Control device for hybrid vehicle

• US 7,226,383 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2004
• Issued: 06/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Namba, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; David D.
• Application Number:
  US10/968,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20050090366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 958 Days
• Field of Search: 477/5, 477/6, 477/7, 477/8, 477/14, 477/169, 477/174, 477/175, 477/179, 477/180, 477/181
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/38 characterised by the driveline clutches shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36 , B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle is driven by one or both of an engine and a drive motor. The engine is started by a power generating motor, and power generated by the engine is supplied to a battery. An engine-power transmission path is provided with a coupling for being shifted to a connection state of transmitting engine power to drive wheels and a disconnection state of cutting off the transmission. In connecting the coupling while the drive motor is driven and transmitting engine torque, a revolution speed of the power generating motor is controlled based on that of the drive motor. After a revolution speed of an input-side shaft of the coupling is synchronized with that of an output-side shaft, the coupling is connected. After the coupling is connected, torque of the drive motor and engine is controlled based on required torque of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A control device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine driving drive wheels via an engine-power transmission path;

a drive motor driving said drive wheels via a motor-power transmission path;

a power generating motor provided to said engine-power transmission path and generating an electric power by said engine;

a coupling having an input-side shaft and an output-side shaft and provided to said engine-power transmission path and switched between a connection state of transmitting a power of said engine to said drive wheels and a disconnection state of cutting off the transmission of the power of said engine to said drive wheels;

a first revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of said power generating motor;

a second revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of said drive motor; and

a control unit,

wherein, in the case where a power of said drive motor is transmitted to said drive wheels and said coupling is intended to switch from the disconnection state to the connection state,

said control unit controls a revolution speed of said power generating motor based on a revolution speed of said drive motor,

said control unit synchronizes said input-side shaft and said output-side shaft based on revolution speeds detected by said first and second revolution sensors,

said control unit connects said coupling, and

said control unit controls the power of said drive motor and the power of said engine in accordance with a required power of the vehicle after said coupling is connected.

2. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

in connecting said coupling,

a synchronization phase for synchronizing the revolution speed of said input-side shaft with the revolution speed of said output-side shaft;

a synchronization determining phase for determining whether the synchronization is established;

a connection phase for executing a connecting operation of said coupling; and

a connection-side-power cooperation phase for changing the power of said engine and the power of said motor after the connection is completed,

wherein each of said phases is transited in accordance with an elapsed time or the revolution speed of the power generating motor.

3. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in connecting said coupling, a target revolution speed of said power generating motor is controlled by a function of time based on a revolution speed of said power generating motor at a time of starting the control.

4. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, in connecting said coupling, completion of the connection is determined when a state in which an error between the revolution speed and a target revolution speed of said power generating motor is within a predetermined range continues for a predetermined time.

5. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, after said coupling is connected, the power of said engine is increased and the power of said drive motor is decreased.

6. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said power generating motor is controlled in revolution speed until the connection of said coupling is completed, and said power generating motor is controlled in zero torque after the connection is completed.

7. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein, in the case where the power of said drive motor is transmitted to said drive wheels and said coupling is intended to switch from the disconnection state to the connection state,

said control unit controls the revolution speed of said power generating motor based on the revolution speed of said drive motor, so that the revolution speed detected by the first revolution sensor coincides with a revolution speed of said output-side shaft estimated based on the revolution speed detected by the second revolution sensor.

8. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said coupling is an electromagnetic coupling.

9. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said electromagnetic coupling has an electromagnetic coil, and is switched to said connection state in the case where a current flows in said electromagnetic coil.

10. A control device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine driving drive wheels via an engine-power transmission path;

a drive motor driving said drive wheels via a motor-power transmission path;

a power generating motor provided to said engine-power transmission path and generating an electric power by said engine;

a coupling having an input-side shaft and an output-side shaft and provided to said engine-power transmission path and switched between a connection state of transmitting a power of said engine to said drive wheels and a disconnection state of cutting off the transmission of the power of said engine to said drive wheels;

a first revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of the power generating motor;

a second revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of the drive motor; and

a control unit,

wherein, in the case where the power of said engine is transmitted to said drive wheels and said coupling is intended to switch from the connection state to the disconnection state,

said control unit controls a power of said drive motor and the power of said engine in accordance with a required power of the vehicle,

said control unit disconnects said coupling, and

said control unit controls a revolution speed of said power generating motor in accordance with a revolution speed of said drive motor based on revolution speeds detected by said first and second sensors after said coupling is disconnected, so that revolution speeds of said input-side shaft and said output-side shaft differ from each other.

11. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein, in disconnecting said coupling, said power generating motor is controlled in zero torque until a disconnecting operation of said coupling is started, and said power generating motor is controlled in revolution speed after the disconnection is started.

12. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising:

in disconnecting said coupling,

a disconnection-side-power cooperation phase for reducing the power of said engine;

a disconnection phase for disconnecting said coupling; and

a synchronization finishing phase for making said input-side shaft and said output-side shaft differ from each other in a revolution speed,

wherein, each of said phases is transited in accordance with an elapsed time or the revolution speed of said power generating motor.

13. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the revolution speed of said power generating motor after disconnecting said coupling is controlled by a target revolution speed of said power generating motor at a time of finishing the synchronization and a function of time.

14. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein, in disconnecting said coupling, the power of said engine is decreased and the power of said drive motor is increased.

15. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein said coupling is an electromagnetic coupling.

16. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 15, wherein said electromagnetic coupling has an electromagnetic coil, and is switched to said connection state in the case where a current flows in said electromagnetic coil.

17. A control device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine driving drive wheels via an engine-power transmission path;

a drive motor driving said drive wheels via a motor-power transmission path;

a power generating motor provided to said engine-power transmission path and generating an electric power by said engine;

a coupling having an input-side shaft and an output-side shaft and provided to said engine-power transmission path and switched between a connection state of transmitting a power of said engine to said drive wheels and a disconnection state of cutting off the transmission of the power of said engine to said drive wheels;

a first revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of the power generating motor;

a second revolution sensor for detecting a revolution speed of the drive motor; and

a control unit for controlling said coupling,

wherein, in the case where a power of said drive motor is transmitted to said drive wheels and said coupling is intended to switch from the disconnection state to the connection state,

said control unit sets a target revolution speed based on the revolution speed of the drive motor detected by said second revolution sensor, and

said control unit determines a completion of synchronization of said input-side shaft and said output-side shaft of said coupling by judging if a difference between said target revolution speed and the revolution speed of said power generating motor detected by said first revolution sensor is within a predetermined range for a predetermined time.

18. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17,

wherein, in the case where the power of said drive motor is transmitted to said drive wheels and said coupling is intended to switch from the disconnection state to the connection state,

said control unit controls the revolution speed of said power generating motor based on the revolution speed of said drive motor, so that the revolution speed of said power generating motor detected by the first revolution sensor coincides with a revolution speed of said output-side shaft estimated based on the revolution speed of said drive motor detected by the second revolution sensor.

19. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, wherein, in connecting said coupling, said target revolution speed of said power generating motor is controlled by a function of time based on a revolution speed of said power generating motor at a time of starting the control.

20. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, wherein, after said coupling is connected, the power of said engine is increased and the power of said drive motor is decreased.

21. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said power generating motor is controlled in revolution speed until the connection of said coupling is completed, and said power generating motor is controlled in zero torque control after the connection is completed.

22. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, wherein said coupling is an electromagnetic coupling.

23. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, further comprising:

in connecting said coupling,

a synchronization phase for synchronizing the revolution speed of said input-side shaft with the revolution speed of said output-side shaft;

a synchronization determining phase for determining whether the synchronization is established;

a connection phase for executing a connecting operation of said coupling; and

a connection-side-power cooperation phase for changing the power of said engine and the power of said motor after the connection is completed,

wherein each of said phases is transited in accordance with an elapsed time or the revolution speed of the power generating motor.

24. The control device for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 23, wherein said electromagnetic coupling has an electromagnetic coil, and is switched to said connection state in the case where a current flows in said electromagnetic coil.