VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20140163802A1
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokai, Norihiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,254,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2312/02 Driving off
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/14 Control of torque converter lock-up clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A control device of a vehicle provided with an engine, and a fluid-operated power transmitting device provided with a lock-up clutch and configured to transmit a drive force of said engine to drive wheels, and an engine connecting/disconnecting clutch configured to selectively place a power transmitting path between said engine and said fluid-operated power transmitting device in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state, said vehicle being able to run in an engine drive mode in which said engine is operated as a vehicle drive power source while said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch is placed in a fully engaged state, comprising: a lock-up clutch control portion configured to bring said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch from the fully engaged state into a slipping state and temporarily place the engine connecting/disconnecting clutch in the slipping state while said lock-up clutch is placed in a slipping state, when a lock-up slip control is implemented to place said lock-up clutch from a fully released state into the slipping slip and gradually bring the lock-up clutch into a fully engaged state, in response to an increase of a required amount of acceleration of said vehicle, during running of the vehicle in said engine drive mode with said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch being placed in the fully engaged state.

Claims

1. A control device of a vehicle provided with an engine, and a fluid-operated power transmitting device provided with a lock-up clutch and configured to transmit a drive force of said engine to drive wheels, and an engine connecting/disconnecting clutch configured to selectively place a power transmitting path between said engine and said fluid-operated power transmitting device in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state, said vehicle being able to run in an engine drive mode in which said engine is operated as a vehicle drive power source while said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch is placed in a fully engaged state, comprising:

a lock-up clutch control portion configured to bring said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch from the fully engaged state into a slipping state and temporarily place the engine connecting/disconnecting clutch in the slipping state while said lock-up clutch is placed in a slipping state, when a lock-up slip control is implemented to place said lock-up clutch from a fully released state into the slipping slip and gradually bring the lock-up clutch into a fully engaged state, in response to an increase of a required amount of acceleration of said vehicle, during running of the vehicle in said engine drive mode with said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch being placed in the fully engaged state.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said lock-up clutch control portion implements, as said lock-up slip control, a vehicle starting lock-up slip control to place said lock-up clutch in the slipping state during starting of the vehicle with said engine operated as the vehicle drive power source.

3. The control device according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is further provided with an electric motor connected to a power transmitting path between said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch and said fluid-operated power transmitting device, and

the vehicle is able to run in a motor drive mode in which only said electric motor is operated as the vehicle drive power source while said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch is placed in a released state.

4. The control device according to claim 3, wherein said lock-up clutch control portion sets a target value of a slipping amount of said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch upon implementation of said lock-up slip control, and controls said electric motor to reduce a difference between said target value and an actual value of the slipping amount.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said lock-up clutch control portion gradually brings said lock-up clutch and said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch are gradually brought into the fully engaged state after said lock-up slip control is initiated, and

said lock-up clutch control portion terminates said lock-up slip control when one of said lock-up clutch and said engine connecting/disconnecting clutch which is more easily controllable for the full engagement than the other has been brought into the fully engaged state after the other is brought into the fully engaged state.