Controller of an engine driven generator for an electric vehicle

• US 5,497,070 A
• Filed: 01/24/1995
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ny, Yoshihide, Furutani, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/377,429
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 322/17, 322/23, 320/62, 290/16
• US Class Current: 322/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• 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 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1415 with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/10 : Nonbattery load controls charging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 : Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

Controller 40 receives accelerator opening and brake depressing amounts, and the output of an ammeter 30 and voltmeter 32 as inputs. In response to the state of these input signals, the controller 40 determines the timing to detect the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 10 and detects the SOC of the battery 10. That is, it is first judged that the SOC is not more than a predetermined value if the voltage of the battery 10 is not more than a predetermined value when the accelerator opening is not more than a predetermined value. It is next judged that the SOC is not more than a predetermined value if the voltage of the battery 10 is not more than a predetermined value when the brake is depressed beyond a certain degree. In these cases, the engine 24 is driven to cause a generator 22 to perform generation of electricity to charge the battery 10.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling the operation of an engine driven generator in an electric vehicle including a motor to be driven by electric power derived from a battery wherein said engine driven generator charges the battery, the controller comprising:

output torque detection means for producing signals associated with a motor output torque;

voltage detection means for detecting a voltage of said battery; and

control means for receiving detection values from said detection means and, if said battery voltage is not more than a predetermined value when said output torque is not more than a predetermined value, starting the operation of said engine driven generator.

2. A controller according to claim 1, .wherein

said output torque detection means is intended to detect an accelerator opening to detect said output torque.

3. A controller according to claim 1, wherein

said output torque detection means intended to detect a current output from the battery.

4. A controller according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined value of said battery voltage is varied in response to said output torque.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the output torque detection means includes means for detecting an accelerator opening related to the motor output torque.