Starter replacement determination device

Abstract

To provide a starter replacement determination device capable of appropriately determining whether or not to replace a starter.SOLUTION: When a starter starts driving (S1), an engine control module (ECM) adds 1 to the number of times the starter is driven (S3) when determining that an engine rotation speed does not exceed a predetermined rotation speed THn (S2); determines an additional number of times B (S4) when determining that the engine rotation speed exceeds the predetermined rotation speed THn (S2); and adds the additional number of times B to the number of times the starter is driven (S5). When the ECM determines that the number of times the starter is driven exceeds a threshold TH (S6), it lights up an engine check lamp to notify that the starter needs to be replaced (S7).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a starter replacement determination device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 proposes a starter replacement determination device that includes a starter operation determination means that determines whether the starter rotates the engine crankshaft when the starter begins to start, an abnormality occurrence rate calculation means that calculates an abnormality occurrence rate that indicates the ratio of the number of times it is determined that the crankshaft has not rotated beyond a predetermined angle to the number of times the starter has begun to start, and a replacement determination means that determines that the starter needs to be replaced if the abnormality occurrence rate exceeds a predetermined threshold. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-218904 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional technology proposed in Patent Document 1 does not take into account the operating state of the engine when the starter is driven, and therefore has the problem of being unable to appropriately determine whether the starter needs to be replaced.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a starter replacement determination device that can appropriately determine whether or not a starter needs to be replaced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The starter replacement determination device of the present invention comprises a starter that starts an engine, a starter drive count accumulator that accumulates the number of times the starter is driven, and a starter replacement determination unit that determines that the starter needs to be replaced if the number of times the starter is driven accumulated by the starter drive count accumulator exceeds a predetermined threshold, and when the starter is driven when the engine rotation speed exceeds a predetermined rotation speed, the starter drive count accumulator accumulates a larger number of times on the number of times the starter is driven than when the starter is driven when the engine rotation speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined rotation speed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention can provide a starter replacement determination device that can appropriately determine whether or not a starter needs to be replaced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle equipped with a starter replacement determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a threshold map in a starter replacement determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the starter replacement determination operation of the starter replacement determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A starter replacement determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a starter for starting an engine, a starter drive count accumulator that accumulates the number of times the starter is driven, and a starter replacement determination unit that determines that the starter needs to be replaced if the number of times the starter is driven accumulated by the starter drive count accumulator exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the starter drive count accumulator is configured to accumulate a greater number of times to the number of times the starter is driven when the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed than when the starter is driven when the engine speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed. This allows the starter replacement determination device according to one embodiment of the present invention to appropriately determine whether the starter needs to be replaced. [Example]

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle equipped with a starter replacement determination device according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 includes an engine 2, a starter 3, an ECM (Engine Control Module) 4, and an alarm device 5.

[0012] The engine 2 is formed with a plurality of cylinders. In this embodiment, the engine 2 generates power by performing a series of four strokes for each cylinder, which are an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an expansion stroke, and an exhaust stroke.

[0013] The power generated by the engine 2 is transmitted to the drive wheels via a power transmission path that includes a transmission. When the engine 2 starts, the starter 3 rotates the crankshaft of the engine 2 to provide rotational force to the engine 2.

[0014] The ECM4 is composed of a computer unit equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory for storing backup data, input ports, and output ports.

[0015] The ROM of this computer unit stores various constants, various maps, etc., as well as a program for causing the computer unit to function as the ECM 4. That is, the CPU executes the program stored in the ROM using the RAM as a work area, causing the computer unit to function as the ECM 4 in this embodiment.

[0016] An input port of the ECM 4 is connected to various sensors including the starter 3, an engine speed sensor 10 that detects the speed of the engine 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as "engine speed"), and an ignition switch (hereinafter simply referred to as "IG") 11. An output port of the ECM 4 is connected to various control targets including the starter 3 and an alarm device 5.

