JP7626086B2 - Vehicle notification control device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle notification control device.

The vehicle is equipped with a clutch having friction materials that disengage, slip, or engage depending on the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2021-134826 A

Continuing to use the hydraulic oil without changing it may shorten the life of the friction material.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vehicle notification control device that can extend the life of friction materials.

The above object can be achieved by a vehicle notification control device that is applied to a vehicle having a clutch with friction material that disengages, slips, or engages depending on the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic oil, and a notification unit that can issue a predetermined warning, the vehicle notification control device including: a calculation unit that calculates a friction material deterioration level, which is the degree of deterioration of the friction material; a deterioration level determination unit that determines whether the friction material deterioration level is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold; and a notification control unit that causes the notification unit to issue a warning encouraging replacement of the hydraulic oil when a positive determination is made by the deterioration level determination unit.

The calculation unit may calculate the degree of deterioration of the friction material based on the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil, which is the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil, and the amount of heat generated by the friction material due to slippage.

The calculation unit may calculate the degree of deterioration of the friction material based on a cumulative value obtained by multiplying a value based on the amount of heat generated per unit time by a value based on the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil.

The apparatus may include an acquisition unit that acquires the temperature of the hydraulic oil and the usage time of the hydraulic oil, and the calculation unit may calculate the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil based on the temperature of the hydraulic oil and the usage time of the hydraulic oil.

The calculation unit may calculate the degree of hydraulic oil deterioration based on a cumulative value of unit hydraulic oil deterioration degrees per unit time, the rate of increase of which increases as the temperature of the hydraulic oil increases and as the duration of use of the hydraulic oil increases.

The calculation unit may calculate the amount of heat generated based on the input torque to the friction material when slippage occurs and the difference in rotation speed of the friction material.

The system may include a hydraulic oil replacement determination unit that determines whether the hydraulic oil has been replaced, and the calculation unit may reset the hydraulic oil deterioration level when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil replacement determination unit.

The system may include a hydraulic oil replacement determination unit that determines whether the hydraulic oil has been replaced, and a change unit that changes the threshold value to a value greater than the degree of deterioration of the friction material when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil replacement determination unit.

The system may include a hydraulic oil change determination unit that determines whether the hydraulic oil has been changed, and the notification control unit may not cause the notification unit to issue the warning when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil change determination unit.

The system may include a friction material replacement determination unit that determines whether the friction material has been replaced, and the calculation unit may reset the friction material deterioration level when a positive determination is made by the friction material replacement determination unit.

The vehicle may have a power source and a transmission, and the clutch may be provided on a power transmission path between the power source and the transmission.

The present invention provides a vehicle notification control device that can extend the life of friction materials.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid vehicle. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing an example of a calculation control of the friction material deterioration level _Rfc executed by the ECU. The maps of FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are examples of maps for calculating the ATF deterioration level R _atf . FIG. 4 is an example of a graph showing the transition of the heat generation amount of the starting clutch. FIG. 5 is an example of a graph showing the degree of deterioration _Rfc of a friction material that increases with the passage of time. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of warning control executed by the ECU. FIG. 7 is an example of a graph showing the change in the degree of deterioration _Rfc of the friction material when the friction material is replaced. FIG. 8A is an example of a graph showing a change in the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc when the ATF is replaced after a warning, and FIG. 8B is an example of a graph showing a change in the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc when the ATF is replaced just before a warning. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the warning control executed by the ECU 100. In FIG.

[General configuration of hybrid vehicle]
1 is a schematic diagram of a hybrid vehicle 1. In the hybrid vehicle 1, a K0 clutch 14, a motor 15, a starting clutch 18, and a transmission 19 are provided in this order on a power transmission path from an engine 10 to drive wheels 13. The engine 10 and the motor 15 are mounted as a driving power source for the hybrid vehicle 1. The engine 10 is, for example, a V6 gasoline engine, but the number of cylinders is not limited thereto, and may be an in-line gasoline engine or a diesel engine. The K0 clutch 14, the motor 15, the starting clutch 18, and the transmission 19 are provided in a transmission unit 11. The transmission unit 11 and the left and right drive wheels 13 are drivingly connected via a differential 12.

