VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20190039450A1
• Filed: 07/18/2018
• Published: 02/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: BABA, Masayuki, KOBAYASHI, Nobufusa, YOSHIKAWA, Masato, KUMAZAKI, Kenta, GOTO, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,569,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/381 characterized by driveline brakes shift brakes in transmission B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/38 characterised by the driveline clutches shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36 , B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/24 Coasting mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/30 Engine braking emulation
• 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 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/20 Braking by supplying regenerated power to the prime mover of vehicles comprising engine-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 Controlling the braking effect
• 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 10/11 : Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 : with planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 : including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 : Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 : Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 : Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/186 : Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/502 : for smoothing gear shifts
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus includes a shift control portion is configured, when determining that a shift-down action to establish one of gear positions in a transmission mechanism by release of an engagement device and engagement of a one-way clutch, is to be executed during decelerating run of the vehicle, to initiate execution of the shift-down action to establish the one of the of gear positions after an input torque inputted to the transmission mechanism becomes not lower than a predetermined negative value. The predetermined negative value is a predetermined minimum value that becomes not lower than a certain value at a point of time at which the release of the engagement device is completed in process of the shift-down action. The certain value is a value of the input torque enabling the one-way clutch to be automatically engaged.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes (i) a drive power source and (ii) a mechanically-operated transmission mechanism which constitutes a part of a power transmitting path between the drive power source and drive wheels of the vehicle and which is configured to establish each of a plurality of gear positions by engagement of at least one of a plurality of engagement devices including a one-way clutch,

said control apparatus comprising:

a shift control portion configured to determine whether a shift-down action to establish one of the plurality of gear positions by release of one of the plurality of engagement devices and engagement of the one-way clutch that is made after the release of the one of the plurality of engagement devices, is to be executed during decelerating run of the vehicle, wherein

said shift control portion is configured, when determining that said shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions is to be executed during the decelerating run of the vehicle, to initiate execution of said shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions after an input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism becomes not lower than a predetermined negative value, and

the predetermined negative value is a predetermined minimum value that becomes not lower than a certain value at a point of time at which the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices is completed in process of said shift-down action, said certain value being a value of the input torque enabling the one-way clutch to be automatically engaged.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said one of the plurality of gear positions is established by the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices and either one of the engagement of the one-way clutch and engagement of another one of the plurality of engagement devices, said another one being provided in parallel with the one-way clutch, and

said shift control portion is configured to initiate the execution of said shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions by the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices and the engagement of said another one of the plurality of engagement devices, when the shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions is requested by an operation made by an operator of the vehicle.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said shift control portion is configured to initiate the execution of said shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions by the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices and the engagement of the one-way clutch, when an acceleration operation is made by an operator of the vehicle so as to increase the input torque to a positive value.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the drive power source of the vehicle is configured to generate a creep torque causing the vehicle to be moved slowly, when a running speed of the vehicle is not higher than a predetermined low value without an acceleration operation, and

said shift control portion is configured to initiate the execution of said shift-down action to establish said one of the plurality of gear positions by the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices and the engagement of the one-way clutch, when the running speed is reduced toward said predetermined low value such that the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is increased to a positive value by the creep torque at a point of time at which the release of said one of the plurality of engagement devices is completed in process of said shift-down action.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes a motor/generator that serves as the drive power source, and

said control apparatus further comprises a vehicle-state determining portion configured to make a determination as to whether the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is not lower than said predetermined negative value, such that the determination is made based on a regenerative torque generated by the motor/generator.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes an engine that serves as the drive power source, and

said control apparatus further comprises a vehicle-state determining portion configured to make a determination as to whether the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is not lower than said predetermined negative value, such that the determination is made based on an engine braking torque generated by the engine.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes a motor/generator and an engine, both of which serve as the drive power source, and

said control apparatus further comprises a vehicle-state determining portion configured to make a determination as to whether the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is not lower than said predetermined negative value, such that the determination is made based on a regenerative torque generated by the motor/generator and/or an engine braking torque generated by the engine.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes:

an engine that serves as the drive power source;

an electrically-controlled transmission mechanism including a differential mechanism to which the engine is connected in a power transmittable manner, and a first motor generator connected to the differential mechanism, such that a differential state of the differential mechanism is controlled with an operating state of the first motor/generator being controlled; and

a second motor/generator which serves as the drive power source and which is connected to an output rotary member of the electrically-controlled transmission mechanism in a power transmittable manner.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a vehicle-state determining portion configured to make a determination as to whether the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is not lower than said predetermined negative value, such that the determination is made based on a regenerative torque generated by the second motor/generator.

10. The control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the vehicle includes a braking device configured to apply a wheel braking torque to the drive wheels, and

said control apparatus further comprises a braking-torque control portion that is configured, when it is determined that the input torque inputted to the mechanically-operated transmission mechanism is lower than said predetermined negative value, to switch at least a part of the regenerative torque to the wheel braking torque.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of engagement devices include coupling devices each of which is other than the one-way clutch and each of which is to controlled by a control unit so as to be selectively placed in engaged, slipped or released state thereof, and

said one of the plurality of engagement devices, which is to be placed in the released state when said one of the plurality of gear positions is to be established, is one of the coupling devices.