Abstract:
The present invention relates to an engine protecting apparatus for preventing the inflow of moisture, which drops the RPM (revolutions per minute) of an engine by generating an RPM drop request signal when moisture drain does not occur, wherein a time is counted from the point when a moisture detection signal is received from a WIF sensor installed in a moisture separator, and moisture drain is checked at the point when a counted cumulative time exceeds a set time. When moisture drain is not performed even after a signal for moisture drain is received from a moisture detecting sensor installed in the moisture separator, a driver is aware of the seriousness of moisture separation to thus separate moisture in the moisture separator as soon as possible. This prevents fatal damages which may be aroused in an injector or fuel system due to the introduction of moisture into an engine.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water. More particularly, the present invention relates to an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water, in which when the water drain does not occur although a signal for draining the water is received from a water detection sensor installed in a water separator, the engine RPM is automatically dropped to allow an operator recognizes the seriousness of the water separation and promptly separate the water in the water separator, so that a fatal damage which may be caused by the inflow of water into an engine in an injector or a fuel system can be prevented. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, when an operator does not drain water within a predetermined time period although a signal for draining the water is received from a water sensor installed in a water separator, water enters an engine, thus resulting in a fatal damage in the engine or an injector. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Technical Problems 
     Accordingly, the present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problem occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water, in which when the water drain does not occur although a signal for draining the water is received from a water detection sensor installed in a water separator, the engine RPM is automatically dropped to allow an operator recognizes the seriousness of the water separation and promptly separate the water in the water separator, thereby preventing a fatal damage which may be caused by the inflow of water into an engine in an injector or a fuel system. 
     Technical Solution 
     To accomplish the above object, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water, including: a time count unit configured to count time starting from the time point at which a water detection signal is received thereto from a WIF (Water In Fuel) sensor installed in a water separator; an RPM (Revolution Per Minute) drop request unit configured to check whether or not water drain occurs at the time point when the counted accumulated time period exceeds a preset time period, generate an RPM drop request signal if the water drain does not occur, and default the RPM drop request signal if the water drain occurs; and an engine RPM drop processing unit configured to drop the engine RPM in response to the generated RPM drop request signal. 
     Preferably, the dropping of the engine RPM is performed in such a manner that a reference drop RPM is matched to the current RPM to be dropped and is stored, and when the RPM drop request signal is applied to the engine RPM drop processing unit, the current RPM is dropped to the reference drop RPM that is matched to the current RPM. 
     In addition, whether or not the water drain occurs is checked for at least two time points where the counted accumulated time period exceeds the preset time period, and if no water drain occurs, the RPM drop request unit generates the RPM drop request signal. 
     Advantageous Effect 
     In accordance with the engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water of the present invention, time is counted starting from the time point at which a water detection signal is received from a WIF sensor installed in a water separator, whether or not water drain occurs is checked at the time point when the counted accumulated time period exceeds a preset time period, and if the water drain does not occur, an RPM drop request signal is generated to drop the engine RPM. Furthermore, if the water drain does not occur although a signal for draining the water is received from the water detection sensor installed in the water separator, an operator recognizes the seriousness of the water separation and promptly separates the water in the water separator, so that a fatal damage which may be caused by the inflow of water into an engine in an injector or a fuel system can be prevented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       The above objects, other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the construction of an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart sequentially showing the operation of an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing an example of a method in which the engine RPM is dropped. 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION ON REFERENCE NUMERALS OF MAIN ELEMENTS IN THE DRAWINGS 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 100: water separator 
                 101: WIF sensor 
               
               
                   
                 200: V-ECU 
                 300: E-ECU 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The matters defined in the description, such as the detailed construction and elements, are nothing but specific details provided to assist those of ordinary skill in the art in a comprehensive understanding of the invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed hereinafter. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the construction of an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water in accordance with the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the engine protection apparatus of the present invention includes a WIF (Water In Fuel) sensor  101  installed in a water separator  100 , a V-ECU (Vehicle ECU)  200  including a time counting unit and an RPM (Revolution Per Minute) drop request unit which are built therein, and a E-ECU (Engine ECU)  300  including an engine RPM drop processing unit built therein. 
     The time counting unit built in the V-ECU  200  serves to receive a water detection signal generated from the WIF sensor  101  installed in the water separator  100  through the E-ECU  300 , and count time starting from the time point at which the water detection signal is received by the time counting unit. 
     The RPM (Revolution Per Minute) drop request unit serves to check whether or not water drain occurs at the time point when the counted accumulated time period exceeds a preset time period, generate an RPM drop request signal for application to the E-ECU  300  if the water drain does not occur, and default the RPM drop request signal if the water drain occurs. Preferably, the RPM drop request unit may check whether or not the water drain occurs is checked for at least two time points (e.g., the primary and secondary time points) where the counted accumulated time period exceeds the preset time period, and may generate the RPM drop request signal if no water drain occurs. 
     The engine RPM drop processing unit built in the E-ECU  300  serves to drop the engine RPM in response to the generated RPM drop request signal. Preferably, the dropping of the engine RPM is performed in such a manner that a reference drop RPM is matched to the current RPM to be dropped and is stored, and when the RPM drop request signal is applied to the engine RPM drop processing unit, the current RPM is dropped to the reference drop RPM that is matched to the current RPM. 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart sequentially showing the operation of an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water in accordance with the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , first, the E-ECU  300  receives a water detection signal from the WIF sensor installed in the water separator and applies the received water detection signal to the V-ECU  200 . 
