Electronic Throttle Control Deicing via Gear Clearance Oscillation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic throttle control systems for vehicle engines face challenges in removing ice formations from throttle valves, especially when ice pieces stick to the inner surface of air inlet pipes, leading to failure in recovering the throttle valve from a frozen state due to insufficient drive force from the electric motor.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a throttle actuator with an electric motor and a transmission gear device, along with a throttle opening degree sensor and a control unit that includes an icing decision function and a deicing control function. The motor drives the throttle valve in one direction by the amount of gear clearance to build up speed and apply a large drive force, allowing it to effectively remove ice pieces by switching directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electric motor drives the throttle valve with normal drive force during the engine starting period, then the throttle valve can be controlled to oscillate within a certain angular range, but the ice pieces stuck to the air inlet pipe surface cannot be removed when the binding force is larger than the throttle valve driving force
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit executes a freeze recovery process that periodically oscillates the throttle valve between opening and closing directions multiple times. This periodic action allows the throttle valve to build up speed and generate sufficient drive force through repeated motion cycles, enabling it to overcome the binding force of ice pieces that would otherwise remain stuck to the air inlet pipe surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the throttle valve opening degree beyond the normal oscillation range during the freeze recovery process. By allowing the throttle valve to move to extreme positions and switch directions rapidly, the system creates dynamic motion that generates higher instantaneous drive force, enabling the removal of strongly adhered ice pieces that static or slow oscillation cannot dislodge.
2Reliability
If the throttle valve is oscillated widely during the engine starting period, then ice pieces can be removed from the throttle valve, but the output torque of the vehicle engine does not vary so much, making it difficult to ensure proper engine starting
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit determines whether the throttle valve is in a frozen state before executing the freeze recovery process. This preliminary detection allows the system to apply the oscillation strategy only when necessary, rather than continuously oscillating the throttle valve during engine starting. As a result, normal engine starting characteristics are maintained, and wide oscillation is applied only as a targeted intervention when ice accumulation is detected.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the throttle valve position and detects whether the valve is stuck or in a frozen state by analyzing the response to drive commands. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust its behavior dynamically - maintaining normal operation when the valve is functional and switching to oscillation mode only when freezing is detected, thereby preserving normal engine starting characteristics while enabling ice removal when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the deicing capability of the throttle valve, enabling successful recovery from a frozen state by applying a sufficient drive force to break the ice pieces, even when they are stuck to the air inlet pipe surface.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor generating torque for driving a throttle valve in an opening direction and a closing direction
Implementation Method 2
the throttle valve hits an ice piece... apply a large drive force to the throttle valve, to thereby improve deicing capability
Data Source
AI summary
The electronic throttle control apparatus for a vehicle engine includes a throttle actuator including an electric motor generating torque for driving a throttle valve in an opening direction and a closing direction of the throttle valve through a transmission gear device a throttle opening degree sensor detecting an opening degree of the throttle valve, and a throttle control unit controlling the electric motor such that opening degree of the throttle valve detected by the throttle opening degree sensor becomes equal to a target throttle opening degree. The throttle control unit includes an icing decision function deciding whether or not the throttle valve is in a frozen state where icing is present in the throttle valve, and a deicing control function executing a freeze recovery process for recovering, when the throttle valve is decided to be in the frozen state by the icing decision function, the throttle valve from the frozen state by controlling the electric motor to drive the throttle valve in one of the closing direction and the opening direction at least by an amount of a clearance of the transmission gear device, and then in the other of the opening direction and the closing direction.