Regenerative Brakes Patents (Class 303/152)
  • Patent number: 9016804
    Abstract: A brake system for a motor vehicle includes on at least one wheel, an electric-regenerative brake and a friction brake that can be hydraulically actuated by a first generator of brake pressure using a fluid, wherein the friction brake can be connected via an actuatable inlet valve to the first generator of brake pressure and via a first actuatable outlet valve to a pressure accumulator, so that a volume of fluid applied by the first generator of brake pressure can be diverted via the first outlet valve into the pressure accumulator. The first generator of brake pressure can be connected to the pressure accumulator via a further hydraulic connection having a second actuatable outlet valve. A method for operating a brake system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventor: Paul Linhoff
  • Patent number: 8998353
    Abstract: A method to control a vehicle including control of regenerative brakes and friction brakes includes monitoring a desired corner force and moment distribution, monitoring real-time actuator constraints including a braking torque limit of each of the regenerative brake, determining a regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the real-time actuator constraints, determining a friction braking torque for each of the friction brakes based upon the desired corner force and moment distribution and the determined regenerative braking torque for each of the regenerative brakes, and controlling the vehicle based upon the determined regenerative braking torques and the determined friction braking torques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Shih-Ken Chen, Valery Pylypchuk, Youssef A. Ghoneim, Weiwen Deng, Nikolai K. Moshchuk, Bakhtiar Brian Litkouhi
  • Patent number: 9002609
    Abstract: A vehicle brake control system includes a regenerative braking control component, a frictional braking control component, a calculating component and a controlling component. The regenerative braking control component controls a regenerative braking device to provide a regenerative braking torque. The frictional braking control component controls a frictional braking device to provide a frictional braking torque. The calculating component calculates a regenerative braking torque filter processing value based on a fluctuation frequency of the regenerative braking torque. The controlling component, during a first condition, operates a motorized power assist control device based on the regenerative braking torque filter processing value, instead of the regenerative braking torque, to moderate the frictional braking torque, such that the regenerative braking torque and the moderated frictional braking torque provide a target braking torque based on a braking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Nakamura, Noriaki Fujiki, Keigo Ajiro
  • Patent number: 8991942
    Abstract: A brake control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a regenerative braking system includes a hydraulic circuit where a first passage connects a master cylinder to a wheel cylinder. A second passage connects a discharge side of a pump to a first portion of the first passage. A third passage connects a suction side of the pump to a second portion of the first passage between the master cylinder and the first portion. A fourth passage connects the suction side of the pump to a third portion of the first passage between an inflow valve and the wheel cylinder. A reservoir is connected to the third passage and a portion of the fourth passage between an outflow valve and the suction side of the pump. A shut-off valve restricts brake fluid discharge through a discharge-side valve from the pump being driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kotaro Koyama
  • Patent number: 8996268
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a brake system of a motor vehicle having a brake device (40) with a hydraulic brake unit (41) and a recuperation brake unit (42). The method includes calculating (S1) a hydraulic brake force characteristic curve (B2) of the hydraulic brake unit (41) on the basis of at least one detected characteristic of the brake system, selecting (S2) a generator-based brake force characteristic curve (G1-G4) of the recuperation brake unit (42) on the basis of a predefined criterion and as a function of the calculated hydraulic brake force characteristic curve (B2), and controlling (S3) the hydraulic brake unit (41) and the recuperation brake unit (42) in accordance with a detected degree of actuation of the brake pedal (10), the calculated hydraulic brake force characteristic curves (B2), and the selected generator-based brake force characteristic curve (G1-G4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Garbe, Bjoern-Hendrik Reinhard
  • Patent number: 8985713
