Transaxle System For Vehicle

A transaxle system for a vehicle comprising:

• right and left axles drivingly connected to respective right and left drive wheels of the vehicle;
• right and left transaxle units mounted in the vehicle so as to drive the respective right and left axles, each of the right and left transaxle units including a variable displacement hydraulic motor for driving the corresponding right or left axle, a variable displacement hydraulic pump for supplying fluid to the corresponding hydraulic motor, and a transaxle casing supporting the corresponding right or left axle and incorporating the corresponding hydraulic pump and the corresponding hydraulic motor,
• wherein the right and left axles project distally in the lateral direction of the vehicle from the respective transaxle casings of the right and left transaxle units,
• wherein the hydraulic motor of each of the right and left transaxle units is provided with a motor displacement control means that is shiftable between a large displacement position and a small displacement position, whereby the motor displacement control means of the respective right and left transaxle units are operatively connected to respective motor control arms rotatably pivoted on outsides of the respective transaxle casings, and
• wherein the hydraulic pump of each of the right and left transaxle units is provided with a pump displacement control means that is shiftable to change fluid delivery amount and direction of the hydraulic pump, whereby the pump displacement control means of the respective right and left transaxle units are operatively connected to respective pump control arms pivoted on outsides of the respective transaxle casings other than the outsides of the transaxle casings having the motor control arms pivoted thereon;
• and
• right and left pump controlling manipulators provided in the vehicle and operatively connected to the respective pump control arms so that the right and left pump controlling manipulators are manipulable to rotate the respective pump control arms so as to shift the respective pump displacement control means,
• wherein each of the right and left pump controlling manipulators is also operatively connected to the corresponding motor control arm so that each of the right and left pump controlling manipulators is also manipulable to rotate the corresponding motor control arm so as to shift the corresponding motor displacement control means from the large displacement position to the small displacement position only if the corresponding pump control arm is set to maximize the displacement of the corresponding hydraulic pump delivering fluid in a direction for forward traveling of the vehicle.