Patent ID: 7886858

Claim:
A vehicle wheel hub drive system comprising: a hub bearing assembly including a hub spindle; a differential planetary gear drive operatively coupled to said hub bearing assembly to rotationally drive said hub spindle, said differential planetary gear drive including a stationary ring gear, a carrier, and a set of planetary clusters; an electric motor coaxially surrounding said differential planetary gear drive, said electric motor operatively coupled to said differential planetary gear drive to rotationally drive a driving ring gear of said differential planetary gear drive; wherein said stationary ring gear is operatively coupled to a fixed support structure; wherein said carrier supports said set of planetary clusters in engagement with said driving ring gear and said stationary ring gear; wherein said driving ring gear is coupled to a coaxial shaft by a plurality of spokes configured to transfer torque from said driving ring gear to said coaxial shaft; and wherein said coaxial shaft is operatively coupled to said hub spindle.