HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• Main Authors: ASANO TAKESHI, KUME TAKEO, SAWASE KAORU, IKUHARA TADAO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.03.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS INVEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OFTRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GASEXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS, IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE ORDIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES; ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT OR PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLEDVEHICLES; ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES, IN GENERAL; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; LIGHTING; MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TOTHE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT; TRANSPORTING; VEHICLES IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve fuel efficiency of a hybrid electric vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor mounted therein. SOLUTION: Provided are an internal combustion engine 2 that can switch the air/fuel ratio, an electric motor 3 connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine 2, required load detection means 6 for detecting the load required to be applied to the electric motor 3, and control means 5 for allowing selection of operating states between the internal combustion engine 2 and the electric motor 3. The control means 5 sets a first running mode for operating the electric motor 3 when the required load is in the light load range, and sets a second running mode for driving the internal combustion engine 2 at a lean air/fuel ratio when the required load is in the medium load range. The control means 5 further sets a third running mode for driving the internal combustion engine 2 at rich air/fuel ratio when the required load is in the high load range.