Indicator apparatus for hybrid vehicle, hybrid vehicle, indicating method for hybrid vehicle

• US 9,415,685 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Naoto, Nakashima, Motohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/166,520
• Publication Number:
  US 20140138172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/439, 340/438, 701/22, 320/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• 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 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• 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 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 : Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 : Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• 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: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An indicator portion includes a first indicator portion and a second indicator portion. The first indicator portion indicates an accelerator pedal opening degree that changes in accordance with an operated amount of the accelerator pedal by the driver. The second indicator portion includes a division line and regions divided by the division line. The division line shows an accelerator pedal opening degree where traveling modes (EV mode and HV mode) are switched. The regions show the ranges of accelerator pedal opening degrees where traveling is performed in EV mode and HV mode, respectively.

Claims

1. An indicator apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that incorporates an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as motive power sources, and that is capable of traveling in one of traveling modes including a first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and a second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated, the indicator apparatus comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to switch between said first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and said second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated based on an output demand from a driver;

a first indicator portion indicating to the driver a first state amount that changes in accordance with said output demand from the driver, the first indicator portion having a range and displaying a mark that moves over an area that includes the range as the first state amount changes; and

a second indicator portion indicating to the driver a second state amount that shows switching between the first mode and the second mode so that the driver can recognize the switching and whether traveling is being performed in the first mode or the second mode by comparing the first and second state amounts, the second indicator portion indicating the switching as occurring at a position within the range of the first indicator portion, wherein

when starting of the internal combustion engine is demanded based on a prescribed condition irrespective of the output demand from the driver, the electronic control unit forcibly switches the traveling mode to the second mode, the prescribed condition including at least one of (i) a case where warm-up driving of the engine is necessary after cold start, (ii) a case where a catalyst of the engine needs to be warmed up, (iii) a case where heater performance of an air conditioner cannot be maintained, and (iv) a case where a temperature of the power storage apparatus is not higher than a prescribed temperature, and

when the traveling mode is forcibly switched to the second mode, the second indicator portion shows that the second mode is selected for an entirety of the range of the first indicator portion.

2. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first state amount and said second state amount are accelerator pedal opening degrees.

3. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first indicator portion indicates to the driver said first state amount by a change of an indication region or an indication position, and

said second indicator portion indicates to the driver

a traveling mode indication region provided corresponding to said first indicator portion, and

a division line dividing, in accordance with said second state amount, said traveling mode indication region into a first region showing that the traveling mode is said first mode and a second region showing that the traveling mode is said second mode.

4. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said electronic control unit is configured to change a threshold value for switching between the first mode and the second mode in accordance with a speed of the vehicle, and

said second indicator portion changes said second state amount in accordance with the change of said threshold value for switching.

5. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when an output power of a power storage apparatus supplying electric power to said electric motor is restricted, said electronic control unit changes a threshold value for switching between the first mode and the second mode so that a range in which traveling is performed in said second mode is increased, and

said second indicator portion changes said second state amount in accordance with the change of the threshold value for switching.

6. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when a temperature of a power converting apparatus converting electric power between a power storage apparatus supplying electric power to said electric motor and said electric motor becomes not lower than a prescribed temperature, said electronic control unit changes a threshold value for switching between the first mode and the second mode so that a range in which traveling is performed in said second mode is increased, and

said second indicator portion changes said second state amount in accordance with the change of the threshold value for switching.

7. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when a temperature of said electric motor becomes not lower than a prescribed temperature, said electronic control unit changes a threshold value for switching between the first mode and the second mode so that a range in which traveling is performed in said second mode is increased, and

said second indicator portion changes said second state amount in accordance with the change of the threshold value for switching.

8. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said hybrid vehicle includes a switch for allowing the driver to select traveling in said first mode,

when said switch is operated by the driver, said electronic control unit changes a threshold value for switching between the first mode and the second mode so that a range in which traveling is performed in said first mode is increased, and

said second indicator portion changes said second state amount in accordance with the change of the threshold value for switching.

9. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an indication update cycle of said second indicator portion is longer than an indication update cycle of said first indicator portion.

10. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first indicator portion is separated from the second indicator portion by a space.

