Method for starting engine of vehicle with hybrid transmission and apparatus for carrying out the method

• US 7,273,119 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2004
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Joe, Shinichiro, Nakajima, Yuki, Imazu, Tomoya, Oshidari, Toshikazu, Tsuneyoshi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bottorff; Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/002,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20050121239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 701/22, 903/946, 903/941
• US Class Current: 180/65.28
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter 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: 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 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/088 Power split variators with summing differentials, with the input of the CVT connected or connectable to the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2025 using a Ravigneaux set with 5 connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A method for starting an engine of a vehicle having a hybrid transmission is provided. The hybrid transmission is capable of providing motor running under a power of an electric motor only and hybrid running under a power of both of the engine and the electric motor. The power of an engine is supplied to the hybrid transmission by way of a clutch. The method includes, when the clutch is engaged for starting the engine during the motor running, issuing an engine start instruction when an engine speed increases to a startable speed with the progress of engagement of the clutch, and after the moment of issue of the engine start instruction, restricting increase of an engagement force of the clutch and thereby suppressing the progress of engagement of the clutch. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for starting an engine of a vehicle having a hybrid transmission capable of providing motor running in which the vehicle is driven under a power of an electric motor only and hybrid running in which the vehicle is driven under a power of both the engine and the electric motor, the power of the engine being supplied to the hybrid transmission by way of a clutch, the apparatus comprising a controller that is configured to:

when the clutch is engaged for starting the engine during the motor running, issue an engine start instruction at a moment when an engine speed increases to a startable speed with progress of engagement of the clutch; and

after the moment at which the engine start instruction is issued, restrict increase of an engagement force of the clutch and thereby suppressing the progress of engagement of the clutch.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to hold an engagement force that is caused by the clutch at the moment at which the engine start instruction is issued.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to decrease the engagement force of the clutch more than an engagement force that is caused by the clutch at the moment at which the engine start instruction is issued.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to bring the clutch into a disengaged condition.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to bring the clutch into a condition where slippage of the clutch occurs.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to gradually decrease the engagement force of the clutch from the engagement force that is caused by the clutch at the moment at which the engine start instruction is issued to an engagement force that brings the clutch into a slipping condition.

7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to stop restricting the increase of the engagement force of the clutch when a difference in rotation speed between an input side and an output side of the clutch becomes zero and cause the clutch to be engaged completely.