Control device for electric vehicle

• US 8,954,212 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatanaka, Kaoru, Ogawa, Sumitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/362,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2063 for creeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20396 Hand operated

Abstract

A control device for a creep speed advance and creep speed backing up of an electric vehicle. A mode switch provided with an operating section can be operated in a longitudinal direction and can be operated leftward from an intermediate part. The operating section is automatically returned to a stop position in which a speed zero instruction is output to a motor when not being operated by return springs. When the operating section is pushed forward, a creep speed advance mode can be selected and when the operating section is pulled backward, a creep speed backing up mode can be selected. To clearly discriminate a position of the operating section among the creep speed advance mode, the creep speed backing up mode and a normal mode, a stopper is arranged between the stop position and the normal mode so that larger force is required to operate the operating section.

Claims

1. A control device for an electric vehicle provided with a motor that operates the vehicle according to a speed instruction according to a throttle opening by an accelerator operating means, comprising:

an accelerator grip mounted on a first side of the electric vehicle and operatively connected to the throttle opening for normally controlling the speed of the electric vehicle;

a mode switch mounted on a second side of the electric vehicle displaced relative to the accelerator grip, said mode switch being provided separately from the accelerator operating means for selecting either of a normal mode or a backing up mode of the vehicle, said mode switch being configured to be able to select a stop position corresponding to a position in which a single operating section is operated in addition to the normal mode and the backing up mode of the vehicle and said mode switch is provided with return springs configured to be able to be displaced among each switched position of the normal mode, the backing up mode and the stop position and which automatically returns the mode switch to the stop position set in an intermediate part of switched positions of the normal mode and the backing up mode in a free state in which no operating external force is applied;

mode discriminating means for detecting that the backing up mode is selected by the mode switch when at least the throttle opening is zero and vehicle speed is zero; and

a driving section for supplying a creep speed backing up instruction determined in a creep speed range when the backing up mode is selected by the mode discriminating means.

2. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, and further including stopper means made to recede to a stopper release position when the mode switch is energized by the operation of the operating section and arranged between the normal mode and the stop position to enable the operating section to be alternately displaced between the normal mode and the stop position.

3. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first switch is a push switch provided with an initial position and a pushed position and configured to be returned to the initial position when the switch is pushed again in the pushed position, and the second switch is provided with return springs which are configured to be able to be displaced between the backing up mode and the stop position and which automatically returns the second switch to the stop position in a free state in which no operating external force is applied.

4. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the creep speed backing up instruction corresponds to fixed vehicle speed preset in the creep speed range.

5. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the creep speed backing up instruction corresponds to vehicle speed determined according to the throttle opening in the creep speed range.

6. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the throttle opening is provided with a creep region, and a creep control section supplying a creep speed instruction including a smaller value than a value in the creep speed range in the creep region to the driving section.

7. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, and further including:

an inclination sensor for detecting a sideway inclination from a state in which the electric vehicle is vertically stood,

wherein the mode discriminating means discriminates the mode when it is determined based upon the inclination that it is not detected that the electric vehicle is not upset.

8. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

a seat switch for outputting a detection signal when a rider is seated on a seat,

wherein the mode discriminating means discriminates the mode when the rider is seated on the seat.

9. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, and further including:

a creep speed operating control section for supplying a creep speed backing up instruction to run the electric vehicle at creep vehicle speed lower than speed at which a rider walks pushing the vehicle to the driving section when vehicle speed is lower than the preset speed at which the rider can walk pushing the electric vehicle in the backing up mode.

10. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the creep speed operating control section supplies the speed instruction to stop the electric vehicle to the driving section when vehicle speed is higher than preset speed at which the rider walks, pushing the vehicle in the backing up mode.

11. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the backing up mode further includes a creep speed advance mode for advancing the vehicle in the creep speed range, and the mode switch is configured to be able to select an advance and the backing up of the vehicle included in the backing up mode.

12. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein a stop position is set between a position in which an advance is selected and a position in which backing up is selected in the backing up mode of the mode switch.

13. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a saddle-ride type electric vehicle.

14. A control device for an electric vehicle provided with a motor, comprising:

an accelerator grip mounted on a first side of the electric vehicle and operatively connected to the throttle opening for normally controlling the speed of the electric vehicle;

a mode switch mounted on a second side of the electric vehicle displaced relative to the accelerator grip, said mode switch selecting either of a normal mode or a backing up mode of the vehicle;

mode discriminating means for detecting that the backing up mode is selected by the mode switch when at least a throttle opening is zero and vehicle speed is zero; and

a driving section for supplying a creep speed backing up instruction determined in a creep speed range when the backing up mode is selected by the mode discriminating means;

wherein the mode switch is composed of a first switch for switching validity and invalidity of the normal mode and a second switch which is turned valid when the first switch is turned invalid and in which either of the stop or the backing up mode can be selected.

15. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the mode switch is configured to be able to select a stop position corresponding to a position in which a single operating section is operated in addition to the normal mode and the backing up mode of the vehicle.

16. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the mode switch is provided with return springs configured to be able to be displaced among each switched position of the normal mode, the backing up mode and the stop position and which automatically returns the mode switch to the stop position set in an intermediate part of switched positions of the normal mode and the backing up mode in a free state in which no operating external force is applied.

17. The control device for an electric vehicle according to claim 16, and further including stopper means made to recede to a stopper release position when the mode switch is energized by the operation of the operating section and arranged between the normal mode and the stop position to enable the operating section to be alternately displaced between the normal mode and the stop position.

18. A control device for an electric vehicle provided with a motor that operates the vehicle according to a speed instruction according to a throttle opening by an accelerator operating means, comprising:

an accelerator grip mounted on a first side of the electric vehicle and operatively connected to the throttle opening for normally controlling the speed of the electric vehicle;

a mode switch mounted on a second side of the electric vehicle displaced relative to the accelerator grip, said mode switch being provided separately from the accelerator operating means for selecting either of a normal mode or a backing up mode of the vehicle;

mode discriminating means for detecting that the backing up mode is selected by the mode switch when at least the throttle opening is zero and vehicle speed is zero; and

a driving section for supplying a creep speed backing up instruction determined in a creep speed range when the backing up mode is selected by the mode discriminating means;

wherein the mode switch is composed of a first switch for switching validity and invalidity of the normal mode and a second switch which is turned valid when the first switch is turned invalid and in which either of the stop or the backing up mode can be selected.