A hydrostatic transaxle includes: a casing that is provided with an openable and closable filter insertion port and is filled with hydraulic oil; a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that is arranged inside the casing; a filter holding member that includes a support base that is a hollow cylindrical portion and oil-tightly partitions an inside of a cylinder and an outside of the cylinder, and a filter connection port that is a hollow cylindrical portion extending from a peripheral side surface of the support base and communicating with the inside of the cylinder, the support base communicating the inside of the cylinder to the port, and arranged between the center section and the casing facing the port; and a filter body that is freely inserted to and removed from the casing via the filter insertion port.

A transmission system suitable for operation with a drive machine includes an input shaft for a drive power, at least one output shaft for outputting drive power, a power-split transmission section having at least one variable transmission branch and a mechanical transmission branch, a manual transmission, a transmission system controller, and at least one first and second electric machine for generator and motor operation. The electric machines are electrically connected to one another. The drive power is divided up and conducted by the mechanical and variable transmission branch. An input-coupled, magnetically electric epicyclic gear stage brings together the variable transmission branch and mechanical transmission branch, and is activated by the second electric machine such that the output shaft of the transmission system rotates counter to a direction of rotation at the input shaft to provide a forward and reverse operation of the transmission system.

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 driving apparatus includes: a first power source; a fluid transmission device; a first output shaft for receiving a power transmitted from the fluid transmission device through a first power transmission path and outputting the power to drive wheels of a vehicle; a rotary electric machine connected to the first output shaft and/or the drive wheels, through a second power transmission path; and a control device. When the vehicle is stopped or running at an extremely low speed, with a rotary-electric-machine driving mode being established, the control device is configured, upon determination that a drive request amount is larger than a threshold amount value, to place a direct clutch of the fluid transmission device into an engaged state and to place the first power transmission path into a power transmittable state so as to cause the power of the first power source to be outputted to the first output shaft.

A driving apparatus includes: a first power source; a fluid transmission device; a first output shaft for receiving a power transmitted from the fluid transmission device through a first power transmission path and outputting the power to drive wheels of a vehicle; a rotary electric machine connected to the first output shaft and/or the drive wheels, through a second power transmission path; and a control device. When the vehicle is stopped or running at an extremely low speed, with a rotary-electric-machine driving mode being established, the control device is configured, upon determination that a drive request amount is larger than a threshold amount value, to place a direct clutch of the fluid transmission device into an engaged state and to place the first power transmission path into a power transmittable state so as to cause the power of the first power source to be outputted to the first output shaft.

A vehicle includes a rear steering system and a front differential hydraulic drive system. A first front drive control valve is operable to output a defined fluid flow in response to a steering command input. A second front drive control valve is operable to selectively divert a portion of the defined fluid flow output from the first front drive control valve. When the vehicle is operating in a pre-defined condition, a steering controller may control the second front drive control valve to divert a portion of the defined fluid flow from the first front drive control valve to define a reduced fluid flow, which is communicated to the front differential hydraulic drive system, to reduce a steering ratio of the front differential hydraulic drive system relative to the rear steering system, to desensitize steering provided by the front differential hydraulic drive system.

A vehicle includes a rear steering system and a front differential hydraulic drive system. A first front drive control valve is operable to output a defined fluid flow in response to a steering command input. A second front drive control valve is operable to selectively divert a portion of the defined fluid flow output from the first front drive control valve. When the vehicle is operating in a pre-defined condition, a steering controller may control the second front drive control valve to divert a portion of the defined fluid flow from the first front drive control valve to define a reduced fluid flow, which is communicated to the front differential hydraulic drive system, to reduce a steering ratio of the front differential hydraulic drive system relative to the rear steering system, to desensitize steering provided by the front differential hydraulic drive system.

A method for operating a motor vehicle drivetrain having a transmission connected between a drive aggregate and a drive output, a Power Take-Off (PTO) that can be coupled to the drive aggregate on drive aggregate side to take up drive torque from the drive aggregate. In order to determine the torque taken up by the PTO, the transmission is first shifted to interrupt torque to the transmission output. Thereafter, a defined torque is delivered by the drive aggregate, at least with the PTO coupled to the drive aggregate, and, during this at defined time-points, rotational speeds of a shaft driven by the drive aggregate are determined and from this an angular acceleration of the shaft is determined. A first torque of the shaft is determined from the shaft angular acceleration while the PTO is coupled. Based on the first torque, the torque taken up by the PTO is determined.

A machine with a tool rotor (100) comprising at least two hydraulic motors (112, 122), which are connected to each other and may be connected via at least one inlet conduit (201, 203,) and at least one outlet conduit (202, 204) with a hydraulic source of a machine (200) that carries and/or tows the machine (200) (100) and each hydraulic motor is respectively connected, via a taper roller bearing (111, 123) that supports a respective shaft (104, 107), with a belt drive (102, 103) that drives a shaft (108) of a tool rotor respectively connected to one end of the shaft (108) of the tool rotor (101). At least one distributor is interposed between the hydraulic motors, and remote electronic adjustment of displacement/volume of at least one hydraulic motor is controlled.

A machine with a tool rotor (100) comprising at least two hydraulic motors (112, 122), which are connected to each other and may be connected via at least one inlet conduit (201, 203,) and at least one outlet conduit (202, 204) with a hydraulic source of a machine (200) that carries and/or tows the machine (200) (100) and each hydraulic motor is respectively connected, via a taper roller bearing (111, 123) that supports a respective shaft (104, 107), with a belt drive (102, 103) that drives a shaft (108) of a tool rotor respectively connected to one end of the shaft (108) of the tool rotor (101). At least one distributor is interposed between the hydraulic motors, and remote electronic adjustment of displacement/volume of at least one hydraulic motor is controlled.