Hybrid vehicle, control method for hybrid vehicle, and recording medium recorded with a control program for hybrid vehicle

• US 9,174,627 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Atsumi, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Holwerda, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/448,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,827 Days
• Field of Search: 123/517, 123/519, 123/520, 180/62.265, 180/62.275, 180/62.27, 180/62.28, 180/65.265, 180/65.275, 180/65.27, 180/65.28, 701/22, 701/1, 701/36, 701/99, 701/102, 701/113
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/662 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/56 Temperature prediction, e.g. for pre-cooling
• 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: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• 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 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 2050/146 : Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0619 : Air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0685 : Engine crank angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/211 : Fuel quality, e.g. water content due to age of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/06 : Ignition switch
• 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 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 : peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0032 : Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 : for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1454 : the characteristics being an oxygen content or concentration or the air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0881 : with means to heat or cool the canister
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/08 : adding fuel vapours drawn from engine fuel reservoir electrical control of purge system F02D41/003
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 : comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/152 : dependent on pinking detecting or indicating knocks in internal-combustion engines G01L23/22
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• 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: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle configured to allow charging from a source external to the vehicle includes a connector electrically connecting a battery with an external commercial power supply, an absorption unit absorbing fuel vapor, and an activation unit activating the absorption unit to facilitate disengagement of the fuel vapor during connection of the power storage device with the external power supply by the connector. The absorption unit includes a canister to which fuel vapor adheres. The activation unit includes a heater receiving electric power from at least one of the battery and external power supply to heat the canister. The hybrid vehicle further includes a purge mechanism conducting a purge relative to the canister. Thus, there can be provided a hybrid vehicle that can process fuel evaporating gas without reducing the EV allowed travel distance.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle configured to allow charging from a power supply external to the vehicle, comprising:

a power storage device;

a connector unit configured to electrically connect said power storage device with said external power supply;

an absorption unit configured to absorb fuel vapor, the absorption unit includes a canister storing an adsorbent to which said fuel vapor adheres;

an activation unit configured to activate said absorption unit to facilitate disengagement of said fuel vapor with power received from said external power supply during connection of said power storage device with said external power supply by said connector unit, the activation unit includes a heater for receiving electric power from at least one of said power storage device and said external power supply to heat said canister;

a purge mechanism configured to conduct a purge relative to said canister, the purge mechanism includes an internal combustion engine generating negative pressure; and

a control device configured to control said heater and said purge mechanism, the control device operates said heater in advance prior to starting said internal combustion engine when determination is made that starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein said control device determines a saturation level of said canister and operates said heater and said purge mechanism when said saturation level is larger than a first value.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a time determination unit configured to detect or estimate a startup time of the vehicle,

wherein said control device operates said heater such that temperature increase is completed before the detected or estimated startup time.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a time determination unit configured to detect or estimate a startup time of the vehicle,

wherein said control device operates said heater such that temperature increase is completed before the detected or estimated startup time.

4. A control method for a hybrid vehicle comprising the steps of:

providing an external power supply and a hybrid vehicle configured to allow charging from the external power supply, the hybrid vehicle including a power storage device, a connector unit configured to electrically connect said power storage device with said external power supply, an absorption unit configured to absorb fuel vapor, the absorption unit includes a canister storing an adsorbent to which said fuel vapor adheres, an activation unit configured to activate said absorption unit to facilitate disengagement of said fuel vapor with power received from said external power supply during connection of said power storage device with said external power supply by said connector unit, the activation unit includes a heater receiving electric power from at least one of said power storage device and said external power supply to heat said canister, a purge mechanism configured to conduct a purge relative to said canister, the purge mechanism includes an internal combustion engine generating negative pressure; and

a control device configured to control said heater and said purge mechanism, the control device operates said heater in advance prior to starting said internal combustion engine when determination is made that starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle;

charging said power storage device with electric power from said external power supply,

operating said activation unit by the electric power applied from said external power supply,

operating said purge mechanism after an operation of said activation unit is initiated,

determining whether starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle, and

operating said heater in advance prior to starting said internal combustion engine when determination is made that starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle.

6. A control method for a hybrid vehicle comprising the steps of:

connecting an external power supply and the hybrid vehicle configured to allow charging from the external power supply, the hybrid vehicle including a power storage device, a connector unit electrically connecting said power storage device with said external power supply;

absorbing fuel vapor in an absorption unit that includes a canister storing an absorbent to which fuel vapor adheres;

activating the absorption step with a heater for receiving electric power from at least one of said power storage device and said external power supply to heat said canister in order to facilitate disengagement of said fuel vapor with power received from said external power supply during connection of said power storage device with said external power supply;

conducting a purge relative to said canister where an internal combustion engine generates a negative pressure;

controlling said heater and said purge mechanism where the heater may be operated in advance prior to starting said internal combustion engine;

charging said power storage device with electric power from said external power supply;

operating said purge step after an operation of said activation step is initiated;

determining whether starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle; and

operating said heater in advance prior to starting said internal combustion engine when determination is made that starting of said internal combustion engine is required at a next startup of the vehicle.