U.S. patent application number 11/424585 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-15 for hydrostatic transaxle having axial piston motor and method for manufacturing transaxles.
This patent application is currently assigned to Tecumseh Products Company. Invention is credited to Gordon C. Dowen, Norman E. Jolliff, Richard T. Ruebusch, Gary G. Twaddle.
Application Number | 20070037653 11/424585 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26817282 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070037653 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jolliff; Norman E. ; et
al. |
February 15, 2007 |
HYDROSTATIC TRANSAXLE HAVING AXIAL PISTON MOTOR AND METHOD FOR
MANUFACTURING TRANSAXLES
Abstract
A modular hydrostatic transaxle includes an axle module
removably connected to a hydrostatic transmission module. The axle
module includes a differential connected to a reduction gear train
and disposed in an axle casing. A pair of axles are connected to
the differential and supported within the axle casing. The
hydrostatic transmission module comprises a transmission casing
separate from the axle casing and hydraulically connected pump and
motor disposed in the transmission casing. The motor output
connection includes a shaft piloted to an input drive of the
reduction gear train, which constitutes the alignment mechanism of
the transmission and axle modules. The pump and motor cylinder
barrels are hydraulically connected through the pump and motor
block at 90.degree. orientation, and a portion of the pump and
motor block forms an inclined surface which supports a face of a
thrust bearing. At least one homogeneous low friction bearing strip
is confined between the swash plate and the interior portion of the
casing. A disconnect mechanism includes a spring that urges a
sleeve to engage the output and input shafts. The brake disc is
disposed on a distal end of the output shaft and a brake cover is
fastened to the outer portion of the axle casing and substantially
encloses the brake disc.
Inventors: |
Jolliff; Norman E.; (Salem,
IN) ; Ruebusch; Richard T.; (New Albany, IN) ;
Dowen; Gordon C.; (Salem, IN) ; Twaddle; Gary G.;
(Salem, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER & DANIELS LLP;111 E. WAYNE STREET
SUITE 800
FORT WAYNE
IN
46802
US
|
Assignee: |
Tecumseh Products Company
100 East Patterson Street
Tecumseh
MI
|
Family ID: |
26817282 |
Appl. No.: |
11/424585 |
Filed: |
June 16, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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|
10897773 |
Jul 23, 2004 |
7089644 |
|
|
11424585 |
Jun 16, 2006 |
|
|
|
10137759 |
May 2, 2002 |
6817960 |
|
|
10897773 |
Jul 23, 2004 |
|
|
|
09498692 |
Feb 7, 2000 |
6422109 |
|
|
10137759 |
May 2, 2002 |
|
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60119381 |
Feb 9, 1999 |
|
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60145619 |
Jul 26, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
475/83 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 74/2186 20150115;
F16H 39/08 20130101; F16H 47/02 20130101; Y10T 29/49826 20150115;
B60Y 2200/223 20130101; F16H 39/14 20130101; Y10T 74/19149
20150115; B60K 17/105 20130101; Y10T 29/49904 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
475/083 |
International
Class: |
F16H 47/04 20060101
F16H047/04 |
Claims
1-30. (canceled)
31. A method of aligning an axle module and a transmission module;
the axle module comprising an axle casing, a differential and a
reduction gear train connected to the differential, the reduction
gear train including an input drive, the differential and gear
train disposed in the axle casing; a pair of axles connected to the
differential and supported within the axle casing; a hydrostatic
transmission module comprising a transmission casing separate from
the axle casing and a hydraulically connected pump and motor
disposed in the transmission casing, the pump having an input
driving the pump, the motor having an output means selectively
drivingly connected to the reduction gear train of the axle module;
the hydrostatic transmission casing removably connected to the axle
casing; the method comprising: piloting the motor output means to
the input drive of the reduction gear train to align the
transmission and axle modules.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the motor output means
comprises an output shaft and the input drive comprises an input
shaft, the output shaft defining a first surface, the input shaft
defining a second surface, whereby said step of piloting the motor
output means to the input drive of the reduction gear train to
align the transmission and axle modules comprises coaxially
engaging the first surface defined by the output shaft with the
second surface defined by the input shaft.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission casing
includes a pair of diametrically opposed mounting elements disposed
on an external surface thereof, and wherein the axle casing
includes a respective pair of mounting elements on an external
surface of the axle casing, said method further comprising:
mounting the transmission casing to the axle casing by securing the
mounting elements of the transmission casing to the respective
mounting elements of the axle casing.
34. A method of aligning an axle module and a transmission module;
the axle module comprising an axle casing, a differential and a
reduction gear train connected to the differential, the reduction
gear train including an input drive, the differential and gear
train disposed in the axle casing; a pair of axles connected to the
differential and supported within the axle casing; a transmission
module comprising a transmission casing separate from the axle
casing of the transmission having an output shaft selectively
drivingly connected to the reduction gear train of the axle module;
the hydrostatic transmission casing removably connected to the axle
casing; the method comprising: piloting the motor output shaft to
the input drive of the reduction gear train to align the
transmission and axle modules.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein the input drive comprises an
input shaft, the output shaft defining a first surface, the input
shaft defining a second surface, whereby said step of piloting the
motor output means to the input drive of the reduction gear train
to align the transmission and axle modules comprises coaxially
engaging the first surface defined by the output shaft with the
second surface defined by the input shaft.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the transmission casing
includes a pair of diametrically opposed mounting elements disposed
on an external surface thereof, and wherein the axle casing
includes a respective pair of mounting elements on an external
surface of the axle casing, said method further comprising:
mounting the transmission casing to the axle casing by securing the
mounting elements of the transmission casing to the respective
mounting elements of the axle casing.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to and claims the benefit under
35 U.S.C. .sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Applications 60/119,381
filed Feb. 9, 1999, and 60/145,619 filed Jul. 26, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to hydrostatic transaxles
intended primarily for use in the lawn and garden industry on
riding lawnmowers, lawn and garden tractors and the like, but may
also be applied to larger implements and vehicles.
[0003] Hydrostatic transmissions transmit rotary mechanical motion,
typically from an internal combustion engine, to fluid motion,
typically oil, and then back to rotary mechanical motion to rotate
a pair of drive axles in order to drive the vehicle. The
hydrostatic transmission controls the output rotary mechanical
motion such that varying output speeds in the forward and reverse
directions are possible with a single speed input rotary mechanical
motion. Such transmissions have utilized radial piston pumps and
motors, axial piston pumps and motors and hybrid transmissions
wherein the pump may be of the radial piston design, for example,
and motor formed as a gear pump. The speed of the output of the
transmission is typically controlled by varying the eccentricity of
the pump track ring or swash plate.
