SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING FUEL EFFICIENCY

• US 20130311048A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahn, Samuel S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/48
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/023 Fluid clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/432 Control of engine fuel injection
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/46 Engine injection cut at coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/302 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/88 Air conditioners, e.g. compressor drives

Abstract

The vehicle described herein employs an electronic control unit (“ECU”) and/or accessory control module configured to improve actual fuel economy. The ECU and/or the accessory control module monitors vehicle operating conditions and reduces load from an accessory when the vehicle achieves predetermined operating conditions. The ECU and/or the accessory control module is also configured to engage a fuel cut and a torque converter lock up condition. The lock up condition causes the wheels to drive the motor to avoid engine stall. At a predetermined low level, the ECU and/or the accessory control module can re-engage the accessory and fuel supply and disengage the lock up condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a body;

a chassis configured to couple to the body;

a wheel rotatably coupled to the chassis;

an engine configured to provide power to the wheel in response to receiving fuel;

an accessory operatively coupled to and configured to derive power from the engine;

an accelerator configured to communicate driver inputs to the engine;

an input device configured to receive a user input; and

an electronic control unit capable of monitoring the plurality of operating ranges of the engine and configured to disengage the accessory to interrupt the power derivation from the engine in response to the engine operating within a predetermined range based on the user input.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold corresponds to a coast condition.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold is defined by an operating range of between approximately 1,000 rotations per minute of the engine and 400 rotations per minute of the engine.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the accessory is an alternator.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the accessory is an air conditioning compressor.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a sensor configured to measure an environmental temperature where the vehicle is operating.

7. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to receive the environmental temperature from the sensor, and wherein the electronic control unit does not disengage the operation of the accessory in response to the engine operating within the predetermined range the environmental temperature being above a temperature threshold.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a fuel supply to the engine is interrupted in response to the engine operating within the predetermined range.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the fuel supply and the accessory are re-instated in response to the engine operating below the predetermined range.

10. A method, comprising:

providing a vehicle comprising an engine, an accessory, a wheel, an input device configured to receive a user input, and an electronic control unit comprising an accessory disengagement logic;

detecting, by the electronic control unit, a coast condition of the engine;

disengaging a fuel supply to the engine;

controlling, by the electronic control unit, the engagement between the accessory and the engine, based on an operating parameter of the vehicle and the user input;

monitoring the coast down speed of the engine;

re-engaging the fuel supply in response to the coast down speed reaching a predetermined level; and

re-engaging the accessory in response to re-engaging the fuel supply.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined level is an engine speed that is within the range of approximately 250 rpms to approximately 350 rpms above the base idle speed of the engine.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the accessory is an air conditioning compressor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle further comprises a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of an ambient environment in which the vehicle is operating, and wherein the temperature is the operating parameter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to communicate the temperature to the electronic control unit, and wherein the electronic control unit is configured to disengage the accessory in response to the temperature being below a predetermined level.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein a torque converter is configured to lock-up a power train to cause the wheel to drive the engine in response to the coast condition.

16. An automobile, comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a drive shaft operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of wheels;

an engine operatively coupled to the drive shaft and configured to conduct a drive force to at least one of the plurality of wheels in response to the engine operating with a fuel supply;

a torque converter operatively coupling the engine to the drive shaft;

a fuel source configured to provide a fuel supply to the engine;

an accessory operatively coupled to and configured to draw power from the engine;

an input device configured to receive a user input; and

an electronic control unit in communication with the engine, the torque converter, the fuel source, the accessory, and the input device and configured to disengage the fuel source and the accessory and engage the torque converter to cause at least one of the plurality of wheels to drive the engine in response to the engine achieving a coast condition, the coast condition based on the user input.

17. The automobile of claim 16, wherein the accessory is at least one of a compressor or an alternator.

18. The automobile of claim 17, further comprising a battery configured to receive a charge from the alternator and wherein the alternator is disengaged in response to the engine achieving the coast condition and the battery having a charge level above a predetermined charge condition.

19. The automobile of claim 17, further comprising a sensor configured to measure and communicate an operating temperature to the electronic control unit, and wherein the electronic control unit disengages the compressor and the fuel supply to the engine in response to the engine achieving a coast condition and the operating temperature being below a selected level.

20. The automobile of claim 16, wherein the torque converter comprises a lock up clutch that is configured to unify the drive train and capture the kinetic energy of at least one of the plurality of wheels to drive the engine.