Control apparatus of hybrid vehicles

• US 6,329,772 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1999
• 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: Suzuki, Minoru, Ochiai, Shinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US09/643,949
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/140, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.6, 180/65.8, 180/165, 180/170, 123/330-335
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/20 Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0038 relating to sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• 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: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided capable of protecting the peripheral components of the motor from a voltage generated by regeneration during travelling the vehicle. When the motor control device 5 detects failures of the motor system such as current sensors 13, 15, and 17, voltage sensors 14, and 16, and a failure of the motor 2 (breakage of the winding), the motor control device 5 stops the motor control by turning off the on-state main contactor and by electrically disconnecting the connection between the power drive unit 7 and the battery 3. At the same time, the motor control device 5 outputs a signal about the failure of the motor system to the engine control device 4. When the failure is detected by the motor control device 5 and when the main contactor 11 is in the off state, the engine control device 4 controls the engine such that the engine rotation speed is maintained below 5000 rpm.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle comprising

an engine;

a motor for assisting the driving power of the engine;

a battery device which is charged by a voltage generated by regeneration of said motor;

a contactor connected between the motor and the battery device; and

a power drive unit provided between the motor and the contactor;

wherein, when a component related to the motor control fails, a control apparatus of said hybrid vehicle turns off the contactor and restricts the rotation speed of said engine to a rotation speed below an engine rotation speed at which the voltage generated by regeneration by the motor is restricted to a voltage below a withstand voltage of said power drive unit.