The K0 clutch 14 is provided between the engine 10 and the motor 15 on the power transmission path. The K0 clutch 14 switches the power transmission state between the engine 10 and the motor 15 by disengaging, slipping, or engaging depending on the supply of hydraulic oil (hereinafter simply referred to as ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid)). Engaged is a state in which a pair of friction materials of the K0 clutch 14 are connected and the engine 10 and the motor 15 have the same rotation speed. Disengaged is a state in which the pair of friction materials of the K0 clutch 14 are separated. Slip is a state in which the engine 10 and the motor 15 have a predetermined rotation speed difference and the pair of friction materials of the K0 clutch 14 are in sliding contact with each other.

The motor 15 is connected to the battery 16 via the inverter 17. The motor 15 functions as a motor that generates driving force for the vehicle in response to power supplied from the battery 16, and also functions as a generator that generates power to charge the battery 16 in response to power transmission from the engine 10 and the drive wheels 13. The power exchanged between the motor 15 and the battery 16 is adjusted by the inverter 17.

The inverter 17 is controlled by the ECU 100 described below, and converts the DC voltage from the battery 16 to an AC voltage, or converts the AC voltage from the motor 15 to a DC voltage. In the case of power running in which the motor 15 outputs torque, the inverter 17 converts the DC voltage of the battery 16 to an AC voltage and adjusts the power supplied to the motor 15. In the case of regenerative running in which the motor 15 generates power, the inverter 17 converts the AC voltage from the motor 15 to a DC voltage and adjusts the power supplied to the battery 16.

The starting clutch 18 is provided between the motor 15 and the transmission 19 on the power transmission path. The starting clutch 18 is a wet clutch that switches the power transmission state between the motor 15 and the transmission 19 by disengaging, slipping, or engaging depending on the supply of ATF. Engagement is a state in which a pair of friction materials of the starting clutch 18 are connected and the engine 10 and the motor 15 have the same rotation speed. Release is a state in which the pair of friction materials of the starting clutch 18 are separated. Slip is a state in which the motor 15 and the input shaft of the transmission 19 have a predetermined rotation speed difference and the pair of friction materials of the starting clutch 18 are in sliding contact with each other. Note that a torque converter with a lock-up clutch may be provided instead of the starting clutch 18.

The transmission 19 is a stepped automatic transmission that changes the gear ratio in multiple stages by changing the gear stage, but is not limited to this and may be a continuously variable automatic transmission. The transmission 19 is provided between the starting clutch 18 and the drive wheels 13 on the power transmission path.

The transmission unit 11 is further provided with an oil pump 21 and a hydraulic control mechanism 22. The ATF hydraulic pressure generated by the oil pump 21 is supplied to the K0 clutch 14, the starting clutch 18, and the transmission 19 via the hydraulic control mechanism 22. The hydraulic control mechanism 22 is provided with hydraulic circuits for the K0 clutch 14, the starting clutch 18, and the transmission 19, and various hydraulic control valves for controlling the hydraulic pressure of the ATF.

The hybrid vehicle 1 is provided with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 100. The ECU 100 is an electronic control unit that includes a calculation processing circuit that performs various calculation processes related to the vehicle's driving control, and a memory that stores control programs and data. The ECU 100 is an example of a vehicle notification control device, and functionally realizes a calculation unit, a deterioration degree determination unit, a notification control unit, a hydraulic oil change determination unit, a change unit, a friction material change determination unit, and an acquisition unit, which will be described in detail later.

The ECU 100 controls the operation of the engine 10 and the motor 15. Specifically, the ECU 100 controls the torque and rotation speed of the engine 10 by controlling the throttle opening, ignition timing, and fuel injection amount of the engine 10. The ECU 100 controls the rotation speed and torque of the motor 15 by controlling the inverter 17 to adjust the amount of power exchanged between the motor 15 and the battery 16. The ECU 100 also controls the operation of the K0 clutch 14, the starting clutch 18, and the transmission 19 through the control of the hydraulic control mechanism 22.

