This invention relates to a 'start-stop' arrangement for a three wheeler, a Transistor controlled ignition unit including the said 'start-stop' arrangement and a three wheeler having the above.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to "Start -Stop Function in three-wheeler". The current invention relates to an arrangement containing a Vehicle speed sensor, Clutch switch, Brake Switch, Start - Stop Switch and LED indication mounted on the Dash board (or) Speedometer assembly.
DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART:
Normally any three -wheeler will have provision for the "Electric start" through switch mounted on the Dashboard panel. "Electric Start system" means, a Starter motor which has the circuit for starting the engine through
a. Starter relay
b. Electric start switch
In installing such devices, it is necessary to keep high operability of devices such as the starter motor without impairing the robustness and the drivability of the vehicle. Protection of those devices from environmental conditions, to ensure the operation of the system with all vehicle running conditions like vibration, electrical noises, mechanical shocks and security against theft, is mandatory to meet the desired target life.
The main draw back of this system is reliability of the starter motor and starter relay which is reduced due to unique operating duty cycle of three wheeler and this results in functionality failure of electric start system resulting in high cost of replacement. It may be noted that the unique operating duty cycle means number of operation per day and the same is more in a three wheeler when compared to two wheeler.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide "Start - Stop" arrangement in a three-wheeler overcoming the above problems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a "Start - Stop" function in Transistor controlled Ignition Unit (TCI unit). The Start- Stop function is described as follows:
STOP FUNCTION:
Ignition shall switch "OFF" automatically, when the following conditions are satisfied:
a. Throttle position is at 'Zero' for more than 15 seconds and
b. Vehicle speed is 'Zero' for more than 15 seconds and
c. Brake applied continuously for more than 15 seconds with above conditions.
START FUNCTION:
Vehicle / Engine shall automatically 'START' again after the 'STOP' function as above, with the following conditions
a. Disengaged clutch and Throttle position starts moving from 'Zero' position to
30% up and
b. Brake released condition.
OTHER CONDITIONS FOR START -STOP FUNCTION:
a. Start - Stop function shall not work, when the battery voltage is less than 11.5 Volts

b. Start - Stop function shall not work, when the Starter motor temperature is
more than 60°C
c. Start -Stop function shall not work, when the Start -Stop function switch is in
"Manual mode"
FEATURES OF START -STOP FUNCTION:
a. LED, which has mounted on anywhere in Dashboard or Speedometer shall ON
when the Start - Stop Switch is Start - Stop mode.
b. Driver can cancel this function using Start - Stop switch.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS ACCOMPANYING THE PROVISIONAL SPECD7ICATION:
Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the three wheeler;
Fig. 2 illustrates circuit diagram for existing Transistor Controlled Ignition Unit;
Fig. 3 illustrates circuit diagram for proposed Transistor Controlled Ignition Unit;
Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of Start -Stop Switch and LED on the Dashboard;
Fig. 5 illustrates the arrangement of Start -Stop Indication LED on speedometer
assembly; and
Fig.6 illustrates the block diagram of the ignition system using the start-stop function.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Any known 3 wheeler, as illustrated in fig. 1 of the drawings accompanying the provisional specification, can be divided into three major portions, the front portion F, the middle portion M and the rear/tail portion R. The front portion F comprises of the steering 1, front wheel with necessary brakes 2, front suspension and fender 3, wind shield 4, wiping system 5, dash board with control switches 6, Head lamp and side indicator 7. The middle portion M comprises of the driver seat 8, footrest for the driver 9, Hand start link rod 10, "B" pillar 11, and "B" pillar partition wall 12. The rear/tail portion R comprises of engine assembly 13, petrol tank 14, rear wheel with suspension 15, cabin

