Vehicle braking energy control apparatus and method

Abstract

In a braking energy control apparatus and method for a vehicle equipped with an electric motor, a predetermined amount of braking energy can be achieved, regardless of the charged condition of a battery, when a brake pedal is off. Drive wheels are driven by a drive force from an engine and the motor. A braking energy control device performs ensemble control of a regenerative braking energy control device that controls the motor and a friction braking energy control device that controls liquid pressure supplied to wheel cylinders, and thereby controls the braking energy when the brake pedal is on or off. The coordinate control of regenerative braking energy and friction braking energy is performed not only when the brake pedal is on but also when the brake pedal is off. In this occasion, the liquid pressure for the wheel cylinders and the like is increased or decreased and applied thereto by a linear valve unit and a main linear valve unit, in such a manner that friction braking energy is utilized together with regenerative braking energy for the braking operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.