JP2003083443A - Controller for vehicle lockup clutch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller for a vehicle lockup clutch capable of suppressing reduction of heating performance of a heating device while improving fuel consumption of an engine. SOLUTION: The lockup clutch 11 is engaged in a state wherein a traveling state of an automobile is positioned in a lockup area. When the lockup clutch 11 is engaged, an engine heating amount reduces because power transmission efficiency between the engine 1 and wheels is improved, and the heating performance of the air conditioner heating a cabin 25 by use of the heat reduces. The lockup area is normally set such that the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is executed as many as possible numbers for the purpose of improvement of the fuel consumption of the engine 1. When the heating performance necessary for the air conditioner is not less than a prescribed level, the lockup area is reduced to reduce engagement opportunity of the lockup clutch 11.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle lock-up clutch control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in vehicles such as automobiles,
A torque converter that transmits power through a fluid such as oil is provided in a power transmission path between an engine and wheels. The torque converter is provided with a lock-up clutch that is hydraulically driven so as to engage the input side and the output side of the torque converter. Then, the deterioration of the power transmission efficiency due to the transmission of power is suppressed.

However, when the temperature of the hydraulic oil for driving the lockup clutch is low, responsiveness is lowered in driving the lockup clutch for engaging the input side and the output side of the torque converter. A shock is generated when the lockup clutch is engaged due to such a decrease in responsiveness, which adversely affects drivability particularly at low vehicle speeds.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-261965.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-137467 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-137467, when the temperature of the hydraulic oil is low or the engine cooling water temperature, which is a parameter related to the temperature, is low, the operating range in which the lockup clutch is engaged Is also considered to be reduced to the high vehicle speed side. In this case, deterioration of drivability at low vehicle speed due to deterioration of responsiveness of the lockup clutch and the like can be suppressed.

[0005]

By the way, in order to improve the fuel efficiency of the engine, it is preferable to increase the chances of engaging the lockup clutch as much as possible. Therefore, conventionally, the vehicle operating region in which the lockup clutch is engaged has been expanded to the lowest vehicle speed side as long as the drivability is not adversely affected.

However, if the chances of engaging the lock-up clutch increase, the efficiency of power transmission between the engine and the wheels improves due to the engagement, so that when the engine is operated to obtain a predetermined vehicle power, The amount of heat generated by the engine will decrease. Therefore, in a vehicle equipped with a heating device that heats the interior of the vehicle by the heat of the engine, the heating capacity of the heating device decreases as the engine heating value decreases as described above, and the engine warms up in winter. There was a risk that the heating capacity would be insufficient at times.

Further, in a vehicle provided with a warmer for warming various operating oils used in the vehicle by utilizing the heat of the engine, the heat of the engine is also taken by the various operating oils, so that the above-mentioned heating capacity The problem of deterioration becomes more prominent.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is a vehicle lock-up clutch capable of suppressing a decrease in heating capacity of a heating device while improving fuel efficiency of an engine. It is to provide the control device.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Means for achieving the above-mentioned objects and their effects will be described below. In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 provides a vehicle including a heating device that heats a passenger compartment by heat of an engine, and a fluid transmission device that transmits power between the engine and wheels. In a control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch that is applied and controls a lock-up clutch that engages an input side and an output side of the fluid transmission device according to a vehicle operating state, a heating capacity required for the heating device is A regulating means is provided for regulating the engagement of the lock-up clutch when it is above a predetermined level.

If the lockup clutch is engaged as much as possible in order to improve the fuel efficiency of the engine, the power transmission efficiency between the engine and the wheels is improved, so that the engine heat generation amount is reduced. It becomes a disadvantage in securing the heating capacity of the heating device. However, according to the above configuration, when the heating capacity required for the heating device becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined level, the engagement of the lockup clutch is restricted, and the decrease in the engine heat generation amount as described above is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the heating capacity of the heating device while improving the fuel efficiency of the engine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the regulating means estimates the heating capacity required for the heating device based on a parameter related to the temperature inside the vehicle compartment. .

According to the above configuration, the heating capacity required for the heating device is estimated based on the parameter related to the temperature in the passenger compartment, and when the estimated heating capacity is higher than the predetermined level, the lockup clutch engagement is determined. Are regulated.
Therefore, the engagement of the lockup clutch can be properly regulated.

