Wheel mounting assembly

Claim 1

A wheel mounting assembly for a wheel having a wheel hub including a wheel carrier by which said wheel may be operatively mounted on a motor vehicle comprising: a bearing assembly comprising an inner bearing ring and an outer bearing ring rotatably mounting said wheel relative to said wheel carrier with said outer bearing ring being affixed to said wheel carrier; a universal joint including an inner and an outer joint member each defining an axis of rotation for connecting said wheel hub in driving engagement with a drive shaft; said wheel hub, said inner bearing ring and said outer joint member being formed as a single unitary part; grooves formed in said inner and said outer joint member having torque transmitting balls engaged therebetween, said grooves being formed so that said grooves in said outer joint memver extend from an end thereof facing said wheel hub without increase in the distance thereof from the axis of rotation of said outer joint member, and said grooves in said inner joint member extend from an end thereof from the axis of rotation of said inner joint member; a supporting element located oppoiste said one end of said grooves supporting said torque transmitting balls in said grooves; with said grooves of said inner joint member and of said outer joint member being arranged in such a way that a connecting line extending between the center of the radius of curvature of said grooves and the center of said balls encloses together with the axis of rotation of the respective joint member in which said grooves are formed an angle ω which equals or is smaller than 85°.