Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

A straddle-type vehicle comprising: an engine; a stop control means for performing, when an idle stop condition is established, automatic stop control for the engine and stop position control for locating a crankshaft of the engine at a predetermined position; a start control means for restarting the engine when a restart condition is established after the automatic stopping of the engine; and a notification means for subjecting, after the automatic stopping of the engine, a rider to a first notification if the crankshaft has been stopped at the predetermined position and a second notification if the crankshaft has not been stopped at the predetermined position.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a saddle-ride type vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Saddle-type vehicles equipped with an idle stop function have been proposed. Such saddle-type vehicles are advantageous in terms of improving fuel efficiency because the engine is automatically stopped when the saddle-type vehicle is temporarily stopped at a traffic light. Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose techniques for improving restartability by controlling the position of the crankshaft to a position that makes it easier to restart after an idle stop. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a control device that performs rewind control to drive the crankshaft in the reverse direction to a predetermined position immediately after the engine is automatically stopped. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a control device that performs swing-back control to drive the crankshaft in the reverse direction to a predetermined position when restarting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3824132 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-165343 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1, which controls the crankshaft to a predetermined position when automatically stopping the engine, there may be cases where the control is not completed. The engine can be restarted even if the crankshaft is not in the predetermined position, and in this case, swing-back control may be performed, for example, as in Patent Document 2. However, when swing-back control or the like is performed, the restart time may be slightly longer than during a normal restart, and the change in restart time may cause the rider to feel uncomfortable.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a saddle-type vehicle that can reduce the rider's discomfort caused by changes in engine restart time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the present invention, an engine (40); a stop control means (100) that performs automatic stop control of the engine and stop position control for positioning the crankshaft of the engine at a predetermined position when an idle stop condition is met; a start control means (100) for restarting the engine when a restart condition is met after the engine has been automatically stopped; and a notification means (35a) that, after the engine has automatically stopped, issues a first notification to the rider when the crankshaft has stopped at the predetermined position, and issues a second notification to the rider when the crankshaft has not stopped at the predetermined position. A saddle-type vehicle is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a saddle-type vehicle that can reduce the rider's sense of discomfort caused by changes in the engine restart time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a left side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view of the saddle-type vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control device for the saddle-ride type vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 7]10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0010] <Overview of saddle-type vehicle> FIG. 1 is a left side view of a saddle-riding vehicle 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view of the saddle-riding vehicle 10. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control device for the saddle-riding vehicle 10. As indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2, the overall length direction of the vehicle is also referred to as the front-to-rear direction, the width direction as the left-to-right direction, and the height direction as the up-to-down direction. The saddle-riding vehicle 10 may also be referred to simply as the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 is a naked motorcycle, but the present invention is also applicable to various types of saddle-riding vehicles, including other types of motorcycles.

[0011] The vehicle 10 has a double-cradle body frame 12. The body frame 12 has a head pipe 14, a pair of left and right main frames 16, and a down frame 18. The pair of left and right main frames 16 branch off to the left and right from the head pipe 14, extend gently rearward, and then extend downward via a curved portion 16a. The down frame 18 branches off to the left and right from the head pipe 14, extends diagonally downward and rearward below the main frames 16, and then extends approximately horizontally rearward via a curved portion 18a and is connected to the rear end of the main frames 16.

[0012] The body frame 12 further includes a pair of left and right seat frames 20, a pair of left and right pivot plates 22, and a pair of left and right reinforcing stays 24. The pair of left and right seat frames 20 extend slightly rearward and upward from the vicinity of the curved portions 16a of the pair of left and right main frames 16. The pair of left and right pivot plates 22 are disposed near the rear end portions of the main frames 16. The pair of left and right reinforcing stays 24 extend diagonally rearward and upward from the vicinity of where the pivot plates 22 of the main frames 16 are provided, and are connected to the seat frames 20. A pivot 26 is provided in the pair of left and right pivot plates 22.

[0013] A pair of left and right front forks 28 are rotatably supported by the head pipe 14, and a handlebar 32 for steering is attached to the upper ends of the pair of left and right front forks 28 via a top bridge 30a.

[0014] A meter section 34 having a speedometer and the like is attached to the top bridge 30a. A headlight 36 that illuminates the area ahead of the vehicle 10 and a pair of left and right front blinkers 37 are provided in front of the head pipe 14. The front wheel WF is rotatably supported by a pair of left and right front forks 28, and a front fender 38 is provided above the front wheel WF.

[0015] An engine 40 and a manual transmission 42 are mounted between the main frame 16 and the down frame 18. The engine 40 is, for example, a single-cylinder, four-stroke, DOHC engine, and is equipped with a throttle 52 that adjusts the amount of intake air, a fuel injection device (injector) 40b that injects fuel, and an ignition device 40c that ignites the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber. A fuel tank 44 that stores fuel to be supplied to the engine 40 is attached above the engine 40 and on the upper front side of the main frame 16. An exhaust pipe 46 is attached to the engine 40, and a muffler 48 is connected to the exhaust pipe 46. An oil cooler 50 is mounted in front of the engine 40 and on the front side of the down frame 18, and the throttle 52 of the engine 40 and an air cleaner 54 that purifies the air that passes through the throttle 52 and is supplied to the engine 40 are mounted behind the engine 40.