     Then, the V-ECU  200  counts time starting from the time point at which the water detection signal is received by the E-ECU (S 200  and S 201 ). 
     Thereafter, the RPM drop request unit of the V-ECU  200  checks whether or not water drain occurs at the time point when the counted accumulated time period exceeds the preset time period (e.g., 5 min or 10 min) (S 202  and S 203 ). 
     As a result of the checking in step S 203 , if it is determined that the water drain does not occur, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor  101  continues to be applied to the V-ECU  200 , the V-ECU  200  generates the RPM drop request signal for application to the E-ECU  300  (S 204 ). 
     On the other hand, if it is determined at step S 203  that the water drain occurs, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor  101  is not applied to the V-ECU  200 , the V-ECU  200  defaults the RPM drop request signal but not generates the RPM drop request signal. 
     Meanwhile, if the RPM drop request signal from the V-ECU  200  is applied to the E-ECU  300 , the E-ECU  300  primarily drops the engine RPM in response to the applied RPM drop request signal (S 205 ). 
     The primary dropping of the engine RPM is performed in such a manner that a reference drop RPM is matched to the current RPM to be dropped and is stored, and when the RPM drop request signal is applied to the E-ECU, the current RPM is dropped to the reference drop RPM that is matched to the current RPM. 
     Next, when the primary dropping of the engine RPM is completed, a secondary dropping of the engine RPM is performed. 
     More specifically, first, when the accumulated time period counted at the time point when the preset time period is elapsed exceeds the preset time period (e.g., 5 min or 10 min) again, the RPM drop request unit of the V-ECU  200  checks whether or not water drain occurs (S 206  and S 207 ). 
     As a result of the checking in step S 207 , if it is determined that the water drain does not occur, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor  101  continues to be applied to the V-ECU  200 , the V-ECU  200  generates the RPM drop request signal for application to the E-ECU  300  (S 208 ). 
     On the other hand, if it is determined at step S 207  that the water drain occurs, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor  101  is not applied, the V-ECU  200  defaults the RPM drop request signal but not generates the RPM drop request signal. 
     Meanwhile, if the RPM drop request signal from the V-ECU  200  is applied to the E-ECU  300 , the E-ECU  300  secondarily drops the engine RPM in response to the applied RPM drop request signal (S 209 ). 
     The secondary dropping of the engine RPM is performed in the same manner as in the primary dropping of the engine RPM. 
     In other words, the secondary dropping of the engine RPM is performed in such a manner that a reference drop RPM is matched to the current RPM to be dropped and is stored, and when the RPM drop request signal is applied to the E-ECU  300  including the engine RPM drop processing unit, the current RPM is dropped to the reference drop RPM that is matched to the current RPM. 
     As described above, in accordance with the engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water of the present invention, time is counted starting from the time point at which a water detection signal is received from a WIF sensor installed in a water separator, whether or not water drain occurs is checked at the time point when the counted accumulated time period exceeds a preset time period, and if the water drain does not occur, an RPM drop request signal is generated to drop the engine RPM. Furthermore, if the water drain does not occur although a signal for draining the water is received from the water detection sensor installed in the water separator, an operator recognizes the seriousness of the water separation and promptly separates the water in the water separator, so that a fatal damage which may be caused by the inflow of water into an engine in an injector or a fuel system can be prevented. 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing an example of a method in which the engine RPM is dropped. 
     The method of dropping the engine RPM according to the present invention is performed in such a manner that a reference drop RPM is matched to the current RPM to be dropped and is stored, and when the RPM drop request signal is applied to the E-ECU including the engine RPM drop processing unit, the current RPM is dropped to the reference drop RPM that is matched to the current RPM. 
     For example, in the case where the current RPM is 2,000 rpm, the method of dropping the engine RPM is as follows. 
     When the accumulated time period counted starting from the time point at which the water detection signal is received exceeds the preset time period (e.g., 5 min or 10 min), if the water drain does not occur, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor continues to be applied, the E-ECU primarily drops the current engine RPM to the reference drop RPM, i.e., 1,700 rpm that is matched to the current RPM 2,000 rpm. 
     Subsequently, after the primary dropping of the engine RPM is completed, if the accumulated time period counted at the time point when the preset time period is elapsed exceeds the preset time period (e.g., 5 min or 10 min) again and the water drain does not occur, i.e., if the water detection signal from the WIP sensor continues to be applied, the E-ECU secondarily drops the current engine RPM to the reference drop RPM, i.e., 1,400 rpm that is matched to the current RPM 2,000 rpm. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The present invention provides an engine protection apparatus for preventing inflow of water, in which time is counted from a time point at which a water detection signal is received from a WIF sensor installed in a water separator, water drain is checked at the time point where the counted time exceeds a preset time, and if the water drain does not occur, an RPM drop request signal is generated to drop the engine RPM. If the water drain does not occur although a signal for draining the water is received from the water sensor installed in the water separator, an operator recognizes the seriousness of the water separation and promptly separates the water in the water separator, so that a fatal damage which may be caused by the inflow of water into an engine in an injector or a fuel system can be prevented.