JP2003343304A - Hybrid car - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance responsiveness to a acceleration request in a hybrid car. <P>SOLUTION: In this hybrid car, an engine and a motor generator are provided as power source, and at least one power of an engine and a motor generator is transmitted to a driving wheel to be used as a propulsion force of the car. The hybrid car comprises: an engine control means for controlling operating/ stopping of the engine; and an accelerator pedal for increasing/decreasing the propulsion force of the car. When only the motor generator is used as the power source of the car and when an output change of the accelerator pedal is not less than a predetermined value within a predetermined time, the engine control means starts the engine. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle provided with an engine and an electric motor as power sources and transmitting at least one of the power of the engine and the electric motor to wheels to provide propulsive force to the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in this type of hybrid vehicle, an operating region for operating an engine (hereinafter referred to as an engine operating region) and an operating region for operating an electric motor (hereinafter referred to as an electric motor operating region) are preset. By using these properly, we are trying to improve fuel efficiency. conventionally,
Control is performed to switch between the engine operating region and the electric motor operating region based on the accelerator opening signal, or the engine operating region is set using the accelerator opening signal, vehicle speed, and engine speed (or electric motor speed) as parameters. The operation area switching control is performed based on the operation area map that defines the electric motor operation area. Further, in the hybrid vehicle disclosed in JP-A-1-153330, the engine throttle opening and the motor output are controlled from the vehicle speed and the accelerator opening.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional hybrid vehicle, the operation of the engine is controlled in accordance with the preset engine operating range or electric motor operating range. When an acceleration request was made, the switching to the engine operating area was delayed and the responsiveness was sometimes degraded. Therefore, the present invention provides a hybrid vehicle having excellent responsiveness to an acceleration request.

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 provides an engine (for example, an engine 2 in an embodiment described later) and an electric motor (for example, in an embodiment described later). A motor / generator 3) is provided as a power source, and the power of at least one of the engine and the electric motor is transmitted to wheels (for example, drive wheels 6, front wheels 23, rear wheels 26 in the embodiments described later) to propel the vehicle. In a hybrid vehicle that uses force (for example, the hybrid vehicle 1 in the embodiment described below),
Engine control means for controlling the operation / stop of the engine (for example, a fuel injection / ignition control device 9 in an embodiment described later) and an accelerator pedal for increasing or decreasing the propulsive force of the vehicle (for example, in an embodiment described later Accelerator pedal 30), and when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, an output change of the accelerator pedal (for example, an accelerator pedal depression change amount ΔAP in an embodiment described later) is a predetermined value within a predetermined time. In the above case, the engine control means starts the engine. The output change of the accelerator pedal is
It can be detected by an accelerator pedal output detecting means for detecting the output of the accelerator pedal (for example, an accelerator pedal sensor 11 in an embodiment described later). With this configuration, when there is an urgent acceleration request when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, it becomes possible to start the engine and use the output of this engine as the power source of the vehicle. .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, an operating region in which only the electric motor is used as a power source of the vehicle is predetermined as an electric motor traveling region, and the engine is started at this time. It is characterized in that it is performed in the electric motor running area. By configuring in this way,
Even when the vehicle is operating in the electric motor drive range and only the electric motor is used as the power source for the vehicle, if there is an immediate acceleration request, the engine is started and the output of this engine is used as the power source for the vehicle. It becomes possible to

