Control device for hybrid vehicle drive apparatus

• US 20080305923A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwase, Yuji, Tabata, Atsushi, Imamura, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,251,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/3
• 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 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 10/115 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/08 Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0873 with switching, e.g. to change ranges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A control device for hybrid vehicle drive apparatus is disclosed which executes an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating an engine output shaft (94) under a circumstance where a consecutive travel distance L_M involved in a motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel distance determining value L1. The rotation of the engine output shaft (94) results in an effect of accelerating the lubrication of an engine (8). Once the engine output shaft (94) is rotated, no component parts of the engine (8) actually take the completely same attitudes at time before and after such rotation. This avoids the component parts of the engine (8) from continuously remaining contact with each other in the same attitudes when encountered with running vibrations during the motor drive running mode, minimizing adverse affect on durability of the engine (8) due to the running vibrations occurring in the motor drive running mode.

Claims

1. A control device for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus, wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus comprises an internal combustion engine, and an electric motor connected to a power transmitting path extending to drive wheels, a motor drive running mode being possible to cause a vehicle to run with the electric motor with the internal combustion engine remaining under a halted state;

and

the control device is operative to perform an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating an output shaft of the internal combustion engine under a circumstance where a consecutive travel distance involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given value.

4. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

7. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

10. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according claim 1, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal combustion engine depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

13. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

16. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further comprises a power transmitting device connected to the internal combustion engine for power transmissive state;

and

the power transmitting device comprises an electrically controlled differential portion, including a differential mechanism and a differential-action electric motor connected to the differential mechanism for power transmissive state, which is operative to control a differential state of the differential mechanism upon controlling an operating state of the differential-action electric motor, and a shifting portion forming part of the power transmitting path.

19. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the shifting portion is a step-variable transmission.

22. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the electrically controlled differential portion is more than two electric motors and a planetary gear set.

25. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further including a differential-action limiting device, limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism, causes the output shaft of the internal combustion engine to rotate upon limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism.

28. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device includes running state determining means, executing condition determining means and rotation initiating means.

31. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 28 wherein (a) the running state determining means determines whether or not the second electric motor performs the motor drive running mode to cause the vehicle to run under a halt state of the internal-combustion engine;

(b) the executing condition determining means determines whether or not at least one of (i) consecutive travel distance L_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel distance determining value L1, (ii) a consecutive travel time T_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel time determining value T1, and (iii) a vehicle speed V1 exceeds a given vehicle speed determining value V1; and

(c) the rotation initiating means performs an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating the output shaft.

2. A control device for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus,wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus comprises an internal combustion engine, and an electric motor connected to a power transmitting path extending to drive wheels, a motor drive running mode being possible to cause a vehicle to run with the electric motor with the internal combustion engine remaining under a halted state;

and

the control device is operative to perform an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating an output shaft of the internal combustion engine under a circumstance where a consecutive travel time involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given value.

5. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

8. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

11. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal combustion engine depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

14. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

17. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further comprises a power transmitting device connected to the internal combustion engine for power transmissive state;

and

the power transmitting device comprises an electrically controlled differential portion, including a differential mechanism and a differential-action electric motor connected to the differential mechanism for power transmissive state, which is operative to control a differential state of the differential mechanism upon controlling an operating state of the differential-action electric motor, and a shifting portion forming part of the power transmitting path.

20. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the shifting portion is a step-variable transmission.

23. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the electrically controlled differential portion is more than two electric motors and a planetary gear set.

26. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further including a differential-action limiting device, limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism, causes the output shaft of the internal combustion engine to rotate upon limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism.

29. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control device includes running state determining means, executing condition determining means and rotation initiating means.

32. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 29 wherein (a) the running state determining means determines whether or not the second electric motor performs the motor drive running mode to cause the vehicle to run under a halt state of the internal-combustion engine;

(b) the executing condition determining means determines whether or not at least one of (i) consecutive travel distance L_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel distance determining value L1, (ii) a consecutive travel time T_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel time determining value T1, and (iii) a vehicle speed V1 exceeds a given vehicle speed determining value V1; and

(c) the rotation initiating means performs an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating the output shaft.

3. A control device for a hybrid vehicle drive apparatus, wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus comprises an internal combustion engine, and an electric motor connected to a power transmitting path extending to drive wheels, a motor drive running mode being possible to cause a vehicle to run with the electric motor with the internal combustion engine remaining under a halted state;

and

the control device is operative to perform an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating an output shaft of the internal combustion engine under a circumstance where a vehicle speed involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given value.

6. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

9. The control device for the hybrid- vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a rotation speed of the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

12. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal combustion engine depending on a temperature of a coolant liquid of the internal combustion engine.

15. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an implementation time for rotating the output shaft is altered in the internal-combustion-engine rotation control depending on an ambient temperature.

18. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further comprises a power transmitting device connected to the internal combustion engine for power transmissive state;

and

the power transmitting device comprises an electrically controlled differential portion, including a differential mechanism and a differential-action electric motor connected to the differential mechanism for power transmissive state, which is operative to control a differential state of the differential mechanism upon controlling an operating state of the differential-action electric motor, and a shifting portion forming part of the power transmitting path.

21. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the shifting portion is a step-variable transmission.

24. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the electrically controlled differential portion is more than two electric motors and a planetary gear set.

27. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus further including a differential-action limiting device, limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism, causes the output shaft of the internal combustion engine to rotate upon limiting the differential action of the differential mechanism.

30. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control device includes running state determining means, executing condition determining means and rotation initiating means.

33. The control device for the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus according to claim 30 wherein (a) the running state determining means determines whether or not the second electric motor performs the motor drive running mode to cause the vehicle to run under a halt state of the internal-combustion engine;

(b) the executing condition determining means determines whether or not at least one of (i) consecutive travel distance L_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel distance determining value L1, (ii) a consecutive travel time T_M involved in the motor drive running mode exceeds a given consecutive travel time determining value T1, and (iii) a vehicle speed V1 exceeds a given vehicle speed determining value V1; and

(c) the rotation initiating means performs an internal-combustion-engine rotation control for rotating the output shaft.