Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Transmission control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-24
2003-09-23
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Transmission control
C701S022000, C701S053000, C701S054000, C180S065100, C180S065230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06625534
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-236222 filed on Aug. 3, 2000 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a control apparatus and a control method for a power train including a plurality of driving power sources for transmitting power to a wheel.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a hybrid vehicle that are provided with different types of driving power sources, e.g., an engine and an electric motor is known. In this hybrid vehicle, by controlling driving/stopping of the engine and electric motor based on a running state of the vehicle, reduction in exhaust emissions, improvement in fuel economy, noise reduction and the like can be accomplished. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-196427 describes an example of a driving controller of a hybrid vehicle provided with an engine and an electric motor on-board.
The hybrid vehicle described in the aforementioned publication has an engine and a motor generator as driving power sources. A first clutch is provided in a power transmission path from the engine to a transmission, and a second clutch is provided in a power transmission path from the motor generator to the transmission. A battery is connected to the motor generator through an inverter. When both the engine and motor generator operate normally, engagement/disengagement of the first and second clutches are controlled based on a predetermined normal control mode, and the vehicle runs with the power of at least either the engine or motor generator.
If at least either the engine or motor generator fails, a failure control mode different from the normal control mode is selected. More specifically, whether or not the engine is operating normally is determined based on the fuel injection amount, throttle valve opening, engine speed and the like, and the control mode is switched between the normal and failure control modes accordingly. For example, if it is determined that the engine is not operating normally, and the failure control mode is selected, the first clutch is disengaged so that the power transmission path from the engine to the transmission is cut off, while the second clutch is engaged so that the vehicle runs with the motor generator as a driving power source. This control is recognized to provide suppression of fluctuation in driving torque resulting from the failure in the engine.
The aforementioned publication describes the control in response to a failure of the driving power sources, i.e., at least either the engine or motor generator, but does not recognize the control in response to a failure in a power transmission apparatus, e.g., clutch, transmission, provided in a power transmission path from the driving power source to a wheel. Therefore, when such failure occurs, running performance of the vehicle is degraded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a control apparatus and a control method of a power train, which are capable of corresponding to a failure in a power transmission apparatus provided in a power transmission path from one of driving power sources to a wheel.
In a first aspect of the invention, a control apparatus of a power train includes a first driving power source and a second driving power source for transmitting power to a wheel, and a power transmission apparatus for transmitting the power of the first driving power source to the wheel. The control apparatus further includes a driving power controller for controlling the power transmitted to the wheel by the second driving power source when the power transmission apparatus fails.
According to the aforementioned aspect, the power transmitted to the wheel is controlled through the second driving power source when the power of the first driving power source can no longer be transmitted to the wheel, for example, due to a failure in which the power transmission apparatus cannot transmit power.
In addition to the aforementioned aspect, the driving power controller may function to transmit the power of the second driving power source to the wheel, and to prevent a load on the second driving power source during operations other than the transmission of power to the wheel.
Thus, the load on the second driving power source is reduced, whereby reduction in the power transmitted to the wheel as well as reduction in the energy required to drive the second driving power source can be prevented.
Moreover, in the aforementioned aspect, the power of the first driving power source may be transmitted to the wheel via a transmission and an output side of the transmission may be coupled to the second driving power source. In this aspect, the driving power controller may function to reduce the load on the second driving power source by controlling the transmission to function in a neutral state.
Thus, the load of the second driving power source can be reduced by controlling the transmission, thereby eliminating the need for a special separate mechanism for reducing the load on the second driving power source.
In addition to the aforementioned aspect, the power of the second driving power source may be transmitted to the wheel via a transmission, and the driving power controller may function to operate different gearshift controls in the transmission when the power transmission apparatus fails as compared to when the power transmission apparatus operates normally.
Thus, gearshift control in the transmission can operate differently when the power transmission apparatus fails as compared to when the power transmission apparatus operates normally. Accordingly, when the power transmitted to the wheel is controlled through the power of the second driving power source due to a failure in the power transmission apparatus, the torque output from the transmission is controlled similarly to when failure in the power transmission apparatus occurs.
In the aforementioned aspect, the driving power controller may function to set a gear ratio, when the power transmission apparatus fails, that is higher than a gear ratio used when the power transmission apparatus operates normally.
Thus, the gear ratio is likely to be set, when the power transmission apparatus fails, to a higher rate than that is set when the power transmission apparatus operates normally. Accordingly, when the power transmission apparatus fails, the driving power of the vehicle is higher as compared to when the power transmission apparatus operates normally.
In the aforementioned aspect, the driving power controller may function to improve an efficiency of the second driving power source when the power transmission apparatus operates normally and controls the gear ratio of the transmission to be higher than the efficiency of the second driving power source when the power transmission apparatus fails.
Thus, the efficiency of the second driving power source is improved through the higher gear ratio that is set when the power transmission apparatus fails as compared to when the power transmission apparatus operates normally. As a result, power consumption in driving the second driving power source is reduced.
In addition to the aforementioned aspect, the second driving power source may be driven with electric power, the power provided with a generator driven by the first driving power source, supplying generated electric power to the second driving power source, and the driving power controller may function to control electric power by the generator through the power of the first driving power source when the power transmission apparatus fails.
Thus, for example, when a failure occurs in the transmission apparatus, the electric power generated through the power of the first driving power source is supplied to the second driving power source. As a result, reduction in the electric power supplied to the second driving power source is prevented.
In the aforementioned aspect, the driving power controller may function to control the gener
Suzuki Naoto
Suzuki Takashi
Takaoka Toshifumi
Yamazaki Makoto
Cuchlinski, Jr. William A
Gibson Eric M
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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