Abstract: A rotary electric machine for a hybrid vehicle includes a rotor connected between a vehicle engine and a torque transmission mechanism at the back of the vehicle engine and a stator. The rotor includes an outer rotor portion having an inner surface electro-magnetically connected to the outer surface of the stator, an inner rotor portion having an outer surface electro-magnetically connected to the inner surface of the stator. The stator includes a stator core disposed between the inner rotor portion and the outer rotor portion and a multi-phase winding wound on the stator to be electro-magnetically connected with both the outer and inner rotor portions.

Abstract: First and second dynamo-electrical machines are provided. A first rotor forming the first dynamo-electrical machine together with a second rotor is connected to either one of a front driving shaft and rear driving shaft. A second rotor forming the second dynamo-electrical machine together with a stator is connected to another one of the front driving shaft and rear driving shaft. As a result, a torque generated by the first dynamo-electric machine is transmitted to either one of the front and rear driving shafts, connected to the first rotor. A torque which subtracts a reaction torque caused by the torque generated by the first dynamo-electric machine from a torque generated by the second dynamo-electric machine is transmitted to another one of the front and rear driving shafts, connected to the second rotor.

Abstract: In an engine-motor hybrid vehicle, vehicle drive regions are divided into a plurality of groups specified by a plurality of operation state variables. A learning variable set for each drive region is updated according to an amount of a power state of an engine, when the vehicle is in a steady state running. The learning variable indicates a change in the power state amount with age. When an engine power demand value is determined, it is corrected by using the learning variable of a selected drive region to calculate a corrected engine power demand value compensating a change in the engine with age. In this manner, the engine power is controlled.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus communicates through a communicating pipe with an inside space of an airtight casing in which a plurality of battery cells are hermetically held. The cooling apparatus and the inside space of the airtight casing are filled with high boiling point coolant. The coolant absorbs heat developed by the plurality of battery cells in the airtight casing so that it evaporates. The evaporated (gaseous) coolant rises toward the cooling apparatus and is condensed in the cooling apparatus. Then the condensed (liquid) coolant returns to around the battery cells by its self-weight. Accordingly, the battery cells are uniformly and efficiently cooled not to have variation in temperature therein.

Abstract: In an air conditioning apparatus for a vehicle, a water/refrigerant heat exchanger is disposed at a refrigerant discharge side of a compressor of a refrigerant cycle, and a cooling unit for cooling a heat-generating unit with refrigerant having an intermediate pressure of the refrigerant cycle is disposed at a downstream refrigerant side of the water/refrigerant heat exchanger. The air conditioning apparatus includes an evaporator and a hot-water type heater core disposed in an air conditioning duct. In a cooling water circuit, an engine, a radiator and an electrical pump are disposed in addition to the water/refrigerant heat exchanger and the hot-water type heater core. Thus, refrigerant absorbs heat generated in the heat-generating unit, and is heat-exchanged with cooling water in the water/refrigerant heat exchanger after passing through the compressor.

Abstract: A gas-sparing vehicle is achieved by a control system for a hybrid vehicle equipped at least with: a hybrid engine which includes at least a first rotary electric unit for deciding the rpm of the engine and a second rotary electric unit for deciding the driving force of the vehicle and which has power converting means connected to the output shaft of the engine; and electricity storing means. In one embodiment, a hybrid controller 16 controls the drive of a first rotary electric unit 2000 according to a startup torque command value which is decided based on the rpm of an engine at the time of engine startup and which decreases as the rpm increases; it also determines that the complete explosion in an engine 1 has occurred when the startup torque command value falls below a predetermined complete explosion judgment value.

Abstract: A synchronous electric machine includes a stator having an armature winding, a rotor having axially laminated magnetic sheets and a field coil, a plurality of permanent magnets disposed in the rotor to form N-pole and S-pole on the outer circumference of the rotor, and ribs and pins magnetically bypassing the N-poles and S-poles of the permanent magnets. The pins also attach the laminated magnetic sheets together as a unit. The rotor has a plurality of axially extending holes on its circumference for accommodating permanent magnets.

