A hydraulic transaxle facilitates mounting a parking brake unit which requires no link mechanism and is compact. The parking brake unit includes a brake rotor provided on a rotation shaft and a locking member being displaceable between a first position where the brake rotor is locked and a second position where the brake rotor is unlocked. The locking member includes a locking portion which is engaged in a recess formed in the brake rotor that locks the brake rotor in the first position, and a non-locking portion which is placed at a position corresponding to the recess and which separates from the brake rotor in the second position. The hydraulic transaxle further includes an oil-supply mechanism capable of displacing the locking member to the second position.

A micro-traction drive unit according to the present invention includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, a retainer, a micro-traction drive case and a power-transmitting shaft coaxial with the inner ring and incapable of relative rotation around an axis to the retainer. An opposite end of the power-transmitting shaft from the inner ring forms an input end operatively connected to a driving source. An input end of the pump shaft is detachably connected to a central hole of the inner ring in a state incapable of relative rotation around the axis via the access opening of the micro-traction drive case by connecting the micro-traction drive case to the HST case so as to surround the input end of the pump shaft of the HST.

A micro-traction drive unit according to the present invention includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a plurality of rolling elements, a retainer, a micro-traction drive case and a power-transmitting shaft coaxial with the inner ring and incapable of relative rotation around an axis to the retainer. An opposite end of the power-transmitting shaft from the inner ring forms an input end operatively connected to a driving source. An input end of the pump shaft is detachably connected to a central hole of the inner ring in a state incapable of relative rotation around the axis via the access opening of the micro-traction drive case by connecting the micro-traction drive case to the HST case so as to surround the input end of the pump shaft of the HST.

A hydrostatic transmission includes a pump running surface and a motor running surface connected by internal porting formed in a housing member. A valve is disposed in the housing and connects a sump formed by the housing and the internal porting. A trunnion includes a first arm engaged to a swash plate to rotate the swash plate to vary the output of the pump, and a second arm which rotates with the first arm, the second arm having an operative end that is capable of opening the valve to permit a hydraulic connection between the internal porting and the sump through the valve bore when the trunnion is rotated to a predetermined position.

A hydrostatic transmission includes a pump running surface and a motor running surface connected by internal porting formed in a housing member. A valve is disposed in the housing and connects a sump formed by the housing and the internal porting. A trunnion includes a first arm engaged to a swash plate to rotate the swash plate to vary the output of the pump, and a second arm which rotates with the first arm, the second arm having an operative end that is capable of opening the valve to permit a hydraulic connection between the internal porting and the sump through the valve bore when the trunnion is rotated to a predetermined position.

A power split gearbox with a secondary coupling and a drive range has an adjusting unit (13), where its position control valve (15) interacts with the cylinder (14) in such a way that, during a de-energized condition of the position control valve (15), the cylinder (14) adjusts the second hydraulic unit (9) so that the unit has a zero stroke volume.

A power split gearbox with a secondary coupling and a drive range has an adjusting unit (13), where its position control valve (15) interacts with the cylinder (14) in such a way that, during a de-energized condition of the position control valve (15), the cylinder (14) adjusts the second hydraulic unit (9) so that the unit has a zero stroke volume.

A hydrostatic transmission is configured to realize a braking operation in which at least one adjustable traction motor, which acts as a pump, is supported via a closed circuit on an adjustable axial piston pump, which acts as a motor, and which in turn is supported on an internal combustion engine. Since overspeeding of the latter should be avoided, a control unit adjusts the pivot angle of the pump in accordance with a characteristic map which represents a relationship between a setting force and a pressure difference of two working lines of a closed circuit, a pump rotational speed, and the pivot angle. Thus, characteristic-map-based pilot control of the pivot angle of the pump is possible and feedback of the present pivot angle is omitted.

A hydrostatic transmission is configured to realize a braking operation in which at least one adjustable traction motor, which acts as a pump, is supported via a closed circuit on an adjustable axial piston pump, which acts as a motor, and which in turn is supported on an internal combustion engine. Since overspeeding of the latter should be avoided, a control unit adjusts the pivot angle of the pump in accordance with a characteristic map which represents a relationship between a setting force and a pressure difference of two working lines of a closed circuit, a pump rotational speed, and the pivot angle. Thus, characteristic-map-based pilot control of the pivot angle of the pump is possible and feedback of the present pivot angle is omitted.

A hydrostatic transmission for a traction drive includes a variable-displacement pump and one or more motors coupled to one another in a closed hydraulic circuit. A braking operation is introduced into the traction drive via the hydrostatic transmission, and is controlled in closed-loop fashion by an electronic control unit. A braking torque is controlled in closed-loop fashion indirectly by a swept volume of the secondary unit, for which purpose one or two closed-loop controllers are provided.