Patent ID: 7621360
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: B60K,B60L

Abstract:
1. A drive unit for a floor trolley, with at least one steered wheel ( 1 ) attached to a vehicle chassis ( 3 ) such that the at least one steered wheel ( 1 ) can swivel about an essentially vertical swivel axis ( 2 ), a drive motor ( 4 ) with a drive shaft ( 5 ) being arranged coaxially with the swivel axis ( 2 ), the drive motor ( 4 ) being drivingly connected with the at least one wheel ( 1 ) via a gear system ( 10 ), the drive motor ( 4 ) end the gear system ( 10 ) being mounted in a common housing ( 16 ) which comprises a lower housing portion ( 16 a ) and an upper housing portion ( 16 b ) which are joined together by mechanical fasteners ( 18 ), and which is mounted to rotate on the vehicle chassis ( 3 ) via at least one roller bearing ( 19 ) located between the drive motor ( 4 ) and the gear system ( 10 ) such that the gear system ( 10 ) is located primarily below the at least one roller bearing ( 19 ), the lower housing portion ( 16 a ) containing both the drive motor ( 4 ) and the gear system ( 10 ) and completely enclosing the gear system ( 10 ) and forming a hub for the steered wheel ( 1 ), and at least one of the lower housing portion ( 16 a ) and the upper housing portion ( 16 b ) having a drawbar connection ( 20 ) formed integrally therewith by which the entire common housing ( 16 ), including the steered wheel ( 1 ), swivels about the swivel axis ( 2 ) relative to the chassis ( 3 ) with the drawbar connection ( 20 ) being located vertically above the gear system ( 10 ), and the drawbar connection ( 20 ) having an arm extending radially from the swivel axis ( 2 ), at a location closely adjacent the drive motor ( 4 ) and the at least one bearing ( 19 ), such that the arm of the drawbar connection ( 20 ) is offset from the swivel axis ( 2 ).