Vehicle control devices

Abstract

To provide a vehicular control device, which when an abnormality which a gear change stage cannot be formed in a speed change gear occurs, can properly deal with the abnormality.SOLUTION: When an abnormality which a predetermined gear change stage cannot be formed in a speed change gear occurs, a vehicular control device stops operation of an engine and releases connection of an output shaft of the engine to a rotary shaft of a motor by a first clutch; makes a gear change stage of the speed change gear higher than a predetermined gear change stage, with the rotary shaft of the motor connected to the input shaft of the speed change gear by a second clutch and executes predetermined control of controlling the engine, the motor, the speed change gear, and the first and second clutches so that a vehicle runs by power from the motor; and connects the output shaft of the engine to the rotary shaft of the motor using the first clutch, when rotation speed of the motor is above start rotation speed at which the engine can be started, while the predetermined control is executed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device for a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, this type of vehicle control device is used in a vehicle including an engine, a motor (motor / generator), a transmission (automatic transmission) whose output shaft is connected to an axle, a first clutch that connects and disconnects the output shaft of the engine and the rotating shaft of the motor, and a second clutch that connects and disconnects the rotating shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the transmission. A device that controls the engine, the motor, the transmission, and the first and second clutches has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this vehicle, when a failure of an inhibitor switch that detects the range position of a shift lever is confirmed, if the remaining capacity of a battery that exchanges electric power with the motor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the connection between the output shaft of the engine and the rotating shaft of the motor by the first clutch is released, and the vehicle travels in an EV mode in which the motor is used as the drive source for traveling. When the remaining capacity of the battery is less than the predetermined value, the output shaft of the engine and the rotating shaft of the motor are connected by the first clutch, and the vehicle travels in an HEV mode in which the engine and the motor are used as drive sources for traveling. Thus, the engine, the motor, the transmission, and the first and second clutches are controlled.

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above-mentioned document does not disclose how to deal with an abnormality when a gear stage cannot be formed in the transmission. Properly handling the occurrence of an abnormality in which a gear stage cannot be formed in the transmission is recognized as an important issue.

[0005] The vehicle control device of this disclosure is primarily intended to appropriately address the situation when an abnormality occurs in the transmission that prevents the formation of gear stages. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device of this disclosure employs the following means to achieve the main objective described above.

[0007] The vehicle control device disclosed herein is A vehicle control device used in a vehicle comprising an engine, a motor, a battery that exchanges power with the motor, a transmission whose output shaft is connected to an axle, a first clutch that connects and disconnects the output shaft of the engine and the rotating shaft of the motor, and a second clutch that connects and disconnects the rotating shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the transmission, which controls the engine, the motor, the transmission and the first and second clutches, When an abnormality occurs in the transmission that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear, the operation of the engine is stopped, the connection between the output shaft of the engine and the rotation shaft of the motor by the first clutch is released, and with the rotation shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the transmission connected by the second clutch, a predetermined control is performed to control the engine, the motor, the transmission and the first and second clutches so that the transmission is set to a gear higher than the predetermined gear and the vehicle is driven by power from the motor. When the predetermined control is being performed, if the rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than the starting speed at which the engine can be started, the first clutch connects the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor to start the engine. This is the gist of it.

[0008] In the vehicle control device of this disclosure, when an abnormality occurs in the transmission that prevents the transmission from forming a predetermined gear, the engine operation is stopped, the connection between the engine's output shaft and the motor's rotating shaft by the first clutch is released, and with the motor's rotating shaft and the transmission's input shaft connected by the second clutch, a predetermined control is performed to control the engine, motor, transmission, and the first and second clutches so that the transmission is set to a gear higher than the predetermined gear and the vehicle is driven by power from the motor. When the engine is running, it is necessary to partially engage the second clutch at the start to suppress shock, and if the driving force input to the rotating shaft is increased in order to drive with the same driving force as before the transmission gear was set higher, the load on the second clutch may increase and it may overheat. In the vehicle control device of this disclosure, by performing the predetermined control, it is possible to start with the second clutch fully engaged, thereby suppressing the load on the second clutch and suppressing overheating. Furthermore, when the predetermined control is being executed, if the motor's rotational speed is equal to or greater than the starting speed at which the engine can be started, the first clutch connects the engine's output shaft and the motor's rotational shaft to start the engine. This prevents the battery from running out and making it impossible to drive. Also, since the engine is started when the motor's rotational speed is equal to or greater than the starting speed, the engine can be started more reliably. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the transmission that prevents the formation of gears, it can be dealt with more appropriately.

