Control device for vehicle

• US 9,963,139 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hori, Tetsuo, Oyama, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US14/963,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 701 59, 701 66, 701 19, 701 22, 701 70, 701101, 180 65235, 180 65285, 477 5, 477 34, 12333919
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• 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 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• 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 20/17 for noise reduction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/181 Preparing for stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2005 with one sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2007 with two sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2033 with one engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2035 with two engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2043 with five engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator

Abstract

A first electric motor generates torque in the case where a vehicle speed becomes lower than a specified threshold in a travel state where a second electric motor is exclusively used as a drive source among an engine, the first electric motor, and the second electric motor and during a speed reducing travel.

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle, the vehicle including:

an engine;

drive wheels;

a first electric motor provided in a power transmission path between the engine and the drive wheels;

a second electric motor provided in the power transmission path;

a transmission member provided in the power transmission path, the transmission member coupled to the drive wheels and the second electric motor such that power transmits; and

a differential mechanism provided in the power transmission path, the differential mechanism configured to distribute output of the engine to the first electric motor and the transmission member, the control device comprising;

an electronic control unit configured to maintain a stop of the engine, cause the first electric motor to generate torque, and reduce a vehicle speed, when the vehicle speed becomes lower than a specified threshold in a travel state where the engine is stopped, the torque outputted from the first electric motor is zero and the second electric motor is exclusively used as a drive source among the engine, the first electric motor, and the second electric motor and during a speed reducing travel.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:

i) cause the first electric motor to generate the torque in a positive rotational direction when a start of the engine is predicted during a forward travel in which the second electric motor is used as the drive source, and

ii) cause the first electric motor to generate the torque in a negative rotational direction when the start of the engine is not predicted.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to cause the first electric motor to generate the torque in a positive rotational direction during a reverse travel in which the second electric motor is used as the drive source.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to maintain the stop of the engine, cause the first electric motor to generate torque, and reduce the vehicle speed such that a generation of a tooth hammering sound around a differential mechanism is suppressed.