Hybrid Vehicle

• US 20090195093A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Tomonari, Bandai, Hiroyuki, Minekawa, Hideto
• Granted Patent: US 7,823,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

An electric motor radiator (34), a feeding mechanism (30), and a cooling oil circulation path (32) constitute a cooling mechanism that cools the electric motor (6) via an electric motor cooling oil that is a cooling medium. The electric motor radiator (34) forms a circulation path between the electric motor (6), and cooling of the electric motor (6) is performed via the electric motor cooling oil. A PCU radiator (44), a feeding mechanism (40) and a cooling water circulation path (42) constitute a cooling mechanism that cools a PCU (8) via a PCU cooling water that is a cooling medium. The PCU radiator (44) forms a circulation path between the PCU (8), and cooling of the PCU (8) is performed via the PCU cooling water. Further, the feeding mechanism (30, 40) operate by power received from a power storage portion (16).

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine and an electric motor each configured to be capable of generating vehicle drive force;

a power storage portion configured to be capable of being charged and discharged;

a power converting portion converting power received from said power storage portion for driving said electric motor;

a first cooling mechanism cooling said electric motor via a first cooling medium; and

a second cooling mechanism cooling said power converting portion via a second cooling medium,

said first cooling mechanism including;

a first heat exchanging portion cooling said first cooling medium by performing heat exchange; and

a first feeding mechanism for allowing said first cooling medium to circulate through a first circulation path formed to include said electric motor and said first heat exchanging portion,

said second cooling mechanism including;

a second heat exchanging portion cooling said second cooling medium by performing heat exchange; and

a second feeding mechanism allowing said second cooling medium to flow through a second circulation path formed to include said power converting portion and said second heat exchanging portion,

said engine stopping intermittently in accordance with a traveling situation, and

said first and second feeding mechanisms being configured to be operable even when said engine is stopped.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first and second feeding mechanisms electrically operate.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first cooling mechanism is configured to include a path that attains cooling by bringing said first cooling medium into direct contact with a coil constituting said electric motor.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said second cooling mechanism further includes

a bypass path having its opposing ends connected to said second circulation path and formed to be capable of allowing said second cooling medium to circulate through a path that includes said power converting portion and that does not include said second heat exchanging portion,

a path switching portion configured to be capable of performing switching so that said second cooling medium output from said power converting portion flows through one of said second heat exchanging portion and said bypass path, and

a control portion controlling said path switching portion based on a temperature of said second cooling medium.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said control portion controls said path switching portion to allow circulation of said second cooling medium through a path that includes said power converting portion and said second heat exchanging portion when the temperature of said second cooling medium is at least a prescribed value, and controls said path switching portion to allow circulation of said second cooling medium through the path that includes said power converting portion and that does not include said second heat exchanging portion when the temperature of said second cooling medium is not at least the prescribed value.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said first cooling medium is made of oil.

7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said second cooling medium is made of water.