JP2024175612A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a control device of a vehicle which can suppress deterioration of NV performance during P charge control.SOLUTION: When P charge control is performed, torque of a second electric motor is inputted into a drive gear to apply force in a direction so as to suppress inclination of an output rotation member generated in accompany with the P charge control. Thereby, engagement reaction force is generated between the drive gear and a member (gear) of the second electric motor. An output rotation member (ring gear) is moved by the engagement reaction force in a direction to suppress the inclination thereof so as to control an attitude of the output rotation member, thereby, the inclination of the output rotation member generated in accompany with the P charge control is suppressed. When the inclination of the output rotation member is suppressed, tooth bearing between a pinion and a sun gear or a ring gear is improved in comparison with the case that torque of the second electric motor is not inputted, thereby, noise and vibration (NV) caused by engagement of gears are reduced. Therefore, deterioration of NV performance during the P charge control can be suppressed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device capable of performing P charge control.

There is a well-known vehicle control device that includes an engine, a first electric motor, an output rotating member connected to driving wheels so as to be power-transmittable, a planetary gear device to which the first electric motor is connected so as to be power-transmittable and the engine is connected so as to be power-transmittable, a second electric motor connected to the output rotating member so as to be power-transmittable, and a battery that supplies and receives electric power to each of the first electric motor and the second electric motor, and that creates a parking lock state (same as a parking position) in which the output rotating member is mechanically fixed so as not to rotate. For example, a hybrid vehicle control device described in Patent Document 1 is such a device. Patent Document 1 discloses that when the vehicle is stopped and in the parking position, the engine is put into operation, the first electric motor is driven by power from the engine, and P charge control is performed to charge the battery with the electric power generated by the first electric motor.

JP 2017-154523 A

Here, the output rotating member has a hollow cylindrical shape with a drive gear connected to the drive wheels so as to be power-transmittable, and a parking lock gear for parking lock, which are separately and integrally provided on the outer circumferential surface, the planetary gear device has a sun gear to which the first electric motor is connected so as to be power-transmittable, a carrier to which the engine is connected so as to be power-transmittable, a plurality of pinions supported by the carrier so as to be rotatable and revolvable, and a ring gear which is integrally provided on the inner circumferential surface of the output rotating member and which meshes with the sun gear via the pinion, and the second electric motor is connected to the drive gear so as to be power-transmittable. Vehicles equipped with a parking lock mechanism which has a parking lock member capable of meshing with the parking lock gear and which creates a parking lock state in which the output rotating member is mechanically fixed so as not to rotate by meshing the parking lock member with the parking lock gear are also well known. In such a vehicle, during P charge control, the rotation of the ring gear (output rotating member) is stopped by a parking lock member in response to the torque input from the engine, and the pinion and sun gear connected to the first electric motor are rotated, and the torque from the engine is absorbed by the first electric motor side to store electricity. However, in the P charge control, since the rotation of the output rotating member is received by the parking mechanism, a meshing reaction force (radial reaction force due to meshing) is generated between the parking lock gear and the parking lock member. In addition, a meshing reaction force (thrust reaction force) is also generated between the ring gear and the pinion. As a result, the output rotating member is tilted due to the radial reaction force and the thrust reaction force. In the P charge control, the pinion rotates while meshing with the sun gear and the ring gear, so gear meshing noise (gear noise) is generated. However, if the posture of the output rotating member deviates from the ideal state, the gear tooth contact deteriorates, making it easier for the gear noise to increase, which may deteriorate the NV performance. NV performance is the ability to suppress the occurrence of NV. "NV" is a general term for noise and vibrations that occur in a vehicle, and refers to at least one of the noise and vibrations in a vehicle.

The present invention was made against the background of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle control device that can suppress deterioration of NV performance during P charge control.

The gist of the first invention is that (a) a planetary gear device having an engine, a first electric motor, an output rotating member having a hollow cylindrical shape and having a drive gear connected to a driving wheel so as to be power-transmittable and a parking lock gear for a parking lock, which are separately and integrally provided on the outer circumferential surface, a sun gear to which the first electric motor is connected so as to be power-transmittable, a carrier to which the engine is connected so as to be power-transmittable, a plurality of pinions supported by the carrier so as to be rotatable and revolvable, and a ring gear that is integrally provided on the inner circumferential surface of the output rotating member and meshes with the sun gear via the pinion, a second electric motor connected to the drive gear so as to be power-transmittable, a battery that supplies and receives electric power to each of the first electric motor and the second electric motor, and a power supply that supplies and receives electric power to and from the first electric motor and the second electric motor. A control device for a vehicle equipped with a parking lock mechanism that has a parking lock member that can mesh with a parking lock gear and that creates the parking lock state in which the output rotating member is mechanically fixed so that it cannot rotate by meshing the parking lock member with the parking lock gear, (b) when the vehicle is stopped and in the parking lock state, it is possible to perform P charge control to charge the battery with electricity generated by the first electric motor using power from the engine, and (c) when performing the P charge control, the torque of the second electric motor is input to the drive gear, which acts as a force in a direction that suppresses the tilt of the output rotating member that occurs due to the P charge control.

