Direct drive braking system including an integrated package bearing

A package wheel bearing hub for use in a vehicle wheel assembly that includes a brake rotor, comprising:

• a wheel bearing hub;
• a mounting portion supported by the wheel bearing hub for connection to a vehicle frame;
• and
• a rotatable wheel mounting portion supported by the wheel bearing hub for rotation, wherein the wheel mounting portion includes a wheel mounting flange with a surface for attachment to the vehicle wheel and a disc brake rotor mounting flange for engagement with the brake rotor,
• wherein the wheel bearing hub and the disc brake rotor mounting flange are integrally constructed as one piece and the disc brake rotor mounting flange has a shoulder with shoulder tabs formed therein defining a plurality of blank slots between adjacent shoulder tabs having a bottom wall configured to connect with the brake rotor,
• a fastener means for coupling a plurality of rotor tabs of the disc brake rotor to the slots of the disc brake rotor mounting flange of the package wheel bearing hub to provide radial movement between the brake rotor tabs and the disc brake rotor mounting flange to accommodate thermal expansion, wherein the fastener means includes a bridge connected at opposite ends across a slot of the disc brake rotor mounting flange, and
• wherein each radially oriented surface of the rotor tabs of the brake rotor and shoulder tabs of the disc brake rotor mounting flange directly contact one another, and wherein the disc brake rotor mounting flange and the wheel mounting flange are substantially coplanar.

A vehicle wheel hub and bearing assembly comprising:

• a single disc brake rotor having a braking surface and an attachment flange, wherein the attachment flange has a plurality of rotor tabs;
• a mounting portion supported by the wheel bearing hub for connection to a vehicle frame;
• a wheel bearing hub having a wheel mounting flange and a disc brake rotor mounting flange with a surface for attachment to a disc brake rotor, wherein the disc brake rotor mounting flange has a shoulder with shoulder tabs for engagement with the rotor tabs, and the wheel bearing hub and disc brake rotor mounting flange are integrally constructed as one piece;
• and
• a fastener means for coupling the attachment flange of the disc brake rotor to the disc brake rotor mounting flange of the wheel bearing hub to provide radial movement between the attachment flange and the mounting flange to accommodate thermal expansion, wherein the fastener means includes a bridge and fastener, the fastener fastening the bridge to clamp over the rotor tabs and securing the rotor tabs between the shoulder tabs, and
• wherein each radially oriented surface of the rotor tabs and shoulder tabs directly contact one another, and wherein the disc brake rotor mounting flange and the wheel mounting flange are substantially coplanar.