Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a rotating electric machine, a high-voltage power line, a high-voltage battery, an inverter, a capacitor, an electronic control unit, a low-voltage battery, an alternator, and a low-voltage power line. The capacitor is connected to the high-voltage power line. The electronic control unit is configured to control the engine such that the engine is operated and the alternator supplies electric power to the low-voltage power line in a case where the possibility of the occurrence of a collision of the vehicle is detected. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control such that the capacitor discharges a residual electric charge in a case where the possibility of the occurrence of the collision of the vehicle is detected or in a case where the occurrence of the collision of the vehicle is detected.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an automatic transmission, a second clutch for engine disconnection, a rotating electric machine, a first clutch for rotating electric machine separation, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit switches the first clutch from a release state to an engagement state in a case where a collision of the vehicle occurs, the first clutch is in the release state, and a rotation speed of the rotating electric machine is higher than an input shaft rotation speed of the automatic transmission. In a case where the collision of the vehicle occurs, the first clutch is in the release state, and the rotation speed of the rotating electric machine is lower than the input shaft rotation speed of the automatic transmission, the first clutch is maintained in the release state.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter is driven when an inter-terminal voltage of a low-voltage battery is lower than a determination voltage and an engine is started when the inter-terminal voltage becomes lower than a determination voltage during the driving of the DC/DC converter so that an alternator is driven at a predetermined driving point at which the alternator can he efficiently driven and the DC/DC converter is controlled such that the inter-terminal voltage of the low-voltage battery becomes a rated voltage. Energy efficiency can be improved since the alternator is efficiently driven.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an automatic transmission, a second clutch for engine disconnection, a rotating electric machine, a first clutch for rotating electric machine separation, and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit switches the first clutch from a release state to an engagement state in a case where a collision of the vehicle occurs, the first clutch is in the release state, and a rotation speed of the rotating electric machine is higher than an input shaft rotation speed of the automatic transmission. In a case where the collision of the vehicle occurs, the first clutch is in the release state, and the rotation speed of the rotating electric machine is lower than the input shaft rotation speed of the automatic transmission, the first clutch is maintained in the release state.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a rotating electric machine, a high-voltage power line, a high-voltage battery, an inverter, a capacitor, an electronic control unit, a low-voltage battery, an alternator, and a low-voltage power line. The capacitor is connected to the high-voltage power line. The electronic control unit is configured to control the engine such that the engine is operated and the alternator supplies electric power to the low-voltage power line in a case where the possibility of the occurrence of a collision of the vehicle is detected. The electronic control unit is configured to perform control such that the capacitor discharges a residual electric charge in a case where the possibility of the occurrence of the collision of the vehicle is detected or in a case where the occurrence of the collision of the vehicle is detected.

Abstract: A DC/DC converter is driven when an inter-terminal voltage of a low-voltage battery is lower than a determination voltage and an engine is started when the inter-terminal voltage becomes lower than a determination voltage during the driving of the DC/DC converter so that an alternator is driven at a predetermined driving point at which the alternator can he efficiently driven and the DC/DC converter is controlled such that the inter-terminal voltage of the low-voltage battery becomes a rated voltage. Energy efficiency can be improved since the alternator is efficiently driven.

Abstract: A state estimation value indicating a battery state is successively calculated from time to time according to a battery model capable of dynamically estimating the internal state of the secondary battery by using an inspection value of a sensor group indicating the secondary battery behavior. By using the sate estimation value at each moment estimated by the battery model expression at each predetermined cycle, an I/O-enabled time is predicted when a predetermined power is continuously inputted (charged) or outputted (discharged) from the current moment. A load operation instruction of the secondary battery is set so as to avoid overcharge and over-discharge of the secondary battery according to the operation request to the load and by considering the predicted characteristics between input/output power and input/output-allowed time.

Abstract: The rotating shaft of the motor is connected to and disconnected from the first coupled rotating shaft, the crankshaft of the engine, and the drive shaft is connected to and disconnected from the second coupled rotating shaft and the third coupled rotating shaft. Thereby, the connection state when a power is output to the drive shaft can be increased and the power to the drive shaft can be output in a more efficient connection state in comparison with only connecting and disconnecting the rotating shaft of the motor to and from the first coupled rotating shaft and the crankshaft of the engine.

