Patent · US Expired

Hybrid vehicle and its control method

US5722502A · kind A · utility

231Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 20, 1996
Grant dateMar 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 20, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S903/946
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle having as a control mode at least a continuous-type parallel series hybrid vehicle (PHV) mode and a series hybrid vehicle (SHV) mode, and a control method thereof. A torque distributing mechanism is provided to distribute the output torque of an internal combustion engine (ICE) to a generator and a motor. A braking mechanism and a clutch are provided in this order between the torque distributing mechanism and the motor. The torque distributing mechanism and the motor are connected by the clutch to keep a power transmission efficiency from the ICE to driving wheels at a high value without depending on the vehicle speed in the continuous-type PHV mode. A battery can be recharged even when the vehicle is not running, by releasing the connection between the torque distributing mechanism and the motor by the clutch. When switching to the SHV mode, the motor side output shaft of the torque distributing mechanism is stopped by the braking mechanism to prevent the ICE from overrunning. An SOC sensor is used to detect the state of charge (SOC), of the battery, and when the SOC is lowered, the control mode is forcedly or automatically switched to the SHV mode. The generated …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.