Vehicle and control method for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9457796-B2
Application number	US-201314424654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2013
Priority date	Nov 28, 2012
Publication date	Oct 4, 2016
Grant date	Oct 4, 2016

Abstract

A vehicle includes: an engine; a first electric motor capable of inputting or outputting power; a power split mechanism including a sun gear, a ring gear and a planetary carrier rotatably revolvably supporting pinion gears meshing with the sun and ring gears. The planetary carrier, the sun gear and the ring gear are respectively coupled to an engine output shaft, a first electric motor rotary shaft and a drive wheel. The vehicle further includes a second electric motor capable of inputting or outputting power to or from the drive wheel; and a control device setting an engine operation range determined by a limit value of a rotation speed of the pinion gears. To increase durability of the pinion gears the limit value is higher at a high engine rotation and low vehicle speed side than at a low engine rotation and high vehicle speed side. Engine operation is controlled on the basis of the set engine operation range.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a first electric motor configured to be able to input or output power;
a power split mechanism including a sun gear, a ring gear and a planetary carrier that supports pinion gears, meshing with both the sun gear and the ring gear, such that the pinion gears are rotatable and revolvable, the planetary carrier being coupled to an output shaft of the engine, the sun gear being coupled to a rotary shaft of the first electric motor, the ring gear being coupled to a drive wheel;
a second electric motor configured to be able to input or output power to or from the drive wheel; and
an electronic control unit configured to set an engine operation range that is determined by a limit value of a rotation speed of the pinion gears of the power split mechanism such that the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears is higher at a first absolute value than at a second absolute value, the first absolute value being the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears of a high engine rotation and low vehicle speed side, the second absolute value being the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears of a low engine rotation and high vehicle speed side, and control operation of the engine based on the engine operation range.

2. A control method for a vehicle including an engine; a first electric motor configured to be able to input or output power; a power split mechanism including a sun gear, a ring gear and a planetary carrier that supports pinion gears, meshing with both the sun gear and the ring gear, such that the pinion gears are rotatable and revolvable, the planetary carrier being coupled to an output shaft of the engine, the sun gear being coupled to a rotary shaft of the first electric motor, the ring gear being coupled to a drive wheel; and a second electric motor configured to be able to input or output power to or from the drive wheel, the control method comprising:
setting, by an electronic control unit, an engine operation range that is determined by a limit value of a rotation speed of the pinion gears of the power split mechanism such that the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears is higher at a first absolute value than at a second absolute value, the first absolute value being the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears of a high engine rotation and low vehicle speed side, the second absolute value being the limit value of the rotation speed of the pinion gears of a low engine rotation and high vehicle speed side; and
controlling, by an electronic control unit, operation of the engine based on the engine operation range.

Assignees

• Saiko Masaaki
• Sato Isao
• Watanabe Ryo
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Saiko Masaaki
• Sato Isao
• Watanabe Ryo

Classifications

• B60W10/12

  including control of differentials · CPC title

• B60W30/1846

  Preventing of breakage of drive line components, e.g. parts of the gearing · CPC title

• B60W2710/0644

  Engine speed · CPC title

• Y10S903/93

  Conjoint control of different elements · CPC title

• Y10T477/606

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic