Generating control device for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,215,198 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1997
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Aso, Takeshi, Inada, Eiji, Kaneko, Yuutarou, Kitada, Shinichirou, Hirano, Hiroyuki, Kikuchi, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Enad, Elvin
• Application Number:
  US08/882,497
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40.C, 322/58, 322/59, 322/64, 477/5, 477/3, 320/61, 320/63, 320/22, 320/23, 320/30, 320/57, 318/139, 364/424, 364/426
• US Class Current: 290/40.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio

Abstract

A generating control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a motor 13 for driving the hybrid vehicle, a battery 12 for driving the motor, a generator 11 for supplying the motor 13 and the battery 12 with electricity, an engine 10 for driving the generator 11 and a control unit 16. In operation, the unit 16 operates to change the operations of the generator 11 and the engine 10 in both of the normal generating mode and the battery protection mode. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the battery 12 of the hybrid vehicle and to ensure the fine driving performance.

Claims

1. A generating control device for hybrid vehicle comprising:

an electric motor for driving the hybrid vehicle;

a battery for supplying the electric motor with electrical energy;

a generator for generating electrical energy for the electric motor and the battery;

an internal combustion engine for driving the generator; and

a controller changing operations of the generator and the internal combustion engine in accordance with a plurality of operational modes for preventing the battery from deteriorating, the controller being responsive to a temperature of the battery;

wherein,

when the temperature of the battery amounts to a battery protective temperature a battery protection mode is set,

when the temperature of the battery does not amount to the battery protective temperature, a state of charge is not less than a predetermined charged amount and a required output of the electric motor can be satisfied by using only a battery output, a mode in which the internal combustion engine is stopped and a generating operation of the generator is stopped is set,

when the temperature of the battery does not amount to the battery protective temperature, the state of charge is not more than the predetermined charged amount and a rated generating energy of the generator satisfies a required output of the electric motor, a rated generating mode is set,

when the temperature of the battery does not amount to the battery protective temperature, the state of charge is not more than the predetermined charged amount and the rated generating energy of the generator does not satisfy the required output of the electric motor, a followed generating mode is set,

the battery protection mode controls a rotation of the internal combustion engine to be constant, controls an output of the generator to follow the required output of the electric motor, and prohibits a charging and discharging operation of the battery,

the rated generating mode controls the rotation of the internal combustion engine to be constant and controls the output of the generator to be constant, and

the followed generating mode controls a torque of generator to be constant and controls the rotation of the internal combustion engine to follow the required output of the electric motor.