Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Shigeru Ibaraki

Takeo Kiuchi

Yutaka Tamagawa

Makoto Kishida

Tsuyoshi Baba

Kiyoshi Asami

Akihisa Sato

Ken Ogawa

Tsuneo Endoh

Yasushi Okada

Toru Yano

Tetsuya Hasebe

Susumu Maeda

Shuji Nagatani

Tsuneo Endo

Shigeru Aoki

Seiichiro Ishikawa

Eiji Kitsutaka

Daiki Sato

Takuya Shirasaka

Kazutaka Takahashi

Eijirou Shimabukuro

A liquid pressure circuit is provided in which connecting an accumulator () to a high pressure liquid path (Lh) by opening a cut-off valve () and connecting a intake liquid path (Li) to the high pressure liquid path (Lh) by means of a switch valve () enables a pump/motor (M) to be operated as a motor by liquid stored under pressure in the accumulator (), connecting the accumulator () to the high pressure liquid path (Lh) by opening the cut-off valve () and connecting the intake liquid path (Li) to a low pressure liquid path (Ll) by means of the switch valve () enables the pump/motor (M) to be operated as a pump to thus store liquid of a tank () under pressure in the accumulator (), and closing the cut-off valve () and connecting the intake liquid path (Li) to the high pressure liquid path (Lh) by means of the switch valve () enables the pump/motor (M) to rotate without load; it is therefore possible to switch between three circuits, that is, drive (motor operation), regeneration (pump operation), and neutral (load-free running) by a simple structure with a small number of components.

Liquid pressure circuit

A hybrid vehicle is equipped with an internal combustion engine, a motor/generator, and a Rankine cycle system for recovering thermal energy of exhaust gas. The output of the Rankine cycle system is input into a transmission or, alternatively, converted into electric power and used for charging a battery. The Rankine cycle system has temperature setter that sets the temperature of steam at the outlet of an evaporator. A pressure setter is provided for setting steam pressure at the inlet of an expander. A pressure controller is provided for controlling the steam pressure at the inlet of the expander. The evaporator generates steam to be supplied at a pressure that is optimum for the expansion ratio of the expander. The Rankine cycle system is operated when the vehicle is accelerating or cruising and efficiently recovers thermal energy of the exhaust gas and reduces the fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine.

Rankine cycle system and vehicle therewith

A Rankine cycle system for recovering a heat energy of an exhaust gas is mounted on a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine as a drive source for the vehicle and an electric generator motor. An output from the Rankine cycle system is input to a transmission and used to assist in a driving force from the internal combustion engine, or converted into an electric power and used to charge a battery. During acceleration and cruising of the vehicle, the heat energy of the exhaust gas is recovered by the Rankine cycle system, and during deceleration of the vehicle, a kinetic energy of a vehicle body is recovered as a regenerative electric power for the electric generator motor, thereby reducing the amount of fuel consumed in the internal combustion engine. Thus, in any operational state, vehicle energy efficiency is enhanced, thus reducing the fuel consumed.

Hybrid vehicle

The catalyst warming control apparatus of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a generator for generating electric power from the output from the internal combustion engine, a power storage unit for storing electric power generated by the generator, and an electric motor driven by the electric power stored in the power storage unit, the hybrid vehicle being driven by at least one of the outputs from the internal combustion engine and the motor. The catalyst warming control apparatus includes a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of a catalyst or a value relating to the same; a first comparison circuit for comparing the detected result from the temperature detector with a preset reference value; and a control circuit for allowing the generator to generate electric power and to store the power in the power storage unit when the internal combustion engine is driven, and when the detected result by the temperature detector is equal to or below the reference value according to the output from the comparison circuit.

Catalyst warming control-apparatus

Evaporator temperature control means (U) that, in order to make the temperature of steam generated by heating water using exhaust gas of an engine coincide with a target temperature, controls the amount of water supplied to the evaporator based on the flow rate of the exhaust gas, the temperature of the exhaust gas, the temperature of the water, and the temperature of the steam. Calculating an exhaust gas flow rate (Gmix) based on a fuel injection quantity, an air/fuel ratio, and a rotational speed of the engine improves the precision and the responsiveness of the calculation. Controlling the amount of water supplied to the evaporator based on this exhaust gas flow rate (Gmix) therefore improves the accuracy with which the steam temperature is controlled so as to make it coincide with the target temperature.

