Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, once an engine is started in response to prohibition of an operation stop of the engine based on a deterioration factor, the operation stop of the engine is not allowed irrespective of the value of the deterioration factor D until elapse of a certain time period since the start of the engine. The deterioration factor has an increase according to discharge of a battery and a decrease according to charge of the battery and represents start of deterioration of the battery when exceeding a specific reference value. Such prohibition of the engine operation stop prevents a stop of the engine within a relatively short time period after a start of the engine based on the deterioration factor. This arrangement effectively prevents the driver from feeling odd and uncomfortable due to frequent stops and starts of the engine based on the deterioration factor, which is not apparently correlated to the driver's accelerating operations.

Abstract: A failure detection device for detecting a failure of a rotation angle detection sensor, which sensor detects a rotational angle through which a rotary member has rotated, the failure detection device including a first detection element which has an output which increases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, a second detection element which has an output that decreases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, and a detecting unit that detects the failure of either the first detection element or the second detection element by comparing a calculated value, based on the outputs of both of the first and second detection elements, with at least one predetermined value.

Abstract: A cooling water passage structure includes an engine having cylinder axes arranged in a V-shape centering on a crankshaft; water jackets formed in front and rear cylinder blocks and cylinder heads of the engine; a thermostat case having a portion formed integrally with the front and rear cylinder blocks in the V-bank of the front and rear cylinder blocks; a cooling water inlet side connecting portion 81 connecting a cooling water supply side line with a cooling water passage including the water jackets; and a cooling water outlet side connecting portion connecting a cooling water discharge side line with a cooling water passage including the water jackets. The thermostat case, the cooling water inlet side connecting portion, and the cooling water outlet side connecting portion are disposed at one end side of the engine in the direction of the crankshaft 52.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of: providing control over an engine coupled to a carrier for driving a first MG coupled to a sun gear in a power split device, and providing control over a second MG for allowing a ring gear to stop; expecting that a shift operation will be performed when a brake operation is performed; and stopping providing the control over the engine for driving the first MG and stopping providing the control over the second MG for allowing the ring gear to stop.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system including an electric differential portion and a mechanical power transmitting portion which are disposed in series in a power transmitting path between an engine and a drive wheel of a vehicle, the control apparatus being configured to limit an output of the engine according to a difference between an actual rotating speed of an input rotary member of the mechanical power transmitting portion, and a theoretical rotating speed calculated from an actual vehicle speed and a presently established speed ratio of the mechanical power transmitting portion, whereby reduction of torque capacity of an input clutch provided in the mechanical power transmitting portion does not cause an excessive rise of the rotating speed of a rotary member which is located on one side of the input clutch nearer to the engine, and an excessive rise of the rotating speed of an electric motor connected to the input rotary member.

Abstract: The drive control of the invention changes an engagement status of relevant clutch and brake corresponding to a target gear speed n* of a transmission to half engagement while controlling a motor to output a torque corresponding to a torque demand Td* and the target gear speed n* (steps S190 and S210), when satisfaction of conditions that the absolute value of a rotation speed Nm of the motor is not greater than a preset reference value Nref and that the torque demand Td* is not lower than a preset reference torque Tref has continued for a preset reference time (steps S140 to S160).

Abstract: A vehicle includes a drive device applying a driving force to a wheel, a brake device applying a braking force to the vehicle, and a control device controlling the drive device and the brake device. When the traveling direction and the acting direction of the driving force are opposite, the control device causes the drive device to generate a driving force corresponding to a driving force demand in the event of the drive device not entering an operation disallowed region even if the driving force corresponding to the driving force command is generated at the drive device, and causes the brake device to operate according to the drive driving force demand in the event of the drive device entering the operation disallowed region if the driving force corresponding to said driving force demand is generated at said drive device.

