Transaxle for midship transversely mounted engine

A transaxle for a drive system of a vehicle, the vehicle having a set of front wheels and a set of rear wheels adapted to be driven from a midship engine transversely mounted with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, said transaxle comprising:

• transmission means, connected to the engine and having a main shaft, for transferring drive torque to said main shaft, said main shaft extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and having a first gear fixed thereto;
• a differential mechanism connected to said main shaft to receive drive torque for differential action between each of the rear wheels, said differential mechanism being disposed rearwardly of said main shaft with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, said differential mechanism including a differential case fixedly carrying an externally toothed ring gear;
• a transfer case disposed forwardly of said main shaft with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• and
• an idler shaft, extending in parallel with said main shaft, having one end fixed to a second gear in mesh with said first gear and an opposite end fixed to a third gear in mesh with said ring gear.

A transaxle for a drive system of a vehicle, the vehicle having a set of front wheels and a set of rear wheels adapted to be driven from a midship engine transversely mounted with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, said transaxle comprising:

• transmission means, connected to the engine and having a main shaft, for transferring drive torque to said main shaft, said main shaft extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• a differential mechanism connected to said main shaft to receive drive torque for differential action between each of the rear wheels, said differential mechanism being disposed rearwardly of said main shaft with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• a transfer case disposed forwardly of said main shaft with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle;
• said transmission means including a transmission casing, said transfer case including a transfer housing, said transmission casing and said transfer housing cooperating with each other to define an opening, said transfer housing being disposed forwardly of said transmission casing with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle,
• said transmission means also including a transmission casing cover secured to said transmission casing and said transfer housing and closing said opening,
• wherein said transfer housing cooperates with a portion of said transmission casing to define a first bore having a first end opposed to said transmission casing cover and a second end opposite said first end, which is closed,
• said transfer housing having an extended portion formed with a second bore having a first end which is open and a second end, opposite said first end, which communicates with said first bore,
• wherein said transfer case includes a first transfer cover detachably mounted to said transfer housing and said portion of said transmission casing to close said first end of said first bore, said first transfer cover including means for reducing by a predetermined volume a space defined between said first end of said first bore of said transfer housing and said transmission cover.

A transaxle for a drive system of a vehicle having a longitudinal axis, a set of front wheels and a set of rear wheels adapted to be driven from a midship engine transversely mounted with respect to said longitudinal axis, said transaxle comprising:

• a) transmission means connected to said engine and including a main shaft, a rear wheel drive gear attached to said main shaft, and a front wheel drive gear attached to said main shaft, said main shaft being transversely disposed relative to said longitudinal axis;
• b) an idler shaft transversely disposed relative to said longitudinal axis and aft of said main shaft, said idler shaft including means to engage said rear wheel drive gear;
• c) a transfer input shaft transversely disposed relative to said longitudinal axis and forward of said main shaft, said transfer input shaft including means to engage said front wheel drive gear;
• d) rear differential means for driving said rear wheels, said rear differential means being connected to and driven by said idler shaft;
• e) front differential means for driving said front wheels, said front differential means being connected to said transfer input shaft by means of a propeller shaft which is disposed longitudinally between said front differential means and a transfer output shaft, said transfer output shaft engaging said transfer input shaft in an approximately perpendicular manner by means of a bevel gear arrangement;
• f) whereby said propeller shaft passes from said transfer output shaft to said front differential means without passing under or over any other part of said transaxle, and clearance between a road surface and said propeller shaft is maximized.