Controlling apparatus for a hybrid car

• US 6,123,163 A
• Filed: 09/15/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Kaoru, Otsu, Atsushi, Takeda, Toru, Suzuki, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US09/153,031
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8, 701/22, 701/110, 318/8, 318/376
• US Class Current: 180/65.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 2050/0011 Proportional Integral Differential [PID] controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/00 Indexing codes relating to the type of sensors based on the principle of their operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/10 Transducer, e.g. piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2422/00 Indexing codes relating to the special location or mounting of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 : Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 : Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 : Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters
• 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 903/909 : Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/913 : One way
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 : Continuously variable

Abstract

A controlling apparatus for a hybrid car can arbitrarily select whether the hybrid car should be powered principally with an engine or principally with a generator-motor, depending upon driving conditions.

Claims

1. A power plant for a vehicle comprising:

a drive shaft for turning at least one wheel of the vehicle;

an engine for providing a first driving power to said drive shaft;

a generator-motor for providing a second driving power to said drive shaft;

a battery for supplying and receiving power to and from said generator-motor;

an accelerator sensor for detecting an amount by which an operator of the vehicle operates an accelerator and for producing an accelerator operation amount signal;

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle and for producing a vehicle speed signal;

aimed torque calculation means for calculating an aimed torque signal based on said accelerator operation amount signal and said vehicle speed signal;

torque detection means, provided adjacent said drive shaft, for detecting an actual torque and for providing an actual torque signal, wherein said engine includes a throttle and aimed opening means for calculating an aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle based on said aimed torque signal and an engine revolution signal, said engine is controlled based on said aimed opening signal, and said generator-motor is controlled based on said aimed torque signal and said actual torque signal; and

assist discrimination means for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to thereby supplement said first driving power provided by said engine to said drive shaft in response to a first predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

2. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft is a crankshaft.

3. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said drive shaft is a wheel axle.

4. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said engine is an internal combustion engine.

5. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said engine includes:

a pulser for detecting revolutions of said engine and for producing said engine revolution signal; and

an engine revolution number detection means for receiving said engine revolution signal and for detecting a number of revolutions of said engine, wherein said aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle is used to determine a fuel injection amount for said throttle.

6. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said generator-motor includes:

a generator for generating regeneration current from rotation of said drive shaft; and

motor control means for providing a driving control signal to control driving of said generator-motor.

7. The power plant according to claim 1, wherein said assist discrimination means also has the ability for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to replace said first driving power provided by said engine to said driveshaft in response to a second predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

8. A power plant for a vehicle comprising:

a drive shaft for turning at least one wheel of the vehicle;

an engine for providing a first driving power to said drive shaft;

a generator-motor for providing a second driving power to said drive shaft;

a battery for supplying and receiving power to and from said generator-motor;

an accelerator sensor for detecting an amount by which an operator of the vehicle operates an accelerator and for producing an accelerator operation amount signal;

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle and for producing a vehicle speed signal;

aimed torque calculation means for calculating an aimed torque signal based on said accelerator operation amount signal and said vehicle speed signal; and

torque detection means, provided adjacent said drive shaft, for detecting an actual torque and for providing an actual torque signal, wherein said engine includes a throttle and aimed opening means for calculating an aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle based on said aimed torque signal and an engine revolution signal, said engine is controlled based on said aimed opening signal, and said generator-motor is controlled based on said aimed torque signal and said actual torque signal, and wherein said engine includes;

a pulser for detecting revolutions of said engine and for producing said engine revolution signal; and

an engine revolution number detection means for receiving said engine revolution signal and for detecting a number of revolutions of said engine, wherein said aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle is used to determine a fuel injection amount for said throttle, and wherein

said generator-motor includes;

a generator for generating regeneration current from rotation of said drive shaft; and

motor control means for providing a driving control signal to control driving of said generator-motor.

9. The power plant according to claim 8, wherein said drive shaft is a crankshaft.

10. The power plant according to claim 8, wherein said drive shaft is a wheel axle.

11. The power plant according to claim 8, wherein said engine is an internal combustion engine.

12. The power plant according to claim 8, further comprising:

assist discrimination means for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to thereby supplement said first driving power provided by said engine to said drive shaft in response to a first predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

13. The power plant according to claim 12, wherein said assist discrimination means also has the ability for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to replace said first driving power provided by said engine to said driveshaft in response to a second predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

14. The power plant according to claim 8, further comprising:

assist discrimination means for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to thereby replace said first driving power provided by said engine to said drive shaft in response to a predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

15. A power plant for a vehicle comprising:

a drive shaft for turning at least one wheel of the vehicle;

an engine for providing a first driving power to said drive shaft;

a generator-motor for providing a second driving power to said drive shaft;

a battery for supplying and receiving power to and from said generator-motor;

an accelerator sensor for detecting an amount by which an operator of the vehicle operates an accelerator and for producing an accelerator operation amount signal;

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a speed of the vehicle and for producing a vehicle speed signal;

aimed torque calculation means for calculating an aimed torque signal based on said accelerator operation amount signal and said vehicle speed signal;

torque detection means, provided adjacent said drive shaft, for detecting an actual torque and for providing an actual torque signal, wherein said engine includes a throttle and aimed opening means for calculating an aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle based on said aimed torque signal and an engine revolution signal, said engine is controlled based on said aimed opening signal, and said generator-motor is controlled based on said aimed torque signal and said actual torque signal; and

assist discrimination means for causing said second driving power provided by said generator-motor to be applied to said drive shaft to thereby replace said first driving power provided by said engine to said drive shaft in response to a predetermined level of said first driving power provided by said engine.

16. The power plant according to claim 15, wherein said drive shaft is a crankshaft.

17. The power plant according to claim 15, wherein said drive shaft is a wheel axle.

18. The power plant according to claim 15, wherein said engine is an internal combustion engine.

19. The power plant according to claim 15, wherein said engine includes:

a pulser for detecting revolutions of said engine and for producing said engine revolution signal; and

an engine revolution number detection means for receiving said engine revolution signal and for detecting a number of revolutions of said engine, wherein said aimed opening signal relating to an opening amount for said throttle is used to determine a fuel injection amount for said throttle.

20. The power plant according to claim 15, wherein said generator-motor includes:

a generator for generating regeneration current from rotation of said drive shaft; and

motor control means for providing a driving control signal to control driving of said generator-motor.