Hybrid vehicle
First Claim
1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
a drive shaft connected with drive wheels;
a generator/motor rotatable in a negative direction as a generator and in a positive direction as a motor;
a driving motor;
driving motor control means for controlling said driving motor;
a differential gear device having a first element connected to said generator/motor, a second element connected to said engine, and a third element connected to said drive shaft;
vehicle speed detection means for detecting vehicle speed; and
vehicle control means for powering the vehicle by said drawing motor alone when the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detection means is lower than a predetermined starting vehicle speed, and for starting said engine by changing the rotation of said generator/motor from the negative direction to the positive direction when the vehicle speed has exceeded the predetermined starting vehicle speed during the powering by said driving motor alone.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hybrid vehicle has an engine and a generator/motor connected through a planetary gear unit to an output shaft and the output of the engine is distributed between the generator and the output shaft. The vehicle is smoothly started by a driving motor. When vehicle speed V reaches an engine starting speed V*, the speed of generator/motor is changed to cause the engine to rotate, the engine is ignited and driving continues with the output torque produced by the engine supplemented by the driving motor. The hybrid vehicle allows for a smooth start and improved driving comfort even if an engine interruption scheme for halting the engine is employed, for example, halting the vehicle while waiting for a traffic signal to change.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
-
an engine; a drive shaft connected with drive wheels; a generator/motor rotatable in a negative direction as a generator and in a positive direction as a motor; a driving motor; driving motor control means for controlling said driving motor; a differential gear device having a first element connected to said generator/motor, a second element connected to said engine, and a third element connected to said drive shaft; vehicle speed detection means for detecting vehicle speed; and vehicle control means for powering the vehicle by said drawing motor alone when the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detection means is lower than a predetermined starting vehicle speed, and for starting said engine by changing the rotation of said generator/motor from the negative direction to the positive direction when the vehicle speed has exceeded the predetermined starting vehicle speed during the powering by said driving motor alone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A hybrid vehicle, having an engine, a driving motor, a generator/motor, and a drive shaft connected with drive wheels, in which the output torque of the engine is input to a stator of the generator, is transferred to a rotor of the generator and is then transferred to the drive shaft, said generator/motor being rotatable in a negative direction as a generator and in a positive direction as a motor, said hybrid vehicle comprising:
-
driving motor control means for controlling the driving motor; vehicle speed detection means for detecting vehicle speed; and vehicle control means for powering the vehicle by said driving motor alone when the vehicle speed detected by said vehicle speed detection means is lower than a predetermined starting vehicle speed, and for starting said engine by changing the rotation of said generator/motor from in the negative direction to in the positive direction when the vehicle speed has exceeded the predetermined starting vehicle speed during the driving by said driving motor alone. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a drive shaft connected with drive wheels, a generator/motor, a driving motor and a differential gear device having a first element connected to the generator/motor, a second element connected to the engine, and a third element connected to the drive shaft, comprising the steps of:
-
starting the vehicle forward from standstill under power of the driving motor alone; rotating the engine under power of the generator/motor when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed; and increasing torque output of the driving motor to compensate for drag on the generator/motor caused by said rotating of the engine.
-
-
19. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a drive shaft connected with drive wheels, a generator/motor, a driving motor and a differential gear device having a first element connected to the generator/motor, a second element connected to the engine, and a third element connected to the drive shaft, comprising the steps of:
-
starting the vehicle forward from standstill under power of the driving motor alone; rotating the engine under power of the generator/motor when the vehicle reaches a predetermined speed; starting the engine when engine speed exceeds an engine speed predetermined to allow the engine to ignite; and increasing torque output of the driving motor to compensate for drag on the generator/motor caused by said rotating of the engine.
-
Specification