Abstract: A T-S converter is composed of a first rotor which has a first control coil, a second rotor and a stator which has a second control coil. The second rotor has a first magnetic field member (such as permanent magnets) which supplies the first control coil with magnetic field and a second magnetic field member (such as permanent magnets) which supplies the second control coil with magnetic field. The first and second control coils are energized to drive the second rotor to rotate at a set speed with a set torque according to vehicle running condition. The first and the second control coil are also energized to generate battery charging current when the vehicle speed is decreased and the second rotor is driven by the vehicle wheels.

Abstract: The waste heat from a heating part mounted on a vehicle is recovered and extracted by a refrigerant for gas injection so that the heating capacity at a low ambient temperature may be effectively improved while suppressing an increase in the power consumption. At the heating time, the refrigerant is circulated in a closed circuit composed of a compressor, an indoor heat exchanger, a pressure regulator and an outdoor heat exchanger, and the refrigerant, as condensed in the indoor heat exchanger, is regulated to an intermediate pressure by a pressure regulator and introduced into a heat exchanger. In this heat exchanger, the refrigerant extracts the heat from the heating part at the side of the vehicle so that it evaporates. The refrigerant thus having evaporated is introduced through an evaporation pressure regulating valve via a gas injection passage into a gas injection port of the compressor.

Abstract: A power source control apparatus for parallel and series hybrid vehicles is provided. The power source control apparatus determines a required torque of a power source consisting of a generator-motor and an internal combustion engine based on a parameter indicating an operational mode of the vehicle and interrupts fuel supply to the internal combustion engine in a cycle based on the required torque of the power source so as to minimize a fuel consumption. The power source control apparatus further determines a required torque of the generator-motor based on the required torque of the power source and an output torque of the internal combustion engine to switch an operation mode of the generator-motor between a generator mode and a motor mode so as to compensate for a variation in output of the internal combustion engine during the cyclic fuel cut control.

Abstract: A generator is controlled by a controller to generate power sufficient to a battery quickly in addition to power which is required by a wheel-drive motor for a while after a car is started and until a battery charging ratio becomes higher than a first predetermined ratio, between 80% and 100% for example. When the battery charging ratio becomes higher than the first predetermined ratio, the generator is controlled to generate a regulated power which is obtained by adding a constant power to the mean value of the power required by the wheel-drive motor to prevent the battery from generating gases due to overcharging. When the battery-charging ratio further increases and becomes higher than a second predetermined ratio, 120% for example, the generator is controlled to generate less power than the requirement of the wheel-drive-motor.

Abstract: A T-S converter is composed of a first rotor which has a first control coil, a second rotor and a stator which has a second control coil. The second rotor has a first magnetic field member (such as laminated sheets of ferromagnetic material) which supplies the first control coil with magnetic field and a second magnetic field member (such as laminated sheets of ferromagnetic material) which supplies the second control coil with magnetic field. The first and second control coils are energized to drive the second rotor to rotate at a set speed with a set torque according to vehicle running condition. The first and the second control coil are also energized to generate battery charging current when the vehicle speed is decreased and the second rotor is driven by the vehicle wheels.

Abstract: A battery charger includes a primary side circuit, a transformer, a secondary side circuit and a control circuit. The secondary side circuit includes a first output unit and a second output unit. The battery charges a main battery and an auxiliary battery. The first output unit, which is connected to a main battery, includes an integrated rectifier-converter and a smoothing circuit. The integrated rectifier-converter is formed using MOSFETs. When charging the auxiliary battery with power from the main battery, power from the main battery is converted by the integrated rectifier-converter to AC power which induces power in an output winding of a transformer connected to the auxiliary battery.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for driving front and rear wheels of a motor vehicle, either the front and rear wheels being mechanically driven, through a power transmission mechanism, by a motive power generated by an engine of the motor vehicle and the other wheels being driven by hydraulic motors rotationally driven by a hydraulic pump. The drive apparatus limits driving forces of the other wheels, rotationally driven by the hydraulic motor, to be below a predetermined driving force and further detects occurrences of acceleration slips of the one wheels, rotationally driven through the power transmission mechanism, on the basis of speeds of the other wheels in which the driving force is limited to be below the predetermined driving force. The driving forces of the one wheels are adjusted in accordance with the acceleration slip detection result so as to suppress the occurrences of the acceleration slips.

