# US 9,751,526 B2 · Vehicle drive device and vehicle drive method

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- Number: US 9,751,526 B2
- Document ID: US9751526B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/409,307
- Filed: 2013-04-30
- Published: 2015-05-28
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-06-22
- Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.; JATCO Ltd
- Applicants: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.; JATCO Ltd
- Inventors: Kouichi Mori; Shigeru Tomoda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751526B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)}
- B60K 6/485: Motor-assist type
- B60W 10/026: {of lock-up clutches}
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 2510/0233: of torque converter lock-up clutch
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y10S 903/902: Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
- 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 torque assist using a motor generator mechanically coupled to an output shaft of an engine via a belt is prohibited during a lock-up transition from a state where a lock-up clutch is released to a state where the lock-up clutch is engaged, and the torque assist using the motor generator is permitted when a condition for the execution of the torque assist is satisfied except during the lock-up transition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle drive device, comprising:
a motor generator mechanically coupled to an output shaft of an engine via a belt;
a torque converter arranged between the engine and a transmission and including a lock-up clutch for connecting or disconnecting the engine and the transmission;
an engaged state detecting unit configured to detect an engaged state of the lock-up clutch;
a motor generator control unit configured to cause the motor generator to generate a predetermined assist torque to torque assist the engine; and
a torque assist permitting/prohibiting unit configured to prohibit a torque assist by the motor generator control unit when the lock-up clutch is released and permit the torque assist by the motor generator control unit if a condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied when the lock-up clutch is engaged.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle drive device according to claim 1, wherein:
the torque assist permitting/prohibiting unit is configured to prohibit the torque assist by the motor generator control unit during a lock-up transition when the lock-up clutch in a released state is engaged and permit the torque assist by the motor generator control unit when the lock-up clutch is engaged and the condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle drive device according to claim 2, wherein:
the torque assist permitting/prohibiting unit is configured to permit the torque assist by the motor generator control unit at a time when a predetermined time has elapsed after the lock-up clutch is engaged under a state where the condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle drive device according to claim 2, wherein:
the torque assist permitting/prohibiting unit is configured to permit the torque assist by the motor generator control unit at a time when a predetermined time has elapsed after the condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied under a state where the lock-up clutch is engaged.

### Claim 5

A vehicle drive method for executing a torque assist of the engine using a motor generator mechanically coupled to an output shaft of an engine via a belt, comprising
detecting an engaged state of a lock-up clutch in a torque converter arranged between the engine and a transmission and including the lock-up clutch for connecting or disconnecting the engine and the transmission;
prohibiting the torque assist by the motor generator when the lock-up clutch is released and permitting the torque assist by the motor generator if a condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied when the lock-up clutch is engaged; and
causing the motor generator to generate a predetermined assist torque to torque assist the engine when the torque assist by the motor generator is permitted.

### Claim 6

A vehicle drive device, comprising:
a motor generator mechanically coupled to an output shaft of an engine via a belt;
a torque converter arranged between the engine and a transmission and including a lock-up clutch for connecting or disconnecting the engine and the transmission;
engaged state detecting means for detecting an engaged state of the lock-up clutch;
motor generator control means for causing the motor generator to generate a predetermined assist torque to torque assist the engine; and
torque assist permitting/prohibiting means for prohibiting a torque assist by the motor generator control means when the lock-up clutch is released and permitting the torque assist by the motor generator control means if a condition for executing the torque assist is satisfied when the lock-up clutch is engaged.