Patent ID: 7445578

Claim:
A control device for a vehicular drive system including (a) a differential portion having a differential mechanism operable to distribute an output of an engine to a first electric motor and a power transmitting member, and a second electric motor disposed in a power transmitting path between the power transmitting member and a drive wheel of a vehicle, (b) a transmission portion which constitutes a part of said power transmitting path and which functions as a transmission, (c) a coupling device operable to place a power transmitting path between said engine and said drive wheels, selectively in one of a power-transmitting state and a power-cutoff state, and (d) a shifting device operable between a drive position for said coupling device to select said power-transmitting state, and a non-drive position for said coupling device to select said power-cutoff state, said control device comprising: engine-speed control means for controlling a speed of said engine so as not to exceed a predetermined value while said shifting device is placed in said non-drive position.