[0004] In recent years, and particularly for smaller displacement
applications, it has been common practice to integrate the
hydrostatic transmission within the axle casing that also contains
the differential and bearings for the two axles. Such casings are
typically split along a horizontal plane containing the axis of the
axles, and the casing itself is formed of only two parts. However,
it is also known to utilize casings comprising three or more
components wherein the casing components are attached to each other
along vertical split lines or horizontal and vertical split
lines.
[0005] Although utilizing a single casing for both the transmission
and axle gear components necessitates only two large die castings,
there are certain disadvantages inherent in such a design. One such
disadvantage is that servicing of the hydrostatic transmission or
the gear train/differential requires that the entire casing be
opened, the oil drained and the complete mechanism withdrawn in
order to perform such service. Furthermore, units wherein the
hydrostatic transmission is sized for different displacements, for
example, use with larger lawn and garden tractors, will require
completely different transaxle casings. Since such casings are
quite large and require expensive tooling to manufacture, this
represents a significant additional cost. Furthermore, integrated
hydrostatic transaxles are often noisy, especially when
accelerating.
[0006] A typical construction of the hydrostatic transmission
component of the transaxle includes a one-piece block common to
both the pump and motor units, often referred to as a "center
section." The center section facilitates an external mounting
surface for a motor barrel and a pump barrel, and additionally, an
internal valve body for providing hydraulic communication between
the pump and motor barrels. Conventionally, the pump and motor
barrel axes of rotation are 90 degrees to one another. Center
section machining is difficult because the center section is
substantial in size and machined surfaces are substantially
perpendicular, often requiring multi-axis machining capabilities.
This corresponds to a significant cost associated with this design
type.
[0007] Moreover, many HSTs heretofore require that the pump and
motor mechanism unit be matched to a fixed swash plate prior to
mounting the mechanism into the casing. Typically, assembly
requires positioning the fixed swash plate in the casing, mounting
the pump and motor mechanism into the casing then taking measures
to ensure the fixed swash plate is suitably aligned with the pump
and motor mechanism. Arranging the fixed swash plate and pump and
motor mechanism, in the manner described above, poses a significant
step in the assembly process which represents additional cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is a modular transaxle providing an
axle module including an axle casing, a differential and a
reduction gear train connected to a differential. The differential
and gear train are disposed in the axle casing and a pair of axles
are connected to the differential and supported within the axle
casing. A hydrostatic transmission module comprising a transmission
casing separate from the axle casing hydraulically connects a pump
and motor disposed in the transmission casing. An input drives the
pump and the motor has an output connection to drivingly connected
the reduction gear train to the motor. The hydrostatic transmission
casing is removably connected to the axle mechanism casing. The
motor output connection includes a shaft piloted to an input drive
of the reduction gear train. The piloting of the shaft and input
drive constitutes the alignment mechanism of the transmission and
axle modules.
[0009] The present invention further provides a hydrostatic
transmission including an axle module having a casing, a
differential and a reduction gear train connected to the
differential. The differential and gear train are provided in the
axle casing and a pair of axles are connected to the differential
and are supported within the casing. A hydrostatic transmission
module comprises a casing separate from the axle module casing and
includes a hydraulically connected pump and motor within the
transmission casing. The pump has an input for driving the pump and
the motor has an output connection attaching the reduction gear
train to the motor. The hydrostatic transmission casing is
connected to the axle casing and the motor output connection
includes a shaft attaching to an input drive of the reduction gear
train. The hydrostatic transmission module includes a pump and
motor block rotatably supporting a pump cylinder barrel and a motor
cylinder barrel. The pump and motor cylinder barrels are
hydraulically connected through the pump and motor block and
include axes of rotations substantially 90.degree. offset. A
portion of the pump and motor block forms an inclined surface which
supports one face of a thrust bearing. The other face of the thrust
bearing is engaged with a plurality of reciprocal pistons in the
motor cylinder barrel.
[0010] In one form of the invention, the axle casing has two major
casing halves joined together at an interface, the casing halves
are substantially mirror images relative to one another about the
interface.
[0011] A swash plate is positioned between the pistons and an
interior portion of the transmission casing and preferably at least
one homogeneous low friction bearing strip is confined between the
swash plate and the interior portion of the casing.
[0012] A disconnect mechanism removably connects the axle module
with the hydrostatic transmission and is disposed within the
differential casing. The disconnect mechanism include a sleeve, a
lever and a resilient member. The output shaft is selectively
engaged with the input shaft through the sleeve and the resilient
member urges the sleeve to engage the output and input shafts.
[0013] A brake shaft having an end disposed within the axle casing
is meshingly coupled to the reduction gearing and preferably
includes a pair of friction pads sandwiching a brake disc. The
brake disc is disposed on the other end of the brake shaft and
provided externally of the axle casing. A brake cover is fastened
to the outer portion of the axle casing and substantially encloses
the brake disc.
[0014] The present invention further provides a transaxle system
and a method for manufacturing transaxles in either the left hand
controlled or right hand controlled configurations using
substantially identical axle modules. The transmission module used
in the left hand controlled transaxle has the transmission module
having the output shaft on the left and the control lever on the
right when viewing the transmission casing with the pulley upwardly
directed and toward the rear of the casing. On the other hand, the
transmission module used in the right hand controlled transaxle has
the transmission module having the output shaft on the right and
the control lever on the left when viewing the transmission casing
with the pulley upwardly directed and toward the rear of the
casing. The use of either the left hand controlled or right hand
controlled hydrostatic transmission modules allows either the left
hand controlled hydrostatic transaxle or right hand hydrostatic
transaxle configurations to be constructed using identically
manufactured axle modules that are inverted for left or right hand
drives.
[0015] The modular arrangement enables the hydrostatic transmission
to be quickly removed and a replacement unit bolted in place if the
hydrostatic transmission requires repair. The transmission can be
sent back to the factory for rebuilding, and only minimal downtime
to the consumer's lawn and garden vehicle will be experienced.
[0016] Another advantage to the modular approach is that a variety
of hydrostatic transmissions and a variety of axle mechanisms can
be mixed and matched to meet customers' application
requirements.
