The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1996
Toyota Jidoshi Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A drive control apparatus for an automotive vehicle having an electric motor operated by an electric energy generated by an electric generator and stored in an energy storage device, and an engine operated by combustion of a fuel, the apparatus having an electricity generating drive mode in which the vehicle is driven by the engine while the electric generator is operated by the engine to charge the electric energy storage device, wherein a changing control device is operable in the electricity generating drive mode, for controlling the engine to operate in a substantially steady state so as to provide a steady state output, and controlling electric power to be generated by the electric generator such that the electric power corresponds to surplus power of the engine which is equal to a difference between the steady state output of the engine and required vehicle drive power which is currently required to drive the vehicle and which is smaller than the steady state output.