OIL PUMP CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

Abstract
An oil pump control system for a vehicle, may include an oil pump configured to supply oil to an engine, an oil pressure control valve regulating oil pressure value of a discharging part in the oil pump, an oil pressure sensor sensing and outputting the oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump, and a controller receiving a signal of the oil pressure value, determining a target oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump in response to information relating to an oil pressure and operation state of the engine among vehicle information inputted from outside, comparing the sensed oil pressure value inputted from the oil pressure sensor with the target oil pressure value, and performing feedback control to drive the oil pressure control valve.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Number 10-2011-133541 filed Dec. 13, 2011, the entire contents of which application is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.


BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention


The present invention relates to an oil pump control system for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an oil pump control system for a vehicle, which controls oil pressure of a discharging part of an oil pump.


2. Description of Related Art



FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the related art. As illustrated in FIG. 1, control pump control system 1 according to the related art includes an oil pump 10 driven by a crankshaft and a relief valve 20 for returning oil to a suction port of the pump when oil pressure excessively increases.


Here, relief valve 20 operates to recirculate oil of a discharging part of oil pump 10 to a suction part of oil pump 10 when an oil-pump discharge pressure applied to the top surface of a plunger 22 is larger than a support force of a spring 24 supporting plunger 22.


As such, since relief valve 20 is opened and closed by such a mechanical operation as described above, there is a limitation in actively controlling the oil pressure of the discharging part of oil pump 10 in response to an engine operation condition, oil temperature, water temperature or the like.


Accordingly, even when an unnecessary oil pressure is formed in the discharging part of oil pump 10 during cold working or a high or low load, oil pump control system 1 according to the related art has difficulties in properly managing the unnecessary oil pressure. Furthermore, such a problem increases the load of oil pump 10, thereby reducing fuel efficiency.


The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


BRIEF SUMMARY

Various aspects of the present invention are directed to provide an oil pump control system for a vehicle, which is capable of actively controlling the oil pressure of a discharging part of an oil pump in response to an operation condition of the vehicle and environment changes, using a relief valve which may be electrically controlled instead of a mechanical relief valve in the related art.


In an aspect of the present invention, an oil pump control system for a vehicle, may include an oil pump configured to supply oil to an engine, an oil pressure control valve regulating oil pressure value of a discharging part in the oil pump, an oil pressure sensor sensing and outputting the oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump, and a controller receiving a signal of the oil pressure value, determining a target oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump in response to information relating to an oil pressure and operation state of the engine among vehicle information inputted from outside, comparing the sensed oil pressure value inputted from the oil pressure sensor with the target oil pressure value, and performing feedback control to drive the oil pressure control valve.


The controller may include a first control module determining the target oil pressure value according to a first target oil pressure map which is set in a preset range in response to speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information.


The target oil pressure value determined by the first target oil pressure map is corrected by oil temperature and cooling water temperature among the vehicle information.


The controller may further include a second control module determining the target oil pressure value according to a second target oil pressure map, which is set in response to the speed and the fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information, in consideration of opening of a piston cylinder cooling jet for supplying oil transferred from the oil pump to a piston of the engine, and a third control module controlling the piston cylinder cooling jet in response to the speed and the fuel amount of the engine, wherein an opening signal of the piston cylinder cooling jet is inputted, the controller deactivates the first control module and activates the second and third control modules.


The controller may further include an engine failure warning module which, when a difference between the target oil pressure value and the sensed oil pressure value approaches a preset failure critical value, outputs a warning signal to the outside as an engine failure.


The feedback control is implemented by proportional integral (PI) control or proportional integral derivative (PID) control.


As such, the oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention calculates the target oil pressure value of the discharging part of the oil pump in response to the information relating to the oil pressure and operation state of the engine among the vehicle information, and performs feedback control such that the measured oil pressure value inputted from the oil pressure sensor follows the target oil pressure value. Therefore, the oil pump control system may control the formation of unnecessary oil pressure in the discharging part of the oil pump during cold working or a high or low load, thereby managing the load of the oil pump. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the reduction of fuel efficiency caused by the oil pump.


Further, the oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may perform feedback control according to the target oil pressure value calculated by considering the effect of the piston cylinder cooling jet, which makes it possible to further maximize the fuel efficiency.


