Control system for a vehicle

• US 10,486,715 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Protean Electric Limited (China Evergrande Group)
• Original Assignee: Protean Electric Limited (China Evergrande Group)
• Inventors: Lucas, Tom, Whitehead, Andrew, Potter, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kira
• Application Number:
  US16/065,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20190001990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/448 Electrical distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• 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 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/10412 Transmission line of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1066 Hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1082 Manual transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1083 Automated manual transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30806 : Engaged transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3117 : Vehicle wheel torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31466 : Gear lever
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31493 : Switches on the dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50858 : Selecting a Mode of operation
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 : Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A control system for a vehicle having an electric motor for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, an internal combustion engine for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, a manual transmission unit having a user selectable gear ratio that includes at least one user selectable forward gear and/or reverse gear, and a clutch actuator, the control system comprising a controller arranged to have three user selectable modes of operation, wherein in a first mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, wherein when the clutch actuator is arranged to engage the internal combustion engine with the manual transmission unit, torque generated by the internal combustion engine is applied to the at least one wheel, and the electric motor is arranged to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear; and in a second mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, and to prevent the electric motor from providing drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle; and in a third mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the electric motor to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear and to configure the clutch actuator to disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit.

Claims

1. A control system for a vehicle having an electric motor for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, an internal combustion engine for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, a manual transmission unit having at least one user selectable forward gear and/or reverse gear, and a clutch actuator, the control system comprising a controller arranged to have three user selectable modes of operation, wherein in a first mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, wherein when the clutch actuator is arranged to engage the internal combustion engine with the manual transmission unit, torque generated by the internal combustion engine is applied to the at least one wheel, and the electric motor is arranged to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear;

and in a second mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, and to prevent the electric motor from providing drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

in a third mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the electric motor to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear and to configure the clutch actuator to disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the manual transmission unit includes a plurality of user selectable gear ratios and the controller is arranged to allow the torque generated by the electric motor to be determined by the gear ratio selected by the user in the manual transmission unit.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein, when the controller is in the first mode of operation the controller is arranged to substantially maintain a predetermined relationship between the torque generated by the internal combustion engine and the electric motor.

4. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the manual transmission unit includes a plurality of user selectable gear ratios, wherein, when the controller is in the first mode of operation or the third mode of operation, the controller is arranged to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle based upon the gear ratio selected by the user.

5. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the manual transmission unit includes a plurality of user selectable gear ratios, wherein, the controller is arranged to switch from the first mode of operation to the third mode of operation if the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value for a selected gear ratio.

6. A control system according to 1, wherein the manual transmission unit includes a plurality of user selectable gear ratios, wherein, when the controller is in the third mode of operation, the controller is arranged to prevent a user selection of the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation if the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value for a selected gear ratio.

7. A vehicle having an electric motor for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, an internal combustion engine for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, a manual transmission unit having at least one user selectable forward gear and/or reverse gear, a clutch actuator and a control system having an electric motor for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, an internal combustion engine for providing drive torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle, a manual transmission unit having at least one user selectable forward gear and/or reverse gear, and a clutch actuator, the control system comprising a controller arranged to have three user selectable modes of operation, wherein in a first mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, wherein when the clutch actuator is arranged to engage the internal combustion engine with the manual transmission unit, torque generated by the internal combustion engine is applied to the at least one wheel, and the electric motor is arranged to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear;

and in a second mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the clutch actuator to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon a user selection, and to prevent the electric motor from providing drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle; and

in a third mode of operation the controller is arranged to allow the electric motor to provide drive torque to the at least one wheel of the vehicle based on whether the user has selected the at least one forward gear or the at least one reverse gear and to configure the clutch actuator to disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit.

8. A vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of in-wheel electric motors.

9. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the clutch actuator is arranged to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit via a clutch.

10. A vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the clutch actuator is arranged to engage and disengage the internal combustion engine from the manual transmission unit based upon the operation of a clutch pedal by the user.