WO2010073328A1 - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle (10) has an internal combustion engine (11), an alternator (24), a battery (19), and a plurality of electrical components. The electrical components include a rear window defogger (20) and a side mirror heater (22). In deceleration traveling of the vehicle (10), an electronic control device (40) forcibly increases the field current of the alternator (24) to adjust the deceleration degree of the vehicle (10). The electronic control device (40) newly activates the rear window defogger (20) and the side mirror heater (22) so as to respond to the forced increase of the field current of the alternator (24).

Description

Vehicle control device

The present invention relates to a control device mounted on a vehicle including a generator that is drivingly connected to an output shaft of an internal combustion engine.

Usually, a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a battery for supplying electric power to various electrical components such as a headlamp and a winker. The vehicle is provided with an internal combustion engine as a drive source. A generator such as an alternator is drivingly connected to the output shaft of the internal combustion engine. Therefore, in such a vehicle, power is generated by operating the generator during operation of the internal combustion engine. Part of the power generated by the generator is consumed by the operation of various electrical components, and the remaining power is stored in the battery.

Conventionally, for example, the device described in Patent Document 1 proposes to change the operating state of the generator so that the amount of power generation is increased by increasing the field current of the generator during vehicle deceleration. As a result, by adjusting and controlling the field current of the generator, the load torque acting as a load on the engine output shaft is adjusted, and as a result, the degree of deceleration of the vehicle can be adjusted. Therefore, the degree of freedom in adjusting the degree of deceleration is increased and drivability is improved.

However, there is room for improvement in the apparatus described in the above document from the following viewpoints.
For example, when the vehicle is decelerated in a state where the remaining capacity (charge amount) of the battery is large, such as when the battery is fully charged, the battery may be excessively charged. This is because the apparatus disclosed in the above document merely forcibly changes the operating state of the generator so that the amount of power generation increases when the vehicle decelerates. In such a case, the battery temperature may increase excessively, and thus the durability performance of the battery may decrease.

Such inconvenience can be avoided, for example, by forcibly changing the operating state of the generator only when the remaining battery capacity is low. However, such a solution cannot perform a forced change of the generator operating state when the remaining battery capacity is high. That is, the degree of freedom in adjusting the vehicle deceleration is reduced.
JP-A-10-280990

An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device capable of suitably adjusting the degree of vehicle deceleration by forcibly changing the operating state of a vehicle generator while suppressing a decrease in battery durability.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle control device provided in a vehicle. The vehicle includes an internal combustion engine as a drive source, a generator that is drivingly connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, a battery that stores a part of the power generated by the generator, and an electrical component that is connected to the battery. The vehicle control device includes a control unit. The control unit can change the operating state of the generator and the operating state of the electrical component. The controller adjusts the degree of deceleration of the vehicle by forcibly changing the operating state of the generator so that the amount of power generated by the generator increases when the vehicle decelerates. Furthermore, the control unit changes the operating state of the electrical component so that the power consumption of the electrical component increases in response to the forced change of the operating state of the generator.

According to the above configuration, when the remaining battery capacity is large when the vehicle is decelerated, the power consumption of the vehicle electrical components can be temporarily increased so as to be larger than the originally required power consumption. The “essentially necessary power consumption” is the power consumption of the electrical component when it is assumed that the forced change of the operating state of the generator is not used for adjusting the vehicle deceleration degree. According to the above configuration, even when the remaining battery capacity is large, the operating state of the generator can be forcibly changed so that the power generation amount of the generator increases. Therefore, the deceleration degree of the vehicle can be adjusted suitably. And it can suppress that a battery is charged excessively at the time of the forced change of the operating state of a generator. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the durability performance of the battery.

In one aspect of the present invention, the control unit increases the power consumption of the electrical component when the remaining capacity of the battery is greater than the remaining capacity threshold.
In a preferred embodiment, the electrical component is an electric heater, and the control unit changes the operating state of the electric heater.

The driver is difficult to recognize temporary changes in the operating state of the electric heaters such as the rear window heater and the side mirror heater among the electrical components of the vehicle. In other words, the electric power consumption of these vehicle electric heaters is often allowed to increase temporarily. According to the above configuration, the operating state of such an electric heater is forcibly changed. Therefore, the amount of increase in power consumption can be increased while suppressing the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there are a plurality of vehicle electrical components. The control unit increases the power consumption by newly operating an inactive electrical component among the electrical components.
In one embodiment of the present invention, there are a plurality of non-operating electrical components. The control unit adjusts the amount of increase in power consumption by selecting which electrical component is newly activated.

