US Patent 7617892 Utility vehicle

A utility vehicle comprises: a cargo; an engine disposed under the cargo, the engine including a fore-and-aft crankshaft; a lateral axle disposed under the cargo; a hydrostatic transmission (a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor) disposed under the cargo so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle; and a mechanical transmission (e.g., a planetary gear mechanism) disposed under the cargo so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle. The mechanical transmission includes a transmission shaft disposed in parallel to the axle. The hydrostatic transmission and the mechanical transmission are laterally juxtaposed. Therefore, the utility vehicle is minimized while ensuring a sufficiently large capacity of the cargo.