Assist control apparatus for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,687,603 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• 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: Matsubara, Atsushi, Wakashiro, Teruo, Shinohara, Toshinari, Kitajima, Shinichi, Hidai, Shigeo, Nakamoto, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US10/073,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 701/101, 701/102, 701/103, 701/104, 701/110, 701/111, 123/325, 123/326, 123/481, 123/198.DB, 123/198.F, 123/430, 180/65.2, 180/65.1, 606/98, 607/16, 477/2, 477/3
• US Class Current: 701/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0623 Fuel flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 13/0005 Deactivating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2001/0535 Single overhead camshafts [SOHC]
• CPC Class Codes: F01L 2800/00 Methods of operation using a variable valve timing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/20 SOHC [Single overhead camshaft]
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/02 Cutting-out cutting-out engines in multiple engine arrangements F02D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0404 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• 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 903/905 : Combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 : Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift

Abstract

In an assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine as a drive source of the vehicle, and a motor assisting drive of the engine in accordance with driving conditions of the vehicle, the engine is a cylinder deactivating engine switchable between a normal operation and a cylinder deactivating operation, and there is provided a cylinder resumption assist judgment device which judges whether the drive of the engine should be assisted by the motor, when the engine shifts from the cylinder deactivating operation to the normal operation, and when the cylinder resumption assist judgment device judges a resumption from the cylinder deactivated condition, and judges that a throttle opening is larger than a predetermined value, drive of the engine is assisted by the motor.

Claims

1. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle comprising an engine which drives the hybrid vehicle, and a motor which assists drive of the engine in accordance with driving conditions of the vehicle, wherein

the engine is a cylinder deactivating engine which can perform a normal operation and a cylinder deactivating operation, and

there is provided a cylinder resumption assist judgment device which judges whether the drive of the engine should be assisted by the motor when the engine shifts from the cylinder deactivating operation to the normal operation, and

when the cylinder resumption assist judgment device detects a resumption from the cylinder deactivated condition and judges that a throttle opening is larger than a predetermined value, drive of the engine is assisted by the motor.

2. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid vehicle comprises an automatic transmission, and the cylinder resumption assist judgment device judges whether the drive of the engine should be assisted by the motor based on the throttle opening and the vehicle speed.

3. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid vehicle comprises a manual transmission, and the cylinder resumption assist judgment device judges whether the drive of the engine should be assisted by the motor based on the throttle opening and the engine speed.

4. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an amount of drive assist by means of the motor is determined based on engine speed and throttle opening.

5. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein drive assist by means of the motor is continued for a predetermined period of time, after the engine has resumed from the cylinder deactivated operation and fuel injection amount in the engine has been gradually increased and has reached a predetermined value.

6. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder deactivating engine comprises a plurality of cylinders, intake valves and exhaust valves respectively provided in the cylinders, and a variable valve timing system which controls opening and closing of the intake valves and the exhaust valves;

and the assist control apparatus further comprises an engine control unit which controls the variable valve timing system so as to perform either one of the normal operation and the cylinder deactivating operation.

7. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the engine control unit includes map data storing the relationship of engine speed values, throttle opening values, and assist amounts to be applied by the motor to the engine when an accelerator pedal is depressed for acceleration during the cylinder deactivated operation.

8. An assist control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the engine control unit performs:

an idle mode operation in which fuel supply is resumed after fuel cut to maintain the engine in an idle condition;

an idle stop mode operation in which the engine is stopped;

a deceleration mode operation in which regenerative braking by the motor is performed while deactivating all the cylinders in the engine;

a cruise mode operation in which the motor is not driven so that the vehicle runs under the driving force of the engine; and

an acceleration mode operation in which the engine is drive assisted by the motor.