Control apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle
First Claim
1. A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor/generator used for vehicle propulsion and power generation, a clutch interleaved between the engine and the motor/generator for enabling and disabling torque transmission by engagement and disengagement of the clutch and an acceleration demand detection device configured to detect a driving force demand from a driver, the control apparatus comprising:
- a controller configured to;
selectively switch between an EV mode, in which the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator with the clutch disengaged when the driving force demand is less than or equal to an engine-stop criterion value, and an HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine with the clutch engaged when the driving force demand is greater than the engine-stop criterion value;
set a delay time at a time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode, wherein the delay time is variable and set based at least in part on a change rate of the driving force demand at the time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion, such that the delay time takes a lower value for lower driving force demand change rates; and
execute a transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode if the driving force demand is less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode and after the delay time has expired.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control apparatus and method of controlling a hybrid vehicle are taught herein. The vehicle selectively switches between an EV mode wherein the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator when an accelerator opening is less than or equal to an engine-stop line or a HEV mode wherein the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine the accelerator opening exceeds the engine-stop line. A transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode is executed when the accelerator opening becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop line during the HEV mode and a given delay time has expired. The delay time is set to a shorter time as an accelerator return speed decreases.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor/generator used for vehicle propulsion and power generation, a clutch interleaved between the engine and the motor/generator for enabling and disabling torque transmission by engagement and disengagement of the clutch and an acceleration demand detection device configured to detect a driving force demand from a driver, the control apparatus comprising:
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a controller configured to; selectively switch between an EV mode, in which the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator with the clutch disengaged when the driving force demand is less than or equal to an engine-stop criterion value, and an HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine with the clutch engaged when the driving force demand is greater than the engine-stop criterion value; set a delay time at a time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode, wherein the delay time is variable and set based at least in part on a change rate of the driving force demand at the time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion, such that the delay time takes a lower value for lower driving force demand change rates; and execute a transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode if the driving force demand is less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode and after the delay time has expired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor/generator used for vehicle propulsion and power generation, a clutch interleaved between the engine and the motor/generator for enabling and disabling torque transmission by engagement and disengagement of the clutch and an acceleration demand detection device configured to detect a driving force demand from a driver, the method comprising:
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selectively switching between an EV mode, in which the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator with the clutch disengaged when the driving force demand is less than or equal to an engine-stop criterion value, and an HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine with the clutch engaged when the driving force demand is greater than the engine-stop criterion value; setting a delay time at a time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode, wherein the delay time is variable and set based at least in part on a change rate of the driving force demand at the time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion, such that the delay time takes a lower value for lower driving force demand change rates; and executing a transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode and after the delay time has expired. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor/generator used for vehicle propulsion and power generation, a clutch interleaved between the engine and the motor/generator for enabling and disabling torque transmission by engagement and disengagement of the clutch and an acceleration demand detection device configured to detect a driving force demand from a driver, the control apparatus comprising:
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means for selectively switching between an EV mode, in which the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator with the clutch disengaged when the driving force demand is less than or equal to an engine-stop criterion value, and an HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine with the clutch engaged when the driving force demand is greater than the engine-stop criterion value; means for setting a delay time at a time, when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode, wherein the delay time is variable and set based at least in part on a change rate of the driving force demand at the time when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion, such that the delay time takes a lower value for lower driving force demand change rates; and means for executing a transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode when the driving force demand becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop criterion value during the HEV mode and after the delay time has expired. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification