Power output apparatus

A power output apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an engine, an electric motor, an electric motor control section for controlling the electric motor, a battery, a disconnecting and connecting section for disconnecting and connecting the engine from and to the electric motor, and a transmission, the power output apparatus being arranged to start the engine by the electric motor, the power output apparatus comprising:

• a battery state detecting section for detecting at least one of a state and a storage amount of the battery;
• a battery output calculating section for calculating a battery output outputted by the battery on the basis of at least one of the detected state and the detected storage amount of the battery;
• an electric motor state detecting section for detecting at least torque and the number of revolutions of the electric motor;
• an electric motor torque/output calculating section for calculating an output outputted from the electric motor and a maximal torque of the electric motor on the basis of the torque and the number of revolutions of the electric motor;
• an engine state detecting section for detecting a state of the engine;
• a starting torque calculating section for calculating an engine starting torque required to start the engine on the basis of the detected state of the engine;
• and
• an EV range setting section for setting up an EV range on the basis of the battery output, the electric motor torque, and the engine starting torque required to start the engine, the engine being disconnected from the electric motor and the vehicle being able to drive with only the electric motor in the EV range,
• wherein the EV range setting section compares the battery output of the battery with the electric motor output of the electric motor to select any lower one therefrom, and sets up, as the EV range, a range obtained by adding a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the selected output into a range in which the engine starting torque is subtracted from the electric motor maximal torque.

A power output apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an engine, an electric motor, an electric motor control section for controlling the electric motor, a battery, a disconnecting and connecting section for disconnecting and connecting the engine from and to the electric motor, and a transmission, the power output apparatus being arranged to start the engine by the electric motor, the power output apparatus comprising:

• a remaining capacity detecting section for detecting a remaining capacity of the battery;
• a battery temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the battery;
• a battery output calculating section for calculating a battery output on the basis of the detected remaining capacity of the battery and the detected temperature;
• an electric motor state detecting section for detecting a state of the electric motor;
• an electric motor torque calculating section for calculating an electric motor maximal torque on the basis of the detected state of the electric motor;
• an engine temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the engine;
• a starting torque calculating section for calculating an engine starting torque required to start the engine on the basis of the detected temperature of the engine;
• and
• an EV range setting section for setting up an EV range on the basis of the battery output, the electric motor maximal torque, and the engine starting torque required to start the engine, the engine being disconnected from the electric motor and the vehicle being able to drive with only the electric motor in the EV range,
• wherein the EV range setting section calculates an electric motor output range based on the battery output of the battery, the engine starting torque and the electric motor maximal torque of the electric motor, and sets up, as the EV range, a range in which the calculated electric motor output range is set to maximal torque.

A power output apparatus for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an engine, an electric motor, an electric motor control section for controlling the electric motor, a battery, a disconnecting and connecting section for disconnecting and connecting the engine from and to the electric motor, and a transmission, the power output apparatus being arranged to start the engine by the electric motor, the power output apparatus comprising:

• a remaining capacity detecting section for detecting a remaining capacity of the battery;
• a battery temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the battery;
• a battery output calculating section for calculating a battery output on the basis of the detected remaining capacity of the battery detected and the detected temperature of the battery;
• an electric motor temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the electric motor;
• an electric motor torque calculating section for calculating an electric motor maximal torque outputted in response to a torque command value outputted from the electric motor control section on the basis of the detected temperature of the electric motor;
• an engine temperature detecting section for detecting a temperature of the engine;
• a starting torque calculating section for calculating an engine starting torque required to start the engine on the basis of the detected temperature of the engine;
• and
• an EV range setting section for setting up an EV range on the basis of the battery output, the electric motor maximal torque, and the engine starting torque required to start the engine, the engine being disconnected from the electric motor and the vehicle being able to drive with only the electric motor in the EV range,
• wherein the electric motor torque calculating section calculates the electric motor torque on the basis of the detected temperature of the electric motor, and the EV range setting section sets up, as the EV range, a range in which the electric motor torque is set to a maximal torque so as to fit in a predetermined range from the battery output.