[0017] A further advantage is that the use of a separate casing for
enclosing the hydrostatic transmission enables the hydraulic
components to be much more tightly held in place, thereby reducing
noise, which is a problem with many integrated transaxles wherein
the single casing encloses both the transmission and reduction
gearing/differential mechanisms.
[0018] In the particular embodiment disclosed herein, the
hydrostatic transmission employs an axial piston pump having a
vertical input shaft, and an axial piston motor having a horizontal
output shaft that extends out of the transmission casing and
engages the reduction gear train of the axle mechanism through a
mechanical disconnect device.
[0019] A further improvement in the transaxle of the present
invention is the use of a brake cover, which may be made of molded
plastic, in order to protect the brake disc from debris.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more
apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by
reference to the following description of the embodiments of the
invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the left hand controlled
transaxle of the present invention taken along a horizontal plane
intersecting the axes of the axles;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the left hand controlled
hydrostatic transmission taken along a vertical plane;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the brake mechanism;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the brake
mechanism;
[0025] FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the hydrostatic
transmission illustrating the pump;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the center section for the
hydrostatic transmission;
[0027] FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the center section;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the center section viewed
from the bottom;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the center section viewed
from the top;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the reduction gearing and
differential module taken along a horizontal plane coincident with
the axes of the axles and wherein the hydrostatic transmission
module has been disconnected therefrom;
[0031] FIG. 11 is an elevational view partially in section showing
a second, fender shift embodiment of the hydrostatic
transmission;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the fender shift
embodiment;
[0033] FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along a horizontal plane
of the second embodiment;
[0034] FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the pump and motor assembly
of the second embodiment of the hydrostatic transmission;
[0035] FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of FIG.
14 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;
[0036] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the motor block for the
second embodiment;
[0037] FIG. 17 is a sectional view of FIG. 16 taken along line
17-17 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;
[0038] FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the motor block;
[0039] FIG. 19 is a bottom view of the upper half casing of the
hydrostatic transmission broken away showing one of the bearing
strips;
[0040] FIG. 20 is an end elevation of one of the bearing
strips;
[0041] FIG. 21 is an end view of the swash block; and
[0042] FIG. 22 is a front elevation of the swash block.
[0043] FIG. 23 is a sectional view of the pump block and thrust
bearing taken along a vertical plane showing retainment of the
thrust bearing;
[0044] FIG. 24 is an elevated front view of the pump block and
thrust bearing assembly of FIG. 23;
[0045] FIG. 25 is a perspective of the left hand controlled
transaxle;
[0046] FIG. 26 is a top plan view of the transaxle of FIG. 25
partially broken away showing the hydrostatic transmission module
removed from the axle module;
[0047] FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a right hand controlled
transaxle partially broken away showing the hydrostatic
transmission module removed from the axle module;
[0048] FIG. 28 is an elevational view of the left hand controlled
transaxle of FIG. 25 showing the transmission module removed;
and
[0049] FIG. 29 is an elevational view of the right hand controlled
transaxle of FIG. 27 showing the transmission module removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0050] Referring to FIG. 25, there is shown left hand controlled
hydrostatic transaxle 8 including hydrostatic transmission module
10 fastened to axle module 12. Hydrostatic transaxle 8 receives
power from a power source (not shown), typically an internal
combustion engine, and provides controllable power to axles 20 and
22 which drive wheels attached thereto (not shown). Axle module 12
is provided with a plurality of bolt holes 13 through its structure
to secure the unit to the frame (not shown) of an agricultural
vehicle or other like receiving structure utilizing transaxle 8.
Power is transferred from the power source to transaxle 8 typically
by a belt (not shown) engaged with pulley 199 attached to transaxle
8. External controls provided with transaxle 8 include brake lever
70 and control lever 202. Control lever 202 provides control of
both speed and direction of the transaxle 8.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 26, the piloting and coupling structure
which provides attachment between axle and hydrostatic transmission
modules 12, 10 of left hand controlled transaxle 8 will be
discussed. Hydrostatic transmission module 10 is drivingly coupled
to axle module 12 through bore or inner surface 210 provided within
end 43 of output shaft 26 which extends from transmission 10 and is
coaxially engaged with outer surface 47 of end 152 of gear train
input shaft 32. Input shaft end 152 is recessed within clearance
hole 49 provided in axle casing 18. Shaft end 152 extends outwardly
from and without any interference of casing 78 to provide
uninterfered mating of shafts 26 and 32 and allows alignment of
axle and transmission modules 12, 10 exclusively by engagement of
shaft ends 43 and 152. Bolt receiving holes 57 provided in
transmission casing 78 provide radial clearance for a pair of bolts
(not shown) to extend through and engage with a pair of threaded
holes 59 provided in mounting elements or bosses 154, 156 provided
in axle casing 18. Thus, the bolts act to secure transmission
module 10 to axle module 12 and do not assist in alignment. Note
that output shaft 26, rotatably supported within transmission
casing 78, includes radial `play` relative to axle casing 18 to
further facilitate proper engagement and non-binding operation
between axle module 12 and hydrostatic transmission module 10.
Sleeve 148 of sleeve and bearing assembly 150 is press fit into
transmission casing 78 and includes an extended portion 149
external to casing 149 which extends into a circular recessed
portion 151 (FIG. 10) of axle casing 18 (FIGS. 1 and 13). However,
a clearance 153 (FIG. 1) exists between extended portion 149 of
sleeve 148 and recessed portion 151 of axle casing 18 so alignment
of axle module 12 and transmission module 10 is provided solely by
shafts 26 and 32. The piloting and mounting of right hand
controlled transmission module 11 to axle module 12 to form
transaxle 9 (FIG. 27) is identical to the piloting and mounting of
left hand controlled transmission 10 to axle module 12 to form
transaxle 8 (FIG. 26).
[0052] Referring now to FIG. 1, left hand hydrostatic transaxle 8
comprises a hydrostatic transmission module 10 and an axle module
12, the latter including reduction gear train 14 and differential
mechanism 16. Axle module 12 includes a casing 18 formed of upper
and lower halves 21, 25 respectively, only upper casing half 21 is
shown here, wherein casing halves 21, 25 are split along a
horizontal plane or parting line 33 coincident with the axes of
axles 20 and 22 (FIGS. 1, 28-29). Axles 20 and 22 extend outwardly
from differential 16 through openings in the ends of casing 18,
which are sealed by means of seals 23, and wherein axles 20 and 22
are supported by bearings 24.
