Neutral control device of automatic transmission

Abstract

A neutral control device of an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle is provided in which a neutral control condition is satisfied when an accelerator pedal is released while a forward drive range is being selected, and a hydraulic oil pressure applied to a forward drive engaging element that is to be engaged in the forward drive range is controlled using a line pressure as an original pressure, so that the forward drive engaging element has no engaging capacity when the neutral control condition is satisfied. In this neutral control device, the neutral control condition is determined to be failed when the accelerator pedal is depressed during neutral control so as to start the vehicle, and vehicle control means is provided for controlling the line pressure in a control mode different from a normal line pressure control mode, during a period that extends from a point of time when it is judged that the neutral control condition fails to be satisfied, to a point of time when the forward drive engaging element has a sufficient engaging capacity. This results in reduction of shocks when the vehicle is started immediately after cancellation of neutral control for preventing creeping of the vehicle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.