Abstract: A dog clutch actuator including a sleeve including dog teeth made engageable with the dog teeth formed in a power transmission shaft and made movable in the axial direction, and a plunger for moving together with the sleeve. The plunger is axially moved through a yoke by electric currents to flow through coils. In the dog clutch actuator, by the shapes of the plunger and the yoke, a sucking force increases in the engaging direction, when the dog clutch is engaged, and decreases in the disengaging direction, when the dog clutch is disengaged.

Abstract: A driving device of the invention has a clutch 40 and a continuously variable transmission 50. The clutch 40 couples and decouples a rotating shaft 24 or an output shaft of a motor 30 with and from a driveshaft 22. The continuously variable transmission 50 has an input shaft connected to the rotating shaft 24 and an output shaft connected to the driveshaft 22 via a gear mechanism 52. A spring 36 is attached to a rotor 31 of the motor 30 to apply a pressing force and cause the clutch 40 to couple the rotating shaft 24 with the driveshaft 22 in response to a relatively small output torque of the motor 30. With an increase in output torque of the motor 30, a thrust force produced in the motor 30 moves the rotating shaft 24 against the pressing force of the spring 36 to cause the clutch 40 to decouple the rotating shaft 24 from the driveshaft 22. The output torque of the motor 30 is then transmitted to the driveshaft 22 with a gear change of the continuously variable transmission 50.

Abstract: A state estimation value indicating a battery state is successively calculated from time to time according to a battery model capable of dynamically estimating the internal state of the secondary battery by using an inspection value of a sensor group indicating the secondary battery behavior. By using the sate estimation value at each moment estimated by the battery model expression at each predetermined cycle, an I/O-enabled time is predicted when a predetermined power is continuously inputted (charged) or outputted (discharged) from the current moment. A load operation instruction of the secondary battery is set so as to avoid overcharge and over-discharge of the secondary battery according to the operation request to the load and by considering the predicted characteristics between input/output power and input/output-allowed time.

Abstract: The rotating shaft of the motor is connected to and disconnected from the first coupled rotating shaft, the crankshaft of the engine, and the drive shaft is connected to and disconnected from the second coupled rotating shaft and the third coupled rotating shaft. Thereby, the connection state when a power is output to the drive shaft can be increased and the power to the drive shaft can be output in a more efficient connection state in comparison with only connecting and disconnecting the rotating shaft of the motor to and from the first coupled rotating shaft and the crankshaft of the engine.

Abstract: A driving device of the invention has a clutch 40 and a continuously variable transmission 50. The clutch 40 couples and decouples a rotating shaft 24 or an output shaft of a motor 30 with and from a driveshaft 22. The continuously variable transmission 50 has an input shaft connected to the rotating shaft 24 and an output shaft connected to the driveshaft 22 via a gear mechanism 52. A spring 36 is attached to a rotor 31 of the motor 30 to apply a pressing force and cause the clutch 40 to couple the rotating shaft 24 with the driveshaft 22 in response to a relatively small output torque of the motor 30. With an increase in output torque of the motor 30, a thrust force produced in the motor 30 moves the rotating shaft 24 against the pressing force of the spring 36 to cause the clutch 40 to decouple the rotating shaft 24 from the driveshaft 22. The output torque of the motor 30 is then transmitted to the driveshaft 22 with a gear change of the continuously variable transmission 50.

Abstract: In a power output apparatus of the invention, an engine EG1 is connected with a motor MG1 and is connected with an engine EG2 via a clutch C1. A driveshaft 65 is connected to the engine EG2 via a clutch C2 and is linked with a motor MG2. On a start or in a low speed range, the clutch C2 is set in an OFF position to disconnect the engine EG2 from the driveshaft 65, and the power output apparatus is driven only with the output power of the motor MG2. In an intermediate speed range, the clutch C2 is set in an ON position, and the power output apparatus is driven mainly with the output power of the engine EG2 that is driven with high efficiency. This arrangement enhances the total energy efficiency. The power output apparatus of the invention has a simple structure including the two clutches in addition to the two engines and the two motors.

