Operating method for a hybrid car

• US 5,359,228 A
• Filed: 05/14/1993
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yoshida, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOOVER, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US08/060,989
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 290/16, 290/17, 290/45, 290/50
• US Class Current: 290/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1415 with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An operating method for a hybrid car which has an electric motor for driving the vehicle and an internal combustion engine for power generation. Using an operational expression including a motor output correction factor whose value is variably adjusted to different values depending on whether the engine is operated for battery charging or the engine is stopped, a required motor current supply that matches the vehicle operating state represented by an actual vehicle speed and an accelerator pedal depression depth is calculated, and the motor current supply is controlled in accordance with the result of the calculation. Consequently, the cruising range of the hybrid car is increased, and also the power performances and exhaust gas characteristics of the hybrid car are improved.

Claims

1. An operating method for a hybrid car which has an electric motor for driving the hybrid car, a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor, a generator for charging the battery, and an internal combustion engine operatively isolated from the electric motor and used to drive the generator, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) discriminating an operating state of the hybrid car by first discriminating means;

(b) discriminating a charged state of the battery by second discriminating means;

(c) controlling the operating state of the internal combustion engine by a controller in accordance with at least one results of the discriminations relating to the hybrid car operating state and the battery charged state by said first and second discriminating means at said steps (a) and (b); and

(d) controlling the electric power supplied to the electric motor, said step (d) including the steps of.

(d) (2) supplying electric power solely from the battery to the electric motor in accordance with the operating state of the hybrid car when the internal combustion engine is in a non-operating condition, and

(d) (2) supplying electric power generated by the generator to the electric motor when the internal combustion engine is operated to generate electric power by the generator, the electric power from the generator being adjusted such that an equivalent generator electric power to the battery electric power, obtained through an equivalence conversion, or a sum of the equivalent generator electric power and the battery electric power matches the operating state of the hybrid car.

2. An operating method for a hybrid car according to claim 1, wherein said equivalence conversion at said step (d) (2) is carried out by using a factor having a specific fixed value.

3. An operating method for a hybrid car according to claim 1, wherein said equivalence conversion at said step (d) (2) is carried out by using a factor whose value changes in a multistage fashion in accordance with the quantity of electric power generated by the generator.

4. An operating method for a hybrid car according to claim 1, wherein said equivalence conversion at said step (d) (2) is carried out by using a factor whose value changes continuously in accordance with the quantity of electric power generated by the generator.

5. A control system for controlling power generation in a hybrid car comprising:

an electric motor for driving the hybrid car;

a battery for supplying electric power to said electric motor;

a generator for charging said battery;

an internal combustion engine operatively isolated from said electric motor for driving said generator;

first discriminating means for discriminating an operating state of the hybrid car;

second discriminating means for discriminating a charged state of said battery; and

a controller for controlling the operating state of said internal combustion engine in accordance with at least one result of the discriminations relating to the hybrid car operating state and the battery charged state by said first and second discriminating means and controlling the electric power supplied to said electric motor by supplying electric power solely from said battery to said electric motor in accordance with the operating state of the hybrid car when said internal combustion engine is in a non-operating condition and by supplying electric power generated by said generator to said electric motor when said internal combustion engine is operated to generate electric power by said generator, the electric power from the generator being adjusted such that an equivalent electric power to the battery electric power, obtained through an equivalence conversion, or a sum of the equivalent generator electric power and the battery electric power matches the operating state of the hybrid car.

6. A control system according to claim 5, wherein said controller carries out said equivalence conversion by using a factor having a specific fixed value.

7. A control system according to claim 5, wherein said controller carries out said equivalence conversion by using a factor whose value changes in a multistage fashion in accordance with the quantity of electric power generated by said generator.

8. A control system according to claim 5, wherein said controller carries out said equivalence conversion by using a factor whose value changes continuously in accordance with the quantity of electric power generated by said generator.