Controlling device and method for hybrid vehicle

• US 8,002,059 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanishima, Kaori
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coolman; Travis
• Application Number:
  US11/724,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20070221421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/65.265, 180/65.28, 180/65.285, 180/65.275
• US Class Current: 180/65.275
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• 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: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 10/115 with planetary gears
• 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1015 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/02 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/025 : Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 : Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

A mode switching controlling device and method switches a hybrid drive (HEV) mode to an electric drive (EV) mode without engine stoppage shock. A fourth-to-fifth speed upshifting command is generated due to reduction in an accelerator opening. Then, an HEV-to-EV-mode switching command is generated. A command pressure of a direct clutch is set to 0, and an actual-pressure reduction disengages the direct clutch, causing an automatic transmission to be in a neutral state. When a first time elapses from generation of the switching command, a first clutch command pressure is set to its maximum value, and the first clutch disengages by an actual pressure increase. When a second time elapses, the engine is stopped by reducing engine torque to perform mode switching. A front brake command pressure is set to a precharge pressure when the second time elapses and to its maximum value at a later time when a gear-switching rotation matching controlling operation of a motor-generator is ended, so that the front brake is engaged due to an actual pressure increase for upshifting from the fourth to fifth speed.

Claims

1. A controlling device for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

a motor-generator;

a first clutch whose torque transfer capacity is changeable between the engine and the motor-generator;

a second clutch whose torque transfer capacity is changeable between the motor-generator and a driving wheel; and

a controller configured to;

control a selection between an electric drive mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels by using the motor-generator while the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged, and a hybrid drive mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels by at least driving force of the engine while the first clutch and the second clutch are engaged;

perform mode switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode by reducing the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch, then initiating a stop of the engine, and then disengaging the first clutch; and

disengage the first clutch after an engine torque set during operation of the engine reaches substantially zero as a result of completing the stop of the engine, based on an elapsed time measured from a moment when a mode switching command for switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode is issued.

2. The controlling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an automatic transmission disposed between the motor-generator and the driving wheel.

3. The controlling device according to claim 2 wherein the second clutch is a transmission friction element for maintaining the automatic transmission in a power transmission state.

4. The controlling device according to claim 3, further comprising:

a reverse driving inhibiting element disposed at the transmission system that inhibits reverse driving from the driving wheel to the engine by slipping a disengaged transmission friction element during engagement of the disengaged transmission friction element, wherein the engine is stopped and the first clutch is disengaged immediately at a moment when a mode switching command for switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode is issued.

5. The controlling device according to claim 4 wherein the reverse driving inhibiting element is a one-way clutch.

6. The controlling device according to claim 2, further comprising:

an engaged transmission friction element of the automatic transmission; and

a disengaged transmission friction element of the automatic transmission; and

wherein the controller is further operable to;

disengage the engaged transmission friction element and engage the disengaged transmission friction element to accomplish gear shifting of the automatic transmission, wherein the engaged transmission friction element that is disengaged is the second clutch; and

perform the mode switching at the time of the gear shifting of the automatic transmission.

7. The controlling device according to claim 6 wherein the controller is further operable to:

subject the motor-generator to a rotation matching controlling operation so that an input-side rotational speed of the automatic transmission approaches a rotational speed set after the gear shifting, while the second clutch is in a slipping condition or is disengaged.

8. The controlling device according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to perform mode switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode by reducing the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch and then by disengaging the first clutch during reduction of while reducing the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch or after reducing the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch.

9. The controlling device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a shock produced when the engine is stopped, the second clutch operable to absorb the shock.

10. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor-generator, a first clutch with a torque transfer capacity changeable between the engine and the motor-generator, a second clutch with a torque transfer capacity changeable between the motor-generator, a driving wheel, and an automatic transmission disposed between the motor-generator and the driving wheel, the method comprising:

controlling a selection between an electric drive mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels by using the motor-generator while the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged, and a hybrid drive mode, in which the hybrid vehicle travels by at least driving force of the engine while the first clutch and the second clutch are engaged;

performing mode switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode by reducing the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch, then initiating a stop of the engine, and then disengaging the first clutch; and

wherein performing the mode switching further includes

gear shifting the automatic transmission by disengaging a first transmission friction element of the automatic transmission and engaging a second transmission element of the automatic transmission, wherein the first transmission friction element is the second clutch.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

disengaging the first clutch after an engine torque set during operation of the engine reaches substantially zero as a result of completing the stop of the engine, based on an elapsed time measured from a moment when a mode switching command for switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode is issued.

12. The method according to claim 11, the method further comprising:

engaging a disengaged transmission friction element and inhibiting reverse driving from the driving wheel to the engine by, wherein the engine is stopped and the first clutch is disengaged immediately at a moment when a mode switching command for switching from the hybrid drive mode to the electric drive mode is issued.

13. The method according to claim 10, the method further comprising:

maintaining the automatic transmission in a power transmission state using the second clutch.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

engaging the first transmission friction element of the automatic transmission; and

disengaging the second transmission friction element of the automatic transmission.

15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

subjecting the motor-generator to a rotation matching controlling operation, so that an input-side rotational speed of the automatic transmission approaches a rotational speed set after the gear shifting, while the torque transfer capacity of the second clutch is low.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

absorbing a shock produced when the engine is stopped using the second clutch.