According to the invention of claim 3, claim 1 or 2
In the invention described above, the lock-up clutch is engaged when a vehicle operating state is within a lock-up region, and the restricting means reduces the lock-up region to a higher vehicle speed side, The engagement of the lockup clutch is regulated.

Since the lockup region is reduced to the high vehicle speed side, the lockup clutch cannot be engaged until the vehicle speed becomes high. As a result, the chances of engagement of the lock-up clutch are reduced, the engagement is restricted, and the decrease in the heat generation amount of the engine is appropriately suppressed.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to third aspects, there is provided a warmer for warming the hydraulic oil used in the vehicle by heat of the engine. In a vehicle equipped with the above warmer, the heat of the engine is taken by the hydraulic oil used in the vehicle, so that the heating capacity of the heating device is likely to be insufficient. However, the restriction on the engagement of the lock-up clutch described above suppresses the decrease in the engine heat generation amount, and the insufficient heating capacity of the heating device is appropriately suppressed.

[0016]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an automobile will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The engine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an electronic control unit (engine EC
U) The operation is controlled through 2. This engine ECU2
A detection signal from a water temperature sensor 3 that detects the cooling water temperature of the engine 1 is input to the. While the engine 1 is running,
The rotation of the output shaft 1a is transmitted to the water pump 4 and the air conditioning compressor 5, so that both of them operate. When the water pump 4 is operated, the cooling water of the engine 1 circulates through the cooling water passage 6, and when the compressor 5 is operated, the air-conditioning refrigerant is cooled while circulating in the refrigerant passage 7.

Further, the output shaft 1a of the engine 1 is connected to a transmission 10 via a torque converter 9 which transmits power through a fluid (hydraulic oil). Then, the rotation of the output shaft 1a of the engine 1 is transmitted to the wheels of the automobile via the torque converter 9 and the transmission 10 and the like, so that the automobile runs. In addition, the transmission 10
For example, a continuously variable transmission that can continuously adjust the speed ratio, an automatic transmission that adjusts the speed ratio stepwise, or the like can be adopted.

The torque converter 9 includes the engine 1
A lock-up clutch 11 that connects and disconnects the transmission 10 and the transmission 10 is provided. The lockup clutch 11 is in a "directly connected state" in which the output shaft 1a of the engine 1 and the input shaft of the transmission 10 are directly engaged, or in a "disengaged state" in which such a directly connected state is released. Further, the lock-up clutch 11 allows the relative rotation between the output shaft 1a and the input shaft of the transmission 10 to some extent and partially engages, which is an intermediate state between the “directly connected state” and the “released state”. It is also possible to take a "slip state".

The torque converter 9 and the transmission 10 are both hydraulically operated, and their operation control is performed through a transmission ECU 12 mounted on the vehicle. The transmission ECU 12 detects a turbine rotation speed sensor 13 that detects an input rotation speed from the engine 1 (output shaft 1a) to the transmission 10, and a temperature of hydraulic oil that operates the torque converter 9 and the transmission 10. Detection signals from various sensors such as the oil temperature sensor 14 are input. Also, the transmission E
The CU 12 and the engine ECU 2 are connected to each other,
Communication between the two is possible.

The hydraulic oil for operating the torque converter 9 and the transmission 10 is warmed by utilizing the heat of the engine 1. That is, the oil passage 15 for circulating the working oil and the cooling water passage 6 described above pass through the inside of the warmer 16 provided in the automobile, and the warmer 16 heats the cooling water and the working oil. Exchange will take place. Therefore, when the working oil is in a cold state, the working oil is warmed by the cooling water warmed by the heat of the engine 1, and heat is taken from the cooling water. In this way, the hydraulic oil is warmed 16
By warming up with., It is suppressed that the proper operation of the torque converter 9 and the transmission 10 becomes difficult due to the hydraulic oil being in a cold state.

Next, an air conditioner for adjusting the temperature inside the vehicle compartment by heating or cooling will be described. In this air conditioner, the air duct 2 is operated by the operation of the blower 21.
Air is introduced into the vehicle 2, the air is cooled and heated by the evaporator 23 and the heater core 24, and then supplied into the vehicle interior 25.

The above-described refrigerant passage 7 passes through the inside of the evaporator 23, and cools the air in the air duct 22 with the refrigerant in the refrigerant passage 7. The cooling water passage 6 passes through the inside of the heater core 24, and is for heating the air in the air duct 22 with the warmed cooling water in the cooling water passage 6.

