Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Kentaro Tomo

Yasuhiro Kaya

Hitoshi Azuma

A hybrid vehicle of the present invention includes: an engine, a first motor, a second motor, a clutch and an electronic control unit. The first motor is connected with an output shaft of the engine. The second motor is connected with a driving wheel and configured to generate a driving torque at the driving wheel. The clutch is arranged between the output shaft of the engine and the driving wheel and configured to engage or disengage the output shaft of the engine and a rotary shaft connected with the driving wheel. The electronic control unit is configured to control the clutch to be engaged and control the first motor to generate the driving torque at the driving wheel, when the second motor cannot generate a predetermined output torque and the clutch is disengaged.

Hybrid vehicle

In response to a downshift operation (step S) in a moving motor vehicle under an accelerator released state, a torque demand correction value T&#x3b1;(T) is set to give the greater torque variation against the lower speed in a downshifting gear position and against the higher vehicle speed V, until elapse of a preset time period since the downshift operation (step S). A torque demand Tr* to be output to a drive shaft of the motor vehicle is updated by adding the torque demand correction value T&#x3b1;(T) to a previous setting of the torque demand Tr* (step S). A motor is controlled to decelerate the motor vehicle with the updated torque demand Tr*. The torque variation thus attained is equivalent to a temporary torque variation applied to the drive shaft with a variation in rotation speed of an engine in response to a downshift operation in a conventional motor vehicle equipped with a stepped automatic transmission for torque conversion of the output power of the engine. The arrangement of the invention thus enables the driver of the motor vehicle to have the improved gearshift feeling.

Motor vehicle and control method of motor vehicle

When the driver heavily depresses an accelerator pedal to start a hybrid vehicle in an engine stop condition, the control of the invention waits until elapse of a preset wait time and then starts outputting a torque equivalent to a preset torque demand to a ring gear shaft or a driveshaft. The preset wait time is determined not to make the driver feel uncomfortable with a poor response. This arrangement desirably shortens a time period when the vehicle acceleration is restricted due to insufficient power output until the engine starts to output sufficient power and make significant contribution to the vehicle acceleration. The control of the invention thus desirably prevents the driver from feeling the unexpectedly slow acceleration.

Hybrid vehicle and control method of hybrid vehicle

A differential gear includes a rotatable case, pinions rotatably disposed in the case, a pair of side gears meshing with the pinions and disposed in the case, a first shaft supported rotatably about a rotary axis of the case and extending from one of side gears, a second shaft supported rotatably about the axis and extending from the other side gear in the opposite direction to the first shaft, a first driven gear provided in one of the first and second shafts, a first drive gear for rotating the driven gear to transmit driving force to the first and second shafts. A worm wheel fixed to the case, a worm meshing with the worm wheel and an electric motor are provided. The motor is controlled by a control device so as to maintain the difference between numbers of revolutions of the first and second shafts within a predetermined range.

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Chiryu, Japan

Kentaro Tomo