Control Device for Vehicle, Control Method for Vehicle, and Method for Estimating Power Consumption of Cooling Fan

Abstract

Along with a rotational speed sensor being fitted to the crank shaft of an engine, a rotational speed sensor is fitted to a cooling fan; and the energy consumption of the cooling fan is estimated by using a map based upon an engine rotational speed (a pulley rotational speed Np) and a fan rotational speed Nf which have been detected by these rotational speed sensors. By controlling the operation of the engine based upon the energy consumption of the cooling fan which has been estimated in this manner, it is possible to control the operation of the engine more appropriately.

1 . A control device for vehicle comprising
 an internal combustion engine and   a cooling device comprising   a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and   a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan, wherein the device comprises:   fan side rotational speed detection means for detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan; and   power consumption estimation means for estimating a power consumption of the cooling fan, based at least upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       2 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 engine side rotational speed detection means for detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine;   and wherein the power consumption estimation means estimates the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected, and upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected.   
   
   
       3 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the engine side rotational speed detection means detects a time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine;   the fan side rotational speed detection means detects a time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan; and   the power consumption estimation means estimates the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and the time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       4 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 vehicle speed detection means for detecting the speed of the vehicle; and wherein the power consumption estimation means estimates the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the vehicle speed which has been detected, the time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and the time rate of change of the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       5 . In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a control device for a vehicle, comprising:
 engine side rotational speed detection means for detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine;   state estimation means for estimating a state of the fluid coupling; and   power consumption estimation means for estimating a power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been estimated.   
   
   
       6 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein the state estimation means estimates the amount of the viscous fluid which is supplied to the power transmission unit. 
   
   
       7 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein:
 the state estimation means comprises engine side rotational speed detection means for detecting the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine, and fan side rotational speed detection means for detecting the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan;   and the state estimation means estimates the state of the fluid coupling, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       8 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the state estimation means comprises temperature detection means for detecting a temperature of the device, and estimates the state of the fluid coupling based upon the temperature of the device which has been detected; and   the fluid coupling is made so as to adjust the amount of the viscous fluid which is supplied to the power transmission unit, according to the temperature of the device which has been detected.   
   
   
       9 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the power consumption estimation means estimates a power consumption of an auxiliary unit which is driven from and consumes power from the internal combustion engine, and the control device further comprises operation control means for controlling an operation of the internal combustion engine based upon the power consumption of the auxiliary unit which has been estimated. 
   
   
       10 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 9 , wherein the operation control means controls the operation of the internal combustion engine, so that the power which is lacking based upon the estimation of the power consumption of the auxiliary unit is outputted from the internal combustion engine. 
   
   
       11 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 9 , further comprising output setting means for setting a target output for the internal combustion engine based upon input to the vehicle, and wherein
 the operation control means controls the operation of the internal combustion engine, so that the power, obtained by integrating the target output of the internal combustion engine which has been set by the output setting means and the power consumption of the auxiliary unit which has been estimated, is outputted by the internal combustion engine.   
   
   
       12 . In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan, and motoring means for being capable of motoring the internal combustion engine: a control device for a vehicle, comprising:
 state estimation means for estimating a state of the fluid coupling; and   starting control means which, when a predetermined starting condition has become effective, sets a target torque based upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been estimated, and controls the motoring means and the internal combustion engine, so that the internal combustion engine is motored with the target torque which has been set, and is started.   
   
   
       13 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 12 , further comprising
 automatic means for stopping the operation of the internal combustion engine automatically when a predetermined stoppage condition has become effective, and starting the operation of the internal combustion engine automatically when, with the operation of the internal combustion engine stopped, the predetermined starting condition has become effective.   
   
   
       14 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 12 , further comprising storage means for storing data; and wherein the state estimation means comprises engine side rotational speed detection means for detecting the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine, and fan side rotational speed detection means for detecting the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan, and, along with estimating the state of the fluid coupling based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine, and upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan, which have been detected during operation of the internal combustion engine, also stores the estimated state of the fluid coupling in the storage means. 
   
   
       15 . A control device for a vehicle according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the fluid coupling is so adapted that the amount of the viscous fluid which is supplied to the power transmission unit is adjusted according to a temperature of the device; and   the state estimation means comprises temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the device, and estimates the state of the fluid coupling based upon the temperature which has been detected.   
   
   
       16 . In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a control device for a vehicle, comprising:
 a fan side rotational speed detection device which detects the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan; and   a power consumption estimation device which estimates a power consumption of the cooling fan, based at least upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       17 . In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a control device for a vehicle, comprising:
 an engine side rotational speed detection device which detects a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine;   a state estimation device which estimates a state of the fluid coupling; and   a power consumption estimation device which estimates a power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been detected.   
   
   
       18 . In a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan, and a motoring device which is capable of motoring the internal combustion engine: a control device for a vehicle, comprising:
 a state estimation device which estimates a state of the fluid coupling; and   a starting control device which, when a predetermined starting condition has become effective, sets a target torque based upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been estimated, and controls the motoring device and the internal combustion engine, so that the internal combustion engine is motored with the target torque which has been set, and is started.   
   
   
       19 . For a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a power consumption estimation method for estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, comprising:
 detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan;   detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine; and   estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected, and upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected.   
   
   
       20 . For a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a power consumption estimation method for estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, comprising:
 detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan; and   estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the cooling fan which has been detected.   
   
   
       21 . For a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine and a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan: a power consumption estimation method for estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, comprising:
 detecting a rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine;   estimating a state of the fluid coupling; and   estimating the power consumption of the cooling fan, based upon the rotational speed of the fluid coupling on the side of the internal combustion engine which has been detected, and upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been detected.   
   
   
       22 . For a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, a cooling device comprising a cooling fan used for cooling of a device, the cooling fan being an auxiliary unit which is driven along with consuming power from the internal combustion engine, and a fluid coupling which, along with adjusting the amount of a viscous fluid which is supplied to a power transmission unit, also transmits power from the internal combustion engine to the cooling fan, and a motoring means which is capable of motoring the internal combustion engine: a control method for a vehicle, comprising:
 estimating a state of the fluid coupling;   when a predetermined starting condition becomes effective, setting a target torque based upon the state of the fluid coupling which has been estimated; and controlling the motoring means and the internal combustion engine, so that the internal combustion engine is motored with the target torque which has been set, and is started.