Patent ID: 6557877
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: B60T,B62L,B62M

Abstract:
A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a vehicle equipped with a wheel having a hub and an axle about which said hub rotates, said apparatus comprising:first resilient means operatively connected to said wheel and mounted within said hub comprising a spring mounted to rotate about said axle, said spring having a driven end and a driving end; deforming means which when activated causes said first resilient means to resiliently deform with resulting braking of said wheel and which, when de-activated, allows said first resilient means to return to an undeformed state, said first resilient means, when so returning, driving said wheel forward, said deforming means being mounted to rotate about said axle; first ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said wheel and operable to ensure that said driven end of said spring rotates in the same direction as said wheel; second ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said axle and operable to ensure that said driven end of said spring is immovable relative to said axle as said spring returns to an undeformed state; third ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driving end of said spring and said deforming means and operable to ensure that said deforming means rotates no faster than said wheel as said spring returns to an undeformed state; a sleeve mounted to rotate about said axle, said sleeve adapted to rotate between operative and inoperative positions; second resilient means for urging said sleeve to said inoperative position, said sleeve being operatively connected to said third ratcheting means and being caused by said deforming means, upon rotation in one direction, to rotate to said operative position, said sleeve further being connected to said first ratcheting means and causing said first ratcheting means to disengage as said sleeve rotates to said operative position, said second ratcheting means engaging upon disengagement of said first ratcheting means.