1. A hybrid vehicle drive control system comprising:
an engine;
a motorgenerator;
a first clutch arranged between the engine and the motorgenerator;
a transmission including a plurality of gear position clutches arranged between the motorgenerator and at least one drive wheel of a hybrid vehicle, with the gear position clutches being selectively engaged to obtain one of a plurality of vehicle running gears; and
a controller configured to selectively start the engine by using torque transmitted from the first clutch during a mode change from an electric drive mode in which the first clutch is released to a hybrid drive mode in which the first clutch is engaged when an engine start command is issued while the hybrid vehicle is running in the electric drive mode with the motorgenerator being used as a power source for driving the drive wheel of the hybrid vehicle,
the controller being further configured to select a second clutch that is detected as having a maximum torque transfer capacity from among the gear position clutches that are engaged to constitute one of the vehicle running gears occurring during an engine starting process, and to execute a slip control of the second clutch when the first clutch is being connected to start the engine during the mode change from the electric drive mode to the hybrid drive mode.
2. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to select the second clutch to be slip controlled by detecting which of the gear position clutches that are engaged to constitute the vehicle running gear occurring immediately prior to starting the engine has the maximum torque transfer capacity, upon detecting a decrease in a state of charge of a battery while the vehicle is running in the electric drive mode.
3. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to select the second clutch to be slip controlled by detecting which of the gear position clutches that are engaged to constitute the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine have the maximum torque transfer capacity, upon detection of an accelerator pedal being depressed while the vehicle is running in the electric drive mode.
4. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein
the controller is further configured to change which of the gear position clutches is designated as the second clutch to be slip controlled if none of the gear position clutches remain engaged in each of the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine, upon detection of the accelerator pedal being depressed while the vehicle is running in the electric drive mode such that the second clutch to be slip controlled for each of the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine has the maximum torque transfer capacity for that one of the vehicle running gears.
5. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein
the controller is further configured to reduce a torque transfer capacity of the second clutch to be slip controlled during the engine starting process when a completely engaged clutch from among the gear position clutches has been selected as the second clutch.
6. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein
the controller is further configured to select the second clutch to be slip controlled by detecting which of the gear position clutches that are engaged to constitute the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine have the maximum torque transfer capacity, upon detection of an accelerator pedal being depressed while the vehicle is running in the electric drive mode.
7. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 6, wherein
the controller is further configured to change which of the gear position clutches is designated as the second clutch to be slip controlled if none of the gear position clutches remain engaged in each of the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine, upon detection of the accelerator pedal being depressed while the vehicle is running in the electric drive mode such that the second clutch to be slip controlled for each of the vehicle running gears occurring from immediately before starting the engine until immediately after starting the engine has the maximum torque transfer capacity for that one of the vehicle running gears.
8. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein
the controller is further configured to reduce a torque transfer capacity of the second clutch to be slip controlled during the engine starting process when a completely engaged clutch from among the gear position clutches has been selected as the second clutch.
9. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 3, wherein
the controller is further configured to reduce a torque transfer capacity of the second clutch to be slip controlled during the engine starting process when a completely engaged clutch from among the gear position clutches has been selected as the second clutch.
10. The hybrid vehicle drive control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein
the controller is further configured to reduce a torque transfer capacity of the second clutch to be slip controlled during the engine starting process when a completely engaged clutch from among the gear position clutches has been selected as the second clutch.