The ECU 100 receives signals from an ignition switch 71, a crank angle sensor 72, a motor rotation speed sensor 73, an input shaft rotation speed sensor 74, and an oil temperature sensor 75. The crank angle sensor 72 detects the rotation speed of the crankshaft of the engine 10. The motor rotation speed sensor 73 detects the rotation speed of the motor 15. The input shaft rotation speed sensor 74 detects the rotation speed of the input shaft of the transmission 19. The oil temperature sensor 75 detects the oil temperature of the ATF supplied to the K0 clutch 14, the transmission 19, and the starting clutch 18.

The display unit 80 is controlled by the ECU 100 and is provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle. The display unit 80 is an example of a notification unit that issues a warning to prompt ATF replacement, which will be described in detail later. Note that the notification unit is not limited to the display unit 80, and may be, for example, a speaker of an audio system or a navigation system of the hybrid vehicle 1.

The ECU 100 runs the hybrid vehicle in either the motor mode or the hybrid mode. In the motor mode, the ECU 100 releases the K0 clutch 14 and runs the vehicle using the power of the motor 15. In the hybrid mode, the ECU 100 switches the K0 clutch 14 to an engaged state and runs the vehicle using at least the power of the engine 10. The hybrid mode includes a mode in which the vehicle runs using only the power of the engine 10, and a mode in which the motor 15 is powered and the vehicle runs using both the engine 10 and the motor 15 as power sources.

摩擦材劣化度Ｒ_ｆｃは摩擦材の劣化度である。係数Ｃは、ＡＴＦの種類や摩擦材の種類に応じて予め定められている。ＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆは、ＡＴＦの劣化度である。Ｑ［Ｊ／ｃｍ^２／ｓ］はスリップ発生時での摩擦材の単位面積当たりの発熱量である。式（１）では、ＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆは、ＡＴＦの油温が高いほど高い値となる単位時間当たりの単位ＡＴＦ劣化度に相当する。∫（∫Ｒ_ａｔｆｄｔ）×ｄＱｄｔは、単位時間当たりの摩擦材の発熱量をＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆに乗算し、このようにして得られた値を時間積分することにより得られた累積値に相当する。このように摩擦材劣化度Ｒ_ｆｃの算出は、ＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆに摩擦材の発熱量Ｑを乗算した値に基づいて算出される。スリップ発生時での摩擦材の発熱量が同じであっても、ＡＴＦの劣化度により摩擦材の劣化度も影響を受け、ＡＴＦの劣化度が大きいほど、摩擦材の劣化への影響も大きいからである。尚、上記の式（１）は摩擦材の劣化度を算出する式の一例であり、これに限定されない。例えば、単位時間当たりの摩擦材の発熱量に基づいた値をＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆに乗算してもよいし、単位時間当たりの摩擦材の発熱量にＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆに基づいて値を乗算してもよい。単位時間当たりの摩擦材の発熱量に基づいた値とは、例えば発熱量に所定値を加減算した値や、発熱量を倍数又は指数倍にした値である。ＡＴＦ劣化度Ｒ_ａｔｆに基づいて値も同様である。 The ECU 100 calculates the deterioration degree of the friction material of the starting clutch 18 based on the following formula (1).

The friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is the deterioration degree of the friction material. The coefficient C is determined in advance according to the type of ATF and the type of friction material. The ATF deterioration degree R _atf is the deterioration degree of the ATF. Q [J/cm ² /s] is the heat generation amount per unit area of the friction material when slipping occurs. In the formula (1), the ATF deterioration degree R _atf corresponds to the unit ATF deterioration degree per unit time, which becomes higher as the ATF oil temperature is higher. ∫(∫R _atf dt)×dQdt corresponds to the cumulative value obtained by multiplying the heat generation amount of the friction material per unit time by the ATF deterioration degree R _atf and integrating the value thus obtained over time. In this way, the calculation of the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is based on the value obtained by multiplying the ATF deterioration degree R _atf by the heat generation amount Q of the friction material. Even if the amount of heat generated by the friction material when slippage occurs is the same, the degree of deterioration of the friction material is also affected by the degree of deterioration of the ATF, and the greater the degree of deterioration of the ATF, the greater the influence on the deterioration of the friction material. Note that the above formula (1) is an example of a formula for calculating the degree of deterioration of the friction material, and is not limited thereto. For example, a value based on the amount of heat generated by the friction material per unit time may be multiplied by the degree of ATF deterioration R _atf , or the amount of heat generated by the friction material per unit time may be multiplied by a value based on the degree of ATF deterioration R _atf . The value based on the amount of heat generated by the friction material per unit time is, for example, a value obtained by adding or subtracting a predetermined value to or from the amount of heat generated, or a value obtained by multiplying or exponentially multiplying the amount of heat generated. The same applies to a value based on the degree of ATF deterioration R _atf .

