Method and device for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor

• US 9,309,855 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seg Automotive Germany GMBH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Casey, Simon, Rocco, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, Eric S
• Application Number:
  US14/131,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 731/145.9, 731/147.7, 731/160.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1416 Observer
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1417 Kalman filter
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0851 characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/067 the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/047 Information about pinion position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/065 Relay current
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines

Abstract

A method for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a magnet, has the following steps: detecting a solenoid signal when a solenoid of the magnet is energized in order to obtain a signal profile, in particular a current profile; generating a differential profile by differentiating the signal profile; determining zero crossings in the differential profile; and monitoring the meshing process on the basis of the determined zero crossings.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a magnet, comprising:

detecting a solenoid signal when a solenoid of the magnet is energized, and obtaining a signal profile of the solenoid signal, the signal profile representing a current profile;

generating a differential profile by differentiating the signal profile;

determining (i) a number of zero crossings in the differential profile and (ii) a course direction of the ascertained zero crossing; and

determining a curve of the signal profile based on the number and the course direction of the zero crossings, wherein a quality of the meshing process is determined based on the curve of the signal profile.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein prior to the generation of the differential profile, the signal profile is filtered using a recursive filter.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein prior to the generation of the differential profile, the signal profile is scaled based on a value of a vehicle supply voltage.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a determination is made whether the meshing process can be carried out successfully.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the determination of the zero crossings includes the following steps;

(i) detecting a first zero crossing in the differential profile which runs from a positive value to a negative value;

(ii) detecting, after the first zero crossing, a second zero crossing in the differential profile which runs from a negative value to a positive value; and

(iii) detecting whether a third zero crossing in the differential profile, which runs from a negative value to a positive value, is present after the second zero crossing; and

the meshing process is classified as capable of being successfully carried out when no third zero crossing is detected, and the meshing process is classified as not capable of being successfully carried out when a third zero crossing is detected.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the differential profile is filtered prior to determining the zero crossings.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the meshing process is classified as capable of being successfully carried out when no third zero crossing is detected within a predefined time period after the second zero crossing.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the predefined time period is ascertained based on a time difference between the first zero crossing and the second zero crossing.

9. A method for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a magnet, comprising:

detecting a solenoid signal when a solenoid of the magnet is energized, and obtaining a signal profile of the solenoid signal, the signal profile representing a current profile;

observing the signal profile to generate an observation profile;

determining (i) a number of zero crossings in the observation profile and (ii) a course direction of the ascertained zero crossing; and

determining a curve of the signal profile based on the number and the course direction of the zero crossings, wherein a quality of the meshing process is determined based on the curve of the signal profile.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the observation profile is obtained by one of (i) Kalman filtering of the signal profile or (ii) using a real-time model of at least one of mechanical kinematics and electrical parameters.

11. A device for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a magnet, comprising:

a sensor configured to (i) detect a solenoid signal when a solenoid of the magnet is energized, and (ii) generate a signal profile of the solenoid signal, the signal profile representing a current profile; and

a processor configured to;

generate a differential profile by differentiating the signal profile;

determine (a) a number of zero crossings in the differential profile and (b) a course direction of the ascertained zero crossing; and

determine a curve of the signal profile based on the number and the course direction of the zero crossings, wherein a quality of the meshing process is determined based on the curve of the signal profile.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor has a state machine which is configured to determine the zero crossings in the differential profile and to determine the quality of the meshing process.

13. A device for monitoring a meshing process of a meshing pinion of a starter motor for a vehicle drive, in which an armature of the starter motor is moved by a magnet, comprising:

a sensor configured to (i) detect a solenoid signal when a solenoid of the magnet is energized, and (ii) generate a signal profile of the solenoid signal, the signal profile representing a current profile; and

a processor configured to;

observe the signal profile to generate an observation profile;

determine (a) a number of zero crossings in the observation profile and (b) a course direction of the ascertained zero crossing; and

determine a curve of the signal profile based on the number and the course direction of the zero crossings, wherein a quality of the meshing process is determined based on the curve of the signal profile.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein the observation profile is obtained by Kalman filtering of the signal profile or by using a real-time model of the mechanical kinematics and/or electrical parameters.