Patent US4951206A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4951206A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Throttle valve opening detecting apparatus for a vehicle engine
Assignee: Mazda Motor Corp
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Filing: 1988-06-10
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Granted: 1990-08-21
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Expires: 2008-06-10
Abstract
Abstract A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus of an automatic transmission for detecting an angular position or opening of a throttle valve for controlling the amount of air-fuel mixture reaching cylinders of a vehicle engine that includes a throttle valve position sensor for providing an output proportional to an angular position or opening of the throttle valve. A memory device memorizes a minimum value of the output to set a reference output for a closed position of the throttle valve. A renewing device decreasingly renews the reference output when the throttle valve position sensor provides an output smaller than the reference output set in the reference output. The renewing device increasingly renews the reference output when the throttle valve position sensor provides an output larger than the reference output and smaller than a preset reference output for a predetermined or preselected period of time.
Inventors
- 👤 Takahiro Kyohzuka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:42
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D41/00; F02D41/24; F02D41/26; F02D41/28; F16; F16H; F16H59/00; F16H59/14; F16H59/24; F02D2250/00; F02D2250/16; F16H61/00; F16H2061/0075; F16H2061/0087; F16H61/02; F16H61/0202; F16H61/0204; F16H61/0206; F16H61/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus for a vehicle engine connected with an automatic transmission comprising: a throttle valve disposed in an intake manifold of a vehicle engine for controlling the amount of intake air reaching cylinders of said vehicle engine; throttle valve opening sensor for providing an output proportional to an opening of said throttle valve; reference output setting means for setting therein an output as a reference output representative of a closed position of said valve; control means for receiving said output from said throttle valve opening sensor to decreasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when the smallest output from said throttle valve opening sensor is smaller than said reference output or increasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when said output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously larger than said reference output for a predetermined period of time while it is smaller than a predetermined output; and operating means for obtaining a ratio of opening of said throttle valve to be controlled based on a current output from said throttle valve opening sensor and said renewed reference output to provide a control signal representative of said opening ratio.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus for a vehicle engine connected with an automatic transmission comprising: a throttle valve disposed in an intake manifold of a vehicle engine for controlling the amount of intake air reaching cylinders of said vehicle engine; throttle valve opening sensor for providing an output proportional to an opening of said throttle valve; reference output setting means for setting therein an output as a reference output representative of a closed position of said valve; control means for receiving said output from said throttle valve opening sensor to decreasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when the smallest output from said throttle valve opening sensor is smaller than said reference output or increasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when said output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously larger than said reference output for a predetermined period of time while it is smaller than a predetermined output; and operating means for obtaining a ratio of opening of said throttle valve to be controlled based on a current output from said throttle valve opening sensor and said renewed reference output to provide a control signal representative of said opening ratio.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said opening ratio of said throttle valve is obtained as a ratio of the difference between a preset output representative of the maximum opening of said throttle valve and said renewed reference output to the difference between a current output from said throttle valve opening sensor and said renewed reference output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said opening ratio of said throttle valve is obtained as a ratio of the difference between preset outputs representative of the maximum and the minimum opening of said throttle valve to the difference between a current output from said throttle valve opening sensor and said renewed reference output.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein, upon decreasingly renewing said reference output, an output from said throttle valve opening sensor smaller than said reference output is set as a renewed reference output in said reference output setting means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said preset reference output is set to an output for said throttle valve opened to a ratio of opening between 1/25 and 1/8.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said reference output renewing means increasingly renews said reference output when an output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously kept unchanged for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said reference output increasingly renewing means renews said reference output when said unchangeable output continually appears for predetermined times.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference output renewing means increasingly renews said reference output to an output increased by a predetermined output from said reference output.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said vehicle engine is equipped with an automatic transmission with a lockup torque converter, lockup control and gear ratio control of said automatic transmission being performed based on an automatic vehicle speed control schedule drawn from a plurality of preset automatic vehicle speed control schedules depending upon said throttle valve opening ratio obtained by said operating means and a vehicle speed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein, when said throttle valve opening sensor provides no output, said reference output setting means set therein a value corresponding to an output to be ordinarily provided by said throttle valve opening sensor when said throttle valve is opened half, thereby unlocking said lockup clutch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said throttle valve opening sensor comprises a variable resistance with a movable contact in cooperation with said throttle valve, a power source for applying a constant voltage to a fixed resistance of said variable resistance, and a potential detector for detecting a potential of said movable member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reference output setting means is interrupted to set a reference output when the temperature of an engine coolant is lower than 50° C.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
193 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus for a vehicle engine connected with an automatic transmission comprising: a throttle valve disposed in an intake manifold of a vehicle engine for controlling the amount of intake air reaching cylinders of said vehicle engine; throttle valve opening sensor for providing an output proportional to an opening of said throttle valve; reference output setting means for setting therein an output as a reference output representative of a closed position of said valve; control means for receiving said output from said throttle valve opening sensor to decreasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when the smallest output from said throttle valve opening sensor is smaller than said reference output or increasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when said output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously larger than said reference output for a predetermined period of time while it is smaller than a predetermined output; and means for judging whether said throttle valve is in an idle position by comparing said output from said throttle valve opening sensor with said reference output set in reference output setting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
193 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus for a vehicle engine connected with an automatic transmission comprising: a throttle valve disposed in an intake manifold of a vehicle engine for controlling the amount of intake air reaching cylinders of said vehicle engine; throttle valve opening sensor for providing an output proportional to an opening of said throttle valve; reference output setting means for setting therein an output as a reference output representative of a closed position of said valve; control means for receiving said output from said throttle valve opening sensor to decreasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when the smallest output from said throttle valve opening sensor is smaller than said reference output or increasingly renew said reference output in said reference output setting means when said output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously larger than said reference output for a predetermined period of time while it is smaller than a predetermined output; and means for judging whether said throttle valve is in an idle position by comparing said output from said throttle valve opening sensor with said reference output set in reference output setting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein, upon decreasingly renewing said reference output, said output lower than said reference output is set as a renewed reference output in said reference output setting means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said preset reference output is set to an output for said throttle valve opened to a ratio of opening between 1/25 and 1/8.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said reference output renewing means increasingly renews said reference output when an output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously kept unchanged for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said reference output renewing means renews increasingly said reference output when said unchangeable output continually appears for predetermined times.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein, upon increasingly renewing said reference output, an output from said throttle valve opening sensor is continuously kept unchanged as a renewed reference output in said reference output setting means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
A throttle valve opening detecting apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said vehicle engine is equipped with an automatic transmission with a lockup torque converter, said lockup torque converter being unlocked always when said throttle valve is judged to be closed.
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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) | 1993-08-20 | 1994-02-19 | 1994-08-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-20 | 1998-02-19 | 1998-08-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-20 | 2002-02-19 | 2002-08-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |