JPH04271925A - Start control device for automatic vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent sudden starting at the time of operating a shift lever in an automatic vehicle. CONSTITUTION:A sift lever position detecting device 1 for detecting position of a shift lever, an engine speed detecting device 2 for detecting the speed of an engine, and a control device 3 for receiving the signal from the devices 1, 2 and for generating the signal for cancelling the lock of the shift lever after passing a time longer than other case when the shift lever is not positioned in a parking nor a neutral position and engine speed is higher than a predetermined speed, and a shift lever lock cancelling device 4 for receiving the output signal from the control device 3 to cancel the lock of the shift lever are provided.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a start control system for an automatic vehicle that prevents the vehicle from suddenly starting when a shift lever is operated.

0002

[Prior Art] Automobiles equipped with automatic transmissions (hereinafter referred to as automatic vehicles) operate when the shift lever is switched from the parking or neutral position to the drive or reverse position for driving, during warm-up or If the engine speed is high, such as when the cooling compressor is running, the vehicle will start suddenly. As means for preventing this sudden start, there are methods that prevent the shift lever from being operated unless the brake pedal is depressed, and methods that provide a lock mechanism that prevents the shift lever from being operated. However, in the case where the shift lever cannot be operated unless the brake pedal is depressed, there is a problem in that when the brake pedal is released immediately after operating the shift lever, a situation similar to a sudden start occurs.

Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-70628 or Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 64-47624, a shift lever locking device is provided, and when this locking device is functioning, the shift lever cannot be operated. There are techniques to prevent this from happening. Of these, the former bulletin states:
A lock plate that locks the shift lever from parking or neutral position to other positions.
Provided to be able to swing between a locked position and an unlocked position,
A slide member is provided that moves in a direction that intersects the rocking direction of the lock plate on substantially the same plane to switch the lock plate between a lock position and an unlock position, and a solenoid that moves this slide member is provided. A configuration is disclosed.

Next, the latter publication provides a shift lever lock device that prevents the shift lever from being changed, and this lock device prevents the shift lever from being operated when the engine speed is higher than a preset value. A technique for doing so has been disclosed.

[0005] The former of the above-mentioned prior art merely shows a locking device for a shift lever, and therefore cannot achieve the object of the present invention, which will be described later, by itself. On the other hand, the latter prevents the shift lever from being switched from the parking or neutral position to other positions such as the drive or reverse position when the engine speed is higher than the set value. When shifting from one position to another, the engine speed is not always constant, and it is necessary to start depending on the situation, making it difficult to use. That is, when an automobile is stopped on a rough road and the vehicle is started from the rough road, it is possible to start smoothly if the engine speed is higher to a certain extent, but there is a problem that the vehicle cannot cope with this problem.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of this point, and it is possible to change the shift lever from the parking or neutral position to the drive position when the engine speed is higher than a set value and the shift lever is operated. Alternatively, instead of preventing switching to other positions such as the reverse position, the aim is to provide a start control system for an automatic vehicle that performs switching but does not cause a sudden start.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems] As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a shift lever position detection device for detecting the position of a shift lever, and a shift lever position detection device for detecting the position of a shift lever in an automobile equipped with an automatic transmission. The output signals from the engine rotation speed detection device, the shift lever position detection device, and the engine rotation speed detection device are detected, and the shift lever position is not in parking or neutral, and the engine rotation speed is set in advance. When the value is higher than the
A start control device for an automatic vehicle consists of a control device that issues an output signal to release the lock after a longer period of time has passed than other times, and a shift lever lock device that releases the lock of the shift lever in response to the output signal from the control device. That's what I got.

[0008]

[Operation] With this configuration, when the engine speed is higher than a preset value, when operating the shift lever to change from the parking or neutral position to another position such as the drive position or reverse position, Instead of switching at the same time as the operation, the actual switching can be performed after a short period of time, so the delay time will prevent sudden start.

[0009]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a shift lever position detection device for an automobile (not shown) equipped with an automatic transmission, which detects the position of a shift lever. Although various specific structures can be considered, for example, it can be realized by providing a contact point on the side of the shift lever, or installing a proximity switch or the like. Further, the resistance value may be changed by measuring the tilting of the shift lever in terms of angle. The format of the output signal may be analog or encoded.

Reference numeral 2 represents an engine rotation speed detection device. Various mechanisms can be considered as this engine rotational speed detection device 2, but one that can be easily implemented is, for example, one that detects a pulse proportional to the engine rotational speed generated in an ignition coil.

