RIM MOTOR

The rim motor described in this invention incorporates an electric motor attached to the inside of a vehicle tire rim. The motor has a narrow cylindrical pancake shape fixed outer housing with a large diameter hollow rotating drive shaft in the center attached to a vehicle wheel tire rim hub extending racially from the bolting face to the outer rim spokes. From the fixed outer housing of the motor extends a structural arm that is connected to the wheel suspension arm or to any part of the vehicle wheel mounting structure to keep the motor from turning. The inner hollow shaft of the said motor attached to the rim hub then rotates the rim and drives the vehicle wheel. In-wheel motors, to date, that are installed on an existing vehicle, require the redesign of the wheel components around the motor, and have to incorporate a different brake mount and a new bearing/shaft arrangement. In this invention an electric motor arranged on a tire rim can be fitted to a vehicle using standard bolt hole ...