[0009] In the vehicle control device described herein, when the predetermined control is being performed, if the rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed and the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor can be connected by the first clutch, and the rotational speed is equal to or less than the predetermined rotational speed which is higher than the starting rotational speed, the first clutch may be engaged to connect the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor and start the engine. This allows the engine to be started more reliably while suppressing overheating of the first clutch.

[0010] Furthermore, in the vehicle control device of this disclosure, when the predetermined control is being executed and the rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed, if the charge level of the battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor are connected by the first clutch while the second clutch is in a slip-engaged state, and the engine is cranked by the motor, and the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine are started to start the engine. If the charge level is less than the predetermined value, the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor are connected by the first clutch while the second clutch is fully engaged, and the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine are started to start the engine. When the charge level of the battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the engine is cranked by the motor while the second clutch is in a slip-engaged state, and the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine are started to start the engine, thereby suppressing the occurrence of shock when starting the engine and enabling a more reliable engine start. Furthermore, when the battery capacity is below a predetermined value, the second clutch is fully engaged while the first clutch connects the engine's output shaft and the motor's rotation shaft, initiating fuel injection and ignition control of the engine to start it, thereby suppressing battery depletion. As a result, the engine can be started more properly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the general configuration of the hybrid vehicle 20. [Figure 2] A flowchart illustrating an example of an abnormal situation control routine. [Figure 3] A flowchart illustrating an example of a control routine. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a hybrid vehicle 20 equipped with the vehicle control device of this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the hybrid vehicle 20 of this embodiment includes an engine 22, an engine electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "engine ECU") 24, a motor 30, an inverter 32, a motor electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "motor ECU") 34, a clutch K0 (first clutch), a clutch WSC (second clutch), a transmission 40, a transmission electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "transmission ECU") 46, a battery 50, a battery electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "battery ECU") 52, and a hybrid electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "HVECU") 70.

[0013] Engine 22 is configured as an internal combustion engine that outputs power using fuel such as gasoline or diesel from a fuel tank. The crankshaft (output shaft) 23 of this engine 22 is connected to the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 via a clutch K0.

[0014] The engine ECU 24, although not shown in the diagram, is a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, flash memory, input / output ports, and communication ports. Signals from various sensors are input to the engine ECU 24 via its input ports. Examples of signals input to the engine ECU 24 include the crank angle θcr from the crank position sensor, which detects the rotational position of the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22, and the intake air volume Qa from the airflow meter, which detects the intake air volume of the engine 22. Various control signals are output from the engine ECU 24 via its output ports. The engine ECU 24 is connected to the HVECU 70 via its communication port. The engine ECU 24 calculates the rotational speed Ne of the engine 22 based on the crank angle θcr of the crankshaft 23 from the crank position sensor, and calculates the load ratio KL of the engine 22 (the ratio of the volume of air actually inhaled in one cycle to the stroke volume per cycle of the engine 22) based on the intake air volume Qa from the airflow meter and the rotational speed Ne of the engine 22.

[0015] The motor 30 is configured as a synchronous generator-motor and has a rotor with permanent magnets embedded in a rotor core and a stator with three-phase coils wound around a stator core. The rotating shaft 31 to which the rotor of the motor 30 is fixed is connected to the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 via a clutch K0 and to the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40 via a clutch WSC. The inverter 32 is used to drive the motor 30 and is connected to the battery 50 via a power line 54. The motor 30 is rotationally driven by the switching of multiple switching elements of the inverter 32.