    Abstract: Vehicle brake system comprises a hydraulic brake device, a regenerative brake device to drive wheels driven by a generator-motor and a brake control device for cooperatively controlling the hydraulic brake force and the regenerative brake force in response to an operation amount of a brake operation member. This vehicle brake system further includes a differential amount calculating portion calculating a differential amount by subtracting a regeneration execution brake force obtained by execution of the generator-motor from a regeneration request brake force, a regenerative range judging portion for judging whether the regeneration request brake force is within a range of a re-generable brake force which is executable by the generator-motor and a hydraulic pressure restricting portion for restricting increase of the hydraulic brake force when the differential amount is a positive value and the regeneration request brake force is within the range of the re-generable brake force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Naito, Masahiro Matsuura, Akitaka Nishio
  • Patent number: 8983723
    Abstract: Braking/driving force control that includes: detecting a driver's operating state for causing the vehicle to run; detecting a vehicle body motional state while the vehicle is running; computing a target longitudinal driving force for causing the vehicle to run and motional state amounts for controlling a vehicle body behavior on the basis of the detected operating state and motional state; and computing driving or braking forces allocated to the wheels so as to achieve the computed target longitudinal driving force and target motional state amounts and that the braking/driving force generating mechanism causes the wheels to generate independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Etsuo Katsuyama
  • Patent number: 8977465
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a vehicle braking system and control method. The vehicle braking control method includes detecting velocities of respective wheels provided at a vehicle, calculating a vehicle velocity based on the velocities of the respective wheels, calculating slip amounts of the respective wheels by comparing the vehicle velocity and the velocities of the respective wheels, calculating change rates of the slip amounts of the respective wheels, obtaining regenerative braking force corresponding to one of the slip amounts and the slip change rates of the respective wheels, and controlling regenerative braking using the obtained regenerative braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Sang Mook Kim
  • Publication number: 20150035349
    Abstract: A brake control device is provided that can reduce the driver's uncomfortable feeling even when operation amount detection means is broken down. When abnormality determination means 71 for determining abnormality of a pedal stroke sensor 3 determines that the operation amount detection means is abnormal, a predetermined regenerative torque is set to the generator (rotary electric machine) 9 upon sensing the pressing of a brake pedal by a stop lamp switch 4, and a predetermined maximum regenerative torque is set to the generator (rotary electric machine) 9 upon sensing the pressing of the pedal by a cruise control switch 42.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Yu WATANABE, Kenji KONDO
  • Patent number: 8931856
    Abstract: A brake control apparatus obtains a required braking force using a hydraulic braking force in combination with a regenerative braking force. The brake control apparatus includes a hydraulic brake unit that controls the hydraulic braking force. When the deviation of an actual hydraulic pressure from a target pressure falls outside a permissible range (d), the hydraulic brake unit controls the actual hydraulic pressure in such a manner that the deviation falls within the permissible range. On the other hand, when the deviation is within the permissible range (d), the hydraulic brake unit maintains the actual hydraulic pressure. The hydraulic brake unit includes a control unit that detects timing (Ta) at which usage of the hydraulic braking force needs to be started to compensate for a deficiency from the required braking force, and that raises (r) the target pressure at the detected timing (ta).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Okano, Daisuke Nakata
  • Publication number: 20140375115