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the output change of the accelerator pedal is determined by the depression speed of the accelerator pedal. With this configuration, when the accelerator pedal is depressed at a high speed, the output change of the accelerator pedal becomes large, and it is possible to determine that there is an immediate acceleration request.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, the electric motor continuously outputs even after the engine is started. And By configuring in this way,
It becomes possible to obtain the required output while suppressing the engine output and using the engine and the electric motor together.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, after the engine is started, the output of the electric motor decreases as the output of the engine increases. It is characterized by With this configuration, it becomes possible to prevent excessive output from the electric motor.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the output of the electric motor after the engine is started is limited to the upper limit output of the electric motor or less. To do. Here, the upper limit output of the electric motor means the maximum output that the electric motor can output. With this configuration, the output of the electric motor after the engine is started can be limited to the upper limit output (for example, the motor upper limit output in the embodiment described later) or less.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, the output required for running the vehicle is It is smaller than the upper limit output. With this configuration, it becomes possible to drive only the electric motor as the power source of the vehicle.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings of FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power transmission system in a first embodiment of a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention. In this hybrid vehicle 1, an engine 2 and an electric motor capable of generating power (hereinafter referred to as a motor / generator) 3 are connected in series, and the power of at least one of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 is a transmission 4 and an output shaft 5. It is configured to be transmitted to the drive wheels (wheels) 6 of the vehicle via the. The motor generator 3 is driven by the storage battery 7. The drive wheels 6 may be front wheels or rear wheels. Further, in this hybrid vehicle 1, the driver increases or decreases the propulsive force of the vehicle by changing the depression amount of the accelerator pedal 30.

The engine 2 is a multi-cylinder reciprocating type engine, and an intake / exhaust control device 8 for controlling the operation of intake and exhaust valves for performing intake and exhaust for each cylinder, and fuel injection control and injected fuel for each cylinder. And a fuel injection / ignition control device (engine stopping means) 9 for performing the ignition control of. This hybrid vehicle 1
If necessary, fuel injection / ignition control device 9 can perform fuel supply stop control (hereinafter, abbreviated as F / C control) for stopping fuel supply to all cylinders of engine 2, and further, if necessary, It is possible to perform cylinder deactivation control in which the intake / exhaust control device 8 fully closes the intake / exhaust valves of all cylinders of the engine 2 and the fuel injection / ignition control device 9 stops the fuel supply to all cylinders of the engine 2.

The hybrid vehicle 1 also includes an engine speed sensor 10 for detecting the speed of the crankshaft of the engine 2 (hereinafter referred to as engine speed NE).
And an accelerator pedal sensor 11 that detects the amount of depression that is the output of the accelerator pedal 30, and a vehicle speed sensor 12 that detects the vehicle speed. The accelerator pedal sensor 11 constitutes an accelerator pedal output detecting means. The output signals of these sensors 10, 11, 12 are input to the ECU 20, and the ECU 20 determines that the sensors 10, 11, 12 are
Based on input signals from the above, etc., operation / stop of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 is controlled, and output control of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 is performed.

The hybrid vehicle 1 thus constructed
Are the driving modes (1) motor driving mode,
Five modes are set: (2) engine running mode, (3) cruise running mode, (4) motor assist mode, and (5) deceleration regeneration mode. The motor drive mode is a drive mode in which the motor / generator 3 functions as an electric motor and the vehicle is driven only by the power of the motor / generator 3. At this time, in order to reduce the pumping loss of the engine 2, Cylinder control is performed. The engine running mode is a running mode in which the vehicle is run only by the power of the engine 2. In this engine running mode, the motor / generator 3 is neither charged nor discharged, and can be said to be substantially in a stopped state. In the cruise running mode, the engine 2 is operated and the vehicle is driven by the power of the engine 2, and at the same time, the motor / generator 3 functions as a generator to convert a part of the power of the engine 2 into electric energy and store it in the storage battery 7. It is a driving mode for charging.

The motor assist mode is a traveling mode in which the engine 2 is operated and the motor / generator 3 functions as an electric motor to drive the vehicle with the power of both the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3. The deceleration regeneration mode is a traveling mode in which the motor / generator 3 functions as a generator, and when the vehicle decelerates, the motor / generator 3 performs a regenerative operation to convert deceleration energy into regenerative energy and charge the storage battery 7 as electric energy. is there. In the deceleration regeneration mode, F / C control is performed on the engine 2. FIG. 2 shows the operating and stopped states of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 in each of the traveling modes.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the motor traveling area table. In this figure, the shaded area shows the motor traveling area. In this hybrid vehicle 1, the upper limit value of the output in the motor drive mode (hereinafter, motor drive output upper limit value) is set in advance according to the vehicle speed, and the output required for the vehicle drive (hereinafter, referred to as the required output) PWRREQ and Vehicle speed V
When the operating point determined from the above is in the motor travel area, the motor travel mode is selected, and in this case, the vehicle is driven by the power of the motor generator 3 in principle. Here, the required output PWRREQ is determined from the engine speed NE and the accelerator pedal depression amount AP. The required output in the motor traveling area is set to be smaller than the maximum output that can be output by the motor generator 3 (hereinafter referred to as the motor upper limit output). As described above, when the operating point of the vehicle is in the motor traveling area, the vehicle is basically driven only by the power of the motor generator 3, but the hybrid vehicle 1
Then, even if the operating point of the vehicle is in the motor traveling area, when an immediate acceleration request is made, the engine 2 is started to shift to the motor assist mode, thereby improving the responsiveness to the acceleration request. I chose

