Mazda Motor Corporation

Hideaki Akahoshi

Osamu Kameda

Hitoshi Akutagawa

Naomune Moriyama

Masaki Kadokura

Mitsuji Echigo

A structure of vehicle power train having an engine situated lengthwise in a vehicle and a transmission disposed in the side of the engine in parallel comprises a front differential unit, which distributes a power outputted from the transmission to right and left front wheels, disposed in front of transmission in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and between the engine output shaft and transmission output shaft in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. The centroid of the power train is positioned to the rear of the front wheels and accordingly, a load on the front wheels is reduced without lengthening a wheel base. By disposing the power train to the front of the transmission, the passenger compartment is widened. The overall height and length of the power train in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is decreased, and the power train becomes compacted. Since the front differential unit is positioned almost center in the widthwise direction of the vehicle, a front axle shaft is formed symetrically and securing the torque transmission to front right wheel and front left wheel can be accomplished.

Structure of vehicle power train

A power train includes a transmission disposed in a transverse direction of a vehicle, in which an engine crankshaft extends. The power train has a wheel drive shaft, disposed in alignment with a transmission shaft, a front differential, having differential output shafts aligned with the transmission shaft, and a speed reduction gear, disposed between the transmission shaft and differential input shaft. The speed reduction gear has an input gear, having an axis of rotation placed parallel to the transmission shaft. The transmission shaft is one of input shaft and output shaft, having axes of rotation which are placed parallel to the engine crankshaft. The wheel drive shaft and differential output shaft are aligned with the one of the transmission input and output shafts. The speed reduction gear, connected to the one of the transmission input and output shafts, is preferably parallel to both of the transmission input and output shafts.

Growing community of inventors

Hiroshima, Japan

Hideaki Akahoshi