Patent ID: 6508324
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: B60K,B62M,F01B,Y02T,Y10S

Abstract:
A vehicle powered by a regenerative pneumatic propulsion system, comprising:a vehicle including a chassis and a plurality of spaced rotatably mounted wheels; at least one pneumatic powered motor supported upon an axle assembly of the vehicle; the axle assembly structure having an elongated and hollow configuration, with an outer wall structure establishing, at least in part, an interior volume, the axle assembly further arranged with a rotatable tubular drive member having portions disposed within the outer wall structure and operatively coupled to be driven by the pneumatic powered motor to cause a rotating of the tubular drive member; the axle assembly further arranged with a plurality of filtered air intake ports to enable filtered ambient air to enter the interior volume of the axle assembly; at least one rotatably mounted wheel coupled to the tubular drive member of the axle assembly to rotate therewith for propelling the vehicle; a plurality of radial compressor units mounted to the axle assembly and operatively coupled to the tubular drive member of the axle assembly so that as the tubular drive member rotates, each compressor unit may be enabled causing a drawing of filtered air from the interior volume of the axle assembly, and producing pressurized air at an air outlet port of the compressor unit; at least one pneumatic reservoir tank structured to accept the pressurized air from the air outlet port so as to increase a volume of pressurized air available in a reservoir tank to propel the vehicle; and means to enable an operator of the vehicle to couple a selected and adjustable flow of pressurized air from a reservoir tank to a pneumatic powered motor to thereby enable the operator to propel and operate the vehicle.