Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

• US 8,136,614 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Andri, Michael Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOLLMAN, BRODIE J
• Application Number:
  US13/273,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20120029751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 159 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.24, 180/65.265, 180/65.28, 903/905, 903/906, 903/907, 701/102, 701/103, 701/104, 701/105, 701/114, 123/278, 123/480, 702/182
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• 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: 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 10/26 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 20/18 for avoiding ageing of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0671 Engine manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method of operating a hybrid vehicle propulsion system includes selectively operating the engine to consume fuel stored on-board the vehicle based on a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle and further based on a profile of ambient conditions over the residence time.

Claims

1. A vehicle propulsion system, comprising:

an electric battery configured to store electrical energy on-board the vehicle;

a fuel tank configured to store fuel on-board the vehicle;

an internal combustion engine configured to consume the fuel from the fuel tank to produce an engine output;

an electric motor configured to consume the electrical energy from the electric battery to produce a motor output; and

a control system configured to;

periodically receive electrical energy from an electrical energy source located external the vehicle;

discharge the energy storage device to operate the electric motor to produce the motor output;

selectively operate the engine to combust fuel stored on-board the vehicle to produce the engine output; and

increase engine operation based on whether a residence time of the fuel stored on-board the vehicle is greater than a threshold, the threshold adjusted responsive to ambient conditions and fuel composition.

2. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 1, where the fuel composition includes an alcohol fuel blend of the fuel.

3. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 1, where the fuel composition includes an ethanol fuel blend of the fuel, and where the threshold may be further adjusted based on an amount of fuel stored in the vehicle.

4. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 1, where the ambient condition includes a temperature profile.

5. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 1, where the ambient condition includes humidity.

6. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 1, where the ambient condition includes barometric pressure.

7. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 2, further comprising an electric generator, where the control system is configured to use the engine output to power the electric motor via the electric generator.

8. The vehicle propulsion system of claim 2, further comprising an electric cable configured to electrically couple the electric battery to a power source residing external the vehicle;

and where the control system is configured to recharge the electric battery by controlling the electric battery to receive electrical energy from the power source when the power source is electrically coupled to the electric battery by the electric cable.