manipulate the valve to the full close position, and

the control unit controls electricity supplied to the motor to reverse the moving direction of the valve at every time point when the throttle position becomes one of the first intermediate position and the second intermediate position, after the throttle position once becomes the second intermediate position in the full close control.

14. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit performs the full close control to manipulate the valve to the full close position in an operation of the internal combustion engine.

15. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein the plurality of gears includes a valve gear rotatable integrally with the valve, and

the biasing unit includes a first biasing unit and a second biasing unit for applying force to one of the valve gear and the valve in a direction where the valve returns to the full close position.

16. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein the valve is movable from the full close position to a first intermediate position in the open rotative direction,

the valve is movable from the full close position to a second intermediate position in the close rotative direction,

the first biasing unit is a first spring for applying first biasing force to return the valve from at least the first intermediate position to the full close position, and

the second biasing unit is a second spring for applying second biasing force to return the valve from at least the second intermediate position to the full close position.

17. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 16,

wherein when the valve is in the first intermediate position defining a first neutral position, the control unit controls electricity supplied to the motor, such that the driving force of the motor and the first biasing force of the first spring balance with each other, and

when the valve is in the second intermediate position defining a second neutral, the control unit controls electricity supplied to the motor, such that the driving force of the motor and the second biasing force of the second spring balance with each other.

18. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a housing that has a wall surface defining therein a fluid passage; and

a seal ring that is fitted to an annular groove defined entirely in an outer circumferential periphery of the valve for sealing a gap between the wall surface of the housing and the outer circumferential periphery of the valve when the valve is in the vicinity of the full close position in the full close control.

19. The throttle control apparatus according to claim 18,

wherein the valve, the housing, and the seal ring construct a fluid control valve for controlling fluid supplied to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine,

the fluid control valve has a dead band, in which leakage of fluid is substantially constant, in the vicinity of the full close position, and

the dead band includes the predetermined range in the vicinity of the full close position.

20. A method for throttle control, the method comprising:

supplying electricity to a motor for generating driving force transmitted to a valve via a plurality of gears, the valve being biased toward a full close position by applying biasing force in a close rotative direction;

setting a full close control point in advance of the full close position with respect to the close rotative direction; and

continuing the supplying of electricity to the motor to stop the valve at the full close control point when the valve is manipulated toward the full close position.

21. A method for throttle control, the method comprising:

supplying electricity to a motor for generating driving force to rotate a valve, which is biased in at least one of the open rotative direction and the close rotative direction toward a full close position; and

controlling the electricity supplied to the motor such that the valve repeats movement to pass through the full close position when the valve is in a predetermined range in the vicinity of the full close position.