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:
Aug. 04, 1998
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1996
Ryuji Ibaraki, Toyota, JP;
Yutaka Taga, Aichi-ken, JP;
Hiroshi Hata, Toyota, JP;
Atsushi Tabata, Okazaki, JP;
Seitoku Kubo, Toyota, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
A drive control apparatus for an automotive vehicle having an electric motor and an engine operated by combustion of a fuel, the drive control apparatus including a drive source selecting device for selecting an engine drive mode or a motor drive mode on the basis of a first value in the engine drive mode of a physical quantity relating to a condition of the engine and a second value of the same physical quantity reflecting energy conversion efficiencies of the electric motor, an electric generator and an electric energy storage device during an electricity generating mode. The physical quantity is preferably a fuel consumption amount by the engine. The drive control apparatus may also include an engine output determining device that optimizes the efficiency of the system by determining the output of the engine so as to power the vehicle and also provide surplus power to operate the electric generator and charge the electric energy storage device. An enlarging device may also be included to increase the output of the electric motor to prevent excessive charging of the electric energy storage device.