Abstract: A power source apparatus for vehicles comprises first and second switch means respectively for controlling charging currents flowing from a rectifier of a generator to first and second batteries having equal open terminal voltages, and third switch means for controlling a current flowing through a field winding of the generator. The third switch means is controlled to be turned on/off in response to whichever of the voltages generated respectively by the first and second batteries is lower. The first and second switch means are controlled to be turned on/off on the basis of a duty factor set based on a voltage difference between the first and second batteries.

Abstract: The present invention supplies electric power from a battery to a starter and other specific electrical loads which are driven together with the starter with reduced power requirements on the battery. A driving apparatus for controlling an electric load is provided with a battery (1) for supplying the electric power to a starter motor (3) and an electric heater (20) which is attached to a catalyst for cleaning up exhaust gases from the engine. The terminal voltage of the battery (1) during starter motor (3) operation is detected, and the rate of on-off operation to supply the current to the electric heater (20) is controlled by means of a heater controller (5) in accordance with the detected terminal voltage. This conduction timing control is effected by a control circuit (40), being started a first specific time after the start of operation of the starter motor (3) and being ended a second specific time after the end of operation of the starter motor (3).

Abstract: A battery condition detecting apparatus includes a current detecting apparatus, a voltage detector and a current accumulator of a battery. The battery condition detecting apparatus detects a first battery capacity when an engine is started based on the battery voltage and battery current when the starter is started; determines an initial capacity of the battery based on the first battery capacity; adds to this initial capacity, a battery current accumulated value which has been accumulated by the battery current accumulator after determining the first battery capacity, whereby a second battery capacity is detected after the engine has been started; and further comparing the presently detected first battery capacity with the second battery capacity just before this first battery capacity is detected, thereby setting the smaller capacity as the initial value.

Abstract: In the alternating current generator for vehicle, an armature coil comprises a Y-connected first three-phase armature coil and a delta-connected second three-phase armature coil whose phase windings are inserted into same slots respectively. Each of the three-phase armature windings is provided with rectifying means for converting respective a.c. output into a direct current. The direct currents are summed to provide an output of the generator. It is effective to use a plurality of rotary magnet poles provided on a shaft of the generator for a compact a.c. generator in which the radial dimension of the rotary magnet poles is reduced.

Abstract: A tandem type alternator comprises a rotor rotatably supported inside a housing and having rotor cores having magnetic poles formed on outer peripheral portions of the rotor cores, respectively, and a plurality of stators arranged on an inside wall of the housing and in tandem in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor and having tooth-shaped stator cores which are positioned to be opposite to the magnetic poles of the rotor cores and on which multi-phase windings are wound, respectively. The stators have respectively the multi-phase windings wound thereon so that both multi-phase windings are shifted from each other in the direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor. The housing has ventilation window portions formed between and near the plurality of stators which provide communication between the interior and exterior of the housing, so that ventilation resistance within the housing is reduced and the cooling effect is increased.

Abstract: There is provided an alternating current generator comprising: a rotatably supported field rotor having a pair of opposed rotor pole cores, each being provided with P/2 claw poles wherein P is an even number, and a field winding wound on the rotor pole cores; an armature core located around the outer periphery of the field rotor and having axially extending 3nP slots wherein n is an integer more than one; n independent sets of three-phase windings, each being wound on the armature core by being inserted in the slots so that the n sets of three-phase windings are shifted from each other by electrical angle of &pgr;/(3n) radians; and three-phase rectifiers connected with the n sets of three-phase windings to rectify output voltages generated by the three-phase windings.