Patent ID: 7775132

Claim:
A transaxle for a vehicle comprising: a transaxle casing; an input shaft housed in the transaxle casing, the input shaft being configured to receive as an input a driving power from an engine of the vehicle; an intermediate shaft housed in the transaxle casing so as to extend in parallel with the input shaft; an axle housed in the transaxle casing so as to extend in parallel with the intermediate shaft, the axle being configured to drive a rear wheel of the vehicle; a rearward travel gear mechanism which is mounted between the input shaft and the intermediate shaft and is configured to transmit the driving power for moving the vehicle rearward from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft; a forward travel chain mechanism configured to transmit the driving power for moving the vehicle forward from the input shaft to the intermediate shaft; and a transmission gear mechanism which is mounted between the intermediate shaft and the axle and is configured to transmit the driving power from the intermediate shaft to the axle, wherein the rearward travel gear mechanism includes a drive gear mounted on the input shaft, and a driven gear which is mounted on the intermediate shaft and configured to mesh with the drive gear; wherein the forward travel chain mechanism includes a drive sprocket mounted on the input shaft, a driven sprocket mounted on the intermediate shaft, and a chain installed around the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket; and wherein the transmission gear mechanism includes a drive gear mounted on the intermediate shaft, and a driven gear which is mounted on the axle and configured to mesh with the drive gear.