The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 13, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 11, 1997
Cesare Mastroianni, Denver, NC (US);
Bernd Greiss, Oakland Township, MI (US);
Ronald G. Flanary, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Martin C. Piedl, Blacksburg, VA (US);
Vectrix Corporation, Newport, RI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle drive assembly with a drivable wheel pivotably connected to a body, about an axis substantially transverse to the body, by first and second swing arms. One of the swing arms houses a motor and includes a heat dissipating member in thermally conductive association with the motor. The heat dissipating member preferably a plurality of cooling fins exposed to ambient air. The motor is housed in an end of the first swing arm opposite the body, and has a shaft that is directly engaged to a transmission within the wheel. The transmission is contained within a gearbox housing that rotates with the wheel and is formed by left and right structural gearbox halves. A wheel rim, configured to carry a tire, is attachable only to the first gearbox half, and can slide over the second half when removed from the gearbox housing, allowing the transmission to remain assembled. The interior of the gearbox housing contains a lubricant, and a vent is formed generally parallel to the motor shaft and extending through the first swing arm. Preferably, the second swing arm is detachable from the transmission while remaining substantially stationary in a direction substantially coaxial with the axle. Also, the transmission preferably includes a planetary gear reduction unit, in which planetary gears are mounted on a gear carrier that is configured to prevent rotation caused by the motor.