Power transmission system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle

Claim 2

In a power transmission system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle, having a main transmission and a sub-transmission operatively connected to an input shaft of the main transmission, the main transmission having a gearshift lever, a shifter arm operatively connected to the gearshift lever, and shifter rail arms selectively engageable with the shifter arm for selecting one of speed gears of the main transmission, the sub-transmission including reduction gear trains and a clutch operable to select the transmitting speeds for transmitting the output of an engine to the input shaft, and a transfer device for transmitting the output of the main transmission to auxiliary drive wheels of the vehicle, the transfer device including a transfer clutch, the improvement comprising: an ultra-low speed position provided in a shift pattern of the gearshift lever, for selecting a low speed gear by combining a first speed of the main transmission and a low speed range of the sub-transmission; first means responsive to the movement of the gearshift lever to the ultra-low speed position for providing the first speed of the main transmission; second means responsive to said movement of the gearshift lever for operating the clutch of the sub-transmission to provide the low speed range of the sub-transmission; third means responsive to said movement of the gearshift lever for operating the transfer clutch to engage it so as to provide four-wheel drive, whereby an ultra-low speed with four-wheel drive is established.

Claim 3

In a power transmission system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle, having a main transmission with its output drivingly connected to main drive wheels of the vehicle and a sub-transmission operatively connected to an input shaft of the main transmission, the main transmission having a gearshift lever moveable in a shift pattern, a shifter arm operatively connected to the gearshift lever, and shifter rail arms selectively engageable with the shifter arm for selecting respective speeds of speed gears of the main transmission, the sub-transmission including reduction gear trains and a clutch operable to select transmitting speeds, including a low speed range of the sub-transmission for transmitting the output of an engine to the input shaft of the main transmission, and a transfer device including a transfer clutch for selectively transmitting the output of the main transmission to auxiliary drive wheels of the vehicle for providing four-wheel drive, the improvement comprising: an ultra-low speed position provided in the shift pattern of the gearshift lever for selecting a low speed gear by combining a first speed of the main transmission and the low speed range of the sub-transmission; first means including an engaging portion projected from the shifter rail arm for the first speed of the main transmission, the engaging portion being disposed so as to engage with the shifter arm for providing the first speed of the main transmission when the shifter arm is moved by moving the gearshift lever to the ultra-low speed position; second means including another arm operatively connected to the gearshift lever, and another engaging portion operatively connected to the sub-transmission for providing the low speed range of the sub-transmission by said another arm operatively engaging said another engaging portion when said gearshift lever is moved to the ultra-low speed position; third means including a switch disposed so as to be operated by the movement of the gearshift lever to the ultra-low speed position, a vacuum operated actuator for engaging the transfer clutch, and response means responsive to operation of the switch for operating the vacuum operated actuator, whereby an ultra-low speed with four-wheel drive is established.

Claim 4

In a power transmission system for a four-wheel drive motor vehicle, having a main transmission with its output drivingly connected to main drive wheels of the vehicle and a sub-transmission operatively connected to an input shaft of the main transmission, the main transmission having a gearshift lever moveable in a shift pattern, a shifter arm operatively connected to the gearshift lever, and shifter rail arms selectively engageable with the shifter arm for selecting respective speeds of speed gears of the main transmission, the sub-transmission including reduction gear trains and a clutch operable to select transmitting speeds, including a low speed range of the sub-transmission for transmitting the output of an engine to the input shaft of the main transmission, and a transfer device including a transfer clutch for selectively transmitting the output of the main transmission to auxiliary drive wheels of the vehicle for providing four-wheel drive, the improvement comprising: an ultra-low speed position provided in the shift pattern of the gearshift lever for selecting a low speed gear by combining a first speed of the main transmission and the low speed range of the sub-transmission; first means including an engaging portion projected from the shifter rail arm for the first speed of the main transmission, the engaging portion being disposed so as to engage with the shifter arm for providing the first speed of the main transmission when the shifter arm is moved by moving the gearshift lever to the ultra-low speed position; second means including another arm operatively connected to the gearshift lever, and another engaging portion operatively connected to the sub-transmission for providing the low speed range of the sub-transmission by said another arm operatively engaging said another engaging portion when said gearshift lever is moved to the ultra-low speed position; third means including a switch disposed so as to be operated by the movement of the gearshift lever to the ultra-low speed position, a vacuum operated actuator for engaging the transfer clutch, and response means responsive to operation of the switch for operating the vacuum operated actuator, whereby an ultra-low speed with four-wheel drive is established.

Claim 5

The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said ultra-low speed position is adjacent a position for the first speed in the shift pattern.

Claim 6

The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said third means includes an additional arm operatively connected to said gearshift lever, a slide formed with a notch, a spring-biased ball releasably engaging in said notch so as to position said slide, and said additional arm engages said slide so as to move said slide releasing said ball from said notch such that said slide operates an actuating rod of said switch when said gearshift lever is moved to the ultra-low speed position.

Claim 7

The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said shifter arm and said another arm are substantially 180 degrees apart and said additional arm is disposed substantially 90 degrees apart.

Claim 8

The system as set forth in claim 5, further comprising a shifter rod operatively connected to said gearshift lever, said shifter arm, said another arm and said additional arm radially extend from said shifter rod.

Claim 9

The system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a 4WD switch connected to said response means for operating said acuator to provide four-wheel drive independent of operation of said first-mentioned switch.

Claim 10

The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said response means is a solenoid-operated valve communicating with a vacuum accumulator.

Claim 11

The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said vacuum accumulator communicates with an intake passage of the engine to provide vacuum.

Claim 12

The system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising another lever operatively connected to the clutch of the sub-transmission via a rod, and said another engaging portion projects from said rod.