[Calculation control of friction material deterioration degree _Rfc ]
2 is a flow chart showing an example of calculation control of friction material deterioration degree _Rfc executed by ECU 100. This control is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals while the ignition is on. ECU 100 acquires the temperature of the ATF and the usage time of the ATF based on oil temperature sensor 75 (step S1). The usage time of the ATF is the elapsed time while the ignition is on. ECU 100 acquires the time while the ignition is on as the usage time of the ATF. Note that the method of acquiring the usage time of the ATF is not limited to this, and the usage time of the ATF may be acquired based on the travel distance of hybrid vehicle 1, for example. Step S1 is an example of processing executed by the acquisition unit.

Next, the ECU 100 calculates and updates the ATF deterioration level R _atf by referring to the maps of Figures 3A and 3B (step S2). The maps of Figures 3A and 3B are examples of maps for calculating the ATF deterioration level R _atf . The maps of Figures 3A and 3B are maps defined based on experimental results. In Figure 3A, the horizontal axis indicates the oil temperature of the ATF, and the vertical axis indicates the ATF deterioration level R _atf . In Figure 3B, the horizontal axis indicates the use time of the ATF, and the vertical axis indicates the ATF deterioration level R _atf . Figure 3A shows the ATF deterioration level R _atf according to the use time of the ATF. Figure 3B shows the ATF deterioration level R _atf according to the oil temperature of the ATF. As shown in Figure 3A, the ATF deterioration level R _atf increases as the oil temperature increases, and in detail, the increase rate of the ATF deterioration level R _atf increases as the oil temperature increases. 3B, even if the oil temperature is the same, the longer the ATF is used, the greater the ATF deterioration degree R _atf becomes, and more specifically, the longer the use time becomes, the greater the rate of increase in the ATF deterioration degree R _atf becomes. This is because oxidation is one indicator of ATF deterioration, and the higher the oil temperature, the more easily the oxidation of the ATF progresses, and the longer the use time becomes, the more easily the oxidation of the ATF progresses. Step S2 is an example of a process executed by the calculation unit.

3A and 3B, the ATF deterioration level R _atf changes in a curved line, but is not limited to this and may change in a linear line. Furthermore, the method of calculating the ATF deterioration level R _atf is not limited to the above-described maps, and the ATF deterioration level R _atf may be calculated based on an arithmetic expression that uses the oil temperature and the usage time as arguments.

The ATF deterioration degree R _atf may be calculated based on the metal concentration in the ATF in addition to the oil temperature and the usage time. Here, the metal concentration in the ATF is proportional to the mileage of the hybrid vehicle 1. For this reason, for example, the coefficient C may be increased as the mileage increases, thereby increasing the ATF deterioration degree R _atf . The effect of the mileage on the deterioration degree of the ATF is obtained in advance by experiment.

Next, the ECU 100 determines whether the starting clutch 18 is in a slip state (step S3). Specifically, the ECU 100 determines whether or not there is a request to slip the starting clutch 18, but is not limited to this. The ECU 100 may also determine whether or not the differential rotation speed, which is the difference between the motor rotation speed and the input shaft rotation speed, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

If the answer is Yes in step S3, the ECU 100 acquires the differential rotation speed, which is the difference between the motor rotation speed and the input shaft rotation speed when the starting clutch 18 slips, based on the motor rotation speed sensor 73 and the input shaft rotation speed sensor 74 (step S4). Next, the ECU 100 acquires the control oil pressure of the starting clutch 18 when the starting clutch 18 slips (step S5).

