초록 ▼

An economical driving indicator device for an automotive vehicle with an internal combustion engine, of the type indicating the instantaneous consumption of the vehicle per unit of distance traveled. The device monitors continuously the characteristics of the vehicle and transmits the monitored char

An economical driving indicator device for an automotive vehicle with an internal combustion engine, of the type indicating the instantaneous consumption of the vehicle per unit of distance traveled. The device monitors continuously the characteristics of the vehicle and transmits the monitored characteristics to a processing unit which determines the instantaneous real unit consumption, and the theoretical optimum unit consumption; and displays this information on a dial in the form of lighted areas composed of bar segments and an index indicating optimum consumption. The invention assists the driver in obtaining as economically as possible an optimum driving speed.

대표청구항 ▼

An economical driving indicator device for an automotive vehicle with an internal combustion engine, said device indicating the instantaneous consumption of the vehicle per unit of distance traveled, comprising: means for monitoring selected parameters indicative of operation of the vehicle for prod

An economical driving indicator device for an automotive vehicle with an internal combustion engine, said device indicating the instantaneous consumption of the vehicle per unit of distance traveled, comprising: means for monitoring selected parameters indicative of operation of the vehicle for producing data indicative of the monitored parameters, said monitored parameters including the instantaneous speed of revolution of the engine, the instantaneous speed of displacement of the vehicle and at least a parameter selected from the group consisting of the intake pressure of the engine and in the case of a fuel injection and/or compression engine the rate of air intake or the rate of acceleration of the engine; processing means coupled to said monitoring means for computing the following instantaneous data based on the monitored parameters; an instantaneous real unit consumption of the vehicle calculated for the registered driving conditions (speed of revolution of the engine, intake pressure, speed of the vehicle), a minimum possible theoretical unit consumption of the vehicle traveling over a level surface at a steady speed calculated for the registered speed of displacement of the vehicle; and display means, coupled to said processing means, including a dial for displaying the computed instantaneous data, comprising, said dial having a variable display area composed of a group of display segments which are juxtaposed, wherein selected of said segments are illuminated up to a segment representing instantaneous consumption and of which the illuminated display segments represent an instantaneous unit consumption of the vehicle in relation to a predetermined maximum value which can be registered, and a display index indicating on the dial a minimum theoretical unit consumption of the vehicle traveling over a level surface at a steady speed equal to the monitored instantaneous speed; the display index indicating the minimum theoretical unit consumption of the vehicle being composed of one of the juxtaposed segments which corresponds to said minimum consumption and which appears in luminous contrast on the dial, i.e., unilluminated if it is within the illuminated display segments representing real unit consumption and is therefore less than said real unit consumption, and respectively illuminated if it is outside said illuminated display segments and is therefore greater than the calculated real unit consumption.