HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20170021714A1
• Filed: 03/20/2015
• Published: 01/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: NIIMI, Kuniaki
• Granted Patent: US 9,724,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/248 Current for loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• 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 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a first rotating electrical machine, a second rotating electrical machine, a clutch, an electrical storage device, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control the first rotating electrical machine, the second rotating electrical machine, the clutch, and the internal combustion engine, such that the hybrid vehicle runs while making a changeover among a plurality of running modes. The plurality of the running modes includes series hybrid running and parallel hybrid running. The electronic control unit is configured to set a range of state of charge of the electrical storage device such that the range of state of charge that is set during the parallel hybrid running includes a region of state of charge that is higher than the range of state of charge that is set during the series hybrid running.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first rotating electrical machine that is mechanically coupled to the internal combustion engine;

a second rotating electrical machine that is mechanically coupled to a driving wheel;

a clutch that is configured to make a changeover between a coupling state for forming a mechanical motive power transmission path between the internal combustion engine and the driving wheel and a decoupling state for decoupling the motive power transmission path;

an electrical storage device that gives an electric power to the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine and receives the electric power from the first rotating electrical machine and the second rotating electrical machine; and

an electronic control unit that is configured to control the first rotating electrical machine, the second rotating electrical machine, the clutch, and the internal combustion engine, such that the hybrid vehicle runs while making a changeover among a plurality of running modes, the plurality of the running modes including series hybrid running and parallel hybrid running, the series hybrid running being designed to control the clutch to the decoupling state and operate the internal combustion engine such that the hybrid vehicle runs by an output of the second rotating electrical machine while the first rotating electrical machine generates the electric power, the parallel hybrid running being designed to control the clutch to the coupling state and operate the internal combustion engine such that the hybrid vehicle runs using at least part of an output of the internal combustion engine, and the electronic control unit being configured to set a range of state of charge of the electrical storage device such that the range of state of charge that is set during the parallel hybrid running includes a region of state of charge that is higher than the range of state of charge that is set during the series hybrid running, wherein

the plurality of the running modes includes EV running,

the EV running is designed to control the clutch to the decoupling state, stop the internal combustion engine, and cause the hybrid vehicle to run by an output of the second rotating electrical machine,

the electronic control unit includes a charge depleting mode and a charge sustaining mode as control modes,

the electronic control unit is configured to select one of the series hybrid running, the parallel hybrid running, and the EN running in accordance with a running situation of the hybrid vehicle in each of the charge depleting mode and the charge sustaining mode, and

the electronic control unit is configured to set the range of state of charge during control in the charge sustaining mode such that the range of state of charge that is set during the parallel hybrid running includes a region on the state-of-charge that is higher than the range of state of charge that is set during the series hybrid running.

7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic control unit is configured to operate the internal combustion engine and select the series hybrid running or the parallel hybrid running when a sum of a running power required for running of the vehicle and a charging and discharging power of the electrical storage device exceeds a threshold in each of the charge depleting mode and the charge sustaining mode, and

the electronic control unit is configured to control the output of the internal combustion engine in each of the series hybrid running and the parallel hybrid running to the running power during control in the charge depleting mode.

2-6. -6. (canceled)