DIAGNOSTIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR A HYBRID VEHICLE

Abstract

A diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided for shortening the time required for a failure diagnosis of an evaporation purge system. After introducing the inlet-pipe's negative pressure into the evaporation purge system 51, the evaporation control unit 52 diagnoses failure states concerning the evaporation purge system 51 such as a leak by detecting changes in inner tank pressure over a prescribed time. In order to shorten such failure diagnosis control time, a motor generator 12 is driven to assist the engine when introducing the inlet-pipe's negative pressure into the evaporation purge system 51. With such assist-driving, it becomes possible to reduce engine load, therefore, the throttle valve 67 of the engine 11 can be controlled to be on the closed side, making it possible to create sufficient inlet-pipe's negative pressure. Through this, the pressure in the evaporation purge system 51 can be decreased quickly, which shortens the time for failure diagnosis in the evaporation purge system 51.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a skeleton diagram of a power unit installed in a hybrid vehicle

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an evaporation purge system.

FIG. 3 is a line diagram showing the pressure in a fuel tank that varies with the execution of the failure diagnostic control.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing an execution routine of motor drive control executed by the diagnostic control device of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an execution routine of motor drive control executed by the diagnostic control device of another embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an execution routine of motor drive control executed by the diagnostic control device of yet another embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an execution routine of motor drive control executed by the diagnostic control device of yet another embodiment according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle having an engine with an electric motor coupled to said engine, wherein said engine contains an induction system having an inlet pipe and is connected to a fuel tank, comprising: an evaporation process mechanism for guiding fuel vapor generated in the fuel tank through a vapor flow path to the induction system of the engine; a failure diagnosis unit that introduces negative-pressure of the inlet-pipe into the vapor flow path of said evaporation process mechanism for performing a failure diagnosis of the evaporation process mechanism based on pressure changes in said vapor flow path; and a motor control unit for driving said electric motor to assist the engine so as to relieve engine load when introducing negative-pressure of the inlet pipe into said vapor flow path.

2. The diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein said motor control unit prohibits driving of the electric motor to assist the engine when the charge state of an electric storage device that supplies electric-power to said electric motor goes below a prescribed value.

3. The diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein said motor control unit prohibits driving of the electric motor to assist the engine when the inlet-pipe's negative pressure obtained by said engine alone goes below a prescribed assist threshold-value.

4. The diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle of claim 2, wherein said motor control unit prohibits driving of the electric motor to assist the engine when the inlet-pipe's negative pressure obtained by said engine alone goes below a prescribed assist threshold-value.

5. The diagnostic control device for a hybrid vehicle of claim 3, wherein said motor control unit makes the electric motor drive for electricity generation when the inlet-pipe's negative pressure obtained by said engine alone goes below a power-generation threshold-value which is on a lower side of the prescribed assist threshold-value.