Patent ID: 7932652

Claim:
An electric drive wheel assembly ( 20 ) for a vehicle, said assembly ( 20 ) comprising; a non-rotating spindle ( 26 ) having a first end ( 28 ) for attachment to the vehicle and a second end ( 30 ) spaced from said first end ( 28 ) along a rotational axis (R), an electric motor ( 22 ) concentric with said spindle ( 26 ) and including a stator ( 34 ) surrounding and secured to said spindle ( 26 ) and a rotor ( 36 ) concentric with said stator ( 34 ) and rotatable about said rotational axis (R) relative to said stator ( 34 ), said stator ( 34 ) and said rotor ( 36 ) extending a predetermined axial distance (D) along said rotational axis (R), a wheel drive ( 52 ) rotatably supported by said spindle ( 26 ) for rotation about said rotational axis (R), a rotor support ( 40 ) rotatably supported on said spindle ( 26 ) and extending to said electric motor ( 22 ) for rotatably supporting said rotor ( 36 ) for rotation about said rotational axis (R), and a gear reduction system mechanically interconnecting said rotor support ( 40 ) and said wheel drive ( 52 ) for transmitting rotational movement of said rotor ( 36 ) to said wheel drive ( 52 ), said gear reduction system and said wheel drive ( 52 ) being at least partially disposed within said predetermined axial distance (D); said assembly ( 20 ) characterized by said rotor support ( 40 ) having a radially extending flange ( 44 ) disposed within said predetermined axial distance (D).