According to the first invention, when P charge control is performed, the torque of the second motor is input to the drive gear, which applies a force in a direction that suppresses the tilt of the output rotating member that occurs with the P charge control. This generates a meshing reaction force between the drive gear and a member (gear) on the second motor side. This meshing reaction force moves the output rotating member (ring gear) in a direction that suppresses the tilt, thereby controlling the attitude of the output rotating member and suppressing the tilt of the output rotating member that occurs with the P charge control. By suppressing the tilt of the output rotating member, the tooth contact between the pinion and the sun gear and the ring gear is improved compared to when the torque of the second motor is not input, and NV due to gear meshing is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of NV performance in P charge control.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which the present invention is applied, and is also a diagram illustrating main parts of control functions and a control system for various controls in the vehicle. 6A to 6C are diagrams illustrating forces acting on a compound gear and the like during P charge control. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a main part of the control operation of the electronic control device, and is a flowchart illustrating the control operation for suppressing deterioration of NV performance in P charge control.

The following describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of a vehicle 10 to which the present invention is applied, and also illustrates the main parts of a control system for various controls in the vehicle 10. In Figure 1, the vehicle 10 is equipped with an engine 12, a first electric motor MG1, and a second electric motor MG2. The vehicle 10 also has driving wheels 14 and a power transmission device 16 provided in a power transmission path between the engine 12 and the driving wheels 14. The vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle, particularly a hybrid vehicle, equipped with the engine 12 and the second electric motor MG2 that function as a power source.

The engine 12 is a known internal combustion engine. The engine torque Te of the engine 12 is controlled by an engine control device 50 provided in the vehicle 10, which is controlled by an electronic control device 80 described below.

The first motor MG1 and the second motor MG2 are each a rotating electric machine, a so-called motor generator. The first motor MG1 and the second motor MG2 are each connected to a battery 54 provided in the vehicle 10 via an inverter 52 provided in the vehicle 10. The battery 54 is an electricity storage device that supplies and receives electric power to and from each of the first motor MG1 and the second motor MG2. The inverter 52 of the first motor MG1 and the second motor MG2 are controlled by an electronic control device 80 described later, so that the MG1 torque Tg, which is the torque of the first motor MG1, and the MG2 torque Tm, which is the torque of the second motor MG2, are controlled.

The power transmission device 16 includes, in a case 18, a damper 20, an input shaft 22 connected to the crankshaft 12a of the engine 12 via the damper 20, a transmission unit 24 connected to the input shaft 22, a compound gear 26, a driven gear 28, a driven shaft 30, a final gear 32, a differential gear 34, a reduction gear 36, a rotor shaft RSmg1 connected to the rotor of the first electric motor MG1, and a rotor shaft RSmg2 connected to the rotor of the second electric motor MG2. The power transmission device 16 also includes a pair of drive shafts 38 connected to the differential gear 34.

The compound gear 26 is an output rotating member having a hollow cylindrical shape. A drive gear 26a is integrally provided on one axial end of the outer circumferential surface of the compound gear 26. The drive gear 26a meshes with the driven gear 28 and is connected to the drive wheels 14 so as to be capable of transmitting power. A parking lock gear 62 for parking lock is integrally provided on the other axial end of the outer circumferential surface of the compound gear 26, separate from the drive gear 26a.

The driven shaft 30 fixes the driven gear 28 and the final gear 32 so that they cannot rotate relative to each other. The final gear 32 meshes with the differential ring gear 34a of the differential gear 34. The reduction gear 36 meshes with the driven gear 28 and is connected to the rotor shaft RSmg2. The second electric motor MG2 is connected to the drive wheels 14 so as to be able to transmit power, and is also connected to the drive gear 26a so as to be able to transmit power.

The transmission unit 24 includes a first electric motor MG1 and a planetary gear set 40. The planetary gear set 40 is a differential mechanism and is a known single-pinion type planetary gear set including a sun gear S, a carrier CA, a ring gear R, and a plurality of pinions P. The sun gear S is connected to the rotor shaft RSmg1, and the first electric motor MG1 is connected to it so as to be capable of transmitting power. The carrier CA is connected to the input shaft 22 so as to be capable of transmitting power, and the engine 12 is connected to it so as to be capable of transmitting power. The pinions P are each supported by the carrier CA so as to be capable of rotating and revolving. The ring gear R is integrally provided on a part of the inner peripheral surface of the compound gear 26. The ring gear R is engaged with the sun gear S via the pinion P. The planetary gear set 40 is a power splitting mechanism that mechanically splits the power of the engine 12 input to the carrier CA to the first electric motor MG1 and the drive gear 26a. The transmission unit 24 is a known electric continuously variable transmission in which the differential state of the planetary gear device 40 is controlled by controlling the operating state of the first electric motor MG1.