[0016] The electric motor 41 is connected to the crankshaft of the engine 40. The electric motor 41 functions as a starter that starts the engine 40, and also functions as an alternator that is driven by the engine 40 to generate electric power.

[0017] The manual transmission 42 is connected to the engine 40 via a clutch 43 and shifts the rotation of the engine 40 transmitted to the rear wheel WR to output the rotation. The manual transmission 42 is a constant-mesh transmission that can be switched between, for example, one of first to sixth gear ratios or neutral, depending on the rider's shift operation using a gear change pedal 88. The state in which one of the first to sixth gear ratios is selected is also referred to as "in-gear." The gear change pedal 88 is a shift operator that is provided in front of the left step 64 and can be operated by the rider. The state of the manual transmission 42 is switched when the rider places his / her left foot on the left step 64 and operates the gear change pedal 88 with his / her left foot. The clutch 43 is, for example, a wet multi-plate coil spring manual clutch that connects or disconnects the transmission of driving force between the engine 40 and the manual transmission 42 (in other words, the transmission of driving force between the engine 40 and the rear wheel WR).

[0018] A swing arm 56 is journalled to the pair of left and right pivot plates 22 via a pivot 26 so as to be swingable generally in the vertical direction, and a rear cushion 58 is interposed between the upper rear end of the swing arm 56 and the seat frame 20. A rear wheel WR, which is a drive wheel, is journalled and rotatable at the rear end of the swing arm 56. Driving force from the engine 40 is transmitted to the rear wheel WR via a manual transmission 42 and a chain 60. A pair of left and right step holders 62 extending rearward are fixed to the pair of left and right pivot plates 22, and rider and passenger steps 64, 66 are attached to the front and rear of the pair of left and right step holders 62, respectively.

[0019] A seat 68 for a rider and passenger to sit on (straddle) is attached to the rear of the fuel tank 44 and above the seat frame 20, and is a tandem seat consisting of a rider seat 68a for the rider and a passenger seat 68b for the passenger. A pair of left and right grab bars 70 to be held by the passenger, and rear blinkers 72 are attached to the rear of the seat frame 20. A rear fender 74 is provided behind the seat frame 20, and a tail lamp 76 is attached to the rear fender 74.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, a throttle grip 80 is provided on the right end of the handlebar 32 so as to be rotatable relative to the handlebar 32. The throttle grip 80 is a throttle operator that is operable by the rider and allows the rider to adjust the opening of the throttle 52. In the present embodiment, the throttle grip 80 and the throttle 52 are physically connected by a mechanical wire. However, a throttle-by-wire system may be adopted in which the throttle grip 80 and the throttle 52 are not physically connected and the rider's throttle operation (accelerator operation) is converted into an electrical signal to control the throttle.

[0021] A brake lever 82 is provided on the handlebar 32 in front of the throttle grip 80. The brake lever 82 is provided so as to be operable by the rider, and is a brake operator that can operate a front wheel brake 81 that applies a braking force to the front wheel WF of the vehicle 10. When the rider operates the brake lever 82 with his or her right hand, the front wheel brake 81 provided on the front wheel WF is operated, and a braking force is applied to the front wheel WF. The front wheel brake 81 is, for example, a disc brake.

[0022] A foot brake pedal 84 is provided in front of the right step 64. The foot brake pedal 84 is a brake operator that is operable by the rider and can operate a rear wheel brake 83 that applies a braking force to the rear wheel WR of the vehicle 10. When the rider places his / her right foot on the right step 64 and operates the foot brake pedal 84 with his / her right foot, the rear wheel brake 83 provided on the rear wheel WR is operated, and a braking force is applied to the rear wheel WR. The rear wheel brake 83 is, for example, a disc brake.

[0023] Additionally, a clutch lever 86 is provided on the handlebar 32 at the front of the left end of the handlebar 32. The clutch lever 86 is provided so as to be operable by the rider, and is a clutch operator that can operate to engage and disengage the clutch 43. When the rider pulls the clutch lever 86, the clutch 43 is disengaged, and when the rider releases the clutch lever 86, the clutch 43 is engaged.

[0024] <Control device> The control device of vehicle 10 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 3. Vehicle 10 includes a control unit (ECU) 100. Control unit 100 includes a processor such as a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an input / output interface with external devices, a processing circuit for sensor signals, and a drive circuit for actuators. The storage device stores programs executed by the processor, data used by the processor for processing, etc. Multiple processors and storage devices may be provided.

[0025] The control unit 100 acquires the detection results of the various sensors 110 to 116 and controls the engine 40, the electric motor 41, and the notification unit 35. The notification unit 35 is a unit that notifies the rider of information, and in this embodiment is a display unit equipped with displays 35a and 35b. The notification of information to the rider may be performed by voice instead of or in addition to the display.

