Description

THE APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING THE OVERHEATING OF THE ENGINE FOR THE VEHICLE AND THE METHOD

THEREOF

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine, and a method for the same, and in particular to an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine, and a method for the same in which a fire due to an overheating of an engine is prevented by automatically controlling an operation of an engine even when a driver steps on an accelerator when parks or stops a vehicle, and a window is automatically opened when the detected indoor temperature or CO is higher than a set value.

[2]

Background Art

[3] Generally, the temperature of a combustion gas in the interior of a cylinder of a vehicle engine is about 2000 ⁰ C. When a large part of the heat remaining after it is absorbed by a cylinder, a cylinder head and a piston increases, a cylinder may be deformed or an oil membrane of a cylinder wall may be broken, and a lubrication work may have a failure. In worse case, the engine may be damaged, and a combustion performance may be worsened. So, a knocking phenomenon or earlier ignition occurs, so that the performance decreases sharply.

[4] The outer engine is air-cooled since it is impossible to cool with a natural wind in a state that the vehicle stops(in particular, in stopping or parking state). The increase of engine temperature more frequently occurs in summer than in winter. In a state that a vehicle stops in summer, when an air condition starts, since the engine is provided with a certain operational load, the temperature of cooling water may increase.

[5] A driver may have a sleep in a vehicle after parking or stopping a vehicle. In summer or winter, a driver may sleep while opening an air conditioner or a heater in a parked or stopped state. In this case, since all windows of a vehicle are closed, when a driver sleeps for a long time in a state that an engine is operating, a fire may occur due to an overheating or a driver may die due to an increase of CO in the interior of the vehicle.

[6] In addition, a driver may step on an accelerator pedal unconsciously during sleeping. At this time, when the accelerator pedal keeps being stepped on for a certain time period, the revolution of engine increases sharply for thereby causing a fire due to an overheating of an engine.

[7]

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine, and a method for the same which overcome the problems encountered in the conventional art and are able to prevent a fire owing to an overheating of an engine by controlling an ejection amount of a fuel ejection apparatus so that the revolution does not increase even when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal in a state that a vehicle parks or stops or by controlling a fuel valve (throttling valve).

[9] It is a second object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine and a method for the same in which the revolution of a vehicle engine does not increase by pressing an acceleration pedal lock button during a parking or stop of a vehicle even when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal.

[10] It is a third object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine and a method for the same in which an alarm is outputted when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal in a state that an accelerator pedal lock button is off, for thereby allowing a driver to recognize, and in which a window of a vehicle is automatically opened when an indoor temperature and CO are higher than a set value when a vehicle is parked or stops.

[H]

Technical Solution

[12] To achieve the above objects, there is provided an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine which comprises a parking and stop detection sensor which detects a set state of a transmission gear of a vehicle or a parking brake state; an accelerator pedal lock button which determines a locked state of an accelerator pedal when the vehicle stops or is parked; an accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor which detects a pressure state of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; an engine revolution detection sensor which detects an engine revolution of the vehicle; an engine driving controller which controls an engine driving of the vehicle; and an electronic control unit(ECU) in which the accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as a driver pressurizes an accelerator pedal in case that the vehicle is parked or stops, and the accelerator pedal lock button is on, or allows the engine driving controller to control the engine driving operation when the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution for a certain reference time by comparing the engine revolution detected by the engine revolution detection sensor with the reference revolution.

Advantageous Effects

[14] In an apparatus for preventing an overheating a vehicle engine, and a method for the same, it is possible to prevent a fire owing to an overheating of an engine by controlling an ejection amount of a fuel ejection apparatus or by controlling a fuel valve (throttling valve) so that the revolution of an engine does not increase even when a driver unconsciously steps on an accelerator pedal during a sleeping of a driver in a state that a vehicle is parked or stops.

[15] In addition, it is possible to prevent a fire owing to an overheating of an engine by allowing the revolution of an engine not to increase when an accelerator pedal lock button is pushed when a vehicle is parked or stops.