In a preferred embodiment, the power generation amount of the generator that achieves the target vehicle deceleration rate is referred to as a target power generation amount. The upper limit amount of power generation estimated based on the remaining battery capacity is referred to as the upper limit power generation amount. The result of subtracting the upper limit power generation amount from the target power generation amount is referred to as excess power generation amount. The control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption so as to offset the excessive power generation amount.

According to such an aspect, it can suppress suitably that the electric power generation amount of an alternator increases too much. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the durability performance of the battery due to overcharging.
A preferable aspect sets the increase amount of the power consumption of an electrical component based on the remaining capacity of a battery.

∙ The more the remaining capacity of the battery, the greater the generator's excess generated power due to the forced change of the generator's operating state. According to the above aspect, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to cope with such a tendency. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption.

In a preferred aspect, the increase amount of the power consumption of the electrical component is set based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine.
Torque applied to the engine output shaft by the operating internal combustion engine is referred to as engine applied torque. When the operating state of the internal combustion engine changes, the engine applied torque also changes. The torque for the engine output shaft to drive the generator is a load torque that acts as a load on the engine output shaft. Therefore, when the operating state of the internal combustion engine changes, the forced increase amount of the power generation amount of the generator necessary to obtain a desired degree of vehicle deceleration also changes.

According to the above aspect, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the operating state of the internal combustion engine and the required increase amount of the load torque. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption.

A preferable aspect sets the increase amount of the power consumption of an electrical component based on the operation state of a vehicle drive system.
The torque that acts on the engine output shaft from the vehicle drive system as a load when the engine output shaft drives the vehicle drive system is referred to as drive system applied torque. For example, when the rotational speed of the drive shaft of the vehicle drive system, the transmission gear ratio, or the like changes, that is, when the operating state of the vehicle drive system changes, the drive system applied torque also changes. As a result, the forced increase amount of the power generation amount of the generator that is necessary to obtain a desired degree of vehicle deceleration also changes.

According to the above aspect, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the operating state of the vehicle drive system and the required increase amount of the load torque. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption.

A preferable aspect sets the increase amount of the power consumption of an electrical component based on the running speed of a vehicle.
When the vehicle traveling speed changes, the required vehicle deceleration degree also changes. As a result, the forced increase amount of the power generation amount of the generator that is necessary to obtain a desired degree of vehicle deceleration also changes.

According to the above aspect, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the vehicle traveling speed and the required increase amount of the load torque. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which a control device according to an embodiment embodying the present invention is applied. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific structure of an internal combustion engine mounted on the vehicle of FIG. 1. The flowchart which shows notionally the specific execution procedure of the forced consumption process of power consumption.

1 to 3 show an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a vehicle to which a vehicle control device according to the present embodiment is applied.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes an internal combustion engine 11, a torque converter 12, and an automatic transmission 13. The automatic transmission 13 has a plurality of shift stages. The driving force of the internal combustion engine 11 is increased or decreased in accordance with, for example, an accelerator opening Ap that is a depression amount of the accelerator pedal 14 of the vehicle 10. An engine output shaft 17 as an output shaft extends from the internal combustion engine 11. The driving force of the internal combustion engine 11 is transmitted to the drive wheels 16 via the torque converter 12, the automatic transmission 13, the differential 15 and the like.

The power of the engine output shaft 17 is transmitted to an input shaft (not shown) of the automatic transmission 13 via a fluid filled in the torque converter 12. The torque converter 12 is provided with a lockup clutch 18. The lock-up clutch 18 in the operating state connects the engine output shaft 17 to the input shaft of the automatic transmission 13 to rotate integrally.

Further, the vehicle 10 is provided with a battery 19 as a lead battery and various electrical components. The battery 19 supplies power to these electrical components. The electrical components are, for example, a rear window defogger 20, a rear window defogger switch 21, a side mirror heater 22, and a side mirror heater switch 23. The rear window defogger 20 removes frost and water droplets attached to the rear window of the vehicle 10. The rear window defogger switch 21 is operated by the driver when the rear window defogger 20 is operated. The side mirror heater 22 removes water droplets attached to the surface of the side mirror of the vehicle 10. It is operated by the driver when the side mirror heater 22 is operated. The voltage of the battery 19 is referred to as a battery voltage V, and the remaining capacity of the battery 19 is referred to as a remaining battery capacity Q.

