Patent ID: 7931555

Claim:
A hybrid drive apparatus, comprising: an engine; an input shaft that is connected to the engine; an output shaft that is connected to wheels; a rotary electric machine; a first planetary gear apparatus; a second planetary gear apparatus, wherein in an electric torque converter mode: the first planetary gear apparatus reduces an absolute value of a rotational speed of the rotary electric machine and transfers a first resulting rotational speed to the second planetary gear apparatus, and the second planetary gear apparatus combines the first resulting rotational speed and a rotation of the input shaft, reduces an absolute value of a rotational speed of the input shaft, and transmits a second resulting rotational speed to the output shaft; and a first clutch that selectively transfers a rotation of the rotary electric machine to a rotating element in the second planetary gear apparatus to which the rotation of the input shaft is transferred, wherein while the first clutch is engaged, a parallel mode is established in which the input shaft and the rotary electric machine are directly linked.