Transaxle for zero-turn vehicle

摘要

A transaxle (10) includes an output shaft (11) to be drivingly connected to one of right and left drive wheels (2R, 2L) of a vehicle (100), a transaxle housing supporting the output shaft (11) laterally, a drive train (8) disposed in the transaxle housing (12) so as to drive the output shaft (11), and a motor (20, 120, 62, 70) externally mounted onto the transaxle housing (12). A motor shaft (25, 65) of the motor (20, 120, 62, 70) is disposed at one end thereof in the transaxle housing (12) so as to be drivingly connected to the output shaft (11) via the drive train (8). A pair of first and second housing halves (13a, 13b) are joined to each other at a plane (V) perpendicular to the output shaft (11) so as to constitute the transaxle housing (12). Each of the first and second housing halves (13a, 13b) is formed from an original housing half (13) formed by a mold, so that the original housing half (13) can be further formed into either the first or second housing half (13a, 13b) regardless of whether or not the original housing half (13) is vertically and laterally reversed. One of the first and second housing halves (13a, 13b) has the output shaft (11) projecting outward therefrom. One of the first and second housing halves (13a, 13b) has the motor (20, 120, 62, 70) mounted thereon. The transaxle (10) can serve as either a right transaxle (10R) supporting a right output shaft (11R) to be drivingly connected to the right drive wheel (2R) of the vehicle (100) or a left transaxle (10L) supporting a left output shaft (11R) to be drivingly connected to the left drive wheel (2L) of the vehicle (100) depending on whether the transaxle (10) is vertically and laterally reversed or not.