Patent ID: 7927244

Claim:
A hybrid drive apparatus comprising: an input shaft that is connected to an engine; an output shaft that is connected to wheels; a first rotary electric machine; a second rotary electric machine; a first planetary gear apparatus that has at least three rotating elements; a second planetary gear apparatus that has at least three rotating elements; and a plurality of friction engagement elements that selectively connect one rotating element of the first planetary gear apparatus and the second planetary gear apparatus to other rotating elements or that selectively hold the rotating element stationary on a non-rotating member, wherein: the first planetary gear apparatus and the second planetary gear apparatus both comprise connection rotating elements that are connected via a transmitting member so as to rotate integrally; two rotating elements of the first planetary gear apparatus, other than the connection rotating element, are connected respectively to the input shaft and the first rotary electric machine; two rotating elements of the second planetary gear apparatus, other than the connection rotating element, are respectively connected to the output shaft and the second rotary electric machine; the plurality of friction engagement elements comprise a first brake that selectively holds the transmitting member and the connection rotating elements that rotate integrally therewith stationary on the non-rotating member; the hybrid drive apparatus is structured so as to enable switching to a parallel mode that has a plurality of shift speeds, and the hybrid drive apparatus changes a rotational speed of the input shaft by a predetermined gear change ratio according to each of the shift speeds, and transfers a resulting rotational speed to the output shaft; and the hybrid drive apparatus is structured so as to be able to switch between: a series mode in which the first brake is engaged, power generation is carried out by transferring a rotational drive power of the input shaft to the first rotary electric machine via the first planetary gear apparatus, and a rotational drive power of the second rotary electric machine is transferred to the output shaft via the second planetary gear apparatus; and a split mode, in which the first brake is disengaged, the rotational drive power of the input shaft is distributed to both the first rotary electric machine and the transmitting member via the first planetary gear apparatus, and a rotational drive power that has been distributed to at least the transmitting member via the second planetary gear apparatus is transferred to the output shaft.