Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes a first electric motor, a power distributing mechanism, a second electric motor, and a step-variable power transmission. A power transmitting portion includes a second case, accommodating the second electric motor and the automatic power transmission. One end of an input shaft of the automatic power transmission faces a drive apparatus output shaft, which is supported with a first support wall mounted on the second case, the second electric motor being accommodated in a compartment opposite to the automatic power transmission with respect to the first support wall, and one end of a second rotor supporting shaft of the second electric motor faces the automatic power transmission, which is supported with a second support wall mounted on the second case. The automatic power transmission and second electric motor can be unitized as one power transmitting portion, improving assembling workability of the drive apparatus.

Abstract: An automatic transmission including a first clutch, a second clutch, a first drum in which a first piston of the first clutch is axially slidably received and that cooperates with the first piston to define a first oil chamber, a second drum disposed coaxially with the first drum, so as to accommodate the first drum, and in which a second piston of the second clutch is axially slidably received, the second drum cooperating with the second piston to define a second oil chamber, a first fluid supply portion for feeding a working fluid into the first oil chamber through the first drum and the second drum, to operate the first piston, and a second fluid supply portion for feeding the working fluid into the second oil chamber through the second drum, to operate the second piston, and wherein the second fluid supply portion is located radially outwardly of the first fluid supply portion.

Abstract: A lubrication structure of a transmission includes a gear chamber having an internal space storing lubricating oil, in which chamber a pressure is raised to a prescribed pressure, a gear chamber having an internal space communicating to the internal space through a communicating hole and attaining a pressure lower than the prescribed pressure, and an oil catch tank provided in the internal space at a position directly under the communicating hole and receiving the lubricating oil that flows into the internal space from the internal space through the communicating hole. With such a structure, a lubrication structure for a transmission capable of holding an oil level at a proper level with a simplified structure can be provided.

Abstract: A vehicular drive system including a first electric motor, a power distributing mechanism, and a second electric motor disposed on a first axis, and an automatic transmission portion disposed on a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a power transmitting member at an end of the first axis remote from an input rotary member and a rotary member at an end of the second axis remote from the input rotary member are connected to each other through a drive linkage, thereby a total axial dimension of the first electric motor, power distributing mechanism, and second electric motor and an axial dimension of the automatic transmission portion are substantially equal to each other, whereby the axial dimension of the drive system is reduced. A housing of the vehicular drive system includes mutually separate first, second, third, and fourth casing portions, so the drive system can be easily assembled.

Abstract: A vehicular drive system accommodated in a housing and including a first input shaft that receives a vehicle drive force generated by a vehicle drive power source, and a differential mechanism operable to distribute the vehicle drive force received from the first input shaft to a first electric motor and a second input shaft. The first and second input shafts are disposed coaxially with a first axis such that the second input shaft is disposed downstream of the first input shaft. The first input shaft is rotatably supported by a first support portion provided on the housing and an axial end portion of the second input shaft, and the second input shaft is rotatably supported by a third support portion and a fourth support portion that are provided on the housing.

Abstract: A vehicular drive system which includes a first electric motor, a power distributing mechanism (first gear device), a second electric motor, and a step-variable automatic transmission (second gear device), and in which the first electric motor and the power distributing mechanism constitute a first unit, while the second electric motor and the automatic transmission constitute a second unit, and wherein the power distributing mechanism has an output shaft, and the automatic transmission has an input shaft which is connected to the output shaft, whereby a drive force can be transmitted between the first unit and the second unit. The individually prepared first unit and the second unit are assembled together into the vehicular drive system such that the output shaft of the power distributing mechanism and the input shaft of the automatic transmission are connected to each other. Accordingly, the drive system has an improved efficiency of assembling.

Abstract: A rotor shaft of a first electric motor is connected to a crankshaft of the engine by being fit to a transmitting member that is coupled to the crankshaft. The stator and rotor shaft of the first electric motor are supported by a case housing the first electric motor.

Abstract: A parking lock mechanism of an automatic transmission includes a casing, a parking gear provided in the casing, a parking pawl engaged with the parking gear to achieve a parking lock state, and a “parking pawl holding portion” suppressing inclination of the parking pawl in an out-of-plane direction (a direction shown with an arrow DR40). A groove portion is formed in the casing. A protruding portion is provided in a sleeve fixed to the casing. A side surface of the groove portion implements a “first portion” of the “parking pawl holding portion.” A base and protruding portion are formed from a member separate from the casing, and implement a “second portion” of the “parking pawl holding portion.

