Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Tomokazu Takeda

Hiroshi Nakayama

Masatoshi Chosa

Shoji Ohta

Mitsuo Kitada

Masahiro Imamura

Yorinori Kumagai

Takashi Hotta

Toshiyuki Yumoto

Masayuki Tamura

Junichi Araki

Toshiyuki Yomoto

A planetary gear transmission comprises a first planetary gear train of double pinion type G1 and second and third planetary gear trains of single pinion type G2 and G3 disposed coaxially and in parallel with one another. In this transmission, a first sun gear S1 is coupled to an input member 11 through a first clutch K1, and a first brake B1 is provided for the purpose of selectively holding the first sun gear S1 against rotation. First and second carriers C1 and C2 and a third ring gear R3 are coupled to one another, and these three elements are coupled to the input member 11 through a second clutch K2, and a second brake B2 is provided for the purpose of selectively holding these three elements against rotation. A first ring gear R1 and a second ring gear R2 are coupled with each other, and a third brake B3 is provided for the purpose of selectively holding these two elements against rotation. Second and third sun gears S2 and S3 are coupled with each other, and these two elements are coupled to the input member 11 through a third clutch K3. A third carrier C3 is directly coupled to an output member 12.

Planetary gear transmission

An engine is disposed in a front portion of an automobile and has a crankshaft extending in a longitudinal direction of the automobile. A transmission is coupled to a rear end of the engine and a final speed reduction gear unit is disposed laterally of the engine and separate from the transmission. The output shaft of the transmission and the input shaft of the final speed reduction gear unit are interconnected by an intermediate transmission shaft. A steering mechanism for turning front wheels of the automobile includes a steering tie rod coupled to the front wheels and disposed downwardly of the intermediate shaft between the transmission and the final speed reducer gear unit. The engine includes a cylinder having an axis inclined from the vertical in a transverse direction of the automobile, the final speed reduction gear unit being disposed on the side of the engine away from which the axis of the cylinder is inclined. The transmission includes an input shaft disposed coaxially with the crankshaft for receiving drive forces from the engine, a countershaft, an output shaft, a transmission mechanism operatively coupled to and disposed between the input shaft and the countershaft, and an output gear train operatively connecting the countershaft and the output shaft and disposed in a portion of the transmission closer to the final speed reduction gear unit.

Drive system for automobile

Juxtaposed motor vehicle engine and transmission power transmitting

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Tomokazu Takeda