Patent ID: 8556771
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,B60Y,F16H,Y02T,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A control apparatus for a vehicular power transmitting system including (a) an electrically controlled differential portion having a differential mechanism disposed between an engine and a drive wheel of a vehicle, and a differential-portion electric motor operatively connected to the differential mechanism such that a differential state of the differential mechanism is controllable by controlling an operating state of the differential-portion electric motor, and (b) a transmission portion constituting a part of a power transmitting path, said control apparatus comprising: a shifting-point changing portion configured to change a shifting point at which a determination to perform a shifting action of said transmission portion is made, such that said shifting point is changed according to a shifting response of said transmission portion, and a control portion which stores data representative of an operable zone of said differential-portion electric motor obtained by experimentation while taking account of a maximum permissible output, thermal durability and mechanical durability of the differential-portion electric motor. wherein: in both cases of a shift-up action and a shift-down action of the transmission portion, said shifting-point changing portion changes said shifting point such that a moment of said determination to perform the shifting action of the transmission portion is advanced as said shifting response is reduced, and increases an amount of change of said shifting point with an increase of a running speed of the vehicle, wherein the amount of change of said shifting point is determined based on a predetermined chart that shows a relationship between the running speed of the vehicle and the amount of change of said shifting point, and said control portion controls the differential-portion electric motor such that an operating point of the differential-portion electric motor is operated within said operable zone and such that said operating point does not reach an operable limit which defines a periphery of said operable zone.