    Abstract: A braking control device, includes a regenerative braking control part, a wheel speed differential detection part, and a regenerative restriction part. The regenerative braking control part is configured to carrying out regenerative braking on the drive wheels based on a deceleration request operation. The wheel speed differential detection part is configured to determine a wheel speed differential between the driven wheel speed and the regenerative braking wheel speed. The regenerative restriction part is configured to restrict the regenerative braking amount when the wheel speed differential exceeds a restriction initiation threshold value. The regenerative restriction part, during restriction of the regenerative braking amount, is configured to repeatedly carrying out a restriction in accordance with a large restriction phase in which a decrease in gradient of the regenerative braking amount is large and a restriction in accordance with a small restriction phase in which the decrease in gradient is small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Keigo Ajiro
  • Patent number: 8899695
    Abstract: In a brake-by-wire vehicle brake system that uses a solenoid shut-off valve (24a, 24b), the electric power supplied to the solenoid (33) of the solenoid shut-off valve is controlled so as to decelerate a movement of a plunger (31, 32) of the valve as the plunger reaches a point immediately adjacent to a terminal point thereof. Thereby, a highly responsive property can be achieved while the noises that are generated by the plunger striking a stopper (36) or a valve seat (34) can be minimized. When actuating the plunger in the valve closing direction, the solenoid may receive electric power at a first level, a second level lower than the first level and a third level intermediate between the first and second levels in that order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentarou Tanaka, Kunimichi Hatano, Arata Inoue, Hidetoshi Kobori
  • Patent number: 8886375
    Abstract: When a diagnosis result of an ABS control system is normal, a determination is made as to whether or not to execute ABS control based on a slip ratio of a vehicle wheel, whereupon motor torque control is executed based on an operational state of an ABS. In other words, when ABS control is not executed, the motor-generator is controlled to a regenerative state, and when ABS control is executed, the motor-generator is controlled to a power running state. When the diagnosis result of the ABS control system is abnormal, on the other hand, regenerative braking by the motor-generator is prohibited immediately and the motor-generator is controlled to the power running state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Yuki
  • Patent number: 8862358
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a control system configured to implement a method for regenerative braking control. The control system has at least one controller and is configured to control regenerative braking torque to be no greater than a regenerative braking torque limit when a wheel slip of a wheel of the vehicle is above a threshold value. The regenerative braking torque limit is non-zero for at least some values of the wheel slip above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Kerem Bayar, Dale Scott Crombez
  • Patent number: 8857922
    Abstract: A hydraulic vehicle brake system including a brake line for conducting a hydraulic pressure medium and a master cylinder attached to a non-pressurized storage vessel. A wheel brake has a first pressure modulation valve on the inlet side and a second pressure modulation valve and a low-pressure accumulator on the outlet side of the wheel brake. A pump is disposed on a return line downstream of the low-pressure accumulator for removing pressurizing medium from the low-pressure accumulator to regulate the brake pressure via the first pressure modulation valve and also via an isolation valve disposed in the brake line upstream of the first pressure modulation valve. An electromagnetically opening changeover valve is inserted in a pump suction line discharging into the return line between the master cylinder and the low-pressure accumulator. The pressure provided by the master cylinder can be fed to the low-pressure accumulator, bypassing the wheel brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventor: Dieter Dinkel
  • Patent number: 8836493
    Abstract: An apparatus for providing haptic feedback to an operator of a vehicle is described including a pedal, torque motor, actuator and controller. The pedal is rotatable between a closed position and an open position. The torque motor applies rotational force to the pedal. The actuator is rotatably positioned between the torque motor and pedal. The controller provides haptic feedback to the operator by sending a haptic signal via the torque motor, actuator and pedal in which rotational force is applied to the pedal to rotate the pedal toward the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Williams Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Thiel, Craig McConnell
  • Patent number: 8818669
    Abstract: A regenerative braking method for a motor vehicle, in which the regenerative braking action is applied progressively, a rate of application of the braking action being dependent on a speed of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Renault S.A.S.
