Patent ID: 8905884
Filing Date: 2014-12-09
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60Y,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vehicle drive device comprising: a left wheel drive unit comprising: a right wheel drive unit comprising: an electric motor controller that controls the first electric motor and the second electric motor, wherein each of the first and second speed changers comprises first, second, and third rotation elements, the first electric motor is connected to the first rotation element of the first speed changer, the second electric motor is connected to the first rotation element of the second speed changer, the left wheel is connected to the second rotation element of the first speed changer, the right wheel is connected to the second rotation element of the second speed changer, the third rotation element of the first speed changer and the third rotation element of the second speed changer are connected to each other, wherein the vehicle drive device further comprises: a rotation restrictor capable of being released and locked and configured to restrict the rotations of the third rotation elements when being locked; and a state switching unit configured to switch between a free state of the third rotation elements and a restricted state of the third rotation elements, wherein the state switching unit releases the rotation restrictor in the free state, and the state switching unit locks the rotation restrictor in the restricted state, wherein when the state switching unit switches from the restricted state to the free state, the electric motor controller performs control such that a free-state limit torque, which is a limit torque of the first electric motor or the second electric motor after switching to the free state is set to a value larger in absolute value than an upper limit torque of the first electric motor or the second electric motor determined by electric motor specifications at the time of switching or is set to a value larger in absolute value than a restricted state limit torque at the time of switching, wherein the restricted state limit torque is a limit torque of the first electric motor or the second electric motor, which is set to a value smaller in absolute value than the upper limit torque, and the electric motor controller performs control such that the torque generated by the first electric motor or the second electric motor is less than the free-state limit torque.