Apparatus of hybrid vehicle and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12371003-B2
Application number	US-202217900034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2022
Priority date	Dec 29, 2021
Publication date	Jul 29, 2025
Grant date	Jul 29, 2025

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle may include: an engine including a plurality of cylinders for generating power required for driving the hybrid vehicle by combustion of fuel; a first motor starting the engine and selectively operating as a generator to generate electrical energy; a second motor generating power required for driving the hybrid vehicle; a clutch provided between the engine and the second motor; and a controller configured for synchronizing a velocity of the second motor and an engine velocity and for coupling the clutch, in a transition section in which the engine moves from a stop state to an optimal operation point area as an operation area of the engine, and gradually decreasing a torque of the second motor and gradually adjusting the number of combusted cylinders among the plurality of combustion chambers to gradually increase the engine torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:
an engine including a plurality of cylinders for generating power required for driving the hybrid vehicle by combustion of fuel;
a first motor starting the engine and selectively operating as a generator to generate electrical energy;
a second motor generating power required for driving the hybrid vehicle;
a clutch provided between the engine and the second motor; and
a controller configured for, in a transition section in which the engine moves from a stop state to an optimal operation point area as an operation area of the engine, synchronizing a velocity of the second motor and an engine velocity and for coupling the clutch,
wherein, in a torque blending section in which an engine torque is increased and a torque of the second motor is decreased to maintain a final torque input into a transmission constantly, the controller increases stepwise a number of combusted cylinders whenever a set engine cycle elapses, and decreases stepwise the torque output from the second motor whenever the set engine cycle elapses.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the torque of the second motor in the transition section is reduced as a ratio of the number of the combusted cylinders increased whenever the set engine cycle elapses to a total number of cylinders.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the cylinders of the engine operate in a lean burn combustion mode in the transition section.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 3 , wherein an air-fuel ratio in the transition section is set to be different from an air-fuel ratio in the optimal operation point area.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the air-fuel ratio of the engine in the optimal operation point area is set to be greater than the air-fuel ratio of the engine in the transition section.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the engine torque output from the combusted cylinders among the cylinders is increased by adjusting an ignition time of the engine during the set engine cycle.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the ignition time of the engine is advanced during the set engine cycle.

8. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the method comprising:
in a transition section in which an engine moves from a stop state to an optimal operation point area as an operation area of the engine, increasing, by a controller, a velocity of the engine through power of a first motor and synchronizing, by the controller, the velocity of the engine with a velocity of a second motor;
when the velocity of the engine is synchronized with the velocity of the second motor, coupling, by the controller, a clutch provided between the engine and the second motor; and
when the clutch is coupled, increasing, by the controller, a torque of the engine and decreasing, by the controller, a torque of the second motor to constantly output a final torque input into a transmission,
wherein, in a torque blending section in which an engine torque is increased and the torque of the second motor is decreased to maintain the final torque input into the transmission constantly, a number of combusted cylinders is increased stepwise whenever a set engine cycle elapses, and the torque output from the second motor is reduced stepwise whenever the set engine cycle elapses.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the torque of the second motor in the transition section is reduced as a ratio of the number of the combusted cylinders to a total number of cylinders whenever the set engine cycle elapses.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the cylinders of the engine operate in a lean burn combustion mode in the transition section.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein an air-fuel ratio in the transition section is set to be different from an air-fuel ratio in the optimal operation point area.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the air-fuel ratio of the engine in the optimal operation point area is set to be greater than the air-fuel ratio of the engine in the transition section.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the torque of the engine output from the combusted cylinders among the cylinders is increased by adjusting an ignition time of the engine during the set engine cycle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ignition time of the engine is advanced during the set engine cycle.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp

Inventors

• Han Dong Hee
• Park Jong Il
• Kang Hyunjin
• Oh Heechang
• Lee Jonghyeok
• Lee Kwanhee
• Kim Jaeheun
• Ku Jaun
• Hong Seungwoo

Classifications

• B60W2710/0666

  Engine torque · CPC title

• B60W2510/0619

  Air-fuel ratio · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• Y02T10/62

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title