[0053] The output shaft 26 from the motor 138 of hydrostatic
transmission module 10 extends into a space 28 which carries a
mechanical disconnect mechanism 30 of the type disclosed in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,701,738 assigned to the assignee of the present
application. This patent is expressly incorporated herein by
reference. The disconnect mechanism 30 comprises a splined sleeve
31 that is moved axially by lever 19 (FIG. 10) to connect and
disconnect shafts 26 and 32. Output shaft 26 is piloted around gear
train input shaft 32 and shaft 32 is supported by bearings 36 and
38 (FIGS. 1 and 10). Shaft 32 is sealed by seals 40 and 42. Splined
to shaft 32 is pinion gear 44, which is in intermeshing engagement
with gear 46 splined to countershaft 48. Pinion 50, which is also
splined to countershaft 48, engages ring gear 52 of differential
16. Differential 16 comprises pin 54 that carries bevel gears 56
and further comprises bevel gears 58 splined to axles 20 and 22.
Reduction gear train 14 reduces the rotational speed of output
shaft 32 and transmits the rotational motion to differential 16,
which rotates axles 20 and 22 in a known manner. Axle casing 18 is
filled with an appropriate lubricating oil or grease, and the
entire casing is sealed from the ambient by seals 40, 42 and
23.
[0054] Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, brake mechanism 60 will
be described. The distal end 62 of shaft 32 is splined to disc 64
which is engaged by a pair of friction pads 66 (FIG. 4), wherein
one of the friction pads 66 is pressed against disc 64 by a pair of
pins 68 (FIG. 1) when brake lever 70 is rotated. A cast housing 76
supports the brake mechanism 60 and is mounted to axle casing by a
pair of screws. Brake mechanism 60 employs a self-adjustment
feature comprising a self-adjusting nut 72 that accommodates
friction pad wear. The operation of the brake itself is well known
and the self-adjustment mechanism is the subject of co-pending
patent application Ser. No. 09/165,904, filed Oct. 2, 1998, and
assigned to the assignee of the present application. This
application is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
[0055] A further feature of brake mechanism 60 is the provision of
a plastic injection molded cover 74 that attaches to the cast
housing 76, and prevents grass clippings, dirt and other debris
from fouling the brake mechanism (FIG. 25). Referring to FIGS. 3
and 4, brake cover 74 includes enclosure portion 75 and flange 77.
A pair of apertures 79 are provided in flange 77 which receive a
pair of screws 81 to fasten cover 74 to a pair of threaded holes 83
in cast housing 76.
[0056] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, hydrostatic transmission module
10 comprises a separate, self-contained casing 78 having two casing
halves 80 and 82 split along a horizontal interface 84 that is
coplanar with the axis of motor output shaft 26 (FIG. 1). Casing
halves 80 and 82 are connected together by means of a plurality of
screws 86 (FIG. 5) that extend through the lower casing half 82 and
are threadedly received in bores in the upper casing half 80.
Disposed within casing 78 is a hydrostatic pump and motor mechanism
88 comprising center section 90 having a pump mounting surface 92
(FIG. 5) and a motor mounting surface 94 (FIG. 9) and internal
passages 96 and 98 (FIG. 6) hydraulically connecting arcuate slots
100 and 102 in pump face 92 with arcuate slots 112 and 114,
respectively, in motor mounting face 94 (FIG. 9). As best seen in
FIGS. 6 and 7, arrows 104 illustrate fluid circulation through
center section 90. Note that fluid circulation may be reversed,
relative to the direction indicated by direction 104, by rotating
control arm 202 (FIG. 5) to tilt swash plate 130 (FIG. 2). Swash
plate 130 includes a bidirectional range of tilt indicated by
arrows 106 (FIG. 2).
[0057] Referring to FIG. 5, pump cylinder barrel 116, splined to
input shaft 118 includes a plurality of chambers 120 in which are
disposed pistons 122 urged against swash plate assembly 127 by
means of springs 126. The swash plate assembly 127 includes a pair
of races or grooved plates 124, 125 separated by a plurality of
ball bearings 128 provided in a swash plate 130. Shaft 118 is
sealed within upper casing half 80 by means of seal 132 and
rotatably supported by bearings 134 and 136. Note that pump shaft
118 extends through swash plate assembly 127 and is splined to pump
cylinder barrel 116. The distal end of shaft 118 is supported by
bearing 136 in center section 90. Screws 87 connect center section
90 to upper casing half 80 (FIGS. 2 and 5).
[0058] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, axial piston motor 138
comprises a rotatable cylinder barrel 140 having a plurality of
pistons 142 therein that rotate against fixed swash plate assembly
144, wherein cylinder barrel 140 is rotatably mounted on the face
94 (FIG. 9) of center section 90. Motor output shaft 26 extends
through cylinder 140 and is supported by means of bearing 146 in
center section 90 (FIG. 1). The axis of output shaft 26 is
horizontal and oriented 90.degree. relative to pump input shaft
118. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 13, motor output shaft 26 is
supported by means of sleeve and bearing assembly 150 that is press
fit into casing 78 and sleeve 148 of sleeve and bearing assembly
150 extends into recessed portion 151 in axle casing 18. Sleeve 148
includes an extended portion 149 which is superposed by recessed
portion 151 of axle casing, however, extended portion 149 and
recessed portion of casing 18 are separated by a clearance 153 such
that output shaft 26 is at no time confined by axle casing 18.
Piloting of transmission module 10 with gear train 14 is
accomplished by means of surface 47 of a reduced end 152 of gearing
input shaft 32 being received within an inner surface or bore 210
of an end 43 of motor output shaft 26 (FIGS. 1, 26-27). Because
transmission casing 78 is not directly piloted to axle casing 18,
binding of shafts 26 and 32 is avoided. Casing 78 is mounted to
casing 18 at two locations 154 and 156 (FIGS. 1, 26-27) by means of
overlapping extensions or bosses on casings 78 and 18 and bolts
(not shown) that fasten from the bottom. These mounting points
resist the rotational torque between transmission module 10 and
gear mechanism 12.
[0059] Referring now to FIGS. 5-9, the lower surface 158 of center
section 90 is provided with a pair of openings 160 to provide
makeup oil to pump cylinder barrel 116, and a filter (not shown)
and check valves (not shown) will be provided as is customary. Pump
shaft 118 provided with bearing 136 (FIG. 5) is received within
bore 162. Integral bosses 164 of center section 90 accommodate and
provide support for the mounting screws 87. Blind drilled
passageways will be sealed by plugs 270 as is customary in the art.