[0026] Indicators 35a and 35b are light-emitting elements such as LEDs. Indicator 35b indicates whether engine 40 is in an idle stop state, and may be referred to as IS lamp 35b. Indicator 35a indicates whether the crankshaft of engine 40 is in a predetermined position that allows engine 40 to be restarted more smoothly during idle stop, and may be referred to as CS lamp 35a.

[0027] The throttle operation sensor 110 is a sensor that detects the rider's operation of the throttle grip 80. The throttle operation sensor 110 may be a sensor that is provided on the throttle grip 80 and detects the amount of rotation of the throttle grip 80, or a sensor that is provided on the throttle 52 and detects the throttle opening. The clutch operation sensor 111 is a sensor that detects the rider's operation of the clutch lever 86. The clutch operation sensor 111 may be a sensor that is provided on the clutch lever 86 and detects that the lever has been pulled (disengagement operation), or a sensor that is provided on the clutch 43 and detects the rotation of the arm of the clutch 43.

[0028] The brake operation sensor 112 is a sensor that detects the rider's operation of the foot brake pedal 84. The crank angle sensor 113 is a sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the crankshaft of the engine 40. The position (rotational position) of the crankshaft and the rotation speed of the engine 40 can be identified based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113. The shift position sensor 114 is a sensor that detects the state of the manual transmission 42 (one of first to sixth gears, or neutral). The vehicle speed sensor 115 is a sensor that detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle 10, and is a sensor that detects, for example, the amount of rotation of the front wheel WF. The gradient sensor 116 is a sensor that detects the gradient of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling.

[0029] <Processing example> The control unit 100 performs idle stop control of the engine 40. In the idle stop control, the engine 40 is automatically stopped when the vehicle 10 is temporarily stopped at a traffic light, and after the automatic stop, the engine 40 is restarted when it is estimated that the vehicle 10 will start moving. Figures 4 to 11 are flowcharts showing examples of processes relating to the idle stop control that are periodically executed by the processor of the control unit 100.

[0030] In the following description, the IS flag and the position set flag are flags in which ON and OFF information is stored using a predetermined storage area of the storage device of the control unit 100. The IS flag is a flag that indicates whether or not the engine is in an idle stop state, and is switched to ON during idle stop and to OFF when not in idle stop. The position set flag is a flag that indicates whether or not the crankshaft of the engine 40 is stopped in a predetermined position that allows the engine 40 to be restarted more smoothly, and is switched to ON when the crankshaft is in the predetermined position and to OFF when not in the predetermined position.

[0031] Here, a predetermined position of the crankshaft that allows for smoother restart of the engine 40 will be described. When starting the engine 40, the rotational load is greatest when the piston passes over the compression top dead center during forward rotation of the crankshaft. Therefore, when stopping the engine 40, the crankshaft is positioned at a predetermined position (for example, a position 30 degrees after the compression top dead center). This position is called the start preparation position. If the engine 40 is then started, the run-up period until the piston reaches the compression top dead center can be lengthened, and the rotational speed of the crankshaft when the piston reaches the compression top dead center can be increased. As a result, the startability of the engine 40 can be improved.

[0032] One example of such a technique is the rewind control and swing back control described above as the prior art. In the rewind control and swing back control, the crankshaft is first rotated in reverse to be positioned at the start preparation position. Then, the crankshaft is rotated in the forward direction to start the engine 40. This allows the engine 40 to be restarted more smoothly.

[0033] Figure 4 shows an example of processing related to automatic stopping of the engine 40. In S1, it is determined whether the IS flag is OFF. If it is OFF, the process proceeds to S2, but if it is ON, the process ends because the engine is currently in idle stop mode. In S2, the detection results of each sensor are acquired, and it is determined from the acquired detection results whether predetermined idle stop conditions are met. If it is determined that the idle stop conditions are met, the process proceeds to S3.

[0034] The idle stop condition may include, for example, at least a condition that the vehicle speed is equal to or less than a specified vehicle speed (e.g., 3 km / h) and that the rider's opening operation of the throttle 52 is not detected for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). In addition, if the manual transmission 42 is in gear, a condition that the rider's disengagement operation of the clutch 43 is detected for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds) may be detected, and if the manual transmission 42 is in neutral, a condition that the rider's disengagement operation of the clutch 43 is not detected for a specified time (e.g., 3 seconds). Other conditions may include that the headlights 36 are turned off, or that the rider has previously permitted the execution of idle stop control (that an idle stop switch is provided and turned on by the rider), etc.

[0035] In S3, automatic stop control is executed to automatically stop the engine 40. For example, the engine 40 can be stopped by cutting off the supply of fuel by the fuel injection device 40b or by stopping ignition by the ignition device 40c. In S4, stop position control is executed to position the crankshaft of the engine 40 at a start preparation position.

[0036] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the stop position control in S4. In this embodiment, the above-described rewinding control is executed.

