Planetary gear transmission having an arrangement for efficient lubrication of planetary gears

A planetary gear transmission comprising:

• a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear and a ring gear which are disposed rotatably about a first axis, a plurality of planetary gears which engage said sun and ring gears, a carrier having a radially extending flange and a plurality of carrier pins which are fixed to said flange, for rotatably supporting said planetary gears, an input shaft rotatable with said sun gear, an output shaft rotatable with said carrier, and a clutch for connecting said input shaft to said carrier and said output shaft;
• said clutch including an annular clutch drum, an annular piston slidably received within said clutch drum, and friction means for connecting said clutch drum to said carrier, when said friction means is activated by said annular piston;
• a cylindrical connecting member fixed to a radially inner portion of said annular clutch drum, and splined to said input shaft;
• and
• a first bearing interposed between an outer circumferential surface of said connecting member, and an inner circumferential surface of a wall of a stationary member, said connecting member being rotatably supported by said wall via said first bearing.

A planetary gear transmission comprising:

• a planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear and a ring gear which are disposed rotatably about a first axis, a plurality of planetary gears which engage said sun and ring gears, a carrier having a radially extending flange and a plurality of carrier pins which are fixed to said flange, for rotatably supporting said planetary gears, and a first gear disposed coaxially with said carrier, for rotation with said carrier about said first axis;
• a second gear disposed rotatably about a second axis parallel to said first axis, and engaging said first gear;
• a third gear disposed rotatably about said second axis and fixed to said second gear;
• a housing in which said planetary gear mechanism is accommodated;
• a differential gear device;
• said second gear and said third gear being disposed in a power transmitting line between said first gear of said planetary gear mechanism and said differential gear device, said second and third gears and said differential gear device being accommodated in said housing;
• said differential gear device including a large-diameter gear disposed rotatably about a third axis parallel to said second axis and engaging said third gear, a pair of small differential gears which rotate with said large-diameter gear about said third axis, a pair of large differential gears engaging said small differential gears, and a pair of drive axles to which said pair of large differential gears are fixed, said drive axles being rotatably supported by said housing via respective bearings,
• said housing including a circumferential wall which extends within said housing, so as to surround a portion of an outer periphery of said second gear on the side of said differential gear device, said housing having a second lubricant passage for directing a lubricant received by said circumferential wall, to one of said second bearings.