[0016] The motor ECU 34, although not shown in the diagram, is a microcomputer equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, flash memory, input / output ports, and communication ports. Signals from various sensors are input to the motor ECU 34 via its input ports. Examples of signals input to the motor ECU 34 include the rotational position θm from the rotational position sensor 30a, which detects the rotational position of the rotor (rotating shaft 31) of the motor 30, and the phase currents Iu and Iv from the current sensors 30u and 30v, which detect the current of each phase of the motor 30. Control signals to the inverter 32 and other signals are output from the motor ECU 34 via its output ports. The motor ECU 34 is connected to the HVECU 70 via its communication port. The motor ECU 34 calculates the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 based on the rotational position θm of the rotor (rotating shaft 31) of the motor 30 as detected by the rotational position sensor 30a.

[0017] Clutch K0 is configured, for example, as a hydraulically driven friction clutch, and connects and disconnects the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30.

[0018] The clutch WSC is configured, for example, as a hydraulically driven friction clutch, and connects and disconnects the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 and the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40.

[0019] The transmission 40 is configured as an automatic transmission such as a 4-speed, 6-speed, 8-speed, or 10-speed automatic transmission, and includes an input shaft 41, an output shaft 42, a plurality of planetary gears, and a plurality of hydraulically driven friction engagement elements (clutches and brakes). The input shaft 41 is connected to the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 via the WSC clutch, and the output shaft 42 is coupled to an axle connected to driving wheels 49 via a differential gear 48. Each of the plurality of friction engagement elements includes a hydraulic servo constituted by a piston, a plurality of friction engagement plates (a friction plate and a separator plate), an oil chamber to which hydraulic oil is supplied, and the like. The transmission 40, by bringing the plurality of friction engagement elements into an engaged state or a released state, forms forward gears and a reverse gear for each shift stage to connect the input shaft 41 and the output shaft 42 (transmits power therebetween) or releases the connection between the input shaft 41 and the output shaft 42.

[0020] Although not shown, the transmission ECU 46 includes a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input / output port, and a communication port. Signals from various sensors are input to the transmission ECU 46 via the input port. Examples of the signals input to the transmission ECU 46 include a rotation speed Ni from a rotation speed sensor 41a that detects the rotation speed of the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40, and a rotation speed No from a rotation speed sensor 42a that detects the rotation speed of the output shaft 42 of the transmission 40. Control signals for the clutches K0 and WSC, drive signals for the plurality of hydraulically driven friction engagement elements of the transmission 40, and the like are output from the transmission ECU 46 via the output port. The transmission ECU 46 is connected to the HVECU 70 via a communication port.

[0021] The battery 50 is configured as, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery, and is connected to the inverter 32 via the power line 54 as described above.

[0022] Although not shown in the figure, the battery ECU 52 includes a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input / output port, and a communication port. Signals from various sensors required for managing the battery 50 are input to the battery ECU 52 via the input port. Examples of the signals input to the battery ECU 52 include a voltage Vb from a voltage sensor that detects a voltage of the battery 50, a current Ib from a current sensor that detects a current of the battery 50 (a positive value when discharging), and a temperature Tb from a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the battery 50. The battery ECU 52 is connected to the HVECU 70 via a communication port. The battery ECU 52 calculates a state of charge (SOC) of the battery 50 based on an integrated value of the current Ib of the battery 50 obtained from the current sensor. The state of charge SOC is a ratio of an amount of electric power dischargeable from the battery 50 to a total capacity of the battery 50.

[0023] Although not shown in the figure, the HVECU 70 includes a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, an input / output port, and a communication port. Signals from various sensors are input to the HVECU 70 via the input port. Examples of the signals input to the HVECU 70 include a start signal from a start switch 80 and a shift position SP from a shift position sensor 82 that detects an operation position of a shift lever 81. An accelerator opening Acc from an accelerator pedal position sensor 84 that detects a depression amount of an accelerator pedal 83, and a brake pedal position BP from a brake pedal position sensor 86 that detects a depression amount of a brake pedal 85 can also be mentioned. A vehicle speed V from a vehicle speed sensor 87 can also be cited. As described above, the HVECU 70 is connected to the engine ECU 24, the motor ECU 34, the transmission ECU 46, and the battery ECU 52 via communication ports.

