Load driving apparatus, vehicle, and abnormality processing method at load driving apparatus

• US 20070158121A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Ryoji
• Granted Patent: US 7,834,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.310
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/06 Limiting the traction current under mechanical overload conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/08 Means for preventing excessive speed of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

When an ECU determines that the motor count of a motor generator exceeds a predetermined limit value, control is effected to set the torque of motor generator to zero. Further, when the ECU determines that motor count exceeds the predetermined limit value, voltage control of inverter input voltage is reduced by a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A load driving apparatus comprising:

a first rotating electric machine generating a drive force,

a first driving device arranged between a first power supply line and said first rotating electric machine, driving said first rotating electric machine with supply of power from said first power supply line,

power generation means connected to said first power supply line for supplying generated power to said first power supply line,

an up-conversion device arranged between a second power supply line connected to a DC power source and said first power supply line, boosting voltage of said second power supply line for output to said first power supply line, and

control means for outputting an instruction to reduce a torque generated by said first rotating electric machine to said first driving device when a revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a predetermined limit value,

wherein said control means outputs, to said up-conversion device, an instruction to reduce a boosting rate of said up-conversion device when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a predetermined sub-limit value that is at most said predetermined limit value.

2. The load driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power generation means includes

a second rotating electric machine having a power generation function, and

a second driving device arranged between said first power supply line and said second rotating electric machine, driving said second rotating electric machine,

wherein said control means maintains the boosting rate of said up-conversion device without outputting, to said up-conversion device, said instruction to reduce the boosting rate of said up-conversion device in a case where said second rotating electric machine is currently halting or in a power running operation when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

3. The load driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means outputs to said first driving device an instruction to set the torque generated by said first rotating electric machine to zero when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined limit value.

4. The load driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means outputs said instruction to reduce said boosting rate of said up-conversion device in a case where power consumed by said first rotating electric machine exceeds a first threshold value when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

5. The load driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means outputs said instruction to reduce said boosting rate of said up-conversion device in a case where the torque of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a second threshold value when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

6. The load driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means outputs said instruction to reduce said boosting rate of said up-conversion device in a case where current flowing through said first rotating electric machine exceeds a third threshold value when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

7. A vehicle comprising:

the load driving apparatus defined in claim 2,

a wheel driven by a drive force generated by said first rotating electric machine, and

an internal combustion engine arranged connectable to said second rotating electric machine, outputting a rotation force to said second rotating electric machine, as necessary, when connected to said second rotating electric machine.

14. The load driving apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means outputs to said first driving device an instruction to set the torque generated by said first rotating electric machine to zero when the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined limit value.

8. An abnormality processing method at a load driving apparatus,

said load driving apparatus including

a first rotating electric machine generating a drive force,

a first driving device arranged between a first power supply line and said first rotating electric machine, driving said first rotating electric machine with supply of power from said first power supply line,

power generation means connected to said first power supply line for supplying generated power to said first power supply line, and

an up-conversion device arranged between a second power supply line connected to a DC power source and said first power supply line, boosting voltage of said second power supply line for output to said first power supply line,

said abnormality processing method comprising:

a first step of determining whether a revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a predetermined sub-limit value,

a second step of generating an instruction to reduce a boosting rate of said up-conversion device when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value,

a third step of controlling the boosting rate of said up-conversion device based on the instruction generated at said second step,

a fourth step of determining whether the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a predetermined limit value that is at least said predetermined sub-limit value,

a fifth step of generating an instruction to reduce a torque generated by said first rotating electric machine when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined limit value, and

a sixth step of controlling the torque of said first rotating electric machine based on the instruction generated at said fifth step.

9. The abnormality processing method according to claim 8, wherein said power generation means includes

a second rotating electric machine having a power generation function, and

a second driving device arranged between said first power supply line and said second rotating electric machine, driving said second rotating electric machine,

said abnormality processing method further comprising a seventh step of determining whether said second rotating electric machine is currently halting or in a power running operation when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value at said first step, and bypassing said second and third steps when determination is made that said second rotating electric machine is currently halting or in the power running operation.

10. The abnormality processing method according to claim 8, wherein, in said fifth step, an instruction to set the torque generated by said first rotating electric machine to zero is generated when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined limit value at said fourth step.

11. The abnormality processing method according to claim 8, further comprising an eighth step of determining whether power consumed by said first rotating electric machine exceeds a first threshold value,

wherein, in said second step, the instruction to reduce said boosting rate is generated in a case where determination is made that the power consumed by said first rotating electric machine exceeds said first threshold value at said eighth step when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

12. The abnormality processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a ninth step of determining whether the torque of said first rotating electric machine exceeds a second threshold value,

wherein, in said second step, the instruction to reduce said boosting rate is generated in a case where determination is made that the torque of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said second threshold value at said ninth step when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

13. The abnormality processing method according to claim 8, further comprising a tenth step of determining whether current flowing through said first rotating electric machine exceeds a third threshold value,

wherein, in said second step, the instruction to reduce said boosting rate is generated in a case where determination is made that the current flowing through said first rotating electric machine exceeds said third threshold value at said tenth step when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined sub-limit value.

15. The abnormality processing method according to claim 9, wherein, in said fifth step, an instruction to set the torque generated by said first rotating electric machine to zero is generated when determination is made that the revolution count of said first rotating electric machine exceeds said predetermined limit value at said fourth step.