Patent · US Expired

Control system for hybrid vehicles

US5862497A · kind A · utility

52Cited by
9References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 1997
Grant dateJan 19, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 27, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S903/919
  • WIPO fieldTransport
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

There is provided a control system for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a drive shaft driven by the engine, a motor operable on electrical energy for driving the drive shaft, and electrical storage device for supplying electrical energy to the motor. An amount of assistance of the motor to the engine by driving the drive shaft is calculated based at least on load on the engine. An output from the motor is controlled based on the amount of assistance of the motor to the engine. It is determined whether conditions are satisfied for a lean operating mode of the engine in which an air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine is controlled to a leaner value than a stoichiometric value. Changeover of an operating mode of the engine is carried out between a stoichiometric operating mode in which the air-fuel ratio of the mixture supplied to the engine is controlled to a value at or close to the stoichiometric value and the lean operation or the lean operating mode, based on the amount of assistance of the motor to the engine and results of the determination of the lean operating condition.

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