[0037] In S11, the detection result of the clutch operation sensor 111 is obtained to determine whether the clutch 43 is being disengaged. If the clutch 43 is being disengaged, the process proceeds to S12; if not, the process ends. In this embodiment, the crankshaft is rotated to the start preparation position when the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state and no load is acting on the crankshaft from the rear wheel WR or the transmission 42. This allows the crankshaft to be positioned at the start preparation position more reliably in a short time, and also reduces the load on the electric motor 41. However, even if the clutch 43 is not being disengaged, if the transmission 42 is in neutral, the process may proceed to S12 and rotate the crankshaft to the start preparation position.

[0038] In S12, the electric motor 41 starts to drive. At this time, the electric motor 41 rotates in the direction in which the crankshaft of the engine 40 rotates in the reverse direction. In S13, it is determined whether or not the crankshaft has reached the start preparation position based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113. If it has reached the position, the process proceeds to S14, and if it has not reached the position, the process proceeds to S17.

[0039] In S17, it is determined whether a stop condition is met. Examples of the stop condition include when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the stop position control (time-up) or when the disengagement operation of the clutch 43 is not detected. If the stop condition is met, the process proceeds to S18, and if not met, the process returns to S13 and the driving of the electric motor 41 continues.

[0040] In S14, the electric motor 41 is stopped, and since the crankshaft was able to be positioned in the start preparation position, the position set flag is turned ON in S15. In S18, the electric motor 41 is stopped, and since the crankshaft was not able to be positioned in the start preparation position, the position set flag is turned OFF. In S16, the IS flag is turned ON. This completes the processing.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows an example of processing when restarting the engine 40 after an automatic stop. In S21, it is determined whether the IS flag is ON. If it is ON, the engine is in an idle stop state, so the process proceeds to S22; if it is OFF, the process ends. In S22, the detection results of each sensor are acquired, and a process is performed to determine whether the restart conditions are met from the acquired detection results, the details of which will be described later. In S23, it is determined whether it was determined in S22 that the restart conditions are met, and if the restart conditions are met, the process proceeds to S24. If the restart conditions are not met, the process ends. In S24 to S26, settings related to the restart of the engine 40 are made.

[0042] In S24, the IS flag is turned OFF. In S25, it is determined whether the gradient of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling is an uphill gradient equal to or greater than a threshold value based on the detection result of the gradient sensor 116. If the uphill gradient is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S26. If the uphill gradient is less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to S27. In S26, the target rotation speed of the engine 40 at the time of restart is set higher than normal. For example, the idling rotation speed may be set to 1.2 times the normal rotation speed, or the rotation speed of the engine 40 may be set higher than normal in response to the rider's throttle operation. Since the vehicle 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a manual clutch 43, it is possible to prevent the engine 40 from stalling or the vehicle 10 from rolling backward when the vehicle 10 starts on an uphill road. In S27, the engine 40 is restarted. Details will be described later.

[0043] <Restart determination process> An example of the restart determination process in S22 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. In S31, it is determined whether or not a disengagement operation of the clutch 43 by the rider has been detected based on the detection result of the clutch operation sensor 111, and if it has been detected, the process proceeds to S32, and if it has not been detected, the process proceeds to S37, where it is determined that the stop is maintained (the restart condition is not met).

[0044] In S32, it is determined whether the manual transmission 42 is in gear or neutral based on the detection result of the shift position sensor 114. If it is in gear, the process proceeds to S33, and if it is in neutral, the process proceeds to S36, where it is determined that the restart condition is met. In this embodiment, when the manual transmission 42 is in neutral, if the clutch 43 is disengaged, it is assumed that the rider intends to restart the engine 40, and the engine 40 is restarted based solely on this detection. However, other conditions may be added to the restart conditions.

[0045] In S33, it is determined whether or not an opening operation of the throttle 52 (rotation of the throttle grip 80) by the rider has been detected based on the detection result of the throttle operation sensor 110. If it has been detected, the process proceeds to S34. If it has not been detected, the process proceeds to S37, where it is determined that the engine is maintained stopped (the restart condition is not met). If the manual transmission 42 is in the in-gear state, the idle stop continues even if the clutch 43 is disengaged. During the idle stop, the rider does not need to grip the clutch lever 86, thereby improving rider convenience. On the other hand, by including the opening operation of the throttle 52 in the restart conditions, if the rider intends to start moving immediately, the output of the engine 40 rises smoothly at the time of restart, and stalling of the engine 40 can be prevented.

[0046] In S34, based on the detection result of the gradient sensor 116, it is determined whether the gradient of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling is an uphill gradient equal to or greater than a threshold. If the uphill gradient is equal to or greater than the threshold, the process proceeds to S35. If the uphill gradient is less than the threshold, the process proceeds to S36, where it is determined that the restart condition is met. The threshold here may be the same as or different from the threshold in S25. In S35, based on the detection result of the brake operation sensor 112, it is determined whether an actuation operation of the rear wheel brake 83 by the rider has been detected. If an actuation operation is detected, the process proceeds to S36, where it is determined that the restart condition is met. If an actuation operation is not detected, the process proceeds to S37, where it is determined that the vehicle remains stopped (the restart condition is not met). By including the actuation operation of the rear wheel brake 83 as a restart condition, it is possible to prevent the vehicle 10 from rolling backward on an uphill road when starting off.

