Control device for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,634,447 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• 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: Iwamoto, Takashi, Matsubara, Atsushi, Kumagai, Katsuhiro, Ukai, Asao, Fukuchi, Hironao, Konno, Fumihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEBE, GERALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/661,017
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.8, 180/65.3, 475/5, 318/139, 701/22, 606/98, 607/16
• US Class Current: 180/65.26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A control device for a hybrid vehicle that responds reliably to the assist requests of a driver from start-up to departure of the vehicle. The control system for a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine that outputs the start force for the vehicle, an electric motor that supplements the output of the engine, and a battery that supplies electrical power to the engine, provides an engine rotation speed sensor and an output assistance determination device that determines as to whether or not to carry output assistance using the motor depending on the state of the driving of the vehicle, and wherein the output assistance determination device provides an after-start-up output assistance permission means that permits output assistance of the engine by the electric motor in the case that the engine rotation speed detection means detects that the engine rotation speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value during start-up of the engine, and in the case that the output assistance is permitted by the after-start-up output assistance permission device, output assistance of the engine by the electric motor is carried out.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a combustion engine that outputs driving power to the vehicle;

an electric motor for assisting the output of the engine;

an electric storage device that supplies electric power to said motor;

an engine rotation speed detection device that detects the rotation speed of the engine;

an after-start-up output assist permission device that permits an assist of the engine output by the motor when the detected engine rotation speed is greater than a predetermined engine rotation speed during the engine start-up; and

a control device for controlling the hybrid vehicle.

2. The hybrid vehicle recited in claim 1, wherein said engine rotation speed of said engine is the rotation speed which provides the torque that makes possible the engine operating under its own power after the engine start-up operation.

3. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

a combustion engine that outputs driving power to the vehicle;

an electric motor for assisting the output of the engine;

an electric storage device that supplies electric power to the motor;

an output assist determination device that determines appropriateness of assisting the engine output by the motor depending on the driving state of the vehicle;

a control amount setting means that sets the control amount of the motor depending on the driving state of the engine in the case that a determination is made to carry out assisting of the output of the engine with the motor by the output assist determination device;

an output assist control means that carries out assisting of the output to the engine by the motor based on the control amount set by the control amount setting device;

an engine rotation speed detection device that detects the rotation speed of the engine; and

an after-start-up output assist permission device that permits an assist of the engine output by the motor when said engine rotation speed detection device detects that the engine rotation speed is greater than a predetermined engine rotation speed during the engine start-up,

wherein the assist of the engine output by the motor is carried out by the output assist control means when the output assist is permitted by the after-start-up output assist permission device.

4. The hybrid engine according to claim 3, wherein said engine rotation speed of said engine is the rotation speed which provides the torque that permits the engine to operate under its own power after the engine start-up operation.