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the motor output command value calculation processing at this time, and the motor output command value calculation processing will be described with reference to this flowchart. The motor output command value calculation processing routine shown in FIG.
Is executed every fixed time (for example, 10 to 20 msec). First, in step S101, when this routine is executed this time, the accelerator pedal sensor 1
From the accelerator pedal depression amount APn detected in 1 (hereinafter referred to as the accelerator pedal depression amount this time) APn, the accelerator pedal sensor 1
The accelerator pedal depression amount APn- ₁ detected in ₁ is subtracted to calculate the accelerator pedal depression change amount ΔAP. ΔAP = (APn) − (APn ₋₁ ) That is, in this step S101, the change in the depression amount of the accelerator pedal 30 in the execution cycle of this routine is calculated. It will be determined by the stepping speed of. Further, the speed at which the accelerator pedal 30 is depressed reflects the driver's willingness to accelerate. When the driver wants to accelerate quickly, the driver depresses the accelerator pedal 30 quickly, so the speed at which the driver depresses becomes faster. Therefore,
The process of step S101 can also be said to be a process of detecting the urgency of the driver's acceleration.

Next, at step S102, the engine speed NE and the current value AP of the accelerator pedal depression amount AP.
Based on n, the required output P is referred to by referring to a previously prepared required output map or table (neither is shown).
Search WRREQ. Next, in step S103, it is determined whether or not the required output PWRREQ obtained in step S102 is smaller than the motor traveling output upper limit value in the motor traveling region at the current vehicle speed V, in other words, the current operating point of the vehicle is the motor. It is determined whether or not the vehicle is in the traveling area. The determination result in step S103 is "YES"
If it is in the motor traveling area, step S1
04, the determination result in step S103 is “N
In the case of "O" (not in the motor travel area), the process proceeds to step S106.

In step S104, step S
Change amount ΔAP of accelerator pedal depression obtained in step 101
Is a preset engine operation depression change amount ΔAPm
It is determined whether it is smaller than ax. Step S104
Is YES, (ΔAP <ΔAPma
x), the process proceeds to step S105, and the motor output command value CMDMOTPWR is calculated by setting the required output PWRREQ obtained in step S102 to the motor output command value CMDMOTPWR (CMDMOTPW
R = PWRREQ), the execution of this routine is once terminated. That is, when ΔAP is smaller than ΔAPmax, it is determined that it is not necessary to shift to the motor assist mode because the response is sufficiently satisfied even when the motor running mode is satisfied instead of the immediate acceleration request. is there. As described above, since the motor travel output upper limit value in the motor travel area is set smaller than the motor upper limit output of the motor / generator 3, in the motor travel mode, the output required for traveling of the vehicle is the motor upper limit output. It is smaller than the output.

On the other hand, if the determination result in step S104 is "NO" (ΔAP ≧ ΔAPmax), the process proceeds to step S106, and the engine 2 is started. Then, in step S107, the engine output command value CMDENGPWR is calculated based on the engine speed NE and the current value AP of the accelerator pedal depression amount. Further, in step S108, the engine output command value CMDENGPWR calculated in step S107 is subtracted from the required output PWRREQ obtained in step S102 to calculate the motor output command value CMDMOTPWR. CMDMOTPWR = PWRREQ-CMDENGPWR (1) Expression

That is, even if the current operating point is in the motor traveling area, if ΔAP is equal to or greater than ΔAPmax, rapid acceleration is required, and therefore the motor assist mode is used to improve responsiveness. . This allows
Since quick acceleration is possible, the driver's willingness to accelerate is sufficiently reflected to improve drivability. In this case, since the motor assist mode is used, the motor generator 3 continues to output power for traveling even after the engine is started. This allows the engine 2
Output can be suppressed and the required output PWRREQ can be obtained while using the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 in combination, so that it is possible to improve fuel efficiency and responsiveness. From the equation (1), the output of the motor / generator 3 after the engine is started is
It will decrease with an increase in output. This allows
It is possible to prevent excessive output from the motor / generator 3, reduce unnecessary power consumption, and improve fuel efficiency.