[16] When an acceleration pedal pressure detection sensor detects an acceleration pedal pressure state when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal in a state that an accelerator pedal lock button is off when a vehicle is parked or stops, an alarm is outputted through a speaker for thereby allowing a driver to recognize, and a window of a vehicle is automatically opened when an indoor temperature of a vehicle or CO is higher than a set value.

[17]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine according to the present invention.

[19] Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[20] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[21]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[22] In the present invention, an apparatus for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine comprises a parking and stop detection sensor which detects a set state of a transmission gear of a vehicle or a parking brake state; an accelerator pedal lock button which determines a locked state of an accelerator pedal when the vehicle stops or is parked; an accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor which detects a pressure state of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; an engine revolution detection sensor which detects an engine revolution of the vehicle; an engine driving controller which controls an engine driving of the vehicle; and an electronic control unit(ECU) in which the accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as a driver pressurizes an accelerator pedal in case that the vehicle is parked or stops, and

the accelerator pedal lock button is on, or allows the engine driving controller to control the engine driving operation when the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution for a certain reference time by comparing the engine revolution detected by the engine revolution detection sensor with the reference revolution.

[23] In a state that the accelerator pedal lock button is off, when the accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as the driver pressurizes the accelerator pedal or when the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution for a certain time period by comparing the engine revolution with the reference revolution, an alarm sound is outputted through the speaker.

[24] There are further provided a window opening and closing unit for opening and closing a window of a vehicle in accordance with a control of the electronic control unit, an indoor temperature detection sensor for measuring an indoor temperature of the vehicle and a CO detection sensor for measuring the amount of the indoor CO of the vehicle, and the indoor temperature and CO amount of the vehicle detected by the indoor temperature detection sensor and the CO detection sensor are compared with the set values, and when the indoor temperature and CO amount of the vehicle are higher than the set values, the window is opened by controlling the window opening and closing unit.

[25] In addition, a method for preventing an overheating of a vehicle engine comprises a step (a) in which a gear set state of a transmission gear of a vehicle or a parking brake state is detected for thereby judging a parking or stop state; a step (b) in which an on and off state of an accelerator pedal lock button is judged; a step (c) in which in a state that the accelerator pedal lock button is on, when an accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as a driver pressurizes an accelerator pedal or when an engine revolution is higher than a reference revolution for a certain reference time by comparing the engine revolution detected by the engine revolution detection sensor with the reference revolution, the engine driving is controlled; and a step (d) in which in a state that the accelerator pedal lock button is off, when an accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as a driver pressurizes an accelerator pedal or when an engine revolution is higher than a reference revolution for a certain reference time by comparing the engine revolution with the reference revolution, the window is opened when the window is closed by detecting the opened and closed states of the window.

[26]

Mode for the Invention

[27] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the vehicle adapted in the present

invention means a vehicle having all kinds of driving engines such as a gasoline engine vehicle, a diesel engine vehicle, a hybrid engine vehicle, an electric engine vehicle or a hydrogen engine vehicle. The engine driving controller may have a different engine driving method depending on an engine mounted on each vehicle, but it represents all kinds of driving controllers in the present invention.

[28]

[29] Embodiment

[30] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an apparatus for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[31] As shown in Figure 1, the apparatus for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises an electronic control unit(ECU) 100, a parking and stop detection sensor 110, an accelerator pedal lock button 120, an accelerator pedal lock button detection sensor 130, an accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor 140, an indoor temperature and CO detection sensor 150, an engine revolution detection sensor 160, a timer 170, a window opening and closing unit 180, and an engine driving controller 190.

[32] The electronic control unit 100 is an element for controlling the operations of an apparatus for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle.

