Interrelated power delivery controls – including engine control – Plural engines – Electric engine
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-04
2003-02-25
Estremsky, Sherry (Department: 3681)
Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control
Plural engines
Electric engine
C477S006000, C477S008000, C475S005000, C180S065230, C180S065310, C180S065600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06524217
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 11-287935 filed Oct. 8, 1999, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle having a plurality of vehicle drive units.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known a four-wheel-drive automotive vehicle of the type wherein front drive wheels are driven by an internal combustion engine, while rear drive wheels are driven by an electric motor. An example of this type of vehicle is disclosed in JP-A-10-67243. This type of four-wheel-drive vehicle has advantages of improved drivability owing to the provision of the four drive wheels, and a higher degree of fuel economy owing to normal vehicle running by the front wheels driven by the internal combustion engine, than a vehicle wherein the output of an internal combustion engine is mechanically transmitted to the front and rear drive wheels. Further, the vehicle can be run in an emergency mode by the rear wheels driven by the electric motor, even in the event of a failure of the internal combustion engine, until a battery for the electric motor is exhausted.
JP-A-10-67243 disclosing the four-wheel-drive vehicle does not address problems such as a defect taking place upon starting of an internal combustion engine, or a defect of a power transmitting mechanism disposed between the internal combustion engine and the front drive wheels. Nor does it disclose any solutions to such problems. Where a starter motor is provided for starting the internal combustion engine, there exist a problem that the starter motor is required to be comparatively large in size and weight, for the starter motor to have a normally required degree of durability, a problem that the internal to combustion engine cannot be suitably started in the event of a failure of the starter motor, and a problem that the vehicle cannot be run in an emergency mode in the event of a failure of the power transmitting mechanism disposed between the internal combustion engine and the drive wheels.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The prevent invention was made in view of the background prior art which has been discussed above. It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control apparatus which facilitates the starting of an internal combustion engine or permits the automotive vehicle to run even in the event of a failure of a power transmitting mechanism.
The above object may be achieved according to any one of the following modes of the present invention, each of which is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of elements or technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof which will be described for illustrative purpose only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements or features included in any one of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) A control apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle having drive wheels, an internal combustion engine provided as one drive unit for driving the vehicle, a starter motor for starting said internal combustion engine, a clutch device which is released to substantially disconnect a power transmitting path between the drive wheels and the internal combustion engine, and another drive unit operatively connected to drive wheels, the control apparatus comprising:
first engine-starting means for placing said clutch device a released state thereof and activating the starter motor to start the internal combustion engine, when the vehicle is running in a running condition in which the internal combustion engine cannot be started with a kinetic energy of the vehicle while the clutch device is placed in an engaged state thereof; and
second engine-starting means for placing the clutch device in the engaged state, to start the internal combustion engine with the kinetic energy of the vehicle, when the vehicle is running in a running condition in which the internal combustion engine can be started with the kinetic energy of the vehicle with the clutch device held in the engaged state.
In the vehicle control apparatus constructed according to the above mode (1) of this invention, the clutch device is released and the starter motor is activated by the first engine-starting means, to start the engine with the starter motor, when the running condition of the vehicle does not permit the internal combustion engine to be started with a kinetic energy of the vehicle with the clutch device in the engaged state. Further, when the vehicle running condition permits the internal combustion engine to be started with the kinetic energy, the clutch is engaged by the second engine-starting means, so that the internal combustion engine is started with the kinetic energy through the engaged clutch device. Thus, the provision of the first and second engine-starting means which are selectively operated facilitates the starting of the internal combustion engine. Further, the starting of the internal combustion engine with the kinetic energy of the vehicle reduces the required frequency of operation of the starter motor, making it possible to reduce the required capacity of the starter motor, resulting in reduced size and weight of the starter motor. The term “substantially disconnect a power transmitting path” does not necessarily mean that a plurality of clutches of the clutch device disposed between the drive wheels and the internal combustion engine are all placed in their released states for mechanically disconnecting the internal combustion engine and the drive wheels, but may mean a state of the power transmitting path in which a power of the internal combustion engine and a rotary motion of the drive wheels are not transmitted therebetween.
(2) A vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode (1), further comprising vehicle drive control means for placing the clutch device in the released state and operating the above-indicated another drive unit to drive the drive wheels for running the vehicle.
According to the above mode (2), the vehicle can be run with the above-indicated another drive unit, without an operation of the internal combustion engine.
(3) A vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode, wherein the first and second engine starting means are operable to start the internal combustion engine while the vehicle is running with the above-indicated another drive unit under the control of the vehicle drive means.
According to the above mode (3), the internal combustion engine can be started while the vehicle is running.
(4) A vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode (3), wherein the above-indicated another drive unit is an electric motor for driving the drive wheels, and the vehicle drive control means is motor drive control means for placing the clutch device in the released state and operating the electric motor for running the vehicle, the first and second engine-starting means being operable to start the internal combustion engine while the vehicle is running with the electric motor under the control of the motor drive control means.
(5) A vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode (4), wherein the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are provided to drive the same drive wheels.
(6) A vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode (1), wherein the internal combustion engine is provided to drive one of a pair of front drive wheels and a pair of rear drive wheels of the vehicle, and the above-indicated another drive unit is provided to drive the other of the pair of front drive wheels and the pair of rear drive wheels.
The vehicle control apparatus according to the above mode (6) of th
Endo Hiroatsu
Iwase Yuji
Murakami Akira
Ohtake Masanori
Umeyama Mitsuhiro
Estremsky Sherry
Lewis Tisha D.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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