Hybrid vehicle control apparatus

• US 7,758,467 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ashizawa, Hiroyuki, Adachi, Kazutaka, Motosugi, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky; Sherry L
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US11/845,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20080058154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 477/5, 477/6, 477/70, 477/79
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/383 One-way clutches or freewheel devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• 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 10/115 with planetary gears
• 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 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/085 Torque change rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle control apparatus is provided with a motor/generator arranged between an engine and a transmission, a first clutch disposed between the engine and the motor/generator, a second clutch disposed in a power train spanning from the motor/generator to a drive wheel, and a controller. The controller controls the engagement of the first and second clutches to select either an electric drive mode or a hybrid drive mode. The controller executes a rotational speed control of the motor/generator while in a coasting state with torque being transmitted through a one-way clutch of the transmission such that the rotational speed control increases an input rotational speed of the one-way clutch to a value closer to an output rotational speed of the one-way clutch with a difference between the input and output rotational speeds of the one-way clutch becoming equal to a target value.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle control apparatus comprising:

an engine;

a transmission including at least one torque transmitting path that transmits power through a one-way clutch;

a motor/generator arranged between the engine and the transmission;

a first clutch with a variable torque transmission capacity being disposed between the engine and the motor/generator;

a second clutch with a variable torque transmission capacity being disposed in a power train that spans from the motor/generator to a drive wheel via the transmission; and

a controller configured to disengage the first clutch and engage the second clutch to select an electric drive mode in which the engine is stopped and the drive wheel is driven solely with power from the motor/generator, and to engage both the first and second clutches to select a hybrid drive mode in which the drive wheel is driven with power from both the engine and the motor/generator,

the controller being further configured to execute a rotational speed control of the motor/generator while in a coasting state with the transmission in the torque transmitting path that transmits power through the one-way clutch such that the rotational speed control increases a rotational speed of an input side of the one-way clutch to a value closer to a rotational speed of an output side of the one-way clutch with a difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch becoming equal to a target value.

2. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to execute a subsequent rotational speed control of the motor/generator that is separate from a drive request imposed on the motor/generator from a re-acceleration operation, when the acceleration operation is performed from the coasting state, such that the subsequent rotational speed control increases the rotational speed of the input side of the one-way clutch closer to the rotational speed of the output side of the one-way clutch with the difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch becoming smaller than the target value.

3. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 2, wherein

the controller is further configured to execute the subsequent rotational speed control of the motor/generator executed when the re-acceleration operation is performed such that the rotational speed of the input side of the one-way clutch is increased until the difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch becomes zero.

4. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to switch from the subsequent rotational speed control of the motor/generator to a torque control of the motor/generator after the vehicle has undergone acceleration from the coasting state and the rotational speed control of the motor/generator has made the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch equal.

5. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the controller is further configured to control the switch from the subsequent rotational speed control to the torque control of the motor/generator such that a target motor torque value of the motor/generator is changed gradually at a prescribed rate of change per unit time from a target value for the rotational speed control to a target value for the torque control.

6. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to set the target value regarding the difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch to zero such that the rotational speed control of the motor/generator executed during the coasting state causes the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch to be equal.

7. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the controller is further configured to switch from the rotational speed control of the motor/generator to a torque control of the motor/generator when an acceleration operation is performed from the coasting state.

8. The hybrid vehicle control apparatus of claim 7, wherein

the controller is further configured to control the switch from the rotational speed control to the torque control of the motor/generator such that a target motor torque value of the motor/generator is changed gradually at a prescribed rate of change per unit time from a target value for the rotational speed control to a target value for the torque control.

9. A hybrid vehicle control apparatus comprising:

first drive force generating means for generating a first drive force;

power transmission means for establishing a torque transmitting path that transmits power through a one-way clutch;

second drive force generating means for generating a second drive force between the first drive force generating means and the power transmission means;

first variable torque transmission capacity clutch means for selectively engaging and disengaging the first and second drive force generating means;

second variable torque transmission capacity clutch means for selectively controlling torque in a power train that spans from the second drive force generating means to a drive wheel via the power transmission means; and

control means for disengaging the first variable torque transmission capacity clutch means and engaging the second variable torque transmission capacity clutch means to select an electric drive mode in which the first drive force generating means is stopped and the drive wheel is driven solely with power from the second drive force generating means, and for engaging both the first and second variable torque transmission capacity clutch means to select a hybrid drive mode in which the drive wheel is driven with power from both the first and second drive force generating means,

the control means further performing execution of a rotational speed control of the second drive force generating means while in a coasting state with the power transmission means in the torque transmitting path that transmits power through the one-way clutch such that the rotational speed control increases a rotational speed of an input side of the one-way clutch to a value closer to a rotational speed of an output side of the one-way clutch with a difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch becoming equal to a target value.

10. A hybrid vehicle control method comprising:

selectively generating a first drive force with an engine;

selectively controlling a transmission to establish a torque transmitting path that transmits power through a one-way clutch;

selectively generating a second drive force with a motor/generator arranged between the engine and the transmission; and

selectively controlling a first clutch with a variable torque transmission capacity being disposed between the engine and the motor/generator and a second clutch with a variable torque transmission capacity being disposed in a power train that spans from the motor/generator to a drive wheel via the transmission such that an electric drive mode is selected in which the engine is stopped and the drive wheel is driven solely with power from the motor/generator by disengaging the first clutch and engaging the second clutch, and a hybrid drive mode is selected in which the drive wheel is driven with power from both the engine and the motor/generator by engaging both the first and second clutches; and

performing a rotational speed control of the motor/generator while in a coasting state with the transmission in the torque transmitting path that transmits power through the one-way clutch such that the rotational speed control increases a rotational speed of an input side of the one-way clutch to a value closer to a rotational speed of an output side of the one-way clutch with a difference between the rotational speeds of the input and output sides of the one-way clutch becoming equal to a target value.