Abstract: A transaxle can include a housing, a low range gear assembly, and a differential gear assembly. The low range gear assembly can be mounted in the housing and can include a ring gear, a carrier, planet gears, a sun gear, and a clutch. The ring gear, the carrier, and the sun gear can be mounted in the housing. The planet gears can be rotatably mounted on the carrier and can engage the ring gear while the sun gear can engage the planet gears. The clutch can be selectively movable between a first position where the clutch engages each of the sun gear and the carrier and permits rotation of the sun gear relative to the housing and a second position where the clutch engages each of the sun gear and the housing and rotationally fixes the sun gear relative to the housing.

Abstract: A transaxle can include a housing, a low range gear assembly, and a differential gear assembly. The low range gear assembly can be mounted in the housing and can include a ring gear, a carrier, planet gears, a sun gear, and a clutch. The ring gear, the carrier, and the sun gear can be mounted in the housing. The planet gears can be rotatably mounted on the carrier and can engage the ring gear while the sun gear can engage the planet gears. The clutch can be selectively movable between a first position where the clutch engages each of the sun gear and the carrier and permits rotation of the sun gear relative to the housing and a second position where the clutch engages each of the sun gear and the housing and rotationally fixes the sun gear relative to the housing.

Abstract: A reduction gearset for use on an electric vehicle having a motor. The reduction gearset has an input shaft, a reduction mechanism equipped with an input pinion, and a selector device for connecting the input shaft to, or disconnecting the input shaft from, the input pinion. The motor power is transmitted to the input shaft. The input pinion is rotatable relative to the input shaft. The selector device consists of a sleeve spline fit to both input shaft and input pinion. The sleeve can slide axially of the input shaft. A slidable shift shaft is mounted parallel to the input shaft. A shift fork is fixedly mounted to the shift shaft. The sleeve is made to engage the shift fork. The sleeve is moved forward or rearward by moving the shift shaft forward or rearward. Thus, the input pinion is coupled to, or uncoupled from, the input shaft.

Abstract: A driving force from a motor is transmitted through a pinion, a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a link, a control lever, a control shaft, a parking shaft and a parking lever to a parking pole. A lost motion spring is mounted between the control shaft and the parking lever for biasing the parking pole toward a parking gear. A one-way clutch is mounted between the third gear and a housing. The one-way clutch permits the driving force from the motor to be transmitted to the parking pole and prevents the resilient force of the lost motion spring from being transmitted back to the motor.

Abstract: A neutral apparatus for use on an electric vehicle is disclosed. The neutral apparatus comprises a control state detector and a neutral mechanism control circuit. The control state detector detects whether or not the motor control unit is in a predetermined control state. The neutral mechanism control unit can instruct the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train according to the output signal from the control state detector. If the motor control unit is not in the predetermined control state, this is detected by the control state detector. In response to the output signal from the control state detector, the neutral mechanism control circuit causes the neutral mechanism to interrupt the power train. Thus, power flow from the motor to the drive wheels is interrupted. The control state detector is comprised of a voltage comparator circuit for comparing the output voltage from the motor driver circuit with a reference voltage and produces an output signal.

Abstract: A torque distributing mechanism includes a first and a second planetary gear mechanism. Among pairs of planetary carriers, ring gears and sun gears in these planetary gear mechanisms, one of the pairs are coupled to two output elements of a differential; another pair are relatively non-rotatably connected to each other, and one of the components of the remaining pair is fixed, while the other is connected to a driving source. Thus, it is possible to reduce the diametrical dimension and weight of the torque distributing mechanism and to improve the degree of freedom in design.

Abstract: A torque distributing mechanism includes a first and a second planetary gear mechanism. Among pairs of planetary carriers, ring gears and sun gears in these planetary gear mechanisms, one of the pairs are coupled to two output elements of a differential; another pair are relatively non-rotatably connected to each other, and one of the components of the remaining pair is fixed, while the other is connected to a driving source. Thus, it is possible to reduce the diametrical dimension and weight of the torque distributing mechanism and to improve the degree of freedom in design.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the distribution of drive power in a motor vehicle includes a pair of pressure regulating valves, a pair of regulated pressure passages interconnecting the pressure regulating valves, respectively, and torque transmission clutches which transmit drive power to a pair of drive wheels, and a shut-off valve mechanism disposed between the regulated pressure passages for selectively bringing the regulated pressure passages into and out of each other.

Abstract: A dog clutch mechanism for use as a clutch for switching drive power in a four-wheel-drive vehicle has a case, first and second rotatable shafts rotatably supported coaxially in the case for transmitting a relative torque between front and rear wheels of the vehicle, and a dog clutch comprising a dog piece having first dog teeth and fixedly mounted on the first rotatably shaft and a hub having second dog teeth capable of axially meshing with the first dog teeth and axially slidably mounted on the second rotatable shaft. The dog clutch is selectively engageable for transmitting the relative torque between the first and second rotatable shafts. The first and second dog teeth having respective meshing tapered surfaces for producing thrust forces acting on the hub and tending to move the hub in a direction away from the dog piece when the vehicle is braked while a relative forward torque is being transmitted between the first and second rotatable shafts through the dog clutch.

Abstract: A dog clutch mechanism includes a case, first and second rotatable shafts rotatably disposed coaxially in the case, the second rotatable shaft having an annular groove defined in an outer periphery thereof, a dog piece fixedly mounted on the first rotatable shaft and having first dog teeth confronting an end of the second rotatable shaft, a hub axially slidably mounted on the second rotatable shaft and having second dog teeth meshingly engageable with the first dog teeth, the second dog teeth being movable out of meshing engagement with the first dog teeth under a thrust force in response to relative torque transmission between the first and second rotatable shafts. The hub has guide holes extending radially therethrough toward the second rotatable shaft and a plurality of balls are retained respectively in the guide holes are and engageable in the annular groove.