In addition, the oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may detect an oil pressure difference of the engine and quickly determine a failure caused by a fatal error of an engine lubricating system, thereby preventing an engine failure.


The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present invention.





BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the related art.



FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an oil pump control system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.



FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an oil pump control system for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.





It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.


In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.


Hereinafter, an oil pump control system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Referring to FIG. 2, an oil pump control system 100 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the oil pump control system for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.


Oil pump control system 100 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include an oil pump 110, an oil pressure control valve 112, an oil pressure sensor 113, and a controller 130.


Oil pump 110 pumps oil of an oil pan 116 through a suction part 114 and discharges the pumped oil to a discharging part 118. Oil pump 110 is driven in proportion to the speed of an engine. The oil discharged through discharging part 118 is supplied into the engine.


Oil pressure control valve 112 is a valve for controlling the oil pressure of discharging part 118, and disposed in a flow path between suction part 114 and discharging part 118. Oil pressure control valve 112 may include a solenoid valve driven by the control of controller 130.


Oil pressure sensor 113 senses the oil pressure of discharging part 118 of oil pump 130 and outputs the sensed oil pressure value to controller 130. Accordingly, oil pressure sensor 113 may supply an actual oil pressure value, obtained by the control of controller 130, to controller 130.


Controller 130 calculates a target oil pressure value which discharging part 118 is to maintain, in response to information relating to the oil pressure and operation state of the engine among a variety of vehicle information inputted from various sensors disposed in the vehicle. Then, controller 130 compares the measured oil pressure value inputted from oil pressure sensor 113 with the calculated target oil pressure value and performs feedback control for driving oil pressure control valve 112 to follow the reference target oil pressure value. Here, the feedback control may be implemented by proportional integral (PI) control or proportional integral derivative (PID) control.


As illustrated in FIG. 2, controller 130 may be divided into a first control module 132 for calculating the target oil pressure value, a PI control module 137 for performing PI control to drive oil pressure control valve 112 to follow the target oil pressure value, and an engine failure warning module 139.


First control module 132 may calculate the target oil pressure value according to a first target oil pressure map 1322 which is set in response to the speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information. Here, the target oil pressure value calculated by first target oil pressure map 1322 may be corrected by oil temperature and cooling water temperature among the vehicle information. The target oil pressure value set in response to the speed and fuel amount of the engine by first target oil pressure map 1322 is set in a preset range where the oil pressure of discharging part 118 of oil pump 130 is not excessively formed.


PI control module 137 compares the measured oil pressure value inputted from oil pressure sensor 113 with the target oil pressure value calculated and corrected by first control module 132 and performs PI feedback control to drive the oil pressure control valve such that the actual oil pressure of discharging part 118 follows the target oil pressure value calculated by first control module 132.


As such, oil pump control system 100 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention calculates the target oil pressure value of discharging part 118 of oil pump 130 in response to the information relating to the oil pressure and operation state of the engine among the vehicle information, and operates PI control module 137 such that the measured oil pressure value inputted from oil pressure sensor 113 follows the target oil pressure value. Accordingly, oil pump control system 100 for a vehicle may control the formation of unnecessary oil pressure in discharging part 118 of oil pump 130 during cold working or a high or low load, thereby managing the load of oil pump 130. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the reduction of the fuel efficiency caused by oil pump 130.


When a difference between the target oil pressure value by first control module 132 and the measured oil pressure inputted from oil pressure sensor 13 approaches a preset failure critical value, engine failure warning module 139 may consider this state as an engine failure, and output a corresponding warning signal to the outside.


Oil pump control system 100 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may detect the oil pressure difference of the engine and quickly determine a failure caused by a fatal error of an engine lubricating system, thereby preventing an engine failure.


Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 3, an oil pump control system 200 for a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described.


As illustrated in FIG. 3, oil pump 210 pumps oil of an oil pan 216 through a suction part 214 and discharges the pumped oil to a discharging part 218.


A controller 230 of oil pump control system 200 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a second control module 234 and a third control module 236 in addition to a first control module 232, a PI control module 237 to drive oil pressure control valve 212, and an engine failure warning module 239, unlike the above-described exemplary embodiment. Here, first control module 232 and second control module 234 are selectively operated by the control of controller 230.


