Patent ID: 7611305

Claim:
A method for slowing a vehicle traveling over a movable surface in a direction of travel, the vehicle having a first wheel and at least a second wheel offset from the first wheel in a direction opposite to the direction of travel, the method comprising: deploying the movable surface to an open position; moving the movable surface to a closed position due to the weight exerted on the movable surface by the first wheel of the vehicle as it travels over the movable surface to convert at least a portion of a kinetic energy of the vehicle into stored potential energy to slow the vehicle; locking the movable surface in the closed position to while the first wheel travels over the movable surface to prevent the stored potential energy from being transferred back to the vehicle; and redeploying the movable surface to the open position such that at least the moving can be repeated due to the weight exerted on the movable surface by the second wheel of the vehicle.