Abstract: An automatic transmission including a first clutch, a second clutch, a first drum in which a first piston of the first clutch is axially slidably received and that cooperates with the first piston to define a first oil chamber, a second drum disposed coaxially with the first drum, so as to accommodate the first drum, and in which a second piston of the second clutch is axially slidably received, the second drum cooperating with the second piston to define a second oil chamber, a first fluid supply portion for feeding a working fluid into the first oil chamber through the first drum and the second drum, to operate the first piston, and a second fluid supply portion for feeding the working fluid into the second oil chamber through the second drum, to operate the second piston, and wherein the second fluid supply portion is located radially outwardly of the first fluid supply portion.

Abstract: A vehicular automatic transmission including a first planetary gear device and a first set of frictional coupling elements, which can be supported by a pump housing via first and second retainer rings, at predetermined axial positions within the pump housing, during assembling of the automatic transmission. The first retainer ring is fixed to a radially inner spline-fitting part of a cylindrical extending portion of the pump housing, while the second retainer ring is fitted in a first circumferential groove formed in a ring gear of the first planetary gear device and a second circumferential groove formed in the inner circumferential surface of a splined cylindrical portion of a first hub splined to the outer circumferential surface of the ring gear and the radially inner portions of the first set of frictional coupling elements. The automatic transmission is manufactured by assembling a subassembly with respect to a stationary cylindrical housing to which the pump housing is fixed.

Abstract: A small-sized vehicular planetary gear type step-variable transmission having seven or more forward drive gear positions with a wide range speed ratio and suitable for use on a vehicle. A transmission includes three planetary gear sets, four clutches, and two brakes to provide seven or more forward drive gear positions with a wide range speed ratio. A counter gear pair is constituted by an output gear disposed between a first transmission portion and a second transmission portion, and a driven gear which is mounted on a counter shaft rotatably about a second axis parallel to a first axis and which is held in meshing engagement with the output gear. A fourth clutch reduces an amount of increase of an axial length of the transmission, so that the transmission is small-sized and used on the vehicle.

Abstract: A miniaturized vehicular drive apparatus is provided with a reduced size in an axial direction without increasing the number of parallel shafts. A first electric motor M1 and a power distributing mechanism (differential portion) 16 are disposed on a first axis CL1, forming a rotational axis of an input rotary member 14, in series starting therefrom and an automatic transmission (transmission portion) 20 is disposed on a second axis CL2 parallel to the first axis CL1. A drive linkage 23 is provided between a power transmitting member 18, acting as a rotary member placed on the first axis CL1 at an end portion thereof in opposition to the input rotary member 14, i.e., in opposition to an engine 8, and a first intermediate shaft (rotary member) 40, disposed on the second axis CL2 at an end portion thereof in opposition to the input rotary member 14, for power transmitting capability. Thus, a power transmitting path is formed in a C-shape, i.e.

Abstract: With the automatic transmission 10-1 for vehicle according to the present embodiment, since multistage transmission of eight forward gear stages can be obtained by means of four sets of planetary gear sets 12, 16, 18 and 20, four clutches C1 through C4 and three brakes Bi through B3, the transmission can be fabricated to be light in weight and made compact, wherein the mountability thereof in a vehicle can be improved. Further, as has been made clear in FIG. 1 (b), since speed change in the respective gear stages can be carried out only by a shifting action of any two of the clutches C1 through C4 and brakes Bi through B3, the speed change control can be facilitated and it is possible to prevent a shock to the transmission from occurring.

Abstract: A piston for an automatic transmission including a pair of mutually meshing gears such as counter drive and driven gears mounted on respective two parallel shafts, the piston including a bottom portion, and a cylindrical portion to be disposed radially outwardly of one of the mutually meshing gears, wherein the cylindrical portion has not only a cutout formed in a first circumferential part thereof for permitting mutual meshing engagement of the mutually meshing gears such that a point of the mutual meshing engagement is located within a circumference of the cylindrical portion, but also a through-hole formed in a second circumferential part thereof so that a speed sensor extends through the through-hole, for detecting the rotating speed of the above-indicated one gear disposed radially inwardly of the cylindrical portion. This arrangement of the cylindrical portion permits size reduction of the cutout, and assures sufficiently high degrees of strength and rigidity of the piston.