The internal combustion engine 11 is provided with an alternator 24 as an engine-driven generator. The alternator 24 is drivingly connected to the engine output shaft 17 and is driven by the operation of the internal combustion engine 11 to generate electric power. A part of the electric power generated by the alternator 24 is consumed by various electrical components, and the remaining electric power is stored in the battery 19.

FIG. 2 shows a specific structure of the internal combustion engine 11.
As shown in FIG. 2, the intake passage 30 of the internal combustion engine 11 is provided with a throttle valve 31 for changing the passage area of the intake passage 30. The electronic control unit 40 controls the opening of the throttle valve 31 based on the engine rotational speed NE as the rotational speed of the engine output shaft 17, the accelerator opening Ap, and the like. By controlling the opening degree of the throttle valve 31, the electronic control unit 40 adjusts the intake air amount GA into the combustion chamber 32 of the internal combustion engine 11. The internal combustion engine 11 is provided with a fuel injection valve 33. The fuel injection valve 33 is driven to open according to the intake air amount GA and injects fuel.

In the combustion chamber 32 of the internal combustion engine 11, an air-fuel mixture composed of intake air and injected fuel is burned by an ignition operation by the spark plug 34. As a result, the internal combustion engine 11 applies rotational torque to the engine output shaft 17. The air-fuel mixture after combustion is discharged to the exhaust passage 35 as exhaust.

The vehicle 10 includes various sensors. These sensors include, for example, a throttle sensor 41, a rotation speed sensor 42, an air amount sensor 43, an accelerator sensor 44, a voltage sensor 45, and a travel speed sensor 46. The throttle sensor 41 detects the opening of the throttle valve 31, that is, the throttle opening TA. The rotational speed sensor 42 detects the engine rotational speed NE. The air amount sensor 43 detects the intake air amount GA. The accelerator sensor 44 detects the accelerator opening Ap. The voltage sensor 45 detects the battery voltage V. The traveling speed sensor 46 detects the traveling speed of the vehicle 10, that is, the vehicle speed SPD.

Further, the vehicle 10 includes an electronic control unit (ECU) 40 as a control unit including, for example, a microcomputer. The electronic control unit 40 takes in output signals from various sensors and switches and executes various calculations. And the electronic control apparatus 40 performs operation | movement control of various vehicle equipment based on a calculation result. On-vehicle devices controlled by the electronic control unit 40 include an automatic transmission 13, a lockup clutch 18, an alternator 24, a throttle valve 31, and a fuel injection valve 33. Specifically, the electronic control unit 40 can control the field current amount of the field coil 25 provided in the alternator 24.

The electronic control device 40 according to the present embodiment performs fuel cut control for temporarily stopping the fuel supply to the internal combustion engine 11 in addition to controlling the opening of the fuel injection valve 33 in accordance with the intake air amount GA. To do. That is, the electronic control unit 40 temporarily stops fuel injection from the fuel injection valve 33 to the internal combustion engine 11. The fuel cut control is executed on the condition that the engine speed NE is within a predetermined range in a state where the accelerator pedal 14 is not depressed. The range of the engine speed NE that is subjected to fuel cut control is, for example, 1700 rpm / 4000 to 4000 rpm.

Also, the electronic control unit 40 of this embodiment controls the operation of the lockup clutch 18 as follows. That is, the electronic control unit 40 first determines whether the operation region of the vehicle 10 is the “engagement region” or the “release region” based on the accelerator opening Ap, the engine speed NE, the vehicle speed SPD, and the like. When the operation region of the vehicle 10 is the “engagement region”, the electronic control unit 40 puts the lock-up clutch 18 into an operating state, that is, an engaged state. As a result, the engine output shaft 17 is drivingly connected to the input shaft of the automatic transmission 13 and integrally rotates. On the other hand, when the driving state of the vehicle 10 is the “disengaged region”, the electronic control unit 40 puts the lockup clutch 18 into the operation stop state, that is, the release state. As a result, the engine output shaft 17 is disconnected from the drive connection with the input shaft of the automatic transmission 13. That is, the power of the engine output shaft 17 is transmitted to the input shaft of the automatic transmission 13 through the fluid.

