Engine starting device and engine starting method

• US 9,631,596 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kitano, Hiroaki, Mizuno, Daisuke, Ishikawa, Osamu, Okabe, Takeru, Kamei, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laguarda, Gonzalo
• Application Number:
  US14/396,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150096535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/0092 Synchronisation of the cylinders at engine start
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/101 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0097 using means for generating speed signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0818 Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• 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 11/0855 during engine shutdown or after engine stop before start command, e.g. pre-engagement of pinion
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 15/067 the starter comprising an electro-magnetically actuated lever
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2019/002 Aiding engine start by acting on fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2002 using different starting modes, methods, or actuators depending on circumstances, e.g. engine temperature or component wear
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1506 with particular means during starting
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1558 with special measures for starting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

The engine starting device for stopping, when an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied, fuel injection to the engine to automatically stop the engine, and for thereafter restarting the engine when an engine restart condition is satisfied, includes: a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of the engine; a starter motor rotated by a current supply; a pinion gear for transmitting the rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; a pinion gear moving part for moving the pinion gear toward the ring gear by a current supply, thereby meshing the pinion gear with the ring gear; and a fuel injection control part for restarting the fuel injection so that combustion is generated in a predetermined compression cylinder after the engine restart condition is satisfied and after the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

Claims

1. An engine starting device for stopping, when an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied, fuel injection to an engine to automatically stop the engine, and for thereafter restarting the engine when an engine restart condition is satisfied,

the engine starting device comprising:

a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of the engine;

a starter motor rotated by a current supply;

a pinion gear for transmitting the rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear;

a pinion gear moving part for moving the pinion gear toward the ring gear by another current supply, thereby meshing the pinion gear with the ring gear; and

a fuel injection controller restarting the fuel injection at the same time the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear toward the ring gear so that combustion is generated in a predetermined compression cylinder after the engine restart condition is satisfied and after the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

2. An engine starting device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined compression cylinder is a first compression cylinder after completion of the meshing between the pinion gear and the ring gear.

3. An engine starting device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation speed estimation part for estimating an engine rotation speed at the predetermined compression cylinder

wherein the predetermined compression cylinder is a first compression cylinder after the engine rotation speed estimated by the rotation speed estimation part becomes equal to or more than a predetermined rotation speed.

4. An engine starting device according to claim 3, wherein the rotation speed estimation part estimates the engine rotation speed before 90 degrees before top dead center at each cylinder of the engine.

5. An engine starting device according to claim 1, wherein the fuel injection controller restarts the fuel injection after the engine restart condition is satisfied and before the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

6. An engine starting device according to claim 2, wherein the fuel injection controller restarts the fuel injection after the engine restart condition is satisfied and before the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

7. An engine starting device according to claim 3, wherein the fuel injection controller restarts the fuel injection after the engine restart condition is satisfied and before the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

8. An engine starting device according to claim 4, wherein the fuel injection controller restarts the fuel injection after the engine restart condition is satisfied and before the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.

9. An engine starting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition timing control part for controlling an ignition timing of the ignition coil,

wherein the ignition timing control part sets ignition of the predetermined compression cylinder after a top dead center.

10. An engine starting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition timing control part for controlling an ignition timing of the ignition coil,

wherein the ignition timing control part sets ignition of the predetermined compression cylinder after a top dead center.

11. An engine starting device according to claim 3, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition timing control part for controlling an ignition timing of the ignition coil,

wherein the ignition timing control part sets ignition of the predetermined compression cylinder after a top dead center.

12. An engine starting device according to claim 4, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition timing control part for controlling an ignition timing of the ignition coil,

wherein the ignition timing control part sets ignition of the predetermined compression cylinder after a top dead center.

13. An engine starting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition preparation part for charging the ignition coil with a voltage,

wherein the ignition preparation part starts the voltage charge to the ignition coil after a top dead center.

14. An engine starting device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition preparation part for charging the ignition coil with a voltage,

wherein the ignition preparation part starts the voltage charge to the ignition coil after a top dead center.

15. An engine starting device according to claim 3, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition preparation part for charging the ignition coil with a voltage,

wherein the ignition preparation part starts the voltage charge to the ignition coil after a top dead center.

16. An engine starting device according to claim 4, further comprising:

an ignition coil; and

an ignition preparation part for charging the ignition coil with a voltage,

wherein the ignition preparation part starts the voltage charge to the ignition coil after a top dead center.

17. An engine starting device according to claim 1, wherein when the engine restart condition is satisfied during an inertial rotation of the engine caused by the stop of the fuel injection to the engine, the current supply to the starter motor is started based on at least an engine rotation speed after the movement of the pinion gear is started by the pinion gear moving part.

18. An engine starting device according to claim 2, wherein when the engine restart condition is satisfied during an inertial rotation of the engine caused by the stop of the fuel injection to the engine, the current supply to the starter motor is started based on at least an engine rotation speed after the movement of the pinion gear is started by the pinion gear moving part.

19. An engine starting device according to claim 3, wherein when the engine restart condition is satisfied during an inertial rotation of the engine caused by the stop of the fuel injection to the engine, the current supply to the starter motor is started based on at least an engine rotation speed after the movement of the pinion gear is started by the pinion gear moving part.

20. An engine starting device according to claim 4, wherein when the engine restart condition is satisfied during an inertial rotation of the engine caused by the stop of the fuel injection to the engine, the current supply to the starter motor is started based on at least an engine rotation speed after the movement of the pinion gear is started by the pinion gear moving part.

21. An engine starting method carried out by an engine starting device for stopping, when an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied, fuel injection to an engine to automatically stop the engine, and for thereafter restarting the engine when an engine restart condition is satisfied,

the engine starting device comprising:

a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of the engine;

a starter motor rotated by a current supply;

a pinion gear for transmitting the rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; and

a pinion gear moving part for moving the pinion gear toward the ring gear by a current supply, thereby meshing the pinion gear with the ring gear,

the engine starting method comprising a fuel injection control step of restarting the fuel injection at the same time the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear toward the ring gear so that combustion is generated in a predetermined compression cylinder after the engine restart condition is satisfied and after the pinion gear moving part starts the movement of the pinion gear.