[0017] For example, when the IG 11 requests the start of the engine 2, the ECM 4 causes the starter 3 to start the engine 2. When the ECM 4 determines that the engine 2 is operating autonomously, it stops the starter 3.

[0018] The starter 3 includes a motor and a pinion gear. When the ECM 4 causes the starter 3 to start the engine 2, it controls the starter 3 so that the pinion gear meshes with a ring gear that rotates integrally with the crankshaft of the engine 2, thereby rotating the motor. When the ECM 4 causes the starter 3 to stop, it controls the starter 3 so that the pinion gear is disengaged from the ring gear, thereby stopping the motor.

[0019] When the pinion gear meshes with the ring gear, it wears out as it comes into contact with the ring gear to eliminate the phase difference between them. Furthermore, after meshing with the ring gear, the pinion gear also wears out due to the effect of backlash between the ring gear and the pinion gear. Thus, the starter 3 deteriorates each time it is driven.

[0020] For this reason, the ECM 4 has the functions of a starter drive count accumulator 21 that accumulates the number of times the starter 3 has been driven (hereinafter simply referred to as the "starter drive count"), and a starter replacement determination unit 22 that determines that the starter 3 needs to be replaced when the number of starter drive count accumulated by the starter drive count accumulator 21 exceeds a threshold value TH. The threshold value TH is determined in advance through verification to be the number of drive counts at which deterioration of the starter 3 begins to interfere with starting the engine 2.

[0021] When the starter 3 is driven while the engine speed detected by the engine speed sensor 10 exceeds a predetermined speed THn, the ECM 4 adds an additional number of times B greater than 1 to the number of times the starter is driven. The predetermined speed THn is set to a constant value such that deterioration of the starter 3 falls within an allowable range when the starter 3 is driven.

[0022] The additional number B may be a fixed value, but in this embodiment, it is set so that it increases as the engine speed increases. For example, an additional number map as shown in Figure 2 is stored in advance in the ROM.

[0023] The ECM 4 determines the premium number B by referring to a premium number map stored in the ROM. In the premium number map shown in Fig. 2, the vertical axis represents the premium number B, and the horizontal axis represents the engine speed.

[0024] 2 is set so that the premium number B increases linearly as the engine speed increases. Note that the premium number map may be set so that the premium number B increases non-linearly as the engine speed increases, or may be set so that the premium number B increases in stages as the engine speed increases.

[0025] In Fig. 1, the ECM 4 detects that the starter 3 connected to the output port has been driven from the energizing voltage of the starter 3. When the ECM 4 detects that the starter 3 has been driven, if the engine speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed THn, the ECM 4 adds 1 to the number of times the starter has been driven, and if the engine speed exceeds the predetermined speed THn, the ECM 4 adds an additional number B to the number of times the starter has been driven.

[0026] When the accumulated number of times the starter is driven exceeds the threshold value TH, the ECM 4 determines that the starter 3 needs to be replaced, and controls the notification device 5 to notify that the starter 3 needs to be replaced.

[0027] The notification device 5 constitutes a notification unit that notifies the driver that the starter 3 needs to be replaced. In this embodiment, the notification device 5 is constituted by an engine check lamp provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle 1. The notification device 5 may also be constituted by another lamp, speaker, or display device.

[0028] The starter replacement determination operation performed by the ECM 4 configured as above will now be described with reference to Fig. 3. The starter replacement determination operation described below is executed while the ECM 4 is running.

[0029] First, in S1, the ECM 4 determines whether or not the drive of the starter 3 has started. That is, the ECM 4 determines whether or not the energizing voltage of the starter 3 has changed from OFF to ON.

[0030] If it is determined in S1 that the starter 3 has not started to be driven, the ECM 4 executes the process of S1 again. That is, the ECM 4 enters a waiting state in which it waits for the energizing voltage of the starter 3 to change from OFF to ON. If it is determined in S1 that the starter 3 has started to be driven, the ECM 4 executes the process of S2.