In the air duct 22, an air mix damper 26 used for adjusting the temperature of the air passing through the air duct 22 is provided between the evaporator 23 and the heater core 24. This air mix damper 26
Is opened and closed to adjust the ratio of the air passing through the heater core 24 to the air passing through the evaporator 23.

That is, for example, when the air mix damper 26 is displaced to a position where the air does not pass through the heater core 24 (minimum opening), the air cooled by passing through the evaporator 23 is supplied to the vehicle interior 25 as it is. become. Further, as the air mix damper 26 is displaced to the side where the amount of air passing through the heater core 24 is large (the opening is large), the temperature of the air supplied from the air duct 22 into the vehicle interior 25 becomes higher. Therefore, the air mix damper 2
As the opening degree of 6 increases and the amount of air passing through the heater core 24 increases, the amount of heat taken from the cooling water to the air increases.

The blower 21 and the air mix damper 26 in the air conditioner are driven and controlled by an air conditioner ECU 27 mounted on the automobile. This air conditioner EC
The U27 and the engine ECU 2 are connected to each other, and communication between them is possible. In addition, air conditioner E
The CU 27 receives signals from an automatic control changeover switch 28, a temperature setting switch 29, and an air volume setting switch 30, which are operated by an occupant of the vehicle, and
Detection signals from various sensors shown below are input.

A potentiometer 31 for outputting a signal corresponding to the open / close position of the air mix damper 26. An inside air temperature sensor 32 for detecting the temperature of the air (inside air temperature) in the passenger compartment 25. An amount of solar radiation in the passenger compartment 25 is detected. Solar radiation sensor 33-Outside air temperature sensor 34 for detecting the temperature (outside air temperature) of the air outside the automobile. The air conditioner ECU 27 detects the temperature setting switch 29 if the operation position of the automatic control changeover switch 28 is "auto".
The automatic control for automatically controlling the blower 21 and the air mix damper 26 is executed according to the set temperature set by, the inside temperature, the amount of solar radiation, the outside temperature, and the like.

In such automatic control, first, the required outlet temperature TAO is calculated according to the set temperature, the inside temperature, the amount of solar radiation, the outside temperature, and the like. Here, the required outlet temperature TA
O is the temperature of the air blown into the vehicle interior 25 from the air duct 22 required to maintain the temperature in the vehicle interior 25 at the set temperature. The air conditioner ECU 27 adjusts the opening degree of the air mix damper 26 so that the temperature of the air blown from the air duct 22 into the vehicle interior 25 becomes the required outlet temperature TAO, and automatically adjusts the blower air volume optimally. The blower 21 is drive-controlled according to the required outlet temperature TAO.

On the other hand, if the operation position of the automatic control changeover switch 28 is "manual", the air conditioner ECU 27
Controls the blower 21 and the air mix damper 26 in accordance with the operating positions of various switches operated by the vehicle occupant. That is, the blower 21 is driven and controlled so that the blower air volume set by the air volume setting switch 30 is obtained, and the air mix damper 26 is driven and controlled according to the set temperature set by the temperature setting switch 29.

Next, the engagement mode of the lockup clutch 11 will be described. The lockup clutch 11 is engaged when the operating condition of the vehicle is within the lockup region. This lock-up region includes the speed of the automobile (vehicle speed) and the temperature of the hydraulic oil such as the torque converter 9 (oil temperature).
It is set based on and. The vehicle speed used here is obtained based on the detection signal from the turbine speed sensor 13 and the current gear ratio in the transmission 10.

When the lockup clutch 11 is engaged as described above, the deterioration of the power transmission efficiency due to the power transmission from the engine 1 side to the wheel side through the fluid is suppressed, so that the fuel consumption of the engine 1 is reduced. It is advantageous in improving. However, when the temperature (oil temperature) of the hydraulic oil for operating the lockup clutch 11 (torque converter 9) is low, a response delay occurs in the drive of the lockup clutch 11, which causes the lockup clutch 11 to operate. A shock occurs at the time of engagement. In particular, if the shock as described above occurs at a low vehicle speed, the drivability will be adversely affected.

Therefore, by setting the lockup region so that it is as low as possible in the range where the adverse effect on drivability does not occur, the deterioration of drivability and the improvement of fuel economy of the engine 1 can both be achieved. It is preferable for the purpose.

