Hydraulic control system for hybrid vehicle

• US 5,415,603 A
• Filed: 03/25/1993
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Original Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Inventors: Kawaguchi, Miyoshi, Tuzuki, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): KWON, JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/037,044
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 477/2, 477/3, 477/5, 477/127, 477/130, 477/131, 477/138
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/105 Units comprising at least a part of the gearing and a torque-transmitting axle, e.g. transaxles B60K17/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• 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 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 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 30/1819 Propulsion control with control means using analogue circuits, relays or mechanical links
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0412 Cooling or heating; Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0476 Electric machines and gearing, i.e. joint lubrication or cooling or heating thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0206 Layout of electro-hydraulic control circuits, e.g. arrangement of valves for control of actuators selecting and moving final output members, e.g. shift forks F16H61/2807
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A transmission in the hybrid vehicle taking the internal-combustion engine and the electric motor together. In the engine cruising mode, the clutch control valve 62 is adapted to feed the pressure oil in the hydraulic path A to the hydraulic servo C-1 and also feed the oil in the hydraulic path B to the torque converter 4. While, in the electric motor cruising mode, the inputclutch device 5 is disengaged and no oil is supplied to the converter 4 so that the oil drawn up from the oil sump 67 is almost fed to the electric motor.

Claims

1. A hydraulic system for a hybrid vehicle, combining an internal-combustion engine and an electric motor together for selective use, wherein power of the internal-combustion engine and that of the electric motor are transmitted to a differential gear unit with drive axles through a hydraulic power transmission and an input clutch device, said hydraulic system comprising:

a hydraulic oil pump for supplying hydraulic oil to a line pressure hydraulic path;

a primary regulator valve having at least a line pressure port and a converter pressure port, said line pressure port connecting with said hydraulic pump and with the line pressure hydraulic path and said converter pressure port connecting with a secondary pressure hydraulic path, the extent of opening of said ports being variably controlled;

a control valve having at least a first port which receives hydraulic oil pressure from the secondary pressure hydraulic path and a second port and means for switching said control valve between an engine cruising mode position wherein said first and second ports are in communication and an electric motor cruising mode position wherein there is no communication between said first and second ports;

motor cooling means, including a cooling oil path, for supplying said hydraulic oil to the electric motor;

lubricating means, including a lubricating oil path, for supplying said hydraulic oil to lubricate mechanical parts in the transmission; and

an electrical control unit including a drive mode decision device for selecting one of an engine cruising mode in which the vehicle is moved by the engine and an electric motor cruising mode in which the vehicle is moved by the electric motor, said primary regulator valve, in the engine cruising mode, controlling the pressure in the line pressure hydraulic path and in the secondary pressure hydraulic path to said control valve and the hydraulic power transmission and, in the electric motor cruising mode, directing most of the hydraulic oil from said hydraulic oil pump to said motor cooling means with said control valve positioned to prevent communication between said first and second ports.

2. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said control valve further has a third port connecting with the line pressure hydraulic path and a fourth port connecting with a hydraulic servo for the input clutch device, whereby, in the engine cruising mode, the input clutch device is engaged by a serial opening of the third and the fourth ports and, while in the electric motor cruising mode, the input clutch device is disengaged.

3. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said control valve further has a fifth port which is shut in said engine cruising mode position with the first and the second ports communicating to direct flow of the hydraulic oil to the hydraulic power transmission, and while in the electric motor cruising mode position the first and the fifth ports communicate to direct the hydraulic oil, with the second port shut, to forward the hydraulic oil to the motor cooling means.

4. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, further comprising an orifice between the converter pressure port and an hydraulic path extending to the hydraulic power transmission.

5. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein both said lubricating oil path and said cooling oil path have orifices.

6. The hydraulic system according to claim 5 wherein said lubricating means includes a plurality of lubricating oil paths, each of which is provided with an orifice.

7. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary regulator valve for regulating the pressure of the hydraulic oil feed to said lubricating oil path and said cooling oil path.

8. The hydraulic system according to claim 7, wherein said secondary regulator valve is a modulator valve.

9. The hydraulic system according to claim 7, wherein said secondary regulator valve is a relief valve.

10. The hydraulic system according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating oil path is connected with the line pressure port of said primary regulator valve and wherein said cooling oil path is connected with the converter pressure port of said regulator valve.