Abstract: A transaxle comprises a transaxle casing, axle, brake, brake arm, first and second link members, and relay arm. The brake includes a brake operation shaft pivotally supported by the transaxle casing for shifting between brake activation and inactivation states. A starting end of the first link member is connected to a manipulator, and a terminal end of the second link member is connected to the brake arm. The relay arm is pivotally centered on a first pivotal axis outside of the transaxle casing, and includes a first arm portion extended from the first pivotal axis to a first end and a second arm portion extended from the first pivotal axis to a second end. A terminal end of the first link member is connected to the first arm portion, and a starting end of the second link member is connected to the second arm portion.

Abstract: A power transmission assembly for a vehicle with prime mover, prime mover output shaft, and right and left traveling devices, comprises a power distribution unit that receives rotary power from the prime mover output shaft and distributes it between right and left transmission units, which each include: a center section with a closed fluid circuit, a lateral first portion, and a second portion perpendicular thereto; a hydraulic pump mounted on the first portion such that a pump shaft is parallel to the prime mover output shaft; a hydraulic motor on the second portion fluidly connected to the hydraulic pump via the closed fluid circuit, having a lateral motor shaft; and a speed reduction device on a distal side of the hydraulic motor that transmits power from the hydraulic motor to the right or left traveling device.

Abstract: A micro-traction drive unit according to the present invention includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, a retainer, a micro-traction drive case and a power-transmitting shaft coaxial with the inner ring and incapable of relative rotation around an axis to the retainer. An opposite end of the power-transmitting shaft from the inner ring forms an input end operatively connected to a driving source. An input end of the pump shaft is detachably connected to a central hole of the inner ring in a state incapable of relative rotation around the axis via the access opening of the micro-traction drive case by connecting the micro-traction drive case to the HST case so as to surround the input end of the pump shaft of the HST.

Abstract: A motor control system includes a drive motor and a deck motor that are connected to a battery, an ECU, and a key switch. The key switch acquires that an operation unit has been turned on, and transmits a restart permission signal to the ECU. When SOC of the battery reaches or falls below a first threshold set in advance, the ECU performs a step of disabling all the motors, and when the restart permission signal is received, the ECU performs a step of executing a decelerated travelling mode where the disabled state of the drive motor is released and an allowed speed of the drive motor is reduced.

Abstract: A housing of an axial piston device is provided with a drain port for discharging the retained oil to the outside and a supply oil passage for guiding lubricating oil, which has been supplied from an oil source, toward a first hydraulic axial piston member. The drain port is arranged so as to bring about such a retained-oil level that a second hydraulic axial piston member, which is disposed below the first hydraulic axial piston member, is partially or entirely immersed in the retained oil while the first hydraulic axial piston member is not immersed in the retained oil.

Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission device includes an actuator that moves a moveable sheave member of a drive pulley which is a one-side pulley in an axial direction. The actuator includes a moveable feed member, a gear case, and an electric motor. The moveable feed member includes an inner tube section in which a moveable-side feed screw is provided, an outer tube section in which an outer gear is provided, and a lid section. The gear case has a fixed tube section in which a fixed-side feed screw is provided, and an outer cover. The electric motor drives a motor-side gear that intermeshes with the outer gear. The outer cover has an opening into which the outer tube section is inserted and that proximately opposes an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube section.

Abstract: A transmission includes a gear train, a transmission shaft driven by the gear train, a transmission casing incorporating the gear train and the transmission shaft, an axle driven by the gear train, a power take-off (PTO) unit attached to the transmission casing, and a parking brake. The transmission shaft and the axle are extended parallel to each other. The PTO unit includes a PTO input shaft, a PTO shaft, and a PTO drive train transmitting power from the PTO input shaft to the PTO shaft. The PTO input shaft is connected coaxially to the transmission shaft so as to receive power from the transmission shaft. The parking brake is provided on the transmission shaft or the PTO input shaft.

Abstract: A transaxle comprises a hydrostatic transmission (HST), an axle, a gear train interposed between the HST and the axle, a casing and a partition. The casing defines an HST chamber and a gear chamber. The HST is disposed in the HST chamber. The gear train and the axle are disposed in the gear chamber. The partition is disposed in the casing so as to separate the HST chamber and the gear chamber from each other. The partition has an opening through which a hydraulic motor of the HST passes to extend from the HST chamber into the gear chamber so as to be drivingly connected to the gear train. The partition obstructs a flow of fluid between a fluid sump in the HST chamber from a fluid sump in the gear chamber.

Abstract: A vehicle comprises a transaxle, a battery and a load carrying bed. The transaxle includes a casing incorporating a drive train and supporting an axle and includes an electric motor mounted on the casing to drive the axle via the drive train. The battery is provided for supplying electric power to the electric motor. The transaxle and the battery are disposed below the load carrying bed so as to overlap the load carrying bed when viewed in plan.

Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle comprises an axial piston hydraulic pump having a variable displacement, and a transaxle casing incorporating the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump includes a movable swash plate and a pair of trunnion shafts. The transaxle casing includes a pair of side walls, and includes a pair of casing holes each of which penetrates each of the side walls between an inside and an outside of the transaxle casing. The pair of trunnion shafts are passed through the respective casing holes. The swash plate is formed with a pair of swash plate holes in the respective side portions facing the respective side walls in the inside of the transaxle casing. Proximal end portions of the respective trunnion shafts are inserted into the respective swash plate holes. A distal end portion of one of the trunnion shafts projects from the corresponding casing hole to the outside of the transaxle casing.

