Patent ID: 7578765

Claim:
A drive apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a differential portion that includes a differential mechanism that distributes an output from an engine of a vehicle to a first motor and a transmitting member, and a second motor provided in a power transmission path from the transmitting member to a driving wheel; a differential-action limitation device which is provided in the differential mechanism, and which limits a differential action of the differential portion by limiting a differential action of the differential mechanism, wherein the differential action of the differential portion is limited using the differential-action limitation device, and the limitation of the differential action is stopped using the deferential-action limitation device based on an actual vehicle condition, using regions defined based on a vehicle condition; and a cutoff device that permits the differential-action limitation device to limit the differential action of the differential portion when the actual vehicle condition is in a region where the differential action should be limited, and that prohibits the differential-action limitation device from limiting the differential action when the actual vehicle condition is in a region where limitation of the differential action should be stopped, wherein: the differential-action limitation device includes a first engagement device and a second engagement device; a state of the differential portion when the differential action of the differential portion is limited by engaging the first engagement device differs from a state of the differential portion when the differential action of the differential portion is limited by engaging the second engagement device; the cutoff device prevents the first engagement device and the second engagement device from being simultaneously engaged; and the cutoff device prohibits the limitation of the differential action by disengaging both of the first engagement device and the second engagement device, according to an instruction signal that is output when the actual vehicle condition is in the region where the limitation of the differential action of the differential portion should be stopped.