JPH1191675A - Electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To gain output characteristics that meet the demanded performance of an electric vehicle as well as achieve precise control of multiple electric motors by a simple control unit circuit configuration. SOLUTION: In an electric vehicle having multiple electric motors 31, 32 that supply power to the drive system, a battery 90 that supplies power to these electric motors 31, 32, and a control unit 17 that controls the electric motors 31, 32 according to operating conditions, the control unit 17 has the following: multiple motor drive circuits 100, 101 that are provided according to the multiple electric motors 31, 32; a shared power source circuit 110 that supplies power from the battery 90 to these multiple motor drive circuits 100, 101; a shared operating conditions judgment circuit 120 that judges the operating conditions based on detection signals from a detection means that detects the operating conditions; attached multiple basic control circuits 130, 131 which control independently and that are provided according to the multiple motor drive circuits 100, 101 based on the judgment of these driving conditions; and a shared added conditions control circuit 140 that sends control commands to the basic control circuit 130, 131 according to the vehicle conditions based on the judgment of the operating conditions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric vehicle such as a motor-assisted bicycle which travels with a combined force of a pedaling force of an occupant and an auxiliary power corresponding to the pedaling force.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electric vehicle includes a plurality of electric motors for supplying power to a drive system, a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor, and a control unit for controlling the electric motor in accordance with an operation state. is there. For example, JP-A-5-3
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 10176, an electric assist bicycle that supplements the pedaling force of an occupant with auxiliary power by a plurality of electric motors has been proposed and has already been put into practical use. A power unit for detecting and generating auxiliary power according to the size is provided.

[0003]

By the way, when controlling a power unit having a plurality of electric motors, a control unit for controlling a power unit made of one electric motor is required to satisfy the required performance of an electric vehicle. Motor characteristics cannot be changed. Also, when using a separate control unit for each of the plurality of electric motors,
An error or the like occurs due to a difference between devices, and it is difficult to perform accurate control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and can control a plurality of electric motors with high accuracy with a simple control unit circuit configuration, and output characteristics according to required performance of an electric vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle that can obtain the following.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention has the following constitution. The invention according to claim 1 is an electric vehicle including: a plurality of electric motors for supplying power to a drive system, a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor, and a control unit for controlling the electric motor according to an operation state. , The control unit includes: a plurality of motor drive circuits provided in accordance with the plurality of electric motors; a common power supply circuit for supplying power from the battery to the plurality of motor drive circuits; A common operating state determining circuit for determining an operating state based on a detection signal from the detecting means, and a plurality of basic control circuits provided independently for the plurality of motor drive circuits based on the determination of the operating state. And a shared additional condition control circuit that sends a control command to the basic control circuit in accordance with vehicle conditions based on the determination of the driving state. Both. ].

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of motor drive circuits and a plurality of basic control circuits which are independently controlled. However, the power supply circuit, the operation state determination circuit and the additional condition control circuit are provided. By sharing, a plurality of electric motors can be controlled accurately with a simple control unit circuit configuration, and output characteristics according to the required performance of the electric vehicle can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the plurality of electric motors have different output characteristics.
An electric vehicle as described. ]. According to the second aspect of the present invention, an electric motor having different output characteristics is provided, and the motor is adapted to the required characteristics required from the running conditions of the vehicle. It is possible to obtain a high speed during the general running of the vehicle.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an electric vehicle according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As the electric vehicle according to the present invention, an electric assist bicycle that travels with a combined force of the occupant's treading force and auxiliary power according to the treading force will be described, but the present invention is not limited to such an electric assist bicycle.

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric assisted bicycle, FIG. 2 is a side view of a power unit of the electric bicycle, and FIG. 3 is II in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the operation of the battery-assisted bicycle. First, a schematic configuration of the electric assist bicycle 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The electric assisted bicycle 1 includes a body frame 2 having a substantially parallelogram shape in a side view, and a handle stem 4 is rotatably inserted into a head pipe 3 located in front of the body of the body frame 2. . A handle 5 is provided at an upper end of the handle stem 4, and a front fork 6 is provided at a lower end of the handle stem 4. A front wheel 7 is rotatably supported by a front axle 8 at the lower end of the front fork 6.

