Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can execute a start-up control for improving acceleration performance at the time of starting an internal combustion engine during the running of a hybrid vehicle. When a hybrid ECU determines that a predetermined time has not yet elapsed after termination of the start-up control of the engine, and that the hybrid vehicle is in a high speed, high load condition, but not in a warming-up state, the hybrid ECU sets a value Nupest2 larger than a value Nupest1, that is usually set as a maximum value Krmx of a rise rate of an engine rotational speed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control apparatus which can execute a start-up control for improving acceleration performance at the time of starting an internal combustion engine during the running of a hybrid vehicle. When a hybrid ECU determines that a predetermined time has not yet elapsed after termination of the start-up control of the engine, and that the hybrid vehicle is in a high speed, high load condition, but not in a warming-up state, the hybrid ECU sets a value Nupest2 larger than a value Nupest1, that is usually set as a maximum value Krmx of a rise rate of an engine rotational speed.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a battery having an electrode module including: a positive plate having a cathode collector portion formed by attaching a lead member to a cathode substrate made of a foamed metal plate; and a cathode collector plate welded to the cathode collector portion. The method includes: a pre-welding positive plate forming process of forming a pre-welding positive plate, which is the positive plate before welding, such that the pre-welding positive plate has a projection projecting from a pre-welding cathode collector portion, which is the cathode collector portion before welding; and a welding process of melting a pre-welding cathode collector plate to weld it to the projection. In the pre-welding positive plate forming process, the projection is formed into such a shape that the condition that S?1.3W is satisfied, where W and S represent the width and the circumferential length of the projection, respectively.

Abstract: To provide a control system capable of setting a various kinds of driving mode, and shifting the driving mode regardless of the rotational speed of the engine.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a battery having an electrode module including: a positive plate having a cathode collector portion formed by attaching a lead member to a cathode substrate made of a foamed metal plate; and a cathode collector plate welded to the cathode collector portion. The method includes: a pre-welding positive plate forming process of forming a pre-welding positive plate, which is the positive plate before welding, such that the pre-welding positive plate has a projection projecting from a pre-welding cathode collector portion, which is the cathode collector portion before welding; and a welding process of melting a pre-welding cathode collector plate to weld it to the projection. In the pre-welding positive plate forming process, the projection is formed into such a shape that the condition that S?1.3W is satisfied, where W and S represent the width and the circumferential length of the projection, respectively.

Abstract: A motor vehicle is equipped with an outside air introduction assembly 104 functioning to introduce the outside air into a radiator 92 in an engine cooling system during driving, as well as with an outside air introduction assembly 114 functioning to introduce the outside air into an engine 22 during driving. The motor vehicle is also equipped with shutter plates 106 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 104, as well as with shutter plates 116 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 114.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle is provided, in which lean limit operation of an engine can be achieved while consumption of electric power of a battery is suppressed when a change of engine torque in the vicinity of a lean limit is suppressed or when an air-fuel ratio is controlled so as to come close to a lean limit during engine operation. The hybrid vehicle, in which an engine, a motor-generator, and a drive wheel are mutually connected via a differential connection unit, includes a control device which maintains an output of the engine at a constant level by increasing/decreasing an engine rotational speed and decreasing/increasing a rotational speed of the motor-generator in accordance with a decrease/increase of the engine torque in the vicinity of the lean limit.

Abstract: To provide a control system capable of setting a various kinds of driving mode, and shifting the driving mode regardless of the rotational speed of the engine.

Abstract: A motor vehicle is equipped with an outside air introduction assembly 104 functioning to introduce the outside air into a radiator 92 in an engine cooling system during driving, as well as with an outside air introduction assembly 114 functioning to introduce the outside air into an engine 22 during driving. The motor vehicle is also equipped with shutter plates 106 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 104, as well as with shutter plates 116 capable of regulating the amount of the outside air to be introduced by the outside air introduction assembly 114.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle is provided, in which lean limit operation of an engine can be achieved while consumption of electric power of a battery is suppressed when a change of engine torque in the vicinity of a lean limit is suppressed or when an air-fuel ratio is controlled so as to come close to a lean limit during engine operation. The hybrid vehicle in which an engine, a motor-generator, and a drive wheel are mutually connected via differential connection means includes a control device which maintains an output of the engine at a constant level by increasing/decreasing an engine rotational speed and decreasing/increasing a rotational speed of the motor-generator in accordance with a decrease/increase of the engine torque in the vicinity of the lean limit.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle of the present invention includes a brake 62 that fixes a sun gear shaft 31a linked with a sun gear 31 of a power distribution integration mechanism 30, and a clutch 64 that mechanically connects a drive shaft 36 with a motor MG2 and releases the mechanical connection of the drive shaft 36 with the motor MG2. In the case of a relatively low vehicle speed, the power of an engine 22 is subjected to torque conversion by the power distribution integration mechanism and motors MG1 and MG2 and is output to the drive shaft 36, while the brake 62 is in OFF position and the clutch 64 is in ON position. In the case of a relatively high vehicle speed, on the other hand, the power of the engine 22 is directly output to the drive shaft 36, while the brake 62 is in ON position and the clutch 64 is in OFF position.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle of the present invention includes a brake 62 that fixes a sun gear shaft 31a linked with a sun gear 31 of a power distribution integration mechanism 30, and a clutch 64 that mechanically connects a drive shaft 36 with a motor MG2 and releases the mechanical connection of the drive shaft 36 with the motor MG2. In the case of a relatively low vehicle speed, the power of an engine 22 is subjected to torque conversion by the power distribution integration mechanism and motors MG1 and MG2 and is output to the drive shaft 36, while the brake 62 is in OFF position and the clutch 64 is in ON position. In the case of a relatively high vehicle speed, on the other hand, the power of the engine 22 is directly output to the drive shaft 36, while the brake 62 is in ON position and the clutch 64 is in OFF position.

