Hybrid electric vehicle catalyst control

• US 5,785,137 A
• Filed: 05/03/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nevcor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nevcor, Inc.
• Inventors: Reuyl, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberleitner, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARTZ, CLIFFORD T
• Application Number:
  US08/642,519
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8, 180/69.3, 180/165, 60/723
• US Class Current: 180/65.245
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2013 using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/222 using electric valves only
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/30 Arrangements for supply of additional air control, e.g. using by-passes or variable air pump drives, F01N3/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• 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 hybrid electric drive system is provided having a heat engine, a catalytic converter, and an electric storage device having a state of charge. The drive system also includes a state of charge sensor and a device for heating the catalytic converter in response to the state of charge of the electric storage device being less than a predetermined state of charge.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising in combination:

A. an electrically powered motor connected to provide the sole driving torque for said vehicle;

B. an electrical energy storage device connected to said motor to provide electrical energy for driving said vehicle;

C. a generator for applying electrical energy to the electrical energy storage device.

D. a sensor for determining when the electrical energy in said storage device is at a predetermined level and providing an output.

E. a heat engine having one or more undesired constituents in its exhaust gas when said engine is operating to drive said generator;

F. a catalytic converter including a catalyst heated by electrical energy for at least one of said constituents connected to receive exhaust gas from said engine; and

G. a controller responsive to said sensor output for applying electrical energy to said converter to cause heating of said catalyst and thereafter operating said heat engine.

2. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein said generator also acts as a starter motor for said engine and converts electrical energy into mechanical energy required by said heat engine to initiate operation of the same.

3. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein there are a pair of said catalytic converters and said controller is adapted to cause heating by electrical energy of a catalyst in one of said pair.

4. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein the exhaust gas is relied upon to maintain a selected catalyst light-off temperature of said catalyst after said engine is energized.

5. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 wherein said generator is connected to the heat engine output shaft so as to convert all of the heat engine mechanical energy to electrical energy for said vehicle.

6. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further including as part of said combination, means for directing air flow to said converter to enhance conversion by said catalyst of an undesired constituent in said exhaust gas and wherein there are a pair of said catalytic converters and said controller is adapted to cause heating by electrical energy of a catalyst in one of said pair.

7. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1 further including as part of said combination, means for directing gas flow to said converter to enhance conversion by said catalyst of an undesired constituent in said exhaust gas.

8. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 7 wherein said gas is air.