[33] Here, the electronic control unit 100 allows the engine driving controller 190 to properly control the operations of the engine when it is judged that the vehicle is parked or stops in accordance with a signal from the parking and stop detection sensor 110, and the accelerator pedal lock button 120 is on, and the accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor 140 detects an accelerator pedal pressure state as a driver steps on the accelerator pedal. Namely, when the accelerator pedal lock button 120 is on, the accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor 140 detects an accelerator pedal pressure state or the engine revolution in case of the accelerator pedal pressure is compared with the reference revolution. As a result, when the engine revolution is larger than the reference revolution, and the above state keeps for a certain time, the engine operation is controlled so that the engine revolution keeps below a reference revolution.

[34] When the vehicle is parked or stops, and the accelerator pedal button 120 is off, the accelerator pedal pressure state is detected or the engine revolution is compared with the reference revolution. As a result, when the engine revolution keeps being larger than the reference revolution, an alarm sound is outputted through the speaker.

[35] The parking and stop detection sensor 110 detects a set state of the vehicle transformer or a parking brake state and transmits a result of the same to the electronic control unit 100. Namely, it detects whether the transformer gears is in a parking state or detects whether the parking brake is locked or not.

[36] The accelerator pedal lock button 120 is a switch for selecting a locking state of the

accelerator pedal when the vehicle is parked or stops and turns on or off the accelerator pedal lock button 120. When it is assumed that the accelerator pedal lock button 120 is on, the revolution of the engine does not increase even when the driver steps on the accelerator pedal of the vehicle. In this state, it is controlled that the engine drives within a certain revolution.

[37] The accelerator pedal lock button detection sensor 130 transmits a signal corresponding to the on and off of the accelerator pedal lock button 120 to the electronic control unit 100.

[38] The accelerator pedal pressure detection sensor 140 is a sensor for detecting a pressure state of the accelerator pedal of the vehicle and transmits a pressure state of the accelerator pedal to the electronic control unit 100.

[39] The indoor temperature and CO detection sensor 150 is a sensor for detecting an indoor temperature or an indoor CO of the vehicle and transmits a data of the measured indoor temperature and CO to the electronic control unit 100.

[40] The engine revolution detection sensor 160 is a sensor for measuring the engine revolution of the vehicle and transmits a data of the measured engine revolution to the electronic control unit 100.

[41] The timer 170 is a timer for measuring the time and is used to compute how long the increased engine revolution keeps when comparing the engine revolution with the reference revolution(set value).

[42] The window opening and closing unit 180 is an element for opening and closing the windows of the vehicle. When the indoor temperature or CO amount is higher than the set value, the windows are automatically opened for preventing a certain accident inside the vehicle.

[43] The engine driving controller 190 is an element for controlling the engine operations of the vehicle with the help of the electronic control unit and controls the operations of the engine by controlling the ejection level of the fuel ejector or the fuel valve (throttling valve).

[44] Figure 2 is a flow chart of the method for preventing an engine overheating of the vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[45] The method for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[46] First of all, it is judged whether the state of the parking brake and transformer of a vehicle is in a parking or stop state in a step SlO. When the vehicle is in the parking or stop state(YES of step SlO), the on/off of the accelerator pedal lock button is judged(step SlO). When the vehicle is not in the parking or stop state, the fuel valve is opened, and the normal engine operation is performed in a step S70.

[47] Next, when the accelerator pedal lock button is on(YES in step S20), the engine

revolution is measured and compared with the reference revolution(steps S30 and S40).

[48] Next, in the step S40, the engine revolution is compared with the reference revolution(step S40). When the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution (YES in step S40), it is judged whether it is passed more than the set reference time(S50). When the engine revolution is lower than the reference revolution (NO in step S40), the routine returns to before the step S40.

[49] In the step S50, when the engine revolution has passed the set reference time, the engine operation is controlled(step S60), and otherwise the routine returns to before the step S50. At this time, the methods for controlling the engine operation is performed by controlling the ejection of the fuel ejector or controlling the fuel valve(throttling valve). In a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hydrogen vehicle, the engine can be controlled by controlling the electricity or the amount of hydrogen used as a driving source.

[50] In the step S20, when the accelerator pedal lock button is off, the engine revolution is measured and compared with the reference revolution(Steps S 80 and S90).