Here, the lockup areas set as described above are shown as areas A and B in FIG. In this case, when the vehicle speed and the oil temperature are in the regions A and B, the lockup clutch 11 is engaged. By engaging the lock-up clutch 11 in this way, the lock-up clutch 1 is suppressed while suppressing adverse effects on drivability.
The number of opportunities to engage 1 is increased as much as possible, and maximum fuel economy can be improved.

However, the lockup clutch 11
When the number of opportunities for engaging the engine 1 increases, the fuel efficiency of the engine 1 is improved, but the power transmission efficiency between the engine 1 and the wheels is improved. The heat generation amount of the engine is reduced, and the heat transfer amount from the engine 1 to the cooling water is also reduced.

Further, when the engine 1 is decelerated while the lockup clutch 11 is engaged, a predetermined engine speed can be secured even if the fuel is cut, so that the fuel consumption is reduced. The fuel of the engine 1 is cut through the engine ECU 2 in order to improve. When such a fuel cut is performed, the fuel combustion in the engine 1 is not performed, so the engine heat generation amount decreases.

Therefore, when the number of engagements of the lock-up clutch 11 increases, the engine heat generation amount decreases due to the above reason, and the temperature of the cooling water for warming the air-conditioning air supplied to the passenger compartment 25 rises. It gets harder. As a result, the heating capacity of the air conditioner is reduced, and there is a possibility that the heating capacity of the air conditioner will be insufficient when a high heating capacity is required, such as when the engine warms up in winter.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the lockup area is reduced from the areas A and B in FIG. 2 to the area A toward the high vehicle speed side. The engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is restricted. By restricting the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 in this manner, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the engine heat generation amount as described above and suppress the decrease in the heating capacity of the air conditioner.

Next, the procedure for setting the lockup area will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 showing the lockup area setting routine. This lockup area setting routine is executed by the transmission ECU 12 by, for example, a time interruption at every predetermined time.

Normally, when the engine temperature is low, an increase correction of the fuel injection amount is performed in the engine 1 in order to stabilize the engine operation. Therefore, when the lockup clutch is engaged when the engine temperature is low, the fuel injection amount is increased and the fuel cut is executed and canceled according to the start and end of the engine deceleration. . In this case, since the difference in the output torque of the engine 1 due to the execution and cancellation of the fuel cut increases due to the increase correction of the fuel injection amount, a large shock is generated in the vehicle and drivability is reduced. Is not preferable.

In the process of step S101 in the lockup region setting routine, the cooling water temperature is determined by a predetermined value b (for example, whether or not the engine temperature is high to such an extent that the fuel injection amount increase correction as described above is not performed. This is for judging based on whether or not the temperature is 40 ° C.) or higher. As the predetermined value used here, the upper limit value of the cooling water temperature at which the increase correction of the fuel injection amount is performed can be adopted. Then, if a negative determination is made in step S101, the above-described inconvenience may occur, so that the area A in FIG. 2 is set as the lockup area (S104).

By setting the lockup area in this way, the lockup area is reduced to the high vehicle speed side as compared with the case where the areas A and B are set as the lockup areas.
The engagement of the lockup clutch 11 will be restricted. In this case, the situation of engine deceleration with the lock-up clutch 11 engaged is less likely to occur, so the chances of executing and canceling fuel cut with the fuel injection amount increased and corrected are reduced, and the above-described inconveniences occur. Is suppressed.

On the other hand, when an affirmative determination is made in step S101, it is determined whether or not the outside air temperature, which is a parameter related to the temperature in the passenger compartment 25, is a predetermined value a (for example, 5 ° C.) or more (S102). ). Here, the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is estimated based on the outside air temperature, and it is determined whether or not the required heating capacity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.
Such a determination can be made because a low outside air temperature means a higher heating capacity required for the air conditioner.

When an affirmative determination is made in step S102, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is less than the predetermined level. In this case, the areas A and B in FIG. 2 are set as lockup areas (S103), and the chances of engagement of the lockup clutch 11 are increased thereby, so that the fuel economy of the engine 1 is maximized.

If a negative determination is made in step S102, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is at or above a predetermined level. In this case, step S10
The process of No. 4 is executed, the lockup region is reduced from the regions A and B to the region A toward the high vehicle speed side, and the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is restricted. As a result, a decrease in the engine heat generation amount due to the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is suppressed, and a decrease in the heating capacity of the air conditioner that heats the interior of the vehicle compartment 25 by using the heat is suppressed.

