Abstract: A drive control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a differential device including four rotary elements; and an engine, first and second electric motors and an output rotary member which are respectively connected to the four rotary elements. One of the four rotary elements is constituted by a rotary component of a first differential mechanism and a rotary component of a second differential mechanism selectively connected through a clutch, and one of the rotary components is selectively fixed to a stationary member through a brake.

Abstract: A drive control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a differential device having four rotary elements. One of the four rotary elements is constituted by rotary components of each of a first and a second differential mechanisms selectively connected to each other through a clutch. One of the rotary components of said first and second differential mechanisms selectively connected through said clutch is selectively fixed to a stationary member through a brake. The drive control device comprises a brake engagement control portion configured to place the brake in an engaged state upon starting an engine, and an electric motor operation control portion configured to operate a first electric motor to raise a speed of a rotary motion of the engine for starting of the engine and to operate a second electric motor to reduce a reaction force during starting of said engine acting on an output rotary member.

Abstract: A hybrid drive system configured to selectively establish one of a first drive mode in which a first motor/generator MG1 is operated with a drive force of an engine, to generate an electric energy and in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator MG2, and a second drive mode in which the vehicle drive force is generated by the engine, and at least one of the first motor/generator MG1 and second motor/generator MG2 is operated to generate an assisting vehicle drive force, as needed, and further configured such that an amount of a working oil to be supplied to the first motor/generator MG1 is larger in the first drive mode than in the second drive mode, permitting sufficient cooling of the electric motor depending upon a selected one of the vehicle drive modes.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle 1 includes as drive sources an internal combustion engine 20, to which fuel stored in a fuel tank 21 is supplied, and a second M/G 32, to which electricity stored in a battery 40 is supplied. The vehicle 1 also includes a battery charger 70 for charging the battery 40 from the outside of the vehicle 1. For each of a plurality of refuelings to the fuel tank 21, the history of the time of refueling and the amount of refueling are stored. Based on the history, the degree of deterioration of fuel in the fuel tank 21 is calculated.

Abstract: An accommodation structure for a saddle type vehicle wherein the accommodation space can be expanded by a simple and easy configuration. An opening is provided in a rear wall of an accommodation box that is opened and closed by an occupant's seat. Further, a sub-accommodation box is provided that is in the form of a box open in a forward direction and is mounted so as to close up the opening and be swollen rearwardly farther than the opening.

Abstract: A body cover structure for saddle-ride type vehicles that enables enhancement of the user's comfort while increasing the rigidity of covering members constituting a center tunnel part. Step floors are configured of forward inclined parts disposed ahead of the floors in a forward rising shape, horizontal parts disposed either substantially horizontally or in a rearwardly rising shape behind these forward inclined parts, and bent parts connecting the forward inclined parts and the horizontal parts. The middle covers are provided on the lower edges thereof with downwardly extending parts extending toward the bent parts.

Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device includes: a first rotating machine coupled to an engine; a connection/disconnection device capable of connecting/disconnecting the engine and the first rotating machine to/from wheels; and a second rotating machine disposed in a manner enabling transmission of drive power to the wheels, the vehicle hybrid drive device enabling a vehicle to run in two running modes of an EV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the second rotating machine used as a drive power source while the connection/disconnection device is disconnected, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines as the drive power sources while the connection/disconnection device is connected.

Abstract: A frame structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle includes a body frame having a head pipe, down tubes, seat rails and upper tubes and a unit swing power unit swingably supported by the body frame. The seat rails have front ends joined to downwardly extending portions of the down tubes. The down tube has a second bending portion formed at the rear end of the horizontal extending portion and an obliquely upwardly extending portion extending rearwardly and upwardly at a position behind the second bending portion. The obliquely upwardly extending portion has a rear end joined to the seat rail. The power unit support portion is formed behind the bending portion.

Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes: an engine; a connection/disconnection device configured to connect/interrupt the engine; a rotating machine disposed to enable transmission of drive power to the wheels; and a running position selection device, the control device including a first manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing vehicle deceleration while the automatic running position is selected and a second manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing the vehicle deceleration while the manual running position is selected, while the vehicle is running with the engine interrupted from the wheels, if the first manual mode is selected, the vehicle deceleration being generated only by the rotating machine, and if the second manual mode is selected, the connection/disconnection device being put into the connected state to generate the vehicle deceleration at least by the engine.

Abstract: A vehicular indicator device for a hybrid vehicle which is provided with vehicle drive power sources in the form of an engine and an electric motor and which is driven in one of a plurality of vehicle drive modes including an EV drive mode, a series HV drive mode and a parallel HV drive mode that is automatically selected according to a vehicle drive power, said indicator device being configured to indicate the selected vehicle drive mode and said vehicle drive power, the vehicular indicator device being configured to indicate a running state of the hybrid vehicle as represented by said vehicle drive power and said selected vehicle drive mode, in a two-dimensional coordinate system on a display screen, which coordinate system is defined by said vehicle drive power and said selected vehicle drive mode.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: engine starting means for starting an engine when a need for switching to a 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted, the hybrid vehicle having a series HV drive mode in which the hybrid vehicle is run with a second electric motor, in the released state of a connecting/disconnecting device, while a first electric motor is operated with a drive force of said engine to generate an electric energy, the control apparatus further including, as said engine starting means, series HV drive controlling means for starting said engine and enlarging a series HV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said series HV drive mode, so as to cover a portion or an entirety of an original EV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said EV drive mode, when the need for switching to said 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted.