Abstract: A power output apparatus includes a planetary gear having a planetary carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear, an engine having a crankshaft linked with the planetary carrier, a first motor attached to the sun gear, and a second motor attached to the ring gear. In response to an engine operation stop instruction, the power output apparatus stops a fuel injection into the engine and controls the first motor, in order to enable a torque acting in reverse of the rotation of the crankshaft to be output to the crankshaft via the planetary gear and a carrier shaft until the revolving speed of the engine becomes close to zero. This structure allows the revolving speed of the engine to quickly approach zero.

Abstract: A power output apparatus includes a planetary gear having a planetary carrier, a sun gear, and a ring gear. A crankshaft of an engine is mechanically linked with the planetary carrier, a first motor with the sun gear, and a second motor with the ring gear. A controller drives the second motor with electric power regenerated by the first motor or drives the first motor with electric power regenerated by the second motor, based on a gear ratio of the sun gear to the ring gear of the planetary gear, thereby enabling the power output from the engine to be converted to a desired power and output to a power transmission gear mechanically connected with the ring gear. The engine may be driven at any driving point that can output energy identical with the energy output to the ring gear. This structure allows the engine to be driven at a desired driving point of highest possible efficiency, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the whole apparatus.

Abstract: A power output apparatus 20 includes a clutch motor, an assist motor, and a controller. The clutch motor and the assist motor are controlled by the controller to enable the power output from an engine to a crankshaft 56, and expressed as the product of its revolving speed and torque, to be converted to the power expressed as the product of a revolving speed and a torque of a drive shaft and to be output to the drive shaft. The engine can be driven at an arbitrary driving point defined by a revolving speed and a torque, as long as the energy or power output to the crankshaft is identical. A desired driving point that attains the highest possible efficiency with respect to each amount of output energy is determined in advance. In order to allow the engine to be driven at the desired driving point, the controller controls the clutch motor and the assist motor as well as the fuel injection and the throttle valve position.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to carry out control and enable an engine to output a desired power, thereby preventing unexpected charge or discharge of storage battery means. A power output apparatus of the present invention sets energy Pe to be output from an engine, in order to cancel a deviation .DELTA.Pb of a charge-discharge electric power Pb of a battery from its target value Pb* , and controls operation of the engine to output the energy Pe. The energy Pe output from the engine is subjected to torque conversion by means of a clutch motor and an assist motor and output to a drive shaft as a required power. In case that the converted energy is not equal to the required power, the battery is charged with the surplus electric power or is discharged to supplement the shortage of electric power. Namely regulation of the energy Pe results in controlling the charge-discharge electric power Pb of the battery.

Abstract: An electric power generation control method in a hybrid vehicle. A target generator output is calculated based on a state of charge, a catalyst temperature, etc., and the target number of engine revolutions is calculated based on the target generator output. A field current is corrected in response to the comparison result between a control target range determined in response to the target number of engine revolutions and the detected number of engine revolutions, thereby performing target control of the number of engine revolutions. Then, a correction amount of a throttle angle is set in response to the comparison result between a control target range determined in response to the target generator output and the detected generator output and the throttle angle is corrected, thereby performing target control of the generator output of a generator.

Abstract: A control method and apparatus of an engine for driving a generator. When a weight W of a charcoal canister is greater than a predetermined value W.sub.1 ` and a vehicle runs, the engine is actuated. As the result of the actuation of the engine, when a gasoline vapor within a fuel tank is purged and the weight W of the charcoal canister is lower than a second predetermined value W.sub.2, a vacuum switching valve for purging the canister is turned off and the engine is stopped. Even when the vehicle runs while a battery is frequently charged by an external charger, the occurrence of a certain amount of the fuel vapor which can not be caught and collected by the charcoal canister can be prevented and a low pollution vehicle can be obtained. In place of the vehicle running state, a vehicle running distance, or a vehicle running time can be used. In place of the predetermined value W.sub.2, a fuel purge amount can be used.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification system for an internal combustion engine includes an engine capable of fuel combustion at lean air-fuel ratios, a catalyst constructed of zeolite carrying at least one kind of metal selected from transition metals and noble metals to reduce NOx under oxidizing conditions and in the presence of HC, engine operating condition detecting means for detecting the current engine operating condition, engine operating range determining means for determining whether or not the current engine operating condition is within an insufficient HC amount range, and an HC amount control means for controlling the amount of HC included in the exhaust gas when the engine operating range determining means determines that the engine operating condition is within the insufficient HC amount range.

Abstract: A power output apparatus 20 includes a clutch motor, an assist motor, and a controller. The clutch motor and the assist motor are controlled by the controller to enable the power output from an engine to a crankshaft 56, and expressed as the product of its revolving speed and torque, to be converted to the power expressed as the product of a revolving speed and a torque of a drive shaft and to be output to the drive shaft. The engine can be driven at an arbitrary driving point defined by a revolving speed and a torque, as long as the energy or power output to the crankshaft is identical. A desired driving point that attains the highest possible efficiency with respect to each amount of output energy is determined in advance. In order to allow the engine to be driven at the desired driving point, the controller controls the clutch motor and the assist motor as well as the fuel injection and the throttle valve position.