VEHICLE TRAVEL CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20150298701A1
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: SUZUKI, Takeaki, MATSUNAGA, Masaki, KIDO, Yasunari, KOGURE, Takayuki, OKAMURA, Yukari, KUROKI, Rentaro, HIRAI, Takuya, MITSUYASU, Masaki, KIM, Jonggap, SATO, Akihiro, Kinoshita, Yusuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,789,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/18083 without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/21 Providing engine brake control
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/688 with two inputs, e.g. selection of one of two torque-flow paths by clutches
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A running control device has an engine coupling running mode enabling an engine brake running mode performed by coupling an engine and wheels with an engine brake applied by driven rotation of the engine, and an inertia running mode performed with an engine brake force lower than that of the engine brake running mode. The running control device includes a steering wheel steering angle as a condition of terminating the inertia running mode. The running control device performs a first inertia running mode with the rotation of the engine stopped and a second inertia running mode with the engine rotating. The first inertia running mode is terminated when the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than a predefined first determination value. The second inertia running mode is terminated when the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than a predefined second determination value larger than the first determination value.

Claims

1. :

A running control device of a vehicle having an engine, an alternator generating electricity from rotation of the engine, a battery storing electric power generated by the alternator, a steering wheel operated by a driver, and an electric power steering system assisting a steering operation of the driver by using electric power of the battery,

the running control device of a vehicle being configured to execute an engine coupling running mode enabling an engine brake running mode performed by coupling the engine and wheels with an engine brake applied by driven rotation of the engine, and an inertia running mode performed with an engine brake force made lower than that of the engine brake running mode, the running control device of a vehicle including a steering angle of the steering wheel as a condition of terminating the inertia running mode,

the running control device of a vehicle performing a first inertia running mode performed with the rotation of the engine stopped and a second inertia running mode performed with the engine kept rotating as the inertia running mode in accordance with predefined respective execution conditions,

the first inertia running mode being terminated when the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than a predefined first determination value while the first inertia running mode is performed,

the second inertia running mode being terminated when the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than a predefined second determination value larger than the first determination value while the second inertia running mode is performed.

2. :

The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

if the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the first determination value while the first inertia running mode is performed, a shift to the second inertia running mode is made, and wherein

if the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the second determination value while the second inertia running mode is performed, a return to the engine coupling running mode is made.

3. :

The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

if the steering angle becomes equal to or greater than the first determination value while the first inertia running mode is performed, a return to the engine coupling running mode is made.

4. :

The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the first inertia running mode is a free-run inertia running mode in which the engine is separated from the wheels with fuel supply to the engine stopped to stop rotation, and wherein

the second inertia running mode is a neutral inertia running mode in which fuel is supplied to allow the engine to operate while the engine is separated from the wheels.

5. :

The running control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the first inertia running mode is a free-run inertia running mode in which the engine is separated from the wheels with fuel supply to the engine stopped to stop rotation, and wherein

the second inertia running mode is a cylinder resting inertia running mode in which fuel supply to the engine is stopped with the engine kept coupled to the wheels while operation of at least one of a piston and intake/exhaust valves is stopped in some or all of multiple cylinders of the engine.