Next, the ECU 100 calculates the heat generation amount per unit time dQ of the starting clutch 18 when slip occurs (step S6). Specifically, the ECU 100 calculates the heat generation amount per unit time dQ of the starting clutch 18 due to slip by multiplying the input torque [N·m] to the friction material when slip occurs by the above-mentioned differential rotation speed [rad/s]. The input torque is calculated by referring to a map in which the input torque is predefined based on the ATF oil temperature, differential rotation speed, and control oil pressure of the starting clutch 18 when slip occurs. For example, this map specifies that the input torque is larger when the ATF oil temperature is lower, the differential rotation speed is larger, and the control oil pressure is higher. The control oil pressure of the starting clutch 18 may be the actual oil pressure detected by a sensor, or may be the indicated oil pressure indicated by the ECU 100. The method of calculating the heat generation amount per unit time dQ is not limited to this, and for example, the difference between the sum of the torques of the engine 10 and the motor 15 and the torque of the input shaft of the transmission 19 may be used as the input torque to the friction material. Step S6 is an example of a process executed by the calculation unit.

The effect of the ATF oil temperature may be reflected when calculating the heat generation amount per unit time dQ. Therefore, the degree of effect of the oil temperature on the friction material may be obtained in advance through experiments and reflected when calculating the heat generation amount per unit time dQ.

Figure 4 is an example of a graph showing the change in the amount of heat generated by the starting clutch 18. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the amount of heat generated when the starting clutch 18 slips. As shown in Figure 4, the friction material of the starting clutch 18 generates heat when the starting clutch 18 slips depending on the operating state of the hybrid vehicle 1.

Next, the ECU 100 calculates and updates the friction material deterioration level _Rfc based on the above-mentioned formula (1) (step S7). Note that step S7 is also executed if step S3 is No. Fig. 5 is an example of a graph showing the friction material deterioration level _Rfc increasing with time. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the friction material deterioration level _Rfc . As time passes, the rate of increase of the friction material deterioration level _Rfc also gradually increases. Step S7 is an example of a process executed by the calculation unit.

[Warning Control]
6 is a flow chart showing an example of warning control executed by the ECU 100. The ECU 100 judges whether the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is equal to or greater than a threshold value (step S11). If the result of step S11 is Yes, the ECU 100 causes the display unit 80 to issue a warning to prompt the driver to replace the ATF (step S12). Specifically, the display unit 80 causes a warning light to light or blink to prompt the driver to replace the ATF. Note that the warning method is not limited to this, and a warning sound may be output from a speaker, for example.

If step S11 is No, or after step S12 has been executed, the ECU 100 determines whether the friction material of the starting clutch 18 has been replaced (step S13). The friction material of the starting clutch 18 is replaced by a dealer using a service tool. When the ECU 100 receives a signal from the service tool connected to the ECU 100 indicating that the friction material has been replaced, the ECU 100 switches the friction material replacement implementation flag from OFF to ON. The ECU 100 makes the determination in step S13 based on the friction material replacement implementation flag. Step S13 is an example of a process executed by the friction material replacement determination unit.

If step S13 is Yes, i.e., if it is determined that the friction material has been replaced, the ECU 100 resets the heat generation amount to 0 (step S14). That is, the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is reset to 0. FIG. 7 is an example of a graph showing the change in the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc when the friction material is replaced. FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 7, the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is calculated from 0 due to the replacement of the friction material. However, the calculation of the ATF deterioration degree _Ratf continues.

If the answer is No in step S13 or after step S14 is executed, the ECU 100 determines whether or not the ATF has been replaced (step S15). The ATF is replaced at a dealer using a service tool. When the ECU 100 receives a signal from the service tool connected to the ECU 100 indicating that the ATF has been replaced, the ECU 100 switches the ATF replacement implementation flag from OFF to ON. The ECU 100 makes the determination in step S15 based on the ATF replacement implementation flag. Step S15 is an example of a process executed by the hydraulic oil replacement determination unit. If the answer is No in step S15, the control ends.

