Drive control apparatus for oil pump

• US 6,692,402 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takehiko, Wakuta, Satoru, Nakamori, Yukinori
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US10/021,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 477/3, 477/5, 477/97, 477/98, 477/72, 477/76, 477/156, 477/157, 477/159
• US Class Current: 477/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0025 Supply of control fluid; Pumps therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0031 using auxiliary pumps, e.g. pump driven by a different power source than the engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/904 Component specially adapted for hev
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 Stepped shift

Abstract

The present invention provides a drive control apparatus for driving an electric oil pump by supplying it with a predetermined operating voltage so as to decrease a load on the electric oil pump. The drive control apparatus detects a clutch hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic control apparatus for the automatic transmission and drives the electric oil pump so that a required hydraulic pressure is maintained. In this case, the drive control apparatus detects an oil temperature of the hydraulic control apparatus for the automatic transmission, controls the operating voltage of the electric oil pump based on the oil temperature, and supplies the operating voltage to th electric oil pump. Accordingly, the hydraulic pressure supplied from the electric oil pump maintains the hydraulic pressure required for the hydraulic control of the automatic transmission and prevents supply of a greater hydraulic pressure than is required.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for generating a hydraulic pressure for hydraulic control of an automatic transmission in a vehicle having a driving power source, the automatic transmission having a hydraulic controller which performs a shift change through engagement-disengagement of a plurality of friction engagement elements responsive to the hydraulic pressure, said control apparatus comprising:

an electric oil pump;

oil temperature detection means for detecting an oil temperature of oil supplied to the friction engagement elements of the hydraulic controller;

electric oil pump drive control means for driving the electric oil pump based on the oil temperature detected by the oil temperature detection means, so that a hydraulic pressure required for the control of the automatic transmission is maintained; and

a mechanical oil pump which is driven by the driving power source and which supplies at least a portion of the hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic controller.

2. A control apparatus for an oil pump according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed detector for detecting rotational speed of the driving power source; and

judgement means for determining a hydraulic pressure required to be maintained, based on the detected rotational speed of the driving power source.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a battery which supplies a current for driving the electric oil pump, and

battery voltage detection means for detecting a voltage of the battery; and

wherein the electric oil pump drive control means drives the electric oil pump by supplying the electric oil pump with an operating voltage determined based on the voltage detected by the battery voltage detection means and the oil temperature detected by the oil temperature detection means so that the hydraulic pressure required for the hydraulic control of the automatic transmission is maintained.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure detector for detecting a hydraulic pressure supplied to the friction engagement elements; and

judgement means for determining a hydraulic pressure required to be maintained, based on the detected hydraulic pressure supplied to the friction engagement elements of the automatic transmission.

5. A control apparatus for an oil pump according to claim 1, wherein

the driving power source comprises an engine and a motor for transmitting a driving force to an input shaft of the automatic transmission, and

the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle in which the engine and the motor are freely driven and stopped in accordance with a driving state.