CONTROL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING ON-VEHICLE STARTER FOR STARTING ENGINE

• US 20110202263A1
• Filed: 02/15/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: KAWAZU, Shinsuke, Notani, Hideya, Shima, Nobuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,843,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/113
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/042 Starter torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/043 Starter voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/044 Starter current
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/048 Information about pinion speed, both translational or rotational speed

Abstract

A control apparatus for controlling a starter used to start an engine mounted on a vehicle, the starter generating a torque and having a first gear mechanically engaged with a second gear of the engine to start the engine. The control apparatus includes a trigger circuit adapted to output a trigger signal in response to a start request; a detection circuit adapted to detect an electrical state and a mechanical state of the starter while the starter is powered on; and a controller adapted to control power on and off of the starter. The controller powers on the starter in response to the trigger signal outputted by the trigger circuit, and powers off the starter when the controller detects that a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the state of the starter.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a starter used to start an engine mounted on a vehicle, the starter generating a torque for starting the engine and having a first gear outputting the generated torque, the engine having a second gear to receive the torque, the first gear mechanically engaging with the second gear to start the engine, the control apparatus comprising:

a trigger circuit adapted to output a trigger signal in response to a start request;

a detection circuit adapted to detect an overall state of the starter which comprises an electrical state and a mechanical state of the starter while the starter is powered on; and

a controller including first means configured to power on the starter in response to the trigger signal outputted by the trigger circuit, and second means configured to power off the starter when the controller detects that a predetermined condition of the starter is satisfied based on the overall state of the starter.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined condition is that the first gear is rotated by the second gear while the starter is powered on.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a torque of the first gear as the mechanical state of the starter, the torque of the first gear being transmitted to the second gear, and the controller detects the predetermined condition when the torque has a predetermined value or less.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a torque at the first gear as the mechanical state of the starter, the torque at the first gear being transmitted to the second gear, and the controller detects the predetermined condition when a change rate of the torque is a predetermined value or more.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a rotational rate of the first gear as the mechanical state of the starter, and the controller detects the predetermined condition when the rotational rate of the first gear is a no-load rotational rate or more.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a change rate of the rotational rate of the first gear as the mechanical state of the starter, and the controller detects the predetermined condition when the change rate of the rotational rate is a predetermined value or more.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a drive current or a drive power as an electrical state of the starter, the controller detects the predetermined condition when the drive current or the drive power is a predetermined value or less.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a drive voltage for driving the starter as an electrical state of the starter, the controller detects the predetermined condition when the drive voltage is a predetermined value or more.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect any one of a drive current or a drive voltage or a drive power as an electrical state of the starter, the controller detects the predetermined condition when a change rate of any one of a drive current or a drive voltage or a drive power is a predetermined value or more.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the detection circuit is configured to detect a drive current as an electrical state of the starter, the controller detects the predetermined condition when the drive current is a no-load current value.

11. A control apparatus for controlling a starter used to start an engine mounted on a vehicle, adapted to an automatic stop/restart system where an engine is controlled to be stopped when an automatic stop condition is met and restarts when a predetermined start condition is met, the starter generating a torque for starting the engine and having a first gear outputting the generated torque, the engine having second gear to receive the torque, the first gear mechanically engaging with a second gear to start the engine, the control apparatus comprising:

a trigger circuit adapted to output a trigger signal in response to a start request;

a detection circuit adapted to detect an electrical state and a mechanical state of the starter while the starter is powered on; and

a controller adapted to control power on and off of the starter;

wherein the controller powers on the starter in response to the trigger signal outputted by the trigger circuit, and powers off the starter when the controller detects that a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the state of the starter.