If the answer is Yes in step S15, it is determined whether the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is near the threshold value (step S16). Specifically, if the difference between the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc and the threshold value is equal to or less than a predetermined value, it is determined that the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is near the threshold value, and if the difference between the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc and the threshold value is greater than the predetermined value, it is determined that the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is not near the threshold value. Here, the predetermined value is the difference between the friction material deterioration degree Rfc and the threshold value, which indicates that the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc is close to the threshold _value to such an extent that a warning can be issued immediately after the ATF is replaced. If the answer is Yes in step S16, the ECU 100 increases the threshold value by a predetermined value (step S17). Step S17 is an example of a process executed by the change unit. If the answer is No in step S16, or after the execution of step S17, the ECU 100 resets the ATF deterioration degree R _atf to 0 (step S18).

Fig. 8A is an example of a graph showing the change in the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc when the ATF is replaced after the warning. Fig. 8A corresponds to Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 8A, the increase rate of the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc returns to the initial value by replacing the ATF. In this way, by replacing the ATF, the life of the friction material of the starting clutch 18 can be extended.

8B is an example of a graph showing the change in the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc when the ATF is replaced just before the warning. If the initial threshold value is used, a warning may be issued immediately after the ATF is replaced. However, as described above, when the ATF is replaced, the threshold value is increased, and therefore the warning is not issued until the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc becomes equal to or greater than the changed threshold value. In this way, it is possible to avoid issuing a warning immediately after the ATF is replaced.

In the above embodiment, the threshold value is increased by a predetermined value in step S17, but this is not limited to this, and the threshold value may be set to infinity, for example. In this case, too, it is possible to avoid a warning being issued immediately after replacing the ATF.

In the above embodiment, the ATF deterioration degree R _atf is reset to 0 in step S18, but this is not limiting. For example, depending on the vehicle, there are cases where the ATF in the hydraulic control system cannot be replaced. In such a case, the ATF deterioration degree R _atf may be reset to a value corresponding to the ratio between the amount of old ATF that cannot be replaced and the amount of new ATF that has been replaced. For example, when the ratio between the amount of new ATF and the amount of old ATF is 9:1, the ATF deterioration degree R _atf may be reset to a value of 1/9. Note that since the above ratio is determined by the structure of the hydraulic control system, this ratio may be stored in advance in the memory of the ECU 100, and the ATF deterioration degree R _atf may be reset based on this ratio when the ATF is replaced.

When the ATF is replaced while a warning to replace the ATF has been issued, the threshold value may be increased to equal to or higher than the friction material deterioration degree _Rfc , which also makes it possible to avoid a warning being issued again immediately after the ATF is replaced.

Next, a modified warning control will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a modified warning control executed by ECU 100. If step S16 is Yes, ECU 100 prohibits issuance of a warning encouraging ATF replacement (step S17a). That is, the warning light on display unit 80 is prohibited from being turned on. This also makes it possible to avoid a warning being issued immediately after ATF replacement. In this modified example, if the ATF is replaced while a warning encouraging ATF replacement is being issued, the warning may also be stopped. This also makes it possible to avoid a warning being issued again immediately after ATF replacement.

In the above embodiment, the starting clutch 18 is used as an example of the friction material deterioration degree calculation target, but the calculation target may be the K0 clutch 14 or a clutch in the transmission 19. However, it is preferable to calculate the deterioration degree of the starting clutch 18 for the following reasons. Among the K0 clutch 14, the starting clutch 18, and the clutch in the transmission 19, the starting clutch 18 slips frequently and for a long time, and therefore generates a large amount of heat. The K0 clutch 14 slips when the engine 10 is started by the motor 15 when the driving mode is switched from the motor mode to the hybrid mode. There are multiple clutches in the transmission 19, and one of the clutches slips during gear shifting. In contrast, the starting clutch 18 slips when starting or running at low speeds regardless of the motor mode or hybrid mode. Therefore, the life of the starting clutch 18 tends to be shorter than that of other clutches. By calculating the degree of deterioration of the starting clutch 18, which has a relatively short lifespan in this way, it is possible to estimate the lifespan of other clutches, which are longer than the lifespan of the starting clutch 18.

