Hybrid vehicle

• US 10,017,175 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Saito, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US14/300,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140288747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle includes a traveling mode determination module configured to determine a traveling mode at least one of an internal-combustion engine traveling mode for running by transmitting motive power produced by the internal-combustion engine to wheels of the vehicle and an electric motor traveling mode for running by transmitting motive power produced by the electric motor to the wheels of the vehicle. The traveling mode determination module prohibiting the internal-combustion engine traveling mode and causing the vehicle to run in the electric motor traveling mode when the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank is less than or equal to a first predetermined amount.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an internal-combustion engine;

a battery;

an electric motor operated by the battery;

a generator driven by the internal-combustion engine to charge the battery;

a fuel tank configured to supply fuel to the internal-combustion engine;

a measuring instrument that detects an amount of remaining fuel in the fuel tank;

a transmission configured to transmit motive power produced by the internal-combustion engine to wheels of the vehicle via clutches;

a clutch control module configured to control connection and disconnection of the clutches; and

a controller that determines a traveling mode from at least one of a parallel traveling mode for running by setting the clutches in a connected state and transmitting motive power produced by the internal-combustion engine to the wheels of the vehicle and a series traveling mode for running by setting the clutches in a disconnected state, driving the generator by the internal-combustion engine to generate electric power, and, while electric power is generated by the generator, transmitting motive power produced by the electric motor to the wheels of the vehicle,

wherein the controller automatically prohibits the parallel traveling mode by setting the clutches in the disconnected state and causes the vehicle to run in the series traveling mode on the condition that the controller determines, based on the detected amount of the remaining fuel, that the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank is less than or equal to a first predetermined amount, and

wherein the controller continues the series traveling mode until the fuel in the fuel tank runs out.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the transmission transmits the motive power produced by the internal-combustion engine to the wheels via the clutches in the parallel traveling mode, and

the controller prohibits the parallel traveling mode by setting the clutches in the disconnected state.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, wherein when the controller determines that the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank is equal to a second predetermined amount greater than the first predetermined amount, the controller starts calculation of a fuel consumption, and determines a value acquired by subtracting the consumption from the second predetermined amount as the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the controller determines that the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank is equal to a second predetermined amount greater than the first predetermined amount, the controller starts calculation of a fuel consumption, and determines a value acquired by subtracting the consumption from the second predetermined amount as the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the internal-combustion engine drives the generator at a rotation speed at which a fuel consumption of the internal-combustion engine is smaller compared to the fuel consumption in the parallel traveling mode.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein when the controller determines that the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank is equal to a second predetermined amount greater than the first predetermined amount based on the amount of the remaining fuel detected by the measuring instrument, the controller starts calculation of a fuel consumption independently of the amount of the remaining fuel detected by the measuring instrument, and determines a value acquired by subtracting the consumption from the second predetermined amount as the amount of the remaining fuel in the fuel tank.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 6, wherein an accuracy of the amount of the remaining fuel detected by the measuring instrument is higher at the second predetermined amount compared to an accuracy of the detected amount of the remaining fuel at the first predetermined amount.