[0024] The hybrid vehicle 20 of this embodiment, configured in this way, operates in hybrid driving (HV driving) mode and electric driving (EV driving) mode through coordinated control of the HVECU 70, engine ECU 24, motor ECU 34, and transmission ECU 46. The HV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle operates with the engine 22 rotating, with the clutch K0 and WSC engaged. The EV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle operates without the engine 22 rotating, with the clutch K0 disengaged and the clutch WSC engaged. Note that the engagement state of the clutch K0 and WSC includes not only the fully engaged state but also the slip engagement state (partially engaged state, the so-called half-clutch state where it is slipping).

[0025] In HV driving mode, the HVECU 70 sets the target gear position St* of the transmission 40 based on the accelerator opening Acc and vehicle speed V, and transmits the set target gear position St* to the transmission ECU 46. Upon receiving the target gear position St*, the transmission ECU 46 controls the transmission 40 so that the gear position St of the transmission 40 becomes the target gear position St*. The HVECU 70 also sets the required torque To* required for driving (required to the output shaft 42 of the transmission 40) based on the accelerator opening Acc and vehicle speed V, and sets the required torque Ti* of the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40 based on the set required torque To* and the gear position St (gear ratio Gt) of the transmission 40. Subsequently, the HVECU 70 sets the target torque Te* of the engine 22 and the torque command Tm* of the motor 30 so that the required torque Ti* is output to the input shaft 41 and the battery 50 is charged and discharged with the required charge / discharge power Pb*. Then, the target torque Te* of the engine 22 is transmitted to the engine ECU 24, and the torque command Tm* of the motor 30 is transmitted to the motor ECU 34. The engine ECU 24 controls the operation of the engine 22 (such as intake air volume control, fuel injection control, and ignition control) so that the engine 22 is operated based on the target torque Te*. The motor ECU 34 controls the switching of the inverter 32 so that the motor 30 is driven by the torque command Tm*.

[0026] In HV driving mode, when the conditions for stopping the engine 22 are met, such as when the required torque Ti* falls below the stopping threshold Tiref1, the engine 22 stops operating and the clutch K0 is released, transitioning to EV driving mode.

[0027] In EV driving mode, the HVECU70 sets the target gear position St*, similar to the HV driving mode, and transmits it to the transmission ECU46. The transmission ECU46 controls the transmission 40 so that the gear position St becomes the target gear position St*. In addition, the HVECU70 sets the required torque Ti* for the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40, similar to the HV driving mode, sets the torque command Tm* for the motor 30 so that the set required torque Ti* is output to the input shaft 41, and transmits the set torque command Tm* to the motor ECU34. The control of the inverter 32 by the motor ECU34 is described above.

[0028] In EV driving mode, when the conditions for starting the engine 22 are met, such as when the required torque Ti* reaches or exceeds the starting threshold Tiref2, which is greater than the stopping threshold Tiref1, the engine 22 is started and the vehicle switches to HV driving mode. When the engine 22 is started, the motor 30 outputs the cranking torque for the engine 22 while the clutch K0 is fully engaged via a slip engagement state to crank the engine 22, and at the same time, the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine 22 are started. The cranking torque is set to increase from a value of 0 to a relatively large torque and then be held, and then gradually decrease. When the engine 22 is started, the motor 30 outputs a torque that is the sum of the cranking torque for the engine 22 and the driving torque.

[0029] Next, the operation of the hybrid vehicle 20 equipped with the vehicle control device of this embodiment, as configured in this way, will be described in particular, the operation when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming any gear (hereinafter referred to as "predetermined gear"), and Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of an abnormality control routine executed by the HVECU 70. This routine is executed repeatedly at predetermined time intervals (for example, every few msec) when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear. Examples of abnormalities that prevent the formation of a predetermined gear include an abnormality in which a friction engagement element that should be in an engaged state in order to form a predetermined gear cannot be engaged among the multiple friction engagement elements included in the transmission 40, and an abnormality in which a friction engagement element that should be in an unengaged state in order to form a predetermined gear cannot be unengaged among the multiple friction engagement elements included in the transmission 40.

