Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha

Aisin Seiki K.k.

Kabushiki Kaisha Shinsangyokaihatsu

Hitoshi Hyodo

Shoji Kawata

Tokihiko Akita

Naoji Sakakibara

Kenichi Ogawa

A fixed speed control device including a predetermined vehicle operating speed controller, a release time limit set-up system, a release switch system, and a memory system, which are all electronically connected to an electronic control circuit. The fixed operating speed control device controls the speed of a vehicle so that it is commesurate with a specified preset vehicle speed, and can release itself from the controlled speed when a deviation exceeds a specified value, and properly adopt one of ten control branches to meet various requirements of vehicle operation.

Fixed operating speed control device

In a cruise-control system mounted on an automobile after a cruise-control mode has been established, a microcomputer prevents the electronic fuel-injection system of the automobile from cutting off the supply of fuel to the engine. This prevents the velocity of the automobile from surging when the automobile does down a hill. Another embodiment of a cruise-control system has an electronic fuel-injection system and an actuator that controls the opening of the throttle valve. When the opening decreases to a small opening slightly larger than the opening at which the fuel-injection system stops supplying fuel to the engine, the fuel-injection system maintains the valve at the small opening.

Cruise-control system with fuel and throttle valve control

A constant speed drive control unit, comprising a device for driving a throttle valve for a car provided with a fuel injection controller for cutting a fuel supply to an engine when the throttle valve comes to a first predetermined opening (0%) or below, and an automatic transmission controller for setting a speed stage of a speed change mechanism, an opening detector for detecting a throttle valve opening, a speed detector for detecting a car running speed, a speed controller for energizing the device for driving the throttle valve to coordinate the running speed with a desired car speed, and generating a shift-down assignment signal when the running speed exceeds the desired speed to the throttle valve coming to a second predetermined opening (5%) or below, and a speed change controller for changing the speed stage of the speed change mechanism to a lower stage in response to the signal. When the car comes to run on a descent while running on a high speed stage, the running speed becmes higher than the desired speed, thus the speed controller contracting the throttle opening. When the throttle valve comes to the second predetermined opening (5%), the speed controller generates the shift-down assignment signal, and the speed change controller shifts the speed change mechanism down to a lower speed stage in response to the signal.

Constant speed drive unit

A vehicle speed control system compares current vehicle speed against a target vehicle speed and automatically controls the position of the throttle valve of an engine in accordance with the difference therebetween for reducing the difference. A plurality of brake switches are provided. The system terminates the control of the position when at least one of the switches detects a depression of the brake pedal. If at least one of the switches does not detect the depression of the brake pedal when at least one of the switches detects it, an abnormality signal is generated for blocking commencement of the control of the position of the throttle valve. The abnormality signal is extinguished to enable the commencement of the control when all of the switches detect the depression of the brake pedal.

Vehicle speed control system

The level of a noise removed signal which is currently delivered is compared against the level of an input signal to be detected. If the non-coincidence therebetween continues over a given time interval, the level of the noise removed signal is inverted. In this manner, noises having stable levels which do not last over the given time interval are removed, thus deriving a favorable noise removed signal. In an alternative form, the level of a noise removed signal which is currently delivered is compared against the level of an input signal to be detected. When there is a non-coincidence therebetween which lasts over a first given time interval, when there is a coincidence which lasts over a second given time interval and when a third given time interval or more has passed, a noise removed signal is inverted. In this manner, a noise removed signal is obtained from which noises having a stable level which lasts less than the first given time interval, which occur sporadically or which fluctuate with relatively long periods are removed.

Noise elimination circuit

A vacuum actuator for actuating the throttle valve of a vehicle is driven by a surge tank via three valves which are actuated by their respective solenoids. These solenoids are energized by their respective driver circuits. The input signal applied to each solenoid is compared with the output signal delivered from the solenoid by a comparator. The comparators for the solenoids are incorporated in a microcomputer. If any one of the comparators indicates disagreement between its two input signals, and if this disagreement persists for a given period, then the microcomputer deenergizes the corresponding solenoid. A timer for measuring the duration of the disagreement is also incorporated in the microcomputer. For example, the invention can be employed in a velocity-sustaining device for a vehicle.

Output condition monitor apparatus for a velocity sustaining device

A constant-speed running control device is provided, which comprises car speed detecting means for detecting the current car speed of a vehicle, memory means for storing a given car speed, an actuator for controlling a throttle valve, setting means for causing the memory means to store the given car speed, releasing means for releasing the control of the actuator, electronic control means for controlling the actuator in such a direction as to cause the difference between the stored car speed held in the memory means and the current car speed detected by the car speed detecting means to disappear, temperature detecting means, and low-temperature release means for actuating the releasing means in response to the output of the temperature detecting means, whereby the control of the actuator is released through the releasing means when an ambient temperature lowers to thereby prevent erroneous operation and enhance reliability.