11. The indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second indicator portion displays a first region indicative of travel in the first mode, the first region being displayed adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the first region when the traveling is being performed in the first mode, and

the second indicator portion displays a second region indicative of travel in the second mode, the second region being displayed adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves, and being positioned adjacent to the first region, so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the second region when the traveling is being performed in the second mode.

12. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine and an electric motor incorporated as motive power sources;

a battery supplying electric power to said electric motor;

a charge connector configured to receive electric power supplied from an outside of the vehicle and to charge said battery; and

the indicator apparatus according to claim 1.

13. An indicating method for a hybrid vehicle that incorporates an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as motive power sources, and that is capable of traveling in one of traveling modes including a first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and a second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated, the indicating method comprising the steps of:

switching between said first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and said second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated based on an output demand from a driver;

indicating to the driver a first state amount that changes in accordance with said output demand from the driver, the first state amount being indicated by a first indicator portion that has a range and that displays a mark that moves over an area that includes the range as the first state amount changes; and

indicating to the driver a second state amount that shows switching between the first mode and the second mode so that the driver can recognize the switching and whether traveling is being performed in the first mode or the second mode by comparing the first and second state amounts, the second state amount being indicated by a second indicator portion that indicates the switching as occurring at a position within the range of the first indicator portion, wherein

when starting of the internal combustion engine is demanded based on a prescribed condition irrespective of the output demand from the driver, the traveling mode is forcibly switched to the second mode, the prescribed condition including at least one of (i) a case where warm-up driving of the engine is necessary after cold start, (ii) a case where a catalyst of the engine needs to be warmed up, (iii) a case where heater performance of an air conditioner cannot be maintained, and (iv) a case where a temperature of the power storage apparatus is not higher than a prescribed temperature, and

when the traveling mode is forcibly switched to the second mode, the second indicator portion shows that the second mode is selected for an entirety of the range of the first indicator portion.

14. The indicating method according to claim 13, wherein

the second indicator portion displays a first region indicative of travel in the first mode, the first region being displayed adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the first region when the traveling is being performed in the first mode, and

the second indicator portion displays a second region indicative of travel in the second mode, the second region being displayed adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves, and being positioned adjacent to the first region, so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the second region when the traveling is being performed in the second mode.

15. The indicating method according to claim 13, wherein the first indicator portion is separated from the second indicator portion by a space.

16. An indicator apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that incorporates an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as motive power sources, and that is capable of traveling in one of traveling modes including a first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and a second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated, the indicator apparatus comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to switch between said first mode where traveling is performed while said internal combustion engine is stopped and said second mode where traveling is performed while both of said internal combustion engine and said electric motor are operated based on an output demand from a driver;

a first indicator portion indicating to the driver a first state amount that changes in accordance with said output demand from the driver, the first indicator portion having a range and displaying a mark that moves over an area that includes the range as the first state amount changes; and

a second indicator portion indicating to the driver a second state amount that shows switching between the first mode and the second mode, the second indicator portion indicating the switching as occurring at a position within the range of the first indicator portion, and the second state amount indicating where the range of the first indicator portion is divided, by the second state amount in the second indicator portion, into a first region in which the first state amount is included when the vehicle travels in the first mode and a second region in which the first state amount is included when the vehicle travels in the second mode, wherein

when starting of the internal combustion engine is demanded based on a prescribed condition irrespective of the output demand from the driver, the electronic control unit forcibly switches the traveling mode to the second mode, the prescribed condition including at least one of (i) a case where warm-up driving of the engine is necessary after cold start, (ii) a case where a catalyst of the engine needs to be warmed up. (iii) a case where heater performance of an air conditioner cannot be maintained, and (iv) a case where a temperature of the power storage apparatus is not higher than a prescribed temperature, and

when the traveling mode is forcibly switched to the second mode. the second indicator portion shows that the second mode is selected for an entirety of the range of the first indicator portion.

17. The indicator apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the second region is displayed adjacent to the first region,

the second indicator portion displays the first region adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the first region when the traveling is being performed in the first mode, and

the second indicator portion displays the second region adjacent to a portion of the area through which the mark moves so that the mark is positioned adjacent to the second region when the traveling is being performed in the second mode.

18. The indicator apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the first indicator portion is separated from the second indicator portion by a space.