Center section 90 includes an extended portion or bearing cradle
184 to support bearing assembly or thrust bearing 186 (FIG. 1)
therein. Bearing cradle 184 includes a clearance hole 188 to allow
motor shaft 26 to extend through and spline to motor cylinder
barrel 140 (FIG. 1).
[0060] As shown in FIG. 2, pump swash plate assembly 127 will be
tilted through the range 106 provided by the action of control rod
166 and control arm 168 (FIG. 5) in order to vary the displacement
of pump 169.
[0061] FIG. 10 is a further view of the gear train 14 and
differential mechanism 16 wherein hydrostatic transmission module
10 has been disconnected therefrom. Shown more clearly is the
reduced end 152 of input shaft 32 on which output shaft 26 of
transmission module 10 is piloted. As described previously, because
both transmission module 10 and axle module 12 are modular, axle
module 12 can be reversed in order to provide right hand or left
hand connections to brake 60 and the input shaft 118 of
transmission module 10. For example, to provide a connection which
is reversed to that shown in FIG. 1, one would invert axle module
12 about a horizontal axis perpendicular to axles 20 and 22 and
mount a modified right hand (or left hand) mirror image
transmission module 9 (FIG. 27) thereto in the same fashion as
shown in FIG. 1 but on the opposite side of the gear reduction
drive train portion of axle module 12. This enables right hand and
left hand drives to be provided to a customer base with the need to
stock only two hydrostatic transmission modules 9, 10 and a single
axle module 12.
[0062] FIGS. 11-18 illustrate a modified embodiment of transmission
module 10 wherein certain corresponding elements are denoted by
primed reference numerals. In this embodiment, one-piece center
section 90 is not used. In its place is pump and motor mechanism
88' including pump valve body or pump block 170 and motor block 172
(FIG. 14). Pump and motor mechanism 88' provides the valving for
motor cylinder barrel 140 to hydraulically connect with pump
cylinder barrel through transfer passages 96' and 98'. Motor block
172 is fastened to pump block 170 to form pump and motor block 173.
Motor block 172 is fastened to pump block 170 by means of screws 87
that extend through bores 176 in motor block 172 and holes 178 in
pump block 170 (FIGS. 2, 14, 16 and 18). Pump block 170 and motor
block 172 are mounted to upper casing half 80' by means of
fastening screws 87 (FIGS. 2, 5 and 12) that pass through openings
180 and 182 (FIGS. 13-15).
[0063] Pump block 170 includes a fixed swash plate support face or
bearing cradle 184 (FIGS. 13, 14, 23 and 24) that is disposed at a
fixed angle .alpha. (FIG. 23) relative to the horizontal plane Y
and carries ball bearing assembly or thrust bearing 186 (FIGS. 14,
23 and 24) against which motor pistons 142 rotate thereby causing
motor cylinder barrel 140 to rotate and drive output shaft 26.
Opening on clearance hole 188 passing through bearing cradle 184
provides clearance for output shaft 26. Makeup oil to hydrostatic
transmission module 10' is provided through ports 160 having check
valves, similar to ports and check valves in center section 90, as
shown in FIG. 8.
[0064] Motor block 172 is provided with a pair of ports 192 and 194
that align with ports 174 in pump block 170 in order to provide
hydraulic communication between the arcuate slots 112' and 114' in
the face 94' of motor block 172 through transfer passages 96' and
98' to the arcuate slots 102' and 100' in the face 92' against
which pump cylinder barrel 116 (FIG. 12) rotates. Motor block 172
includes bore 196 which supports rotatable end 254 of output shaft
26. Alternatively, end 254 of output shaft 26 includes a bearing
fitted thereon which fits into bore 196 to suitably support
rotatable shaft end 254.
[0065] Referring now to FIG. 12, it will be seen that pump input
shaft 118 is driven by means of a pulley 199 driven by a belt
connected to a similar pulley (not shown) on the output shaft of an
internal combustion engine (not shown), for example. Pulley 199
forms an assembly with fan 198 supported on a common hub 200 that
is keyed to shaft 118. FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a fender shift
version of the unit wherein control arm 168 is rotated by shaft
166, the latter rotated by means of shift lever 202 fastened to
shaft 166 by screw 204. A friction pack comprising a pair of
friction pucks 205 grip shift lever 202 to retain lever 202 in the
position set by the operator. Clamping force on friction pucks 205
is accomplished by means of a spring 207 disposed on stud 209, the
latter being slidably received in upper casing half 80'. In a foot
pedal version (FIG. 5) the corresponding shift lever 202 is
returned to neutral by means of a conventional return-to-neutral
spring mechanism 203. On the foot pedal version shown in FIG. 5,
adjustable plate 207 permits fine adjustment of neutral
position.
[0066] FIG. 13 illustrates motor 138' in greater detail and it will
be seen that output shaft 26 is supported by bearing 206 and is
sealed against casing 80', 82' by sleeve 148 of sleeve and bearing
assembly 150 and oil seal 208. The bore 210 in the end of shaft 26
pilots around end 152 of input shaft 32 of axle module 12 (FIG.
10), and axial compression spring 212 maintains splined sleeve 31
of the mechanical disconnect mechanism (FIG. 10) engaged with the
splined portion 211 of shaft 32 when motor output shaft 26 is
inserted into axle module 12. Axial compression spring 212 is
coaxially arranged about output shaft 26 (FIGS. 1, 5, 12, 13, 26
and 27) and confined between splined sleeve 31 and retaining ring
213 (FIG. 1). Retaining ring 213 is engaged or `snapped` in groove
221 formed in output shaft 26 as is customary. A flat washer 223
may be provided between retaining ring and compression spring 212
to provide further support for compression spring 212. In
operation, as disconnect lever 19 is rotated clockwise as viewed in
FIG. 10, sleeve 31 is moved axially to the left against the
pressure of spring 212. This very simple mechanism eliminates the
need for an external spring or torsion spring on other elements
typical of external disconnect mechanisms. Preferably, spring 212
is a Smalley flat wire metal spring. Output shaft 26 is rotated by
cylinder barrel 140 of motor 138 and extends through clearance
opening 188 in bearing cradle 184.
[0067] As shown in FIGS. 2, 5 and 12, swash plate 130 includes a
pair of arcuate upper surfaces 214 (FIGS. 21 and 22) that bear
against a pair of arcuate bearing strips 216 (FIGS. 19 and 20) that
are fastened into recessed area 215 of upper casing half (80, 80').
