Hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus, and control method of hybrid vehicle drive apparatus and program thereof

• US 20040045751A1
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kojima, Hiroyuki, Aoki, Kazuo, Iwatsuki, Ken, Yamaguchi, Kozo, Okoshi, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus, a control method of a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus, and a program thereof which are capable of preventing an engine (11) from racing at the time of sharp acceleration of the vehicle and therefore preventing a degraded state of exhaust gas, and therefore increasing the overall output. The invention includes: an electric power generator (16) mechanically connected to the engine (11); a drive motor (25) driven by at least one of an electric current generated by the electric power generator (16) and an electric current supplied from a battery (43); battery state detecting means for detecting a battery state of the battery (43); target drive motor torque setting means (90) for setting a target torque of the drive motor based on the battery state. In this case, the target drive motor torque is set based on the battery state. Therefore, even if the accelerator pedal is greatly depressed so that rapid acceleration is caused and the vehicle speed is sharply increased, the drive motor torque does not increase. Since the electric current supplied to the drive motor (25) does not become great, the battery state does not sharply become low. Therefore, since the generator torque does not become small, but is able to support the engine torque, the engine (11) does not race, so that a sharp increase in the engine rotational speed can be prevented.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus characterized by comprising:

an electric power generator mechanically connected to an engine;

a drive motor driven by at least one of an electric current generated by the electric power generator and an electric current supplied from a battery;

battery state detecting means for detecting a battery state of the battery;

target drive motor torque setting means for setting a target torque of the drive motor based on the battery state.

2. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target drive motor torque setting means calculates a lowest limit value of the battery state which does not cause the electric power generator to race, based on a rotating state of the electric power generator, and sets a target torque of the drive motor so that the present battery state does not exceed the lowest limit value.

3. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target drive motor torque setting means calculates a lowest limit value of the battery state which at least allows the electric power generator to maintain a present rotational state, and sets the target torque of the drive motor so that the present battery state does not exceed the lowest limit value.

4. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the target drive motor torque setting means calculates a maximum limit value of the target torque of the drive motor based on a difference between the present battery state and the lowest limit value of the battery state, and sets the target torque of the drive motor so as not to exceed the maximum limit value of the target torque.

5. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the target drive motor torque setting means sets the target torque of the drive motor at such a value that a battery state can be maintained only by an electric power generated by the electric power generator.

6. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the target drive motor torque setting means calculates a correction value of the target torque of the drive motor based on a difference between the present battery state and the lowest limit value of the battery state, and corrects the target torque of the drive motor by the correction value.

7. The hybrid vehicle drive control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising:

an output shaft mechanically connected to the drive motor and a drive wheel; and

a differential gear device that has at least three gear elements, each of the gear elements being connected to the engine, the electric power generator, and the output shaft, respectively.

8. A control method of a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus characterized by comprising the steps of:

generating an electric current by an electric power generator mechanically connected to an engine;

driving a drive motor by at least one of the electric current generated by the electric power generator and an electric current supplied from a battery;

detecting a battery state of the battery; and

setting a target torque of the drive motor based on the battery state.

9. A program of a control method of a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus including an electric power generator mechanically connected to an engine, a drive motor driven by at least one of an electric current generated by the electric power generator and an electric current supplied from a battery, and battery state detecting means for detecting a battery state of the battery, characterized in that a computer functions as target drive motor torque setting means for setting a target torque of the drive motor based on the battery state.