Output control unit of a vehicle

• US 8,397,843 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors Ltd (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Tsumiyama, Yoshinori, Kaku, Hidetoshi, Furman, Tyler, Waida, Kazuma
• Primary Examiner(s): Restifo, Jeffrey J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurari, Erez
• Application Number:
  US12/711,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 180/54.1, 180/69.3, 180/290
• US Class Current: 180/54.1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18

Abstract

An output control unit of a vehicle, having a front riding space and a rear riding space, includes a riding detection device for detecting the presence of a passenger in the rear riding space. When the riding detection device detects the passenger, the output control unit regulates the output of the engine as compared with the output when the riding detection device does not detect a passenger in the rear riding space.

Claims

1. An output control unit of a vehicle having a front riding space and a rear riding space, the output control unit comprising:

riding detection means for detecting a riding passenger in the rear riding space;

wherein, when the riding detection means detects the riding of the passenger, the output control unit regulates output of the engine of the vehicle as compared with output when the riding detection means does not detect the riding of the passenger,

wherein the output control unit retards the ignition timing of the engine to regulate the output of the engine.

2. The output control unit according to claim 1,

wherein a rear seat is provided in the rear riding space,

wherein the riding detection means is seating detection means for detecting a seated state of the passenger on the rear seat, and

wherein when the seating detection means detects the seating of the passenger, the output control unit regulates the output of the engine of the vehicle as compared with the output when the seating detection means does not detect the seating of the passenger.

3. The output control unit according to claim 2,

wherein when the seating detection means detects the seating of the passenger for five seconds or more, the output control unit regulates the output of the engine.

4. The output control unit according to claim 3,

wherein the output regulation of the engine of the output control unit is released when the vehicle stops running and the seating detection means does not detect the seating of the passenger for two seconds or more or when an ignition switch is brought to an off state.

6. The output control unit according to claim 1, wherein the riding detection means disables detection for five seconds or more, and the output control unit regulates the output of the engine.

7. An automatic four-wheel vehicle comprising the output control unit according to claim 1.

5. An output control unit of a vehicle having a front riding space and a rear riding space, the output control unit comprising:

riding detection means for detecting a riding passenger in the rear riding space;

wherein, when the riding detection means detects the riding of the passenger, the output control unit regulates output of the engine of the vehicle as compared with output when the riding detection means does not detect the riding of the passenger

wherein the output control unit reduces the fuel injection quantity of the engine to regulate the output of the engine.

8. An automatic four-wheel vehicle comprising the output control unit according to claim 5.

9. The output control unit according to claim 5,

wherein a rear seat is provided in the rear riding space,

wherein the riding detection means is seating detection means for detecting a seated state of the passenger on the rear seat, and

wherein, when the seating detection means detects the seating of the passenger, the output control unit regulates the output of the engine of the vehicle as compared with the output when the seating detection means does not detect the seating of the passenger.

10. The output control unit according to claim 9, wherein, when the seating detection means detects the seating of the passenger for five seconds or more, the output control unit regulates the output of the engine.

11. The output control unit according to claim 10, wherein the output regulation of the engine of the output control unit is released when the vehicle stops running and the seating detection means does not detect the seating of the passenger for two seconds or more or when an ignition switch is brought to an off state.

12. The output control unit according to claim 5, wherein the riding detection means disables detection for five seconds or more, and the output control unit regulates the output of the engine.