Control apparatus for vehicle drive-force transmitting apparatus

A control apparatus for a drive-force transmitting apparatus that is to be provided in a vehicle having a drive force source and drive wheels,

• wherein the drive-force transmitting apparatus includes:
• an input rotary member to which a drive force is to be transmitted from the drive force source;
• an output rotary member from which the drive force is to be outputted to the drive wheels;
• a continuously-variable transmission mechanism configured to provide a continuously-variable gear ratio that is variable within a given range;
• and
• a gear mechanism configured to provide at least a gear ratio that is higher than the continuously-variable gear ratio provided by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism,
• wherein the drive-force transmitting apparatus defines a plurality of drive-force transmitting paths that are provided in parallel with each other between the input rotary member and the output rotary member such that the drive force is to be transmitted from the input rotary member to the output rotary member through an established one of the drive-force transmitting paths,
• wherein the plurality of drive-force transmitting paths include a first drive-force transmitting path, through which the drive force is to be transmitted by the gear mechanism when the first drive-force transmitting path is established,
• wherein the plurality of drive-force transmitting paths include a second drive-force transmitting path, through which the drive force is to be transmitted by the continuously-variable transmission mechanism when the second drive-force transmitting path is established,
• wherein the drive-force transmitting apparatus is configured to establish a selected state that is one of (i) a first state in which the first drive-force transmitting path is established and (ii) a second state in which the second drive-force transmitting path is established,
• wherein said control apparatus comprises a transmission shifting control portion configured to execute a lap-down control by which a shift-down action requiring the selected state to be switched from the second state to the first state is executed together with execution of a shift-down action of the continuously-variable gear ratio that is executed to increase the continuously-variable gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism to a predetermined high gear ratio value,
• wherein, when determining that a shift-up action requiring the selected state to be switched from the first state to the second state is to be executed, said transmission shifting control portion is configured to cause the drive-force transmitting apparatus to execute said shift-up action in (a) a case in which a state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus upon determination for execution of said shift-up action satisfies a first condition including a requirement that the continuously-variable gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not lower than a first gear ratio value and in (b) a case in which said state of the drive-force transmitting apparatus satisfies a second condition including a requirement that said lap-down control is executed and a requirement that the continuously-variable gear ratio of the continuously-variable transmission mechanism is not lower than a second gear ratio value that is lower than said first gear ratio value.