초록 ▼

A hydrostatic transaxle assembly (11) is disclosed including a central manifold portion (15) and left and right axle assemblies (17 and 19). The axle assemblies include hydraulic motors (37 and 39) connected in parallel through the manifold 15 to the output of a variable displacement pump (13). The

A hydrostatic transaxle assembly (11) is disclosed including a central manifold portion (15) and left and right axle assemblies (17 and 19). The axle assemblies include hydraulic motors (37 and 39) connected in parallel through the manifold 15 to the output of a variable displacement pump (13). The transaxle assembly includes a differential mechanism (111), including fluid displacement mechanisms (113) and (115) of which the inner rotors (127) are connected for common rotation by a shaft (117). The differential mechanism (111) includes a selector valve (119; 161) which can either interconnect left and right passages (33b and 35b), downstream of the mechanisms (113 and 115) to permit normal differentiating action, or can prevent such communication between the passages (33b) and (35b) to cause limited differentiating action of the transaxle assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

A hydrostatic transaxle assembly for use on a vehicle having a vehicle frame, a source of motive power, a fluid pump driven by said source of power, and a pair of driven wheels, the pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; said transaxle assembly comprising a centrally-disposed manifold and fir

A hydrostatic transaxle assembly for use on a vehicle having a vehicle frame, a source of motive power, a fluid pump driven by said source of power, and a pair of driven wheels, the pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; said transaxle assembly comprising a centrally-disposed manifold and first and second motor assemblies; said manifold defining a fluid inlet adapted to be in fluid communicatin with the fluid outlet of the fluid pump, and a fluid outlet adapted to be in fluid communication with the fluid inlet of the pump, and first and second fluid passage means communicating between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet of said manifold and flowing through said first and second motor assemblies, respectively; each of said first and second motor assemblies having a rotary fluid pressure actuated device and axle means operable to transmit the rotary output of said fluid pressure actuated device to the respective driven wheel, said fluid pressure actuated devices having substantially equal fluid displacement; characterized by: (a) interwheel differential means including first and second rotary fluid displacement mechanisms disposed in series flow relationship in said first and second fluid passage means, respectively, said first and second fluid displacement mechanisms having substantially equal fluid displacement and including first and second rotor elements, respectively, said first and second rotor elements being connected for common rotation; (b) selector valve means in fluid communication with at least one of said fluid displacement mechanisms and operable selectively between: (i) a first position in which fluid flowing from the fluid pump into said fluid inlet of said manifold flows through said first and second fluid displacement mechanisms in two substantially equal flows, substantial fluid communication between said first and second fluid passage means is prevented, downstream of said first and second fluid displacement mechanisms, to maintain substantially equal flows through said fluid pressure actuated devices of the motor assemblies and substantially equal speeds of the driven wheels; and (ii) a second position in which the fluid flows through the fluid pressure devices of the motor assemblies are not maintained substantially equal, thus permitting normal differentiation between said motor assemblies and the speeds of the driven wheels.