Hybrid power unit

• US 20070107956A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Endo, Hiroatsu, Matsubara, Tooru
• Granted Patent: US 7,426,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.250
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0873 with switching, e.g. to change ranges
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A first reduction section of a hybrid power unit reduces an output of a motor when a transmission is shifted. A charge determining section determines whether charging of a battery is permitted. If the charge determining section determines that charging of the battery is not permitted in a period where the first reduction section reduces the output of the motor, a second reduction section reduces a power generation amount of a generator. Therefore, a shift shock is reliably prevented without generating response delay in an output rotation in the hybrid power unit.

Claims

1. A hybrid power unit, comprising:

a main power source;

a rotation output shaft, to which driving force output by the main power source is transmitted;

a generator, to which the driving force of the main power source is transmitted, the power being distributed to the rotation output shaft and the generator;

a battery, to which electricity generated by the generator is charged;

a motor driven by at least one of electricity from the generator and electricity from the battery;

a transmission transmitting the driving force of the motor to the rotation output shaft;

a first reduction section that reduces the output of the motor when the transmission is shifted;

a charge determining section determining whether charging of the battery is permitted; and

a second reduction section, wherein if the charge determining section determines that charging of the battery is not permitted in a period where the first reduction section reduces the output of the motor, the second reduction section reduces a power generation amount of the generator.

2. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1,

wherein the second reduction section reduces the power generation amount of the generator by an amount that corresponds to an output reduction amount by which the first reduction section has reduced the output of the motor.

3. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1,

wherein, after reducing the output of the motor, the first reduction section gradually cancels the output reduction of the motor, and

wherein, in accordance with the cancellation of the output reduction of the motor, the second reduction section gradually cancels the reduction of the power generation amount of the generator.

4. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed detection section that detects a rotation speed of the main power source or the generator; and

a third reduction section, wherein if the rotation speed detected by the speed detection section exceeds a reference rotation speed in a period where the first reduction section reduces the output of the motor, the third reduction section reduces the output of the main power source.

5. The hybrid power unit according to claim 4,

wherein the third reduction section reduces the output of the main power source by an amount that corresponds to at least one of the output of the motor reduced by the first reduction section and the power generation amount of the generator reduced by the second reduction section.

6. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1, wherein the main power source is an internal combustion engine.

7. The hybrid power unit according to claim 1,

wherein, if a charge amount of the battery is equal to or greater than a reference amount, or if a temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than a reference temperature, the charge determining section determines that charging of the battery is not permitted.