According to this embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained. (1) Normally, the lockup region is set to the regions A and B in FIG. 2 so that the lockup clutch 11 is engaged as much as possible, so that the maximum fuel efficiency improvement in the engine 1 is achieved. . Further, when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the lockup area is set to the area A and reduced to the high vehicle speed side.
In this case, lock-up clutch 1 is required unless the vehicle speed becomes high.
1 is not engaged, the lockup clutch 11
The number of engagement opportunities of is reduced and the engagement is restricted, so that the reduction of the heating capacity of the air conditioner due to the decrease of the heat generation amount of the engine is appropriately suppressed. Therefore, by switching the lockup region as described above, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the heating capacity of the air conditioner while improving the fuel consumption of the engine 1.

(2) It is judged that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than the predetermined level because the outside air temperature, which is a parameter related to the temperature in the passenger compartment 25, is less than the predetermined value a. . That is, the required heating capacity is estimated based on the outside air temperature, and it is determined whether the required heating capacity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. Based on such a determination, the lockup region is reduced to the high vehicle speed side and the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is restricted, so that the engagement restriction can be appropriately performed.

(3) When the lockup clutch is engaged, the fuel cut of the engine 1 is executed or released in response to the start / end of the engine deceleration. what if,
If such a fuel cut is performed at a low temperature of the engine 1 in which the increase correction of the fuel injection amount is performed, the difference in the output torque of the engine 1 accompanying execution and cancellation of the fuel cut increases by the amount of the increase correction. However, a great shock occurs in the car, which is not preferable in terms of drivability. However, when the cooling water temperature is lower than the predetermined value b and the engine temperature is low, the lockup region is reduced from the regions A and B in FIG. 2 to the region A, and the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is restricted. As a result, the execution and cancellation of the fuel cut during the above-described correction of increasing the fuel injection amount are suppressed, and the disadvantage in terms of drivability can be suppressed.

(4) In an automobile equipped with the warmer 16, when the working oil of the torque converter 9 and the transmission 10 is cold, the working oil is warmed by the cooling water in the warmer 16. At this time, the engine 1
Since the heat (heat of cooling water) is taken by the hydraulic oil, the problem of insufficient heating capacity of the air conditioner becomes significant when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is high. However, when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, by restricting the engagement of the lockup clutch as described above, the insufficient heating capacity of the air conditioner can be appropriately suppressed. become.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment,
It is determined whether or not the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level when the air conditioner is automatically controlled.
The air mix damper 2 which is a parameter related to the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 25 is also performed at the time of manual control.
This is performed based on the opening degree of 6 and the blower air volume.

4 and 5 are flow charts showing the lockup area setting routine of this embodiment. In this lockup area setting routine, step S in the lockup area setting routine of the first embodiment.
The process (S202 to S207) corresponding to 102 is different from that of the first embodiment.

In the lockup region setting routine of this embodiment, when it is determined in step S201 (FIG. 4) that the cooling water temperature is equal to or higher than the predetermined value b, it is determined whether or not the automatic control is being performed ( S202). Then, if the determination is affirmative, it is determined whether the required outlet temperature TAO, which is a parameter related to the temperature inside the vehicle compartment 25, is equal to or lower than a predetermined value c (for example, 50 ° C.) (S203). here,
Heating capacity required for air conditioners is required Outlet temperature TAO
Based on the above, it is determined whether the required heating capacity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. The reason why such a determination can be made is that the increase in the required outlet temperature TAO means that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is high.

When an affirmative determination is made in step S203, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is less than the predetermined level. In this case, the lockup areas are set to areas A and B (FIG. 2) (S208). Further, when a negative determination is made in step S203, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. In this case, the process of step S209 is executed, the lockup region is reduced from the regions A and B to the region A on the high vehicle speed side, and the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 is restricted.

On the other hand, when a negative determination is made in step S202 and it is determined that the manual control is being executed, it is determined whether the opening degree of the air mix damper 26 is equal to or less than a predetermined value d (for example, 70%) ( (S204: FIG. 5), and it is determined whether or not the blower air volume is less than or equal to the predetermined value e (S).
205). Here, the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is estimated based on the opening degree of the air mix damper 26 and the blower air volume, and it is determined whether the required heating capacity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

The opening degree of the air mix damper 26 is obtained based on the detection signal from the potentiometer 31. As the opening approaches 100% (opening maximum), the amount of air passing through the heater core 24 in the air duct 22 increases. Therefore, the larger the opening degree of the air mix damper 26, the larger the heating capacity required for the air conditioner. Further, the blower air volume is obtained based on the signal from the air volume setting switch 30. When the interior of the vehicle compartment 25 is heated by the air conditioner, the larger the blower air volume, the greater the heating capacity required for the air conditioner.

