US4364348A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an engine
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1981-07-01
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Granted: 1982-12-21
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Expires: 2001-07-01
Abstract
Abstract An engine has a main intake passage having a throttle valve therein. A bypass passage is branched off from the main intake passage located upstream of the throttle valve and is connected to the main intake passage located downstream of the throttle valve. A flow control valve, actuated by a stepper motor, is arranged in the bypass passage. When the engine is started, the control valve is moved from the fully opened position to a predetermined position for reducing the flow area of the bypass passage. Then, the control valve is gradually closed as the temperature of the cooling water of the engine is increased.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Itoh
- 👤 Nobuyuki Kobayashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 16:04
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02N; F02N19/00; F02N19/02; F02N19/04; F02N19/10; F02D; F02D31/00; F02D31/001; F02D31/002; F02D31/003; F02D31/005; F02D41/00; F02D41/0002; F02M; F02M3/00; F02M3/06; F02M3/07; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of controlling the idling speed of an engine comprising a main intake passage, a throttle valve arranged in the main intake passage, a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve, a control valve arranged in the bypass passge, and a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage, wherein said method comprises: determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of a coolant of the engine; determining the speed of the engine; rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to said first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started and the speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined speed; and increasing said predetermined speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is reduced.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of controlling the idling speed of an engine comprising a main intake passage, a throttle valve arranged in the main intake passage, a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve, a control valve arranged in the bypass passge, and a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage, wherein said method comprises: determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of a coolant of the engine; determining the speed of the engine; rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to said first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started and the speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined speed; and increasing said predetermined speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is reduced.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of controlling the idling speed of an engine comprising a main intake passage, a throttle arranged in the main intake passage, a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve, a control valve arranged in the bypass passage, and a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage, wherein said method comprises: determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of a coolant of the engine; rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial step position wherein the control valve is opened to said first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started; determining a second stepper motor position which is different from said first position and is related to the temperature of the coolant of the engine; rotating the stepper motor from said first position to said second position at a second speed which is lower than said first speed after the stepper motor reaches said first position; and increasing said second rotating speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of controlling the idling speed of an engine comprising a main intake passage, a throttle arranged in the main intake passage, a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve, a control valve arranged in the bypass passage, and a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage, wherein said method comprises: determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of a coolant of the engine; rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial step position wherein the control valve is opened to said first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started; determining a second stepper motor position which is different from said first position and is related to the temperature of the coolant of the engine; rotating the stepper motor from said first position to said second position at a second speed which is lower than said first speed after the stepper motor reaches said first position; and increasing said second rotating speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an engine, comprising: a main intake passage; a throttle arranged in the main intake passage; a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve; a control valve arranged in the bypass passge; a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage; means for determining the temperature of a coolant of the engine; means for determining the speed of the engine; and processing means for, determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of the coolant, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to the first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started and when the speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined speed, and increasing the predetermined speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is reduced.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
178 words
An apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an engine, comprising: a main intake passage; a throttle arranged in the main intake passage; a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve; a control valve arranged in the bypass passge; a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage; means for determining the temperature of a coolant of the engine; means for determining the speed of the engine; and processing means for, determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of the coolant, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to the first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started and when the speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined speed, and increasing the predetermined speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is reduced.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
225 words
An apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an engine, comprising: a main intake passage; a throttle valve arranged in the main intake passage; a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve; a control valve arranged in the bypass passage; a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage; means for determining the temperature of a coolant of the engine; and processing means for, determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of the coolant, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to the first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started, determining a second stepper motor position which is different from said first position and is related to the temperature of the coolant of the engine, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor from said first position to said second position at a second speed which is lower than the first speed after the stepper motor reaches the first position, and increasing said second rotating speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
225 words
An apparatus for controlling the idling speed of an engine, comprising: a main intake passage; a throttle valve arranged in the main intake passage; a bypass passage branched off from the main intake passage upstream of the throttle valve and connected to the main intake passage downstream of the throttle valve; a control valve arranged in the bypass passage; a stepper motor actuating the control valve for controlling the amount of air flowing within the bypass passage; means for determining the temperature of a coolant of the engine; and processing means for, determining a first stepper motor position related to the temperature of the coolant, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor at a first speed from an initial position wherein the control valve is opened to the first position for reducing a flow area of the bypass passage when the engine is started, determining a second stepper motor position which is different from said first position and is related to the temperature of the coolant of the engine, producing signals for rotating the stepper motor from said first position to said second position at a second speed which is lower than the first speed after the stepper motor reaches the first position, and increasing said second rotating speed as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 1, further including the step of measuring the voltage of a power source, and wherein the rotation of said stepper motor is started when the voltage of the power source of the engine is higher than a predetermined voltage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1, including the step of maintaining said first rotating speed constant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining said first stepper motor position includes reducing the degree of opening of the control valve, which corresponds to said first position, as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of rotating said stepper motor at a second speed slower than said first speed from said first position to a second position which is different from said first position after the stepper motor reaches said first position, said second position being determined by the temperature of the coolant of the engine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 8 or 2, including the step of maintaining said second rotating speed constant.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of determining said second position includes reducing the degree of opening of the control valve, which corresponds to said second position, as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method according to claim 2, further including the step of repeatedly redetermining said second position so that the degree of opening of the control valve is reduced as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the position of the stepper motor reaches the second position and rotating the stepper motor to the newly determined second position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method according to claim 11, including the step of determining when a heating device for heating a drivers compartment is operating at a maximum, and rotating the stepper motor from said second position to a first idle-up position when said heating device is operating at a maximum, the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said first idle-up position being greater than the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method according to claim 12, including the step of determining when a cooling device for cooling the driver's compartment is operatng at a maximum, and rotating the stepper motor from said second position to a second idle-up position when said cooling device is operating at a maximum, the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second idle-up position being greater than the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, including a power source and means for measuring the voltage of the power source, and wherein the rotation of said stepper motor is started when the voltage of the power source of the engine is greater than a predetermined voltage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said processing means maintains said first speed constant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processing means reduces the degree of opening of the control valve in said first position as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said processing means maintains said second speed constant.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing means determines said second position by reducing the degree of opening of the control valve as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the engine has warmed-up.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the processing means repeatedly redetermines said second position so that the degree of opening of the control valve is reduced as the temperature of the coolant of the engine is increased after the position of the stepper motor reaches the second position and produces signals to rotate the stepper motor to the newly determined second position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, including means for heating a driver's compartment, and wherein the stepper motor is rotated from the second position to a first idle-up position when the heating means is operated at a maximum, the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said first idle-up position being greater than the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, including means for cooling the driver's compartment, and wherein the stepper motor is rotated from the second position to a second idle-up position when the cooling means is operated at a maximum, the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second idle-up position being greater than the degree of opening of the control valve which corresponds to said second position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-12-20 | 1986-06-21 | 1986-12-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-20 | 1990-06-21 | 1990-12-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-20 | 1994-06-21 | 1994-12-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |