Hub motor arrangement or vehicle with hub motor arrangement
A ride-on vehicle, such as for a child, includes a vehicle body and one or more wheels that support the vehicle body relative to a surface. At least one of the wheels includes a hub motor arrangement that provides a drive torque for propelling the vehicle. The hub motor arrangement includes a housing defining an interior space. An axle or other mounting element(s) define an axis of rotation of the housing. Preferably, the axle or other mounting element(s) do not pass completely through the housing. A motor drives the housing through a transmission. Preferably, the motor is a standard, compact motor that is positioned on the axis of rotation and can be laterally offset from a central plane of the housing. In some embodiments, a traction element is carried directly by the housing.
1. A hub motor arrangement, comprising:
a housing defining an interior space and an axis of rotation;
a first lateral support member positioned at least partially within the interior space of the housing;
a second lateral support member positioned at least partially within the interior space of the housing and spaced from the first lateral support member along the axis of rotation;
a plurality of connecting shafts extending between the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member;
a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being a double spur gear supported on a respective one of the plurality of connecting shafts;
a motor;
a sun gear driven by the motor and that drives a first gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears;
a ring gear driven by a second gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears, wherein the ring gear drives the housing for rotation about the axis of rotation; and
an axle defining the axis of rotation of the housing, wherein a first end portion of the axle is located outside of the interior space of the housing and a second end portion of the axle is located within the interior space of the housing such that the axle does not pass completely through the housing.
2. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the motor has a first end portion located outside of the interior space of the housing and a second end portion located within the interior space of the housing.
3. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the housing is supported for rotation relative to the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member by a first bearing and a second bearing, respectively.
4. The hub motor arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the second bearing surrounds the motor.
5. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the second lateral support member defines a pocket and the motor is positioned within the pocket.
6. The hub motor arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the first lateral support member defines a space and the second end portion of the axle is positioned within the space.
7. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of planet gears is positioned between the axle and the motor along the axis of rotation.
8. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of connecting shafts overlap both the axle and the motor along the axis of rotation.
9. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the ring gear is a separate component from the housing.
10. The hub motor arrangement of claim 9 , wherein one of the ring gear and the housing defines a plurality of protrusions and the other of the ring gear and the housing defines a plurality of recesses that receive the protrusions to drivingly engage the ring gear and the housing.
11. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of planet gears is three planet gears.
12. The hub motor arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of connecting shafts is three connecting shafts.
13. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a traction element that contacts the surface on which the vehicle is operated, wherein the traction element is carried directly by the housing.
14. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the housing defines a central plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the motor is offset from the central plane along the axis of rotation.
15. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein a number of the plurality of planet gears equals a number of the plurality of connecting shafts.
16. The hub motor arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of connecting shafts define a circle having a diameter, and wherein the motor defines an outer peripheral surface that is located within the diameter.
17. A hub motor arrangement, comprising:
a housing portion defining an interior space and an axis of rotation;
a first lateral support member;
a second lateral support member spaced from the first lateral support member along the axis of rotation;
a plurality of connecting shafts extending between the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member;
a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being a double spur gear supported on a respective one of the plurality of connecting shafts;
a motor occupying a portion of the axis of rotation;
a sun gear driven by the motor and that drives a first gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears; and
a ring gear driven by a second gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears, wherein the ring gear drives the housing portion for rotation about the axis of rotation,
wherein the first lateral support member defines a pocket and the motor is positioned within the pocket.
18. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the housing portion is supported for rotation relative to the plurality of connecting shafts by a plurality of bearings, each supported by a respective one of the plurality of connecting shafts.
19. The hub motor arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the number of the connecting shafts equals the number of the bearings.
20. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the number of the planet gears is less than the number of the connecting shafts.
21. The hub motor arrangement of claim 20 , wherein the number of planet gears is equal to one-half the number of connecting shafts.
22. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the ring gear is integrated with the housing portion.
23. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , further comprising a traction element that contacts the surface on which the vehicle is operated, wherein the traction element is carried directly by the housing portion.
24. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the housing portion defines a central plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the motor is offset from the central plane along the axis of rotation.
25. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the first lateral support member defines at least one recess positioned adjacent the motor, wherein the at least one recess includes an opening passing through the first lateral support member to provide access to the motor.
26. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein each of the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member defines a mounting portion for mounting the hub motor arrangement to an associated vehicle, wherein the first and second lateral support members are stationary with respect to the associated vehicle and the housing portion rotates relative to the first and second lateral support members.
27. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of connecting shafts define a circle having a diameter, and wherein the motor defines an outer peripheral surface that is located within the diameter.
28. The hub motor arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the motor is positioned entirely within the pocket.
29. A hub motor arrangement, comprising:
a housing portion defining an interior space and an axis of rotation;
a first lateral support member;
a second lateral support member spaced from the first lateral support member along the axis of rotation;
a plurality of connecting shafts extending between the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member;
a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being a double spur gear supported on a respective one of the plurality of connecting shafts;
a motor occupying a portion of the axis of rotation;
a sun gear driven by the motor and that drives a first gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears; and
a ring gear driven by a second gear portion of each of the plurality of planet gears, wherein the ring gear drives the housing portion for rotation about the axis of rotation,
wherein each of the first lateral support member and the second lateral support member defines a mounting portion for mounting the hub motor arrangement to an associated vehicle, wherein the first and second lateral support members are stationary with respect to the associated vehicle and the housing portion rotates relative to the first and second lateral support members.
30. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , wherein the first lateral support member defines a pocket and the motor is positioned within the pocket.
31. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , further comprising an axle defining the axis of rotation of the housing, wherein a first end portion of the axle is located outside of the interior space of the housing and a second end portion of the axle is located within the interior space of the housing such that the axle does not pass completely through the housing.
32. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , wherein the associated vehicle comprises a scooter.
33. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , wherein the ring gear is integrated with the housing portion.
34. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , further comprising a traction element that contacts the surface on which the vehicle is operated, wherein the traction element is carried directly by the housing portion.
35. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , wherein the housing portion defines a central plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the motor is offset from the central plane along the axis of rotation.
36. The hub motor arrangement of claim 29 , wherein the plurality of connecting shafts define a circle having a diameter, and wherein the motor defines an outer peripheral surface that is located within the diameter.