Driving Device, Motor Vehicle Equipped With Driving Device, and Control Methods of Driving Device and Motor Vehicle

• US 20080135314A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iraha, Yumi, Onoda, Masanori, Ichiyanagi, Jun, Motoike, Kazutoshi, Adachi, Masatoshi, Wakuta, Satoru, Omote, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• 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 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• 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 2240/485 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 2510/107 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/194 related to low temperature conditions, e.g. high viscosity of hydraulic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/025 : by prelubricating, e.g. using an accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0873 : with switching, e.g. to change ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0413 : Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0434 : relating to lubrication supply, e.g. pumps arrangement of pumps F16H57/0441; Pressure control grooves with pumping effect for supplying lubricant F16H57/0428; generation and variation of line pressure for transmission control F16H61/0021
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/72 : dependent on oil characteristics, e.g. temperature, viscosity
• 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

In setting of an oil temperature increasing process mode, the drive control technique of the invention starts an engine to actuate a mechanical oil pump that pressure feeds a flow of lubricating oil for lubricating the mechanical parts of a transmission and other relevant parts, actuates an electric oil pump that pressure feeds the flow of lubricating oil, and makes a brake B1 included in the transmission in a semi-engagement state. A motor arranged adjacent to the transmission is then driven with lowered output efficiency. This arrangement effectively accelerates heat generation by the motor and ensures a quick temperature rise of the lubricating oil.

Claims

1. A driving device that is equipped with a motor having power input and output capabilities,

said driving device comprising:

a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to a driveshaft;

a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly and is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor; and

an upon-request control module that drives and controls the motor upon a certain request to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium.

2. A driving device in accordance with claim 1, said driving device further comprising:

an accumulator unit that transmits electric power to and from the motor,

wherein said upon-request control module drives and controls the motor within an output limit of the accumulator unit.

3. A driving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said upon-request control module drives and controls the motor to accelerate heat generation by the motor.

4. A driving device in accordance with claim 1, said driving device further comprising:

a locking mechanism that locks the driveshaft in a non-rotatable state,

wherein said upon-request control module controls the motor and the locking mechanism to heat up the lubricating medium through the heat exchange with the motor in the locked driveshaft in the non-rotatable state.

5. A driving device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the gear change transmission assembly has a movable section that moves with rotation of the motor and an engagement section that applies a friction-based engagement force to the movable section,

wherein said upon-request control module controls the motor and the gear change transmission assembly to drive the motor and make the engagement section of the gear change transmission assembly in a semi-engagement state.

6. A driving device that is used in combination with an internal combustion engine and is equipped with a motor having power input and output capabilities,

said driving device comprising:

a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to a driveshaft;

a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly, is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor, and receives output power of the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium; and

an upon-request control module that, upon a certain request, drives and controls the motor to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium, while starting the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium.

7. A driving device in accordance with claim 6, said driving device further comprising:

a locking mechanism that locks the driveshaft in a non-rotatable state,

wherein said upon-request control module controls the motor and the locking mechanism to heat up the lubricating medium through the heat exchange with the motor in the locked driveshaft in the non-rotatable state.

8. A driving device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the gear change transmission assembly has a movable section that moves with rotation of the motor and an engagement section that applies a friction-based engagement force to the movable section,

wherein said upon-request control module controls the motor and the gear change transmission assembly to drive the motor and make the engagement section of the gear change transmission assembly in a semi-engagement state.

9. A driving device in accordance with claim 6, said driving device further comprising:

an electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism that is connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine and to the driveshaft and outputs at least part of the output power of the internal combustion engine to the driveshaft through input and output of electric power and mechanical power; and

an accumulator unit that transmits electric powers to and from the electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism and the motor,

wherein said upon-request control module drives the electric power-mechanical power input output mechanism and the motor within an output limit of the accumulator unit.

10. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a motor that is capable of inputting and outputting power;

a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to an axle;

a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly and is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor; and

an upon-request control module that drives and controls the motor upon a certain request to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a motor that is capable of inputting and outputting power;

a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to a driveshaft;

a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly, is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor, and receives output power of the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium; and

an upon-request control module that, upon a certain request, drives and controls the motor to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium, while starting the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium.

12. A control method of a driving device equipped with a motor that is capable of inputting and outputting power, a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to a driveshaft, and a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly and is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor;

upon a certain request, said control method drives and controls the motor to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium.

13. A control method of a motor vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, a motor that is capable of inputting and outputting power, a gear change transmission assembly that has a power transmission mechanism and converts the output power of the motor by gear change and transmits the converted power to an axle, and a lubrication structure that stores and uses a lubricating medium to lubricate at least the power transmission mechanism of the gear change transmission assembly, is arranged to enable heat exchange between at least part of the lubricating medium with the motor, and receives output power of the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium,

upon a certain request, said control method drives and controls the motor to enhance the heat exchange between the lubricating medium and the motor and thereby accelerate a temperature rise of the lubricating medium, while starting the internal combustion engine to circulate the lubricating medium.