Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6648095?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2015-05-05 14:49:13
Document Index: 480286530

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18', 'art 18']

Patent US6648095 - Axle driving unit for a lawn tractor - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn axle driving unit having a housing (21,22) for supporting a first axle (17) for mounting thereon a first driving wheel (3L), and a longer second axle (18) for mounting thereon a second driving wheel (3R). The axle driving unit is eccentrically mounted on a body frame (1) in proximity to the first...http://www.google.com/patents/US6648095?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6648095 - Axle driving unit for a lawn tractorAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6648095 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/187,849Publication dateNov 18, 2003Filing dateJul 3, 2002Priority dateAug 4, 1997Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS6098740, US6260339, US6390227, US6467265, US6568498, US6745864, US6752236, US6983815, US7387185, US7419030, US7434651, US7445077, US7490692, US7637346, US20010000562, US20020129987, US20020162312, US20020162313, US20030057009, US20040221559, US20060064958, US20070107951, US20070107952, US20070107953, US20080010980, US20090118052Publication number10187849, 187849, US 6648095 B2, US 6648095B2, US-B2-6648095, US6648095 B2, US6648095B2InventorsRobert Abend, Norihiro Ishii, Ryota OhashiOriginal AssigneeKanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd., Tuff Torq CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (37), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (15), Classifications (19), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetAxle driving unit for a lawn tractor
US 6648095 B2Abstract
What is claimed is: 1. An axle driving unit, comprising:
a housing; an axle disposed in said housing; a center section separably attached to said housing and disposed in said housing, said center section having a pump mounting surface and a motor mounting surface; a hydraulic pump mounted on said pump mounting surface in said housing, wherein a rotary axis of said hydraulic pump mounted on said pump mounting surface is disposed perpendicularly to said axle; a hydraulic motor mounted on said motor mounting surface in said housing so as to be fluidly connected to said hydraulic pump, wherein a rotary axis of said hydraulic motor mounted on said motor mounting surface is disposed parallel to said axle; an output shaft disposed on said rotary axis of said hydraulic motor and drivingly connected to said axle, said output shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein said first end portion of said output shaft is connected to said hydraulic motor, and wherein a rotary axis of said output shaft is disposed lower than said pump mounting surface so that said second end portion of said output shaft is extended oppositely to said hydraulic motor through said center section; an output gear disposed on said second end portion of said output shaft so as to drivingly connect said output shaft to said axle; and a brake rotor disposed on said second end portion of said output shaft. 2. The axle driving unit as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:
an input shaft disposed on said rotary axis of said hydraulic pump. 3. The axle driving unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said axle is disposed above said pump mounting surface, further comprising:
an intermediate gear drivingly connecting said axle to said output shaft, said intermediate gear being disposed below said pump mounting surface. 4. An axle driving unit, comprising:
a housing having a plurality of openings; an axle disposed in said housing and extended to the outside of said housing through one of said openings; a center section separably attached to said housing and disposed in said housing, said center section having a pump mounting surface and a motor mounting surface; a hydraulic pump mounted on said pump mounting surface in said housing, wherein a rotary axis of said hydraulic pump mounted on said pump mounting surface is disposed perpendicularly to said axle; a hydraulic motor mounted on said motor mounting surface in said housing so as to be fluidly connected to said hydraulic pump, wherein a rotary axis of said hydraulic motor mounted on said motor mounting surface is disposed parallel to said axle; an output shaft disposed on said rotary axis of said hydraulic motor and drivingly connected to said axle, said output shaft having a first end portion and a second end portion, wherein said first end portion of said output shaft is connected to said hydraulic motor, and wherein a rotary axis of said output shaft is disposed lower than said pump mounting surface so that said second end portion of said output shaft is extended oppositely to said hydraulic motor through said center section and outward through another one of said openings of said housing; an output gear disposed on said second end portion of said output shaft in said housing so as to drivingly connect said output shaft to said axle; and a brake rotor disposed on said second end portion of said output shaft outside of said housing. 5. The axle driving unit as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: an input shaft disposed on said rotary axis of said hydraulic pump.