[0031] In S2, the ECM 4 determines whether the engine speed is equal to or less than a predetermined speed THn. If it is determined in S2 that the engine speed is equal to or less than the predetermined speed THn, the ECM 4 executes the process of S3. If it is determined in S2 that the engine speed is not equal to or less than the predetermined speed THn, the ECM 4 executes the process of S4.

[0032] In S3, the ECM 4 adds 1 to the starter actuation count. After executing the process of S3, the ECM 4 executes the process of S6. In S4, the ECM 4 references the boost count map stored in the ROM and determines the boost count B according to the engine speed. After executing the process of S4, the ECM 4 executes the process of S5.

[0033] In S5, the ECM 4 adds the extra number of times B to the number of times the starter is driven. After executing the process of S5, the ECM 4 executes the process of S6. In S6, the ECM 4 determines whether the number of times the starter is driven exceeds a threshold value TH.

[0034] If it is determined in S6 that the number of times the starter has been driven does not exceed the threshold value TH, the ECM 4 executes the process of S1 again.If it is determined in S6 that the number of times the starter has been driven exceeds the threshold value TH, the ECM 4 executes the process of S7.

[0035] In S7, the ECM 4 controls the notification device 5 to notify the driver that the starter 3 needs to be replaced. For example, the ECM 4 turns on the engine check lamp. After executing the process of S7, the ECM 4 ends the starter replacement determination operation.

[0036] In step S7 of the starter replacement determination operation described above, the ECM 4 turns on the starter replacement flag stored in the flash memory if it is off, and keeps the engine check lamp lit for as long as the starter replacement flag is on.

[0037] The starter replacement flag is turned off by the ECM 4 when a replacement completion button is pressed. The replacement completion button is provided on the vehicle 1 so that it can be pressed by the mechanic who replaced the starter 3 and cannot be pressed by a passenger of the vehicle 1 in normal operation.

[0038] Therefore, the starter replacement flag is not actually turned off until the starter 3 is replaced, and the engine check lamp is not turned off until the starter 3 is replaced.

[0039] As described above, when the starter 3 is driven while the engine speed exceeds the predetermined speed THn, the starter replacement determination device of this embodiment adds the additional number of times B, which is greater than 1, to the number of times the starter is driven to determine whether the starter 3 needs to be replaced, thereby making it possible to appropriately determine whether the starter 3 needs to be replaced.

[0040] Furthermore, when the starter replacement determination device of this embodiment determines that the starter 3 needs to be replaced, it causes the notification device 5 to notify the driver that the starter 3 needs to be replaced, thereby enabling the driver to be quickly notified that the starter 3 needs to be replaced.

[0041] Furthermore, when the starter 3 is driven while the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed THn, the starter replacement determination device of this embodiment increases the surcharge number B as the engine speed increases, thereby making it possible to appropriately determine whether the starter 3 needs to be replaced.

[0042] While the present invention has been disclosed by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended that all such modifications and equivalents be included within the scope of the following claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 1 vehicle 2 engines 3 Starter 5. Alarm device (alarm unit) 21 Starter driving count accumulator 22 Starter replacement judgment section

Claims

1. A starter to start the engine, a starter driving count accumulator that accumulates the number of times the starter is driven; a starter replacement determination unit that determines that replacement of the starter is necessary when the number of times the starter has been driven accumulated by the starter drive count accumulation unit exceeds a predetermined threshold value, The starter drive count accumulator is configured to, when the starter is driven when the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed, calculate a greater number of times as the number of times the starter is driven than when the starter is driven when the engine speed is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed.

2. 2. The starter replacement determination device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the user that the starter needs to be replaced when the starter replacement determination unit determines that the starter needs to be replaced.

3. 2. The starter replacement determination device according to claim 1, wherein the starter drive count accumulator increases the additional count as the engine speed increases when the starter is driven while the engine speed exceeds a predetermined speed.