A system and method are provided for hybrid electric internal combustion engine applications in which a motor-generator, a narrow switchable coupling and a torque transfer unit therebetween are arranged and positioned in the constrained environment at the front of an engine in applications such as commercial vehicles, off-road vehicles and stationary engine installations. The motor-generator is preferably positioned laterally offset from the switchable coupling, which is co-axially-arranged with the front end of the engine crankshaft. The switchable coupling is an integrated unit in which a crankshaft vibration damper, an engine accessory drive pulley and a disengageable clutch overlap such that the axial depth of the clutch-pulley-damper unit is nearly the same as a conventional belt drive pulley and engine damper. The front end motor-generator system includes an electrical energy store that receives electrical energy generated by the motor-generator when the coupling is engaged. When the coupling is disengaged, the motor-generator may drive the pulley portion of the clutch-pulley-damper to drive the engine accessories using energy returned from the energy store, independent of the engine crankshaft.

Provided is a power transmission control device capable of reliably performing engagement between an engagement member and a target engagement member, by operating the engagement member to slide by an actuator having an elastic member deformed by transmitting a load received by the engagement member. An actuator has an elastic member, and a control unit calculates the differential rotation between an engagement member and target engagement members on the basis of the detected rotation speeds of a first rotation shaft and a second rotation shaft, and makes differential rotation coincide with a predetermined differential rotation by adjusting the rotation speed of power sources. After the differential rotation coincides with the predetermined differential rotation, in establishing the engagement, the predetermined differential rotation sets the differential rotation on the basis of a natural frequency generated in conjunction between the actuator and the engagement member by the elastic member.

An electric vehicle drive device includes: a first motor; a second motor, and a transmission mechanism coupled to the first motor and the second motor and capable of switching a reduction ratio. The transmission mechanism includes a sun gear shaft coupled to the first motor. The first motor includes: a first stator core, a first rotor core disposed radially outward of the first stator core, and a first rotor holding member that couples the first rotor core and the sun gear shaft.

A drive force control system that ensures a running stability and a driving performance of a vehicle even in the event of failure of one of motors. The drive force control system determines that one of the right motor and the left motor cannot generate a required torque due to failure. In the event of failure of any one of the motors, the drive force control system generates a torque by the other motor working properly, and controls the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch in such a manner as to deliver the output torque of the motor working properly to the wheel coupled to the faulty motor.

In a constant-speed traveling mode or a follow-up traveling mode, reduction of fuel consumption and improvement of drivability are both achieved.

An ECU 110 has an ISG connected to an engine and a battery connected to the ISG. The ECU 110 has an ISG control unit 606 that performs control for supplying power to the ISG from the battery to rotationally drive the ISG, or to drive the ISG to generate power for charging the battery. In one cycle of a traveling mode until completion of deceleration traveling after acceleration traveling is started so as to achieve a target vehicle speed, the ISG control unit 606 drives the ISG such that a remaining charge amount of the battery falls within a set range at completion of the deceleration traveling, and a traveling acceleration/deceleration falls within a predetermined requested acceleration/deceleration.

A control apparatus for a drive-force transmitting apparatus that defines a first drive-force transmitting path that is to be established by engagements of a first frictional engagement device and a dog clutch and a second drive-force transmitting path in which a lower gear ratio is provided than in the first drive-force transmitting path. In a second running mode with the second drive-force transmitting path being established, the control apparatus places the dog clutch in a released state when a vehicle running speed is higher than a first speed value, and places the dog clutch in an engaged state when the running speed is not higher than the first speed value. Further, in the second running mode, the control apparatus inhibits the dog clutch from being switched to the released state when an accumulated heat quantity in a synchromesh mechanism of the dog clutch is larger than a first quantity value.

Described herein are latching devices where relative speed of movement between members is in part controlled or reduced via eddy current formation and in part controlled or relative motion stopped via a latch arrangement. Various embodiments are described, one being use of a conductive member; at least one magnetic field and a latch member that, prior to latching, moves independently to the at least one conductive member. A kinematic relationship exists between the conductive member and at least one magnetic field that enables the conductive member to move at a different speed relative to the magnetic field on application of an energizing force, thereby inducing an eddy current drag force by relative movement of the conductive member in the magnetic field. The eddy current drag force resulting causes movement of the conductive member causing the conductive member to engage the latch member thereby halting movement between the at least one conductive member and the at least one latch member.

A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle, which has an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a gearshift transmission. A drive shaft of the internal combustion engine can be coupled by a shift clutch to a motor shaft of the electric motor and the motor shaft is coupled to a transmission input shaft of the gearshift transmission. A driven shaft of the drive device is coupled to or can be coupled to a transmission output shaft of the gearshift transmission. In a first shifting state, the shift clutch is disengaged for decoupling of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor and, in a second shifting state, is engaged for coupling of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor.

A control apparatus for a vehicle having an electric motor, and a step-variable transmission selectively placed in a speed position with engagement of a coupling device, wherein the vehicle runs rearward with a reverse drive torque of the electric motor generated in a forward-drive low-speed position of the transmission, is provided. The control apparatus includes: a first shift control portion temporarily increasing an input torque of the transmission to raise its input speed toward a synchronizing speed in the low-speed position, and commands an engaging-side coupling device to be brought into its engaged state after the input speed has been raised to a predetermined value; and a second shift control portion increasing an engaging force of the engaging-side coupling device to bring the engaging-side coupling device into the engaged state.

A vehicle control apparatus includes a shift control portion is configured, when determining that a shift-down action to establish one of gear positions in a transmission mechanism by release of an engagement device and engagement of a one-way clutch, is to be executed during decelerating run of the vehicle, to initiate execution of the shift-down action to establish the one of the of gear positions after an input torque inputted to the transmission mechanism becomes not lower than a predetermined negative value. The predetermined negative value is a predetermined minimum value that becomes not lower than a certain value at a point of time at which the release of the engagement device is completed in process of the shift-down action. The certain value is a value of the input torque enabling the one-way clutch to be automatically engaged.