Vehicle Drive System

• US 20080223634A1
• Filed: 01/24/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuzaki, Norikazu, YAMAMOTO, Tatsuyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/018,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20080223634A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• 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 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• 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: B60W 10/119 including control of all-wheel-driveline means, e.g. transfer gears or clutches for dividing torque between front and rear axle B60W10/14 takes precedence
• 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 2300/18 Four-wheel drive vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• 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: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle drive system that is capable of appropriately continuing four-wheel drive according to driver'"'"'s intention and road conditions. The vehicle drive system includes a motor 5 which drives rear wheels 15R and 15L, and a 4WDCU 6 for controlling the electric energy inputted to the motor to control the motor drive. When the driver issues a request command for continuing four-wheel drive or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, a control logic 200 of the 4WDCU 6 continues a four-wheel drive mode in which the rear wheels are driven by the motor 5 and the front wheels by an internal combustion engine 1.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive system provided on a vehicle which runs by the changeover between a first drive mode in which first wheels are driven by first power of an internal combustion engine and a second drive mode in which the first wheels are driven by the first power and second wheels different from the first wheels are driven by second power obtained from output power of an in-vehicle power supply, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor for generating the second power; and

a control unit for controlling the motor drive;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the second drive mode or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

2. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control unit inputs an output signal from an operating device operated by the driver and determines whether or not the request command for continuing the second drive mode is issued.

3. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1,

wherein the motor temperature is inputted to said control unit as detection information;

and

wherein, when the temperature exceeded a setup value, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to cancel the continuation of the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

4. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1,

wherein said control unit includes an indication controller which outputs an indication command to an indicator for indicating the drive mode of the vehicle;

and

wherein the indication controller outputs an indication command to the indicator so that the indication method of the indicator differs between a case where the second drive mode is performed and a case where the second drive mode is continued.

5. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when a slope with successive curve sections is determined as a case of road condition change, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

6. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when an alternate repetition of low-μ and

high-μ

roads is determined as a case of road condition change, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

7. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when an alternate repetition of upslopes and downslopes on a straight road is determined as a case of road condition change, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

8. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motor temperature reaches or exceeds a predetermined temperature while said control unit is controlling the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode, said control unit reduces the motor torque.

9. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control unit limits the drive time of said motor while it is controlling the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

10. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motor temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature while said control unit is controlling the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode, said control unit terminates the motor drive control for continuing the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

11. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the time period of the motor drive control for continuing the vehicle running by the second drive mode exceeds a setup time, said control unit terminates the motor drive control for continuing the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

12. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the accelerator opening remains to be equal to or smaller than a setup value for a setup time or longer, said control unit terminates the motor drive control for continuing the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

13. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the vehicle speed remains to be zero for a setup time or longer, said control unit terminates the motor drive control for continuing the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

14. The vehicle drive system according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motor temperature exceeds a setup value while said control unit is controlling the motor drive so as to continue the vehicle running by the second drive mode, said control unit outputs a command signal for limiting the throttle opening of the internal combustion engine with respect to the accelerator opening to a control unit of the internal combustion engine.

15. A vehicle drive system provided on a vehicle which runs by the changeover between a first drive mode in which first wheels are driven by first power of an internal combustion engine and a second drive mode in which the first wheels are driven by the first power and second wheels different from the first wheels are driven by second power obtained from output power of an in-vehicle power supply, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor for generating the second power; and

a control unit for controlling the motor drive;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the second drive mode or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to perform the vehicle running by the second drive mode and continue in a time limit manner the vehicle running by the second drive mode.

16. A vehicle drive system provided on a vehicle which runs by the changeover between a first drive mode in which first wheels are driven by first power of an internal combustion engine and a second drive mode in which the first wheels are driven by the first power and second wheels different from the first wheels are driven by second power obtained from output power of an in-vehicle power supply, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor for generating the second power; and

a control unit for controlling the motor drive;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the second drive mode or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to perform the vehicle running by the second drive mode and continue in a time limit manner the vehicle running by the second drive mode such that the vehicle running is separated from the vehicle running by changeover between the first and second drive modes.

17. A vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor for generating second power for driving second wheels different from first wheels driven by first power of an internal combustion engine; and

a control unit for controlling the motor drive;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the drive of the second wheels by the second power or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to output the second power from said motor to the second wheels and continue in a time limit manner the output of the second power from said motor to the second wheels.

18. A vehicle drive system comprising:

a motor for generating second power for driving second wheels different from first wheels driven by first power of an internal combustion engine; and

a control unit for controlling the motor drive;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the drive of the second wheels by the second power or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the motor drive so as to output the second power from said motor to the second wheels and continue in a time limit manner the output of the second power from said motor to the second wheels such that the output of the second power is separated from the changeover between the drive of the first wheels by the first power and the drive of the first and second wheels by the first and second power.

19. A vehicle drive system provided on a vehicle which runs by the changeover between a first mode in which the power is transmitted between an internal combustion engine and first wheels and a second mode in which the power is transmitted between the internal combustion engine and the first wheels and between electric machinery operating on an in-vehicle power supply and second wheels, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a rotating electrical machine for forming the electric machinery; and

a control unit for controlling the operation of said rotating electrical machine;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the second mode or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the operation of said rotating electrical machine so as to perform the second mode and continue in time limit manner the second mode.

20. A vehicle drive system provided on a vehicle which runs by the changeover between a first mode in which the power is transmitted between an internal combustion engine and first wheels and a second mode in which the power is transmitted between the internal combustion engine and the first wheels and between electric machinery operating on an in-vehicle power supply and second wheels, the vehicle drive system comprising:

a rotating electrical machine for forming the electric machinery; and

a control unit for controlling the operation of said rotating electrical machine;

wherein, when the driver issues a request command for continuing the second mode or when the road condition of the vehicle changes, said control unit controls the operation of said rotating electrical machine so as to perform the second mode and continue in time limit manner the second mode such that the second mode is separated from the changeover between the first and second modes.