Bearing strips 216 are made of TEFLON impregnated DELRIN and swash
plate 130 is preferably made of carbon steel by means of a powder
metal process. Specifically, bearing strips 216 may be manufactured
by, for example, a plastic injection molding process comprising a
homogeneous composition of DELRIN and about 20% PTFE. Openings 217
(FIGS. 19 and 20) in each of the bearing strips 216 are engaged by
a cast protrusion 219 on the internal wall 215 of upper casing 80,
80' (FIG. 19). Concave recessed area 215 of upper casing half 80,
80' defines a pair of concave surfaces 218 each of which contact a
convex outer surface 220 (FIGS. 2 and 20) of each bearing strip
216. Each bearing strip 216 includes a concave inner surface 222
(FIGS. 2, 19 and 20) in contact with each respective arcuate upper
surface 214 of swash plate 130. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 12, a
compression force created by springs 126 urging pump pistons 122
against swash plate assembly 127, presses swash plate 130 against
bearing strips 216 to correspondingly hold each bearing strip 216
against surface 218 of casing (80, 80'). Each cast protrusion 219
is integrally formed within upper half casing 80, 80' and projects
from surface 218. Each projection extends into opening 217 of each
bearing strip 216 to prevent movement of bearing strips 216 during
tilting of swash plate 130. Referring to FIGS. 2, 5, 11 and 12,
displacement of lever 202 urges swash plate 130 to swing in an arc
defined by the curvature of convex surfaces 218 within upper casing
half (80, 80'). Bearing strips 216 are flexible and thereby
partially deform to the curvature of upper half casing surfaces
218, and additionally to arcuate swash plate surfaces 214. Since
bearing strips 216 deform to abutting surfaces, minimal if any
machining of these surfaces is required. Because bearing strips
comprise a homogeneous material rather than merely a coating on a
metal strip, they will exhibit better wear and a longer life.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 12, shown is hydrostatic transmission
module 10 of transaxle 8, including pump and motor mechanism 88'
comprising pump 169', motor 138', and pump and motor block assembly
173 (FIG. 3). Pump and motor block assembly 173 includes a two
piece structure wherein pump block 170 is joined with motor block
172 to provide a single integrated unit (FIG. 14). Rotatably
supported by pump and motor block assembly 173 is pump cylinder
barrel 116 and motor cylinder barrel 140 (FIG. 3). Pump cylinder
barrel 116 includes a plurality of axially arranged chambers 120
having pistons 122 disposed in each chamber 120. Typically, pump
cylinder barrel 116 and pistons 122 are common and interchangeable
with motor cylinder barrel 140 and pistons 142 to decrease costs
associated with implementing separate components. Springs 126 are
provided within each chamber 120 and contact pistons 122 to urge
pistons 122 toward and against swash plate assembly 127. Thrust
bearing 186 is coaxial relative to pump cylinder barrel 116, and in
contact with outermost extents of pistons 122. Thrust bearing 186
fits snugly within swash block or swash plate 130, specifically
plate 124 of thrust bearing 186 engages bore 224 (FIGS. 5 and 12)
of swash plate 130. A counterbore (not shown), is coaxial with bore
224 and is positioned adjacent plate 125 of thrust bearing 186 to
provide rotational clearance for plate 125 of thrust bearing 186 to
rotate freely within swash plate 130.
[0069] Operation of hydrostatic pump and motor mechanism 88',
through movement of swash plate 130 to effectuate variable
rotational movement of the motor cylinder barrel 140, will now be
described. Customarily, pump cylinder barrel 116 is driven by the
power source through input shaft 118. Typically, input shaft 118
includes a first end attached to pulley 199 and pulley 199 is belt
driven by the power source (not shown). The other end of input
shaft 118 includes a splined portion 226 disposed on the surface of
input shaft 118 and engages matching splined portion 228 formed
within pump cylinder barrel 116. Swash plate 130, selectively
controlled by shift lever 202, which is external to the hydrostatic
transmission casing, initiates fluid displacement within pump
cylinder barrel 116 to transfer power from input shaft 118 to drive
axles 20, 22. Neutral switch 119 is provided on an external surface
of transmission casing 78 and extends through the casing to
register off of a periphery of the swash plate 130 (FIG. 5).
Neutral switch 119 is in electrical communication with a vehicle's
ignition switch (not shown) to prevent vehicle start-up when the
hydrostatic transmission is engaged. Shift lever 202 is attached to
rotatable control arm 168 by screw 204, external of casing (78,
78'). Control arm 166 includes first end 230 attached to control
rod 166 and a second end 232 extending outwardly and generally
perpendicular from control rod 166. Second end 232 of control arm
166 swings through an arc respective of control rod 166 when
control rod 166 is rotated. Pin 234 attaches to second end 232 of
control arm 166 and extends into slot 236 disposed on periphery 238
(FIGS. 21 and 22) of swash plate 130. Friction roller 240 fits over
pin 234 and freely rotates about pin 234 to engage with slot 236 of
swash plate 130. Selectively positioning control lever 202,
typically by an operator depressing a foot pedal linked thereto
through linkage means, causes swash plate 130 to tilt, and in turn,
pistons 122, orbiting about input shaft 118, reciprocate causing
fluid in each cylinder 120 to pressurize as the respective piston
retracts. Swash plate 130 tilts and rotates against a pair of low
friction bearings attached to the casing as previously
described.
[0070] Referring to FIG. 14, pump and motor block assembly 173
includes pump block 170 and motor block 172 joined together by
screws 87. Pump block 170 includes cylindrical portion 242 joining
rectangular body portion 244. Raised circular face 92' is disposed
on cylindrical portion 242 and constitutes a mounting surface for
pump cylinder barrel 116. Rectangular body portion 244 of pump
block 170 includes a raised rectangular motor block mounting
surface 246 which provides a surface to attach motor block 172. A
pair of annular column portions or bosses 248, 250 are joined to
pump block 170 and each include fasteners 87 extending through to
fasten the pump and motor block assembly 173 to upper casing half
80' (FIGS. 12 and 13). A projecting semi-circular bearing cradle
184, to provide a seat for fixed thrust bearing 186, is integral
with body portion 244 of pump block 170. Bearing cradle 184
includes an annular face 252 which is substantially smooth and flat
in the "as-cast" condition, thus this surface requires little if
any machining. The pump block 170 may be constructed of an aluminum
alloy and fabricated by, for example, a foam insert casting
process. Annular face 252 is inclined at angle .alpha., respective
of vertical reference plane Y (FIG. 11), to suitably cause motor
pistons 142 to reciprocate, within chambers 120. Preferably,
.alpha. is 15.degree.. Clearance hole or opening 188 is generally
centered in face 252 of bearing cradle 184 and end 254 of output
shaft 26 extends through clearance hole 188 and attaches to motor
cylinder barrel 140 (FIG. 14). Hole 256 is threaded and disposed in
a lower portion of inclined face 252 to receive stop member 258
which constitutes, for example, a screw to retain thrust bearing
186 as shown in FIG. 23.
