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EP0721060A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Control device for automobile

Assignee: JATCO Corp
•
Filing: 1995-12-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-12-14
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Abstract

Abstract An engine compartment cooling fan provided in an engine compartment is controlled by a control unit, to be placed in its ON or OFF state, on the basis of an output from an engine compartment temperature sensor. The control unit continues the control of the engine compartment fan for a predetermined period of time after a key switch is turned off, with power supplied from a battery through a by-pass line. This permits the engine to be re-started without difficulty even after a short time of stop of the vehicle. Upon lapse of the predetermined time, the control unit disconnects the power supply through the by-pass line and stops its operation. Since there is no power consumption after the end of the operation of the cooling fan, unnecessary consumption of the battery can be avoided.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yoshiaki c/o Jatco Corp. Ueda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 20:49
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01P; F01P7/00; F01P7/02; F01P7/08; F01P11/00; F01P11/14; F01P1/00; F01P2001/005; F01P2025/00; F01P2025/08; F01P2025/48; F01P2031/00; F01P2031/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 111 words
A control device for an automobile comprising: a processing unit, actuated with a power supply from an on-vehicle battery through a key switch circuit, for controlling drive and stop modes of an on-vehicle equipment; and a switching circuit, disposed between the on-vehicle battery and the processing unit, for supplying electric power to the processing unit through a by-pass line in response to a command signal from the processing unit; wherein said processing unit is supplied with power through the by-pass line and the switching circuit after the key switch circuit is turned off, and wherein the processing unit turns off the switching circuit upon completion of control of the on-vehicle equipment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 86 words
A control device for an automobile as defined in claim 1, wherein said processing unit includes means for determining one of ON and OFF states of the key switch circuit; means for continuing control of the drive and stop modes of the on-vehicle equipment for a predetermined period of time after the key switch circuit is determined to be in the OFF state; and means for turning off the switching circuit if it is unnecessary to drive the on-vehicle equipment after the predetermined period of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
A control device for an automobile as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching circuit comprises a switching transistor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 237 words
A control device for an automobile comprising: a first switching circuit for permitting and inhibiting power supply to an exhaust fan for exhausting an air in an engine compartment; a processing block for controlling ON and Off states of the first switching circuit; a power source circuit for producing a source voltage to the processing block from electric power of an on-vehicle battery supplied through a key switch; a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature level in the engine compartment; a power source sensor for generating an output corresponding to one of ON and OFF states of the key switch; and a second switching circuit provided between the on-vehicle battery and the power source circuit, for permitting power supply through a by-pass line to the power source circuit in response to a command from the processing block; wherein said processing block includes first means for turning on the second switching circuit before the key switch is turned off, second means for turning on and off the first switching circuit on the basis of an output of the temperature sensor, third means for determining the ON and OFF states of the key switch on the basis of an output of the power source sensor, and fourth means for turning off the second switching circuit after the exhaust fan is kept controlled for a predetermined time period when the key switch is determined to be in the OFF state.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 120 words
A control device for an automobile as defined in claim 4, wherein said fourth means comprises: means for starting a cooling timer when the key switch is determined in the OFF state; means for turning off the second switching circuit if control of the exhaust fan is completed upon timeout of the cooling timer, and for starting an extended timer if control of the exhaust fan is not completed; means for turning off the second switching circuit immediately after the control of the exhaust fan is completed during counting of the extended timer; and means for turning off the second switching circuit upon timeout of the extended timer even if the control of the exhaust fan has not been completed.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH02112611A Cited

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