Abstract: A body cover structure for saddle-ride type vehicles that enables enhancement of the user's comfort while increasing the rigidity of covering members constituting a center tunnel part. Step floors are configured of forward inclined parts disposed ahead of the floors in a forward rising shape, horizontal parts disposed either substantially horizontally or in a rearwardly rising shape behind these forward inclined parts, and bent parts connecting the forward inclined parts and the horizontal parts. The middle covers are provided on the lower edges thereof with downwardly extending parts extending toward the bent parts.

Abstract: A hybrid drive system configured to selectively establish one of a first drive mode in which a first motor/generator MG1 is operated with a drive force of an engine, to generate an electric energy and in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator MG2, and a second drive mode in which the vehicle drive force is generated by the engine, and at least one of the first motor/generator MG1 and second motor/generator MG2 is operated to generate an assisting vehicle drive force, as needed, and further configured such that an amount of a working oil to be supplied to the first motor/generator MG1 is larger in the first drive mode than in the second drive mode, permitting sufficient cooling of the electric motor depending upon a selected one of the vehicle drive modes.

Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus configured to selectively establish one of a first drive state in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator operated with an electric energy supplied from an electric-energy storage device while an engine is placed in a rest state, and a second drive state in which a first motor/generator is operated with a drive force of the engine, to generate an electric energy and in which the vehicle drive force is generated primarily by the second motor/generator operated with at least the electric energy generated by the first motor/generator. The vehicle control apparatus is further configured such that the vehicle drive force generated in the second drive state at a given value of an accelerator pedal operation amount ?acc is larger than that generated in the first drive state.

Abstract: A frame structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle includes a body frame having a head pipe, down tubes, seat rails and upper tubes and a unit swing power unit swingably supported by the body frame. The seat rails have front ends joined to downwardly extending portions of the down tubes. The down tube has a second bending portion formed at the rear end of the horizontal extending portion and an obliquely upwardly extending portion extending rearwardly and upwardly at a position behind the second bending portion. The obliquely upwardly extending portion has a rear end joined to the seat rail. The power unit support portion is formed behind the bending portion.

Abstract: An accommodation structure for a saddle type vehicle wherein the accommodation space can be expanded by a simple and easy configuration. An opening is provided in a rear wall of an accommodation box that is opened and closed by an occupant's seat. Further, a sub-accommodation box is provided that is in the form of a box open in a forward direction and is mounted so as to close up the opening and be swollen rearwardly farther than the opening.

Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device having an EV running mode enabling a vehicle to run only with a second rotating machine used as a drive power source while an engine is disconnected from a drive power transmission path, a series HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run only with the second rotating machine used as the drive power source while a first rotating machine is rotationally driven to generate electricity by the engine disconnected from the drive power transmission path, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines used as the drive power sources while the engine is connected to the drive power transmission path. If a driver desires power-performance-oriented running or fuel-efficiency-oriented running, the range for selecting the series HEV running mode is made narrower or wider, respectively, than usual.

Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device includes: a first rotating machine coupled to an engine; a connection/disconnection device capable of connecting/disconnecting the engine and the first rotating machine to/from wheels; and a second rotating machine disposed in a manner enabling transmission of drive power to the wheels, the vehicle hybrid drive device enabling a vehicle to run in two running modes of an EV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the second rotating machine used as a drive power source while the connection/disconnection device is disconnected, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines as the drive power sources while the connection/disconnection device is connected.

Abstract: A motor drive mode for driving a vehicle with only a second motor/generator is available in a selected one of two motor drive sub-modes consisting of a response-oriented motor drive sub-mode established by placing a forward drive clutch in a released state and placing a starting clutch in an engaged state, and a fuel-economy-oriented motor drive sub-mode established by placing the forward drive clutch in an engaged state and placing the starting clutch in a released state. In the response-oriented motor drive sub-mode in which an engine and a transmission are disconnected from each other, the engine can be efficiently started to change the vehicle drive mode to an engine drive mode, and an engaging action of only the forward drive clutch is required after starting of the engine, so that the engine drive mode can be established with a high response.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle power transmission device provided with a power distribution mechanism composed of a planetary gear device for distributing motive power of a drive source to a motor and an output shaft is further provided with a damper device in a power transmission path between the power distribution mechanism and a first motor. Consequently, the damper device receives only reaction torque dealt by the first motor through the power distribution mechanism with respect to drive torque of an engine. Thus, since the torque transmitted to the damper device is smaller than the drive torque of the engine, the torque capacity of the damper device can be decreased and the size of the damper device can be reduced. As a result, the overall size of the power transmission device can be similarly reduced.