HYBRID VEHICLE TESTING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20090095063A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kanamori, Akihiko
• Application Number:
  US12/296,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20090095063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/116.05
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• 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 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

In a hybrid vehicle, first, an engine is locked by an engine shaft locking mechanism. A first motor is operated by torque control and a second motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control. Torque for controlling the second motor in this state is obtained. Based on the obtained control torque, whether the first motor is normal is checked. Successively, the second motor is operated by the torque control and the first motor is operated by the number-of-revolutions control to check whether the second motor is normal in a similar manner.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle testing system for performing a test of a hybrid vehicle in which a drive unit including a first motor and a second motor and an engine are mounted as power sources so that power transmission is allowed between the engine, the first motor, and the second motor,

wherein the testing system is arranged to perform the test by:

locking one of the engine, the first motor, and the second motor;

operating the remaining two power sources to obtain output characteristics of the power sources;

switching locking and operating states of the power sources and obtaining the output characteristics of the power sources to be tested in at least two combinations of the locking and operating states; and

determining whether each power source is normal or not based on the output characteristics.

2. The hybrid vehicle testing system according to claim 1, wherein

the combinations include:

a combination that the second motor is locked, the engine is operated with target torque, and the first motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control to obtain the output characteristic of the first motor, and

a combination that the first motor is locked, the engine is operated with target torque, and the second motor operated by the number-of-revolutions control to obtain the output characteristic of the second motor.

3. The hybrid vehicle testing system according to claim 1 further including a locking mechanism for locking an output shaft of the engine;

wherein the combinations for obtaining the output characteristic of at least one of the motors includes;

a combination that the engine is locked by the locking mechanism, the first motor is operated by torque control, and the second motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control; and

a combination that the engine is locked by the locking mechanism, the second motor is operated by the torque control, and the first motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control.

4. The hybrid vehicle testing system according to claim 1, wherein

the testing system is arranged to perform the test by:

setting one of the first motor and the second motor as a motor to be tested and setting the other as a motor not to be tested;

locking one of the engine and the motor not to be tested and operating the other to obtain back electromotive force of the motor to be tested; and

determining whether the motor to be testes is normal based on the obtained back electromotive force.

5. The hybrid vehicle testing system according to claim 1, wherein

the testing system is arranged to perform the test by:

setting one of the first motor and the second motor as a motor to be tested and setting the other as a motor not to be tested;

locking one of the engine and the motor not to be tested and operating the motor to be tested to obtain drag torque of the motor to be tested; and

determining whether the motor to be tested is normal based on the obtained drag torque.

6. A hybrid vehicle testing method for testing a hybrid vehicle in which a drive unit including a first motor and a second motor, and an engine are mounted as power sources so that power transmission is allowed between the engine, the first motor, and the second motor,

wherein the testing method includes the steps of:

locking one of the engine, the first motor, and the second motor;

operating the remaining two power sources to obtain output characteristics of the power sources;

switching locking and operating states of the power sources and obtaining the output characteristics of the power sources to be tested in at least two combinations of the locking and operating states; and

determining whether each power source is normal or abnormal based on the output characteristics.

7. The hybrid vehicle testing method according to claim 6, including:

A. a step of testing the first motor to obtain the output characteristic of the first motor in a combination that the second motor is locked, the engine is operated with target torque and the first motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control, and

B. a step of testing the first motor to obtain the output characteristic of the second motor in a combination that the first motor is locked, the engine is operated with target torque and the second motor is operated by the number-of-revolutions control.

8. The hybrid vehicle testing method according to claim 6, including:

A. a step of testing the first motor to obtain the output characteristic of at least one of the motors in a combination that the engine is locked, the first motor is operated by torque control and the second motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control, and

B. a step of testing the second motor to obtain the output characteristic of at least one of the motors in a combination that the engine is locked, the second motor is operated by torque control and the first motor is operated by number-of-revolutions control.

9. The hybrid vehicle testing method according to claim 6, wherein

one of the first motor and the second motor is set as a motor to be tested and the other is set as a motor not to be tested,

the testing method further includes the steps of:

obtaining back electromotive force of the motor to be tested in a combination that one of the engine and the motor not to be tested is locked and the other is operated; and

determining whether the motor to be tested is normal based on the obtained back electromotive force.

10. The hybrid vehicle testing method according to claim 6, wherein

one of the first motor and the second motor is set as a motor to be tested and the other is set as a motor not to be tested,

the testing method further includes the steps of:

obtaining drag torque of the motor to be tested in a combination that one of the engine and the motor not to be tested is locked and the motor to be tested is operated; and

determining whether the motor to be tested is normal based on the obtained drag torque.