Hybrid vehicle

• US 9,221,329 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kuroda, Shigetaka, Fujimoto, Shinji, Ikegami, Takefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shudy, Angelina
• Application Number:
  US13/577,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20120310462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 903/930, 180/65.265, 477/73, 477/77, 477/83
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/0931 each countershaft having an output gear meshing with a single common gear on the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0047 the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0052 the gear ratios comprising six forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/006 power being selectively transmitted by either one of the parallel flow paths
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

When an idling stop request is generated, in the case of a B zone (the discharge limited zone) or a C zone (the discharge prohibited zone), then an internal combustion engine ENG is made to continue driving, and charging of an electric storage device BATT is performed. Thereafter, when an idling stop release request is generated, in the case of the B zone, a vehicle is started by driving an electric motor MG, while continuing driving of the internal combustion engine ENG and setting a first clutch C1 to an interrupted state. On the other hand, in the case of the C zone, the vehicle is started by continuing driving the internal combustion engine ENG, and setting the first clutch C1 to the connected state.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

an electric motor;

an electric storage device providing and receiving electric power to and from the electric motor;

an automatic transmission including a first input shaft, a second input shaft, and a coupling element which couples the first input shaft or the second input shaft selectively to an output shaft, wherein a driving force of the internal combustion engine is selectively transmitted to the first input shaft via a first clutch, the first input shaft is connected to the electric motor, the driving force of the internal combustion engine is selectively transmitted to the second input shaft via a second clutch, and a motive power output from the internal combustion engine and the electric motor is shifted and transmitted to the output shaft;

a zone distinguishing element detecting a remaining capacity of the electric storage device, and distinguishes, on the basis of the detected remaining capacity, a standard zone, a discharge limited zone in which the remaining capacity is smaller than the standard zone, and a discharge prohibited zone in which the remaining capacity is smaller than the discharge limited zone; and

an idling stop control element controlling charging of the electric storage device, wherein when an idling stop request is generated and the zone distinguished by the zone distinguishing element is the discharge limited zone or the discharge prohibited zone, the idling stop control element sets the first clutch to a connected state while maintaining driving of the internal combustion engine so as to rotate the first input shaft, and thereafter, when an idling stop release request is generated and the zone distinguished by the zone distinguishing element is the standard zone, the idling stop control element controls to start the vehicle while setting the internal combustion engine to a stopped state and the electric motor to a driving state, when an idling stop release request is generated and the zone distinguished by the zone distinguishing element is the discharge limited zone, the idling stop control element controls to start the vehicle by driving the electric motor while continuing driving of the internal combustion engine and maintaining the first clutch in an interrupted state, and when an idling stop release request is generated and the zone distinguished by the zone distinguishing element is the discharge prohibited zone, the idling stop control element control to start the vehicle by continuing driving of the internal combustion engine and setting the first clutch to the connected state.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the coupling element includes a first selecting element which selectively couples the first input shaft and the output shaft, a second selecting element which selectively couples the second input shaft and the output shaft, and a differential rotating mechanism which is configured from a first rotating element which is connected to the first input shaft, a second rotating element which is coupled to the output shaft, and a third rotating element provided with a lock element, so as to be able to mutually rotate differentially, and

the idling stop control element controls charging of the electric storage device, wherein when the idling stop request is generated and the zone distinguished by the zone distinguishing element is the discharge limited zone or the discharge prohibited zone, the idling stop control element sets the first clutch to the connected state while maintaining driving of the internal combustion engine, and rotating the first input shaft by setting the third rotating element to a lock released state by the lock element, and thereafter, when the idling stop release request is generated, the idling stop control element controls so as to start the vehicle after setting the third rotating element to a locked state by the lock element.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1,

further comprising an inclination detecting element which detects an inclination of a road surface to which the vehicle contacts,

wherein the coupling element includes a first selecting element which selectively couples the first input shaft and the output shaft, a second selecting element which selectively couples the second input shaft and the output shaft, and a differential rotating mechanism which is configured from a first rotating element which is connected to the first input shaft, a second rotating element which is coupled to the output shaft, and a third rotating element provided with a lock element, so as to be able to mutually rotate differentially, and

the idling stop control element controls charging of the electric storage device, wherein when the idling stop request is generated and the inclination detected by the inclination detecting element exceeds a threshold value, the idling stop control element sets the first clutch to the connected state while continuing driving of the internal combustion engine, and by rotating the first input shaft, and thereafter, when the idling stop release request is generated, the idling stop control element controls to make the vehicle start by driving the electric motor, while continuing driving of the internal combustion engine, and while maintaining the first clutch to the interrupted state.