    Inventor: Gilles Enjolras
  • Patent number: 8801112
    Abstract: A brake device includes: a mechanical pressure regulating part having a high-pressure port, a low-pressure port, a pilot pressure input port, and an output port which outputs fluid pressure corresponding to the pressure supplied to the pilot pressure input port by fluid pressures supplied to both of the high- and low-pressure ports, to a chamber for a master piston; a high-pressure source connected to the high-pressure port and the pilot pressure input port; a low-pressure source connected to the low-pressure port and the pilot pressure input port; and an electrically-operated pilot pressure generating part which includes control valves for controlling flows of the brake fluid between the high-pressure source and the pilot pressure input port, and between the low-pressure source and the pilot pressure input port, respectively, and which outputs desired fluid pressure to the pilot pressure input port by controlling flow of the brake fluid with control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 8794719
    Abstract: At a time (t3) when a vehicle speed is decreased below a switching-start vehicle speed and the switching from regenerative braking to fluid pressure braking is performed, even if a slave cylinder is caused to be operated by driving an electric motor at the same time of starting the reduction of regenerative braking force, the increase of fluid pressure braking force is delayed by an ineffective stroke in the slave cylinder. Accordingly, a temporary drop of total braking force of the regenerative braking force and fluid pressure braking force is generated. However, at a time (t2) when a vehicle speed is decreased below a switching-preparation-start vehicle speed, the electric motor is, beforehand, caused to drive slightly to cancel out the ineffective stroke in the slave cylinder. This can prevent a temporary drop of the total braking force of the regenerative braking force and fluid pressure braking force at the time of the switching, and can thereby prevent deterioration of brake feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8781701
    Abstract: In a vehicular brake-by-wire braking system, during a four wheel simultaneous control mode when regeneration cooperative braking is implemented, a pair of electromagnetic isolation control valves and one of normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to regeneration side left and right wheel brakes and normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to non-regeneration side left and right wheel brakes are caused to operate to open and close, while the other of the normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to the regeneration side left and right wheel brakes and the normally closed electromagnetic pressure relief valves corresponding to the non-regeneration side left and right wheel brakes are put in de-energized states in which the valves concerned are kept closed, and all normally open electromagnetic pressure supply valves are put in de-energized states in which the valves concerned are kept opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Nissin Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Aoki, Jiro Suzuki, Kouji Sakai
  • Patent number: 8768552
    Abstract: A vehicle brake system and method designed to maximize the contributions from a regenerative braking system, yet still provide adequate safety measures that address potential regenerative braking failure. According to one embodiment, the method determines both a requested deceleration from the driver and an actual deceleration experienced by the vehicle, and uses the difference between these two values to calculate a deceleration error that can be integrated over time and compared to an error threshold. If the integrated or accumulated deceleration error surpasses the error threshold, then the method may reduce or disable the regenerative braking system until it can confirm that it is operating properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric E. Krueger, Michael C. Roberts, Kevin S. Kidston, Paul A. Kilmurray
  • Patent number: 8764127
    Abstract: In a method for carrying out an emergency braking procedure in a vehicle, at least one electric actuator in the braking system is automatically actuated to generate an increased brake force in the case of an emergency situation. A maximum voltage, which exceeds the rated voltage of the actuator, is applied to the electric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Leibfried, Oliver Schmautz, Christian Doberschuetz, Ralph Lauxmann
  • Patent number: 8768595
    Abstract: A vehicle braking force control device which, at a normal time, performs antilock brake control when the slip ratio of a wheel has become equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The control device acquires from the engine control unit an accelerator pedal position signal corresponding to an accelerator pedal position, a clutch connection signal corresponding to a state of connection of a clutch, and a power transmission signal corresponding to a state of power transmission of a transmission. When engine braking is large on the basis of the accelerator pedal position signal, the clutch connection signal, and the power transmission signal, the vehicle braking force control device changes the predetermined threshold value to an offset threshold value that makes it harder to perform the antilock brake control than at the normal time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogawa, Kazuhiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8746813