Basically, the lock-up clutch 18 is in an operating state, that is, an engaged state in a vehicle operation region where the vehicle speed SPD is high and the load of the internal combustion engine 11 is small. However, when the accelerator pedal 14 is released and the vehicle 10 travels at a reduced speed, specifically, when fuel cut control is executed, the lockup clutch 18 remains engaged until the vehicle speed SPD becomes relatively low. Is done.

The electronic control device 40 of the present embodiment performs the operation control of the alternator 24 as follows.
First, the electronic control unit 40 determines a control target value of the battery voltage V, that is, a target charging voltage Tv, and a current amount Db as a basic control amount of the field coil 25, that is, an energization amount of the field coil 25 based on the driving state of the vehicle 10. And calculate. The “operating state of the vehicle 10” specifically includes the engine speed NE, the intake air amount GA, the throttle opening degree TA, the accelerator opening degree Ap, the vehicle speed SPD, and the operating status of each electrical component. The electronic control unit 40 stores various data for appropriately suppressing the decrease in the remaining battery capacity Q. These stored data are the relationship between the driving state of the vehicle 10 and the target charging voltage Tv, and the relationship between the driving state of the vehicle 10 and the basic current amount Db, and are obtained in advance based on the results of experiments and simulations. . First, the electronic control unit 40 calculates the target charging voltage Tv and the basic current amount Db based on such stored data.

Thereafter, the electronic control unit 40 determines whether or not the target charging voltage Tv is lower than the actual battery voltage V. When the target charging voltage Tv is lower than the actual battery voltage V, the electronic control unit 40 subtracts the predetermined value ΔA from the correction amount Kd. On the other hand, when the target charging voltage Tv is equal to or higher than the actual battery voltage V, the electronic control unit 40 adds a predetermined value ΔA to the correction amount Kd. In this way, the electronic control unit 40 updates the correction amount Kd and adds the correction amount Kd to the basic current amount Db, thereby calculating the target field current TD as the control target value of the field current (TD = Db + Kd).

As described above, in the present embodiment, charge control is performed as control for adjusting the power generation amount of the alternator 24 by controlling the field current of the alternator 24 so that the battery voltage V matches the target charge voltage Tv. . The electronic control device 40 executes processing related to charging control at predetermined intervals.

A lead battery is used for the battery 19 of the present embodiment. A lead battery has a relatively high lower limit value of the remaining capacity range for fully functioning as a battery. In other words, the lead battery has a characteristic that it tends to cause a function deterioration due to a decrease in the remaining battery capacity Q. Therefore, the charge control of the present embodiment basically adjusts the field current of the alternator 24 so that the battery 19 is always kept in a fully charged state.

Also, the electronic control unit 40 of the present embodiment forcibly increases the field current of the alternator 24 in order to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle speed when the vehicle speed is decelerated due to the accelerator pedal 14 being released. That is, the electronic control unit 40 is set to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle speed by forcibly changing the operation state of the alternator 24 so that the power generation amount of the alternator 24 increases. In other words, the electronic control unit 40 forcibly changes the operation state of the alternator 24 to the operation state on the side where the power generation amount of the alternator 24 increases in order to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle speed. The electronic control unit 40 adjusts the forced increase amount of the field current of the alternator 24 according to the vehicle speed SPD at that time. Therefore, the present embodiment can increase the load torque acting on the engine output shaft 17.

Therefore, this embodiment can increase the degree of freedom in adjusting the deceleration degree of the vehicle 10 as compared with, for example, a vehicle in which the field current of the alternator 24 is not forcibly changed. That is, drivability can be improved. The electronic control unit 40 executes a process for forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 as a part of the process related to the charge control. That is, the process of forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 is included in the process of calculating the target charging voltage Tv and the basic current amount Db based on the driving state of the vehicle 10.

By the way, when the field current of the alternator 24 is simply increased in order to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10, the following inconvenience may occur. For example, when the vehicle 10 is in a decelerating state with a large remaining battery capacity Q, such as when the battery 19 is fully charged, the field current of the alternator 24 is increased, which may cause the battery 19 to be excessively charged. There is. That is, as a result of the temperature of the battery 19 becoming excessively high, the durability performance of the battery 19 may be reduced.

