Energy-efficient automobile
First Claim
1. An automobile comprising:
- a prime mover adapted to generate motive power from an energy source;
an energy-source supply system adapted to supply an energy source to the prime mover;
an accelerator pedal adapted to be manipulated according to a depressing action by a driver;
an accelerator pedal sensor adapted to detect a depression amount of the accelerator pedal; and
a controller adapted to calculate a target operating amount of the energy-source supply system corresponding to the accelerator-pedal depression amount detected by the accelerator pedal sensor, and output a continuous control signal corresponding to the target operating amount to the energy-source supply system to actuate the energy-source supply system so as to control an supply amount of the energy source for the prime mover, the controller being operable, in a traveling environment or an operating condition where a motive power required for the prime mover is less than a motive power corresponding to the target operating amount, to convert the continuous control signal into a pulsed control signal which has a pulse height equal to a magnitude of the continuous control signal, a predetermined pulse width and a predetermined interpulse interval, and output the pulsed control signal to the energy-source supply system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an automobile equipped with an engine having an electronically-controlled throttle valve adapted to have an opening angle which is controlled according to an accelerator-pedal depression amount. The engine further includes an accelerator pedal sensor, an actuator adapted to selectively open and close the throttle valve, and a controller. The controller is adapted to calculate a target throttle opening angle corresponding to the accelerator-pedal depression amount, and output a continuous control signal corresponding to the target throttle opening angle, to the actuator. The controller is operable, in a traveling environment of the automobile or an operating condition of the engine where a required engine power is less than an engine power corresponding to the target throttle opening angle, to convert the continuous control signal into a pulsed control signal, and output the pulsed control signal to the actuator.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An automobile comprising:
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a prime mover adapted to generate motive power from an energy source; an energy-source supply system adapted to supply an energy source to the prime mover; an accelerator pedal adapted to be manipulated according to a depressing action by a driver; an accelerator pedal sensor adapted to detect a depression amount of the accelerator pedal; and a controller adapted to calculate a target operating amount of the energy-source supply system corresponding to the accelerator-pedal depression amount detected by the accelerator pedal sensor, and output a continuous control signal corresponding to the target operating amount to the energy-source supply system to actuate the energy-source supply system so as to control an supply amount of the energy source for the prime mover, the controller being operable, in a traveling environment or an operating condition where a motive power required for the prime mover is less than a motive power corresponding to the target operating amount, to convert the continuous control signal into a pulsed control signal which has a pulse height equal to a magnitude of the continuous control signal, a predetermined pulse width and a predetermined interpulse interval, and output the pulsed control signal to the energy-source supply system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An automobile comprising:
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a prime mover adapted to generate motive power from an energy source; an energy-source supply system adapted to supply an energy source to the prime mover; an accelerator pedal adapted to be manipulated according to a depressing action by a driver; an accelerator pedal sensor adapted to detect a depression amount of the accelerator pedal; and a controller adapted to calculate a target operating amount of the energy-source supply system corresponding to the accelerator-pedal depression amount detected by the accelerator pedal sensor, and output a pulsed control signal corresponding to the target operating amount to the energy-source supply system to actuate the energy-source supply system so as to control an supply amount of the energy source for the prime mover, the controller being operable, in a traveling environment or an operating condition where a motive power required for the prime mover is less than a motive power corresponding to the target operating amount, to reduce a pulse width of the pulsed control signal to form a modified pulsed control signal, and then output the modified pulsed control signal to the energy-source supply system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification