Control system for movable body

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11105382-B1
Application number	US-202117153365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2020
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

A control system for a movable body configured to move by utilizing a motor torque generated by a drive motor, is provided. The system includes the drive motor including a rotor configured to output a rotational force and provided with a variable-magnetic-force magnet, and a stator opposing the rotor with a gap therebetween and provided with a plurality of coils. The device includes a powertrain component provided so as to be associated with the drive motor, and a controller having a magnetization controlling module configured to control magnetizing current flowing through the coils so as to change a magnetic force of the magnet. During a magnetization control in which the magnetic force of the magnet is increased by the magnetization controlling module, the controller operates the powertrain component to suppress an increase in a moving force applied to the movable body due to an increase in the motor torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control system for a movable body configured to move by utilizing a motor torque generated by a drive motor, comprising:
the drive motor, including:
a rotor configured to output a rotational force and provided with a variable-magnetic-force magnet; and
a stator opposing the rotor with a gap therebetween and provided with a plurality of coils;

at least one powertrain component provided so as to be associated with the drive motor; and
a controller having a processor configured to execute a magnetization controlling module to control a magnetizing current flowing through the coils so as to change a magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet,
wherein, during a magnetization control in which the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet is increased by the magnetization controlling module, the controller operates the at least one powertrain component to suppress an increase in a moving force applied to the movable body due to an increase in the motor torque.

2. The control system of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes a clutch provided between a transmission of the movable body and the drive motor and configured to connect and disconnect a transmission of the motor torque, and
wherein the controller reduces an engaging force of the clutch when performing the magnetization control, compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

3. The control system of claim 2 , wherein during the magnetization control, the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet after the controller reduces the engaging force of the clutch.

4. The control system of claim 3 , wherein the controller supplies a torque current to the coils so that a clutch rotational difference becomes below a given value after the controller increases the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and restores the engaging force of the clutch immediately before the magnetization control, the clutch rotational difference being a difference between a rotational speed on a drive motor side of the clutch and a rotational speed on the transmission side of the clutch.

5. The control system of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes a brake, and
wherein during the magnetization control, the controller increases a braking force of the brake compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

6. The control system of claim 5 , wherein during the magnetization control, after the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, the controller reduces a torque current supplied to the coils so that the motor torque reaches a target value, as well as increasing the braking force of the brake according to the increase in the motor torque due to the increase in the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and then, reduces the braking force of the brake according to the decrease in the motor torque due to the decrease in the torque current.

7. The control system of claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes an alternator coupled to an engine, and
wherein during the magnetization control, the controller increases a power-generating load of the alternator compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

8. The control system of claim 7 , wherein during the magnetization control, after the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, the controller reduces the torque current supplied to the coils so that the motor torque reaches the target value, as well as increasing the power-generating load of the alternator according to the increase in the motor torque due to the increase in the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and then, reduces the power-generating load of the alternator according to the decrease in the motor torque due to the decrease in the torque current.

9. The control system of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes an alternator coupled to an engine, and
wherein during the magnetization control, the controller increases a power-generating load of the alternator compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

10. The control system of claim 2 , wherein the controller supplies a torque current to the coils so that a clutch rotational difference becomes below a given value after the controller increases the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and restores the engaging force of the clutch immediately before the magnetization control, the clutch rotational difference being a difference between a rotational speed on a drive motor side of the clutch and a rotational speed on the transmission side of the clutch.

11. The control system of claim 5 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes an alternator coupled to an engine, and
wherein during the magnetization control, the controller increases a power-generating load of the alternator compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

12. The control system of claim 9 , wherein during the magnetization control, after the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, the controller reduces a torque current supplied to the coils so that the motor torque reaches a target value, as well as increasing the power-generating load of the alternator according to the increase in the motor torque due to the increase in the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and then, reduces the power-generating load of the alternator according to the decrease in the motor torque due to the decrease in the torque current.

13. The control system of claim 10 ,
wherein the at least one powertrain component includes an alternator coupled to an engine, and
wherein during the magnetization control, the controller increases a power-generating load of the alternator compared to when inhibiting the magnetization control.

14. The control system of claim 11 , wherein during the magnetization control, after the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, the controller reduces a torque current supplied to the coils so that the motor torque reaches a target value, as well as increasing the power-generating load of the alternator according to the increase in the motor torque due to the increase in the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, and then, reduces the power-generating load of the alternator according to the decrease in the motor torque due to the decrease in the torque current.

15. The control system of claim 13 , wherein during the magnetization control, after the controller causes the magnetization controlling module to supply the magnetizing current to the coils so as to increase the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-force magnet, the controller reduces the torque current supplied to the coils so that the motor torque reaches a target value, as well as increasing the power-generating load of the alternator according to the increase in the motor torque due to the increase in the magnetic force of the variable-magnetic-

Assignees

• Mazda Motor

Inventors

• Itasaka Naoki
• Ebisumoto Hirofumi

Classifications

• Y02T10/72

  Electric energy management in electromobility · CPC title

• F16D2500/1022

  Electromagnet · CPC title

• B60W10/024

  including control of torque converters · CPC title

• B60W20/40

  Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} · CPC title

• F16D48/064 Primary

  Control of electrically or electromagnetically actuated clutches (F16D48/062, F16D48/068 take precedence) · CPC title