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:
Feb. 02, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1996
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60K / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
180 652 ;
Abstract
A hybrid vehicle has an engine and a generator/motor connected through a planetary gear unit to an output shaft and the output of the engine is distributed between the generator and the output shaft. The vehicle is smoothly started by a driving motor. When vehicle speed V reaches an engine starting speed V*, the speed of generator/motor is changed to cause the engine to rotate, the engine is ignited and driving continues with the output torque produced by the engine supplemented by the driving motor. The hybrid vehicle allows for a smooth start and improved driving comfort even if an engine interruption scheme for halting the engine is employed, for example, halting the vehicle while waiting for a traffic signal to change.