US 5,806,617 AGranted

Hybrid vehicle

AssigneeKabushikikaisha Equos Research

InventorKozo Yamaguchi

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle in which an engine can always be driven in a highly efficient region in accordance with the required running load. An engine torque of a combustion engine 2, in which an efficiency characteristic can be selected from those in a lean state and in a stoichiometric state, and a motor torque of a generator/motor 3 are transmitted to a driving output system as a driving torque. The combustion engine 2 is always operated in the most efficient state in each efficiency characteristic which is selected, and a vehicle control device 10 adjusts the motor torque by controlling the generator/motor 3 in accordance with the degree an accelerator opens, selects an efficiency characteristic in accordance with the required running load based upon the required running load input by a required running load detecting means, and amends the engine torque variance which is generated when the efficiency characteristic changes with the motor torque.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a combustion engine;
an electric motor;
an electricity storage means, electrically connected to said electric motor, for supplying electricity to said electric motor;
an output shaft connected to said engine and to said electric motor for receiving engine torque and motor torque, and for outputting the total of the engine torque and the motor torque as an output torque;
required running load detecting means for detecting a required running load;
engine controlling means for controlling said engine to operate in accordance with one of plural, mutually exclusive and predetermined engine-speed-torque relationships, in accordance with an instruction signal;
vehicle control means for selecting said one relationship from among said plural, mutually exclusive and predetermined relationships, based on the detected required running load, and for outputting said instruction signal, indicative of the selection, to said engine controlling means;
and
motor controlling means for compensating for a variance in the output torque which occurs as the engine speed-torque relationship is changed by said engine controlling means by controlling the motor torque output by said electric motor.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/634,303Filed 16 Apr 1996
Priority: JP 7-11937220 Apr 1995
Granted: 15 Sep 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

B60W 20/10
Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles: controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
B60K 6/365
Characterised by the transmission gearings: with the gears having orbital motion
B60K 6/445
Series-parallel type: differential gearing distribution type
B60K 6/46
Characterised by the architecture of the hybrid electric vehicle: series type