When a positive determination is made in both steps S204 and S205 and it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is less than the predetermined level, the above-described step S is performed.
The processing of 208 (FIG. 4) is executed. Also, step S
Even if the affirmative judgment is made in 204, the step S205
If a negative determination is made in step S21, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, and the process of step S209 (FIG. 4) described above is performed.

On the other hand, if a negative determination is made in step S204, the opening degree of the air mix damper 26 is set to the predetermined value e.
Whether or not it is less than or equal to a predetermined value f (for example, 80%) larger than the predetermined value (S206), and the blower air volume is a predetermined value g (g <e)
It is determined whether or not the following (S207). Here again, the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is estimated based on the opening degree of the air mix damper 26 and the blower air volume, and it is determined whether the required heating capacity is equal to or higher than a predetermined level.

That is, the above steps S206 and S
When a negative determination is made in any of 207, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than the predetermined level, and the process of step S209 (FIG. 4) is performed. Further, when a positive determination is made in both steps S206 and S207, it is determined that the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is less than the predetermined level, and the process of step S208 (FIG. 4) is performed.

Also in this embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. The above-described respective embodiments can be modified as follows, for example. The present invention may be applied to an automobile in which the warmer 16 is not mounted.

When the engine temperature is low enough to correct the increase of the fuel injection amount, that is, when the cooling water temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined value b, it is not always necessary to reduce the lockup region.

The outside air temperature, the required outlet temperature TAO, the opening degree of the air mix damper 26, and the blower are used as parameters relating to the temperature in the passenger compartment 25 used for estimating the heating capacity required for the air conditioner. I adopted the air volume,
Other than these, parameters such as the inside temperature and the amount of solar radiation may be adopted.

In each of the above-described embodiments, when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than the predetermined level, the lockup area is reduced from the areas A and B to the area A. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the heating capacity required for the air conditioner is equal to or higher than a predetermined level, the engagement of the lockup clutch 11 may be prohibited to regulate the engagement.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of an automobile to which a control device for a lockup clutch according to a first embodiment is applied.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a lockup area.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting a lockup area in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a lock-up area setting procedure in the second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a procedure for setting a lockup area in the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Engine, 2 ... Engine ECU, 3 ... Water temperature sensor,
6 ... Cooling water passage, 9 ... Torque converter, 10 ... Transmission, 11 ... Lockup clutch, 12 ... Transmission ECU, 13 ... Turbine speed sensor, 14 ... Oil temperature sensor, 15 ... Oil passage, 16 ... Warmer, 21 ... Blower, 22 ... Air duct, 24 ... Heater core, 25 ... Cabin, 26 ... Air mix damper, 27 ... Air conditioner EC
U, 28 ... Automatic control changeover switch, 29 ... Temperature setting switch, 30 ... Air volume setting switch, 31 ... Potentiometer, 32 ... Interior air temperature sensor, 33 ... Solar radiation amount sensor, 34
... outside temperature sensor.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Kenji Matsuo             1 Toyota Town, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Toyota Auto             Car Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 3J053 CA05 CB03 CB22 DA25

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle equipped with a heating device for heating a passenger compartment by heat of an engine, and a fluid transmission device for transmitting power between the engine and wheels, the input side of the fluid transmission device. In a control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch that controls a lock-up clutch that engages with an output side according to a vehicle operating state, the lock-up is performed when a heating capacity required for the heating device is equal to or higher than a predetermined level. A control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch, comprising: a restricting unit that restricts engagement of the clutch. 2. The control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch according to claim 1, wherein the regulating means estimates the heating capacity required for the heating device based on a parameter related to the temperature in the vehicle compartment. 3. The lock-up clutch is engaged when the vehicle is operating in a lock-up area, and the restricting means reduces the lock-up area to a high vehicle speed side. The control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch according to claim 1 or 2, which restricts engagement of the lock-up clutch. 4. The control device for a vehicle lock-up clutch according to claim 1, further comprising a warmer that warms hydraulic oil used in the vehicle by heat of an engine.