Such inconvenience can be avoided, for example, by forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 only when the remaining battery capacity Q is small. However, in this case, when the remaining battery capacity Q is large, the field current of the alternator 24 cannot be forcibly changed, so that the degree of freedom in adjusting the vehicle deceleration decreases. In particular, the charge control of the present embodiment adjusts the field current of the alternator 24 so that the battery 19 is always kept in a fully charged state. Therefore, in this embodiment, if the setting is made such that the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased only when the remaining battery capacity Q is low, the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased. There will be almost no opportunity.

In view of such circumstances, the electronic control device 40 of the present embodiment increases the power consumption of the electrical components of the vehicle 10 when forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 to adjust the vehicle deceleration degree. In addition, the operating state of the electrical component is changed. Specifically, the electronic control unit 40 newly activates one of the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 that has been inactive. As a result, the power consumption of the electrical component is increased.

The electronic control device 40 according to the present embodiment temporarily increases the power consumption of the electrical component so that it is larger than the originally required power consumption even when the remaining battery capacity Q is large during vehicle deceleration. “Essentially necessary power consumption” is, for example, power consumption when it is assumed that the forced increase of the field current of the alternator 24 is not used for adjusting the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10. Therefore, this embodiment can cancel the forced increase amount of the field current of the alternator 24 for adjusting the vehicle deceleration degree by the increase amount of the power consumption of the electrical component.

Therefore, this embodiment can forcibly increase the field current of the alternator 24 and adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 even when the remaining battery capacity Q is larger than the remaining capacity threshold value Q0. The remaining capacity threshold value Q0 as the predetermined amount corresponds to a remaining battery capacity that may cause the battery 19 to be overcharged when it is assumed that neither the rear window defogger 20 nor the side mirror heater 22 is newly operated. Therefore, this embodiment can adjust the deceleration degree of the vehicle 10 suitably. As a result, excessive charging of the battery 19 can be suppressed even when the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased. Therefore, this embodiment can suppress a decrease in the durability performance of the battery 19.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining forced consumption processing as processing for forcibly increasing the power consumption of the electrical component.
A series of processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 conceptually shows the execution procedure of the forced consumption process. The electronic control unit 40 executes the actual process of the forced consumption process at predetermined intervals on the condition that the accelerator pedal 14 is in the depressing state and the vehicle 10 is in the decelerating traveling state.

As shown in FIG. 3, first in this process, the electronic control unit 40 calculates a target deceleration Tg as a control target value of the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 based on the vehicle speed SPD (step S101).

Thereafter, the electronic control unit 40 calculates the torque increase amount ΔTr of the alternator 24 based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11, the operating state of the vehicle drive system, and the target deceleration Tg (step S102). The torque increase amount ΔTr is calculated based on the following idea.

First, based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11, the electronic control unit 40 grasps the engine applied torque that is the torque applied to the engine output shaft 17 by the internal combustion engine 11, that is, the output torque. The electronic control unit 40 specifies the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11 by the throttle opening degree TA, the intake air amount GA, the engine rotational speed NE, the fuel injection amount of the fuel injection valve 33, and the like.

On the other hand, the electronic control unit 40 grasps the drive system applied torque applied from the vehicle drive system to the engine output shaft 17 based on the operation state of the vehicle drive system. The torque converter 12, the automatic transmission 13, the differential 15, and the drive wheels 16 constitute a vehicle drive system. The electronic control unit 40 identifies the operating state of the vehicle drive system based on the vehicle speed SPD, the gear stage selected in the automatic transmission 13, the operating state of the lockup clutch 18, and the like.

The added value of the engine applied torque and the drive system applied torque is the rotational torque of the engine output shaft 17 when the alternator 24 is not operating. The electronic control unit 40 calculates a torque increase amount ΔTr as the load torque of the internal combustion engine 11 for realizing the target deceleration Tg based on the rotational torque and the target deceleration Tg. The torque increase amount ΔTr is a load torque amount that the activated alternator 24 should act on the engine output shaft 17 in order to achieve the target deceleration Tg.

