Patent ID: 7458433

Claim:
A drive unit assembly for a vehicle wheel comprising: a gear drive comprising an epicycloid gear reduction that defines a gear drive axis, said gear drive having at least a first gear component and a second gear component, said second gear component being driven by said first gear component and being attachable to a wheel to drive the wheel about an axis of rotation; an electric motor including a motor output shaft that is non-concentric with said gear drive axis and is coaxial with the axis of rotation wherein said motor output shaft is operably coupled to said gear drive to provide a driving input to the wheel, and wherein said motor output shaft rotates at a first rotational speed and the wheel rotates at a second rotational speed less than said first rotational speed; said first gear component comprising a non-rotating ring gear and said second gear component comprising a drive gear that defines said gear drive axis and is in driving engagement with said ring gear, said drive gear operably coupled to said motor output shaft to receive driving input and operably coupled to the wheel to provide driving output; and a chain and sprocket drive interconnecting said motor output shaft and said drive gear.