Electricity: motive power systems – Constant motor current – load and/or torque control
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-27
2001-05-15
Ip, Paul (Department: 2837)
Electricity: motive power systems
Constant motor current, load and/or torque control
C318S140000, C318S139000, C318S430000, C475S005000, C475S193000, C180S065230, C701S102000, C701S110000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06232733
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application relates to and incorporates herein by reference Japanese Patent Applications No. 10-212443, No. 10-233176 and No. 10-249932 filed on Jul. 28, 1998, Aug. 19, 1998 and Sep. 3, 1998, respectively.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control apparatus and method for an engine-motor hybrid vehicle, and more particularly to a control apparatus and method, which has a function of operation compensation of a power transmission device.
2. Description of Related Art
Various engine-motor hybrid vehicles having an engine, a storage battery, and a power or energy transmission device for transmitting energy among the engine, storage battery and a vehicle drive shaft are known.
When an engine is operated at an operation point within a highest operation efficiency region, that is, a large torque and low rotation speed region, the engine tends to produce periodic vibration in the idling operation region. In JP-A-9-201005, therefore, the engine is operated in a small torque and high rotation speed region, which is outside of the highest operation efficiency region, when the engine is in the idling region. This shifting of the operation point from the highest operation efficiency region to the other region will lessen the fuel consumption efficiency. In JP-A-63-167640, a periodic change is applied to an alternator output in the opposite phase relation with a periodic change in an engine.
It is also known that the power transmission device can be two rotary electric machines. In JP-A-7-135701, the rotary electric machines are controlled with respect to rotation speed and torque, respectively, to use the output torque of the engine directly as the driving power for the vehicle. In DE 4407666A1, the rotary electric machines are used to transmit the output torque of the engine electromagnetically and assist the torque, respectively. In the hybrid vehicles having those kinds of power transmission devices, controllability is lessened and audible noise is increased at the time of high speed operations or transient operations.
Further, in JP-A-9-170533, one of the two rotary electric machines is used to operate the engine at engine starting. In JP-A-9-117012, one of the two rotary electric machines is used to operate the engine after raising the engine rotation speed above the idling speed, requiring a large amount of electric power from the storage battery. In a rotation control motor and torque assist motor type power transmission device, the engine is operated at a fixed torque at the time of engine starting. Upon shifting from the fixed torque to the rotation speed control, mechanical shocks arise and are transmitted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic control for an engine-motor hybrid vehicle capable of obviating the disadvantages which arise in the conventional apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a first rotary electric machine and a second rotary electric machine are used as a power transmission device between an engine and a vehicle drive shaft. When the engine is operated in a region where engine vibration tends to occur, the engine operation point is shifted from the highest efficiency region. In addition, the first rotary electric machine is driven to apply a vibration suppressing torque. This vibration suppressing torque is changed in opposite phase relation with the periodic change in the engine torque. That is, the first rotary electric machine produces the torque which changes in the same phase relation with the periodic change in the engine torque to apply the suppressing torque as a reaction torque. The second rotary electric machine is driven to apply a periodic torque change to the vehicle drive shaft in opposite phase with that of the first rotary electric machine, so that the torque change of the first rotary electric machine applied to the vehicle drive shaft may be canceled out.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, differences in timings of detected actual rotation positions of a first rotor and a second rotor in a first rotary electric machine is used to correct a relative rotation position between the first rotor and the second rotor. The first rotary electric machine is controlled based on the corrected relative rotation position relation to improve controllability and reduce audible noise.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a first rotary electric machine is controlled to reduce a difference between an engine rotation speed demand value and an actual engine speed demand value. A control gain is varied from a normal one for a predetermined transient period after an engine starts.
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Egami Tsuneyuki
Obayashi Kazuyoshi
Tsuji Hiroya
Denso Corporation
Ip Paul
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
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