ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS

• US 20150167617A1
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: FUJITA, Tatsuya, MURATA, Mitsuhiro, OOSAWA, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,732,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/08 Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0859 specially adapted to the type of the starter motor or integrated into it
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/101 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2011 Control involving a delay; Control involving a waiting period before engine stop or engine start

Abstract

In an engine starting apparatus, a starter control unit is configured to, upon command to start the engine, put a starter in a drive ON state to begin cranking of the engine and then put the starter in a drive OFF state at a predetermined timing. The starter control unit is configured to, when acceleration is requested within a predetermined time period from the command to start the engine, keep the starter in the drive ON state even after the time when the starter would be put in the drive OFF state without the acceleration request within the predetermined time period, and drive the starter to torque-assist the engine, thereby performing an assist mode in which both the engine) and the starter serve as drive sources for driving a vehicle.

Claims

1. An engine starting apparatus comprising:

a starter including a direct-current (DC) motor that generates rotational force, the starter being configured to transfer the rotational force of the DC motor to a crankshaft of an engine; and

a starter control unit configured to control driving of the starter, the starter control unit being configured to, upon command to start the engine, put the starter in a drive ON state to begin cranking of the engine and then put the starter in a drive OFF state at a predetermined timing, the drive ON state being a state of the starter such that the motor is energized and the rotational force of the motor is transferred to the crankshaft, and the drive OFF state being a state of the starter such that the rotational force of the motor is not transferred to the crankshaft,

wherein the starter control unit is configured to, when acceleration is requested within a predetermined time period from the command to start the engine, keep the starter in the drive ON state even after the time when the starter would be put in the drive OFF state without the acceleration request within the predetermined time period, and drive the starter to torque-assist the engine, thereby performing an assist mode in which both the engine and the starter serve as drive sources for driving a vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the command to start the engine is for starting the engine while the engine is stopped.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the command to start the engine is signaled to the starter control unit when a start switch is turned on.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the apparatus is applied to a vehicle with an idle-stop system for automatically controlling stopping and restarting of the engine, and

the command to start the engine is for restarting the engine during slowing to an automatic stop of the engine.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the command to start the engine is signaled to the starter control unit when a brake is deactivated.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the starter control unit is configured to set the end of duration of the drive ON state of the starter to the time when a predetermined amount of time elapses from when the acceleration is requested within the predetermined time period.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the starter control unit is configured to set the end of duration of the drive ON state of the starter to the time when an engine speed of the engine reaches a predetermined engine speed.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predetermined engine speed is a predetermined idle speed of the engine.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the predetermined time period is less than a time period from the command to start the engine to first ignition of the engine.