[0030] When this routine is executed, the target gear position St* is set to a predetermined high gear position that is faster than the specified gear position and transmitted to the transmission ECU 46 (S100). Here, the high gear position can be a gear position formed by engaging a friction engagement element that is in a released state when forming the specified gear position, among the multiple friction engagement elements included in the transmission 40. For example, when the specified gear position is 3rd gear, the high gear position can be set to 4th gear, 5th gear, etc. Then, a command to stop the engine 22 is transmitted to the engine ECU 24 (S110), a command to release the clutch K0 and a command to fully engage the clutch WSC are transmitted to the transmission ECU 46 (S120), and a torque command Tm* for the motor 30 is set in the same manner as when driving in EV driving mode and transmitted to the motor ECU 34 (S130), and this routine ends. Upon receiving the target gear position St*, the transmission ECU 46 controls the transmission 40 so that the gear position St becomes the target gear position St*. Upon receiving a command to stop engine 22, the engine ECU 24 stops engine 22. Upon receiving a command to release clutch K0 and a command to fully engage clutch WSC, the transmission ECU 46 releases clutch K0 and fully engages clutch WSC. The operation of the motor ECU 34 upon receiving a torque command Tm* is described above.

[0031] This control stops the engine 22, releases the clutch K0 from the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30, and, with the clutch WSC connected to the input shaft 41 of the transmission 40, sets the transmission 40 to a higher gear than a predetermined gear and executes a predetermined control that controls the engine 22, motor 30, transmission 40, clutch K0, and WSC so that the vehicle runs on power from the motor 30. The reason for stopping the engine 22 in the predetermined control is that when the engine 22 is running, it is necessary to partially engage the clutch WSC at startup to suppress shock, and if the driving force input to the rotating shaft 31 is increased in order to run with the same driving force as before the transmission 40's gear St was set to a higher gear, the load on the clutch WSC may increase and it may overheat. In the specified control, the clutch WSC is kept fully engaged without slipping, thus suppressing the load on the clutch WSC and preventing it from overheating.

[0032] Next, we will describe the operation when starting the engine 22 while a predetermined control is being executed. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a control routine executed by the HVECU 70. This routine is executed when a predetermined control is being performed.

[0033] When this routine is executed, the CPU of the HVECU70 receives input for the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 and the charge level SOC of the battery 50 (S200). The rotational speed Nm is calculated based on the rotational position θm from the rotational position sensor 30a and input from the motor EUC40. The charge level SOC is calculated based on the integrated value of the current Ib of the battery 50 from the current sensor and input from the battery ECU52.

[0034] Next, it is determined whether the input rotational speed Nm is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed (starting speed) Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed (predetermined rotational speed) Nmref2 (S210). The first rotational speed Nmref1 is a value predetermined by experiments, analysis, machine learning, etc., as the lower limit of the rotational speed at which the engine 22 can be started, that is, the lower limit of the rotational speed at which the engine 22 can operate without misfires when fuel injection control and ignition control in the engine 22 are started. For example, the first rotational speed Nmref1 is set to 500 rpm, 750 rpm, 1000 rpm, etc. The second rotational speed Nmref2 is a value predetermined by experiments, analysis, machine learning, etc., as the upper limit of the rotational speed at which the clutch K0 does not malfunction due to a temperature rise caused by the heat generated by the clutch K0 when the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 are connected by the clutch K0. The second rotational speed Nmref2 is higher than the first rotational speed Nmref1, and is set to, for example, 2000 rpm, 2500 rpm, or 3000 rpm. Therefore, S210 is a process that determines whether the engine 22 can be started properly while avoiding problems caused by overheating of the clutch K0.

[0035] If the rotational speed Nm is less than the first rotational speed Nmref1 or exceeds the second rotational speed Nmref2, the system determines that it is not possible to avoid problems caused by the clutch K0 or to properly start the engine 22, and terminates this routine. In this case, the predetermined control described above is executed.

