System and method for upshift torque modification using an upstream clutch in a hybrid vehicle

• US 9,056,613 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Johri, Rajit, Yamazaki, Mark Steven, Liang, Wei, Wang, Xiaoyong, McGee, Ryan Abraham, Kuang, Ming Lang
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US14/073,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20150126329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• 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 2510/1095 Inertia
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 : Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle has an engine, an electric machine connected to the engine by an upstream clutch, a transmission gearbox connected to the electric machine by a downstream clutch, and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to a commanded upshift of the gearbox, modulate a pressure of the upstream clutch. A method for controlling a vehicle includes, in response to a commanded upshift of a gearbox, controlling an upstream clutch to a first nonzero speed differential corresponding to a first inertia connected to and upstream of the gearbox to reduce inertia torque during the upshift. A method for controlling a vehicle includes, in response to a commanded upshift of a gearbox when the vehicle is beyond an electrical limit and a fast path torque reduction limit, slipping an upstream clutch and reducing torque outputs of an engine and an electric machine.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an electric machine connected to the engine by an upstream clutch;

a transmission gearbox connected to the electric machine by a downstream clutch; and

a controller configured to, in response to a commanded upshift of the gearbox, modulate a pressure of the upstream clutch while maintaining a vehicle operation mode, and command the upstream clutch to lock when the upshift is completed.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein modulating the pressure comprises reducing a line pressure to the upstream clutch to slip the upstream clutch.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the controller is further configured to command the engine to a reduced nonzero torque output via fast path torque reduction controls to prevent engine speed increasing caused by the slipping the upstream clutch during the upshift.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to command the electric machine to a reduced torque output to offset inertia torque for the upshift.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to command the engine to a reduced nonzero torque output via fast path torque reduction controls to offset inertia torque for the upshift.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to command the electric machine to a reduced torque output to offset inertia torque for the upshift, and command the engine to a reduced torque output via fast path torque reduction controls to offset inertia torque for the upshift.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the transmission gearbox is an automatic, step ratio transmission gearbox.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the transmission gearbox contains at least two shifting clutches.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the controller is further configured to modulate the pressure of the at least two shifting clutches for the upshift.

10. A method for controlling a vehicle having an engine selectively coupled to an electric machine by an upstream clutch with the electric machine selectively coupled to a transmission gearbox by a downstream clutch, comprising, in response to a commanded upshift of the gearbox, controlling the upstream clutch to a first nonzero speed differential corresponding to a first inertia connected to and upstream of the gearbox to reduce inertia torque during the upshift and maintaining an operating mode of the vehicle across the upshift.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the vehicle has a second inertia connected to and upstream of the gearbox when a second speed differential across the upstream clutch is zero, the first speed differential greater than the second speed differential.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first inertia is less than the second inertia for an equivalent engine speed.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling the engine to reduce engine torque to the gearbox using a fast torque reduction path during the upshift.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling the electric machine to reduce electric machine torque output to the gearbox during the upshift.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising controlling the first speed differential based on an engine crankshaft speed and an electric machine shaft speed.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle having an electric machine coupled to an engine by an upstream clutch and coupled to a transmission gearbox by a downstream clutch, comprising:

in response to a commanded gearbox upshift when beyond an electrical limit and a fast path torque reduction limit, slipping the upstream clutch, reducing a torque output of the engine, and reducing a torque output of the electric machine while maintaining a vehicle operation mode.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, in response to a commanded gearbox upshift when beyond the electrical limit and within the fast path torque reduction limit, reducing the torque output of the electric machine, reducing the engine torque output and maintaining upstream clutch engagement to reduce inertia and torque upstream of the gearbox to offset an inertia torque caused by the upshift.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising, in response to a commanded gearbox upshift when within the electrical limit, reducing the torque output of the electric machine, maintaining the engine torque output and maintaining upstream clutch engagement to reduce inertia and torque upstream of the gearbox to offset an inertia torque caused by the upshift.