Next, the electronic control unit 40 calculates the target power generation amount Tw of the alternator 24 based on the torque increase amount ΔTr and the engine rotation speed NE (step S103). The target power generation amount Tw is the power generation amount of the alternator 24 when the alternator 24 in the operating state causes a load torque corresponding to the torque increase amount ΔTr to act on the engine output shaft 17.

The electronic control unit 40 calculates the excessive power generation amount ΔTw based on the target power generation amount Tw and the remaining battery capacity Q (step S104). The excessive power generation amount ΔTw is an amount that needs to be offset by the forced increase in the power consumption amount of the electrical component in the target power generation amount Tw. Specifically, the electronic control unit 40 estimates the upper limit power generation amount Lim based on the remaining battery capacity Q. The upper limit power generation amount Lim is an upper limit value of the power generation amount of the alternator 24 that does not cause the battery 19 to be overcharged, assuming that the current consumption amount of the electrical component is not forcibly increased. The electronic control unit 40 calculates the excessive power generation amount ΔTw by subtracting the upper limit power generation amount Lim from the target power generation amount Tw (ΔTw = Tw−Lim). The electronic control unit 40 of the present embodiment obtains and stores an estimated value of the remaining battery capacity Q based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11 at that time. In step S104, the electronic control unit 40 calculates the excessive power generation amount ΔTw using the estimated value.

Thereafter, the electronic control unit 40 newly operates the electrical component so that the excessive power generation amount ΔTw can be consumed (step S105).
In the present embodiment, when the excessive power generation amount ΔTw is larger than “0”, the rear window defogger 20 is basically newly operated. However, when the excessive power generation amount ΔTw is large and the excess power generation amount ΔTw cannot be consumed only by operating the rear window defogger 20, that is, when the power consumption amount of the rear window defogger 20 is smaller than the excessive power generation amount ΔTw, The electronic control unit 40 operates both the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22. On the other hand, if the rear window defogger switch 21 has already been turned on at the time of step S105 and the rear window defogger 20 has already been activated, the electronic control unit 40 newly activates the side mirror heater 22. Further, when the excessive power generation amount ΔTw is “0” or less, the electronic control unit 40 does not newly operate either the rear window defogger 20 or the side mirror heater 22. That is, in the present embodiment, the total amount of power consumption of the electrical component to be newly activated is made larger than the excessive power generation amount ΔTw.

Hereinafter, the effect | action by performing a forced consumption process is demonstrated.
In the present embodiment, when the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased in order to adjust the vehicle deceleration degree, the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 which are in an inoperative state are newly activated. Let Therefore, this embodiment can forcibly increase the field current of the alternator 24 and adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 even when the remaining battery capacity Q is greater than the remaining capacity threshold value Q0.

The higher the remaining battery capacity Q, the smaller the upper limit power generation amount Lim of the alternator 24. That is, as the remaining battery capacity Q increases, the excessive power generation amount ΔTw of the alternator 24 increases when the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased during vehicle deceleration. In the present embodiment, the excessive power generation amount ΔTw is calculated based on the remaining battery capacity Q (step S104), and the forced increase amount of the power consumption of the alternator 24 is determined based on the excessive power generation amount ΔTw. That is, the electronic control unit 40 determines an electrical component to be newly activated based on the excessive power generation amount ΔTw. Therefore, the power consumption of various electrical components can be increased so as to correspond to the relationship between the remaining battery capacity Q and the excess generated power. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption of each electrical component.

Further, when the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11 changes, the engine applied torque also changes. When the operation state of the vehicle drive system such as the operating state of the lock-up clutch 18, the shift stage selected in the automatic transmission 13, the vehicle speed SPD, etc. changes, the drive system applied torque changes. Further, when the vehicle speed SPD changes, the required degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 also changes. From these facts, when any one of the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11, the operating state of the vehicle drive system, and the vehicle speed SPD changes, the field current of the alternator 24 necessary for obtaining a desired vehicle deceleration degree is obtained. The amount of forced increase changes. The forced increase amount of the field current of the alternator 24 means the increase amount of the load torque acting on the engine output shaft 17.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, an electrical component to be newly activated is determined based on the operating state (step S102) of the internal combustion engine 11, the operating state of the vehicle drive system (step S102), and the vehicle speed SPD (step S101). Therefore, in the present embodiment, the relationship between the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11 and the increase amount of the load torque, the relationship between the operation state of the vehicle drive system and the increase amount of the load torque, and the increase of the vehicle speed SPD and the load torque. The power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the amounts. Accordingly, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing the power consumption from being unnecessarily increased or decreased.