[0036] When the rotational speed Nm is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, it is determined that the engine 22 can be started properly while avoiding problems caused by overheating of the clutch K0, and then it is determined whether the charge level SOC entered in S200 is greater than or equal to a predetermined SOCref (S220). The predetermined SOCref is a value determined in advance by experimentation, analysis, machine learning, etc., as the charge level SOC of the battery 50 that can start the engine 22 by cranking the engine 22 while driving with power from the motor 30. When the charge level SOC is greater than or equal to the predetermined SOCref, a slip engagement command for the clutch WSC and a full engagement command for the clutch K0 are sent to the transmission ECU 46, and the torque command Tm* for the motor 30 is set to the sum of the cranking torque and the driving torque and sent to the motor ECU 34 (S230). Upon receiving the slip engagement command for clutch WSC and the full engagement command for clutch K0, the transmission ECU 46 controls clutch WSC to enter a slip engagement state and clutch K0 to enter a full engagement state. Upon receiving the torque command Tm*, the motor ECU 34 controls the switching of inverter 32 so that motor 30 is driven by the torque command Tm*. Through this process, clutch K0 is engaged while clutch WSC is in a slip engagement state, and the motor 30 outputs a torque equal to the sum of the cranking torque and the driving torque to crank engine 22, thereby suppressing shock when cranking engine 22.

[0037] Next, the rotational speed Ne of the engine 22 is input (S240). The rotational speed Ne is calculated based on the crank angle θcr of the crankshaft 23 from the crank position sensor and input from the engine ECU 24. Then, it is determined whether the rotational speed Ne of the engine 22 is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed Nst (S250). The starting rotational speed Nst is a value predetermined by experiments or analyses, which is the rotational speed at which the engine 22 can be reliably started, and is higher than the first rotational speed Nmref1 and lower than the second rotational speed Nmref2. The starting rotational speed Nst is set to, for example, 1100 rpm, 1200 rpm, 1300 rpm, etc. If the rotational speed Ne is less than the starting rotational speed Nst, the system waits until the rotational speed Ne is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed Nst. When the rotational speed Ne is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed Nst, a start command is sent to the engine ECU 24 (S260), and this routine ends. Upon receiving the start command, the engine ECU 24 initiates fuel injection control and ignition control in the engine 22. In this way, the clutch K0 is engaged while the clutch WSC is in a slip-engaged state, and the motor 30 outputs a torque equal to the sum of the driving torque and the aforementioned cranking torque to start the engine 22. Because the clutch WSC is in a slip-engaged state, the occurrence of shock when starting the engine 22 can be suppressed.

[0038] When the charge level (SOC) is less than a predetermined percentage (predetermined value) SOCref, a command to fully engage the clutch WSC, K0 is sent to the transmission ECU 46, and a command to start operation is sent to the engine ECU 24 (S270), ending this routine. Upon receiving the command to fully engage the clutch WSC, K0, the transmission ECU 46 controls the clutch WSC, K0 to achieve a fully engaged state. Upon receiving the command to start operation, the engine ECU 24 starts fuel injection control and ignition control in the engine 22. In this way, the engine 22 is started while the clutch WSC, K0 is fully engaged and the motor 30 outputs torque for driving without outputting the aforementioned cranking torque, thus preventing the battery 50 from being depleted. In this way, when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear ratio, a predetermined control is executed. When the predetermined control is being executed, if the rotational speed Nm is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, the clutch K0 connects the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 to start the engine 22. This allows for a more appropriate response when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear ratio.

[0039] According to the hybrid vehicle 20 equipped with the vehicle control device of this embodiment described above, when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear ratio, a predetermined control is executed. When the predetermined control is being executed, if the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, the clutch K0 connects the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 to start the engine 22. This allows for a more appropriate response when an abnormality occurs in the transmission 40 that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear ratio.

