Cruise control economizer

• US 5,944,766 A
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lee S. White
• Original Assignee: Lee S. White
• Inventors: White, Lee S
• Primary Examiner(s): DOMBROSKE, GEORGE M
• Application Number:
  US09/057,750
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 73/116, 73/117.2, 73/117.3, 73/118.1, 73/119 A, 73/506, 73/507, 73/508, 73/509, 73/510, 701/110, 701/54, 701/65, 701/70, 701/79, 701/93, 701/94, 180/179
• US Class Current: 701/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/047 the memory being digital
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/002 controlling air supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A new cruise control economizer for utilizing momentum gained on downhill travel which operates by selectively overriding a throttle on a vehicle with electronic throttle controls during and after the vehicle is traveling down an incline gaining momentum with minimum fuel consumption. The inventive device includes at least one POM (prolongation of momentum) switch, a microcontroller, a vehicle speed input, a brakes or clutch pressed input, and a vehicle setback throttle means to override cruise control output and send modified throttle setting signals that override electronic cruise controls.

Claims

1. A cruise control economizer for controlling an electronically controlled throttle for selectively modulating fuel flow from an injector pump of an engine by selectively adjusting fuel pressure in accordance with a throttle setting signal, comprising:

the throttle setting signal being a cruise control throttle signal delivered to an electronic throttle interface;

a cruise control receiving a brakes or clutch pressed signal and a set cruise signal;

the cruise control operating in closed loop control to maintain a set cruise speed while the brakes or clutch pressed signal is not on;

an electronic setback throttle control for modifying the cruise control throttle setting signal; and

POM switches for indicating on and off states when prolongation of momentum is desired and for indicating a big fuel cutback setting and a small fuel cutback setting;

the POM switches being connected to a microcontroller that operates using a control method such that upon the conditions that at least one of the POM switches is on and the vehicle speed is below a preprogrammed maximum limit and above a preprogrammed lower POM limit and the brakes or clutch pressed signal is not on;

the microcontroller sends the electronic setback throttle a cruise override signal and a throttle setting that in accord with POM switch indicator and replaces the cruise control throttle control signal going to the throttle with an override throttle control signal that is approximately 80 percent of the set cruise throttle for the small fuel cutback setting and 50 percent of the set cruise throttle for the big fuel cutback setting whereby the electronic fuel control modulates the fuel flow accordingly.

2. The cruise control economizer of claim 1, including:

a mercury switch having a closed circuit characteristic for positions within 5 degrees of horizontal;

the mercury switch also having a front end and a rear end oriented parallel with the direction of vehicle travel;

the mercury switch being mounted in a control box on the vehicle wherein the mercury switch is inclined upwardly in front at approximately five and one half degrees at a from the vehicle horizontal, thereby providing closed circuit characteristic from a one half degree to 11 and one half degrees downhill orientation of the vehicle;

wherein the microcontroller utilizes debouncing circuits and input smoothing algorithms for ignoring jolts and road bumps that cause intermittent open circuit characteristic of the mercury switch.

3. The cruise control economizer of claim 2, wherein:

the POM switch is capable of setting a big fuel cutback and a small fuel cutback which comprises a first on/off switch and a on/off second switch in an exclusive OR relationship with each other, wherein the exclusive or relationship allows only one switch to be closed at a given time;

the first switch having an off position for delivering no cruise override signal to the electronic setback throttle control and an on position for delivering an on signal to the microcontroller, directing the micro controller to send the small cutback 80 percent throttle to the electronic setback throttle control when the downhill indicator is on, and the second switch having an off position for delivering no cruise override signal to the electronic setback throttle control and an on position for delivering an on signal to the microcontroller directing the controller to send the big cutback 50 percent throttle setback to the electronic setback throttle control when the downhill indicator is on and the brakes or clutch pressed signal is not on.

4. The cruise control economizer of claim 1, wherein:

the POM switch is capable of setting a big and a small fuel cutback comprises a switched potentiometer in serial connection with the microcontroller input, the switched potentiometer having an on and off position and in the on position being capable of reaching a first extreme position and a second extreme position and infinite gradations there between, the microcontroller input having an interface capable of recording potentiometer value, the potentiometer value in the on position being used for delivering a grade indicating signal proportional to grade, the potentiometer value directing the microcontroller to send a cruise override signal and a setback throttle setting 10 percent less than the set cruise throttle to the electronic setback throttle controller when the downhill indicator is at the first extreme position for gradual incline, the potentiometer value directing the controller to send microcontroller to send a cruise override signal and a setback throttle setting 50 less than the set cruise throttle to the electronic setback throttle controller when the potentiometer is in the second extreme position for steep incline, the potentiometer being thereby capable of indicating an infinite range between gradual incline and steep incline depending on the position of the potentiometer, and the microcontroller being capable of delivering a setback throttle setting between 10 and 50 percent less that the set cruise throttle setting depending on the potentiometer value.

5. The cruise control economizer of claim 4, wherein the cruise control uses a frequency based electronically controlled throttle for selectively modulating fuel flow from the injector pump to the engine by selectively adjusting fuel pressure in accordance with a throttle setting signal, the electronic setback throttle control for modifying the cruise control throttle setting using a frequency from the cruise control is a frequency and the electronic throttle control comprises a microcontroller controlled scaleable frequency divider interposed between the cruise control throttle output and the electronically controlled throttle.

6. The cruise control economizer of claim 4, wherein the cruise control uses a voltage based electronically controlled throttle for selectively modulating fuel flow from the injector pump to the engine by selectively adjusting fuel pressure in accordance with a throttle setting signal, the electronic setback throttle control for modifying the cruise control throttle setting using a voltage from the cruise control, and wherein the electronic setback throttle control for modifying the electronic setback throttle control comprises a microcontroller controlled voltage scalar interposed between the cruise control throttle output and the electronically controlled throttle.

7. The cruise control economizer of claim 6, wherein the cruise control economizer electronic setback throttle control comprises a cruise control speed input modifier and achieves throttle control employing a control method such that the cruise control economizer records the set cruise speed at the same time as the cruise control, further upon the setting of the POM on switch, the control method uses a modified speed input signal to the cruise control input indicating a speed that is three to five miles per hour above the actual speed so long as the actual speed is below the maximum speed and the brakes or clutch are not pressed and maintains the input at actual minus delta until the actual speed falls below the POM lower limit at which time the actual set speed control is reinstated in the cruise control removing the overriding delta input, returning control to the cruise control, and resetting the cruise control at the set cruise speed.