[0071] Motor block 172 includes mounting surface 260 (FIGS. 17 and
18) which overlays block mounting surface 246 of rectangular
portion 244 of pump block 170. Referring to FIGS. 6-9, motor block
172 includes a pair of circular fluid ports 192, 194 positioned
between a pair of outer fastener clearance holes 176, which
respectively align with and overlay respectively, the pair of
circular fluid ports 174 and the pair of outer holes 178 within
pump block 170 (FIG. 14). Screws 87 extend through respective
clearance holes 176 within motor block 172 and into respective
holes 178 within pump block 170. Motor block 172 includes raised
circular mounting face 94', which is substantially perpendicular to
block mounting surface 260, to which motor cylinder barrel 140 is
rotatingly mounted. As best seen in FIG. 14, a pair of inserts 262,
264 made of powered metal are interference fit around screws 87 and
between pump and motor blocks 170, 172 to suitably seal and align
fluid ports 192, 194 of pump block 170 with fluid ports 174 of
motor block 172.
[0072] Referring to FIG. 15, the pair of hydraulic passages
internal to pump block 170 will be described. Pump block 170
includes arcuate openings 100', 102' in face 92' which extend
within an interior of cylindrical portion 242 of pump block 170 and
respectively intercept the transfer passages 96', 98' disposed
within rectangular portion 244 of pump block 170. Passages 96', 98'
may include as-cast arcuate walls defining the passageways
extending from pump mount face 92' to respective fluid ports 174,
by being formed through, for example, a foam insert casting
process. Alternatively, passages 96', 98' may be machined to
include entrance holes 266, 268 respectively capped by threaded
plugs 270 (FIG. 24).
[0073] Referring to FIGS. 16-18, the hydraulic passages within
motor block 172 will be described. Motor block 172 includes arcuate
slots 112', 114' provided in face 94 which extend inwardly and
intersect ports 192, 194. Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, motor mount
face 94' also includes centered bore 196 extending substantially
perpendicular to face 94' and which provides support for rotating
output shaft 26 extending through motor cylinder barrel 140 to
align motor cylinder barrel 140 on face 94'. Motor block 172 may be
formed by, for example, a powder metal process, which provides
suitable smooth and continuous walls defining continuous arcuate
slots 112', 114' intersecting ports 192, 194. Thus, motor block
172, joined to pump block 170 comprising pump and motor block
assembly 173, provides two complete and continuous passages
extending from pump mount face 92' to motor mount face 94.
[0074] Referring to FIG. 14, typically, pump cylinder barrel 116 is
driven by input shaft 118 and face 276 of pump cylinder barrel 116
abuts face 92' of pump block 170. Similarly arranged is face of
motor cylinder barrel 140 against face 94 of motor cylinder block
172. Face 276 of pump cylinder barrel 116 includes a plurality of
axial arranged ports 280 (FIGS. 5 and 12) through which hydraulic
fluid communicates from piston chamber 120 to arcuate slots 110'
and 112'. Similarly, face 278 of motor cylinder barrel 140 includes
a plurality of axial arranged ports 280 (FIGS. 1, 13 and 14)
through which hydraulic fluid communicates from motor cylinder
chambers 120 to arcuate slots 112', 114'. Thus, the cylinder
barrels must be in close proximity with the arcuate orifices
disposed in the motor and pump blocks to sustain a suitable
hydraulic connection between the pump and motor during operation.
It is desirable to retain an amount of pressurized fluid disposed
between each barrel face and the block mount face, often referred
to as "floating" the barrel. Floating provides a dynamic seal and
contemporaneously reduces friction between the cylinder barrel and
respective mount face during operation of the pump and motor
mechanism.
[0075] As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 12, pump cylinder barrel 116
aligns with face 92 of pump block 170 due to end 282 of input shaft
118 being guided by a bearing fitted within bore 162 in pump block
170. Alternatively, bore 162 may include a solid press fit bearing
to suitably support shaft 118. Bore 162 is generally centered about
face 92' of pump block 170, and as best shown in FIGS. 14-15, bore
162 includes slot 284 axially positioned along the length of
thereof. In operation, slot 284 allows excess oil to return to
lower casing half 82', and additionally, acts as a hydraulic
pressure relief. Otherwise, the quantity of oil trapped beneath
cylinder barrel face 276 tends to "lift" cylinder barrel 116
excessively away from pump mount face 92' resulting in a
detrimental loss of hydraulic pressure in the system and a
corresponding loss of system efficiency. Similarly, and as best
seen in FIGS. 16 and 17, bore 196 in face 94' of motor block 172
includes slot 286 to relieve excessive hydraulic pressure between
motor barrel 140 and face 94' of motor block 172.
[0076] Referring to FIGS. 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 23 and 24, shown is
bearing cradle 184 integral with pump block 244 of pump and motor
mechanism 88'. Bearing cradle 184 is arranged oppositely respective
of face 184 of motor block 172. In operation, motor barrel 140
rotates about motor mount face 94' and pistons 142, within each
chamber 120, displace fluid dependant on the tilt of thrust bearing
186. The outermost extent 288 of each piston 142 contacts first
plate 124 of thrust bearing 186 creating a ring of contact,
preferably centered on thrust bearing 186 to provide a
substantially uniform distribution of force through thrust bearing
186.
[0077] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, the arrangement between thrust
bearing 186 and bearing cradle 186 will be described. Thrust
bearing 186, includes the pair of annular plates 124, 125, a
plurality of ball bearings 128 between the plates and retaining
ring 290 to retain ball bearings 128 therein. Customarily, plates
124 and 125 of thrust bearing 186 have similar inner surface 242
dimensions and a similar outer surface 294 dimension. In operation,
plate 124 contacts annular face 252 of bearing cradle 184,
remaining substantially stationary, while plate 125 rotates as
outermost extents 288 of pistons 142 are urged against plate 125.
