Motor vehicles – Power – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-14
2001-07-17
Vanaman, Frank (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Power
Electric
C180S165000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260644
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hybrid automobile provided with an internal combustion engine and electric motor.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
For an engine carried on an automobile or the like, torque and revolution number (RPM) characteristics over a wide range are required so that the engine may operate in any running condition (constant speed, acceleration, uphill road driving and so forth). Generally, the torque and the RPM's of the engine in which the fuel consumption efficiency is high are specified to a range peculiar to the engine. Therefore, there has been proposed a hybrid car including both an engine and a generator-motor so that the drawbacks of one of the power sources may be made up for by the benefits of the other power source under various conditions. Therefore, the overall energy efficiency of the car is improved.
In a conventional hybrid car, the engine is designed with a reduced capacity and is normally operated only in a range in which it exhibits a high fuel consumption efficiency. A motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car is provided which effects regenerative control such that, when the car is accelerated or runs on an uphill road or the like, driving of the generator-motor is controlled with supplied power from a power supply such as a battery to make up for an insufficient driving torque. When the output of the engine exhibits some surplus power, generated energy, obtained when the generator-motor is driven by the engine, is regenerated into the power supply such as a battery (see the official gazette of Japanese Patent Publication Application No. 62-27604).
The conventional motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car causes motor current to flow through the generator-motor and controls the generator-motor so that an aimed torque, calculated based on an operation amount of an accelerator pedal or the like, and a fed back driving wheel torque, detected by a torque sensor or the like, may be equal to each other to make up for an insufficient driving torque.
However, with the conventional motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car, since the torque of the driving wheel, detected using a torque detection mechanism which has some range of mechanical dispersion, is fed back to cause motor current to flow though the generator-motor to make up for an insufficient driving torque, particularly when a high torque is requested while the speed of revolution is low, excessive motor current sometimes flows within the range of the dispersion. The excessive motor current may exceed a rated motor current and possibly damage the generator-motor and reduce its life. In order to prevent damage to the generator-motor, a generator-motor having a high rated motor current, taking an excessive motor current when a high torque is requested during low speed revolution, must be employed. Such a generator-motor has an increased size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to solve one or more of the drawbacks of the prior art described above.
The present invention provides a motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car which can effect current feedback control, by which motor current can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy, when a generator-motor rotates at a low speed, in order to protect the generator-motor from over-currents, and which motor controlling apparatus can also effect torque feedback control in a high vehicle speed-high, torque region to raise the fuel consumption efficiency of an engine.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car comprising: a current feedback control means for controlling a generator-motor so that a motor current of the generator-motor may be equal to an aimed current set based on the torque instruction value; torque feedback control means for controlling the generator-motor so that a driving wheel torque which is a torque of a driving wheel detected by a torque sensor unit may be equal to the torque instruction value; and motor control means for selecting one of an output from the current feedback control means and an output from the torque feedback control means based on an output from a motor revolution number sensor, which detects a number of revolutions of the generator-motor and controlling the generator-motor, based on the selected one output.
Since the motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car comprises the current feedback control means, the torque feedback control means, and the motor control means for controlling the generator-motor, when the generator-motor rotates at a low speed, current feedback control by which the motor current can be controlled with a high degree of accuracy can be performed to protect the generator-motor from over-current. On the other hand, in a high vehicle speed-high torque region, torque feedback control can be performed to effect control of the generator-motor including also the driving torque of the engine.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4335429 (1982-06-01), Kawakatsu
patent: 4407132 (1983-10-01), Kawakatsu et al.
patent: 4855652 (1989-08-01), Yamashita et al.
patent: 5357181 (1994-10-01), Mutoh et al.
patent: 5412294 (1995-05-01), Anzai
patent: 5446351 (1995-08-01), Kusano et al.
patent: 5467275 (1995-11-01), Takamoto et al.
patent: 5576960 (1996-11-01), Maeda
patent: 5589743 (1996-12-01), King
patent: 5786640 (1998-07-01), Sakai et al.
patent: 5898282 (1999-04-01), Drozdz et al.
patent: 2006801 (1971-08-01), None
patent: 0536569A2 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 0724979A1 (1996-07-01), None
patent: 62-27604 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 91/08122 (1991-06-01), None
Japanese Abstract: JPA56-145702, Nov. 11, 1987.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Vanaman Frank
LandOfFree
Motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Motor controlling apparatus for a hybrid car will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2563279