Shift position indicating device for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,404,332 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• 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: Takahashi, Hideyuki, Wakashiro, Teruo, Kitajima, Shinichi, Ukai, Asao, Fukuchi, Hironao
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/615,730
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/456, 743/37, 180/65.2, 180/338, 475/158, 477/5, 477/20
• US Class Current: 340/456
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/0239 Up- and down-shift or range or mode selection by repeated movement mechanical step by step selection devices F16H63/14
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/426 with means for advising the driver for proper shift action, e.g. prompting the driver with allowable selection range of ratios
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/18 dependent on the position of the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/30 Intake manifold vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/44 dependent on machine speed of the machine, e.g. the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0213 characterised by the method for generating shift signals
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/42 Ratio indicator devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19274 torque responsive

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a shift position indicating device for indicating a recommended shift position to a driver of a hybrid vehicle having an engine for driving a drive shaft of the vehicle, a motor for assisting a drive force applied to the drive shaft by electrical energy, and a battery for supplying power to the motor and storing electrical energy output from the motor. The motor having a regenerative function of converting kinetic energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy. According to the shift position indicating device, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in a high-load running condition, and when the vehicle is in the high-load running condition, the shift-down is recommended.

Claims

1. In a shift position indicating device for indicating a recommended shift position to a driver of a hybrid vehicle having an engine for driving a drive shaft of said vehicle, a motor for assisting a drive force applied to said drive shaft by electrical energy, said motor having a regenerative function of converting kinetic energy of said drive shaft into electrical energy, and electrical energy storing means for supplying power to said motor and storing electrical energy output from said motor;

the improvement comprising;

vehicle operating condition detecting means for detecting an operating condition of said vehicle, said vehicle operating condition detecting means having highload running detecting means for detecting a high-load running condition of said vehicle; and

shift-down recommending means for recommending shift-down to said driver according to said operating condition detected by said vehicle operating condition detecting means;

said shift-down recommending means recommending the shift-down under the condition that said vehicle is in said high-load running condition.

2. A shift position indicating device according to claim 1, wherein said high-load running detecting means includes high-load operating condition detecting means for detecting a high-load operating condition of said engine and vehicle speed detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed of said vehicle, and determines that said vehicle is in said high-load running condition when said engine is in said high-load operating condition and a change in said vehicle speed is small.

3. A shift position indicating device according to claim 2, wherein said high-load operating condition detecting means determines that said engine is in said high-load operating condition when an intake pressure of said engine is higher than a determination threshold which is set higher with an increase in remaining charge of said electrical energy storing means.

4. A shift position indicating device according to claim 2, wherein said high-load operating condition detecting means determines that said engine is in said high-load operating condition when a parameter indicative of driver'"'"'s intention of acceleration of said vehicle is greater than a determination threshold which is set higher with an increase in remaining charge of said electrical energy storing means.