Control method, controller, and control program for controlling starting system, computer-readable medium carrying control program, starting system, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228102-B2
Application number	US-202018043772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Sep 4, 2020
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A starting system of an engine mounted on a vehicle includes an air reservoir; an air motor driven by compressed air supplied from the air reservoir; a battery; an electric motor driven by electric power from the battery; and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit performs the step of controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor so that the engine is started by at least one, determined in accordance with an air pressure in the air reservoir, of an output of the air motor and an output of the electric motor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A starting system control method for controlling a starting system of an engine mounted on a vehicle, the starting system including an air reservoir, an air motor driven by compressed air supplied from the air reservoir, a battery, an electric motor driven by electric power from the battery, and an electronic control unit,
the method comprising the step, performed by the electronic control unit, of:
controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor so that the engine is started by at least one, determined in accordance with an air pressure in the air reservoir, of an output of the air motor and an output of the electric motor, wherein when the air pressure in the air reservoir is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the air motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the air motor, and
when the air pressure in the air reservoir is less than the predetermined threshold, the electric motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the electric motor.

2. The starting system control method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the air motor is configured, when the engine is in operation, to function as an air compressor that supplies compressed air to the air reservoir.

3. The starting system control method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vehicle is equipped with an idle reduction system, and
wherein the engine is stopped by the idle reduction system before the engine is started.

4. The starting system control method according to claim 3 ,
wherein the idle reduction system includes a switch for selecting whether to activate or deactivate the idle reduction system, and
wherein the step of controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor is performed by the electronic control unit when the switch is operated to select to activate the idle reduction system.

5. The starting system control method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the air pressure in the air reservoir is measured by a pressure sensor.

6. The starting system control method according to claim 5 ,
wherein the step of controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor is performed by the electronic control unit when the pressure sensor operates properly.

7. A starting system controller configured to perform the step according to claim 1 .

8. A starting system control program comprising a program code which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps according to claim 1 .

9. A computer-readable medium carrying a starting system control program comprising a program code which, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps according to claim 1 .

10. A starting system of an engine mounted on a vehicle, the starting system comprising:
an air reservoir;
an air motor driven by compressed air supplied from the air reservoir;
a battery;
an electric motor driven by electric power from the battery; and
an electronic control unit configured to control the air motor and/or the electric motor so that the engine is started by at least one, determined in accordance with an air pressure in the air reservoir, of an output of the air motor and an output of the electric motor,
when the air pressure in the air reservoir is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the air motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the air motor, and

when the air pressure in the air reservoir is less than the predetermined threshold, the electric motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the electric motor.

11. A vehicle equipped with the starting system according to claim 10 .

12. A starting system control method for controlling a starting system of an engine mounted on a vehicle, the starting system including an air reservoir, an air motor driven by compressed air supplied from the air reservoir, a battery, an electric motor driven by electric power from the battery, and an electronic control unit,
the method comprising the step, performed by the electronic control unit, of:
controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor so that the engine is started by at least one, determined in accordance with an air pressure in the air reservoir, of an output of the air motor and an output of the electric motor,

wherein, in the step of controlling the air motor and/or the electric motor,
when the air pressure in the air reservoir is equal to or greater than a first predetermined threshold, the air motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the air motor,
when the air pressure in the air reservoir is less than a second predetermined threshold that is lower than the first predetermined threshold, the electric motor is controlled so that the engine is started by the output of the electric motor, and
when the air pressure in the air reservoir is less than the first predetermined threshold and equal to or greater than the second predetermined threshold, the air motor and the electric motor are controlled so that the engine is started by both the output of the air motor and the output of the electric motor.

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Maeda Kotaro

Classifications

• F02N2300/2002

  using different starting modes, methods, or actuators depending on circumstances, e.g. engine temperature or component wear · CPC title

• F02N11/0814 Primary

  comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop · CPC title

• F02N7/08 Primary

  the engines being of rotary type · CPC title