Power output apparatus and method of controlling the same

• US 5,907,191 A
• Filed: 06/18/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Shoichi, Abe, Tetsuya, Yamaoka, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): ENAD, ELVIN GENARGUE
• Application Number:
  US08/877,809
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 290/44, 290/17, 290/18, 290/19, 290/40 R, 477/5, 477/3, 180/65.2, 180/65.6
• US Class Current: 290/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• 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: B60L 7/003 Dynamic electric braking by short circuiting the motor
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0652 Speed change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/082 Speed change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 : Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1061 : Output power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• 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: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles

Abstract

A power output apparatus 110 includes a planetary gear 120 having a planetary carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear, an engine 150 having a crankshaft 156 linked with the planetary carrier, a first motor MG1 attached to the sun gear, and a second motor MG2 attached to the ring gear. When the driver steps on an accelerator pedal 164 to change the driving point of the engine 150, the power output apparatus 110 calculates an angular acceleration of the sun gear, calculates a torque used for changing the driving point of the engine 150 by multiplying the angular acceleration by a moment of inertia seen from the first motor MG1 of an inertial system consisting of the first motor MG1 and the engine 150, and drives the second motor MG2 by taking into account the torque. This structure enables a desired torque to be output even in a transient time.

Claims

1. A power output apparatus for outputting power to a drive shaft, said power output apparatus comprising:

an engine having an output shaft;

a first motor having a rotating shaft and an inputting and outputting power to and from said rotating shaft;

a second motor inputting and outputting power to and from said drive shaft;

three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts linking said engine and said drive shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means inputting and outputting power to and from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts;

storage battery means being charged with an electric power output from said first motor, being discharged to supply an electric power input to said first motor, being charged with an electric power output from said second motor, and being discharged to supply an electric power input to said second motor;

target power setting means for setting a target power to be output to said drive shaft;

driving state setting means for setting a driving state of said engine based on the target power set by said target power setting means;

operation control means for controlling said engine and said first motor, in order to enable said engine to be driven in the driving state set by said driving state setting means;

power calculation means for calculating a power input to and output from said drive shaft via said three shaft-type power input/output means that reflects inertia of the engine and the first motor, accompanied by the control of said engine and said first motor by said operation control means; and

motor control means for controlling said second motor, in order to enable the target power to be output to said drive shaft based on the power calculated by said power calculation means and the target power set by said target power setting means.

2. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said driving state setting means comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enable a power corresponding to the target power to be output from said engine.

3. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said driving state setting means further comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enhance an efficiency of said engine.

4. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power calculation means comprises means for calculating the power input to and output from said drive shaft, based on a rate of change of a revolving speed of said output shaft of said engine.

5. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said driving state setting means comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enable a power corresponding to the target power to be output from said engine.

6. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said driving state setting means further comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enhance an efficiency of said engine.

7. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said power calculation means comprises means for calculating the power input to and output from said drive shaft, based on a rate of change of a revolving speed of said rotating shaft of said first motor.

8. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said driving state setting means comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enable a power corresponding to the target power to be output from said engine.

9. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said driving state setting means further comprises means for setting the driving state of said engine, in order to enhance an efficiency of said engine.

10. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said driving state setting means comprises means for setting an operation stop condition as the driving state of said engine when the target power is less than a predetermined value.

11. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said driving state setting means comprises means for setting an operation stop condition as the driving state of said engine when a driver gives a predetermined instruction.

12. The power output apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising adjustment means for adjusting, when the target power of the drive shaft changes, the target power for the engine and the first motor to reflect the inertia found therein.

13. A method of controlling a power output apparatus for outputting power to a drive shaft, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing (1) an engine having an output shaft;

(2) a first motor having a rotating shaft and inputting and outputting power to and from said rotating shaft;

(3) a second motor inputting and outputting power to and from said drive shaft;

(4) three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts linking said engine and said drive shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means inputting and outputting power to and from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts; and

(5) storage battery means being charged with an electric power output from said first motor, being discharged to supply an electric power input to said first motor, being charged with an electric power output from said second motor, and being discharged to supply an electric power input to said second motor;

(b) setting a driving state of said engine based on a target power to be output to said drive shaft;

(c) controlling said engine and said first motor, in order to enable said engine to be driven in the driving state set in said step (b);

(d) calculating a power input to and output from said drive shaft via said three shaft-type power input/output means, accompanied by the control of said engine and said first motor in said step (c); and

(e) controlling said second motor, in order to enable the target power to be output to said drive shaft based on the power calculated in said step (d) and the target power.