Hybrid electric vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9637109-B1
Application number	US-201615007820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jan 27, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2016
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle includes a traction battery and an electric machine electrically connected to the battery. The vehicle further includes a controller configured to, during an inertia phase of a transmission shift from first gear to second gear at a constant accelerator pedal position while battery temperature is less than zero degrees Fahrenheit, alter a torque output by the electric machine to offset inertia torque transfer to a driveline to maintain constant acceleration of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a traction battery;
an electric machine electrically connected to the battery; and
a controller configured to, during an inertia phase of a transmission shift from first gear to second gear at a constant accelerator pedal position while battery temperature is less than zero degrees Fahrenheit, alter a torque output by the electric machine to offset inertia torque transfer to a driveline to maintain constant acceleration of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a transmission having a gear box operably coupled to a differential by the driveline, wherein the electric machine further includes a shaft having a first end connected to an engine by a clutch and a second end operably coupled to an input shaft of a transmission.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to alter the torque output based on power losses of the electric machine at a mechanical torque limit of the electric machine.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an engine selectively coupled to the electric machine.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to retard spark of the engine according to a minimum available torque of the electric machine that is based on power losses of the electric machine at a mechanical torque limit of the electric machine.

6. The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the engine, the clutch, the electric machine and the transmission are mechanically in series with one another.

7. A vehicle comprising:
an electric machine coupled to a driveline; and
a controller configured to, in response to vehicle braking while traction battery temperature is less than zero degrees Fahrenheit, command the electric machine to apply a regenerative torque to the driveline such that the torque increases at a constant rate for an entirety of a blend-in phase, that follows a lash phase and ends at a steady state phase, of the electric machine.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the lash phase is defined by a time period during which a rate of change of torque is predefined, and encompasses a time period in which gear teeth of a powertrain of the vehicle switch mating surfaces.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the steady state phase is defined by a time period during which the controller is operating the electric machine to maintain a constant regenerative torque.

10. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the regenerative torque has a greater rate of change during the blend-in phase than during the lash phase.

11. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein an amount of the regenerative torque is based on power losses of the electric machine at a minimum mechanical torque limit of the electric machine.

12. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising an engine, wherein the electric machine further includes a shaft operably coupled to the driveline and coupled to the engine with a clutch.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 further comprising a transmission having a gear box operably coupled to the driveline and to the shaft.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the engine, the clutch, the electric machine and the transmission are positioned in series with one another.

15. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
an electric machine selectively coupled to the engine via a clutch; and
a controller configured to, in response to an engine start request while a traction battery temperature is less than zero degrees Fahrenheit, engage the clutch to start the engine and apply torque to the engine via the electric machine to maintain constant acceleration of the vehicle during starting of the engine.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein, in response to the engine start request being initiated by a driver of the vehicle, the controller is further configured to apply the torque based on power losses of the electric machine at a mechanical torque limit of the electric machine.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein, in response to the engine start request being initiated by the controller, the controller is further configured to apply the torque based on a sum of power losses of the electric machine at a torque output of the electric machine when the engine starts and a calibratable torque value.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 wherein the calibratable torque value is a torque required to turn over the engine.

19. The vehicle of claim 15 further comprising a transmission, wherein the electric machine further includes a shaft having a first end connected to the clutch and a second end operably coupled to a gear box of the transmission.

20. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the engine, the clutch, and the electric machine are positioned in series with one another.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Johri Rajit
• Yamazaki Mark Steven
• Wang Xiaoyong
• Meyer Jason
• Doering Jeffrey Allen
• Kuang Ming Lang

Classifications

• Y10S903/951

  Assembly or relative location of components · CPC title

• B60W20/10 Primary

  Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand · CPC title

• B60W2710/083

  Torque · CPC title

• B60W2540/10

  Accelerator pedal position · CPC title

• B60W10/08

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