Drive apparatus for hybrid vehicle and control method thereof

• US 7,351,182 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yasuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, SHERRY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US11/258,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 180 652- 654, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 477/3, 477/5, 903/921, 903/922, 903/925, 903/914, 903/946, 903/912
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 2510/0275 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/10412 Transmission line of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1045 Friction clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1066 Hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3115 Vehicle wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3144 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70406 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7044 Output shaft torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70458 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A drive apparatus includes a motor, a first clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force between the motor and an engine, a second clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force to a wheel side from either or both of the motor and the engine, and a control device that performs operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch. If there is an engine start request during driving of the wheel by the motor, the control device starts the engine by performing the operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch based upon control patterns that differ depending on a rotational speed of the motor that is directly or indirectly detected.

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a motor;

a first clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force between the motor and an engine;

a second clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force to a wheel side from one or both of the motor and the engine; and

a control device that performs operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch, wherein;

the control device performs a control to start the engine by performing the operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch based upon control patterns that differ depending on a rotational speed of the motor that is directly or indirectly detected at a time when there is an engine start request during driving of the wheel by the motor, and

the second clutch transmits the driving force of the motor to the wheel when the second clutch is fully engaged.

2. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device has at least two control patterns, a control pattern for high speed and a control pattern for low speed, for use as the control patterns, and the control pattern for high speed is a control pattern that increases an engagement pressure of the first clutch, with the second clutch in a state of full engagement, to start the engine, and the control pattern for low speed is a control pattern that increases the engagement pressure of the first clutch, with the second clutch in a released state, to start the engine.

3. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the control device performs a control where the control pattern for high speed is selected if a rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than a threshold that is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started with the first clutch in an engaged state, and the control pattern for low speed is selected if the rotational speed of the motor is less than the threshold.

4. A drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a motor;

a first clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force between the motor and an engine;

a second clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force to a wheel side from one or both of the motor and the engine; and

a control device that performs operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch, wherein;

the control device performs a control to start the engine with the second clutch in a released state if a rotational speed of the motor is less than a predetermined threshold when there is an engine start request during driving of the wheel by the motors,

the second clutch transmits the driving force of the motor to the wheel when the second clutch is fully engaged,

the rotational speed of the motor is detected at a time when there is the engine start request, and

the control device performs the control to start the engine based upon control patterns that differ depending on the rotational speed of the motor.

5. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the control device performs a rotational speed control for the motor with the second clutch in a released state, and performs a torque control for the motor with the second clutch in an engaged state.

6. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the threshold is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

7. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the threshold is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

8. A drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a motor;

a first clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force between the motor and an engine;

a second clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force to a wheel side from one or both of the motor and the engine; and

a control device that performs operation control for the motor, the first clutch and the second clutch, wherein;

the control device performs a control to start the engine when there is an engine start request during driving of the wheel by the motor,

the second clutch is released and the first clutch is engaged if a rotational speed of the motor is less than a predetermined threshold, and the rotational speed of the motor is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started,

following starting of the engine, the first clutch is released and the second clutch is engaged,

the second clutch transmits the driving force of the motor to the wheel when the second clutch is fully engaged,

the rotational speed of the motor is detected at a time when there is the engine start request, and

the control device performs the control to start the engine based upon control patterns that differ depending on the rotational speed of the motor.

9. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control device performs a control when at least the second clutch is fully engaged after starting of the engine, in which the motor is rotationally driven at a rotational speed depending on a wheel-side rotational speed of the second clutch.

10. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the control device performs a rotational speed control for the motor with the second clutch in a released state, and performs a torque control for the motor with the second clutch in an engaged state.

11. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the threshold is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

12. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control device performs a control when the second clutch is engaged after starting of the engine, in which an engagement pressure of the second clutch is increased while the rotational speed of the motor is synchronized with the wheel-side rotational speed of the second clutch.

13. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the control device performs a rotational speed control for the motor with the second clutch in a released state, and performs a torque control for the motor with the second clutch in an engaged state.

14. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the threshold is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

15. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control device performs a control when the second clutch is engaged after starting of the engine, in which engagement of the second clutch is initiated after the rotational speed of the motor is synchronized with the wheel-side rotational speed of the second clutch.

16. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the control device performs a rotational speed control for the motor with the second clutch in a released state, and performs a torque control for the motor with the second clutch in an engaged state.

17. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the threshold is set to equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

18. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control device performs a rotational speed control for the motor with the second clutch in a released state, and performs a torque control for the motor with the second clutch in an engaged state.

19. The drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the threshold is set equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started.

20. A control method of a drive apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which comprises a motor;

a first clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force between the motor and an engine; and

a second clutch that transmits and cuts off driving force to a wheel side from one or both of the motor and the engine, the control method comprising;

starting the engine when there is an engine start request during driving of the wheel by the motor by releasing the second clutch and engaging the first clutch if a rotational speed of the motor is less than a predetermined threshold, and then setting the rotational speed of the motor equal to or greater than a rotational speed at which the engine can be started; and

following starting of the engine, releasing the first clutch and engaging the second clutch, wherein;

the second clutch transmits the driving force of the motor to the wheel when the second clutch is fully engaged,

the rotational speed of the motor is detected at a time when there is the engine start request, and

the control to start the engine is performed based upon control patterns that differ depending on the rotational speed of the motor.