    Abstract: In a vehicle capable of performing regenerative braking and fluid pressure braking, in changing from the regenerative braking to the fluid pressure braking in response to a decrease of a vehicle speed due to braking, a fluid pressure braking force is increased from 0 at a first increasing rate when the vehicle speed falls to or below a first threshold value (V1), and the fluid pressure braking force is increased at a second increasing rate, which is higher than the first increasing rate, when the vehicle speed falls to or below a second threshold value (V2), which is smaller than the first threshold value (V1). With this configuration, while occurrence of a squeal noise of a wheel cylinder can be prevented by setting the first increasing rate of the fluid pressure braking force at a small value, a required braking force can be generated without any problem by setting the second increasing rate, to be used subsequently thereto, of the fluid pressure braking force at a large value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Matsushita
  • Patent number: 8744713
    Abstract: A method for controlling braking of a vehicle calculates a driver request braking deceleration and a current frictional coefficient of a road surface to obtain a vehicle deceleration corresponding to the coefficient of the road surface. A maximum deceleration at which a wheel lock does not occur upon braking only by a driving wheel is calculated when the driver deceleration is equal to or smaller than the coefficient by comparing the driver deceleration and the vehicle deceleration. A braking force is determined by distributing a regenerative braking force of the driving wheel and a frictional braking force of a driven wheel according to the coefficient when the maximum deceleration is smaller than the driver deceleration by comparing the maximum deceleration and the driver deceleration. A driving motor and a frictional braking device are controlled to generate the determined regenerative braking force and frictional braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Research Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University
    Inventors: In Su Kim, Jong Yun Jeong, Dong Yoon Hyun, Hyun Soo Kim, Ji Weon Ko
  • Patent number: 8744677
    Abstract: The present invention is intended to suppress a change in a braking force due to a change in the magnitude of friction of an internal combustion engine, in a regenerative control system for a vehicle in which kinetic energy of wheels is made to be converted (regenerated) to electrical energy, at the time of deceleration running of the vehicle with the internal combustion engine mounted thereon. In order to solve this subject, the present invention is constructed such that the change in friction of the internal combustion engine is offset by adjustment of a regenerative braking force by regulating an amount of excitation current supplied to an electric generator according to the magnitude of friction in the internal combustion engine, at the time of deceleration running of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Yoshinori Futonagane, Takuya Hirai
  • Patent number: 8744712
    Abstract: A drive control device for an electric vehicle that is driven by a motor-generator, includes: a detection unit that detects a fact that an accelerator pedal depression amount and a brake pedal depression amount of the electric vehicle are both zero; and a control unit that sets a regenerative braking torque command value for the motor-generator to zero, while the detection unit is detecting the fact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Tashiro, Ryo Inaba, Shinya Sato
  • Patent number: 8738260
    Abstract: A brake control system includes: a friction brake unit for generating a friction braking force; a regenerative brake unit for generating a regenerative braking force; and a control unit for controlling the regenerative and friction brake units based on a regenerative target value and a friction target value defined based on a target deceleration, and for controlling a braking force by selecting one of a plurality of control modes including both a regeneration permission mode in which a total braking force is generated by the regenerative and friction braking forces, and a regeneration prohibition mode in which the target deceleration is generated by the friction braking force. In the permission mode, the control unit generates the total force by providing a delay, while in the prohibition mode, the control unit provides a delay smaller than the above delay to the friction braking force or does not provide a delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuya Miyazaki, Kazunori Nimura
  • Patent number: 8708427
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure brake unit includes a power hydraulic pressure source able to generate, by a supply of power, a high hydraulic independent of a brake operation by a driver; a field system which connects the power hydraulic pressure source with both first and second wheel cylinders, regulates the hydraulic pressure of operating fluid from the power hydraulic pressure source, and applies a common hydraulic pressure to both the first and second wheel cylinders; a separator valve provided so as to be able to cut off the supply of operating fluid to the second wheel cylinder via the first system; and a second system which connects the second wheel cylinder with the power hydraulic pressure source such that operating fluid can be supplied front the power hydraulic pressure source to the second wheel cylinder regardless of weather the separator valve is open or closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8706376
    Abstract: To provide an ABS control system and software with an automatic parameter calibration function. An ABS control system according to the present invention includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a wheel speed sensor, and a brake pressure sensor. The wheel speed sensor and the brake pressure sensor measure wheel speed and brake pressure during ABS braking, and the ABS control system automatically calibrates an internal parameter used in ABS control in response to the wheel speed and brake pressure measurement results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsaku Ono, Shuichi Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 8706374