In the transmission unit 24, the MG1 torque Tg, which is a reaction torque of the negative torque generated by the first electric motor MG1, is input to the sun gear S in response to the engine torque Te, which is a positive torque, input to the carrier CA. As a result, a positive direct engine torque Td (= Te/(1+ρ) = -(1/ρ) x Tg) appears in the ring gear R during positive rotation. The combined torque of the direct engine torque Td and the MG2 torque Tm is transmitted to the drive wheels 14 as drive torque. At this time, the generated power by the first electric motor MG1 is supplied to the battery 54 and the second electric motor MG2. The above "ρ" is the gear ratio of the planetary gear set 40 (= number of teeth of the sun gear/number of teeth of the ring gear).

The vehicle 10 is equipped with a shift switching device 58 having a shift lever 56. The shift lever 56 is operated by the driver to one of a plurality of operating positions POSsh. The operating positions POSsh include, for example, a P operating position. The P operating position is a parking operating position for selecting a parking position (= P position) of the transmission unit 24 in which the transmission unit 24 is in a neutral state and the rotation of the composite gear 26 is mechanically prevented. The state in which the rotation of the composite gear 26 is prevented is a parking lock state (= P lock state) in which the composite gear 26 is mechanically fixed so that it cannot rotate. The composite gear 26 is fixed so that it cannot rotate by a parking lock mechanism 60 provided in the vehicle 10.

The parking lock mechanism 60 includes a parking lock gear 62, a parking lock pole 64, a cam 66, and a parking rod 68 that supports the cam 66 at one end. The parking lock gear 62 is a member that is integrally provided with the compound gear 26. The parking lock pole 64 is a parking lock member that can mesh with the parking lock gear 62. When the shift lever 56 is operated to the P operating position, the parking rod 68 is operated via a connecting mechanism that is mechanically connected to the other end of the parking rod 68, or by an actuator that moves the parking rod 68, so that the cam 66 is moved toward the parking lock pole 64. When the parking lock pole 64 is moved to a position where it meshes with the parking lock gear 62 by the movement of the cam 66, the compound gear 26 is fixed so that it cannot rotate. The parking lock mechanism 60 creates a P lock state by meshing the parking lock pole 64 with the parking lock gear 62.

The vehicle 10 is equipped with an electronic control device 80 that includes a control device for the vehicle 10. The electronic control device 80 is configured to include a so-called microcomputer equipped with, for example, a CPU, RAM, ROM, an input/output interface, etc. The electronic control device 80 performs various controls of the vehicle 10 by the CPU performing signal processing according to a program previously stored in the ROM while utilizing the temporary storage function of the RAM.

The electronic control device 80 is supplied with various signals (e.g., engine speed Ne, output rotation speed No which is the rotation speed of the driven gear 28 corresponding to the vehicle speed V, MG1 rotation speed Ng, MG2 rotation speed Nm, operating position POSsh, etc.) based on detection values from various sensors (e.g., engine speed sensor 70, output rotation speed sensor 72, MG1 rotation speed sensor 74, MG2 rotation speed sensor 76, shift position sensor 78, etc.) provided in the vehicle 10.

The electronic control device 80 outputs various command signals (e.g., engine control command signal Se, MG control command signal Smg, etc.) to each device (e.g., engine control device 50, inverter 52, etc.) provided in the vehicle 10.

The electronic control unit 80 is capable of performing P charge control CNpchg. The electronic control unit 80 is equipped with a P charge control unit 82. For example, when there is a request to charge the battery 54, the P charge control unit 82 performs P charge control CNpchg by charging the battery 54 with electricity generated by the first electric motor MG1 using power from the engine 12 while the vehicle is stopped and in the P lock state.

2 is a diagram explaining the force (torque) acting on the compound gear 26 and the like during the P charge control CNpchg. During the P charge control CNpchg, as shown in the comparative example of FIG. 2(a), the compound gear 26 is tilted due to the radial reaction force caused by the meshing between the parking lock gear 62 and the parking lock pole 64 and the thrust reaction force caused by the pinion P and the ring gear R of the planetary gear device 40. Due to the tilt of the compound gear 26, the tooth contact between the multiple pinions P and the ring gear R deviates from the ideal state. Such a deviation may cause the pinions P to be unable to cancel each other's loads, increasing the excitation force and worsening the gear noise. In addition, if the meshing between the drive gear 26a and the driven gear 28 is located on the opposite side of the axis (180 degrees ± 60 degrees) to the meshing between the parking lock gear 62 and the parking lock pole 64, the above problem is more likely to occur.

