# US 2014/0195087 A1 · Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle

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- Number: US 2014/0195087 A1
- Document ID: US20140195087A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/150,303
- Filed: 2014-01-08
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Yukihiko IDESHIO; Koji MIYAZAKI; Yuji INOUE; Shintaro MATSUTANI; Yousuke MICHIKOSHI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195087A1

## CPC

- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 30/186: excessive wear or burn out of friction elements, e.g. clutches
- B60W 2510/0291: Clutch temperature
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle is provided with an engine, an electric motor, and a clutch disposed in a power transmitting path between the engine and the electric motor, a drive mode of the hybrid vehicle being switched on the basis of a required drive force of the hybrid vehicle, between a first drive mode in which said engine is placed in an operated state while said clutch is placed in an engaged state, and a second drive mode in which said electric motor is exclusively used as a drive power source to run the hybrid vehicle while said engine is placed in a rest state and while said clutch is placed in a released state; and a range in which said second drive mode is established being narrower when a temperature of said clutch is comparatively high, than when said temperature is comparatively low.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle provided with an engine, an electric motor, and a clutch disposed in a power transmitting path between the engine and the electric motor, wherein:
a drive mode of the hybrid vehicle is switched on the basis of a required drive force of the hybrid vehicle, between a first drive mode in which said engine is placed in an operated state while said clutch is placed in an engaged state, and a second drive mode in which said electric motor is exclusively used as a drive power source to run the hybrid vehicle while said engine is placed in a rest state and while said clutch is placed in a released state; and
a range in which said second drive mode is established is narrower when a temperature of said clutch is comparatively high, than when said temperature is comparatively low.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the required drive force of the hybrid vehicle that is a basis for determination of a need for switching the drive mode from said first drive mode to said second drive mode, and the required drive force that is a basis for determination of a need for switching the drive mode from said second drive mode to said first drive mode is smaller when the temperature of said clutch is comparatively high, than when said temperature is comparatively low.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon determination of a need for switching the drive mode between said first drive mode and said second drive mode, a moment of generation of a command for switching the drive mode is delayed such that a length of time of the delay increases depending upon a rise of the temperature of said clutch.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said command is not generated if the required drive force of the hybrid vehicle has changed with a result of failing to satisfy a predetermined basis used for the determination of said need, before generation of said command for switching the drive mode.