From the head pipe 3, a main pipe 9 extends substantially horizontally toward the rear of the vehicle body, a down tube 10 extends diagonally downward toward the rear of the vehicle body, and a seat tube extends from the lower end of the down tube 10. 11 is erected diagonally upward toward the rear of the vehicle body. A saddle 13 is supported at the upper end of the seat tube 11 via a seat post 12 so as to be adjustable in height.

A power unit 30 is suspended substantially below the center of the vehicle body and at a portion where the down tube 10 and the seat tube 11 are joined. The power unit 30
A human-powered drive system based on the pedaling force of the occupant, and two electric motors 3
Auxiliary power systems 1 and 32 are provided. A crankshaft 14 is rotatably supported by the power unit 30. Cranks 15 are attached to both left and right ends of the crankshaft 14, and a pedal 16 is journaled at an end of each crank 15.

A control unit 17 is disposed on the down tube 10 near the power unit 30, and a battery box 18 is detachably mounted on the upper front side of the seat tube 11 above the power unit 30. In the battery box 18, a battery 9 composed of a plurality of shrink-packed cells (dual cells) is provided.
0 is stored.

On the other hand, a pair of right and left chain stays 19 extend from the power unit 30 toward the rear of the vehicle body. The rear end of the chain stay 19 extends obliquely downward from the rear end of the main pipe 9 toward the rear of the vehicle body. It is connected to lower ends of a pair of left and right seat stays 20 extending. A rear wheel 21 is rotatably supported by a rear axle 22 at a connecting portion between the chain stay 19 and the seat stay 20.
A small diameter wheel sprocket 23 is mounted on the rear axle 22 as shown in FIG.
Are rotatably supported via a one-way clutch 91 shown in FIG. Drive sprocket 2 of power unit 30
4 and wheel sprocket 23 and tension roller 2
5, an endless chain 26 is wound.

Next, the configuration of the power unit 30 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. Power unit 30
The case 33 has a crankshaft 14 rotatably supported by bearings 34 and 35, and the crankshaft 14 is provided with a planetary gear mechanism 36 and a hollow resultant shaft 37. The resultant shaft 37 is rotatably supported by a case 33, and a bearing 38 is provided in the resultant shaft 37 by a bearing 38.
Is rotatably supported, and a drum-shaped ring gear 39 and a bevel gear 40 constituting a part of a planetary gear mechanism 36 are connected to the outer periphery of the inner end of the resultant shaft 37, and the resultant shaft 37 is moved out of the case 33. A drive sprocket 24 is provided on the outer periphery of the protruding outer end.

The planetary gear mechanism 36 includes a sun gear 41 provided on the crankshaft 14, a ring-shaped carrier 43 supported on the crankshaft 14 via a one-way clutch 42 shown in FIGS. The carrier 43 includes a plurality of planet gears 45 rotatably supported by a shaft 44 and a ring gear 39. Each of the planet gears 45 is located between the sun gear 41 and the ring gear 39 and meshes with both. The ring gear 39 and the bevel gear 40 are composed of a plurality of rivets 4
6 are integrated.

In the power unit 30, two electric motors 31, 32 are radially arranged in a V-shape when viewed from the side with the crankshaft 14 as a center.
The second output shafts 31a and 32a extend radially inward in a direction perpendicular to the crankshaft 14. The ends of the output shafts 3la and 32a of the electric motors 31 and 32 are connected to the ends shown in FIG.
The bevel gear 4 having a small diameter via a one-way clutch 92 shown in FIG.
The bevel gears 47 and 48 are both meshed with the bevel gear 40, and the small-diameter bevel gears 47 and 48 and the bevel gear 40 constitute a reduction mechanism 93.