Next, in step S109, it is determined whether CMDMOTPWR calculated in step S108 is smaller than the motor upper limit output of the motor generator 3. The determination result in step S109 is "YES"
If (CMDMOTPWR <motor upper limit output), the execution of this routine is once terminated. That is, in this case, the motor output command value CMDOTPWR calculated in step S108 is directly used as the motor output command value CM.
DMOTPWR. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S109 is “NO” (CMDMOTPWR ≧ motor upper limit output), the process proceeds to step S110 to set the motor upper limit output to the motor output command value CMDMOTPWR (CMDMOTPWR = motor upper limit output), and The routine execution is terminated once. That is, step S10
9. By executing the processing of S110, the engine 2
The motor output command value CMDMOTPWR after the start of is limited to the motor upper limit output or less.

The present invention is not limited to application to the hybrid vehicle 1 having the configuration shown in FIG. 1, but can be applied to so-called parallel type hybrid vehicles 1 having various configurations as shown in FIG. 5 or 6. . In the hybrid vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 5, the power of the engine 2 is the first transmission 13
And the power of the motor / generator 3 is transmitted to the drive wheels 6 via the output shaft 14 and the second transmission 15
It is transmitted to the output shaft 14 via the gear 16 and the drive wheel 6. Also in this hybrid vehicle 1, either one of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 or both of them can be used as the propulsive force of the vehicle.

In the hybrid vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 6, the power of the engine 2 is transmitted to the front wheels (wheels) 23 via the first transmission 21 and the output shaft 22, and the power of the motor generator 3 is at the second speed. It is transmitted to the rear wheels (wheels) 26 via the machine 24 and the output shaft 25. That is, in this hybrid vehicle 1, all the front and rear wheels are drive wheels,
The front wheels 23 are driven by the engine 2, and the rear wheels 26 are motors.
It is configured to be driven by the generator 3. Also in this hybrid vehicle 1, either one of the engine 2 and the motor / generator 3 or both of them can be used as the propulsive force of the vehicle. In addition,
In the case of this hybrid vehicle 1, the two power sources and the front and rear wheels may be connected in reverse so that the power of the engine 2 is transmitted to the rear wheels 26 and the power of the motor generator 3 is transmitted to the front wheels 23. .

[0025]

As described above, according to the invention described in claim 1, when an immediate acceleration request is made when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, the engine is started and the engine is started. Can be used as the power source of the vehicle, so that the excellent effect of improving the responsiveness to the acceleration request is exhibited. According to the invention described in claim 2, even when the driving state of the vehicle is in the electric motor traveling area and only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, the engine is started when an immediate acceleration request is made. Since the output of this engine can be used as the power source of the vehicle, the excellent effect of improving the responsiveness to the acceleration request is exhibited.

According to the third aspect of the invention, when the accelerator pedal depressing speed is fast, the output change of the accelerator pedal becomes large, and it is possible to determine that there is an urgent acceleration request. There is an effect that the will to accelerate can be sufficiently reflected and the drivability is improved. According to the invention described in claim 4, since it is possible to suppress the engine output and obtain a required output while using the engine and the electric motor together, it is possible to improve the responsiveness while improving the fuel consumption. effective.