assembly 16, passenger seat 17, "C" pillar 18, rear combination lamp assembly (LH & RH) 19, silencer assembly 20.
Fig. 2 shows the circuit diagram for existing Transistor Controlled Ignition Unit. The Transistor controlled Ignition Unit 21 will get supply from Battery 22. Pulsar coil 23 will generate pulses according to the running speed of the engine. Pulsar coil is a voltage sensing element that senses the PIP in the magneto by which the engine RPM is calculated. It gives one pulse when the PIP crossing the pulsar coil. Based on inputs from pulsar coil 23, TPS (throttle position sensor) 24 and Change over switch 25, the Transistor controlled Ignition Unit 21 will give output to the HT coil 26, Gas level Indicator LED 27 and Gas Solenoid 28.
The embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig.6.
The proposed transistor controlled ignition unit 21 illustrated in Fig. 3 includes the following:
1. A battery voltage sensing unit;
2. A thermal sensor 30 to sense the motor casing temperature.
3. A clutch switch 31 to sense the clutch condition i.e. whether it is 'on' or 'off.
4. A brake switch 32 to sense the brake condition i.e. whether it is 'on' or 'off.
5. Means to sense the throttle position 24.
6. A vehicle speed sensor 33 to generate pulses according to the vehicle speed.
7. A start - stop switch 34 to give the mode input i.e. whether 'auto' or 'manual' mode.
8. A starter relay 35.

The battery voltage-sensing unit is a voltage divider circuit comprising two resistors connected in series, one end is connected to input and another end is connected to ground and the output is being taken from mid point.
The means to sense the throttle position is a sensor of variable resistor type that senses the change in voltage according to the position of the throttle. In other words, the sensor is usually a potentiometer, and therefore provides a variable resistance dependent upon the position of the valve (and hence throttle position).
A Gas level indicator 27 and a start-stop indicator LED 34 are either placed on the dash board 6 as illustrated in Fig. 4 or on the speedometer 36 as illustrated in Figure 5.
When the throttle position sensor 24 input is zero and vehicle speed sensor 33 input is zero and brake switch 32 input is on for 15 seconds, the TCI unit 21 will stop the output to the ignition coil 29. The TCI unit 21 will switch on the relay 35 and ignition coil 29 out put, when the clutch switch 31 input is on, throttle position sensor 24 input starts increasing and brake switch 32 in put is off. The relay used above is a standard cantilever type relay having a rating of 70 Amperes. The start - stop function 34 will not work:
a. When the start -stop switch 34 inputs is off
b. Battery 22 voltage is less than 11.5 Volts as sensed by the battery voltage
sensor
c. Starter motor temperature sensor input is 60°C as sensed by the said thermal
sensor on the motor casing.

We claim:
1. A 'start-stop' arrangement for a three wheeler comprising :
a. a switch (34) to give the mode input to either 'auto' or 'manual';
b. a LED indicator (27);
c. battery voltage sensing unit;
d. motor temperature sensor(30);
e. means (31) to sense whether clutch is disengaged;
f. means (32) to sense the brake condition;
g. means (24) to sense the throttle position;
h. means (33) to sense the vehicle speed and
i. a starter relay (35).
2. A start-stop arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery voltage-sensing unit is a voltage divider circuit comprising two resistors connected in series, one end is connected to input and another end is connected to ground and the output is being taken from mid point.
3. A start-stop arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to sense the clutch condition is a switch.
4. A start-stop arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to sense the brake condition is a switch.
5. A start-stop arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to sense the
throttle position is a sensor of variable resistor type.
6. A start-stop arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the starter relay is
cantilever type relay only.

7. A Transistor controlled ignition unit comprising means to control the spark, a starter
relay timer, a RPM based starter relay cut off function, a safety cut off means for
LPG solenoid and an auto choke control including a start-stop arrangement
comprising:
a. a switch (34) to give the mode input to either 'auto' or 'manual';
b. a LED indicator (27);
c. battery voltage sensor;
d. motor temperature sensor(30);
e. means (31) to sense whether clutch is disengaged;
f. means (32) to sense the brake condition;
g. means (24) to sense the throttle position;
h. means (33) to sense the vehicle speed and
i. a starter relay (35).
8. A three wheeler including a transistor controller ignition unit and a start-stop
arrangement as claimed in claims 1 to 7.