Next, the operation of the battery-assisted bicycle 1 will be described. When the occupant depresses the left and right pedals 16 to rotate the crankshaft 14, the rotation of the crankshaft 14 is increased in speed by the planetary gear mechanism 36 and transmitted to the resultant shaft 37, but the carrier 43 of the planetary gear mechanism 36 is fixed. (Strictly speaking, the spring of the reaction force receiving portion (not shown) rotates by an angle corresponding to the amount of compression deformation by the reaction force), so that the pedaling force of the occupant is transmitted from the ring gear 39 via the sun gear 41 and the planetary gear 45. The output is transmitted to the resultant shaft 37.

As described above, in the process in which the pedaling force is transmitted to the resultant shaft 37 via the planetary gear mechanism 36, the planetary gear 45
Receives a reaction force by meshing with the ring gear 39, and this reaction force is transmitted to a reaction force receiving portion (not shown) and received by a spring of the reaction force receiving portion. The carrier 43 rotates about the crankshaft 14 by an angle corresponding to the amount of compression deformation of the spring.

Therefore, the reaction force acting on the planetary gear 45 is proportional to the magnitude of the stepping force of the occupant, and the amount of compressive deformation of the spring is proportional to the magnitude of the reaction force. It is proportional to Therefore, the pedaling force can be detected by detecting the rotation angle of the carrier 43,
The rotation angle of the carrier 43 is detected by the torque detecting means S1, and a detection signal is output to the control unit 17.

Further, a vehicle speed detecting means S2 for detecting the vehicle speed from the rotation speed of the front wheel 7 or the rear wheel 21 is provided, and the detection signal is output to the control unit 17. The control unit 17 obtains a pedaling force based on a detection signal from the torque detecting means S1, and calculates a vehicle speed based on a detection signal from the vehicle speed detecting means S2.
The two electric motors 31 and 32 are respectively controlled so as to generate auxiliary power according to the driving state according to the vehicle speed.

In this manner, each of the electric motors 31, 32
Of the output shafts 3la and 32a of the bevel gears 47 and 4
8 to the common bevel gear 40 and the resultant shaft 37
Therefore, the auxiliary power generated by each of the electric motors 31 and 32 is transmitted to the resultant shaft 37 via the above-described path. As a result, the resultant shaft 37 is driven to rotate by the occupant's treading force and auxiliary power, and the rotation is transmitted to the rear wheel 21 via the drive sprocket 24, the chain 26, the wheel sprocket 23 and the rear axle 22, so that the rear wheel 21 Is driven to rotate by both the pedaling power and the auxiliary power of the occupant, and the electric assist bicycle 1 is caused to travel, and as a result, the physical burden required for the traveling of the occupant is reduced.

Next, the configuration of the control unit of the electric assist bicycle 1 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control unit. The control unit 17 includes a plurality of motor drive circuits 100 and 101 provided in accordance with the plurality of electric motors 31 and 32, and a common power supply circuit for supplying power from the battery 90 to the plurality of motor drive circuits 100 and 101. 110, a common operating state determining circuit 120 for determining an operating state based on a detection signal from a detecting means for detecting an operating state, and a plurality of motor drive circuits 100 and 101 provided in accordance with the operating state determination. A plurality of basic control circuits 130 and 131 for controlling independently, a shared additional condition control circuit 140 for sending a control command to the basic control circuits 130 and 131 in accordance with vehicle conditions based on the determination of the driving state, and a motor drive circuit 100 , 101 and the power supply circuit 110 are determined, and the determination signal is transmitted to the basic control circuit 130,
An abnormality determination circuit 150 to be sent to the
0, 131 and a synchronizing circuit 160 for synchronizing when the additional condition control circuit 140 is driven.

The power supply circuit 110 includes a main switch SW1
The power of the battery 90 is supplied to a plurality of motor drive circuits 1
00, 101. The operation state determination circuit 120 includes:
It has a torque calculation circuit 121 and a vehicle speed calculation circuit 122,
The torque calculation circuit 121 converts the torque information based on the detected voltage from the torque detection means S1 into the basic control circuits 130 and 131.
And to the additional condition control circuit 140. Vehicle speed calculation circuit 12
2 sends the vehicle speed information to the basic control circuits 130 and 131 and the additional condition control circuit 140 based on the detection pulse from the vehicle speed detection means S2.