According to the invention described in claim 5, it is possible to prevent excessive output from the electric motor.
This has the effect of reducing unnecessary power consumption and improving fuel efficiency. According to the invention described in claim 6, the output of the electric motor after the engine is started can be limited to the upper limit output or less. According to the invention described in claim 7, it is possible to drive only the electric motor as the power source of the vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power transmission system in a first embodiment of a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an operating / stopped state of an engine and a motor / generator in a traveling mode of the hybrid vehicle in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a motor travel area table in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a motor output command value calculation process in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power transmission system in a second embodiment of a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a power transmission system in a third embodiment of a hybrid vehicle according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 hybrid vehicle 2 engine 3 Motor generator (electric motor) 6 drive wheels 9 Fuel injection / ignition control device (engine control means) 23 front wheels 26 rear wheels 30 accelerator pedal

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] February 26, 2003 (2003.2.2)
6)

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Claim 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0004

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0004]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 provides an engine (for example, an engine 2 in an embodiment described later) and an electric motor (for example, in an embodiment described later). A motor / generator 3) is provided as a power source, and the power of at least one of the engine and the electric motor is transmitted to wheels (for example, drive wheels 6, front wheels 23, rear wheels 26 in the embodiments described later) to propel the vehicle. In a hybrid vehicle that uses force (for example, the hybrid vehicle 1 in the embodiment described below),
Engine control means for controlling the operation / stop of the engine (for example, a fuel injection / ignition control device 9 in an embodiment described later) and an accelerator pedal for increasing or decreasing the propulsive force of the vehicle (for example, in an embodiment described later Accelerator pedal 30), and when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle , the accelerator pedal change amount within a predetermined time (for example, accelerator pedal depression change amount ΔAP in an embodiment described later) is equal to or more than a predetermined value . In this case, the engine control means starts the engine. The accelerator pedal change amount can be detected by an accelerator pedal output detecting means (for example, an accelerator pedal sensor 11 in an embodiment described later) that detects the output of the accelerator pedal. With this configuration, when there is an urgent acceleration request when only the electric motor is used as the power source of the vehicle, it becomes possible to start the engine and use the output of this engine as the power source of the vehicle. .

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0006

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[0006] The invention as set forth in claim 3, in the invention described in claim 1 or claim 2, A in the predetermined time
Kuserupedaru variation is characterized in that it is determined by the depression rate of the accelerator pedal. With this configuration, when the accelerator pedal depression speed is high , the accelerator pedal change amount within a predetermined time becomes large, and it is possible to determine that there is an immediate acceleration request.

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0026

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the accelerator pedal is depressed at a high speed, the accelerator pedal is operated within a predetermined time.
Since the amount of change in the cell pedal becomes large and it is possible to determine that there is an urgent acceleration request, it is possible to sufficiently reflect the driver's willingness to accelerate and to improve drivability. According to the invention described in claim 4, since it is possible to suppress the engine output and obtain a required output while using the engine and the electric motor together, it is possible to improve the responsiveness while improving the fuel consumption. effective.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) B60K 6/04 531 B60K 6/04 531 (72) Inventor Osamu Saito 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama No. F-term in Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (Reference) 3G093 AA07 AA16 BA15 BA19 BA21 BA22 CA01 CB01 CB06 DA01 DA06 DB05 EA01 EB01 EB08 FA10 FB02

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A hybrid vehicle including an engine and an electric motor as power sources, wherein at least one of the engine and the electric motor is transmitted to wheels to provide a propulsive force to the vehicle, the engine controlling operation / stop of the engine. A control means and an accelerator pedal that increases or decreases the propulsive force of the vehicle, and when only the electric motor is used as a power source of the vehicle, when the output change of the accelerator pedal is a predetermined value or more within a predetermined time, A hybrid vehicle in which the engine control means starts the engine. 2. The driving region in which only the electric motor is used as a power source of a vehicle is predetermined as an electric motor traveling region, and the engine is started in the electric motor traveling region. Hybrid vehicle. 3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the output change of the accelerator pedal is determined by the depression speed of the accelerator pedal. 4. The electric motor continues to output even after the engine is started.
4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3. 5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein after the engine is started, the output of the electric motor is decreased as the output of the engine is increased. 6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the output of the electric motor after the engine is started is limited to the upper limit output of the electric motor or less. 7. The output according to claim 1, wherein when only the electric motor is used as a power source of the vehicle, an output required for traveling of the vehicle is smaller than the upper limit output. Hybrid vehicle.