Patent ID: 8798828

Claim:
A kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism for a powered vehicle such as an automobile, bus, truck, rail vehicle or other similar powered vehicles, the powered vehicle including a driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ) coupling an internal combustion engine ( 227 ) and a transmission ( 17 , 217 ) to a final drive mechanism ( 16 , 262 ) which is coupled via one or more axles ( 20 , 260 ) to one or more wheels ( 29 , 226 ), the driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ) and axles ( 20 , 260 ) axially arranged in a horizontal orientation; the kinetic energy recovery and drive mechanism comprising: a pancake format, large diameter motor ( 11 , 211 ) having a stator in a stator housing ( 14 , 214 ) and a rotor ( 10 , 110 , 210 ) having a rotor shaft ( 12 , 212 ) rotatable about a vertical axis; and a right angle gearbox ( 216 ) mounted such that the right angle gearbox housing ( 18 , 218 ) is fixedly coupled to the stator housing ( 14 , 214 ); the pancake format, large diameter motor ( 11 , 211 ) further being mounted so that the axis of rotation of the rotor shaft ( 12 , 212 ) is oriented substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular relative to the driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ) of the vehicle so that a diameter of the motor ( 11 , 211 ) extends in a plane substantially parallel to the driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ); and the right angle gearbox ( 216 ) being affixed to or integral with the stator housing ( 14 , 214 ) of the pancake format motor ( 11 , 211 ) and including a right angle bevel gearset ( 239 ) that engages the vertical rotor shaft ( 12 , 212 ) to the horizontal driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ) to enable the perpendicular transmission of drive from the vertical rotor shaft ( 12 , 212 ) to the horizontal driveshaft ( 21 , 234 ) of the vehicle; thereby enabling the pancake format large diameter motor ( 11 , 211 ) to be mounted in the vehicle driveline for a low center of gravity and with minimal encroachment on vehicle interior space or ground clearance.