Patent ID: 6712166
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: B60K,B60T,F16D,Y02T

Abstract:
An energy management system operable in three modes of operation including a driving mode to drive a drive shaft of a vehicle, a retarding mode to retard said drive shaft of the vehicle and a neutral mode to have no driving or retarding influence on said drive shaft, said system comprising an energy accumulator operable to store and release energy through receipt and release of fluid, a pump in fluid communication with said energy accumulator, a reservoir of fluid in communication with said pump, and a coupler adapted to couple said pump to said drive shaft, whereby in said retarding mode of said system, said drive shaft drives said pump to pump fluid to said energy accumulator, and whereby in said driving mode of said system, said energy accumulator releases fluid to drive said pump which drives said drive shaft, and whereby in said neutral mode of said system, said pump is inoperative to exert any driving or retarding influence on said drive shaft, the system further including at least one sensor adapted to provide input signals indicative of selected system parameters including vehicle ground speed, and a controller incorporating a microprocessor adapted to regulate the modes of operation of said pump and said accumulator in response to said input signals.