Apparatus for protecting automatic clutch from overheating

An apparatus for protecting an automatic clutch from overheating, wherein the automatic clutch is provided in a power transmission path between an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle and a transmission adapted to change a speed represented by an output from the engine, the apparatus comprising:

• a pressure sensor adapted to detect a pressure in an intake manifold of the internal combustion engine,
• a degree of opening of accelerator sensor adapted to detect an operation amount of an accelerator,
• a vehicle speed sensor adapted to detect a traveling speed of a vehicle, and
• a control unit adapted to detect a traveling load of the vehicle at a vehicle starting time on the basis of the outputs of the pressure sensor, the degree of opening of accelerator sensor, and the vehicle speed sensor, and to control a throttle actuator by which a throttle valve provided in the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine is operated,
• wherein the control unit being adapted to control the throttle valve so that the throttle valve is moved to and closed in a position of a preset level when the traveling load is not lower than a predetermined level with the vehicle speed continuing to be not higher than a predetermined value for a period of time not shorter than a predetermined period of time, and thereby protect the automatic clutch.