Hybrid vehicle

• US 20080006467A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Honda, Kenji, Yumoto, Toshiyuki, Iwata, Kazuyuki, Morishita, Naohisa, Urano, Junji
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/365
• 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 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/30 using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 with planetary gears
• 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 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• 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

The present invention provides a hybrid vehicle including a first transmission path that transmits a traction of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission path that transmits a traction of a motor to the driving wheels, and the hybrid vehicle runs by alternatively selecting either the first or second transmission path or in combination thereof. The first transmission path has a first reduction gear ratio that is defined to be smaller than a reduction gear ratio at which a maximum vehicle speed can be achieved by the traction of the engine alone.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising a first transmission path that transmits a traction of an engine to driving wheels and a second transmission path that transmits a traction of a motor to the driving wheels,

the hybrid vehicle running by alternatively selecting either the first or second transmission path or in combination thereof, and

the first transmission path having a first reduction gear ratio that is defined to be smaller than a reduction gear ratio at which a maximum vehicle speed can be achieved by the traction of the engine alone.

2. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the maximum vehicle speed is achieved by transmitting only the traction of the motor through the second transmission path to the driving wheels, or by transmitting the traction of the motor through the second transmission path to the driving wheels as well as transmitting the traction of the engine through the first transmission path to the driving wheels.

3. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the engine comprises an output characteristic variable mechanism that varies output characteristics thereof;

and

the first transmission path comprises transmission gears in which a second reduction gear ratio is defined to be smaller than the first reduction gear ratio and provide a smaller traction than a traction that the engine achieves at a maximum output at the first reduction gear ratio when an output of the engine is lowered by the output characteristic variable mechanism.

4. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the engine comprises an output characteristic variable mechanism that varies output characteristics thereof;

and

the first transmission path comprises transmission gears in which a second reduction gear ratio is defined to be smaller than the first reduction gear ratio and provide a smaller traction than a traction that the engine achieves at a maximum output at the first reduction gear ratio when an output of the engine is lowered by the output characteristic variable mechanism.

5. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the output characteristic variable mechanism performs a variable displacement operation in which some of cylinders of the engine are stopped during the engine operation.

6. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the output characteristic variable mechanism performs a variable displacement operation in which some of cylinders of the engine are stopped during the engine operation.

7. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the output characteristic variable mechanism performs one of a valve open/close control, an ignition timing control and a fuel injection control.

8. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the output characteristic variable mechanism performs one of a valve open/close control, an ignition timing control and a fuel injection control.

9. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second transmission paths comprise a common output gear that transmits at least one of the traction of the engine and the traction of the motor to the driving wheels,

within a first vehicle speed range from a first vehicle speed not including a vehicle stop state to the maximum vehicle speed that can be achieved by the traction of the engine alone, at least the traction of the motor is transmitted through the second transmission path to the driving wheels, and

within a second vehicle speed range from a second vehicle speed that is lower than the first vehicle speed to less than the first vehicle speed, the traction of the engine is transmitted through the first transmission path to the driving wheels when the hybrid vehicle is in a steady running state.

10. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a connection/disconnection means for switching between the first transmission path and the second transmission path,

wherein, if an instruction for demanding greater traction than a predetermined value is input, the connection/disconnection means disconnects the first transmission path to be into an open state, while maintaining connection of the second transmission path, so as to perform a driving operation only with the traction through the second transmission path.

11. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 further comprising:

an oil pump for supplying hydraulic pressure for the connection/disconnection means;

a hydraulic governing valve for regulating the hydraulic pressure in a hydraulic circuit, supplied from the oil pump; and

an actuator for actuating the hydraulic governing valve by electric signals.

12. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 11, wherein, in the open state of the connection/disconnection means, a driving force of the actuator is restricted, and the oil pump driving is restricted.

13. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the connection/disconnection means comprises a manual valve for supplying the hydraulic pressure from the oil pump, and the manual valve is mechanically connected with a shift lever manipulated by a driver.

14. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 further comprising an electric actuator for activating the connection/disconnection means by electric signals.