Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle

• US 9,475,482 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: V2 Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Partnership Handelsbolag
• Inventors: Niste, Klas, Eriksson, Robert, Larsson, Patrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ziaeianmehdizadeh, Navid
• Application Number:
  US13/609,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/023 Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• 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

Abstract

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle includes an internal combustion engine driving a pair of wheels on a first axle and a transmission drivingly connecting the internal combustion engine and the wheels on a first axle. An integrated starter-generator is mounted on the internal combustion engine crankshaft between said internal combustion engine and the transmission. The vehicle further includes an electric motor driving a pair of wheels on a first axle and a main battery pack connected to a further electric motor arranged to supply electric power for driving the wheels on a second axle. The electric drive means can comprise one electric motor driving the second axle via a differential, two electric motors each driving one half of the second axle or two electric wheel motors for the respective wheels on the second axle. An additional battery is connected to the integrated starter-generator for starting the engine.

Claims

1. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a propulsion system comprising:

an internal combustion engine driving a pair of wheels on a first axle and having a crankshaft;

a transmission drivingly connecting the internal combustion engine and the wheels on the first axle;

a starter-generator mounted on the internal combustion engine crankshaft, between said internal combustion engine and the transmission;

at least one electric motor driving the pair of wheels on the first axle;

a main battery pack connected to at least one further electric motor arranged to supply electric power for driving wheels on a second axle;

a power electronics unit connected between the main battery pack and the at least one further electric motor and arranged to convert electric power from the main battery pack from a first voltage to a second voltage;

wherein the power electronics unit is further connected between the main battery pack and the starter-generator and arranged to supply electric power for starting the internal combustion engine;

a first transformer unit connected to the main battery pack and arranged to supply a charging current to the main battery pack when connected to an external source of electricity; and

at least one additional battery isolated from the main battery pack and configured to connect to the starter-generator to supply electric power for starting the internal combustion engine in the event of failure of the main battery pack; and

wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to detect the state of charge of the main battery pack, and wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to disconnect the main battery pack if a malfunction of the main battery pack is detected; and

wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to connect the at least one additional battery to the starter-generator to start the internal combustion engine if the main battery pack is disconnected,

wherein the at least one additional battery is connected to the starter-generator and supplies electricity to start the internal combustion engine only in the event of failure of the main battery pack.

2. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional battery is connected to the starter-generator to receive a charging current from the starter-generator.

3. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional battery is connected to the main battery pack via a second transformer unit and that said additional battery is arranged to receive a charging current from the main battery pack.

4. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to detect the state of charge of the additional battery, and wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to generate a warning signal if a malfunction is detected.

5. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to control the output torque from the internal combustion engine and the at least one further electric motor in response to a driver instructed power requirement.

6. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to control at least one further electric motor if the driver instructed power requirement is below a first predetermined level.

7. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to control the internal combustion engine if the driver instructed power requirement is above the first predetermined level and below a second predetermined level.

8. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to control both the internal combustion engine and the at least one further electric motor in response to a driver instructed power requirement above the second predetermined level.

9. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the power electronics unit connected between the main battery pack and the at least one further electric motor is arranged to convert electric power from the main battery pack from a direct current to an alternating current.

10. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional battery is isolated from the main battery pack and supplies electricity to start the internal combustion engine in the event of failure of the main battery pack.

11. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a propulsion system comprising:

an internal combustion engine driving a pair of wheels on a first axle and having a crankshaft;

a transmission drivingly connecting the internal combustion engine and the wheels on the first axle;

a starter-generator mounted on the internal combustion engine crankshaft, between said internal combustion engine and the transmission;

at least one electric motor driving the pair of wheels on the first axle;

a main battery pack connected to at least one further electric motor arranged to supply electric power for driving wheels on a second axle;

a power electronics unit connected between the main battery pack and the at least one further electric motor and arranged to convert electric power from the main battery pack from a first voltage to a second voltage;

wherein the power electronics unit is further connected between the main battery pack and the starter-generator and arranged to supply electric power for starting the internal combustion engine;

a first transformer unit connected to the main battery pack and arranged to supply a charging current to the main battery pack when connected to an external source of electricity;

at least one additional battery isolated from the main battery pack and configured to connect to the starter-generator to supply electric power for starting the internal combustion engine in the event of failure of the main battery pack; and

a separate control unit that is separate from the power electronics unit; and

wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to detect the state of charge of the main battery pack, and wherein the power electronics unit is arranged to disconnect the main battery pack if a malfunction of the main battery pack is detected; and

wherein the separate control unit is arranged to connect the at least one additional battery to the starter-generator to start the internal combustion engine if the main battery pack is disconnected,

wherein the at least one additional battery is connected to the starter-generator and supplies electricity to start the internal combustion engine only in the event of failure of the main battery pack.