Vehicle, and control method of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434683-B2
Application number	US-202318198334-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2023
Priority date	Jul 14, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a generator a traction battery, a relay, an electric motor, an auxiliary battery, an electric heater, and a controller. The controller is configured to place the relay in a cut-off state when, at the time of the internal combustion engine being started, temperature of the traction battery is lower than a first predetermined temperature, and charging the auxiliary battery with electric power generated by the generator, and supply the electric power generated by the generator to the electric heater to raise the temperature of the traction battery, until the temperature of the traction battery exceeds a second predetermined temperature that is higher than the first predetermined temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a generator that is coupled to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine and that is configured to generate electric power when the internal combustion engine is in operation;
a traction battery that is configured to be charged by the electric power generated by the generator;
a relay that is configured to be able to cut off connection between the generator and the traction battery;
an electric motor that is coupled to driving wheels and that is configured to be driven by electric power stored in the traction battery;
an auxiliary battery;
an electric heater that is configured to raise a temperature of the traction battery; and
a controller that is configured to, when at a time of the internal combustion engine being started the temperature of the traction battery is lower than a first predetermined temperature, place the relay in a cut-off state, charge the auxiliary battery with the electric power generated by the generator, and supply the electric power generated by the generator to the electric heater to raise the temperature of the traction battery, until the temperature of the traction battery exceeds a second predetermined temperature that is higher than the first predetermined temperature.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to, when a surplus of the electric power generated by the generator occurs, operate one or a plurality of devices, of a block heater of the internal combustion engine, an electric heater for heating inside of a vehicle cabin, a defroster, and a defogger, until the temperature of the traction battery exceeds the second predetermined temperature.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a power conversion device that is provided between the generator and the traction battery; and
a direct current to direct current converter that is connected to a power line between the power conversion device and the relay, and that is configured to charge the auxiliary battery with the electric power generated by the generator, and also to supply the electric power generated by the generator to the electric heater, wherein the relay is provided between the power conversion device and the traction battery.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to connect the relay when the temperature of the traction battery exceeds the second predetermined temperature.

5. The vehicle according to of claim 1 , further comprising a power split mechanism that is configured to split output torque of the internal combustion engine between the generator and the electric motor, wherein the power split mechanism is made up of a planetary gear mechanism that includes an input element to which the output shaft of the internal combustion engine is coupled, a reaction element to which the generator is coupled, and an output element to which the electric motor is coupled.

6. A control method of a vehicle, the vehicle including an internal combustion engine, a generator that is coupled to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine and that is configured to generate electric power when the internal combustion engine s in operation, a traction battery that is configured to be charged by the electric power generated by the generator, a relay that is configured to be able to cut off connection between the generator and the traction battery, an electric motor that is coupled to driving wheels and that is configured to be driven by electric power stored in the traction battery, an auxiliary battery, and an electric heater that is configured to raise a temperature of the traction battery, the control method comprising: when the temperature of the traction battery is lower than a first predetermined temperature at a time of the internal combustion engine being started,
placing the relay in a cut-off state, and charging the auxiliary battery with the electric power generated by the generator; and
supplying the electric power generated by the generator to the electric heater to raise the temperature of the traction battery, until the temperature of the traction battery exceeds a second predetermined temperature that is higher than the first predetermined temperature.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Oe Yu

Classifications

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• B60Y2200/92

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title

• B60W2710/305

  target power to auxiliaries · CPC title

• B60W2710/246

  Temperature · CPC title

• B60W2510/246

  Temperature · CPC title