Thrust bearing 186, and specifically plate 124, is restrained from
downward and side to side movement by a raised semi-circular
shoulder portion 296 of bearing cradle 184 (FIGS. 13, 14, and 24).
Additionally, thrust bearing 186 is restrained from movement in an
upward direction, along annular face 252, by stop member 258. Stop
member 258 is a stationary threaded fastener having outer head
portion 298 contacting inner surface 292 of plate 124 of thrust
member 186. Stop member 258 threads into threaded hole 256 within
bearing cradle 184 (FIGS. 13, 14, and 24). Hole 256 extends into
bearing cradle 184 and is generally axially aligned with pistons
142 in motor barrel 140. Stop member 258 lockingly engages threaded
hole 256 so that the stop member can be threaded to a suitable
depth and thereafter sustain a stationary position so that
operational vibration will not affect stop member position.
Retaining bearing 186 in this manner eases assembly and reduces
cost.
[0078] The present invention hydrostatic transaxle 8 is "modular"
meaning common axle module 12 connected to left-hand hydrostatic
transmission 10 defines left-hand controlled transaxle 8, as shown
in FIG. 25. Alternatively, by inverting common axle module 12 and
attaching right hand controlled hydrostatic transmission 11, right
hand controlled transaxle 9 is formed (FIG. 27). Right hand
transaxle 9 operates identically to left hand transaxle 8 and
transaxle 9 differs only in orientation, i.e., the brake handle is
on the left and the control lever is on the right. Common axle
module 12, readily adaptable to two alternate transmissions,
significantly increases a manufacture's product line without a
concomitant increase in the number of stocked components.
[0079] Referring to FIGS. 26 and 28, left-hand controlled transaxle
8 includes axle casing 18 and transmission casing 78. Axle casing
18 defines two substantially mirror image casing halves 21, 25
fastened together by a plurality of bolts 15 (FIG. 28). Referring
to FIGS. 25, 26 and 28, each casing half 21, 25 includes respective
stiffening ribs 27, 35 and gusset 29 to provide suitable support
and stiffness to support axles 20, 22, reduction gearing and
differential mechanism (FIGS. 1 and 10). In operation, axles 20 and
22 are exposed to significant levels of stress and torque common to
the rigorous usage and loading of typical agricultural usage of
transaxle 8. Therefore, each casing half 21, 25 comprising suitably
stiff axle casing 18, is provided with gusset 29 integrally formed
with respective stiffening ribs 27, 35. As best seen in FIG. 28,
left hand controlled transaxle 8 possesses symmetry relative to
casing parting line 33. Specifically, stiffening ribs 27 and gusset
29 on casing half 21 is a mirror image of stiffening ribs 35 and
gusset 29 on casing half 25. Additionally, the size and placement
of gusset 29 on casing half 21 is a mirror image of the size and
placement of gusset 29 provided on casing half 25 relative to
parting line 33. In a similar manner, mounting bosses 39 on casing
half 21 are mirror images of mounting bosses 41 provided on casing
half 25, relative to parting line 33. Since right hand transaxle 9
(FIGS. 27 and 29) differs from left hand transaxle 8 only in
attachment of right hand hydrostatic transmission 11, axle module
12, and corresponding casing 18 are identical in both transaxles 8
and 9.
[0080] Referring to FIGS. 26 and 27, the method for manufacturing a
plurality of left hand controlled hydrostatic transaxles and a
plurality of right hand controlled hydrostatic transaxles, using
the components detailed above, will be described. In a production
environment, it is desirable to maintain and utilize an inventory
of standardized components to thereby facilitate the manufacturing
process and reduce expenses associated with using different
components. The present invention provides a method for using
standardized components to produce left hand and right hand
controlled hydrostatic transaxles 8, 9 respectively. The present
method is particularly suitable for implementation in a large scale
production environment wherein it is desired to quickly and
efficiently produce numbers of left hand and/or right hand
controlled hydrostatic transaxles and to be able to quickly switch
over from producing one type of transaxle to another.
[0081] Using the method of the present invention, an inventory of
identically manufactured axle modules 12 are used to quickly and
efficiently produce a large number of left hand and/or right hand
controlled transaxles. Further, an inventory of left hand
controlled hydrostatic transmission modules 10 and an inventory of
right hand controlled hydrostatic transmission modules 11 is
provided for ready availability and selection at the production
facility. The availability of the inventory of identically
manufactured axle modules 12, left hand hydrostatic transmission
modules 10 and right hand controlled hydrostatic transmission
modules 11 at the production facility, allows the manufacturer to
easily select and attach the required components to quickly and
efficiently produce either a left hand controlled transaxle 8 (FIG.
26) or a right hand controlled transaxle 9 (FIG. 27).
[0082] In order to produce a plurality of left hand controlled
transaxles 8, the manufacturer first provides axle modules 12 from
the inventory of identically manufactured axle modules. Second, the
manufacturer selects left hand controlled transmission module 10
from the inventory of left hand controlled transmission modules.
The manufacturer then attaches the selected components together to
produce a plurality of left hand controlled transaxles 8. By
continuously selecting axle modules and left hand controlled
transmission modules and assembling the selected components, the
manufacturer is able to quickly and efficiently produce left hand
controlled hydrostatic transaxles 8 from the materials in the
inventory.
[0083] When it is desired to produce a plurality of right hand
controlled hydrostatic transaxles 9, the manufacturer provides the
axle module 12 from the inventory of identically manufactured axle
modules 12 and a plurality of right hand controlled transmission
modules 11 from the inventory of right hand controlled transmission
modules 11. The manufacturer then assembles the selected components
into a plurality of right hand controlled transaxles 9. Again, by
continuously selecting axle modules 12 and right hand controlled
hydrostatic transmission modules 11 in assembling the selected
components, the manufacturer is able to easily and efficiently
produce right hand controlled hydrostatic transaxles 9 from the
materials in the inventory.
[0084] It can be seen that the manufacturer can switch from one
type of transaxle to another by simply selecting a different
transmission configuration while continuing to select the axle
module from the inventory of identically manufactured axle modules.
Therefore, the left hand and right hand controlled hydrostatic
transaxles can be easily and quickly assembled in large numbers. It
can also be seen that a significant cost reduction is possible due
to the standardization of the axle module thereby simplifying
transaxle manufacturing and reducing the associated costs.
[0085] While this invention has been described as having a
preferred design, the present invention can be further modified
within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is
therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of
the invention using its general principles. Further, this
application is intended to cover such departures from the present
disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to
which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of
the appended claims.
* * * * *