Vehicle and control method
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsNaoki Nakanishi, Shintaro Matsutani
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
When an engine is started while a vehicle is running with power of a motor, an electronic control unit performs engine starting control by partially engaging an engine coupling/decoupling clutch while allowing the clutch to slip so as to raise the engine speed, temporarily reducing engaging force of the engine coupling/decoupling clutch after the engine becomes to rotate by itself, and then fully engaging the engine coupling/decoupling clutch. During the engine starting control, advancement of the valve-closing timing of an intake valve is restricted until the engine coupling/decoupling clutch is fully engaged.
Claims10
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine including a variable valve timing mechanism for an intake valve, the variable valve timing mechanism being configured to advance or retard a valve-closing timing;
- a motor;
- a clutch that selectively couples the engine to a power transmission path between the motor and driving wheels;
- and
- an electronic control unit configured to perform engine starting control when the engine is started in a motor running mode in which the vehicle runs only with power of the motor, by partially engaging the clutch while allowing the clutch to slip so as to raise a rotational speed of the engine, temporarily reducing engaging force of the clutch after the engine becomes to rotate by itself, and then fully engaging the clutch,
- the electronic control unit being configured to
- (i) restrict advancement of the valve-closing timing of the intake valve until the clutch is fully engaged, during the engine starting control, and
- (ii) advance the valve-closing timing of the intake valve after the clutch is fully engaged.
A control method for a vehicle including an engine, a motor, a clutch that selectively couples the engine to a power transmission path between the motor and driving wheels, and an electronic control unit, comprising:
- executing, by the electronic control unit, engine starting control, when the engine is started in a motor running mode in which the vehicle runs only with power of the motor, including the steps of i) raising a rotational speed of the engine by partially engaging the clutch while allowing the clutch to slip, ii) temporarily reducing engaging force of the clutch after the engine becomes to rotate by itself, and iii) fully engaging the clutch after the step ii);
- restricting, by the electronic control unit, advancement of a valve-closing timing of an intake valve of the engine until the clutch is fully engaged, during the engine starting control;
- and
- advancing, by the electronic control unit, the valve-closing timing of the intake valve after the clutch is fully engaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.