Control of pre-engaged pinion starter
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsChunhao J. Lee, Chandra S. Namuduri, Farzad Samie, Lei Hao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pre-engaged piston starter system of an automobile vehicle includes an engine having a flywheel to start the engine connected to the engine by an engine shaft. A starter motor provides rotational energy to a starter gear. A pinion gear transfers rotational energy of the starter gear to the flywheel. A solenoid is energized to shift the pinion gear to an engaged position between the flywheel and the starter gear. An auto-stop mode is entered when an engine speed is decreased below a calibrated threshold speed defining approximately 250 rpm. A calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed allows engagement of the pinion gear when the engine speed is below the calibrated threshold speed.
Claims17
A pre-engaged piston starter system of an automobile vehicle, comprising:
- a starter motor providing a rotational energy to a starter gear;
- a pinion gear releasably engaged with a flywheel, the pinion gear transferring the rotational energy from the starter gear to the flywheel;
- an auto-stop mode wherein an engine speed is decreased below a calibrated threshold speed;
- and
- a calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed allowing engagement of the pinion gear after the engine speed is reduced below the calibrated threshold speed, the calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed (S) being calculated using:
- S
- =
- (
- (
- 1
- /
- (
- N
-
- #
-
-
- Fly
-
-
- Teeth
- n
- )
- )
- /
- )
- ×
- (
- 1000
-
-
- msec
- /
- sec
- )
- ×
- (
- 60
-
-
- sec
- /
- min
- )
- wherein N represents a number of teeth on the flywheel, n represents a quantity of teeth passing during an estimated engaging time defined by Δt.
A pre-engaged piston starter system of an automobile vehicle, comprising:
- an engine having a flywheel to start the engine connected to the engine by an engine shaft;
- a starter motor providing rotational energy to a starter gear;
- a pinion gear transferring rotational energy of the starter gear to the flywheel;
- a solenoid energized to shift the pinion gear to an engaged position between the flywheel and the starter gear;
- an auto-stop mode entered when an engine speed is decreased below a calibrated threshold speed defining approximately 250 rpm;
- and
- a calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed allowing engagement of the pinion gear when the engine speed is below the calibrated threshold speed, the calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed (S) being calculated using:
- S
- =
- (
- (
- 1
- /
- (
- N
-
- #
-
-
- Fly
-
-
- Teeth
- n
- )
- )
- /
- )
- ×
- (
- 1000
-
-
- msec
- /
- sec
- )
- ×
- (
- 60
-
-
- sec
- /
- min
- )
- wherein N represents a number of teeth on the flywheel, n represents a quantity of teeth passing during an estimated engaging time defined by Δt.
A method for operating a pre-engaged piston starter system of an automobile vehicle, comprising:
- providing a starter motor providing a rotational energy to a starter gear;
- providing a pinion gear releasably engaged with a flywheel, the pinion gear transferring the rotational energy from the starter gear to the flywheel;
- providing an auto-stop mode wherein an engine speed is decreased below a calibrated threshold speed;
- determining if an automobile vehicle engine is stopping and if a fuel supply to the engine is being cut;
- querying if predetermined conditions defining an engine auto-stop event are present;
- monitoring an engine stopping speed;
- comparing the engine stopping speed to a predefined engagement criteria, the predefined engagement criteria including a calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed allowing engagement of the pinion gear after the engine speed is reduced below the calibrated threshold speed, the calculated pinion pre-engagement engine speed (S) being calculated using:
- S
- =
- (
- (
- 1
- /
- (
- N
-
- #
-
-
- Fly
-
-
- Teeth
- n
- )
- )
- /
- )
- ×
- (
- 1000
-
-
- msec
- /
- sec
- )
- ×
- (
- 60
-
-
- sec
- /
- min
- )
- wherein N represents a number of teeth on the flywheel, n represents a quantity of teeth passing during an estimated engaging time defined by Δt;
- generating a criteria MET signal when the engine stopping speed meets the predefined engagement criteria;
- and
- forwarding a pinion engagement command to direct energy to a starter motor, thereby initiating actuation of a solenoid and engagement of the pinion gear to prepare for an auto-start of the engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.