Vehicle drive system with energy recovery system and vehicle mounting same
First Claim
1. An energy recovery drive system comprising:
- at least one power storage device;
a motor driving a driven shaft;
an at least one energy recovery device coupled to said driven shaft such that said motor continually turns said driven shaft and operates said energy recovery device; and
a selectively engageable drive mechanism driven by said driven shaft.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drive system with at least one power storage device and at least one motor intermittently energized and de-energized through coupling to the at least one power storage device. The drive having at least one weighted drive member coupled to the at least one motor. An at least one energy recovery device returns energy to the at least one power storage device when the motor is energized or when the motor is de-energized by intermittently engaging the at least one drive member. The system also comprises a drive unit coupled to said at least one weighted drive member such that the motor drives the at least one weighted drive member which in turn drives the drive train wherein when the at least one weighted drive member is disengaged from the drive train. The motor can remain in an energized state or become de-energized and energy recovery through the at last one energy recovery device can continue to return energy to the power storage device so long as the weighted drive member is driven.
71 Citations
170 Claims
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1. An energy recovery drive system comprising:
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at least one power storage device;
a motor driving a driven shaft;
an at least one energy recovery device coupled to said driven shaft such that said motor continually turns said driven shaft and operates said energy recovery device; and
a selectively engageable drive mechanism driven by said driven shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A vehicle with an energy recovery drive system comprising:
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a vehicle frame;
a drive support assembly coupled to and being movable relative to said frame;
an at least one electric motor coupled to said drive support assembly;
at least one power storage device coupled to said frame and coupled to said motor;
a driven shaft driven by said motor;
an at least one energy recovery device coupled to said driven shaft and turning at all times said driven shaft is turning; and
a drive unit selectively driven by said at least one motor and driving an at least one set of wheels. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 47)
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20. A drive system comprising:
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at least one power storage device;
at least one motor intermittently energized and de-energized through coupling to the at least one power storage device;
at least one weighted drive member coupled to the at least one motor;
an at least one energy recovery device returning energy to the at least one power storage device when the motor is energized;
a drive unit coupled to said at least one weighted drive member such that the motor drives the at least one weighted drive member which in turn drives the drive train wherein when the at least one weighted drive member is disengaged from the drive train, the motor remains in an energized state and at least one energy recovery device continues to return energy to the power storage device so long as the weighted drive member is driven. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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48. A drive system comprising:
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at least one power storage device;
at least one motor intermittently energized and de-energized through coupling to the at least one power storage device;
at least one weighted drive member coupled to the motor;
an at least one energy recovery device returning energy to the at least one power storage device when the motor is de-energized and the weighted drive member is moving;
a drive unit coupled to said at least one weighted drive member such that the motor drives the at least one weighted drive member which in turn drives the drive unit and when the drive unit is disengaged from the drive unit the motor remains in an energized state and is disengaged from contact with the weighted drive member. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76)
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75. The drive system of 65, wherein the at least one energy recovery device further comprises a third energy recovery device for recovering energy from the drive unit when the drive unit is moving.
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77. A drive system comprising:
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a drive support carriage providing support for an at least one power source;
at least one weighted drive member that is intermittently engaged with a transmission unit;
at least one energy recovery device coupled to the motor and driven simultaneously with the weighted drive member. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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125. A method of driving a transmission unit comprising the steps of:
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providing energy to a power source from an at least one power storage device, energizing a weighted drive member with said motor;
energizing an energy recovery device with said weighted drive member;
engaging a control input to activate a controller; and
driving the transmission with said weighted drive member in response to the activation of the controller, wherein the weighted drive member returns energy to the at least one power storage device while the weighted drive member is energized. - View Dependent Claims (126, 127, 128, 129, 130)
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131. A drive system comprising:
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at least one power storage device;
a motor support carriage with a motor assembly, the motor assembly including at least one motor coupled to the at least one power storage device, wherein the motor is initially de-energized and the motor becomes energized when coupled to the power storage device;
a weighted drive member driven by the motor and intermittently engaging a transmission unit; and
at least one energy return device coupled to the at least one power storage device and intermittently engaged when the motor is de-energized.
