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An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle including a first coupling element disposed between an engine and a motor-generator, a second coupling element disposed between the motor-generator and driving wheels of the hybrid vehicle, a sensor for sensing temperatures of the first coupling element

An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle including a first coupling element disposed between an engine and a motor-generator, a second coupling element disposed between the motor-generator and driving wheels of the hybrid vehicle, a sensor for sensing temperatures of the first coupling element and/or the second coupling element and a controller. The controller controls an amount of slippage in either the first coupling element, the second coupling element, or both, depending on the sensed temperatures.

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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an engine; a motor-generator; a first coupling element disposed between the engine and the motor-generator to connect and disconnect a power transmission route between the engine and the motor-generator;

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an engine; a motor-generator; a first coupling element disposed between the engine and the motor-generator to connect and disconnect a power transmission route between the engine and the motor-generator; a second coupling element disposed between the motor-generator and driving wheels of the hybrid vehicle to connect and disconnect a power transmission route between the motor-generator and the driving wheels; a sensor device operable to sensing a temperature of at least one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element; and a controller configured to control an amount of slippage in at least one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element depending on the temperature by reducing the amount of slippage in one of the first and second coupling elements when a measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to, when the measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is greater than or equal to a second predetermined value, the second predetermined value being larger than the first predetermined value: control the amount of slippage in the one of the first and second coupling elements so as to establish a completely coupled state of the one of the first and second coupling elements; and control the amount of slippage in the other of the first and second coupling elements so as to equalize a coupling capacity of the other of the first and second coupling elements with a required driving force. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the one of the first and second coupling elements is the second coupling element and the other of the first and second coupling elements is the first coupling element. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one of the first and second coupling elements is the second coupling element. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to: conduct the control operation when a speed of the driving wheels is lower than a speed corresponding to an idle speed of the engine. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a battery that supplies electric power to the motor-generator; and a battery state of charge detector that detects an amount of charge stored in the battery; and wherein the controller is further configured to, when measured temperatures of each of the first and second coupling elements are equal to or greater than a second predetermined value and the amount of charge stored in the battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value: disengage the first coupling element; completely engage the second coupling element; and control driving of the hybrid vehicle only by the driving force of the motor-generator while maintaining the engine in an operated state. 7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the controller is further configured to: completely engage the first and second coupling elements and control driving of the hybrid vehicle by using both a driving force of the engine and a driving force of the motor-generator when the measured temperatures are equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and the amount of charge stored in the battery is less than the predetermined value. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a battery that supplies electric power to the motor-generator; and a battery state of charge detector that detects an amount of charge stored in the battery; and wherein the controller is further configured to: conduct transition to a travel mode in which the motor-generator is allowed to generate electric power and the hybrid vehicle is driven by a driving force of the engine when the amount of charge stored in the battery is less than a predetermined value and when a travel mode in which the first coupling element is completely engaged, the second coupling element is kept in a slip-engaged state and the hybrid vehicle is driven by the driving force of the engine and a driving force of the motor-generator is selected. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a battery that supplies electric power to the motor-generator; and a battery state of charge detector that detects an amount of charge stored in the battery; and wherein the controller is further configured to: conduct transition to a travel mode in which the first coupling element is disengaged, the second coupling element is completely engaged and the hybrid vehicle is driven only by a driving force of the motor-generator when the amount of charge stored in the battery equal to or greater than a predetermined value and when a travel mode in which the first coupling element is completely engaged, the second coupling element is kept in a slip-engaged state and the hybrid vehicle is driven by a driving force of the engine and the driving force of the motor-generator is selected. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: control the amount of slippage in the first coupling element and the amount of slippage in the second coupling element so as to suppress temperature rise in only one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element. 11. An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor-generator, first coupling means for connecting and disconnecting a power transmission route between the engine and the motor-generator and second coupling means for connecting and disconnecting a power transmission route between the motor-generator and a driving wheel, the apparatus comprising: means for sensing a temperature of at least one of the first coupling means and the second coupling means; and means for controlling an amount of slippage in at least one of the first and the second coupling means depending on the temperature including means for reducing the amount of slippage in one of the first and second coupling elements when a measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value. 12. A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle having an engine, a motor-generator, a first coupling element disposed between the engine and the motor-generator and a second coupling element disposed between the motor-generator and a driving wheel, the method comprising: controlling an amount of slippage in at least one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element depending on a temperature of at least one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element by reducing the amount of slippage in one of the first and second coupling elements when a measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value. 13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising: controlling the amount of slippage in the one of the first and second coupling elements so as to establish a completely coupled state of the one of the first and second coupling elements when the measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is greater than or equal to a second predetermined value, the second predetermined value being larger than the first predetermined value; and controlling the amount of slippage in the other of the first and second coupling elements so as to equalize a coupling capacity of the other of the first and second coupling elements with a required driving force when the measured temperature of the one of the first and second coupling elements is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value. 14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: performing the controlling when a speed of the driving wheels is lower than a speed corresponding to an idle speed of the engine. 15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: supplying electric power to the motor-generator with a battery; detecting an amount of charged stored in the battery; and, when measured temperatures of each of the first and second coupling elements are equal to or greater than a second predetermined value and the amount of charge stored in the battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, disengaging the first coupling element; completely engaging the second coupling element; and controlling driving of the hybrid vehicle only by the driving force of the motor-generator while maintaining the engine in an operated state. 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising: completely engaging the first and second coupling elements and controlling driving of the hybrid vehicle by using both a driving force of the engine and a driving force of the motor-generator when the measured temperatures are equal to or greater than the second predetermined value and the amount of charge stored in the battery is less than the predetermined value. 17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: supplying electric power to the motor-generator with a battery; detecting an amount of charged stored in the battery; and transitioning to a travel mode in which the motor-generator is allowed to generate electric power and the hybrid vehicle is driven by a driving force of the engine when the amount of charge stored in the battery is less than a predetermined value and when a travel mode in which the first coupling element is completely engaged, the second coupling element is kept in a slip-engaged state and the hybrid vehicle is driven by a driving force of the engine and a driving force of the motor-generator is selected. 18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: supplying electric power to the motor-generator with a battery; detecting an amount of charged stored in the battery; and transitioning to a travel mode in which the first coupling element is disengaged, the second coupling element is completely engaged and the hybrid vehicle is driven only by a driving force of the motor-generator when the amount of charge stored in the battery equal to or greater than a predetermined value and when a travel mode in which the first coupling element is completely engaged, the second coupling element is kept in a slip-engaged state and the hybrid vehicle is driven by a driving force of the engine and the driving force of the motor-generator is selected. 19. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: controlling the amount of slippage in the first coupling element and the amount of slippage in the second coupling element to suppress temperature rise in only one of the first coupling element and the second coupling element.