Abstract: A vehicular drive system including a first electric motor, a power distributing mechanism, and a second electric motor disposed on a first axis, and an automatic transmission portion disposed on a second axis parallel to the first axis, and a power transmitting member at an end of the first axis remote from an input rotary member and a rotary member at an end of the second axis remote from the input rotary member are connected to each other through a drive linkage, thereby a total axial dimension of the first electric motor, power distributing mechanism, and second electric motor and an axial dimension of the automatic transmission portion are substantially equal to each other, whereby the axial dimension of the drive system is reduced. A housing of the vehicular drive system includes mutually separate first, second, third, and fourth casing portions, so the drive system can be easily assembled.

Abstract: An automatic transmission having first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for outputting a rotary motion a speed of which is higher than the speed of a rotary motion received from an input member, the first group being established by an engaging action of a first input clutch while the second group being established by an engaging action of a second input clutch, or first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for reducing the speed of the rotary motion received from the input member, the first and second groups being established by an engaging action of a first and second input clutches respectively. The successive operating positions of the first group have respective speed ratios different from those of the second group. The automatic transmission is shiftable to a selected one of the successive operating positions of a selected one of the first and second groups.

Abstract: A drive apparatus for vehicle, available to be minimized, is provided. A first planetary gear set (differential device) 24 through which an output of a drive power source is distributed to a first electric motor M1 and a transmitting member 18, and a switching clutch C0 and a switching brake B0 operative to selectively place the first planetary gear set 24 in a differential state to function as an electrically continuously variable transmission and a locked state, are disposed between the first electric motor M1 and a second electric motor M2. This enables a power transmitting state to be performed in a broad range. Additionally, as the first planetary gear set 24 is placed in the locked state under a high output region of an engine to transfer the engine output to drive wheels mainly through a mechanical power transmitting path, an electrical reaction force to be guaranteed with the first electric motor M1 can be reduced, enabling the first electric motor M1 to be minimized.

Abstract: An automatic transmission including a first clutch selectively connecting a first rotary member and a second rotary member disposed coaxially with the first rotary member, a second clutch selectively connecting the first rotary member and a third rotary member disposed coaxially with the first rotary member, a first drum in which a first piston of the first clutch is axially slidably received, a second drum disposed coaxially with the first drum, to accommodate the first drum, and in which a second piston of the second clutch is axially slidably received, an abutting portion abutting contact of the first and second drums with each other in an axial direction of the first and second drums, and a fitting portion at which the first drum is fitted in the second drum and that inhibits relative rotation of the first and second drums about a common axis of the first and second drums.

Abstract: With the automatic transmission 10-1 for vehicle according to the present embodiment, since multistage transmission of eight forward gear stages can be obtained by means of four sets of planetary gear sets 12, 16, 18 and 20, four clutches C1 through C4 and three brakes Bi through B3, the transmission can be fabricated to be light in weight and made compact, wherein the mountability thereof in a vehicle can be improved. Further, as has been made clear in FIG. 1 (b), since speed change in the respective gear stages can be carried out only by a shifting action of any two of the clutches C1 through C4 and brakes Bi through B3, the speed change control can be facilitated and it is possible to prevent a shock to the transmission from occurring.

Abstract: The transmission 10 is constructed so that, in the first transmission portion 36, the rotation of the input shaft 16 is outputted to the second transmission portion 38 via the first intermediate output path M1 and the second intermediate output path M2 accelerated and rotated with respect to the first intermediate output path M1, and, in the second transmission portion 38, the first rotary element RE1 (S2 and S3) is selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the first clutch C1 and is selectively connected to the second driven gear CG2B via the third clutch C3, the second rotary element RE2 (CA1 and CA2) are selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the second clutch C2 and are selectively connected to the transmission case 12 operating as a non-rotating member via the first brake B1, the third rotary element RE3 (R1, R2 and CA3) is connected to the output gear 28 operating as an output rotating member, the fourth rotary element RE4 (S1) is selectively connected to the transmission