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal device provided with a driving control device. The driving control device generates a braking force for braking a vehicle when the operation quantity of an acceleration pedal is below a first threshold value, and generates a driving force for driving the vehicle when the operation quantity exceeds a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value. The driving control device does not generate either the driving force or the braking force, and allows the vehicle to drive inertially, when the operation quantity ranges from the first threshold value to the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotaka Takiguchi, Yoichi Sugimoto, Koichiro Takemasa, Taisuke Tsurutani
  • Patent number: 8700241
    Abstract: Provided is a drive control device for a standby four-wheel drive vehicle having primary drive wheels coupled to a drive source including a motor generator that generates a regenerative braking torque and a clutch device disposed between the drive source and secondary drive wheels to switch a two-wheel drive state using the primary drive wheels and a four-wheel drive state using the primary drive wheels and the secondary drive wheels, including: a transmission torque control portion that causes the clutch device to set a transmission torque between the drive source and the secondary drive wheels to zero so as to allow only the primary drive wheels to perform regenerative braking if a request braking torque of the vehicle is equal to or lower than a predetermined primary-drive-wheel regeneration limit torque during the regenerative braking by the motor generator, the transmission torque control portion causing the clutch device to generate the transmission torque between the drive source and the secondary driv
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takahiro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8690724
    Abstract: A method for operating a drive-train of a motor vehicle with a drive aggregate in the form of a hybrid drive system (3) which comprises at least one electric machine (2), an internal combustion engine (1), a transmission (5), a drive output (4) and a brake system which comprises at least one wear-free permanent brake (6). When a braking torque is required, the braking torque is distributed between the electric machine (2) and the wear-free permanent brake (6). At the beginning of a braking torque demand, the required brake torque is provided exclusively by the electric machine (2). Thereafter, as a function of characteristics of the wear-free permanent brake, the braking torque demand is transferred, in a controlled manner, from the electric machine to the wear-free permanent brake (6) so that the sum of the braking torques provided at the drive output (4) corresponds to the required braking torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Markus Eisele, Yvonne Wiegand, Jurgen Blaser
  • Patent number: 8694190
    Abstract: A regeneration control device of a hybrid vehicle detects brake fluid pressure for detecting the amount of engagement of the brakes of the hybrid vehicle, and performs a first regeneration control in a closed state of the accelerator and the brake pedal not being depressed, a second regeneration control in the closed state of the accelerator and the brake pedal being depressed, and a third regeneration control when the accelerator pedal is in the closed state and the brake fluid pressure exceeds a predetermined value, wherein X(Nm/s) is set as the rate of increase of regenerative torque in the first regeneration control, Y(Nm/s) is set as the rate of increase of regenerative torque in the second regeneration control, and Z(Nm/s) is set as the rate of increase of regenerative torque in the third regeneration control, then X<y<Z is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Hino Motors, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Sawayama, Masahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8692489
    Abstract: A control system for controlling an electrical device of a nacelle, the device having at least one element that is movable to a closed position and an open position. The control system includes at least one electromechanical member for actuating the movable element, a unit for electrically driving the electromechanical actuation member, and a controlling and monitoring unit for controlling the electrical drive unit so as to move the movable element to the closed and/or open position. The control system further includes a system for recovering braking power from the electrical drive unit during the movement of the movable element to the closed and/or open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Aircelle
    Inventor: Hakim Maalioune
  • Patent number: 8659606
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes identifying a representation of a feature of an animated character by inverting a skinned representation of the feature in one position. The inversion includes a non-linear inversion of the skinned representation of the feature. The method also includes skinning the identified feature representation to produce the animated character in another position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: LucasFilm Entertainment Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Frederic P. Pighin, Cary Phillips
  • Patent number: 8655533