In the present embodiment, the electrical component to be newly activated is determined as described above. As a result, even if the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased during vehicle deceleration, it is possible to suitably suppress an excessive increase in the amount of power generated by the alternator 24. Therefore, a decrease in the durability performance of the battery 19 due to overcharging can be accurately suppressed. In the present embodiment, the total amount of power consumption of the newly operated electrical component is set to be larger than the excessive power generation amount ΔTw. Therefore, excessive charging of the battery 19 can be accurately suppressed. Further, in the present embodiment, by selecting an electrical component to be newly activated from the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22, the forced increase amount of the power consumption of the electrical component can be adjusted.

The driver is less likely to recognize a temporary change in the operating state of the electric heaters such as the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 among the electrical components of the vehicle 10. That is, these electric heaters have a large amount of power consumption allowed to be temporarily increased. In the present embodiment, an electric heater is employed as an electrical component to be newly activated in order to increase the power consumption of the alternator 24. Therefore, it is possible to greatly increase the power consumption of the electrical component while suppressing the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.

This embodiment has the following advantages.
(1) When the electronic control unit 40 adjusts the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 by forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 when the vehicle 10 is decelerated, the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 are adjusted. The one that was inactive is activated again. Therefore, even when the remaining battery capacity Q is large, the field current of the alternator 24 can be forcibly increased in order to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10. Accordingly, the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 can be suitably adjusted. In addition, excessive charging of the battery 19 can be suppressed when the field current of the alternator 24 is forcibly increased. Therefore, a decrease in durability performance of the battery 19 can be suppressed.

(2) The electronic control unit 40 can forcibly increase the field current of the alternator 24 to adjust the degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10 when the remaining battery capacity Q is greater than the remaining capacity threshold value Q0. The remaining capacity threshold value Q0 corresponds to the remaining capacity Q when the battery 19 may be overcharged when it is assumed that the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 are not newly operated.

(3) Electric heaters such as the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 were employed as electric components to be newly activated in order to forcibly increase the power consumption of the alternator 24. Therefore, it is possible to greatly increase the amount of power consumption while suppressing the uncomfortable feeling given to the driver.

(4) The electronic control unit 40 can adjust the forced increase amount of the power consumption of the electrical component by selecting which one of the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 is newly activated.

(5) The electronic control unit 40 performs control so that the total amount of power consumption of the newly actuated electrical component is larger than the excessive power generation amount ΔTw. Therefore, it is possible to suitably suppress an excessive increase in the amount of power generated by the alternator 24 when the vehicle 10 is decelerated. Therefore, a decrease in the durability performance of the battery 19 due to overcharging can be accurately suppressed.

(6) The electronic control unit 40 determines an electrical component to be newly activated based on the remaining battery capacity Q. Therefore, the power consumption of each electrical component can be increased so as to correspond to the relationship between the remaining battery capacity Q and the excess generated power. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption amount of the electrical component while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption amount of the electrical component.

(7) The electronic control unit 40 determines an electrical component to be newly activated based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11. Therefore, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to match the relationship between the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11 and the increase amount of the load torque. Accordingly, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing the power consumption from being unnecessarily increased or decreased.

(8) The electronic control unit 40 determines an electrical component to be newly activated based on the operating state of the vehicle drive system. Therefore, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the operation state of the vehicle drive system and the increase amount of the load torque. Accordingly, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing the power consumption from being unnecessarily increased or decreased.

(9) The electronic control unit 40 determines an electrical component to be newly activated based on the vehicle speed SPD. Therefore, the power consumption of the electrical component can be increased so as to meet the relationship between the vehicle speed SPD and the increase amount of the load torque. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately increase the power consumption while suppressing an unnecessary increase or decrease in the power consumption.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows.
The electronic control unit 40 executes the control for forcibly increasing the field current of the alternator 24 and newly operating the electrical component when the vehicle 10 is decelerated only when the accelerator pedal 14 is released. Not limited to. The above control may be executed when the accelerator pedal 14 is depressed a little.

