Patent ID: 6223842
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,F16D,Y02T,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A hybrid vehicle including:an engine for generating a vehicle driving energy;a clutch for making and breaking the transfer of a mechanical driving force between said engine and wheels;a generator which is driven by said engine to generate electric power;an electric energy storage means for storing a generated output of said generator;a motor which generates a mechanical driving force and a braking force for the wheels through input and output of energy in said electric energy storage means; anda controller for controlling operation of said engine, said clutch, said generator, and said motor and for selectively operating the motor and the engine in either a series mode, a parallel mode, or both a series mode and a parallel mode of hybrid vehicle operation of the vehicle,wherein a condition indicative of clutch trouble detecting means for detecting a condition indicative of trouble in said clutch is provided, and when said clutch trouble detecting means has detected a trouble in the clutch, said controller controls an operation of said clutch by either operating the hybrid vehicle in both the series mode and the parallel mode to lighten the load of a mechanical driving force transfer imposed on the clutch or by operating the hybrid vehicle in the series mode with the clutch being disengaged.