A vehicle axle assembly includes an axle housing and a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly includes a carrier housing and a differential assembly that includes a ring gear arranged in meshing engagement with a pinion gear. The gears are urged away from one another by separation forces during torque transfer. The carrier housing includes a curved wall circumscribed by a mounting flange as well as a plurality of integrally formed and parallel spaced apart gussets interconnecting the curved wall and the mounting flange. The gussets extend in a direction parallel to the gear separation forces to resist bending of the carrier housing. Other features increasing the structural rigidity of the one-piece carrier housing are discussed.

A housing member for a power transmission device connected to a driving source via a torque converter housed in the housing member includes a torque converter side mating face closer to the torque converter. The torque converter side mating face has a single-wall structure and a double-wall structure, wherein two adjacent fastening regions are connected circumferentially by a wall in the single-wall structure, and wherein two adjacent fastening regions are connected circumferentially by each of two walls in the double-wall structure. The torque converter side mating face includes: an upper half region in which the double-wall structure has a greater proportion in area than the single-wall structure; and a lower half region in which the double-wall structure has a less proportion in area than the single-wall structure.

A housing member for a power transmission device connected to a driving source via a torque converter housed in the housing member includes a torque converter side mating face closer to the torque converter. The torque converter side mating face has a single-wall structure and a double-wall structure, wherein two adjacent fastening regions are connected circumferentially by a wall in the single-wall structure, and wherein two adjacent fastening regions are connected circumferentially by each of two walls in the double-wall structure. The torque converter side mating face includes: an upper half region in which the double-wall structure has a greater proportion in area than the single-wall structure; and a lower half region in which the double-wall structure has a less proportion in area than the single-wall structure.

A steering apparatus and an all-terrain vehicle are provided. The steering apparatus comprises a housing provided with a circumferential movement limiting part; an input shaft disposed in the housing; an output shaft disposed in the housing and being in transmission coupling with the input shaft, wherein the output shaft is movable axially in an axial direction of the output shaft in the housing; and a circumferential movement limiting member disposed on the output shaft and being in fit with the circumferential movement limiting part for limiting circumferential movement.

A steering apparatus and an all-terrain vehicle are provided. The steering apparatus comprises a housing provided with a circumferential movement limiting part; an input shaft disposed in the housing; an output shaft disposed in the housing and being in transmission coupling with the input shaft, wherein the output shaft is movable axially in an axial direction of the output shaft in the housing; and a circumferential movement limiting member disposed on the output shaft and being in fit with the circumferential movement limiting part for limiting circumferential movement.

Axle assembly includes first and second axle housings extending toward opposing sides of a vehicle frame with the axle housings aligned to define an axle axis, first and second wheel ends, first and second drive shafts disposed within the first and second axle housings, a gearbox having a first surface facing one side of the vehicle frame and a second surface facing the other side of the vehicle frame with the gearbox cantilevered outwardly relative to the aligned axle housings to define a gearbox axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame and transverse to the axle axis, and an electric motor coupled to the second surface of the gearbox and extending toward the first side of the vehicle frame to define a motor axis that is parallel to and offset from the axle axis, transverse to the gearbox axis, and transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Axle assembly includes first and second axle housings extending toward opposing sides of a vehicle frame with the axle housings aligned to define an axle axis, first and second wheel ends, first and second drive shafts disposed within the first and second axle housings, a gearbox having a first surface facing one side of the vehicle frame and a second surface facing the other side of the vehicle frame with the gearbox cantilevered outwardly relative to the aligned axle housings to define a gearbox axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame and transverse to the axle axis, and an electric motor coupled to the second surface of the gearbox and extending toward the first side of the vehicle frame to define a motor axis that is parallel to and offset from the axle axis, transverse to the gearbox axis, and transverse to the longitudinal axis.

A gear unit includes a housing having a lower part and a cover part, e.g., fitted onto the lower part, and an output shaft and a driving shaft. The lower part includes a first support, a second support, a base plate, and side walls. Each side wall is connected, e.g., welded, the first and second supports. The first support is a closed annular structure, e.g., a closed ring. The second support is an open annular structure, e.g., an open ring. A first bearing, e.g., a double bearing, for rotatably supporting the output shaft is received in the base plate. A second bearing for rotatably supporting the output shaft is received in the bearing receiving part. The base plate is connected, e.g., welded, to the second support and to the bearing receiving part.

A gear unit includes a housing having a lower part and a cover part, e.g., fitted onto the lower part, and an output shaft and a driving shaft. The lower part includes a first support, a second support, a base plate, and side walls. Each side wall is connected, e.g., welded, the first and second supports. The first support is a closed annular structure, e.g., a closed ring. The second support is an open annular structure, e.g., an open ring. A first bearing, e.g., a double bearing, for rotatably supporting the output shaft is received in the base plate. A second bearing for rotatably supporting the output shaft is received in the bearing receiving part. The base plate is connected, e.g., welded, to the second support and to the bearing receiving part.

Each of a differential carrier and a differential retainer of a differential housing includes a bearing attachment portion, a flange portion, and a mount portion. The flange portion of the differential carrier and the flange portion of the differential retainer are fastened to each other via a plurality of through-holes provided in at least either one of the flange portion of the differential carrier and the flange portion of the differential retainer. At least either one of the differential carrier and the differential retainer includes a plurality of reinforcement rib portions provided on an outer wall side of the at least either one of the differential carrier and the differential retainer, the reinforcement rib portions extending from the position of the bearing attachment portion toward the positions of some of or all of the through-holes and the mount portion.