CONTROL DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20120198869A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Morita, Masaki, Kishita, Hiroshi, Nakagawa, Tadashi
• Granted Patent: US 9,340,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/126
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3208 Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 2001/3273 related to the operation of the vehicle, e.g. the compressor driving torque

Abstract

An engine and an electronic control unit perform cooling capacity increase control for compensating for a insufficiency of the cooling capacity of a cooling device. The electronic control unit performs a variety of control for a vehicle, including control of the cooling device. At that time, the electronic control unit calculates the target value of the cooling capacity of the cooling device, calculates the estimate value of the cooling capacity that will be able to be exerted in the future under the current control, compares the target value and the estimate value, and when it is determined from the result of the comparison that the cooling capacity will be insufficient, performs the cooling capacity increase control. The electronic control unit changes the contents of the cooling capacity increase control according to the degree of insufficiency of the estimate value with respect to the target value.

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle equipped with a cooling device, the cooling device including a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a condenser for cooling the compressed refrigerant, and an evaporator for cooling by vaporizing the cooled refrigerant, the control device comprising:

target cooling capacity calculating device for calculating a target value of the cooling capacity of the cooling device;

estimate cooling capacity calculating device for calculating an estimate value of the cooling capacity that will be able to be exerted in the future under the current control;

increase control executing device, which compares the target value and the estimate value, and if it is determined that the cooling capacity will be insufficient based on the comparison result, the increase control executing device executes a cooling capacity increase control; and

control contents changing device, which changes the contents of the cooling capacity increase control in accordance with the degree of insufficiency of the estimate value with respect to the target value,

wherein the target cooling capacity calculating means calculates the target value of the cooling capacity and the time period during which the cooling capacity of the target value will be necessary, and the estimate cooling capacity calculating means estimates the estimate value of the cooling capacity in the calculated time period.

3. The control device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an evaporator temperature is used as an index value of the cooling capacity.

4. (The control device for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the target cooling capacity calculating device calculates a target value of an air-conditioner outlet port temperature based on the condition inside and outside of a passenger compartment, and based on the calculated value, the target cooling capacity calculating device calculates a target value of the evaporator temperature.

5. The control device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control contents changing device changes the contents of the cooling capacity increase control in accordance with the running condition of the vehicle.

6. The control device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the control contents changing device changes the contents of the cooling capacity increase control in accordance with the running speed of the vehicle.

7. The control device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the control contents changing device changes the contents of the cooling capacity increase control in accordance with the charging level of a vehicle mounted battery.

8. The control device for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein, when the vehicle speed is low and the vehicle mounted battery is overcharged, the control contents changing device executes the cooling capacity increase control that involves increasing electric power consumption, and if such is not the case, the control contents changing device executes the cooling capacity increase control that involves increasing the engine operating rate.

2. (canceled)