Regeneration control system

• US 20060102395A1
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kazuhisa, Yamamoto, Akihiro, Amanuma, Hirokatsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,472,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.285
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 23/0808 for varying torque distribution between driven axles, e.g. by transfer clutch
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• 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 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A regeneration control system permits highly efficient regeneration while a vehicle is traveling stably, and also permits regeneration to be performed without interfering with a smooth behavior correction made by a driver when the behavior of the vehicle has been disturbed. The regeneration control system includes a total regeneration amount determiner for determining the total regeneration amount of a first electric motor connected to front wheels and a second electric motor connected to rear wheels, a regeneration amount allocation determiner for determining regeneration amount allocation to each electric motor, a determination value calculator for calculating a determination value based on a steering angle and a yaw rate, and a determiner for determining whether a determination value lies within a predetermined range. The system further includes a selector that selects a current regeneration amount allocation if the determination value lies within the predetermined range, whereas, if the determination value is out of the predetermined range, then the selector determines that a driver is trying to correct a vehicle behavior and selects the regeneration amount allocation obtained while the determination value was still within the predetermined range, i.e., the regeneration amount allocation immediately before the determination value deviated from the predetermined range. The system further includes a regeneration command issuer that issue regeneration amount commands to the electric motors on the basis of the selected regeneration amount allocation.

Claims

1. A regeneration control system of an automobile, comprising:

a first electric motor connected to front wheels and a second electric motor connected to rear wheels so as to carry out regeneration by the first and the second electric motors in a deceleration mode;

total regeneration amount determining means for determining a total regeneration amount of a vehicle on the basis of a running condition of the vehicle for every predetermined time interval;

regeneration amount allocation determining means for determining the allocation of a regeneration amount to each of the first and the second electric motors relative to a total regeneration amount on the basis of a vehicle speed and the steering angle of a steering wheel when the total regeneration amount has been determined by the total regeneration amount determining means;

determination value calculating means for calculating a determination value for determining a behavior of the vehicle on the basis of the steering angle of the steering wheel and a yaw rate when the allocation of the regeneration amount has been determined by the regeneration amount allocation determining means;

determining means for determining whether the determination value calculated by the determination value calculating means lies in a predetermined range defined beforehand;

selecting means for selecting, if the determining means determines that the determination value lies in the predetermined range, the allocation of a regeneration amount determined by the regeneration amount allocation determining means at that point, or for selecting, if it is determined that the determination value lies out of the predetermined range, the allocation of a regeneration amount determined by the regeneration amount allocation determining means at the point when the determination value lied in the predetermined immediately before it deviates from the predetermined range; and

regeneration command issuing means for issuing a command of a regeneration amount to each of the first and the second electric motors on the basis of the regeneration amount allocation selected by the selecting means.

2. The regeneration control system according to claim 1, wherein the regeneration amount allocation determining means comprises correcting means for correcting the allocation of a regeneration amount on the basis of a gradient of a traveling road.

3. The regeneration control system according to claim 1, wherein the regeneration amount allocation determining means comprises correcting means for correcting the allocation of a regeneration amount on the basis of a yaw rate.

4. The regeneration control system according to claim 1, wherein the regeneration command issuing means comprises restraining means for restraining a regeneration amount to be specified at the present moment on the basis of a change in the regeneration amount to be specified at the present moment relative to the regeneration amount specified immediately before.