Transverse axle automatic transmission

• US 4,366,724 A
• Filed: 06/02/1980
• Issued: 01/04/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohtsuka, Kunio, Iwanaga, Kazuyoshi, Yamamori, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Herrmann, Allan D.
• Application Number:
  US06/155,258
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 74/701, 74/467
• US Class Current: 74/467
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/04 characterised by arrangement, location, or kind of gearing electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02043 for vehicle transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/02047 Automatic transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/037 Gearboxes for accommodating differential gearings rotating cases for differential gearings F16H48/40
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/038 Gearboxes for accommodating bevel gears F16H57/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0421 on or within the casing, e.g. shields or baffles for collecting lubricant, tubes, pipes, grooves, channels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0493 Gearings with spur or bevel gears differentials with spur or bevel gears F16H57/0483
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19991 Lubrication

Abstract

The present invention concerns an automatic transaxle wherein connecting passages between an oil pan and a final gear chamber are arranged at a higher level, being formed in the bottom portion of a transmission chamber wall above the oil pan. The transmission chamber also communicates with the final gear chamber. Oil flows between the final gear chamber and oil pan only through the connecting passages so that the oil level in the oil pan will not drop below the level of an oil intake port.

Claims

1. A transaxle comprising:

a transaxle case including a first portion defining a transmission chamber and a second portion defining a final gear chamber;

means cooperating with said transaxle case for defining an opening providing an oil flow path between said transmission chamber and said final gear chamber; and

an oil pan attached to said transaxle case to form a substantially closed oil chamber, said oil pan enclosing an oil intake port leading to an oil pump;

said first portion of said transaxle case including a wall portion defining a part of said substantially closed oil chamber, said wall portion having apertures which provide an oil flow path between said substantially closed oil chamber and said transmission chamber so that oil in said substantially closed oil chamber is allowed to enter said final gear chamber only via the apertures of said wall portion, said transmission chamber and said opening.

2. A transaxle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apertures of said wall portion are connecting passages, said connecting passages and said oil intake port are arranged and located such that the minimum angle from horizontal defined by a line connecting the opposite outer edges of said connecting passages and said intake port is greater than 20°

so as to insure that said intake port is submerged under all driving conditions of a vehicle to which the transaxle is adapted to be mounted, regardless of the inclination of the oil surface in said oil pan.