The basic control circuits 130 and 131 have the same configuration and are activated by turning on the main switch SW1, and the basic control circuits 130 and 131 are provided by the additional condition control circuit 140 based on the torque information and the vehicle speed information. The motor drive circuits 100 and 101 are controlled according to the conditions. The additional condition is a condition determined by the condition of the vehicle, and includes, for example, torque current calculation, vehicle speed decay ratio, torque correction, and the like. Data can be shared so that these vehicle conditions are the same, and errors can be prevented. .

The abnormality judging circuit 150 includes the motor driving circuit 1
00 and 101 and the power supply circuit 110 are judged to be abnormal, and a judgment signal is sent to the basic control circuits 130 and 131. Stop control. When the battery temperature and the battery voltage of the battery 90 become abnormal, the abnormality determination circuit 150 sends the abnormality to the basic control circuits 130 and 131 to send the respective basic control circuits 13
The control of 0, 131 is stopped.

As described above, the plurality of motor drive circuits 10
0, 101 and a plurality of basic control circuits 13 that are independently controlled.
Although the power supply circuit 110, the operating state determination circuit 120, and the additional condition control circuit 140 are shared, a plurality of electric motors 31, 32 can be configured with a simple control unit 17 circuit configuration. Control can be performed with high accuracy, and output characteristics according to the required performance of the electric vehicle can be obtained.

The motor driving circuits 100 and 101
The plurality of electric motors 3 having different output characteristics are controlled independently by the respective basic control circuits 130 and 131.
1, 32 can be used and can be adapted to the required characteristics required from the running conditions of the vehicle. For example, a high-torque / low-rotation type motor is used for one electric motor 31 and a low-torque / high-rotation type motor is used for the other electric motor 32, and the output ratio of both electric motors 31 and 32 is optimally controlled. Thus, a high torque can be obtained at the time of starting or climbing a hill, and a high speed can be obtained at the time of general traveling on a flat road.

When signal detection or input is performed for each wheel without performing control depending on the vehicle state, an operation state determination circuit 120 that determines an operation state by processing individual signals regardless of output characteristics is required. .

[0029]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of motor driving circuits and a plurality of basic control circuits for independently controlling are provided. Since the condition control circuit is shared, a plurality of electric motors can be accurately controlled with a simple control unit circuit configuration, and the output characteristics according to the required performance of the electric vehicle can be obtained.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the plurality of electric motors have different output characteristics, the electric motors are adapted to the required characteristics obtained from the running conditions of the vehicle, for example, to obtain a high torque at the time of starting or climbing a hill. During normal running on a flat road, a high speed can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric assisted bicycle.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a power unit of the electric bicycle.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an operation of the electric assisted bicycle.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a control unit.

[Description of Signs] 17 Control units 31, 32 Electric motor 90 Battery 100, 101 Motor drive circuit 110 Power supply circuit 120 Operating state judgment circuit 130, 131 Basic control circuit 140 Additional condition control circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electric vehicle comprising: a plurality of electric motors for supplying power to a drive system; a battery for supplying electric power to the electric motor; and a control unit for controlling the electric motor in accordance with an operation state. The unit includes a plurality of motor drive circuits provided in accordance with the plurality of electric motors, a common power supply circuit for supplying power from the battery to the plurality of motor drive circuits, and a detection unit for detecting an operation state. A common operating state determining circuit for determining an operating state based on the detection signal, a plurality of basic control circuits independently provided based on the plurality of motor drive circuits based on the determination of the operating state, and An electric vehicle comprising: a shared additional condition control circuit that sends a control command to the basic control circuit according to a vehicle condition based on a determination of a state. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electric motors have different output characteristics.