Patent ID: 7279818

Claim:
A drive system, comprising: a torque converter system receiving a rotational input having a first torque from a source and producing a rotational output having a second torque, the torque converter comprising: a flywheel rotatable about a first axis, the flywheel including a first body portion, a first plurality of magnets mounted in the first body portion, each of the first plurality of magnets extending along a corresponding radial axial direction with respect to the first axis, and a second plurality of magnets mounted in the first body portion, each of the second plurality of magnets being located between a corresponding adjacent pair of the first plurality of magnets, the flywheel receiving the rotational input having the first torque; and a generator disk rotatable about a second axis, the generator disk including a second body portion, and a third plurality of magnets within the second body portion magnetically coupled to the first and second pluralities of magnets upon rotation of the flywheel and generator disk, the generator disk coupled to produce the rotational output having the second torque; a generator system coupled to the rotational output of the torque converter system to produce electrical and rotational outputs; a transfer system having a first portion coupled to the rotational output of the generator system and a second portion magnetically coupled to the first portion to produce a rotational motion; and a mechanical output system coupled to the rotational motion of the transfer system.