US 6,434,475 B1 · Automatic stop/restart device of vehicle engine

Abstract

In a vehicle which has an automatic stop/restart device of the engine 1, the engine 1 is started rapidly only in cases where a quick start of the engine 1 is required such as when the vehicle is stationary on a rising slope, or cuts across the opposite lane for a left turn. For this purpose, excitation of an motor 2 is performed before startup of the motor 2 for restarting the engine 1 quickly. When automatic stop conditions are satisfied, the engine 1 stops, and when restart conditions are satisfied, the motor 2 is started to restart the engine 1. When the vehicle is on a rising slope and it is required to start the vehicle quickly, the motor 2 is energized first before the motor 2 is started. Also, when it is determined that the vehicle must start rapidly such as when the vehicle is trying to cut across the opposite lane for a left turn, the motor 2 is excited before it starts. In this way, when it is desired to start, the vehicle quickly, a rapid restart of the engine 1 and therefore rapid start of the vehicle is possible.

Claims12

Dependent claims

An engine automatic stop/restart device of a vehicle, the vehicle having a drive wheel, and a transmission mechanism which transmits a creep force to the drive wheel according to a rotation of an engine, comprising;

a motor for starting the engine,
an inverter for supplying an exciting current and a torque current to the motor,
a sensor which detects that the vehicle is stationary,
a sensor which detects that a brake pedal is depressed,
a sensor which detects that an accelerator pedal is depressed, and
a microprocessor programmed to:
stop the engine automatically when the vehicle is stationary with the brake pedal depressed,
determine whether or not an excitation of the motor is required before startup of the motor,
supply the exciting current to the motor before startup of the motor when the excitation of the motor is required before startup of the motor,
inhibit supplying the exciting current to the motor before startup of the motor when the excitation of the motor is not required before startup of the motor, and
restart the engine by supplying the torque current in addition to the exciting current to the motor for startup of the motor, when the accelerator pedal is depressed after the engine has automatically stopped.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic stop/restart device of vehicle engine

Life of this patent

Automatic stop/restart device of vehicle engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12