Abstract: An outer circumferential surface of a trunnion shaft includes a sliding contact region that has a circular arc shape as viewed along a slanting axis line and is substantially brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the bearing portion in a rotatably sliding manner, and at least one suction groove that forms a pocket portion between the suction groove and the inner surface of the bearing portion. The pocket portion is opened to an inner space of housing on at least one side in an axis line direction of the trunnion shaft.

Abstract: A power take-off (PTO) unit takes-off power from a transmission for driving a first drive wheel of a vehicle and transmits the taken-off power to a second drive wheel of the vehicle. The PTO unit includes a PTO casing, a PTO shaft and a brake for braking the PTO shaft. The PTO casing is mounted on another casing incorporating the transmission. The PTO shaft is journaled by the PTO casing, drivingly connected to the transmission shaft of the transmission and drivingly connected to the second drive wheel. The brake is disposed in the PTO casing. The brake includes an unslidable pawl that is not slidable axially in the axial direction of the PTO shaft, and includes a slidable pawl that is slidable axially in the axial direction of the PTO shaft so as to selectively engage or disengage with and from the unslidable pawl.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission control system for a vehicle has a continuously variable transmission device having a belt which is bridged over a driving pulley on a motive power source side and a driven pulley on a wheel side, and an electricity-driven actuator that moves a moveable sheave of at least one of the driving pulley and the driven pulley in the axial direction, to change a width between the moveable sheave and a fixed sheave, a control device that controls driving of the electricity-driven actuator, and an acceleration operation detection unit that detects an operation state of an acceleration operation unit. The control device moves the moveable sheave in the axial direction using the electricity-driven actuator so that a reduction ratio of the continuously variable transmission device is reduced as an amount of operation of the acceleration operation unit is increased at least in a predetermined operation amount range.

Abstract: A shift-drum speed change mechanism includes a first drum spring biasing a first drum toward a first side in an axial direction, which is a side on which a first slider comes into contact with a first speed change member, a first fork spring biasing a first shift fork toward a second side in the axial direction, which is a side opposite to the first side in the axial direction, with a weaker biasing force than the first drum spring, and a first stopper member for the first drum, defining an end of movement of the first drum toward the first side in the axial direction.

Abstract: Transaxle systems for a vehicle are disclosed where each of right and left transaxle units includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor and a casing incorporating the hydraulic pump and motor. Each hydraulic pump has a pump displacement control means operatively connected to a pump control arm pivoted on the casing, and each hydraulic motor has a motor displacement control means operatively connected to a motor control arm pivoted on the casing. A single motor controlling manipulator is operatively connected to the motor control arms to simultaneously shift the motor displacement control means of the right and left transaxle units between large displacement positions and small displacement positions.

Abstract: A transaxle includes an input shaft, a brake, an output shaft, a mechanical transmission, a transaxle casing, and a spacing system. The brake is provided on the input shaft. The brake includes layered friction elements. The transmission transmits power from the input shaft to the output shaft. The transaxle casing includes a housing defining both a brake chamber and a transmission chamber. The brake chamber incorporates the brake. The transmission chamber incorporates the transmission. The spacing system is configured so as to provide the transaxle casing with a partition wall between the brake chamber and the transmission chamber, so as to hold a bearing in the partition wall to journal the input shaft, and so as to provide a spacer for the layered friction elements of the brake, the spacer defining a space in the axial direction of the input shaft in correspondence to a thickness of the layered friction elements in the axial direction of the input shaft.

Abstract: In a hydrostatic transmission (HST), a lubricating fluid passage is formed in an input shaft and has a pair of radially opposite lubricating fluid spill ports open at an outer peripheral surface of the input shaft. Both of the radially opposite lubricating fluid spill ports face a lubricated object of the HST. The lubricating fluid passage includes an axial fluid passage and a pair of radial fluid passages that are extended radially from the axial fluid passage to the outer peripheral surface of the input shaft so as to be radially opposite each other. Open ends of the respective radial fluid passages at the outer peripheral surface of the input shaft serve as the respective radially opposite lubricating fluid spill ports.

Abstract: A transaxle is adaptable to a vehicle equipped with a longitudinal engine including an engine output shaft to be oriented in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle. The transaxle comprises a transmission output shaft to be oriented in a lateral direction of the vehicle so as to be drivingly connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle, a hydrostatic transmission and a mechanical transmission for transmitting power from the engine output shaft to the transmission output shaft, and first and second power take-off shafts for taking off power from the mechanical transmission. The engine is joined to the transaxle so that the engine, the hydrostatic transmission and the mechanical transmission are assembled together. The first and second power take-off shafts are distributed rightward and leftward from the engine.

Abstract: A powertrain system for driving a vehicle comprises an engine, a transaxle including a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump separated from the hydraulic motor, and a gearbox joined to the hydraulic pump. The engine includes an engine output shaft extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other so as to constitute a hydrostatic transmission. The gearbox supports a PTO shaft. The gearbox incorporates gears for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the hydraulic pump, and for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the PTO shaft extended in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.

Abstract: A transaxle includes a hydrostatic transmission and an axle driven by the hydrostatic transmission. The hydrostatic transmission includes a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor fluidly connected to each other. The hydraulic pump has a pump shaft. The hydraulic motor has a motor shaft drivingly connected to the axle. The motor shaft has an axis extended slantwise from an axis of the pump shaft. The transaxle further includes a gear train for transmitting power from the motor shaft to the axle, and a gear locking system having a locking pawl. A gear of the gear train is adapted to engage with the locking pawl.