[0047] When the manual transmission 42 is in neutral, the restart conditions do not include detection of actuation of the rear wheel brake 83. This is because when the manual transmission 42 is in neutral, a shift operation of the manual transmission 42 is performed with the left foot afterwards. When the manual transmission 42 is in neutral, the restart conditions may also include detection of actuation of the front wheel brake 81, and in this case, a sensor may be provided that detects the rider's operation of the brake lever 82.

[0048] In this embodiment, when the manual transmission 42 is in gear, the restart conditions are disengaging the clutch 43, opening the throttle 52, and, if the road is an uphill road, further operating the rear wheel brake 83. However, the rear wheel brake 83 may be excluded from the restart conditions, or other conditions may be added to the restart conditions.

[0049] <Restart process> The restart process of S27 will be described with reference to Figure 8. In S41, it is determined whether the crankshaft of the engine 40 is positioned in the start preparation position based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113. If the crankshaft is positioned in the start preparation position, the process proceeds to S43, and if not, the process proceeds to S42. In S42, swing-back control is performed to position the crankshaft in the start preparation position, and then the process proceeds to S43. The details of the swing-back control will be described later.

[0050] In S41, the restart of the engine 40 is started. The electric motor 41 is driven as a starter to rotate the crankshaft in the forward direction, while the fuel injection device 40b supplies fuel and the ignition device 40c ignites the fuel to drive the engine 40. Furthermore, if the target rotation speed of the engine 40 at the time of restart is set higher than normal in S26, the drive control is performed to reflect this.

[0051] In S44, it is determined whether the restart is being performed with the manual transmission 42 in an in-gear state or in neutral based on the detection result of the shift position sensor 114. If the restart is in an in-gear state, the process proceeds to S45, and if the restart is in neutral, the process proceeds to S46. In S46, the engine 40 is controlled to maintain an idling speed (for example, about 1000 rpm).

[0052] S45 to S48 are processes related to engine speed control of the engine 40 for a predetermined period from the start of restart. When restarting with the manual transmission 42 in an in-gear state, in this embodiment, the restart condition requires opening of the throttle 52 (S33). Here, the rider may want to immediately start the vehicle 10, or may want to restart the engine 40 for the time being and wait for the start. When the rider's intention is to restart the engine 40 for the time being, simply increasing the engine 40 speed in proportion to the rider's operation of the throttle grip 80 may cause the engine 40 to rev up to a high speed against the rider's intention, which may startle the rider with noise or cause discomfort to the rider.

[0053] Therefore, in this embodiment, if a closing operation of the throttle 52 is detected within a predetermined period from the start of restart, the engine 40 is driven at a reduced rotational speed of idling, thereby reflecting the rider's intention to restart the engine 40. On the other hand, if a closing operation is not detected, the engine 40 is increased in rotational speed according to the amount of operation (opening degree), thereby reflecting the rider's intention to start moving immediately. This makes it possible to control the restart of the engine 40 in accordance with the rider's intention.

[0054] In S45, it is determined whether or not a closing operation of the throttle 52 has been detected based on the detection result of the throttle operation sensor 110. If a closing operation has been detected, the process proceeds to S46, and if a closing operation has not been detected, the process proceeds to S47.

[0055] In S46, the engine 40 is driven at idling speed. In the case of restarting with the manual transmission 42 in gear, if the opening operation of the throttle 52 is detected and restart of the engine 40 is initiated, and then a closing operation (operation of the throttle grip 80 toward the return side) is detected, the operation of the engine 40 is restricted to idling speed by reducing the amount of fuel supply, even if the throttle 52 is open at that time. This reflects the rider's intention to restart the engine 40 for the time being. After S46, normal control of the engine 40 is started, and if the throttle 52 is opened, the output of the engine 40 is increased in proportion to the amount of operation.

[0056] In S47, based on the detection result of the throttle operation sensor 110, the engine 40 is driven at a speed corresponding to the opening amount (opening degree) of the throttle 52. This can reflect the rider's intention to start the vehicle 10 immediately. In S48, it is determined whether or not a specified time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed since the restart was started in S43. If not, the process returns to S45 and monitors the closing operation of the throttle 52. If the specified time has elapsed, normal control of the engine 40 is started. This completes the restart of the engine 40.

[0057] <Swing-back control> An example of the swing-back control in S42 will be described with reference to Figure 9. In S51, the driving of the electric motor 41 is started. At this time, the electric motor 41 rotates in the direction in which the crankshaft of the engine 40 rotates in the reverse direction. In S52, it is determined based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113 whether or not the crankshaft has reached the start preparation position. If it has reached the position, S53 If it has not been reached, proceed to S54.

