Thermal protection apparatus and method for hybrid vehicles

A thermal variable-operation regulator including an operating device that heats up while operating, compromising:

• a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the operating device;
• a controller that sets a limitation temperature, based on which an operation of the operating device is limited, wherein the limitation temperature is set to a smoothed temperature, which is obtained by performing predetermined smoothing process on the detected temperature, when the smoothed temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, and the limitation temperature is set to the predetermined temperature, when the smoothed temperature obtained by performing the predetermined smoothing process on the detected temperature is higher the predetermined temperature, the smoothed temperature is obtained by adding a value, obtained by dividing a difference between the detected temperature and the already set limitation temperature by a predetermined number “n”, to the already set limitation temperature to bring the smoothed temperature closer to the detected temperature, and
• that operates the operating device, and progressively limits the operation of the operating device as the limitation temperature increases.

A method for controlling an operating device that heats up while operating, comprising:

• (a) setting a limitation temperature, based on which an operation of the operating device is limited, wherein the limitation temperature is set to a smoothed temperature, which is obtained by performing a predetermined smoothing process on a temperature of the operating device, when the smoothed temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, and the limitation temperature is set to the predetermined temperature, when the smoothed temperature that is obtained by performing the predetermined smoothing process on the temperature of the operating device is higher than the predetermined temperature, and the predetermined smoothing process is a process where the smoothed temperature is obtained by adding a value, obtained by dividing a difference between the detected temperature and the already set limitation temperature by a predetermined number “n”, to the already set limitation temperature to bring the smoothed temperature closer to the detected temperature;
• and
• (b) progressively limiting the operation of the operating device as the limitation temperature increases.