Electromagnetic clutch control device and control method for hybrid drive vehicle

• US 6,296,593 B1
• Filed: 10/25/1999
• Issued: 10/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Gotou, Yuuji, Hattori, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonck, Rodney H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US09/422,853
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 477/176, 477/175, 477/5, 477/179, 477/180
• US Class Current: 477/176
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• 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 903/914 Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

A generator (4) is combined with drive wheels (8) of a vehicle, and the output of an engine (2) is transmitted to the drive wheels (8) under an engaging force of an electromagnetic clutch (3) in response to an energizing current. During a predetermined deceleration state, a braking force is applied to the drive wheels (8) and a battery (15) is charged by the generator (4) which performs regenerative power generation. At this time, the controller (16) supplies a weak energizing current to the electromagnetic clutch (3) so as to put the clutch (3) into a partially engaged state. A sensor (29) detects the output rotation speed of the clutch (3). When the output rotation speed of the clutch (3) is high, the controller (16) decreases the energizing current so that the rotational resistance of the electromagnetic clutch (3) is reduced. When the output rotation speed of the clutch (3) is low, the controller (16) increases the energizing current so that the re-engaging response of the electromagnetic clutch (3) is increased.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic clutch control device for use with a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a generator connected to a drive wheel, a battery electrically connected to the generator, a conversion circuit which converts a power generated by the generator into a power stored by the battery, an engine and an electromagnetic clutch which transmits an output torque of the engine to the drive wheel under an engaging force according to an energizing current, the control device comprising:

a sensor which detects an output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch;

a sensor which detects that the vehicle is in a predetermined deceleration state; and

a micro processor programmed to;

supply the energizing current to the electromagnetic clutch; and

increase the energizing current the lower the output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch, when the vehicle is in the predetermined deceleration state; and

wherein the conversion circuit has a function to vary a power generation resistance of said generator according to a command signal, and the microprocessor is further programmed to control the command signal so that the power generation resistance of the generator coincides with a predetermined target regeneration torque.

2. An electromagnetic clutch control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the control device further comprises a sensor which detects a vehicle speed, and the microprocessor is further programmed to calculate a basic value of the target regeneration torque based on the vehicle speed, set a correction amount equivalent to a frictional resistance of the electromagnetic clutch in a partially engaged state, and calculate the target regeneration torque by subtracting the correction amount from the target regeneration torque basic value.

3. An electromagnetic clutch control device as defined in claim 2, wherein the target regeneration torque basic value is set to be smaller the higher the vehicle speed in a speed range higher than 30 km/hr.

4. An electromagnetic clutch control device as defined in claim 2, wherein the correction amount is set to be larger the larger the energizing current.

5. An electromagnetic clutch control device for use with a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a generator connected to a drive wheel, a battery electrically connected to the generator, a conversion circuit which converts a power generated by the generator into a power stored by the battery, an engine and an electromagnetic clutch which transmits an output torque of the engine to the drive wheel under an engaging force according to an energizing current, the control device comprising:

a sensor which detects an output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch;

a sensor which detects that the vehicle is in a predetermined deceleration state; and

a micro processor programmed to;

supply the energizing current to the electromagnetic clutch; and

increase the energizing current the lower the output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch, when the vehicle is in the predetermined deceleration state; and

wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to stop an operation of the engine in the predetermined deceleration state, and start the engine and engage the electromagnetic clutch when an acceleration operation of the vehicle is performed in the predetermined deceleration state.

6. An electromagnetic clutch control device for use with a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a generator connected to a drive wheel, a battery electrically connected to the generator, a conversion circuit which converts a power generated by the generator into a power stored by the battery, an engine and an electromagnetic clutch which transmits an output torque of the engine to the drive wheel under an engaging force according to an energizing current, the control device comprising:

a sensor which detects an output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch;

a sensor which detects that the vehicle is in a predetermined deceleration state; and

a micro processor programmed to;

supply the energizing current to the electromagnetic clutch; and

increase the energizing current the lower the output rotation speed of the electromagnetic clutch, when the vehicle is in the predetermined deceleration state; and

wherein the sensor which detects that the vehicle is in the predetermined deceleration state comprises a sensor which detects an accelerator depression degree of the vehicle, and a sensor which detects a vehicle speed, and said microprocessor is further programmed to determine that the vehicle is in the predetermined deceleration state when the accelerator depression degree is zero while the vehicle speed is not less than a predetermined speed.