Method for using the start-up device of a motor vehicle engine

• US 9,464,615 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobile SA (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Daunas, Olivier, Bastiani, Philippe
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monahon, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/824,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20130191013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,846 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.4, 123/366, 123/406.53, 123/685, 123/491, 123/179.1, 123/179.3, 123/179.25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/20 DC electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/10 Safety devices F02N11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/00 Starting aids for combustion engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0877 said switch being used as a series-parallel switch, e.g. to switch circuit elements from series to parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/023 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/046 Energy or power necessary for starting
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 Battery state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/064 Battery temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/02 Battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/304 with other systems inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for using a device for starting a heat engine of a motor vehicle. The method comprises a step in which a theoretical hold time T_t is determined by a monitoring computer (101).

Claims

1. A method for controlling a start-up device for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the start-up device comprising an electric starter operatively connected to the internal combustion engine and an electrical power supply network;

the electrical power supply network including an electric power source and a voltage holding device;

the voltage holding device comprising a supercapacitor, a relay and a controller;

said controller selectively switching said relay in response to the detection of an undervoltage condition between an open state in which the supercapacitor is isolated from the network and a closed state in which the supercapacitor is connected in series with the electric power supply;

the method comprising;

(a) a step of monitoring at least two of (1) the temperature θ

_em of the engine water, (2) the state of charge E of the electrical power supply source for the internal combustion engine, and (3) the temperature θ

_s of the electrical power supply for the internal combustion engine to determine if an undervoltage condition exists;

(b) a step of electronically determining a theoretical hold time T_t during which the relay is in its closed state; and

(3) closing the relay for the theoretical hold time if an undervoltage condition is detected; and

(c) controlling said relay to close said relay when an undervoltage condition is detected to detected to support the power source during a start-up or a restart of the internal combustion engine;

said step of determining the theoretical hold time T_t comprising;

(1) sensing at least two of (1) the temperature θ

_em of the engine water, (2) the state of charge E of the electrical power supply source for the internal combustion engine, and (3) the temperature θ

_s of the electrical power supply for the internal combustion engine;

(2) electronically calculating at least two of;

a first intermediate hold time T_i determined as a function of the temperature θ

_em of the engine water;

a second intermediate hold time T_i′

determined as a function of the state of charge E of the electrical power supply source for the internal combustion engine; and

a third intermediate hold time T_i″

determined as a function of the temperature θ

_s of the electrical power supply source for the internal combustion engine; and

(3) comparing the at least two calculated intermediate hold times to identify the longest of the at least two intermediate hold times, and setting the theoretical hold time to the longest of the at least two calculated intermediate hold times.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step for calculating the theoretical hold time T_t includes calculating all three of the intermediate hold times T_i, T_i′

, and T_i″

, and comparing the three intermediate hold times to determine the longest of the intermediate hold times.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method includes an additional step of comparing the theoretical hold time T_t to an actual hold time T_e, the actual hold time T_e being measured by the centralized voltage-holding device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the method includes a final step comprising:

authorizing a hold if and only if the actual hold time T_e is less than the theoretical hold time T_t; and

prohibiting the hold if and only if the actual hold time T_e is greater than or equal to the theoretical hold time T_t.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the theoretical hold time T_t is constant.