Hybrid vehicle

• US 7,398,844 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Hiroshi, Ishikawa, Tetsuhiro, Sato, Hitoshi, Mogari, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, HAU VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/368,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20060207813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 180/287, 180/65.3, 180/65.6, 180/65.8, 180/65.5, 903/923, 903/940, 903/941, 903/948, 903/943, 903/907, 602/84, 602/74, 603/00, 602/85, 701/113, 701/102
• US Class Current: 180/65.285
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• 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: Y10S 903/907 : Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A battery and a capacitor having a large capacity correspond to a power storage device for storing power used by a motor generator MG2. A controller detects state of charge of the battery and of the capacitor. When the driver issues an instruction requesting acceleration, the controller monitors the state of charge of the power storage device, and the controller instructs an inverter to increase contribution of the motor generator MG1 to an acceleration operation when the state of charge is insufficient to be larger than the contribution of the motor generator MG1 to the acceleration operation when the state of charge is sufficient. Thus a hybrid vehicle can be provided that allows a driver to feel smooth acceleration even if the power storage device is insufficiently charged.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power storage device;

an engine;

a driving wheel;

a first rotating electric machine mainly operating as a power generator;

a second rotating electric machine rotating in synchronization with rotation of said driving wheel;

a power split device coupled to a rotation shaft of the engine and to rotation shafts of the first and second rotating electric machines, wherein determination of rotation speed of any two rotation shafts among the three rotation shafts causes forced determination of rotation speed of residual one rotation shaft;

an inverter driving said first and second rotating electric machines;

an input device receiving an instruction requesting acceleration from a driver; and

a controller monitoring a state of charge of the power storage device in response to the acceleration instruction, and instructing the inverter to increase contribution of the first rotating electric machine to an acceleration operation in a second state of insufficient state of charge to be larger than the contribution of the first rotating electric machine to said acceleration operation in a first state of sufficient state of charge.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

said power storage device includes a capacitor; and

said controller monitors the state of charge of the power storage device based on a state of charge of said capacitor.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

said power storage device includes a secondary battery; and

said controller monitors the state of charge of the power storage device based on a state of charge of said secondary battery.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said state of charge is said first state, said controller controls the torque such that the torque generated in said first rotating electric machine is kept zero for a predetermined time period in response to said acceleration instruction, and when said state of charge is said second state, said controller controls the torque such that the torque generated in said first rotating electric machine is kept zero for a time period shorter than said predetermined time period, in response to said acceleration instruction.