Method and device for controlling the operation of an engine for a vehicle

• US 5,025,380 A
• Filed: 10/11/1988
• Issued: 06/18/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Washino, Shoichi, Wataya, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trans, V. N.
• Application Number:
  US07/265,809
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.05, 364/431.07, 123/492, 123/489, 123/478, 123/361
• US Class Current: 701/103
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2011/102 at least one throttle being moved only by an electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/10 for acceleration

Abstract

A method and device for controlling an engine mounted on a vehicle substantially suppresses pitching or surging of the body of the vehicle during acceleration even when the driver abruptly depresses an accelerator pedal, thereby markedly improving riding comfort. A valve such as a throttle valve in an engine intake passage is operatively associated with an accelerator pedal such that the opening degree of the valve is changed by operation of the accelerator pedal to control at least one of the amount of intake air and the amount of fuel supplied to the engine. The valve is controlled by a control unit based on the output signals of an accelerator pedal sensor, a load condition sensor, and an engine rotation sensor such that when the accelerator pedal is operated to rapidly increase the opening degree of the valve, the valve is gradually moved to be at a prescribed degree of opening which is set based on at least one of the sensed amount of accelerator pedal operation, the sensed engine load condition, and the sensed rotational speed of the engine.

Claims

1. An engine control method for a vehicle in which a valve means in an engine intake passage is operatively associated with an accelerator pedal such that the opening degree of said valve means is changed by operation of said accelerator pedal so as to control at least one of the amount of intake air and the amount of fuel supplied to an engine, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing the amount of operation of said accelerator pedal imparted by an operator;

sensing the load condition of an engine;

sensing the number of revolutions per minute of said engine; and

gradually opening said valve means according to a non step-wise function when said accelerator pedal is operated rapidly to open said valve means to a target degree of opening which is set based on at least one of the sensed amount of accelerator pedal operation, the sensed engine load condition, and the sensed number of revolutions per minute of said engine.

2. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a prescribed non step-wise mathematical function.

3. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said function comprises the product of said target opening degree of said valve means and ##EQU2## where t is the time and τ

is a time constant.

4. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein said time constant is selected by said operator.

5. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein said time constant is based on the suspension characteristics of said vehicle.

6. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein said time constant is 0.1-0.5 seconds.

7. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said function comprises the product of a target intake pressure based on the sensed amount of accelerator pedal operation and ##EQU3## where t is time and τ

is a time constant.

8. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 7 wherein said time constant is selected by said operator.

9. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 7 wherein said time constant is determined based on the suspension characteristics of said vehicle.

10. An engine control method for a vehicle as claimed in claim 7 wherein said time constant is 0.1-0.5 seconds.

11. An engine control device for a vehicle in which the degree of opening of a valve means in an engine intake passage is changed by operation of an accelerator pedal to control at least one of the amount of intake air and the amount of fuel supplied to an engine, the engine control device comprising:

an accelerator pedal sensor for sensing the amount of operation of said accelerator pedal imparted by an operator;

a load condition sensor for sensing the load condition of said engine;

an engine rotation sensor for sensing the number of revolutions per minute of said engine;

an actuator operatively connected with said valve means for operating said valve means so as to adjust the opening degree thereof; and

means including a control unit associated with said accelerator pedal sensor, said load condition sensor, said engine rotation sensor and said actuator for controlling the operation of said actuator when said accelerator pedal is operated rapidly to open said valve means gradually according to a non step-wise function to a prescribed degree of opening which is set based on at least one of the sensed amount of accelerator pedal operation, the sensed engine load condition, and the sensed number of revolutions per minute of said engine.

12. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 11 wherein said function comprises a prescribed non step-wise mathematical function.

13. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 12 wherein said function comprises the product of said target opening degree of said valve means and ##EQU4## where t is time and τ

is a time constant.

14. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 13 wherein said time constant is selected by said operator.

15. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 13 wherein said time constant is based on the suspension characteristics of said vehicle.

16. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 13 wherein said time constant is 0.1-0.5 seconds.

17. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 12 wherein said function comprises the product of a target intake pressure based on the sensed amount of accelerator pedal operation and (1-ε

^-t/τ

), where t is time and τ

is a time constant.

18. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein said time constant is selected by said operator.

19. A engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein said time constant is based on the suspension characteristics of said vehicle.

20. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein said time constant is 0.1-0.5 seconds.

21. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 11 wherein said valve means comprises a throttle valve.

22. An engine control device for a vehicle as claimed in claim 11 wherein said load condition sensor comprises a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in said intake passage.

23. An engine control apparatus for an engine of a vehicle comprising:

a variable-opening valve for controlling an air/fuel mixture for an engine;

an actuator for controlling the opening of the valve;

a depression sensor for sensing the depression of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle;

target calculating means for calculating a target opening Θ

for the valve as a function of the depression sensed by the depression sensor; and

actuator control means for controlling the actuator to open the valve to the target opening Θ

according to the function Θ

₁ =Θ

·

(1-ε

^-t/τ

), wherein Θ

₁ is the valve opening at time t, and τ

is a time constant.