Hybrid vehicle

• US 6,318,486 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Masaki, Ryoso
• Primary Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US09/778,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 192/84.1, 192/30.W, 701/34, 701/67, 701/68, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8, 477/6, 477/13
• US Class Current: 180/65.23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• 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: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• 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 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• 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 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• 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: B60W 2510/0241 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0291 Clutch temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1846 Preventing of breakage of drive line components, e.g. parts of the gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/186 : excessive wear or burn out of friction elements, e.g. clutches
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1066 : Hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30401 : On-off signal indicating the engage or disengaged position of the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30404 : Clutch temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30406 : Clutch slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30415 : Speed of the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30426 : Speed of the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3108 : Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/31426 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3144 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50296 : Limit clutch wear
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5102 : Detecting abnormal operation, e.g. unwanted slip or excessive temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/5106 : Overheat protection
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7041 : Position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70424 : Outputting a clutch engaged-disengaged signal
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70454 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70458 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70472 : Input shaft speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70484 : Output shaft speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 : Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• 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: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• 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 903/919 : Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

In a series-parallel hybrid vehicle, a check is made to see if there is any trouble of a clutch such as slip or overheating in an engaged state of the clutch, and upon detection of a clutch trouble, the vehicle is driven in accordance with a series hybrid type to prevent driving characteristics from being deteriorated by the clutch trouble.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle including:

an engine for generating a vehicle driving energy;

a clutch for making and breaking the transfer of a mechanical force between said engine and wheels;

a generator which is driven by said engine to generate electric power;

an electric energy storage means for storing a generated output of said generator;

a motor which generates a mechanical driving force and a braking force for the wheels through input and output of energy in said electric energy storage means; and

a controller for controlling operation of said engine, said clutch, said generator, and said motor and for selectively operating the motor and the engine in either a series mode, a parallel mode, or both a series mode and a parallel mode of hybrid vehicle operation of the vehicle,

wherein clutch trouble detecting means for detecting a condition indicative of trouble in said clutch is provided, and when said clutch trouble detecting means has detected a trouble in the clutch, said controller controls an operation of said clutch by operating said motor and said engine only in a series mode in which the clutch is disengaged and the wheels are driven or braked mechanically only by said motor.