That is, when an opening signal of a piston cylinder cooling jet is inputted, controller 230 may deactivate first control module 232, activate second control module 234 and third control module 236, and control the oil pressure according to a second valve duty map 2342 considering an effect of the piston cylinder cooling jet.


When the opening signal of the piston cylinder cooling jet is not inputted, that is, when the piston cylinder cooling jet is closed, first control module 232 may calculate a target oil pressure value of a discharging part 218 according to a first target oil pressure map 2322 considering the effect of the piston cylinder cooling jet.


Here, second control module 234 may calculate the target oil pressure value according to a second target oil pressure map 2342 and output the calculated target oil pressure value to PI control module 237. Second target oil pressure map 2342 is set in response to the speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle speed such that the target oil pressure value of discharging part 218 is calculated within a preset range, in consideration of the opening of the piston cylinder cooling jet. Here, the piston cylinder cooling jet supplies oil transferred from oil pump 210 to a piston of the engine.


Second control module 234 may correct a control signal generated by second target oil pressure map 2342 according to oil temperature and cooling water temperature among the vehicle information.


PI control module 237 compares a measured oil pressure value inputted from oil pressure sensor 213 with the target oil pressure value calculated and corrected by second control module 234, and performs PI feedback control for driving the oil pressure control valve such that the actual oil pressure of discharging part 218 follows the target oil pressure value of first control module 232.


Third control module 236 may control the piston cylinder cooling jet in response to the speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information. Third control module 236 may include a cooling jet control map 2362 in which a control signal value for controlling the piston cylinder cooling jet is set by the speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information. Third control module 236 may control the piston cylinder cooling jet according to cooling jet control map 2362.


When an opening signal of the piston cylinder cooling jet is inputted, controller 230 may deactivate first control module 232, and activate second and third control modules 234 and 236.


As such, oil pump control system 200 for a vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may calculate a target oil pressure value, which is more precise than in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, through second control module 234 which reflects an oil pressure change of discharging part 218 of oil pump 210 when the piston cylinder cooling jet is opened.


Therefore, control system 200 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may perform feedback control according to the target oil pressure value calculated by considering the effect of the piston cylinder cooling jet, which makes it possible to further maximize the fuel efficiency than in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2.


The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, as well as various alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

Claims
  • 1. An oil pump control system for a vehicle, comprising: an oil pump configured to supply oil to an engine;an oil pressure control valve regulating oil pressure value of a discharging part in the oil pump;an oil pressure sensor sensing and outputting the oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump; anda controller receiving a signal of the oil pressure value, determining a target oil pressure value of the discharging part in the oil pump in response to information relating to an oil pressure and operation state of the engine among vehicle information inputted from outside, comparing the sensed oil pressure value inputted from the oil pressure sensor with the target oil pressure value, and performing feedback control to drive the oil pressure control valve.
  • 2. The oil pump control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a first control module determining the target oil pressure value according to a first target oil pressure map which is set in a preset range in response to speed and fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information.
  • 3. The oil pump control system as defined in claim 2, wherein the target oil pressure value determined by the first target oil pressure map is corrected by oil temperature and cooling water temperature among the vehicle information.
  • 4. The oil pump control system as defined in claim 2, wherein the controller further comprises: a second control module determining the target oil pressure value according to a second target oil pressure map, which is set in response to the speed and the fuel amount of the engine among the vehicle information, in consideration of opening of a piston cylinder cooling jet for supplying oil transferred from the oil pump to a piston of the engine; anda third control module controlling the piston cylinder cooling jet in response to the speed and the fuel amount of the engine,wherein an opening signal of the piston cylinder cooling jet is inputted, the controller deactivates the first control module and activates the second and third control modules.
  • 5. The oil pump control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises an engine failure warning module which, when a difference between the target oil pressure value and the sensed oil pressure value approaches a preset failure critical value, outputs a warning signal to the outside as an engine failure.
  • 6. The oil pump control system as defined in claim 1, wherein the feedback control is implemented by proportional integral (PI) control or proportional integral derivative (PID) control.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
10-2011-133541 Dec 2011 KR national