Hybrid vehicle and method in which the engine is preheated before start

• US 6,810,977 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/971,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 123/41.14, 123/41.02, 123/179.3, 123/179.21
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/44 Heat storages, e.g. for cabin heating
• 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 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/20 concerning atmospheric freezing conditions, e.g. automatically draining or heating during frosty weather
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2011/205 using heat-accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/064 at cold start F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/10 by heating of engine coolants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An engine of a hybrid vehicle that is to be preheated before being started is connected to a heat accumulator that stores a portion of a cooling water that is kept warmed. During cold start of the vehicle, when a temperature of the cooling water in the heat accumulator is equal to or higher than a temperature of the cooling water in the engine by a preset amount, the cooling water kept warmed in the heat accumulator is fed into the engine. The motor is driven to operate the vehicle until the engine is sufficiently preheated.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, actuates the engine starting unit when the cooling water in the engine reaches a predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump, and actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that an operating amount of an accelerator pedal is equal to or greater than a threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

2. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the power supply controller actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

3. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, actuates the engine starting unit when the cooling water in the engine reaches a predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump, and actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

4. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, actuates the engine starting unit upon an elapse of a predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach a predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump, and actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach the predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump.

5. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, actuates the engine starting unit upon an elapse of a predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach a predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump, and actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that an operating amount of an accelerator pedal is equal to or greater than a threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach a predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump.

6. A hybrid vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the power supply controller actuates the engine starting unit upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach the predetermined temperature due to operation of the pump.

7. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, and cancels an actuation of the pump to be performed prior to driving of the engine starting unit when a state in which a temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach a predetermined temperature.

8. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter;

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine; and

a key switch that is turned on in response to the request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, and cancels an actuation of the pump to be performed prior to driving of the engine starting unit when a state in which a temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach the predetermined temperature.

9. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power train including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply;

a heat accumulator that holds at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed;

a pump that feeds the cooling water held in the heat accumulator into the engine;

an engine starting unit that includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter; and

a power supply controller operative to start the engine in response to a request for starting the engine, wherein the power supply controller operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine upon the request for starting the engine, operates the engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, operates the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine if a temperature of the cooling water in the heat accumulator is higher than a temperature of the cooling water in the engine by a present amount, and cancels an actuation of the pump to be performed prior to driving of the engine starting unit when a state in which a temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach the predetermined temperature.

10. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the engine starting unit includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter, the engine starting unit is actuated when the cooling water in the engine reaches a predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump, and the engine starting unit is actuated upon detection that an operating amount of an accelerator pedal is equal to or greater than a threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the engine starting unit is actuated upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

12. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a bower supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the engine starting unit includes at least one of the motor and an electrically operated starter, the engine starting unit is actuated when the cooling water in the engine reaches a predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump, and the engine starting unit is actuated upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the cooling water in the engine reaches the predetermined temperature.

13. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the engine starting unit is actuated upon an elapse of a predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach a predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump, and actuated upon detection that an operating amount of an accelerator pedal is equal to or greater than a threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach the predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the engine starting unit is actuated upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach the predetermined temperature.

15. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the engine starting unit is actuated upon an elapse of a predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach a predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump, and actuated upon detection that a state of charge of the battery is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value before the elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water in the engine to reach the predetermined temperature due to the operation of the pump.

16. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the operation of the pump to be performed is cancelled prior to actuating the engine starting unit when a state in which a temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach the predetermined temperature.

17. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the request for starting the engine is generated by a turn-on of a key switch, and the operation of the pump to be performed is cancelled prior to actuating the engine starting unit when a state in which the temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach the predetermined temperature.

18. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a battery and a motor, the hybrid vehicle being selectively driven by at least one of the engine and the motor using the battery as a power supply, the method comprising the steps of:

holding at least a portion of cooling water of the engine to be kept warmed in a heat accumulator;

feeding the cooling water stored in the heat accumulator into the engine by a pump; and

operating the pump to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine in response to a request for starting the engine and actuating an engine starting unit to start the engine upon an elapse of a predetermined time period after the cooling water in the heat accumulator starts being fed to the engine, wherein the pump is operated to feed the cooling water in the heat accumulator into the engine if a temperature of the cooling water in the heat accumulator is higher than a temperature of the cooling water in the engine by a preset amount, and the operation of the pump to be performed is cancelled prior to actuating the engine starting unit when a state in which the temperature of the cooling water in the engine does not reach a predetermined temperature repeats a predetermined number of cycles after an elapse of the predetermined time period that is estimated to be required for the cooling water to reach the predetermined temperature.