Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Masae Takamizawa

Sadanori Nishimura

Tomoaki Ishikawa

Kichiji Misawa

Masato Mukainakano

Shigenobu Kan

A continuously variable hydraulic transmission operatively interconnects a transmission mechanism and a clutch mechanism. The hydraulic transmission includes an oil pump having an inlet port and an outlet port and a transmission ratio control member such as a swash plate which is displaceable for varying the transmission ratio between a higher-speed position, a lower-speed position, and a neutral position, an oil motor having an inlet port and an outlet port and drivable by the oil pump, a first oil passage hydraulically interconnecting the outlet port of the oil pump and the inlet port of the oil motor, a second oil passage hydraulically interconnecting the inlet port of the oil pump and the outlet port of the oil motor, a housing accommodating the oil pump, the oil motor, the first oil passage, and the second oil passage, and an oil passage control unit for selectively bringing the first oil passage into and out of hydraulic communication with the second oil passage. The oil passage control unit is fully accommodated in the housing and actuatable by the transmission ratio control member to bring the first and second oil passages into hydraulic communication with each other only when the transmission ratio control member is near the neutral position.

Hydraulic transmission for motor vehicle

A control lever assembly for a self-propelled lawn mower including a first control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting a first clutch operatively coupled between a prime mover and wheels, a second control lever for selectively connecting and disconnecting a second clutch operatively coupled between the prime mover and a grass-cutting blade, and an engagement element mounted on the second control lever and engageable with the first control lever to cause the second control lever to be moved in a direction to connect the second clutch when the first control lever is moved in a direction to connect the first clutch. The control lever assembly also includes a mechanism for moving the engagement element between an operative position in which the engagement element is engageable with the first control lever and an inoperative position in which the engagement element is held out of engagement with the first control lever. With this arrangement, the lawn mower can be propelled while stopping the blade at rest against rotation as desired.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Masae Takamizawa