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is provided. The electric vehicle may include a motor for driving a wheel; a brake device for braking the wheel in response to a driver's operation of a brake operation member; and a controller for controlling the motor in response to the driver's operation of an accelerator operation member. The controller may include a first motor control section for causing the motor to be placed in a regenerative braking mode to generate a first regenerative braking force, when a displacement amount of the accelerator operation member decreases to an amount less than a predetermined reference displacement amount; and a second motor control section for causing the motor to generate a second regenerative braking force which is a sum of the first regenerative braking force and a predetermined additional braking force, in response to the operation of the brake operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Izumi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8645040
    Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle brake system during a wheel slip condition. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method involves receiving a requested brake torque, monitoring wheel slip, and if no wheel slip is detected then operating the vehicle brake system according to the requested brake torque. If, however, wheel slip is detected then the method may operate the vehicle brake system according to a modified brake torque that is less than the requested brake torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Eric E. Krueger, Kevin S. Kidston
  • Patent number: 8616660
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a regenerative brake control method of a regenerative brake system using an electronic control brake, which is devised to increase a regenerative brake energy recovery rate of a vehicle via brake hydraulic pressure control under low brake pressure conditions. The regenerative brake control method includes determining whether or not regenerative brake cooperative control of non-drive wheels is necessary based on a vehicle speed and driver requested brake force, and selecting whether or not to perform the regenerative brake cooperative control, thereby achieving vehicle braking stability. If the regenerative brake cooperative control is necessary, brake hydraulic pressure of non-drive wheels are controlled to increase regenerative brake force of drive wheels, which increases a regenerative brake energy recovery rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: MANDO Corporation
    Inventor: Sang Mook Kim
  • Patent number: 8612076
    Abstract: The invention provides a method and a system for enabling antilock braking in a vehicle which is propelled at least by an electric motor. The method includes detecting tendency of locking of the at least one wheel by comparing actual rate of change of speed of the at least one of the motor, wheels, transmission, shaft and ground speed with expected rate of change of speed of at least one wheel, wherein the vehicle is being decelerated. Based on the tendency of locking at least regenerative braking is modulated to prevent locking of at least one wheel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chetan Kumar Maini, Prakash Ramaraju, Suresh Veerabetappa Munirangiah, Basab Paul, Sajith Abdul Hameed
  • Patent number: 8608256
    Abstract: A hydraulic control method of a regenerative braking system for vehicles in which a point of time when regenerative braking torque starts to be reduced is predicted and hydraulic control is performed in advance prior to this point of time so as to improve braking performance. A hydraulic braking control unit predicts the point of time when regenerative braking torque starts to be reduced based on vehicle velocity and starts hydraulic control in advance prior to this point of time, thereby improving responsiveness of hydraulic braking force compared to the regenerative braking torque to satisfy braking force required by a driver, and minimizing a deceleration change at the end of regenerative braking to improve braking performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Man Bok Park
  • Patent number: 8608255
    Abstract: When vehicle speed V decreases to or below a preset reference vehicle speed Vref during output of regenerative braking force from a motor in response to the driver's depression of a brake pedal, the vehicle of the invention performs a replacement pre-operation (steps S190 to S220 and S160) and a replacement operation (steps S240 to S280 and S160) and controls the motor and an electronically controlled hydraulic braking system to satisfy a braking force demand BF*. The replacement pre-operation actuates and controls pumps included in a brake actuator of the electronically controlled hydraulic braking system to exert their proper pressurization performance. The replacement operation decreases the regenerative braking force output from the motor and enhances a pressure increase by the pumps to replace the regenerative braking force with a pressure increase-based braking force BFpp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michihito Shimada, Kazuya Maki
  • Patent number: 8573708
    Abstract: A hydraulic braking system for use in a vehicle employing both hydraulic and regenerative braking including a master cylinder with a reservoir inlet port and an outlet port. The outlet port is responsive to vehicle operator applied brake pedal pressure to close the inlet port and provide pilot pressure at the outlet port which is selectively coupled by a valve (57) to a hydraulic pedal simulator and to a control valve. The control valve provides boost hydraulic pressure from a pressure source to a vehicle wheel brake actuator in proportion to the pressure differential between the pilot pressure and a hydraulic pressure which is proportional to regenerative braking torque. This allows the power train controller to independently request different levels of regeneration on the two axles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Gregory P Goodzey, Roger W Miller
  • Patent number: 8573709
