Motor control device, motored vehicle equipped therewith, and method of controlling a motor

• US 8,089,234 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takizawa, Keiji, Aihara, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Rina
• Application Number:
  US12/279,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20080315814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/432, 318/434, 318/632
• US Class Current: 318/432
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/00 Methods, circuits, or devices for controlling the traction-motor speed of electrically-propelled vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

When a motor temperature exceeds a threshold value, a torque control unit reduces a torque control value for a motor generator. A torque limitation control unit determines from torque control value and vehicular speed whether limiting a torque by the torque control unit should be alleviated, and if so the torque limitation control unit activates a signal for a predetermined period of time. When the signal is activated, the torque control unit stops reducing the torque control value and fixes the torque control value to be constant.

Claims

1. An electric motor control apparatus controlling an electric motor generating a force driving a vehicle, comprising:

a torque limitation device to limit a torque of said electric motor when a motor temperature exceeds a preset threshold temperature value; and

a torque limitation alleviation device to output an instruction to said torque limitation device to pause limiting the torque and to maintain the torque of the electric motor at a constant value for a predetermined period of time,

wherein said predetermined period of time is a period of time preset as a time allowing a driver of said vehicle to handle a state of said vehicle caused by said limiting of said torque.

2. The electric motor control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after said predetermined period of time has elapsed, said torque limitation alleviation device outputs an instruction to said torque limitation device to resume the limiting of said torque.

3. The electric motor control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a notification device to output an alarm to a driver of said vehicle when limiting of said torque is resumed.

4. A motored vehicle comprising:

an electric motor generating a force driving the vehicle;

a wheel mechanically coupled with an output shaft of said electric motor; and

the electric motor control apparatus of claim 1.

5. The electric motor control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said torque limitation alleviation device outputs said instruction to said torque limitation device when said electric motor provides a torque exceeding a first threshold value and said vehicle has a speed smaller than a second threshold value.

6. An electric motor control apparatus controlling an electric motor generating a force driving a vehicle, comprising:

a torque limitation device to limit a torque of said electric motor; and

a torque limitation alleviation device to output an instruction to said torque limitation device for a predetermined period of time to alleviate said limiting of said torque in accordance with a state of said vehicle after said torque limitation device starts said limiting of said torque of said electric motor,

wherein said predetermined period of time is a period of time preset as a time allowing a driver of said vehicle to handle a state of said vehicle caused by said limiting of said torque, and

wherein said torque limitation alleviation device outputs said instruction to said torque limitation device when said electric motor provides a torque exceeding a first threshold value and said vehicle has a speed smaller than a second threshold value.

7. A method of controlling an electric motor generating a force driving a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

measuring a motor temperature;

when the motor temperature exceeds a preset threshold temperature value, limiting a torque of said electric motor; and

pausing limiting the torque and maintaining the torque of the electric motor at a constant value for a predetermined period of time,

wherein said predetermined period of time is a period of time preset as a time allowing a driver of said vehicle to handle a state of said vehicle caused by said limiting of said torque.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of resuming limiting of said torque after said predetermined period of time has elapsed.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of outputting an alarm to a driver of said vehicle when limiting of said torque is resumed.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of pausing comprises the sub-steps of:

determining whether said electric motor provides a torque exceeding a first threshold value;

determining whether said vehicle has a speed smaller than a second threshold value; and

pausing limiting of said torque for said predetermined period of time when said electric motor provides said torque exceeding said first threshold value and said vehicle has said speed smaller than said second threshold value.

11. A method of controlling an electric motor generating a force driving a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

limiting a torque of said electric motor; and

after the step of limiting is started, alleviating said limiting of said torque for a predetermined period of time in accordance with a state of said vehicle, comprising the sub-steps of;

determining whether said electric motor provides a torque exceeding a first threshold value;

determining whether said vehicle has a speed smaller than a second threshold value; and

alleviating said limiting of said torque for said predetermined period of time when said electric motor provides said torque exceeding said first threshold value and said vehicle has said speed smaller than said second threshold value,

wherein said predetermined period of time is a period of time preset as a time allowing a driver of said vehicle to handle a state of said vehicle caused by said limiting of said torque.