Diagnostic device for vehicle

A diagnostic device for vehicle includes a housing having a display and a control panel, a control unit connected to the housing, a number of input sensors connected to the control unit for sending input signals to the control unit, and for displaying the input signals on the display, and a number of actuators connected to the control unit for being controlled and actuated by the control unit. The control unit includes an input interface circuit for connecting to the input sensors. The control unit includes an output operation circuit for connecting to the actuators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a diagnostic or analysis device for vehicles, and more particularly to a diagnostic or analysis device including an improved and simplified structure or configuration for allowing the user or worker to easily and quickly and readily and effectively diagnose or analyze different parameters of the vehicular engine or air conditioning system of the vehicles, or to identify one or more malfunctions in a locomotive air compressing system and for repairing the locomotive air compressing system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In conducting an analysis of a vehicular engine, it is common to analyze a number of different parameters with a collection of different meters to perform the various analyses, such as the volt/ohm meter, the primary tacho/dwell meter, the secondary tachometer, the DC current meter, the thermometer, and the pressure meter, etc. This is expensive because the workers have to purchase the entirety of a number of different meters. But, there is much circuitry in common among the various meters.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,130 to Goss, U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,356 to Ellingen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,444 to Johnson, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,200 to Leonida disclose several of the typical diagnostic or analysis device for vehicles, particularly for diagnosing or analyzing different parameters of the vehicular engine, air conditioning system, etc. of the vehicles, or for identifying one or more malfunctions in a locomotive air compressing system.

However, the typical diagnostic or analysis devices for diagnosing or analyzing the vehicular engine, air conditioning system, etc. of the vehicles may not be easily used to diagnose or analyze different parameters of the vehicular engine, air conditioning system, etc. of the vehicles, or to identify one or more malfunctions in a locomotive air compressing system.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional diagnostic or analysis devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a diagnostic or analysis device including an improved and simplified structure or configuration for allowing the user or worker to easily and quickly and readily and effectively diagnose or analyze different parameters of the vehicular engine or air conditioning system of the vehicles, or to identify one or more malfunctions in a locomotive air compressing system and for repairing the locomotive air compressing system.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a diagnostic device for vehicle comprising a housing including a display and a control panel provided thereon, a control unit connected to the housing, a number of input sensors connected to the control unit for sending input signals to the control unit, and for displaying the input signals on the display, and a number of actuators connected to the control unit for being controlled and actuated by the control unit with the input signals.

The control unit includes an input interface circuit for connecting to the input sensors. The control unit includes a central processing unit and an analogue to digital converter connected to the input interface circuit.

The control unit includes an output operation circuit for connecting to the actuators and for connecting to the central processing unit. The housing includes a power source connected to the housing.

The housing includes an attachment for connecting to the actuators with a number of connectors. The connectors are connected in series. The housing includes an attachment for connecting to a number of connectors. The connectors are connected in series.

The control panel of the housing includes a switch for switching and selecting either of three scan circuits: a first scan circuit S1, a second scan circuit S2, a third scan circuit S3. The first scan circuit S1is a normal mode, the second scan circuit S2is a manual mode, and the third scan circuit S3is a check resistance mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially toFIG. 1, a diagnostic or analysis device in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle or housing10including a screen or display11formed or provided therein, and including a control panel12formed or provided thereon, a power source13, such as a battery13is provided for connecting or coupling to the housing10with a connecting cable14for energizing the display11or the like, and the housing10further includes one or more (such as two) connectors or adapters or attachments15,16electrically connected or coupled to the housing10, in which the one or first attachment15is provided for connecting or coupling to the actuators20with one or more adapters or connectors21, in series, and the other or second attachment16is provided for connecting or coupling to a control unit30, such as an electrical or diagnostic control unit30with one or more adapters or connectors22, in series.