[0040] Furthermore, when a predetermined control is being executed and the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, if the charge level SOC of the battery 50 is greater than or equal to a predetermined SOCref, the clutch WSC is slip-engaged and the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 are connected by the clutch K0 to crank the engine 22 with the motor 30, and the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine 22 are started to start the engine 22. If the charge level SOC is less than the predetermined SOCref, the clutch WSC is fully engaged and the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 are connected by the clutch K0 to start the fuel injection control and ignition control of the engine 22 to start the engine 22, thereby suppressing shock when starting the engine 22 and depletion of the battery 50.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, when the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1 and less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, the clutch K0 connects the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 to start the engine 22. However, regardless of whether the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, the engine 22 may also be started by connecting the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 with the clutch K0 when the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is greater than or equal to the first rotational speed Nmref1. Alternatively, instead of determining whether the rotational speed Nm of the motor 30 is less than or equal to the second rotational speed Nmref2, it may be determined whether the temperature of the clutch K0 or the temperature of other parts that reflect the temperature of the clutch K0, estimated when the clutch K0 is engaged and the crankshaft 23 of the engine 22 and the rotating shaft 31 of the motor 30 are above a predetermined lower limit temperature at which problems with the clutch K0 occur.

[0042] In the embodiment described above, the hybrid vehicle 20 is equipped with an engine ECU 24, a motor ECU 34, a transmission ECU 46, a battery ECU 52, and an HVECU 70. However, at least two of these may be configured as a single unit.

[0043] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem will be explained. In the embodiment, engine 22 corresponds to "engine", motor 30 corresponds to "motor", battery 50 corresponds to "battery", clutch K0 corresponds to "first clutch", clutch WSC corresponds to "second clutch", and engine ECU 24, motor ECU 34, transmission ECU 46, and HVECU 70 correspond to "vehicle control device".

[0044] Furthermore, the correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem is merely an example to specifically explain the form in which the embodiment implements the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem should be based on the description in that section, and the embodiment is merely one specific example of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem.

[0045] While embodiments for implementing this disclosure have been described above, this disclosure is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and can of course be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of this disclosure. [Industrial applicability]

[0046] This disclosure can be used in industries such as the manufacturing of vehicle control devices. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 20 Hybrid vehicle, 22 Engine, 23 Crankshaft, 24 Engine ECU, 30 Motor, 30a Rotation position sensor, 30u,30v Current sensor, 31 Rotating shaft, 32 Inverter, 34 Motor ECU, 40 Transmission, 41 Input shaft, 41a Rotation speed sensor, 42 Output shaft, 42a Rotation speed sensor, 46 Transmission ECU, 48 Differential gear, 49 Drive wheels, 50 Battery, 52 Battery ECU, 54 Power line, 70 HVECU, 80 Start switch, 81 Shift lever, 82 Shift position sensor, 83 Accelerator pedal, 84 Accelerator pedal position sensor, 85 Brake pedal, 86 Brake pedal position sensor, 87 Vehicle speed sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device used in a vehicle comprising an engine, a motor, a battery that exchanges power with the motor, a transmission whose output shaft is connected to an axle, a first clutch that connects and disconnects the output shaft of the engine and the rotating shaft of the motor, and a second clutch that connects and disconnects the rotating shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the transmission, which controls the engine, the motor, the transmission and the first and second clutches, When an abnormality occurs in the transmission that prevents it from forming a predetermined gear, the operation of the engine is stopped, the connection between the output shaft of the engine and the rotation shaft of the motor by the first clutch is released, and with the rotation shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the transmission connected by the second clutch, a predetermined control is performed to control the engine, the motor, the transmission and the first and second clutches so that the transmission is set to a gear higher than the predetermined gear and the vehicle is driven by power from the motor. When the predetermined control is being performed, if the rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than the starting speed at which the engine can be started, the first clutch connects the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor to start the engine. Vehicle control device.

2. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, When the predetermined control is being performed, if the rotational speed of the motor is equal to or greater than the starting rotational speed and the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor can be connected by the first clutch, and the rotational speed is less than or equal to a predetermined rotational speed higher than the starting rotational speed, the first clutch is engaged to connect the output shaft of the engine and the rotational shaft of the motor and start the engine. Vehicle control device.

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