Patent ID: 8210978

Claim:
A vehicle drive unit that includes: an oil pump that generates hydraulic pressure; a clutch that is controlled by hydraulic pressure and that transmits driving force from a vehicle driving source to an output shaft; a hydraulic pressure controller that controls the hydraulic pressure generated by the oil pump at a predetermined pressure so as to engage the clutch; an accumulator that accumulates the hydraulic pressure generated by the oil pump; and an open/close valve that switches between a blocked state and a communicated state of an oil passage connecting the accumulator and the clutch, wherein the oil pump is driven or stopped as the vehicle drive source is driven or stopped, and the hydraulic pressure accumulated in the accumulator is supplied to the clutch when or before the oil pump is activated, the vehicle drive unit comprising: a clutch pressure control valve that controls hydraulic pressure for operating the clutch; a clutch control valve that is provided in a first oil passage between the clutch pressure control valve and the clutch, and that controls hydraulic pressure in an engagement state between full engagement and disengagement of the clutch; a second oil passage that bypasses the clutch control valve and that is arranged parallel to the first oil passage; and a shift valve that connects, to an oil passage connected to the clutch, the first oil passage when controlling the engagement state between full engagement and disengagement of the clutch, and the second oil passage when not controlling the engagement state between full engagement and disengagement of the clutch, wherein the accumulator is connected to an oil passage connecting the shift valve and the clutch through the open/close valve, and the second oil passage is provided with a one-way valve that allows oil to flow only in the direction from the oil pump to the shift valve.