Vehicle travel controller

• US 9,598,084 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuroki, Rentaro, Hirai, Takuya, Mitsuyasu, Masaki, Kim, Jonggap, Matsunaga, Masaki, Kido, Yasunari, Suzuki, Takeaki, Kogure, Takayuki, Okamura, Yukari, Sato, Akihiro, Kinoshita, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/439,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20150291171A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/02 Arrangements of pumps or compressors, or control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/22 Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/188 hydraulic brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/502 Neutral gear position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/41 Control to generate negative pressure in the intake manifold, e.g. for fuel vapor purging or brake booster
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 : peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/12 : for deceleration F02D41/0005, F02D41/107 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 : the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/21 : Providing engine brake control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 : Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A running control device of a vehicle executes a normal running mode with an engine coupled to drive wheels, a first inertia running mode with the engine stopped during running and an engine brake force reduced as compared to the normal running mode, and a second inertia running mode with the engine rotating during running and the engine brake force reduced as compared to the normal running mode. A determining portion determines a necessity of a brake negative pressure during the first or second inertia running mode. The necessity of the brake negative pressure is a condition for returning from the first inertia running mode and the second inertia running mode to the normal running mode. An upper limit value of the necessity of the brake negative pressure for returning from the first inertia running mode is smaller than that for returning from the second inertia running mode.

Claims

1. A running control device of a vehicle including an engine and a brake booster amplifying a brake force by using a brake negative pressure generated by rotation of the engine, the running control device of a vehicle executing a normal running mode with the engine coupled to drive wheels, a first inertia running mode with the engine stopped during running and an engine brake force reduced as compared to the normal running mode, and a second inertia running mode with the engine kept rotating during running and the engine brake force reduced as compared to the normal running mode, the running control device of a vehicle comprising a determining portion configured to determine a necessity of the brake negative pressure during the first or second inertia running mode, the necessity of the brake negative pressure being included as at least one of conditions for returning from the first inertia running mode and the second inertia running mode to the normal running mode,

the running control device of a vehicle having an upper limit value of the necessity of the brake negative pressure for returning from the first inertia running mode set smaller than an upper limit value of the necessity of the brake negative pressure for returning from the second inertia running mode, wherein

the necessity of the brake negative pressure is a magnitude of a negative pressure required for satisfying an amplification effect of the brake booster at the time of a predetermined brake operation.

2. The inning control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the determining portion determines the necessity of the brake negative pressure such that

the necessity of the brake negative pressure is larger as a distance to a preceding vehicle is closer, such that

the necessity of the brake negative pressure is larger as a down-gradient is larger on a road surface where the vehicle is running, or such that

the necessity of the brake negative pressure is larger as a vehicle speed is larger when the vehicle is running.

3. The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the first inertia running mode is a free-run inertia running mode that is an inertia running mode performed by disconnecting the engine and the drive wheels and stopping the engine during running, and wherein

the second inertia running mode is a neutral inertia running mode that is an inertia running mode performed by disconnecting the engine and the drive wheels and operating the engine in a self-sustaining manner during running.

4. The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the first inertia running mode is a free-run inertia running mode that is an inertia running mode performed by disconnecting the engine and the drive wheels and stopping the engine during running, and wherein

the second inertia running mode is a cylinder resting inertia running mode performed by stopping a fuel supply to the engine with the engine coupled to the drive wheels and stopping operation of at least one of a piston and intake/exhaust valves in a part of multiple cylinders of the engine.