Patent ID: 6910982

Claim:
A hydrostatic transaxle apparatus, comprising: a housing filled therein with fluid so as to serve as a fluid sump; an axle disposed in said housing; a gear disposed centered on said axle in said housing; a hydraulic pump disposed in said housing, said hydraulic pump having a pump shaft for receiving power from a prime mover; and a hydraulic motor disposed in said housing to be fluidly connected to said hydraulic pump, said hydraulic motor having a motor shaft drivingly connected to said gear so as to transmit torque of said motor shaft to said axle through said gear, wherein a rotary axis of said pump shaft and a rotary axis of said motor shaft are disposed on one side of said axle and substantially perpendicular to a rotary axis of said axle, and wherein, when said axle being axially viewed, said rotary axis of said pump shaft and said rotary axis of said motor shaft are disposed nearer than an outer periphery of said gear.