As shown inFIG. 3, the actuators20may be selected from outlet sensors or solenoids, such as: blower regulator and fresh air blowers, compressor solenoid regulating valve, condenser fan, fresh air recirculation flap motor, defrost flap motor, middle vent motor, side vent motor, floor vent motor, temperature flap motor etc., and the electrical control unit30is to be connected or coupled to the input sensors40, such as: solar sensor, air quality sensor, refrigerant pressure sensor, evaporator temperature sensor, ambient temperature sensor, intake air temperature sensor, interior temperature sensor, floor outlet temperature sensors, middle/side outlet temperature sensors, fresh air recirculation flap position sensor, defrost flap position sensor, middle vent position sensor, side vent position sensor, floor vent position sensor, or temperature flap position sensors, etc., for receiving the input signals from the input sensors40.

As shown inFIG. 2, the electrical control unit30may also be provided for connecting or coupling to the sunload sensor41, in car temperature sensor42, control display43, air mix door motor44, vacuum solenoid pack45, compressor46, blower speed resistor47, water temperature sensor48, and/or the input sensors40, such as the evaporator temperature sensor and/or the ambient temperature sensor or the like, in series. Accordingly, the electrical control unit30may be easily and quickly and readily and effectively connected or coupled to various kinds of input sensors40-48(FIGS. 2, 3) for receiving the input signals therefrom, and the electrical control unit30and/or the housing10may be easily and quickly and readily and effectively connected or coupled to various kinds of outlet sensors or solenoids or actuators20for actuating or operating the actuators20.

As shown inFIG. 4, the electrical control unit30may include a central processing unit31, an analogue to digital converter31and an input interface circuit32for connecting or coupling to the input sensors40-48, and an output operation circuit33for connecting or coupling to the outlet sensors or solenoids or actuators20and also for connecting or coupling to the central processing unit31. As shown inFIGS. 5-7, the control panel12may include a switch17provided for switching or selecting either of three scan circuits S1, S2, S3, for example, as shown inFIG. 5, the switch17may be switched to the first scan circuit S1as a normal mode, or to the second scan circuit S2as a manual mode (FIG. 6), or to the third scan circuit S3as a check resistance mode (FIG. 7).

The output signals from the electrical control unit30may be seen or viewed or monitored while testing or checking the input signals, the different input signal to the electrical control unit30should react a different output signal accordingly. Some of the malfunctions may be correctable onboard a locomotive, and constitute onboard serviceable malfunctions, while the remaining of the malfunctions may only be correctable with the air compressing system being uninstalled and serviced at an off-board servicing site, such malfunctions constitute off-board serviceable malfunctions. The diagnostic or analysis device in accordance with the present invention allows monitoring responses indicative of a malfunction type that may be associated with at least with one of the following: a corrective action that may be performed onboard the locomotive, and a corrective action that may only be performed off-board the locomotive.

It is to be noted that: at normal mode: digital read out the duty cycle of the command/control of the control unit30to the electrical control actuators20. When switched and at the manual mode, a build-in simulator (not illustrated) will prevent the control unit30set a fault code/trouble code while disconnecting the electrical control actuators. At manual mode: pressing the “Up” & “Down” arrow18,19(FIG. 8) to manual control the compressor46and drive the compressor46from zero (0) to fully open. It is further to be noted that the input/output signals of the control unit30may be read or scan while system is running or testing with the first scan circuit S1. Each individual sensor40, and the solenoids and the actuator20and solenoid resistance may be checked anytime with the third scan circuit S3. Each individual sensor40, and the solenoids and the actuator20may be controlled or actuated manually with the second scan circuit S2. The adapters or connectors21,22may be easily, directly and correctly hooked up to the actuators20and/or the sensors40. The signals or digital read outs may be read or scan on the display11while system is running or testing.

Accordingly, the diagnostic or analysis device in accordance with the present invention includes an improved and simplified structure or configuration for allowing the user or worker to easily and quickly and readily and effectively diagnose or analyze different parameters of the vehicular engine or air conditioning system of the vehicles, or to identify one or more malfunctions in a locomotive air compressing system and for repairing the locomotive air compressing system.