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. 19, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 02, 2009
Keiko Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Keiko Tanaka, Toyota, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
When the amount of heat stored in a heat storage container is greater than or equal to a determination value at the time of initiation of system start-up in a hybrid vehicle, heating by thermal energy stored in the heat storage container is carried out only on an internal combustion engine. This increases the engine temperature to a permitting temperature for intermittent control of the engine or higher, so that the intermittent control is executed at an early stage after the initiation of the system start-up in the hybrid vehicle. Also, oil viscosity in the engine is rapidly lowered to decrease the resistance to operation of the engine. If the amount of the heat stored in the heat storage container is less than the determination value, the heating by the thermal energy stored in the heat storage container is performed on the transaxle under a prescribed condition. As a result, the fuel efficiency of the engine is improved.