Engine start control device

• US 9,410,492 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Miyaki, Tomohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hamaoui, David
• Application Number:
  US13/659,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20130104829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.3, 701/113
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/021 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/023 Temperature of lubricating oil or working fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/005 by controlling a throttle by-pass
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0002 Controlling intake air
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1055 having a fluid by-pass
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 69/32 with an air by-pass around the air throttle valve or with an auxiliary air passage, e.g. with a variably controlled valve therein
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/087 Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/023 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/02 Battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An engine start control device includes: a control valve which adjusts a gas flow rate of a gas channel provided so as to bypass a throttle valve of an engine; a starter motor capable of driving a crankshaft of the engine; a control unit which controls an opening degree of the control valve and a current supply to the starter motor; and a latch circuit which holds a command for current control from the control unit to the starter motor, wherein the control unit performs the control so as to cause the current supply to the starter motor to start after the opening degree of the control valve reaches a target opening degree for an engine start time, and even when the control unit is reset, the latch circuit continues the current supply to the starter motor according to the command for current control that the latch circuit keeps holding.

Claims

1. An engine start control device comprising:

a control valve which adjusts a gas flow rate of a gas channel provided so as to bypass a throttle valve of an engine;

a starter motor capable of driving a crankshaft of the engine;

a control unit which controls an opening degree of the control valve and a current supply to the starter motor; and

a latch circuit which holds a current supply command and a stop command as a command for current control from the control unit to the starter motor, wherein;

even when the control unit is reset during cranking, the latch circuit continues the current supply to the starter motor according to the command for current control that the latch circuit keeps holding;

the control unit outputs the current supply command to the latch circuit so as to cause the current supply to the starter motor to begin after the opening degree of the control valve reaches a target opening degree suitable for an engine start time;

the control unit outputs the stop command to the latch circuit so as to cause the current supply to the starter motor to stop when one of the following occurs;

the engine is started, the engine is not started and a cranking time exceeds a predetermined time, or the engine is not started and an operation to stop the engine is performed before the cranking time does not exceed the predetermined time;

the control unit further determines whether or not the control unit is reset during cranking, based on the current supply command or the stop command held by the latch circuit, and fixes the opening degree of the control valve without initializing the opening degree of the control valve in a case where the control unit is reset;

the control unit initializes the opening degree of the control valve when the power supply to the control unit is stopped under one of the following conditions;

i) after the engine is started; and

ii) after all of the following occur;

the engine is not started, and the control unit is reset during cranking; and

the control unit does not initialize the opening degree of the control valve when the power supply to the control unit is stopped after all of the following occur;

the engine is not started, and the control unit is not reset during cranking.