HYBRID VEHICLE, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20160159344A1
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hata, Kensei, WASE, Yuji, Suzuki, Yosuke, Kato, Koichi, NOBUYASU, Seitaro, MOTEKI, Taro
• Granted Patent: US 9,758,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• 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 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/027 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/182 Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/42 Control of clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/43 Control of engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/60 Control of electric machines, e.g. problems related to electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/80 Control of differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1066 Hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30401 On-off signal indicating the engage or disengaged position of the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3067 : Speed of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3069 : Engine ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50858 : Selecting a Mode of operation
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7041 : Position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7044 : Output shaft torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 : Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

At the time of changing from an EV mode, in which a hybrid vehicle travels with the use of a second motor provided on an output side of a differential mechanism while torque that acts on any one of rotating elements of the differential mechanism is interrupted by a clutch, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels while transmitting output torque of an engine to a drive wheel, when the engine is started in a state where the clutch is slipped and torque is transmitted from the engine so as to increase the rotation speed of the first rotating element while the clutch is slipped, torque starts being output from a first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism to increase the rotation speed of the drive wheel is output from the third rotating element.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a drive wheel;

a first motor;

a second motor transmitting torque to the drive wheel;

a differential mechanism including

a first rotating element transmitting torque of the engine,

a second rotating element transmitting torque of the first motor, and

a third rotating element transmitting torque to the drive wheel;

a clutch controlling a capacity of torque that acts on any one of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element; and

a control unit configured to change from an EV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels in a state where the clutch is released and an output torque of the second motor is transmitted to the drive wheel, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels in a state where the clutch is engaged and an output torque of the engine is transmitted to the drive wheel, in the following manner,

(a) starting the engine in a state where the clutch is slipped, and

(b) increasing a rotation speed of the drive wheel by outputting torque from the first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism is output from the third rotating element, when torque is transmitted from the engine while a rotation speed of the first rotating element is rising in a state where the clutch is slipped.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to increase the rotation speed of the drive wheel by outputting torque from the first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism is output from the third rotating element, when a rotation speed of the engine becomes higher than or equal to the rotation speed of the first rotating element.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit is configured to control an output torque of the first motor to zero when the control unit starts the engine.

4. A control method for a hybrid vehicle including

an engine,

a drive wheel,

a first motor,

a second motor transmitting torque to the drive wheel,

a differential mechanism including

a first rotating element transmitting torque of the engine,

a second rotating element transmitting torque of the first motor, and

a third rotating element transmitting torque to the drive wheel;

a clutch controlling a capacity of torque that acts on any one of the first rotating element, the second rotating element and the third rotating element; and

a control unit, the control method comprising;

changing from an EV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels in a state where the clutch is released and an output torque of the second motor is transmitted to the drive wheel, to an HV mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels in a state where the clutch is engaged and an output torque of the engine is transmitted to the drive wheel, by the control unit in the following manner,

(a) starting the engine in a state where the clutch is slipped, and

(b) increasing a rotation speed of the drive wheel by outputting torque from the first motor such that torque input from the first rotating element to the differential mechanism is output from the third rotating element, when torque is transmitted from the engine while a rotation speed of the first rotating element is rising in a state where the clutch is slipped.