[0058] In S54, it is determined whether a stop condition is met. One of the stop conditions is when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of swing-back position control (time-up). If the stop condition is met, the process proceeds to S53; if not, the process returns to S52 and the driving of the electric motor 41 continues.

[0059] In S53, the electric motor 41 is stopped. In this case, the crankshaft has been positioned in the start preparation position. The crankshaft is rotated forward in S43, allowing the engine 40 to be restarted smoothly. The electric motor 41 is also stopped in S55. In this case, the crankshaft has not been positioned in the start preparation position, and the load on the electric motor 41 increases, but the crankshaft is rotated forward in S43 as is, and the engine 40 is restarted.

[0060] <Monitoring crankshaft position during idle stop> In this embodiment, there are cases where the manual transmission 42 is in gear and the clutch 43 is engaged (the clutch lever 86 is not gripped) during idle stop. If the vehicle 10 is stopped on an uphill road or if the rear wheel WR rotates for some reason, the crankshaft of the engine 40 may rotate and its position may change. During idle stop, the position of the crankshaft of the engine 40 is monitored, and the position set flag is updated. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the crankshaft position monitoring process.

[0061] In S61, it is determined whether or not the IS flag is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to S62. If it is OFF, the engine is not in idle stop mode, and the process ends. In S62, it is determined whether or not the crankshaft is positioned in the start preparation position based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113. If the crankshaft is positioned in the start preparation position, the process proceeds to S63, and if it is positioned at a position other than the start preparation position, the process proceeds to S64. In S63, the position set flag is turned ON, and in S64, the position set flag is turned OFF.

[0062] <Notification to rider> When restarting the engine 40, if the crankshaft of the engine 40 is positioned in the start preparation position, the engine 40 can be restarted smoothly. On the other hand, if the crankshaft of the engine 40 is not positioned in the start preparation position, the engine 40 can be started smoothly by the swing-back control (S42), but it takes more time than when the crankshaft is originally positioned in the start preparation position. The restart time of the engine 40 varies slightly depending on whether the crankshaft is positioned in the start preparation position before restarting the engine 40, which may cause discomfort to the rider.

[0063] Therefore, in this embodiment, the rider is notified during idle stop whether restart will occur quickly (whether the crankshaft is in the start preparation position) or whether some time will be required (whether the crankshaft is not in the start preparation position and swing-back control is being performed). This notification allows the rider to predict whether restarting the engine 40 will require some time. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the rider's discomfort caused by changes in the restart time of the engine 40.

[0064] In this embodiment, the CS lamp 35a is used for the notification. Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the notification unit 35 during idle stop. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of operation of the notification unit 35.

[0065] In S71 of Figure 11, it is determined whether the IS flag is ON. If it is ON, the program proceeds to S72. If it is OFF, the vehicle is not in idle stop mode, so the program proceeds to S76. In S76, both the IS lamp 35b and the CS lamp 35a are turned off. This display allows the rider to recognize that the vehicle is not in idle stop mode. In S73, state ST1 in Figure 12 illustrates an example in which both the IS lamp 35b and the CS lamp 35a are turned off.

[0066] figure 11In S72, the IS lamp 35b is turned on. This display allows the rider to recognize that the idle stop is in progress. In S73, it is determined whether the position set flag is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to S74, and if it is OFF, the process proceeds to S75. In S74, the CS lamp 35a is turned on, and in S75, the CS lamp 35a is turned off.

[0067] State ST2 in Figure 12 illustrates an example in which both the IS lamp 35b and the CS lamp 35a are illuminated. This display allows the rider to recognize that the engine 40 is in an idle stop state and that it will restart in a relatively short time when it is restarted (swing-back control will not be performed). State ST3 illustrates an example in which the IS lamp 35b is illuminated and the CS lamp 35a is extinguished. This display allows the rider to recognize that the engine 40 is in an idle stop state and that it will restart in a relatively long time when it is restarted (swing-back control will be performed).

[0068] As described with reference to Figure 10, the position of the crankshaft of the engine 40 may change during idle stop, and the position set flag may switch between ON and OFF during idle stop by the processing in Figure 10. In this case, the display of the CS lamp 35a also switches. For example, the state may change from state ST2 to state ST3 in Figure 12, or from state ST3 to state ST2. The rider can predict changes in restartability in real time.

[0069] In this way, by notifying the rider in different notification modes depending on whether the crankshaft is in the start preparation position or not, the rider can predict whether restarting will take time or not.

[0070] Note that the CS lamp 35b may be flashed in S75. By flashing the CS lamp 35b, it is possible to distinguish it from the off state in S76 and to strongly impress upon the rider that swing-back control will be performed at the time of restart. Furthermore, the notification may be made not by a light-emitting element but by an image display device (for example, a liquid crystal display device). The notification manner is not limited to off, on, and flashing. For example, the notification manner may be different by changing the light emission color or by displaying different characters or symbols.

