Abstract: An electric motor operated wheel that contains the electric motor, the batteries and battery carrier, and controller in an area between the rim and hub of the wheel. These components are enclosed by a rotatable disk that spaces the rim from the hub and integrally connects them and a fixed cover disk disposed on the opposite side. The construction is such that the axial width of the wheel driving components is not substantially greater than the width of one of the hub and the rim. The electric motor drives the wheel through a flexible transmitter transmission, including a tensioning mechanism that maintains a tension on the driving belt that is related to the driving load.

Abstract: A mechanism for driving a transporting device having a frame by at least one of human force and a mechanical driving source, comprises a first part (2, 4, 5) rotated relative to the frame by human force and a second part (17 or 18) rotated relative to the frame by driving the mechanical driving source. An outer ring (13), an inner ring (8) and spoke members (11, 12) are integrally formed with a resiliently deformable material so as to connect the first part and the second part. A first permanent magnet (23)and a second permanent magnet (24) are provided on the outer ring, in such a manner that reed switches provided on the frame senses the angular displacement between the first magnet (23) and the second magnet (24) and each revolution of the first magnet (24) and the second magnet (23). The mechanical driving source in response to the signals which relate to the revolutions and angular displacement and are generated by the reed sensors, are controlled by a controller.