# US 2019/0168620 A1 · Integrated wheel assemblies using motor and speed reducer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168620 A1 - Document ID: US20190168620A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/829,838 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: Divergent Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Divergent Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: John Russell BUCKNELL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168620A1 ## CPC - B60L 58/10: for monitoring or controlling batteries - B60G 3/18: with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram - B60G 3/20: all arms being rigid - B60K 7/0007: {the motor being electric} - B60K 17/043: {Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel} - B60K 17/14: the motor of fluid or electric gearing being disposed in, or adjacent to, traction wheel - B60T 1/065: {employing disc (B60T1/062 takes precedence)} - B62K 5/01: Motorcycles with four or more wheels (specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/003) - B62L 1/005: {constructional features of brake elements, e.g. fastening of brake blocks in their holders} - B62L 3/00: Brake-actuating mechanisms {(for back-pedalling brakes B62L5/00)}; Arrangements thereof - F16H 7/02: with belts; with V-belts - B60G 2204/182: Electric motor on wheel support - B60G 2300/122: Trikes - B60G 2300/124: Quads - B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion - B60K 16/00: Arrangements in connection with power supply of propulsion units in vehicles from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind (electric propulsion with power supply from forces of nature, e.g. sun or wind, B60L8/00; wind motors specially adapted for installation on vehicles F03D9/32) - B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor} - B60K 2007/0053: {the motor moving relative to the vehicle body and to the wheel axle} - B60K 2007/0061: {the motor axle being parallel to the wheel axle} - B60K 2016/003: {solar power driven} - B60L 2200/22: Microcars, e.g. golf cars - B60L 2220/46: Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel - B60Y 2200/112: City movers, small sized city motor vehicles - B62K 2204/00: Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/90: Energy harvesting concepts as power supply for auxiliaries' energy consumption, e.g. photovoltaic sun-roof - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B62K: CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDECARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE - B62L: BRAKES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES {(arrangements in cycles for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions B60T8/00)} - F16H: GEARING - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Wheel assembles using integrated motors and speed reducers for electric vehicles are disclosed for providing improved structural efficiency. A wheel assembly may include a motor for providing power to a wheel, a leading or trailing type or similar suspension link, a caliper mounted to the suspension link and configured to engage a friction brake rotor on the wheel, and a synchronous belt mounted off-axis for implementing speed reducing. In certain embodiments, the respective components of the wheel assembly are nested to fit into a minimal volume. In other embodiments, the wheel assembly includes a motor that is not nested and that is configured to supply power to the wheel via a belt and pulley system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a wheel support structure; a motor having an output coupled to the wheel support structure; and a synchronous belt connecting the motor output off-axis to the wheel support structure to match wheel and motor speeds, wherein the synchronous belt is configured to slow wheel rotation in response to directional reversal of torque of the motor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further coupled to a suspension link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the suspension link comprises a leading link type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, wherein the leading link type comprises a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) linkage. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, wherein the linkage is one bar of a four bar linkage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The assembly of claim 5, wherein the linkage has 2 degrees of freedom (DOF) relative to the vehicle by being connected to the leading link via a spherical joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein kinetic energy recovered from the directional reversal of torque of the motor produces electric current stored in the battery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor is configured to add or subtract rotational energy to or from the wheel using an energy storage device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises an electric motor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the energy storage device is an electric battery. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The assembly of claim 9, wherein the electric motor comprises a radial flux motor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a braking mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12, wherein the braking mechanism comprises a friction brake, the friction brake having a brake caliper mounted on the linkage and configured to engage a friction brake rotor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor output is coupled to the wheel support structure via a speed reducing transmission. ### Claim 15 (depends on 3) The assembly of claim 3, wherein one or more components use a nested packaging configured to enable assembly of: the motor to the linkage; the synchronous belt to the wheel support structure; and wheel fasteners to the wheel. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the wheel support structure comprises at least one bearing, a spindle, an axle hub and a mounting flange. ### Claim 17 An apparatus, comprising: a wheel; a motor configured to mobilize the wheel; a suspension link coupled to the motor; and a braking mechanism comprising a brake caliper coupled to the suspension link and configured to engage a friction brake rotor mounted on the wheel for providing a brake force to the wheel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the brake caliper comprises a hydraulic brake caliper. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a synchronous belt connecting the motor off-axis to the wheel to match wheel and motor speeds, wherein the synchronous belt is configured to slow wheel rotation in response to directional reversal of torque of the motor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the motor is configured to add or subtract rotational energy to or from the wheel using an energy storage device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the suspension link comprises a leading link suspension link. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a speed reducing transmission coupled between an output of the motor and the wheel. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the motor is coupled via a belt to an axle of the wheel using a pulley. ### Claim 24 A wheel assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a wheel; a radial flux motor configured to mobilize the wheel; a leading type suspension link coupled to the motor; and a brake caliper coupled to the suspension link and configured to engage a friction brake rotor mounted on the wheel for providing a brake force to the wheel.