CONTROL DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DRIVE DEVICE

• US 20090037061A1
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Yuji, Tabata, Atsushi, Kamada, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/448 Electrical distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• 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 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• 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 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• 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: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 20/10 : Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0043 : the gear ratios comprising four forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0047 : the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 : with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/201 : with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2046 : with six engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2048 : with seven engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/66 : composed of a number of gear trains without drive passing from one train to another
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• 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

A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including a differential mechanism including an electric motor. The drive system includes a switching clutch and switching brake to switch the transmission mechanism between a continuously-variable shifting state and a step-variable shifting state. A shifting control mechanism changes a manner of controlling shifting action of the transmission mechanism during shifting action of an automatic transmission portion, for reducing a shifting shock, depending upon whether a differential portion is placed in the continuously-variable shifting state in which engine speed is variable due to differential function irrespective of rotating speed of power transmitting member, or the non-continuously-variable shifting state in which the engine speed is more difficult to be variable than in the continuously-variable shifting state.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. :

A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system provided with a transmission mechanism constituted by a continuously-variable transmission portion operable as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, and a transmission portion, said continuously-variable transmission portion having a differential mechanism operable to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and a power transmitting member, and a second electric motor disposed in a power transmitting path between the power transmitting member and a drive wheel of a vehicle, said transmission portion constituting a part of said power transmitting path, said control apparatus comprising;

a differential-state switching device provided in said differential mechanism and operable to place said continuously-variable transmission portion in a selected one of a continuously-variable shifting state in which said continuously-variable transmission portion is operable as said electrically controlled continuously variable transmission portion, and a non-continuously-variable shifting state in which the continuously-variable transmission portion is not operable as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission; and

shifting control means for changing a manner of controlling a shifting action of said transmission mechanism during a shifting action of said transmission portion, depending upon whether said continuously-variable transmission portion is placed in said continuously-variable shifting state or not.

24. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said shifting control means controls a shifting action of said continuously-variable transmission portion in an inertia phase of the shifting action of said transmission portion in said continuously-variable shifting state of said continuously-variable transmission portion, so as to reduce an amount of change of a speed of said engine through an operation of said continuously-variable transmission portion as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission.

25. :

The control apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said shifting control means changes a speed ratio of said continuously-variable transmission portion in a direction opposite to a direction of change of a speed ratio of said transmission portion, so as to reduce the amount of change of the speed of the engine.

26. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said shifting control means positively changes a speed of said engine during the shifting action of said transmission portion, in said non-continuously-variable shifting state of said continuously-variable transmission portion, by using said first electric motor and/or said second electric motor.

27. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said shifting control means reduces a racing rise of a speed of said engine due to the shifting action of said transmission portion, in said continuously-variable shifting state of said continuously-variable transmission portion, by using said first electric motor and/or said second electric motor.

28. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said transmission portion is an automatic transmission a speed ratio of which is automatically changed by an engaging action of a frictional coupling device and a releasing action of another frictional coupling device,

and wherein said shifting control means controls an engaging pressure of the frictional coupling device in its engaging action during the shifting action of said transmission portion such that the engaging pressure is higher when said continuously-variable transmission portion is placed in said non-continuously-variable shifting state than when the continuously-variable transmission portion is placed in said continuously-variable shifting state.

29. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising torque-reduction control means for reducing a torque to be transmitted to said drive wheel, and wherein said torque-reduction control means reduces the torque to be transmitted to said drive wheels during the shifting action of said transmission portion.

30. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said transmission portion is a step-variable automatic transmission.

31. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a required output torque of said transmission portion.

32. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a running speed of the vehicle.

33. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a torque of said engine.

34. :

The control apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of an operating speed of said engine.

35. :

A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system provided with a transmission mechanism constituted by a differential portion operable as an electrically controlled continuously variable transmission, and a transmission portion, said differential portion having a differential mechanism operable to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and a power transmitting member, and a second electric motor disposed in a power transmitting path between the power transmitting member and a drive wheel of a vehicle, said transmission portion constituting a part of said power transmitting path, said control apparatus comprising;

a differential-state switching device provided in said differential mechanism and operable to place said differential portion in a selected one of a continuously-variable shifting state in which said differential portion is operable as said electrically controlled differential portion, and a non-continuously-variable shifting state in which the differential portion is not operable as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission; and

shifting control means for changing a manner of controlling a shifting action of said transmission mechanism during a shifting action of said transmission portion, depending upon whether said differential portion is placed in said continuously-variable shifting state or not.

36. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said shifting control means controls a shifting action of said differential portion in an inertia phase of the shifting action of said transmission portion in said continuously-variable shifting state of said differential portion, so as to reduce an amount of change of a speed of said engine through an operation of said differential portion as the electrically controlled continuously variable transmission.

37. :

The control apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said shifting control means changes a speed ratio of said differential portion in a direction opposite to a direction of change of a speed ratio of said transmission portion, so as to reduce the amount of change of the speed of the engine.

38. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said shifting control means positively changes a speed of said engine during the shifting action of said transmission portion, in said non-continuously-variable shifting state of said differential portion, by using said first electric motor and/or said second electric motor.

39. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said shifting control means reduces a racing rise of a speed of said engine due to the shifting action of said transmission portion, in said continuously-variable shifting state of said differential portion, by using said first electric motor and/or said second electric motor.

40. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said transmission portion is an automatic transmission a speed ratio of which is automatically changed by an engaging action of a frictional coupling device and a releasing action of another frictional coupling device,

and wherein said shifting control means controls an engaging pressure of the frictional coupling device in its engaging action during the shifting action of said transmission portion such that the engaging pressure is higher when said differential portion is placed in said non-continuously-variable shifting state than when the differential portion is placed in said continuously-variable shifting state.

41. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a required output torque of said transmission portion.

42. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a running speed of the vehicle.

43. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of a torque of said engine.

44. :

The control apparatus according to claim 35, wherein said differential-state switching device places said continuously-variable transmission portion in the selected one of the continuously-variable shifting state and the non-continuously-variable shifting state, on the basis of an operating speed of said engine.