ENGINE CONTROL DEVICE FOR TRACTOR

• US 20120296532A1
• Filed: 01/19/2011
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iseki & Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Iseki & Company Limited
• Inventors: Murakami, Tatsuzo, Izutani, Takanori, Ishida, Tomoyuki, Wakino, Takashi, Kajino, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 9,062,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0604 Estimation of fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/604 Engine control mode selected by driver, e.g. to manually start particle filter regeneration or to select driving style
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/00 Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• 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

In structure of an engine control device for a tractor, when a standard engine performance curve is selected by a mode selection device, and a PTO drive device, which drives an implement attached to a tractor, is turned on, switching to the engine speed maintenance control mode is performed. Further, when a fuel efficient engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device, and the PTO drive device, which drives the implement, is turned on, switching to the engine speed change control mode is performed. The problem that an engine stall tends to occur when control for maintaining the engine speed is performed while the fuel efficient engine performance curve with lower consumption rate than normal consumption rate is selected can be solved.

Claims

1. An engine control device for a tractor, the tractor comprising:

a mode selection device configured to switch between a standard engine performance curve to obtain predetermined output and a fuel efficient engine performance curve to reduce fuel consumption than that in the standard engine performance curve; and

an engine speed maintenance control mode in which when load is applied, an engine speed is maintained at a preset speed, and an engine speed change control mode in which when load is applied, the engine speed is controlled to decrease, and

wherein the engine control device is configured to control the tractor such that automatic switching to the engine speed maintenance control mode is performed when the standard engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device, and a PTO drive device, which drives an implement attached to the tractor, is turned on, and when a determination is made that there is a margin in engine load, the fuel efficient engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device and automatic switching to the engine speed change control mode is performed, and

wherein the engine control device is configured to control the tractor such that automatic switching to the engine speed change control mode is performed when the fuel efficient engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device, and the PTO drive device, which drives the implement, is turned on, and when a determination is made that there is no margin in the engine load, the standard engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device and automatic switching to the engine speed maintenance control mode is performed, and

wherein the engine control device is configured to control the tractor such that switching to the engine speed maintenance control mode is performed in a case that the implement is located lower than an uppermost position of the implement even when the PTO drive device is turned off.

2. The engine control device for the tractor according to claim 1, the tractor further comprising:

an engine speed storage device configured to store the engine speed; and

an engine speed reproduction device configured to reproduce the engine speed stored in the engine speed storage device, and

wherein the engine control device is configured to control the tractor such that switching to the engine speed change control mode is performed when the fuel efficient engine performance curve is selected by the mode selection device, and the engine speed reproduction device is turned on.

3. The engine control device for the tractor according to claim 2, the tractor further comprising a manual switch, and

wherein the engine control device is configured to control the tractor such that switching to the engine speed maintenance control mode always is performed when the manual switch is turned on.