Vehicle and method for controlling rotary electric machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017282903-A1
Application number	US-201715438763-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle includes a rotary electric machine, an internal combustion engine, a temperature sensor, and a limiter. The rotary electric machine generates power to move the vehicle. The internal combustion engine is started by the rotary electric machine to generate power to move the vehicle. The temperature sensor detects temperature of the rotary electric machine or of a drive circuit for the rotary electric machine. The limiter restricts the power generated by the rotary electric machine if the temperature is higher than a first threshold temperature. The start prohibitor prohibits the rotary electric machine from starting the internal combustion engine if the temperature is higher than a second threshold temperature which is higher than the first threshold temperature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle comprising:
a rotary electric machine that drives the vehicle; an internal combustion engine that is started using the rotary electric machine in response to a request to start the internal combustion engine; a temperature sensor that detects temperature of the rotary electric machine or temperature of a drive circuit for the rotary electric machine; an output limiter that limits output of the rotary electric machine if a detected temperature obtained by the temperature sensor exceeds a first threshold temperature; and a start prohibitor that prohibits starting of the internal combustion engine using the rotary electric machine if the detected temperature exceeds a second threshold temperature that is higher than the first threshold temperature after the output of the rotary electric machine is limited.

2 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the second threshold temperature is set such that the detected temperature does not reach an upper temperature limit of the rotary electric machine or the drive circuit even if the internal combustion engine is started once when the detected temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature but is lower than the second threshold temperature.

3 . The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein if the temperature sensor fails, starting of the internal combustion engine using the rotary electric machine is permitted after a predetermined period necessary for the temperature to decrease to a temperature at which starting of the internal combustion engine is permitted passes since driving torque of the rotary electric machine becomes zero.

4 . A vehicle comprising:
a rotary electric machine to generate power to move the vehicle; an internal combustion engine to be started by the rotary electric machine to generate power to move the vehicle; a temperature sensor to detect temperature of the rotary electric machine or of a drive circuit for the rotary electric machine; a limiter to restrict the power generated by the rotary electric machine if the temperature is higher than a first threshold temperature; and a start prohibitor to prohibit the rotary electric machine from starting the internal combustion engine if the temperature is higher than a second threshold temperature which is higher than the first threshold temperature.

5 . The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the second threshold temperature is set such that the temperature does not reach an upper temperature limit of the rotary electric machine or the drive circuit even if the internal combustion engine is started once when the temperature is higher than the first threshold temperature but is lower than the second threshold temperature.

6 . The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein if the temperature sensor fails, starting of the internal combustion engine using the rotary electric machine is permitted after a predetermined period necessary for the temperature to decrease to a temperature at which starting of the internal combustion engine is permitted passes since driving torque of the rotary electric machine becomes zero.

7 . A method for controlling a rotary electric machine to generate power to move a vehicle which includes an internal combustion engine to be started by the rotary electric machine to generate power to move the vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting temperature of the rotary electric machine or of a drive circuit for the rotary electric machine; restricting the power generated by the rotary electric machine if the temperature is higher than a first threshold temperature; and prohibiting the rotary electric machine from starting the internal combustion engine if the temperature is higher than a second threshold temperature which is higher than the first threshold temperature.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• YAMASHIRO Yoichi
• Mikami Shinji

Classifications

• B60W2710/086

  Power · CPC title

• F02N2200/045

  Starter temperature or parameters related to it · CPC title

• B60W2510/087

  Temperature · CPC title

• F02N2200/042

  Starter torque · CPC title

• B60W20/40 Primary

  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