[51] In the step S90, the engine revolution is compared with the reference revolution(S90). When the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution (YES in step S90), it is judged whether it has passed the set reference time or not(SlOO). When the engine revolution is lower than the reference revolution(NO in S90), the routine returns to before the step S90.

[52] Next, in the step SlOO, when the engine revolution has passed the set reference time, an alarm is outputted through the speaker in a step Sl 10, and otherwise the routine returns to before the step SlOO.

[53] Figure 3 is a flow chart of the method for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[54] The method for preventing an engine overheating of a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[55] First of all, it is judged whether the state of the parking brake and transformer gear of the vehicle is in a parking and stop state in a step S210. When the vehicle is in a parking or stop state(YES in a step S210), the on/off of the accelerator pedal lock button is judged in a step S220. When it is not in the parking or stop state(NO in step S210), the fuel valve is opened, so that a normal engine operation is maintained in a step S270.

[56] Next, when the accelerator pedal lock button is on(YES in step S220), the engine revolution is measured and compared with the reference revolution(steps S230 and S240).

[57] In the step S240, the engine revolution is compared with the reference

revolution(S240). When the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution (YES in step S240), it is judged whether it has passed the set reference time(S250). When the engine revolution is lower than the reference revolution(NO in step S240), the routine returns to before the step S240.

[58] In the step S250, when the engine revolution has passed the set reference time, the engine driving is controller(S260), and otherwise the routine returns to before the step S250. At this time, the engine is controlled in such a manner that the ejection of the fuel ejection apparatus or a fuel valve(throttling valve) is controlled.

[59] In the step S220, when the accelerator pedal lock button is off, the engine revolution is measured and compared with the reference revolution(S280 and S290).

[60] In the step S290, the engine revolution is compared with the reference revolution(S290). When the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution (YES in S290), it is judged whether it has passed the set reference time(S300). When the engine revolution is lower than the reference revolution(NO in S290), the routine returns to before the step S290.

[61] Next, in the step S300, when the engine revolution has passed the set reference time, an alarm sound is outputted from the speaker(S310).

[62] The engine revolution is compared with the reference revolution(S320). When the engine revolution is higher than the reference revolution(YES in S320), the indoor temperature of the vehicle is measured and compared with the set temperature(S330). At this time, when the indoor temperature is higher than the set temperature(YES in S330), the routine goes to the next step S340, and CO is compared with the set CO (S340). When the indoor temperature is lower than the set temperature (NO in the step S330), the routine returns to before the step S320).

[63] In the step S340, when CO is more than the set CO (YES in S340), the window is partially opened(S350), and the routine returns to the initial step S210, and when CO is smaller than the set CO , and when CO is smaller than the set CO (NO in S340), the routine returns to before the step S320.

[64] In the step S320, when the engine revolution is lower than the reference revolution(NO in S320), an alarm signal of the speaker is turned off(S360), and the routine returns to the step S210.

[65] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

[66]

Industrial Applicability

[67] In an apparatus for preventing an overheating a vehicle engine, and a method for the same, it is possible to prevent a fire owing to an overheating of an engine by controlling an ejection amount of a fuel ejection apparatus or by controlling a fuel valve (throttling valve) so that the revolution of an engine does not increase even when a driver unconsciously steps on an accelerator pedal during a sleeping of a driver in a state that a vehicle is parked or stops.

[68] In addition, it is possible to prevent a fire owing to an overheating of an engine by allowing the revolution of an engine not to increase when an accelerator pedal lock button is pushed when a vehicle is parked or stops.

[69] When an acceleration pedal pressure detection sensor detects an acceleration pedal pressure state when a driver steps on an accelerator pedal in a state that an accelerator pedal lock button is off when a vehicle is parked or stops, an alarm is outputted through a speaker for thereby allowing a driver to recognize, and a window of a vehicle is automatically opened when an indoor temperature of a vehicle or CO is higher than a set value.

[70]

Sequence Listing

[71] vehicle engine, overheating, window, CO , indoor temperature