6. The axle driving unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein said axle is disposed above said pump mounting surface, further comprising:
an intermediate gear drivingly connecting said axle to said output shaft, said intermediate disposed below said pump mounting surface. 7. The axle driving unit as set forth in claim 4, said housing comprising:
at least two housing elements separably joined to each other through a plane, wherein said plurality of openings are substantially circularly formed of at least one of said at least two housing elements.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8�8 in FIG. 4,
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9�9 in FIG. 8,
As shown in FIG. 4, differential gear unit 23 is displaced in the housing toward part 18 aof second axle 18. A space is thereby formed at one lateral side of a second axle holder. The larger diameter gear 46 is partly disposed in this space so that the length of the housing does not have to be increased.
First axle 17 and part 18 a of second axle 18 are rotatably supported by lower half housing 22. Distal portions of first axle 17 and part 18 a of second axle 18 are supported by bearings 100 held into cylindrical bores of lower half housing 22. The bases of axles 17 and 18 are supported by bushings 101 disposed in tower half housing 22. Bushings 101 are fixedly interposed between legs 217, long enough to extend beyond the joint surface of the housing, and the concave circular-arc surface of lower half housing 22 (see FIG. 22).
A driving force is transmitted from a smaller diameter gear 47 on counter shaft 26 to a ring gear 48 of differential gear 23, differential gear 23 being displaced toward part 18 a of axle 18 in the housing. The axes of axles 17 and 18 are positioned in the same plane as the joint surface of the housing. The terminal and bore of first axle 17 are supported only by bearing 100 and bushing 101 interposed between upper half housing 21 and lower half housing 22. Differential gear 23 is eccentrically disposed to further reduce the axial length of part 18 a of second axle 18 so that part 18 aof second axle 18 is supported by only bushing 101 sandwiched between upper half housing 21 and lower half housing 22.
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Co., Ltd.Axle driving unit for a lawn tractorGB922002A Title not availableGB2254665A Title not available* Cited by examinerNon-Patent CitationsReference1U.S. Publication No. US 2001/0001922 A1; "Axel Driving Apparatus "; published May 31, 2001; Abend et al.Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6957531Jul 1, 2004Oct 25, 2005Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipCenter section for a hydrostatic transaxleUS6971234Jul 29, 2004Dec 6, 2005Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipZero-turn hydrostatic transaxleUS7383683Oct 11, 2006Jun 10, 2008Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipZero-turn hydrostatic transaxleUS7434651Jan 8, 2007Oct 14, 2008Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving unit for a lawn tractorUS7445077Jan 8, 2007Nov 4, 2008Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving unit for a lawn tractorUS7448209Mar 20, 2007Nov 11, 2008Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS7484364Mar 8, 2007Feb 3, 2009Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS7500362Mar 2, 2007Mar 10, 2009Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS7536858Feb 20, 2007May 26, 2009Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS8028520Nov 6, 2009Oct 4, 2011Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipCenter section for hydraulic drive apparatusUS8046992Feb 3, 2009Nov 1, 2011Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS8418452 *Oct 3, 2011Apr 16, 2013Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipHydrostatic transaxleUS8479503Aug 5, 2011Jul 9, 2013Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Axle driving apparatusUS8689551Apr 15, 2013Apr 8, 2014Hydro-Gear Limited PartnershipHydrostatic transaxleUS20130074464 *Sep 19, 2012Mar 28, 2013Ariens CompanyIntegrated transaxles for standing lawn mower* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification180/375, 74/606.00R, 180/374, 60/492, 180/370, 60/487International ClassificationB60K17/10, A01D34/68Cooperative ClassificationY10T74/2186, Y10S56/04, Y10S56/06, B60K17/105, A01D34/6806, A01D2101/00, A01D69/03, B60Y2200/223European ClassificationA01D69/03, B60K17/10T, A01D34/68BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 28, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Apr 12, 2007FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services