Constant-speed running control device

A constant speed running apparatus has a surge tank for storing a vacuum for driving a vacuum actuator, a vacuum switch for judging the amount of vacuum stored in the surge tank, and a vacuum pump activated when the amount of vacuum stored in the tank decreases so as to supply the vacuum to the tank. When a switch for starting a constant speed running is actuated, the pump is activated for a predetermined period of time to replenish the vacuum before the vacuum switch is activated. Accordingly, it is possible to maintain the internal pressure in the surge tank at a sufficiently high level when a constant-speed running control is started, and consequently improve the response of the actuator.

Constant speed running apparatus

In such an operation mode that the vehicle is accelerated upon turning-on of the switch and, when the vehicle has reached a given vehicle speed, the switch is turned off to memorize the vehicle speed at that time for effecting constant-speed control at the memorized vehicle speed, a throttle valve is returned to apply the engine brake after turning-off of the switch. If at least one of several given conditions is satisfied, adjustment of opening degree of the throttle valve is started so as to maintain the current vehicle speed at the goal vehicle speed. This makes smaller overshoot of the controlled vehicle speed caused by a response deley of the vehicle. The given condition may be related to differences between current speed and set speed, elapsed time, elapsed distance, or degree of acceleration.

Control device for vehicle speed

When the device is not in use, supply of power to a computer CPU for controlling the device is automatically interrupted, thus prolonging the service life of the CPU and eliminating useless power consumption. The need of manual operation of a power-on switch can be dispensed with. When at least one of a set switch and a resume switch is actuated, supply of power to the CPU is automatically turned ON using a flip-flop circuit. If the vehicle speed is memorized during an ON state, the CPU is still held in an ON state. But if the vehicle speed is cleared, the CPU controls the flip-flop to set OFF supply of power. In case the vehicle speed is less than a given value, the memorized vehicle speed is cleared irrespective of the state of the set switch and the resume switch.

An automobile speed control system is provided with a speed signal generator circuit for generating first electrical signal indicative of actual automobile speed and a desired automobile signal supply circuit for supplying a second electrical signal indicative of the desired automobile speed. The first and second signals are compared to provide a throttle valve control signal and an alarm circuit including an audible and/or visual alarm is provided to warn the driver when the actual automobile speed exceeds a pre-set speed.

Automobile speed control system

An automobile speed control system has a comparator circuit for issuing a speed difference signal when there is a difference between an automobile speed signal indicative of an automobile speed and an automobile speed setting signal indicative of a desired speed setting, an actuator responsive to the speed difference signal for adjusting the opening of a throttle valve to change the speed of an automobile in order to eliminate the speed difference signal, a cancel switch for cancelling a constant-speed travel mode of the automobile, a resume switch for resuming the constant-speed travel mode which has been cancelled, a timer circuit energizable for a prescribed interval of time in response to operation of the resume switch while the automobile is running in the constant-speed travel mode, and an acceleration signal generator circuit for generating an acceleration signal in response to operation of the resume switch while the timer circuit is in operation, whereby the acceleration signal can be produced to increase the speed of the automobile when the resume switch is actuated.

An automobile speed control system which is capable of running at a speed which is the same as the desired memorized speed and which will be maintained constant even during momentary voltage interruptions in the system, is comprised of a discharge device such as a diode which is arranged between one end of a grounded capacitor in an integrating circuit and a line which supplies a voltage higher than that of said one end of the capacitor when a voltage power source is normal. When the voltage of the voltage power source drops, the terminal voltage of the capacitor decreases slowly and the electric charge of the capacitor is discharged. When the voltage of the voltage power source rises again, the circuit operates in the same manner as the operation thereof when the power switch is closed and the memorized automobile speed is not changed from the prior memorized speed.

An automobile speed control system for use with an automobile includes a throttle valve, actuator means operatively connected to the throttle valve for actuating the throttle valve, a plurality of switch means, detector means for detecting a speed of the automobile, a plurality of automobile speed memories, and electronic control means for storing values dependent on output signals issued from the detector means into the automobile speed memories, respectively, in response to operation of the switch means, for reading the values, one at a time, from the automobile speed memories in response to operation of the switch means, and for energizing the actuator means according to the read values.

Growing community of inventors

Okazaki, Japan

Hitoshi Hyodo