[0011] What is indicated by the reference numeral 3 is a control device. This control device 3 receives output signals from the shift lever position detection device 1 and the engine speed detection device 2, and detects when the shift lever position is not in parking or neutral and the engine speed is lower than a preset value. When it is high, the unlock output signal is issued after a longer time has elapsed than at other times. In order to operate in this way, there is a circuit that compares the signal from the engine rotation speed setting circuit and the engine rotation speed detection device 2 with the set value set in the setting circuit, and as a result of the comparison, the actual engine rotation speed is determined as the set value. A built-in delay circuit etc. is built in so that when the speed is higher, the timing at which the lock release signal is sent to the shift lever lock device 4 connected to the next stage is delayed compared to other states (when the engine speed is lower than the set value). are doing. In addition, this control device 3 can be used to change the delay time of the delay circuit or stop the operation (
It will be convenient to use if you have a function (no delay).

[0012] What is indicated by the reference numeral 4 is a shift lever lock device. The shift lever locking device 4 locks and unlocks the shift lever in response to an output signal from the control device 3. When the shift lever locking device 4 functions to lock the shift lever, the plunger is made to protrude by, for example, energization (or de-energization) by a solenoid, and the shift lever itself cannot be operated with this plunger. Alternatively, the shift lever and a mechanism that changes gears by the tilting angle (position) of the shift lever may be mechanically or electrically connected.
It is also possible to make the coupling detachable so that even if the driver operates the shift lever, the gear cannot actually be changed. In any of these cases, when a shift lever unlock signal is received from the control device 3, the gear can be changed.

FIG. 2 shows the operation of the start control device for an automatic vehicle according to the present invention, and shows the operation of the start control device for an automatic vehicle according to the present invention.
The flow from "Start" to Step 10 "End" is shown. In Step 6, it is determined whether the shift lever position has changed from Park or Neutral to Drive or Reverse position, that is, whether the shift lever has been shifted, and if the shift lever has been shifted, then in the next Step 7, the engine speed is set to the set value. A judgment is made as to whether it is high or low. As a result, if the engine speed is higher than the set value, it is determined whether or not the time corresponding to the engine speed has elapsed, and if it is determined that the time corresponding to the engine speed has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 9. Then, the same operation as indicated on the shift lever is executed, and the process reaches step 10, which is the end of the operation.

When it is determined in step 6 that the shift lever 6 has not been switched from the parking or neutral position to the drive or reverse position,
Alternatively, if it is determined that the shift has been shifted, and the engine speed is determined to be below the set value in the next step 7, the process moves to step 9, where the same operation as the shift lever display is performed, and step 10 will end. Note that if it is not recognized in step 8 that the time has elapsed in accordance with the engine speed, the process returns to step 7 and reconfirmation is performed.

When operating in this manner, the relationship between the change in engine speed when it exceeds the set value and the elapsed time from shift lever operation to start is a linear change as shown in FIG. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, it may be gradual at first and then steep. In short, as shown in the figure, the higher the engine speed, the longer the time from operating the shift lever to actually starting the vehicle.

[0015]

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is a start control device for an automatic vehicle configured as described above, the device normally operates during warm-up or when the cooling compressor of an air conditioner is operating. Even if the shift lever is tilted toward the driving side when the engine speed is high, as in the case of 2008, it will take time from the time the shift lever is operated to the time the vehicle starts moving. Therefore, an unexpected sudden start can be prevented. Compared to the prior art, which locks the shift lever when the engine speed is higher than the set value, it also locks the shift lever when the engine speed is high, such as when starting from a rough road. There are some features that make it possible to deal with this. Furthermore, if the driver feels that it takes a long time from operating the shift lever to starting the vehicle, he or she can take measures such as waiting until the engine speed stabilizes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of the operation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between engine speed and time from shift lever operation to start of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between engine speed and time from shift lever operation to start of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Shift lever position detection device 2 Engine speed detection device 3 Control device 4 Shift lever lock device

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: In an automobile equipped with an automatic transmission, a shift lever position detection device that detects the position of the shift lever, an engine rotation speed detection device that detects the engine rotation speed, and the shift lever position detection device and the engine rotation speed. When the shift lever position is not in parking or neutral and the engine speed is higher than a preset value, the lock will be released after a longer period of time than at other times. A start control device for an automatic vehicle, comprising a control device that issues an output signal, and a shift lever lock device that unlocks a shift lever in response to the output signal of the control device.