[0071] Second Embodiment As explained with reference to Figure 10, the position of the crankshaft of engine 40 may change during idle stop, and even though the crankshaft was in the start preparation position when engine 40 was automatically stopped, it may subsequently rotate to a different position. In this case, if the crankshaft can be returned to the start preparation position, the swing-back control (S42) becomes unnecessary, improving restartability. Figure 13 shows an example of processing for performing rewind control or swing-back control during idle stop, which is executed periodically.

[0072] In S81, it is determined whether the IS flag is ON. If it is ON, the process proceeds to S82. If it is OFF, the engine is not in idle stop mode, and the process ends. In S82, it is determined whether the position set flag is ON. If it is OFF, the crankshaft is not in the start preparation position, and the process proceeds to S83. If it is ON, the crankshaft is in the start preparation position, and the process ends.

[0073] In S83, the detection result of the clutch operation sensor 111 is acquired, and it is determined whether or not the clutch 43 is being disengaged. SIf not, the process ends. In S84, the drive of the electric motor 41 is started. At this time, the electric motor 41 rotates in a direction that causes the crankshaft of the engine 40 to approach the start preparation position. Normally, the crankshaft rotates in a direction that causes the crankshaft to rotate in the reverse direction. In S85, it is determined based on the detection result of the crank angle sensor 113 whether or not the crankshaft has reached the start preparation position. If it has reached the position, the process proceeds to S86, and if it has not reached the position, the process proceeds to S88.

[0074] In S88, it is determined whether or not a stop condition is met. Examples of the stop condition include when a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of driving the electric motor 41 in S84 (time-up) or when a disengagement operation of the clutch 43 is not detected. If the stop condition is met, the process proceeds to S89, and if not met, the process returns to S85 and driving of the electric motor 41 continues.

[0075] In S86, the electric motor 41 is stopped, and since the crankshaft was able to be positioned in the start preparation position, the position set flag is turned ON in S87. In S89, the electric motor 41 is stopped, and since the crankshaft was not able to be positioned in the start preparation position, the position set flag is not updated. This ends the processing.

[0076] In this embodiment, the rider's disengagement operation is used as a trigger (S83), so that the rider's intention to move the crankshaft to the start preparation position after checking the display of the CS lamp 35a can be reflected. Also, the crankshaft is rotated to the start preparation position when the clutch 43 is in the disengaged state and no load is acting on the crankshaft from the rear wheel WR or the transmission 42. This makes it possible to more reliably position the crankshaft to the start preparation position in a short time, and also reduces the load on the electric motor 41.

[0077] <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, the notification unit 35 is applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 equipped with a manual clutch 43, but the notification unit 35 and its notification can also be applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle equipped with a centrifugal clutch or an automatic clutch. Also, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 equipped with a manual transmission 42, but the notification unit 35 and its notification can also be applied to a saddle-ride type vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission 42.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the stop position control (S4) is described as a control for rotating the crankshaft in reverse to position the crankshaft at a predetermined position, but the control for positioning the crankshaft at a predetermined position is not limited to this. For example, the automatic stop control (S3) and the stop position control (S4) may be executed in parallel to stop the engine 40 so that the crankshaft stops at a predetermined position. This control may be performed by adjusting the timing of fuel cut or ignition stop for the engine 40, or by using the electric motor 41 as a brake that resists the rotation of the crankshaft, so that the crankshaft stops at a predetermined position.

[0079] <Summary of the embodiment> The above-described embodiment discloses at least the following saddle-ride type vehicle.

[0080] 1. The saddle-ride type vehicle (10) of the above embodiment is an engine (40); a stop control means (100, S1-S4) for performing automatic stop control of the engine and stop position control for positioning the crankshaft of the engine at a predetermined position when an idle stop condition is met; a start control means (100, S21-S27) for restarting the engine when a restart condition is met after the engine has been automatically stopped; and a notification means (35a) that, after the engine has automatically stopped, issues a first notification (ST2) to the rider if the crankshaft has stopped at the predetermined position (ST2), and issues a second notification (ST3) to the rider if the crankshaft has not stopped at the predetermined position. According to this embodiment, the notification by the notification means allows the rider to predict whether or not it will take time to restart the engine, thereby reducing the rider's discomfort caused by changes in the engine restart time.

[0081] 2. The saddle-ride type vehicle (10) of the above embodiment is a detection means (113) for detecting the position of the crankshaft of the engine (40); The notification means (35a) If the detection means detects that the crankshaft has rotated from the predetermined position to another position while the engine is stopped, the notification to the rider is switched from the first notification to the second notification (S73-S75, ST2, ST3). According to this embodiment, if the crankshaft is once positioned at the predetermined position but then deviates from the predetermined position due to, for example, the movement of the saddle-riding type vehicle, the notification by the notification means is switched accordingly, allowing the rider to predict whether or not it will take time to restart the engine, thereby reducing the rider's discomfort caused by changes in the engine restart time.