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132. The drive system of 131, further comprising a switch coupled between the at least one power storage device and the motor, wherein the switch de-energizes and energizes the motor.
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133. The drive system of 132, wherein the switch is coupled to a control input.
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134. The drive system of 133, wherein the control input is coupled to a controller that is coupled to the motor and the controller activates the motor in response to input from the control input.
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135. The drive system of 134, wherein in response to engaging the control input the motor is energized by the controller.
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136. The drive system of 131, further comprising a clutch device between the weighted drive member and the transmission unit.
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137. The drive system of 138, wherein the clutch device further comprises a clutch member that rests between the weighted drive member and a torque plate.
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138. The drive system of 137, wherein the torque plate is intermittently engaged with the transmission unit.
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139. The drive system of 138, further comprising a controller and a control input, wherein signals from the control input activates the controller, which engages and disengages the clutch device.
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140. The drive system of 138, further comprising a controller and a control input and an additional control input, wherein signals from the control input activate the clutch device and signals from the additional control input disengages the clutch device.
- 141. The drive system of 136, wherein the clutch device is one of a mechanical, a hydrostatic, or an electrical.
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142. The drive system of 135, wherein the controller provides a delay to allow the motor to spin up the weighted drive member to a specified rotational speed before engaging the traction member.
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143. The drive system of 131, wherein the motor is one of an electric, a hydraulic, or an internal combustion motor.
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144. The drive system of 143, wherein the motor is a DC electric motor.
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145. The drive system of 143, wherein the motor is an internal combustion engine.
- 146. The drive system of 131, further comprising a motor support carriage comprising a frame, at least one set of support rails and at least one set of support members.
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148. The drive system of 147, wherein the drive assembly is supported on the least one set of support rails with the at least one set of support members.
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149. The drive system of 148, wherein the drive assembly transitions freely in the horizontal direction relative to the transmission unit to control the speed of the vehicle.
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150. The drive system of 149, further comprising a transitioning motor coupled to the drive assembly to transition the assembly.
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151. The drive system of 150, wherein the horizontal motion and placement of the drive assembly relative to the transmission unit determines the speed of the drive system and is controlled by a controller coupled to a control input.
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152. The drive system of 151, wherein the at least one energy recovery device comprises a first energy recovery device mounted on a motor support plate within the motor assembly.
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153. The drive system of 152, wherein the first energy recovery device remains in contact with the weighted drive wheel at a set distance from a center-point of the weighted drive member.
- 154. The drive system of 153, further comprising a second energy recovery device.
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155. The drive system of 154, wherein the second energy recovery device is driven directly from the motor.
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156. The drive system of 154, wherein the second energy recovery device is driven by a gearbox that is driven directly from the motor.
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157. The drive system of 155, wherein the second energy recovery device is engaged also while the motor is energized.
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158. The drive system of 154, wherein the first energy recovery device is mounted on the motor support carriage.
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160. The drive system of 158, wherein first energy recovery device includes a tractive wheel that moves over the top of the weighted drive wheel as the wheel returns to its starting position.
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161. The drive system of 154, wherein both energy recovery devices can be operated simultaneously with the motor.
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163. The drive system of 154, wherein the first energy recovery device is free to move horizontally relative to the weighted drive member.
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164. The drive system of 162, wherein the first energy recovery device engages a shaft extending from the motor.
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165. A method of driving a transmission:
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providing energy to a power source from at least one power storage device;
engaging a control input to activate a controller;
energizing a weighted drive member with said motor;
engaging and driving the transmission with said weighted drive member in response to the activation of the controller;
disengaging the driving of the transmission in response to a signal from the controller;
energizing an energy recovery device with said weighted drive member; and
returning energy to the at least one power storage device while the weighted drive member is disengaged from the transmission and slowed. - View Dependent Claims (166, 167, 168, 169)
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Specification