Abstract: At the time of a change of a gearshift position SP from a neutral (N) position to a drive (D) position (step S220), when a vehicle speed V is not lower than a preset reference speed Vref1 (step S230: yes), the control procedure of the invention connects a power shaft with a driveshaft and attains an actual gear change of a transmission to a first speed (step S240). The reference speed Vref1 may be set to a slightly higher vehicle speed than an upper limit of a specific vehicle speed range having a potential for over rotation of a first motor by the gear change of the transmission to the first speed. When the vehicle speed V is lower than the preset reference speed Vref1 (step S230: no), on the other hand, the control procedure prohibits the connection of the power shaft with the driveshaft and the actual gear change of the transmission to the first speed.

Abstract: A failure detection device for detecting a failure of a rotation angle detection sensor, which sensor detects a rotational angle through which a rotary member has rotated, the failure detection device including a first detection element which has an output which increases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, a second detection element which has an output that decreases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, and a detecting unit that detects the failure of either the first detection element or the second detection element by comparing a calculated value, based on the outputs of both of the first and second detection elements, with at least one predetermined value.

Abstract: A failure detection device for detecting a failure of a rotation angle detection sensor, which sensor detects a rotational angle through which a rotary member has rotated, the failure detection device including a first detection element which has an output which increases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, a second detection element which has an output that decreases as the rotational angle of the rotary member increases, and a detecting unit that detects the failure of either the first detection element or the second detection element by comparing a calculated value, based on the outputs of both of the first and second detection elements, with at least one predetermined value.

Abstract: A downshift control determines whether a commanded downshift is a downshift oriented toward minimum shock or a downshift oriented toward responsiveness, based on inputs from various sensors. The oil pressure on the hydraulic servo which controls the releasing-side friction engagement element is controlled based on the determined downshift type (DT), so that the releasing-side friction engagement element is released in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of release patterns, i.e., release patterns corresponding to different downshift type indexes (Dt). The releasing speed of the releasing-side friction engagement element is changed in accordance with the downshift type. By properly determining the type of downshift, it becomes possible to realize a shift of a type in accordance with the driver's intention.

Abstract: A coin hopper is provided with a disk for dispensing petals-shaped coins smoothly. Particularly the discharging of coins for 20 Euro cents occurs with a smooth pay out using the disk in rotation, accepting a plurality of coins which are stored in a bulk condition. The disk has an opening for accepting and for releasing these coins one by one. The disk has a primary protrusion (23) which is formed on an underside of this disk (21), near the axis line of rotation and at a trailing side edge of the opening (22). A curved second protrusion (24) is formed near this primary protrusion and formed from the trailing side edge of said opening toward a further trailing position. A large curved third protrusion is formed from near trailing position of this second protrusion along the fringe area of the disk.

Abstract: A downshift control determines whether a commanded downshift is a downshift oriented toward minimum shock or a downshift oriented toward responsiveness, based on inputs from various sensors. The oil pressure on the hydraulic servo which controls the releasing-side friction engagement element is controlled based on the determined downshift type (DT), so that the releasing-side friction engagement element is released in accordance with a selected one of a plurality of release patterns, i.e., release patterns corresponding to different downshift type indexes (Dt)). The releasing speed of the releasing-side friction engagement element is changed in accordance with the downshift type. By properly determining the type of downshift, it becomes possible to realize a shift of a type in accordance with the driver's intention.

Abstract: A coin hopper is provided with a disk for dispensing petals-shaped coins smoothly. Particularly the discharging of coins for 20 Euro cents occurs with a smooth pay out using the disk in rotation, accepting a plurality of coins which are stored in a bulk condition. The disk has an opening for accepting and for releasing these coins one by one. The disk has a primary protrusion (23) which is formed on an underside of this disk (21), near the axis line of rotation and at a trailing side edge of the opening (22). A curved second protrusion (24) is formed near this primary protrusion and formed from the trailing side edge of said opening toward a further trailing position. A large curved third protrusion is formed from near trailing position of this second protrusion along the fringe area of the disk.