    Abstract: In a braking control apparatus for an electric vehicle, a target braking torque command value calculation section calculates a target braking torque command value on a basis of at least one of a state of road wheels and a braking request by a vehicle driver, a frequency component decomposition section decomposes a target braking torque command value into a first frequency component lower than a resonance frequency of a drive train and a second frequency component equal to or higher than the first frequency component, and a braking force control section provides an electrical braking torque for road wheels on a basis of a motor torque command value corresponding to the first frequency component and provides a frictional braking torque for the road wheels on a basis of a frictional braking torque command value corresponding to the second frequency component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Suzuki, Jun Kubo
  • Patent number: 8573713
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling a regenerative brake system with a number of friction brakes (F) and an electro-regenerative brake (R), whose total deceleration is composed of deceleration components of the brakes, and the actual deceleration components are desired to correspond to the nominal deceleration components as exactly as possible. A control unit is used to change the ratio of the nominal deceleration components of a number of brakes (R, F) relative to each other by determining a correction value (k1, k2) for a number of the brakes based on the quantities of efficiency w of a number of brakes representing the ratio between the actual deceleration (aactual) and the nominal deceleration (anominal), which correction value is applied to the nominal deceleration (anominal) of these brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Markus Jäger, Gregor Schmitt, Jochen Führer
  • Patent number: 8556353
    Abstract: In response to depression of a brake pedal (6), an electric brake (5) mounted on the rear side starts to generate a braking force at the time of stroke h1 before a fluid pressure brake (4) mounted on the front side starts to generate a braking force when the stroke reaches stroke h2. Accordingly, the rear side is able to generate a braking force prior to the front side, whereby it is possible to reduce a rigid feeling, and therefore improve the pedal feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Ishii, Kazumoto Sano, Kunihiro Matsunaga, Masaru Sakuma
  • Patent number: 8550218
    Abstract: A brake actuator has a motor that provides input rotation in first and second directions. A reducer couples to the motor and reduces the input rotation into an output rotation to be applied to a brake screw of a progressive cavity pump drive. A sensor measures rotational speed of the drive shaft. In manual operation, an operator can view an indication of the rotational speed and can manually operate the motor accordingly to control rotation of the shaft. In automated operation, a controller automatically controls the motor based on the rotational speed measured by the sensor. The controller can also use a torque sensor to detect the torque applied to the brake screw, a displacement sensor to detect displacement of the brake screw, and/or a current sensor to detect the current consumption of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Weatherford Industria e Comecio Ltda.
    Inventors: Jorge Robles Villa, Eduardo Perdomini Lara
  • Patent number: 8543273
    Abstract: A controller unit facilitates determining that a fast approaching forward vehicle has breached a fast approach threshold and may initiate brake regeneration to slow a commercial hybrid host vehicle in which the controller is employed. The controller determines whether there is capacity in the state of charge (SOC) of a high voltage battery to permit brake regeneration, and/or determines whether there is capacity in on board air tanks to permit a compressor motor to compress air, thereby drawing charge from the battery to create brake regeneration capacity. When battery SOC is below a predetermined threshold and a fast approaching vehicle breaches a fast approach threshold, the controller sends a brake regeneration command to a traction motor to act as a generator to supply charge to the battery, which in turn slows the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC
    Inventor: David J. Pfefferl
  • Patent number: 8521350
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes: a charge control portion that adjusts an upper limit of charging power to a battery to prevent a negative electrode potential of the battery from dropping to a lithium reference potential, based on a charge/discharge history of the battery; a braking control portion that detects a sharing ratio between hydraulic braking force by a braking device and regenerative braking force for desired braking force according to a brake pedal depression amount so that a motor generator generates a regenerative braking force within a range of the adjusted upper limit of charging power; and a setting portion that variably sets, according to the hydraulic response rate detected by the detection portion, a degree of limitation of the upper limit when restricting charging current to the battery by restricting the upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Keiichi Minamiura
  • Patent number: 8521385
    Abstract: A method of controlling a torque vectoring mechanism and an associated torque vectoring system are disclosed. The method can distribute torque between a left non-driven wheel and a right non-driven wheel of a vehicle based on a torque control value. The torque control value can be based on a change in yaw moment about a center of gravity of the vehicle. The change in yaw moment can be determined based on a reduction of lateral force on a driven axle due to both longitudinal and lateral slip on the driven wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: e-AAM Driveline Systems AB
    Inventors: Gabriel Per Erik Ivar Trönnberg, Simon Ola André Yngve