Method for starting the internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle

• US 8,851,217 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr Ing hc F Porsche AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Dr. Ing. H.C.F. Porsche Ag
• Inventors: Schiek, Werner, Rauner, Thomas, Stache, Immo, Goehring, Markus, Spiegel, Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dolak, James M
• Application Number:
  US13/102,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20110304156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.265, 180/65.275, 180/65.285, 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/65.225, 180/65.25, 180/65.31, 180/65.28, 290/38.R, 290/38.C, 290/38.E, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.6, 318/430, 477/3
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• 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 2540/06 Ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/192 Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2002 using different starting modes, methods, or actuators depending on circumstances, e.g. engine temperature or component wear
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle has an internal combustion engine, at least one electric drive motor and a starter. The internal combustion engine optionally can be started by the starter or the electric drive motor. However, the internal combustion engine is started by the starter when the vehicle is already being driven by the electric drive motor.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hybrid vehicle that has an internal combustion engine, at least one electric drive motor, a starter and a driver operable control that can be turned on to indicate a driver'"'"'s preference for driving the vehicle by the electric drive motor, the method comprising:

sensing conditions indicative of a need to start the internal combustion engine;

sensing whether the hybrid vehicle already is being driven by the electric drive motor;

determining whether the driver operable control has been turned on to indicate the driver'"'"'s preference for driving the vehicle by the electric drive motor;

starting the internal combustion engine by the electric drive motor in response to sensed conditions indicative of the need to start the internal combustion engine if the driver operable control has not been turned on;

starting the internal combustion engine by the electric drive motor in response to the sensed conditions indicative of the need to start the internal combustion engine if the vehicle is not being driven by the electric drive motor and if the driver operable control has been turned on; and

starting the internal combustion engine by the starter when in response to the sensed conditions indicative of the need to start the internal combustion engine if the vehicle already is being driven by the electric drive motor and if the driver operable control has been turned on.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein as a result of turning on the driver operable control, the internal combustion engine cannot be started until there is a predefined relatively high power level provided by the electric drive motor.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising increasing an activation travel of an accelerator pedal that is assigned to travel solely by the electric drive motor if the driver operable control has been turned on.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sensing whether the hybrid vehicle already is being driven by the electric drive motor comprises determining whether the electric drive motor already is being supplied with current.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of sensing conditions indicative of a need to start the internal combustion engine comprises determining whether power available from the electric drive motor is sufficient to move the vehicle in a manner specified by an accelerator pedal position and generating a signal to start the internal combustion engine upon determining that the power available from the electric drive motor is not sufficient to move the vehicle in the manner specified by the accelerator pedal position.