Throttle control response selection system

• US 6,089,207 A
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Goode, Charles E., McKenna, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOULIS, THOMAS N
• Application Number:
  US09/156,473
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 123/357, 123/359, 123/479
• US Class Current: 123/357
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/1422 Variable gain or coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/007 controlling fuel supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2422 Selective use of one or more tables

Abstract

A vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a throttle control is disclosed. The throttle control is responsive to a vehicle operator to generate a throttle setting signal to adjust vehicle speed. An operator-controlled input device is also provided to generate a selected signal corresponding to a selected one of a number of predetermined engine control relationships. A controller responds to the selection signal to govern engine operation in accordance with the selected one of the relationships and the throttle setting signal. The throttle control has a different performance characteristic for each of the relationships and is adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease speed for each of the relationships. The relationships may each correspond to a different type of engine governing technique and include different droop characteristics.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

operating a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine having a throttle control;

selecting between at least two engine governing relationships with a selection device, response to the throttle control being different for each of the relationships, the throttle control being adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease vehicle speed for each of the relationships; and

regulating operation of the engine with the selected one of the relationships.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first one of the relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of the relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationships each correspond to a different degree of droop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor with a different degree of droop.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection device includes a switch mounted in a driver compartment of the vehicle and the throttle control includes an accelerator pedal in the driver compartment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the selection device during said regulating to select a different one of the relationships.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a predetermined position of the throttle control and an engine load below a predetermined minimum; and

changing to the different one of the relationships to regulate the engine in response to said detecting.

8. A method, comprising:

operating a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine having a throttle control;

selecting between at least two engine control relationships with a selection device, the relationships each having a different droop characteristic to provide a correspondingly different throttle control quality to a throttle control operator, the throttle control being adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease vehicle speed for each of the relationships; and

regulating operation of the engine with the selected one of the relationships.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a first one of the relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of the relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor with a different degree of droop.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selection device includes a switch mounted in the vehicle and the throttle control includes an accelerator pedal mounted in the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising activating the selection device during said regulating to select a different one of the relationships.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a predetermined position of the throttle control and an engine load below a predetermined minimum; and

changing to the different one of the relationships to regulate the engine in response to said detecting.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor with a different degree of droop.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the engine is diesel-fueled, has a number of reciprocating pistons rotatably coupled to a crankshaft, the vehicle includes a driver compartment, the throttle control is an accelerator pedal in the driver compartment, the selection device includes a switch mounted in the driver compartment, and the predetermined throttle position corresponds to an undeflected position of the accelerator pedal.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle;

an internal combustion engine to power said vehicle;

a throttle control responsive to a vehicle operator to generate a throttle setting signal to adjust engine speed;

an operator-controlled input device to generate a selection signal corresponding to a selected one of a number of predetermined engine control relationships;

a controller responsive to said selection signal to govern engine operation in accordance with said selected one of said relationships and said throttle setting signal; and

wherein said throttle control has a different performance characteristic for each of said relationships and is adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease vehicle speed for each of said relationships.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said relationships each correspond to a different droop characteristic.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a first one of said relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of said relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said selection device includes a switch mounted in said vehicle, and said throttle control includes an accelerator pedal mounted in said vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said controller detects a predetermined position of said accelerator pedal and a minimum level of engine loading before shifting control of said engine in accordance with one of said relationships to another of said relationships in response to said selection signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor with a different degree of droop.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein a first one of said relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of said relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a memory coupled to said controller, said relationships each corresponding to a look-up table stored in said memory, and said controller being programmed to access said look-up table corresponding to said selected one of said relationships.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle;

an internal combustion engine powering said vehicle;

a throttle control operatively coupled to said engine, said throttle control being responsive to an operator to adjust vehicle speed; and

a means for operator selection of a performance characteristic of said throttle control, said means including a number of engine control relationships each having a different droop property, said engine being regulated by said means in accordance with a selected one of said relationships and said throttle control.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein a first one of said relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of said relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor having a different droop amount.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said means includes an operator-controlled selection device operatively coupled to a controller and said throttle control includes an accelerator pedal.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said controller detects a predetermined position of said accelerator pedal and a minimum level of engine loading before shifting regulation of said engine in accordance with one of said relationships to another of said relationships in response to a selection signal from said selection device.

29. A method, comprising:

operating a vehicle powered by a prime mover having a throttle control;

selecting between at least two control relationships with a selection device, the relationships each having a different droop characteristic to provide a correspondingly different throttle control quality to a throttle control operator, the throttle control being adjustable by the operator to increase or decrease vehicle speed for each of the relationships; and

regulating operation of the prime mover with the selected one of the relationships.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein a first one of the relationships corresponds to an all-speed governor and a second one of the relationships corresponds to a torque governor.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the relationships each correspond to an all-speed governor with a different degree of droop.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the selection device includes a switch mounted in the vehicle and the throttle control includes an accelerator pedal mounted in the vehicle.