Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.

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: Provided is a parking brake apparatus for a vehicle that allows an improvement in the ease of assembly. A parking brake apparatus includes a valve, a single hydraulic actuator that includes a cylinder, a piston housed in the cylinder in such a manner as to be reciprocably displaceable along the cylinder, and a principal brake rod connected to the piston, and can displace the piston to one of a brake operating position and a brake non-operating position by the valve, a balance arm connected to a first end portion of the principal brake rod on a side protruded from the cylinder, and a pair of left and right auxiliary brake rods provided between bent portions at end portions of the balance arm and left and right brake arms, respectively. The hydraulic actuator includes a spring member for constantly urging the piston to the brake operating position.

Abstract: A control mechanism for a stepless transmission is a control mechanism connected to a manipulation lever in a stepless transmission and disposed outside a housing of the transmission.

Abstract: A transaxle includes a continuously variable transmission including a speed control arm and a neutral return spring allowing a biasing force to act on the speed control arm toward a neutral position, the speed control arm configured to operate from the neutral position to a forward position or a backward position to perform a continuous speed variation. The biasing force does not act on the speed control arm when the neutral return spring ranges from the neutral position to a predetermined speed position on a forward movement side, and the biasing force acts on the speed control arm when the neutral return spring ranges from the predetermined speed position to a maximum speed position on the forward movement side.

Abstract: An HST control mechanism includes a rotary member, a servo unit, a telescopic member, and a biasing device. The rotary member for controlling a displacement of a hydrostatic transmission (HST) is pivoted outside of a casing incorporating the HST. The servo unit includes a telescopically movable actuator and a valve controlling the telescopic movement of the actuator. The actuator is interlockingly connected to the rotary member. The servo unit is pivotally supported on the casing via a first pivot. The servo unit rotates centered on the first pivot as the rotary member rotates according to the telescopic movement of the actuator hydraulically controlled by the valve. The telescopic member is pivotally supported on the casing via a second pivot. The telescopic member is provided with the biasing device that biases the telescopic member and the rotary member toward a position corresponding to a neutral state of the HST.

Abstract: A working vehicle of this invention includes a main speed change structure that includes a continuously variable speed change structure such as an HMT structure and a multi-speed speed change structure capable of switching between a first power transmission state with a first gear ratio and a second power transmission state with a second gear ratio providing a higher speed than the first gear ratio. A control device causes the continuously variable speed change structure to be accelerated to a forward travel side in accordance with an accelerating operation of a speed change operation member in a forward travel direction, and causes the multi-speed speed change structure to be changed from a first power transmission state to a second power transmission state when the rotational speed of the speed change output shaft reaches a switching speed set to exceed a work speed range.

Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.

Abstract: A compact transaxle is provided with a multi-speed transmission mechanism having transmission shafts extended in a longitudinal direction so that the transaxle can be combined with an engine having a crankshaft in the longitudinal direction. A bevel gear serving as an output member of the multi-speed transmission mechanism having the transmission shafts meshes with a bevel gear provided on a speed-reduction intermediate shaft extended parallel to a pair of differential yoke shafts of a differential mechanism extended in a lateral direction. A single transaxle casing incorporates the multi-speed transmission mechanism, the differential mechanism, and a speed-reduction mechanism including the speed-reduction intermediate shaft, thereby constituting the transaxle.

Abstract: A clutch system includes a transmission shaft, a gear, and a clutch slider. The gear is provided on the transmission shaft rotatably relative to the transmission shaft. The clutch slider is provided on the transmission shaft axially slidably along the transmission shaft and unrotatably relative to the transmission shaft. The gear and the clutch slider are provided with respective clutch teeth. The clutch system is set in either a clutch-on state where the clutch teeth of the gear engage with the clutch teeth of the clutch slider or a clutch-off state where the clutch teeth of the gear disengage from the clutch teeth of the clutch slider. The clutch system is provided with a hydraulic control system to hydraulically control the respective axial slide actions of the clutch slider in a clutch-on direction for realizing the clutch-on state and in a clutch-off direction for realizing the clutch-off state.

Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle facilitates mounting a parking brake unit which requires no link mechanism and is compact. The parking brake unit includes a brake rotor provided on a rotation shaft and a locking member being displaceable between a first position where the brake rotor is locked and a second position where the brake rotor is unlocked. The locking member includes a locking portion which is engaged in a recess formed in the brake rotor that locks the brake rotor in the first position, and a non-locking portion which is placed at a position corresponding to the recess and which separates from the brake rotor in the second position. The hydraulic transaxle further includes an oil-supply mechanism capable of displacing the locking member to the second position.

Abstract: Provided is a parking brake apparatus for a vehicle that allows an improvement in the ease of assembly. A parking brake apparatus includes a valve, a single hydraulic actuator that includes a cylinder, a piston housed in the cylinder in such a manner as to be reciprocably displaceable along the cylinder, and a principal brake rod connected to the piston, and can displace the piston to one of a brake operating position and a brake non-operating position by the valve, a balance arm connected to a first end portion of the principal brake rod on a side protruded from the cylinder, and a pair of left and right auxiliary brake rods provided between bent portions at end portions of the balance arm and left and right brake arms, respectively. The hydraulic actuator includes a spring member for constantly urging the piston to the brake operating position.

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 hydrostatic transaxle includes: a casing that is provided with an openable and closable filter insertion port and is filled with hydraulic oil; a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that is arranged inside the casing; a filter holding member that includes a support base that is a hollow cylindrical portion and oil-tightly partitions an inside of a cylinder and an outside of the cylinder, and a filter connection port that is a hollow cylindrical portion extending from a peripheral side surface of the support base and communicating with the inside of the cylinder, the support base communicating the inside of the cylinder to the port, and arranged between the center section and the casing facing the port; and a filter body that is freely inserted to and removed from the casing via the filter insertion port.

Abstract: A transaxle includes a continuously variable transmission including a speed control arm and a neutral return spring allowing a biasing force to act on the speed control arm toward a neutral position, the speed control arm configured to operate from the neutral position to a forward position or a backward position to perform a continuous speed variation. The biasing force does not act on the speed control arm when the neutral return spring ranges from the neutral position to a predetermined speed position on a forward movement side, and the biasing force acts on the speed control arm when the neutral return spring ranges from the predetermined speed position to a maximum speed position on the forward movement side.

Abstract: A control mechanism for a stepless transmission is a control mechanism connected to a manipulation lever in a stepless transmission and disposed outside a housing of the transmission.

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 compact transaxle is provided with a multi-speed transmission mechanism having transmission shafts extended in a longitudinal direction so that the transaxle can be combined with an engine having a crankshaft in the longitudinal direction. A bevel gear serving as an output member of the multi-speed transmission mechanism having the transmission shafts meshes with a bevel gear provided on a speed-reduction intermediate shaft extended parallel to a pair of differential yoke shafts of a differential mechanism extended in a lateral direction. A single transaxle casing incorporates the multi-speed transmission mechanism, the differential mechanism, and a speed-reduction mechanism including the speed-reduction intermediate shaft, thereby constituting the transaxle.

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: An HST control mechanism includes a rotary member, a servo unit, a telescopic member, and a biasing device. The rotary member for controlling a displacement of a hydrostatic transmission (HST) is pivoted outside of a casing incorporating the HST. The servo unit includes a telescopically movable actuator and a valve controlling the telescopic movement of the actuator. The actuator is interlockingly connected to the rotary member. The servo unit is pivotally supported on the casing via a first pivot. The servo unit rotates centered on the first pivot as the rotary member rotates according to the telescopic movement of the actuator hydraulically controlled by the valve. The telescopic member is pivotally supported on the casing via a second pivot. The telescopic member is provided with the biasing device that biases the telescopic member and the rotary member toward a position corresponding to a neutral state of the HST.