2(a) in the comparative example, during P charge control CNpchg, as shown in the present embodiment in FIG. 2(b), the torque required for controlling the attitude of the compound gear 26 is input from the second electric motor MG2 side in response to the input engine torque Te, and a meshing reaction force is generated between the drive gear 26a and the driven gear 28. The inclination of the compound gear 26 is suppressed by moving the compound gear 26 with the meshing reaction force from the second electric motor MG2 side. When performing P charge control CNpchg, the P charge control unit 82 inputs the MG2 torque Tm, which acts in a direction to suppress the inclination of the compound gear 26 generated by the P charge control CNpchg, to the drive gear 26a. As a result, the tooth contact between the multiple pinions P and the ring gear R is improved from the state of the comparative example in FIG. 2(a), and the NV performance is improved.

The greater the engine torque Te, the greater the meshing reaction force, and the greater the force pushing the compound gear 26 in the direction of tilting. Therefore, the greater the engine torque Te, the greater the MG2 torque Tm required for controlling the attitude of the compound gear 26 during P charge control CNpchg, which is set by the P charge control unit 82.

In FIG. 2(c), the "total force direction TE sum" indicates the sum of the radially divided gear excitation forces (gear meshing point forcing forces) generated in each pinion P. The smaller the value of the total force direction TE sum, the smaller the gear excitation force that causes NV. The "revolution phase" indicates the angle when the pinion P rotates around the ring gear R, centered on the sun gear S. When there are three pinions P, a rotation of 120 degrees represents one revolution's worth of variation. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2(c), the maximum value of the total force direction TE sum is reduced compared to the comparative example.

Figure 3 is a flowchart that explains the main control operations of the electronic control unit 80, and is a flowchart that explains the control operations for suppressing deterioration of NV performance in the P charge control CNpchg, and is executed, for example, repeatedly.

In FIG. 3, each step of the flowchart corresponds to a function of the P charge control unit 82. In step (hereinafter, step will be omitted) S10, it is determined whether the vehicle is stopped. If the determination in S10 is positive, it is determined in S20 whether the P lock state is present. If the determination in S20 is positive, it is determined in S30 whether the P charge control CNpchg is being performed. If the determination in S30 is positive, MG2 torque Tm is output in S40 and S50, and the attitude of the compound gear 26 is controlled by the MG2 torque Tm according to the engine torque Te. If the determination in any of S10, S20, and S30 is negative, this routine is terminated.

As described above, according to this embodiment, when the P charge control CNpchg is performed, the MG2 torque Tm is input to the drive gear 26a, which acts in a direction that suppresses the inclination of the compound gear 26 that occurs with the P charge control CNpchg. This generates a meshing reaction force between the drive gear 26a and the driven gear 28. This meshing reaction force moves the compound gear 26 in a direction that suppresses the inclination, thereby controlling the attitude of the compound gear 26 and suppressing the inclination of the compound gear 26 that occurs with the P charge control CNpchg. By suppressing the inclination of the compound gear 26, the tooth contact between the pinion P and the sun gear S or ring gear R is improved compared to when the MG2 torque Tm is not input, and NV due to gear meshing is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of NV performance in the P charge control CNpchg.

The above describes in detail an embodiment of the present invention based on the drawings, but the above is merely one embodiment, and the present invention can be implemented in other forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

10: Vehicle 12: Engine 14: Drive wheels 26: Compound gear (output rotating member) 26a: Drive gear 40: Planetary gear device S: Sun gear CA: Carrier R: Ring gear P: Pinion 54: Battery 60: Parking lock mechanism 62: Parking lock gear 64: Parking lock pole (parking lock member) 80: Electronic control device (control device) MG1: First electric motor MG2: Second electric motor

Claims (1)

a planetary gear device having a sun gear to which the first electric motor is connected so as to be capable of transmitting power, a carrier to which the engine is connected so as to be capable of transmitting power, a plurality of pinions supported by the carrier so as to be rotatable and revolvable, and a ring gear which is integrally provided on the inner circumferential surface of the output rotating member and which meshes with the sun gear via the pinion, a second electric motor connected so as to be capable of transmitting power to the drive gear, a battery which supplies and receives electric power to each of the first electric motor and the second electric motor, and a parking lock mechanism which has a parking lock member capable of meshing with the parking lock gear, and which forms the parking lock state in which the output rotating member is mechanically fixed so as not to rotate by meshing the parking lock member with the parking lock gear,
When the vehicle is stopped and in the parking lock state, a P charge control can be performed in which the electric power generated by the first electric motor using the power from the engine is charged to the battery,
A vehicle control device characterized in that, when performing the P charge control, the torque of the second electric motor is input to the drive gear, so that a force is applied in a direction that suppresses the inclination of the output rotating member that occurs due to the P charge control.

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