Abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines

• US 4,736,626 A
• Filed: 04/14/1987
• Issued: 04/12/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizuno, Toshiaki, Kodama, Katuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): MYRACLE, JERRY
• Application Number:
  US07/038,355
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 73/118.1, 73/2, 73/117.3, 74/859, 74/872, 340/62, 364/551, 364/431.07
• US Class Current: 73/114.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/02 including electrically actuated servomechanism including an electric control system or a servomechanism in which the vehicle velocity affecting element is actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/222 relating to the failure of sensors or parameter detection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers

Abstract

In an abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines, a deceleration discriminating circuit discriminates a deceleration state of a vehicle engine on the basis of a running state of the engine detected by a running state detector for detecting a running state of the vehicle engine. When the deceleration discriminating circuit determines that the engine is being in deceleration state, a comparing circuit compares a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detector with a predetermined value. An abnormality deciding circuit is responsive to a comparison result signal from the comparing circuit to decide abnormality of the vehicle speed detector.

Claims

1. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines comprising:

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a speed of a vehicle;

running state detecting means for detecting a running state of a vehicle engine;

deceleration state discriminating means for discriminating a deceleration state of said engine on the basis of the engine running state detected by said running state detecting means;

comparing means for comparing said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means with a predetermined value when said deceleration state discriminating means determines that said engine is being in the deceleration state; and

abnormality deciding means responsive to a comparison result signal from said comparing means to decide abnormality of said vehicle speed detecting means.

2. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines according to claim 1 further comprising measuring means for measuring duration during which said comparing means determines that the vehicle speed is below said predetermined value, wherein said abnormality deciding means determines abnormality of said vehicle speed detecting means when the duration measured by said measuring means exceeds a predetermined value.

3. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines according to claim 1 wherein said running state detecting means comprises full-close position detecting means for detecting the full-close position of a throttle valve, and rotation number detecting means for detecting the rotation number of said vehicle engine.

4. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines according to claim 3 wherein said deceleration state discriminating means comprises:

specified running state detecting means responsive to said full-close position detecting means and said rotation number detecting means to detect a specified running state in which said throttle valve is held in the full-close position and the rotation number exceeds a preset rotation number;

rotation change rate calculating means responsive to the rotation number detected by said rotation number detecting means to calculate a rotation change rate when said specified running state is being detected; and

rotation change rate comparing means for comparing said rotation change rate with a preset rotation change rate.

5. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines comprising:

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a speed of a vehicle;

running state detecting means for detecting a running state of a vehicle engine;

deceleration state discriminating means for discriminating a deceleration state of said engine on the basis of the engine running state detected by said running state detecting means;

comparing means for comparing said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means with a predetermined value when said deceleration state discriminating means determines that said engine is being in the deceleration state;

measuring means for measuring duration during which said comparing means determines that the vehicle speed is below said predetermined value; and

abnormality deciding means for determining that said vehicle speed detecting means is abnormal when the duration measured by said measuring means exceeds a predetermined value.

6. An abnormality detection apparatus for vehicle engines comprising:

vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a speed of a vehicle;

full-close position detecting means for detecting the full-close position of a throttle valve;

rotation number detecting means for detecting a rotation number of a vehicle engine;

specified running state detecting means responsive to said full-close position detecting means and said rotation number detecting means to detect a specified running state in which said throttle valve is held in the full-close position and the rotation number exceeds a preset rotation number;

rotation change rate calculating means responsive to the rotation number detected by said rotation number detecting means to calculate a rotation change rate when said specified running state is being detected;

rotation change rate comparing means for comparing said rotation change rate with a preset rotation change rate;

vehicle speed comparing means for comparing said vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detecting means with a preset vehicle speed when said rotation change rate comparing means determines that said rotation change rate is below said preset rotation change rate; and

abnormality deciding means for determining that said vehicle speed detecting means is abnormal when said vehicle speed comparing means determines that said vehicle speed is below said preset vehicle speed.