[0082] 3. The saddle-ride type vehicle (10) of the above embodiment is an electric motor (41) capable of rotating the crankshaft; In the stop position control, the stop control means (100) causes the electric motor (41) to rotate the crankshaft in the reverse direction to the predetermined position (S12-S14). According to this embodiment, the crankshaft can be positioned at the predetermined position more reliably using the driving force of the electric motor.

[0083] 4. In the above embodiment, The start control means (100) If the restart condition is met when the crankshaft is not positioned at the predetermined position after the engine has stopped, the motor rotates the crankshaft in reverse to the predetermined position and then rotates the crankshaft in the normal direction to restart the engine (S42). According to this embodiment, the engine can be restarted more reliably.

[0084] 5. The saddle-ride type vehicle (10) of the above embodiment is a manual transmission (42) connected to the engine (40) via a clutch (43) for varying the speed of rotation of the engine (40) and outputting the rotation; a throttle operator (80) capable of adjusting a throttle opening of the engine (40); a clutch operator (86) capable of operating to engage and disengage the clutch (43); a throttle operation detection means (110) for detecting a rider's operation of the throttle operator (80); and a clutch operation detection means (111) for detecting the operation of the clutch operator (86) by the rider, the idle stop condition includes at least a first idle stop condition that is conditioned by the clutch operation detection means (111) detecting a disengagement operation of the clutch while the manual transmission (42) is in gear, The stop control means (100) When the first idle stop condition is met, the stop position control is executed while the clutch operation detection means (111) detects the disengagement operation of the clutch (S11). According to this embodiment, the stop position control is performed in a state where the drive power transmission between the engine and the drive wheels is interrupted, so that the stop position control can be performed more reliably.

[0085] 6. In the above embodiment, When the engine (40) automatically stops due to the first idle stop condition being satisfied, the engine continues to be stopped even if the clutch operation detection means (111) no longer detects the disengagement operation of the clutch. According to this embodiment, the rider does not need to continue disengaging the clutch during idle stop, which improves rider convenience.

[0086] 7. The saddle-ride type vehicle (10) of the above embodiment is When the clutch operation detection means (111) detects that the clutch is disengaged while the engine (40) is stopped and the crankshaft is not positioned at the predetermined position, a re-control means (100, S81-S86) is provided to reverse the crankshaft to the predetermined position by the electric motor (41). According to this embodiment, the rider who notices the second notification during an idle stop can instruct the execution of control to position the crankshaft at the predetermined position, thereby reducing the time required to restart the engine and improving rider convenience.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the invention have been described above, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention.

Claims

1. an engine (40); a stop control means (100) that performs automatic stop control of the engine and stop position control for positioning the crankshaft of the engine at a predetermined position when an idle stop condition is met; a start control means (100) for restarting the engine when a restart condition is met after the engine has been automatically stopped; and a notification means (35a) that, after the engine has automatically stopped, issues a first notification to the rider when the crankshaft has stopped at the predetermined position, and issues a second notification to the rider when the crankshaft has not stopped at the predetermined position. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

2. 2. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1, a detection means (113) for detecting the position of the crankshaft of the engine (40); The notification means (35a) when the detection means detects that the crankshaft has rotated from the predetermined position to another position while the engine is stopped, the notification to the rider is switched from the first notification to the second notification. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

3. 3. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, an electric motor (41) capable of rotating the crankshaft; In the stop position control, the stop control means (100) causes the electric motor (41) to rotate the crankshaft in reverse to the predetermined position. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

4. 4. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 3, The start control means (100) If the restart condition is met when the crankshaft is not positioned at the predetermined position after the engine has stopped, the engine is restarted by rotating the crankshaft in a reverse direction by the electric motor to the predetermined position and then rotating the crankshaft in a forward direction. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

5. 5. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 3 or 4, a manual transmission (42) connected to the engine (40) via a clutch (43) for varying the speed of rotation of the engine (40) and outputting the rotation; a throttle operator (80) capable of adjusting a throttle opening of the engine (40); a clutch operator (86) capable of operating to engage and disengage the clutch (43); a throttle operation detection means (110) for detecting a rider's operation of the throttle operator (80); and a clutch operation detection means (111) for detecting the operation of the clutch operator (86) by the rider, the idle stop condition includes at least a first idle stop condition that is conditioned by the clutch operation detection means (111) detecting a disengagement operation of the clutch while the manual transmission (42) is in gear, The stop control means (100) When the first idle stop condition is satisfied, the stop position control is executed while the clutch operation detection means (111) detects a disengagement operation of the clutch. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

6. 6. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 5, When the engine (40) is automatically stopped due to the first idle stop condition being satisfied, the engine continues to be stopped even if the clutch operation detection means (111) no longer detects the disengagement operation of the clutch. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

7. 7. The saddle-type vehicle according to claim 6, and a re-control means (100) for causing the electric motor (41) to rotate the crankshaft in reverse to the predetermined position when the clutch operation detection means (111) detects that the clutch has been disengaged while the engine (40) is stopped and the crankshaft is not positioned at the predetermined position. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

Images