Patent ID: 7472546

Claim:
A regenerative braking system for a work machine, said work machine having a drive system for driving said work machine and a hydraulic system for operating said work machine, said hydraulic system powered by a main hydraulic pump, said regenerative braking system comprising: a ground driven hydraulic pump coupled to said drive system, said ground driven hydraulic pump being configured to absorb shaft power from said drive system by converting said shaft power into a hydraulic flow, and said ground driven hydraulic pump also being configured to provide said shaft power to said drive system by converting said hydraulic flow into said shaft power; and a hydraulic circuit fluidly coupled to said ground driven hydraulic pump, wherein said hydraulic circuit is configured to selectively: receive and store an energy from said drive system via said ground driven hydraulic pump; transmit said energy back to said drive system via said ground driven hydraulic pump; and direct said hydraulic flow from said ground driven hydraulic pump to said hydraulic system when an output of said main hydraulic pump drops below a desired level.