Abstract: A motor (MG1) is connected to a sun gear (31) of a first planetary gear (P1) of a power distribution/unification mechanism (30), an engine (EG1) is connected to a carrier (34) of the first planetary gear (P1) and a ring gear (37) of a second planetary gear (P2), an engine (EG2) is connected to a ring gear (32) of the first planetary gear (P1) and a carrier (39) of the second planetary gear (P2), and a motor (MG2) and a drive shaft (65) are connected to a sun gear (36) of the second planetary gear (P2).

Abstract: A battery module is constructed of an integral battery case which is constituted by forming a plurality of prismatic cell cases into a unitized body, wherein positive electrode plates and negative electrode plates laminated alternately upon one another with intervening separators are respectively accommodated in each of the cell cases, thereby constituting a plurality of cells, these cells being electrically connected in series. A plurality of such battery modules are arranged in a direction in which the electrode plates within each cell are laminated in a condition with coolant passages formed between the battery modules, and bound tightly together with end plates arranged at both ends in the direction of adjacent arrangement of the battery modules.

Abstract: In response to a start request of an engine in setting of a gearshift position SP to a drive (D) position, the control procedure sets a relatively small value N1 to a threshold value Nref (step S120) and starts fuel injection and ignition of the engine when a rotation speed Ne of the engine reaches or exceeds the threshold value Nref (=N1) (steps S160 to S180). This ensures a quick start of the engine. In response to a start request of the engine in setting of the gearshift position SP to a parking (P) position, on the other hand, the control procedure sets a greater value N2 than the value N1 to the threshold value Nref (step S140) and starts fuel injection and ignition of the engine when the rotation speed Ne of the engine reaches or exceeds the threshold value Nref (=N2) (steps S160 to S180). This effectively reduces potential vibrations at a start of the engine.

Abstract: In a power output apparatus of the invention, a power distribution integration mechanism 30 has a first planetary gear P1 and a second planetary gear P2. A sun gear 31 of the first planetary gear P1 is linked to a motor MG1, whereas a carrier 34 of the first planetary gear P1 and a ring gear 37 of the second planetary gear P2 are linked to an engine EG1. A ring gear 32 of the first planetary gear P1 and a carrier 39 of the second planetary gear P2 are linked to an engine EG2, whereas a sun gear 36 of the second planetary gear P2 is linked to a motor MG2 and to a driveshaft 65. The power output apparatus of the invention selects an adequate drive pattern or drive mode among a first drive pattern, a second drive pattern, a third drive pattern, and a motor drive mode to enable efficient operation in response to a driver's request. In the first drive pattern, the power of the engine EG2 is output to the driveshaft 65. In the second drive pattern, the power of the engine EG1 is output to the driveshaft 65.

Abstract: A counterweight 40 attached to a crankshaft 38 has a projection 42, which is aligned with and faces an electromagnet 44 attached to a crank casing 46 when the crankshaft 38 is at a preset rotational position of ensuring good startability of an engine 22. Engine stop control starts a power supply to the electromagnet 44 to attract the projection 42 of the counterweight 40 at a timing when the projection 42 of the counterweight 40 is practically aligned with the electromagnet 44, on the condition that the revolution speed of the crankshaft 38 is lowered to or below a preset level immediately before a full stop of rotation of the crankshaft 38. This engine stop control stops the rotation of the crankshaft 38 and desirably holds the crankshaft 38 at the preset rotational position of ensuring good startability of the engine 22.

Abstract: A counterweight 40 attached to a crankshaft 38 has a projection 42, which is aligned with and faces an electromagnet 44 attached to a crank casing 46 when the crankshaft 38 is at a preset rotational position of ensuring good startability of an engine 22. Engine stop control starts a power supply to the electromagnet 44 to attract the projection 42 of the counterweight 40 at a timing when the projection 42 of the counterweight 40 is practically aligned with the electromagnet 44, on the condition that the revolution speed of the crankshaft 38 is lowered to or below a preset level immediately before a full stop of rotation of the crankshaft 38. This engine stop control stops the rotation of the crankshaft 38 and desirably holds the crankshaft 38 at the preset rotational position of ensuring good startability of the engine 22.