Engine starting control device for a hybrid vehicle

• US 20070056784A1
• Filed: 09/07/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Tsuyoshi, Adachi, Kazutaka, Joe, Shinichiro, Hayasaki, Koichi, Okuda, Tadashi, Ito, Ken
• Application Number:
  US11/517,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20070056784A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 Controlling the braking effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 20/30 : Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 : Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 : Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/192 : Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
• 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 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An engine of a hybrid vehicle is lift started by reducing a rotational speed of a motor/generator of the hybrid vehicle by adjusting a gearshift ratio of a transmission coupled to the motor/generator, and engaging a clutch to couple the engine, while in a stopped state, to the rotating motor/generator for imparting the rotation to the engine.

Claims

1. A drive device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine and a motor/generator;

a first clutch disposed between the engine and the motor/generator that has an ability to change a transfer torque capacity therebetween;

a second clutch disposed between the motor/generator and a drive wheel that has an ability to change a transfer torque capacity therebetween; and

a control device that has the ability to control the engine, the motor/generator, the first clutch and the second clutch; and

wherein the control device has the ability to select an electric operation mode releasing the first clutch while engaging the second clutch, or a hybrid operation mode engaging both the first clutch and the second clutch;

is equipped with a first clutch engagement control means for starting the engine by engagement progression of the first clutch when changing modes during operation from electric operation mode to hybrid operation mode;

is equipped with a second clutch engagement control means that causes a slip engagement of the second clutch during starting the engine; and

is equipped with a motor/generator control means for controlling the motor/generator so that the motor/generator operates so as to maintain the slip engagement when the second clutch slip engages.

2. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second clutch engagement control means is a device that causes a slip engagement of the second clutch so as to reach a transfer torque capacity equivalent to the target drive force corresponding to the vehicle drive state.

3. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the second clutch and the drive wheel.

4. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the motor/generator and the second clutch.

5. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the motor/generator and the drive wheel, and whereby one of the clutches in the automatic transmission that governs the torque transfer is used as the second clutch.

6. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means controls the motor/generator torque so as to be close to the sum of the slip torque portion of the first clutch required at the start of the engine and the slip torque portion of the second clutch that is the vehicle drive force when starting the engine by the engagement progression of the first clutch while slip-engaging the second clutch.

7. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means raises the torque of the motor/generator to accompany the rise in the slip torque due to the engagement progression of the first clutch.

8. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means uses slip servo control of the motor/generator so that the second clutch achieves a prescribed slipped state when starting the engine by the engagement progression of the first clutch while slip-engaging the second clutch.

9. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means has a disturbance observer that regards other torque that acts on the motor/generator, besides the motor/generator torque, as disturbance, estimates such disturbance, and adds a disturbance estimation value to the motor/generator torque to perform disturbance compensation.

10. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second clutch engagement control means and the motor/generator control means begin the slip of the second clutch after reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque within the transfer torque range of the second clutch in which EV mode can be realized when starting the engine.

11. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second clutch engagement control means reduces the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque and then initiates the slip of the second clutch with the rise of the motor/generator torque performed by the motor/generator control means.

12. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the second clutch engagement control means reduces the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque and then initiates the slip of the second clutch by further reducing the second clutch transfer torque capacity.

13. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second clutch engagement control means increases the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch according to the increase of the engine load demand and reduces it according to the reduction of the engine load demand when engaging the slip of the second clutch.

14. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first clutch engagement control means sets the transfer torque capacity of the first clutch to be greater than the friction of the engine at the time of starting the engine.

15. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second clutch engagement control means sets the target second clutch transfer torque to a value within a range of values obtained by subtracting the friction portion of the engine from the maximum torque of the motor/generator during the time until the engine is started.

16. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first clutch engagement control means sets the target first clutch transfer torque to a value within a range of values obtained by subtracting the target second clutch transfer torque from the maximum torque of the motor/generator during the time until the engine is started.

17. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means reduces the motor/generator torque when the engine rotation speed overshoots the motor/generator rotation speed so that it accompanies the reversal in the rotational difference between the engine rotation speed and the motor/generator rotation speed.

18. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means increases the motor/generator torque immediately after engagement of the first clutch from a state in which the engine rotation speed is higher than the motor/generator rotation speed, and reduces the motor/generator torque immediately after engagement of the first clutch from a state in which the engine rotation speed is lower than the motor/generator rotation speed.

19. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor/generator control means controls the motor/generator so that the change ratio of the input/output rotation speed difference of the second clutch is close to zero when the start of the engine has been completed and the second clutch is re-engaged.

20. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the second clutch engagement control means is further equipped to reduce the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to a torque capacity that corresponds to a drive force that should be transferred when transitioning to electric operation mode and maintains the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to this reduced torque capacity while selecting the electric operation mode.

21. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the second clutch control means further comprises a clutch slip rotation control means for controlling the slip rotation of the second clutch to a target value so that the drive force fluctuation is within an allowable range while starting the engine through the engagement progression of the first clutch occurring when changing modes from electric operation mode to hybrid operation mode.

22. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 21, wherein the second clutch slip rotation control means performs a control to make the slip rotation of the second clutch to be a target value within a large slip rotation area where the change ratio of the friction coefficient in relation to the slip rotation of the second clutch becomes smaller than a predetermined value.

23. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the motor/generator control means is further equipped to control the torque of the motor/generator to be a torque value expressed by the sum of the drive force that should be transferred and the transfer torque capacity of the first clutch for the time until the slip rotation of the second clutch becomes the value of the large slip rotation area.

24. A drive device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine and a motor/generator;

a first clutch disposed between the engine and the motor/generator that has an ability to change a transfer torque capacity therebetween;

a second clutch disposed between the motor/generator and a drive wheel that has an ability to change a transfer torque capacity therebetween; and

a control device that has an ability to control the engine, the motor/generator, the first clutch and the second clutch; and

wherein the control device has the ability to select an electric operation mode by releasing the first clutch while engaging the second clutch, or a hybrid operation mode by engaging both the first clutch and the second clutch;

is equipped with a first clutch engagement controller for starting the engine by engagement progression of the first clutch when changing modes during operation from electric operation mode to hybrid operation mode;

is equipped with a second clutch engagement controller that causes a slip engagement of the second clutch; and

is equipped with a motor/generator controller for controlling the motor/generator so that the motor/generator operates so as to maintain a slip engagement when the second clutch slip engages in accordance with this means.

25. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 24, wherein:

the second clutch engagement controller is a device that causes a slip engagement of the second clutch so as to reach a transfer torque capacity equivalent to the target drive force corresponding to the vehicle drive state.

26. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 24, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the second clutch and the drive wheel.

27. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 24, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the motor/generator and the second clutch.

28. The drive device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 24, and further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the motor/generator and the drive wheel, the automatic transmission having at least one clutch to govern the torque transfer, the second clutch comprising the at least one automatic transmission clutch.

29. A method for switching operation modes of a drive device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

selecting an electric operation mode by releasing a first clutch disposed between an engine and a motor/generator while engaging a second clutch disposed between the motor/generator and a drive wheel, or a hybrid operation mode by engaging both the first clutch and the second clutch;

starting the engine by engagement progression of the first clutch when changing modes during operation from the electric operation mode to the hybrid operation mode;

causing a slip engagement of the second clutch to prevent the transfer torque fluctuation of the first clutch that accompanies the starting of the engine from being transferred to the drive wheel; and

controlling the motor/generator so that the motor/generator operates so as to maintain the slip engagement when the second clutch slip engages.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein causing the slip engagement further comprises:

causing the slip engagement of the second clutch so as to reach a transfer torque capacity equivalent to the target drive force corresponding to the vehicle drive state.

31. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

shifting power from the second clutch toward the drive wheel with an automatic transmission between the second clutch and the drive wheel.

32. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

shifting power from the motor generator toward the drive wheel through the second clutch with an automatic transmission disposed between the motor/generator and the second clutch.

33. The method according to claim 29, wherein controlling the motor generator further comprises:

controlling the motor/generator torque so as to be close to the sum of the slip torque portion of the first clutch required at the start of the engine and the slip torque portion of the second clutch that is the vehicle drive force when starting the engine by the engagement progression of the first clutch while slip-engaging the second clutch.

34. The method according to claim 29, wherein controlling the motor generator further comprises:

raising the torque of the motor/generator to accompany the rise in the slip torque due to the engagement progression of the first clutch.

35. The method according to claim 29, wherein controlling the motor generator further comprises:

using slip servo control of the motor/generator so that the second clutch achieves a prescribed slipped state when starting the engine by the engagement progression of the first clutch while slip-engaging the second clutch.

36. The method according to claim 29, wherein controlling the motor generator further comprises:

estimating a disturbance due to other torque that acts on the motor/generator besides the motor/generator torque; and

adding the estimated disturbance value to the motor/generator torque to perform disturbance compensation.

37. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

beginning the slip of the second clutch after reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque within the transfer torque range of the second clutch in which EV mode can be realized when starting the engine.

38. The method according to claim 37, and further comprising:

reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque; and

initiating the slip of the second clutch with the rise of the motor/generator torque performed by the motor/generator control means.

39. The method according to claim 37, and further comprising:

reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to approximately the target second clutch transfer torque; and

initiating the slip of the second clutch by further reducing the second clutch transfer torque capacity.

40. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

increasing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch according to the increase of the engine load demand; and

reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch according to the reduction of the engine load demand when engaging the slip of the second clutch.

41. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

setting the transfer torque capacity of the first clutch to be greater than the friction of the engine at the time of starting the engine with the drag torque of the first clutch.

42. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

setting the target second clutch transfer torque to a value within a range of values obtained by subtracting the friction portion of the engine from the maximum torque of the motor/generator during the time until the engine is started.

43. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

setting the target first clutch transfer torque to a value within a range of values obtained by subtracting the target second clutch transfer torque from the maximum torque of the motor/generator during the time until the engine is started.

44. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

reducing the motor/generator torque when the engine rotation speed overshoots the motor/generator rotation speed so that it accompanies the reversal in the rotational difference between the engine rotation speed and the motor/generator rotation speed.

45. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

increasing the motor/generator torque immediately after engagement of the first clutch from a state in which the engine rotation speed is higher than the motor/generator rotation speed; and

reducing the motor/generator torque immediately after engagement of the first clutch from a state in which the engine rotation speed is lower than the motor/generator rotation speed.

46. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

controlling the motor/generator so that the change ratio of the input/output rotation speed difference of the second clutch is close to zero when the start of the engine has been completed and the second clutch is re-engaged.

47. The method according to claim 29, and further comprising:

reducing the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to a torque capacity that corresponds to a drive force that should be transferred when transitioning to electric operation mode; and

maintaining the transfer torque capacity of the second clutch to this reduced torque capacity while selecting the electric operation mode.

48. The method according to claim 47, and further comprising:

controlling the slip rotation of the second clutch to a target value so that the drive force fluctuation is within an allowable range while starting the engine through the engagement progression of the first clutch occurring when changing modes from electric operation mode to hybrid operation mode.

49. The method according to claim 48, and further comprising:

setting the slip rotation of the second clutch to be a target value within a large slip rotation area where the change ratio of the friction coefficient in relation to the slip rotation of the second clutch becomes smaller than a predetermined value.

50. The method according to claim 49, and further comprising:

controlling the torque of the motor/generator to be a torque value expressed by the sum of the drive force that should be transferred and the transfer torque capacity of the first clutch for the time until the slip rotation of the second clutch becomes the value of the large slip rotation area.