Claims
- 1. A power system comprising:
an engine having a crankcase and a vertical output shaft; and a pump unit having a housing fixed to said engine crankcase and including at least one hydrostatic pump operatively coupled to said engine output shaft, said hydrostatic pump having fluid ports through which said pump unit is placed in fluid communication with at least one hydrostatic motor located outside said pump unit housing.
- 2. The power system of claim 1, wherein said engine crankcase and said pump unit housing are integral.
- 3. The power system of claim 1, wherein said pump unit housing is detachably fixed to said engine crankcase forming a first level module, and said first level module comprises a plurality of said pump units, each said pump unit having a different number of said hydrostatic pumps.
- 4. The power system of claim 3, further comprising a transmission unit directly fixed to said first level module and comprising a hydrostatic motor in fluid communication with each said pump unit, and wherein said first level module and said transmission unit form a second level module.
- 5. The power system of claim 4, wherein said transmission unit is a transaxle unit having an axle supported therein and coupled to at least one said motor.
- 6. The power system of claim 5, wherein said axle is a single solid axle.
- 7. The power system of claim 5, wherein said axle is a split axle having two portions, each said portion of said axle coupled to a different said hydrostatic motor.
- 8. The power system of claim 1, further comprising a transaxle unit having a casing detachably fixed to said pump unit housing, at least one hydrostatic motor disposed in said casing and an axle coupled to said motor, said hydrostatic motor having fluid ports through which said motor is in fluid communication with said hydrostatic pump, and wherein said first level module and said transaxle unit form a second level module.
- 9. The power system of claim 8, wherein said axle is a single solid axle.
- 10. The power system of claim 8, wherein said axle is a split axle having two portions, each said portion of said axle coupled to a different said hydrostatic motor.
- 11. The power system of claim 8, wherein said axle is a split axle having two portions, said portions being driven by a differential, said differential operatively coupled to said motor.
- 12. The power system of claim 8, wherein said pump unit is one of a plurality of said pump units, each said pump unit having a different number of said hydrostatic pumps, and said transaxle unit is one of plurality of transaxle units, each said transaxle unit having a different number of said hydrostatic motors, each said motor being in fluid communication with a said pump.
- 13. A lawn and garden implement comprising:
a frame; a handle mounted to said frame; a power system mounted within said frame including:
an engine having a crankcase and a vertical output shaft; and a pump unit having a housing fixed to said engine crankcase and including at least one hydrostatic pump operatively coupled to said engine output shaft; at least one hydrostatic motor located outside said pump unit housing, said hydrostatic pump having fluid ports through which said pump unit is placed in fluid communication with said hydrostatic motor; and a wheel operatively connected to said hydrostatic motor.
- 14. The implement of claim 13, further comprising a transaxle unit having a casing detachably fixed to said pump unit housing, said at least one hydrostatic motor disposed in said casing, and an axle coupled to said motor, wherein a said wheel is attached to each end of said axle.
- 15. The implement of claim 14, wherein said axle is a single solid axle.
- 16. The implement of claim 14, wherein said axle is a split axle having two portions, each said portion of said axle coupled to a different said hydrostatic motor.
- 17. The implement of claim 14, wherein said power system is a first level module, said first module and said transaxle unit forming a second level module.
- 18. A method of manufacturing a power system for an implement, comprising:
selecting one of a plurality of engines, each engine having a crankcase and a vertical output shaft; selecting a pump unit from a plurality of pump units, each said pump unit having a housing; connecting the pump unit and the engine at a first facility through the operative engagement of the vertical output shaft and the pump unit; and attaching the pump unit housing to the engine crankcase at the same facility, thereby forming a first level module.
- 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
selecting a transaxle unit having at least one motor and a housing; connecting the motor to the pump unit simultaneously with connecting the pump unit to the engine; and attaching the transaxle unit housing to the pump unit housing simultaneously with attaching the pump unit housing to the engine crankcase at the same facility.
- 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
selecting a transaxle unit having at least one motor and a housing; connecting the motor to the pump unit after the pump unit has been connected to the engine to form the first level module; and attaching the transaxle unit housing to the first level module forming a second level module.
- 21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:
shipping the first level module to a second facility; selecting a transaxle unit having at least one motor and a housing; connecting the motor to the pump unit after the formation of the first level module; and attaching the transaxle unit housing to the first level module forming a second level module.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of United States Provisional Application No. 60/298,971, filed Jun. 18, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60298971 |
Jun 2001 |
US |