11. A hybrid vehicle drive control system comprising:
first power supply means for supplying a first source of power in a hybrid drive mode;
second power supply means for supplying a second source of power at least in an electric drive mode;
first power transfer means for selectively changing a torque transfer capacity between the first and second power supply means;
vehicle running gear changing means for selectively changing a gear position among a plurality of vehicle running gear of a hybrid vehicle between the first and second power supply means and at least one drive wheel of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle running gear changing means including a plurality of frictional engaging means for selectively attaining the vehicle running gears; and
control means for selectively starting the first power supply means by using torque transmitted from the first power transfer means during a mode change from the electric drive mode to a hybrid drive mode when a first power supply start command is issued while the hybrid vehicle is running in the electric drive mode with the second power supply being used as a power source for driving the drive wheel of the hybrid vehicle,
the control means further including functions of selecting one of the frictional engaging means that is detected as having a maximum torque transfer capacity from among the frictional engaging means that are engaged to constitute one of the vehicle running gears occurring during an engine starting process, and executing a slip control of the frictional engaging means that was detected as having the maximum torque transfer capacity when the first power transfer means is being connected to start the first power supply means during the mode change from the electric drive mode to the hybrid drive mode.
12. A hybrid vehicle drive control method comprising:
selectively operating a first clutch arranged between an engine and a motorgenerator;
selectively operating gear position clutches of a transmission arranged between a motorgenerator and at least one drive wheel of a hybrid vehicle, with the gear position clutches being selectively engaged to obtain one of a plurality of vehicle running gears;
selectively starting the engine by using torque transmitted from the first clutch during a mode change from an electric drive mode in which the first clutch is released to a hybrid drive mode in which the first clutch is engaged when an engine start command is issued while the hybrid vehicle is running in the electric drive mode with the motorgenerator being used as a power source for driving the drive wheel of the hybrid vehicle;
selecting a second clutch that is detected as having a maximum torque transfer capacity from among the gear position clutches that are engaged to constitute one of the vehicle running gears occurring during an engine starting process; and
executing a slip control of the second clutch when the first clutch is being connected to start the engine during the mode change from the electric drive mode to the hybrid drive mode.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of treating multiple sclerosis and other demyclination diseases of the nervous system, which comprises using an agent to, or administering a prostaglandin or other drug to, control the intra-sheath fluid pressure to reduce or avoid bursting of the myelin sheath around nerves.
2. A method according to claim 1, which comprises administering a prostaglandin to reduce the intra-sheath fluid pressure.
3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the prostaglandin is latanoprost, brimonidine, PGE1, PGE2 or PGE3.
4. A pharmaceutical composition for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and other demyclination diseases of the nervous system, which comprises a pharmaceutical substance effective to reduce the fluid pressure within the myelin sheath of nerves, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
5. A composition according to claim 4, wherein the substance is a prostaglandin.
6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the prostaglandin is latanoprost, brimonidine, PGE1, PGE2 or PGE3.
7. A composition according to claim 4, 5 or 6, which is for injection administration.
8. The use of a pharmaceutical substance effective to reduce the fluid pressure within the myelin sheath of nerves, to manufacture a composition for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
9. The use according to clam 8, wherein the substance is a prostaglandin.
10. The use according to claim 9, wherein the prostaglandin is latanoprost, brimonidine, PGE1, PGE2 or PGE3.
11. A composition according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the pharmaceutical substance is selected for inclusion in the composition by in vitro testing by perfusion into nerve trunks or fibre, and measurement of the change in intra-sheath fluid pressure therein.
12. The use according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the pharmaceutical substance is selected for inclusion in the composition by in vitro testing by perfusion into nerve trunks or fibre, and measurement of the change in intra-sheath fluid pressure therein.
13. A method of testing for the onset of multiple sclerosis, or for the onset of a relapse, which comprises monitoring the intra-sheath fluid pressure in nerve tissue.
14. A method of monitoring the fluid pressure within the myelin sheath of a nerve which comprises introducing into the sheath or nerve trunk a probe and sensing tee fluid pressure thereby.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the probe is a hypodermic needle and the fluid pressure is sensed using a fluid pressure sensor in communication with the needle.
16. A device for sensing the fluid pressure in the myelin sheath of a nerve, which device comprises a probe for insertion into the sheath or nerve trunk, and a pressure sensor in communication with the probe to sense the fluid pressure in the myelin sheath of the nerve trunk.
17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the probe is a hypodermic needle.
18. A method of testing whether a pharmaceutical substance is suitable for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, which comprises testing whether it reduces or controls the intra-sheath fluid pressure around nerves.