Temperature control device of evaporator

In a vehicle designed so that a driven wheel is driven by uniting an output from an engine and an output from a Rankine cycle system to each other, an accelerator pedal and a throttle valve are connected electrically to each other by a DBW control unit. When an accelerator opening degree (&#x3b8;ap) commanded by a driver is increased, a throttle opening degree (&#x3b8;th) is increased by a correcting amount (&#x394;&#x3b8;th) more than a value proportional to the accelerator opening degree (&#x3b8;ap), thereby compensating for an output shortage due to a response delay of the output from the Rankine cycle system. When the accelerator opening degree (&#x3b8;ap) commanded by the driver is decreased, the throttle opening degree (&#x3b8;th) is decreased by the correcting amount (&#x394;&#x3b8;th) more than the value proportional to the accelerator opening degree (&#x3b8;ap), thereby compensating for an output excessiveness due to the response delay of the output from the Rankine cycle system.

Vehicle driving device

A hybrid vehicle includes: a metal V-belt type infinitely variable gear-change mechanism whereby the rotation of an engine E is subjected to change in gear ratio, a forwards clutch and a reverse brake that perform engagement/disengagement control of the engine and the infinitely variable gear-change mechanism, and a second motor generator capable of driving the drive wheels arranged parallel with the engine. The control device is provided with a first hydraulic pump for engine drive, a second hydraulic pump that is driven by an electric motor for pump drive, and a forwards/reverse clutch control valve that performs changeover control of supply of working hydraulic pressure to the forwards clutch etc. When vehicle running is performed with the engine stopped, the forwards clutch etc is disengaged by the forwards/reverse clutch control valve, and the second hydraulic pump is driven by the electric motor for pump drive, gear-change control of the infinitely variable gear-change mechanism being performed in accordance with the current driving conditions by using this hydraulic pressure.

Hybrid vehicle control device

The hybrid vehicle of the present invention has an internal combustion engine, a power storage unit for storing electric power, and a motor driven by the electric power stored in the power storage unit, the hybrid vehicle being driven by at least one of the outputs from the internal combustion engine and the motor. The drive power control apparatus comprises: a detector for detecting variations in torque produced by the internal combustion engine; a converter for converting the variation into an output from the motor, based on the detection result of the detector; a remaining charge detector for detecting remaining charge of the power storage unit or a value relating to the same; a comparison circuit for comparing the detection result from the remaining charge detector with a preset remaining charge reference value or a value relating to the same; and a controller for driving the motor, based on the output from the converter, when warming up the catalyst by retarding the ignition timing of the internal combustion engine, and when it is determined, based on the output from the comparison circuit, that the detection result from the remaining charge detector is equal to or above the remaining charge reference value or the value relating to the same.

Drive power control apparatus for hybrid vehicle

A control system for a hybrid vehicle prevents a voltage across an electric energy storage device from dropping excessively when the electric energy storage device is discharged with a generator/motor operating as an electric motor, for thereby effectively utilizing electric energy stored in the electric energy storage device as much as possible to operate the generator/motor as the electric motor. The control system also prevents the voltage across the electric energy storage device from rising excessively when the electric energy storage device is charged with the generator/motor operating as an electric generator, for thereby charging the electric energy storage device with electric energy generated by the generator/motor as much as possible while protecting the electric energy storage device. The control system controls operation of the generator/motor to keep a charging and discharging current of the electric energy storage device at a level equal to or smaller than a limiting value determined depending on the amount of electric energy stored in electric energy storage device and the temperature thereof when the generator/motor operates as the electric generator or motor.

Control system for hybrid vehicle

A control system for a hybrid vehicle including a traction motor which drives a drive shaft of the vehicle by electrical energy and has a regenerative function of converting kinetic energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy, a transmission arranged between driving wheels of the vehicle and an internal combustion engine of the vehicle and the traction motor, and a storage battery which supplies electrical energy to the traction motor and stores electrical energy output from the traction motor. A desired output from the traction motor is calculated according to decelerating conditions of the vehicle, and an optimal rotational speed of the traction motor at which the traction motor provides a maximum regeneration output is calculated according to the calculated desired output. The change gear ratio of the transmission is controlled such that the rotational speed of the traction motor is equal to the optimal rotational speed.