In the above embodiment, a starting clutch 18 is provided between the motor 15 and the transmission 19, but this is not limited thereto, and a torque converter with a lock-up clutch may be provided instead of the starting clutch 18. In this case, the deterioration degree of the lock-up clutch can be calculated in the same manner as described above.

In the above embodiment, a hybrid vehicle is controlled by a single ECU 100, but this is not limited to the above. For example, the above-mentioned control may be performed by multiple ECUs, such as an engine ECU that controls the engine 10, a motor ECU that controls the motor 15, and a clutch ECU that controls the K0 clutch 14.

In the above embodiment, a hybrid vehicle is used as an example of a vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be applied to engine vehicles and electric vehicles. In the case of an engine vehicle, it is preferable that the clutch provided between the engine, which is the driving power source, and the transmission is the subject of calculation of the friction material deterioration degree. In the case of an electric vehicle, it is preferable that the clutch provided between the motor, which is the driving power source, and the transmission is the subject of calculation of the friction material deterioration degree.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention as described in the claims.

1 Hybrid vehicle 10 Engine 15 Motor 18 Starting clutch (clutch)
21 Oil pump 22 Hydraulic control mechanism 80 Display unit (notification unit)
100 ECU (vehicle notification control device, calculation unit, deterioration degree determination unit, notification control unit, hydraulic oil change determination unit, change unit, friction material change determination unit, acquisition unit)

Claims (11)

A vehicle notification control device is applied to a vehicle having a clutch having friction materials that are disengaged, slipped, or engaged according to the hydraulic pressure of hydraulic oil, and a notification unit that can issue a predetermined warning,
A calculation unit for calculating a friction material deterioration degree, which is a deterioration degree of the friction material;
a deterioration level determination unit that determines whether the deterioration level of the friction material is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold;
and a notification control unit that causes the notification unit to issue a warning to encourage replacement of the hydraulic oil when a positive determination is made by the deterioration degree determination unit. The vehicle warning control device of claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of deterioration of the friction material based on the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil, which is the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil, and the amount of heat generated by the friction material due to slippage. The vehicle notification control device of claim 2, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of deterioration of the friction material based on a cumulative value obtained by multiplying a value based on the amount of heat generated per unit time by a value based on the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil. An acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the hydraulic oil and a usage time of the hydraulic oil,
The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the calculation unit calculates the degree of deterioration of the hydraulic oil based on a temperature of the hydraulic oil and a usage time of the hydraulic oil. The vehicle warning control device of claim 4, wherein the calculation unit calculates the hydraulic oil deterioration level based on a cumulative value obtained by accumulating unit hydraulic oil deterioration levels per unit time, the rate of increase of which increases as the temperature of the hydraulic oil increases and as the duration of use of the hydraulic oil increases. A vehicle notification control device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the calculation unit calculates the amount of heat generated based on the input torque to the friction material when slippage occurs and the difference in the rotational speed of the friction material. A hydraulic oil change determination unit is provided for determining whether the hydraulic oil has been changed,
7. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 2, wherein the calculation unit resets the hydraulic oil deterioration degree when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil change determination unit. a hydraulic oil change determination unit that determines whether the hydraulic oil has been changed;
7. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1, further comprising: a change unit that changes the threshold value to a value greater than the degree of deterioration of the friction material when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil change determination unit. A hydraulic oil change determination unit is provided for determining whether the hydraulic oil has been changed,
7. The notification control device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the notification control unit does not cause the notification unit to issue the warning when a positive determination is made by the hydraulic oil change determination unit. a friction material replacement determination unit that determines whether the friction material has been replaced,
10. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit resets the friction material deterioration degree when a positive determination is made by the friction material replacement determination unit. The vehicle has a power source and a transmission.
11. The vehicle notification control device according to claim 1, wherein the clutch is provided on a power transmission path between the driving power source and the transmission.

Images