Patent ID: 8397501

Claim:
An automotive air blower, comprising: an air pump connected to an output shaft of a transmission system, an input shaft of the transmission system being connected, in use, to an engine of a motor vehicle, the input and output shafts being connected to first and second branches, respectively, of a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset, the third branch of the gearset and the input shaft being connected to a rotor of respective electrical machines, one of the electrical machines being a motor/generator and another of the electrical machines operating at least as a generator, the electrical connections of stators of the electrical machines being connected together via a controller arranged to control the flow of electric power between the electrical machines, wherein a selectively engageable and disengageable mechanical connection between two of the branches of the gearset is provided and configured to connect the two branches together such that the gearset will rotate as a single unit, the mechanical connection comprising a rotary shaft and a selectively engageable and disengageable clutch.