Control system for hybrid vehicles

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine for producing propulsive forces, an electric motor for selectively generating assistive drive forces in addition to the propulsive forces and generating electric energy converted from the propulsive forces, and an energy storage unit for selectively supplying electric energy to the electric motor and storing electric energy converted by the electric motor. A control system for the hybrid vehicle has an idling state detecting unit for detecting an idling state of the engine, a rotational speed variation detector for detecting a rotational speed variation of the engine in the idling state of the engine, a memory for storing a plurality of fuzzy rules and membership functions to determine an operating state of the motor to suppress the rotational speed variation of the engine from the rotational speed variation of the engine according to a fuzzy inference process, a goodness-of-fit calculator for determining respective goodnesses of fit of the fuzzy rules based on the membership functions from the rotational speed variation of the engine in the idling state of the engine, a goodness-of-fit combiner for combining the goodnesses of fit as determined by the goodness-of-fit calculator to determine an operating state of the motor, a motor controller for controlling the electric motor based on the operating state of the motor as determined by the goodness-of-fit combiner.

A hybrid vehicle includes an engine for producing propulsive forces, an electric motor for selectively generating assistive drive forces in addition to the propulsive forces and generating electric energy converted from the propulsive forces, and an energy storage unit for selectively supplying electric energy to the electric motor and storing electric energy converted by the electric motor. A control system for the hybrid vehicle includes an accelerated/decelerated state detecting unit for detecting an accelerated/decelerated state of the hybrid vehicle, a memory for storing a plurality of fuzzy rules and membership functions to determine an operating state of the electric motor from the accelerated/decelerated state according to a fuzzy inference process, a goodness-of-fit calculator for determining respective goodnesses of fit of the fuzzy rules based on the membership functions from the accelerated/decelerated state as detected by the accelerated/decelerated state detecting unit, a goodness-of-fit combiner for combining the goodnesses of fit as determined by the goodness-of-fit calculating unit to determine an operating state of the motor, and a motor controller for controlling the electric motor based on the operating state of the motor as determined by the goodness-of-fit combiner.

An electric power generating apparatus having an electric generator is mounted on a hybrid vehicle which has a propulsive electric motor powered by a battery and an internal combustion engine for actuating the electric generator to generate an electric power output to charge the battery. A goodness-of-fit calculator and a generator operational amount calculator determine an operational amount for the electric generator based on a membership function and fuzzy rules stored in a fuzzy reasoning memory according to fuzzy reasoning from vehicle operating conditions including a charged and discharged condition of the battery and a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle, detected by operating condition detectors.

Control system for electric power generating apparatus on hybrid vehicle

An electric power generating apparatus is mounted on a vehicle which has a propulsive electric motor powered by a battery, and has an electric generator and an internal combustion engine for actuating the electric generator to charge the battery depending on a charged/discharged state of the battery. A first operation controller operates the internal combustion engine to enable the electric generator to charge the battery if the amount of electric energy stored in the battery is smaller than a predetermined value or the time-dependent rate of increase of an amount of electric energy discharged from the battery is greater than a predetermined level. A second operation controller operates the internal combustion engine to purge a canister if the charged/discharged state of the battery fails to satisfy a condition for the first operation controller to operate the internal combustion engine and if the amount of a purged gas adsorbed in the canister is greater than a predetermined amount. The first and second operation controllers operate the internal combustion engine in modes established respectively for the first and second operation controllers such that a load imposed on the internal combustion engine when the internal combustion engine is operated by at least the second operation controller is smaller than a load imposed on the internal combustion engine when the internal combustion engine is operated by the first operation controller.

Control system for electric power generating apparatus on vehicle

The opening of the intake air control valve of an engine which actuates a generator on a hybrid vehicle is basically controlled by an intake air control valve control assembly to cause the engine to produce a power output corresponding to a target generated output which is determined by a target generated output setting assembly based on an operating condition of the hybrid vehicle. When regenerative braking of a propulsive electric motor is detected by a regenerative braking detector, the opening of the intake air control valve is corrected in a direction to decrease. Even when the load on the engine drops sharply or is greatly reduced by regenerative braking of the propulsive electric motor, the engine is prevented from racing, and from discharging unwanted exhaust emissions and also from suffering undue vibrations.

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Shigeru Ibaraki