The remaining battery capacity Q is not limited to being estimated based on the operating state of the internal combustion engine 11. For example, the electronic control unit 40 may detect the charge current amount and the discharge current amount of the battery 19 and estimate the remaining battery capacity Q based on the balance of both. Further, the electronic control unit 40 may estimate the remaining battery capacity Q based on the transition of the battery voltage V. That is, the method for estimating the remaining battery capacity Q can be arbitrarily changed.

In the process of step S105, the electrical component may be selected so that the excessive power generation amount ΔTw becomes equal to the total amount of power consumption of the electrical component to be newly activated. However, it is necessary that the deterioration of the durability performance of the battery 19 can be appropriately suppressed. In short, the total amount of power consumption of the electrical components to be newly activated is the power generation of the alternator 24 estimated based on the remaining battery capacity Q from the target power generation amount Tw of the alternator 24 that realizes the target degree of deceleration of the vehicle 10. The amount obtained by subtracting the upper limit power generation amount Lim (= Tw−Lim) may be equal to or greater than the amount of power consumption that is offset.

The electrical components that are newly energized by the electronic control unit 40 are not limited to the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22. A seat heater for warming the seat may be substituted or used together. In other words, the electronic control unit 40 only needs to newly energize an electrical component that can increase power consumption.

Further, as an electrical component to be newly activated by the electronic control unit 40, a dedicated electric load device having no purpose other than power consumption, for example, a resistor, instead of or in addition to the rear window defogger 20 and the side mirror heater 22 May be provided.

· Among the plurality of electrical components, the operation priority of the electrical component to be newly activated in step S105 can be arbitrarily determined. For example, the electronic control unit 40 determines the priority order of the electrical components to be selected in accordance with the occurrence of inconveniences associated with the use of various electrical components, the type of inconvenience, the magnitude of power consumption of the various electrical components, and the like. it can.

· “Changing the operating state of an electrical component so that the operating state of the electrical component increases” is not limited to newly operating a non-operated electrical component. The amount of power consumed by the electrical component may be increased by increasing the amount of power supplied to the electrical component that has already been supplied with power and is in operation.

The battery 19 to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a lead battery. For example, the present invention may be applied to a lithium ion battery or a nickel cadmium battery. That is, the present invention is also applicable to a vehicle including a battery in which the lower limit amount of the remaining capacity range in which the battery 19 can sufficiently function is smaller than that of the lead battery.

The vehicle to which the present invention is applied may be a vehicle equipped with a continuously variable transmission as the automatic transmission 13, or a hybrid vehicle using both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as drive sources.

Claims (10)

1. A vehicle control device provided in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is an internal combustion engine as a drive source, a generator drivingly connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine, and a battery for storing a part of the electric power generated by the generator And an electrical component connected to the battery,
   The vehicle control device includes a control unit, and the control unit is capable of changing an operation state of the generator and an operation state of the electrical component,
   The control unit adjusts the degree of deceleration of the vehicle by forcibly changing the operating state of the generator so that the amount of power generated by the generator increases when the vehicle decelerates.
   Furthermore, the said control part changes the operating state of the said electrical component so that the power consumption of the said electrical component may increase corresponding to the said forced change, The vehicle control apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.
2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit increases the power consumption of the electrical component when the remaining capacity of the battery is larger than a remaining capacity threshold.
3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrical component is an electric heater, and the control unit changes an operating state of the electric heater.
4. There are a plurality of the electrical components,
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit increases the power consumption by newly operating the electrical component that is in an inoperative state among the electrical components.
5. There are a plurality of the electrical components in the inactive state,
   The vehicle control device according to claim 4, wherein the control unit adjusts an increase amount of the power consumption amount by selecting which of the electrical components is newly activated.
6. The power generation amount of the generator that achieves the target deceleration degree of the vehicle is referred to as a target power generation amount,
   The upper limit amount of power generation estimated based on the remaining capacity of the battery is referred to as the upper limit power generation amount,
   When the result of subtracting the upper limit power generation amount from the target power generation amount is referred to as excess power generation amount,
   The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption so as to cancel out the excessive power generation amount.
7. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption based on a remaining capacity of the battery.
8. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption based on an operating state of the internal combustion engine.
9. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption based on an operating state of a drive system of the vehicle.
10. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the control unit sets an increase amount of the power consumption based on a traveling speed of the vehicle.

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