Regenerative energy transfer system

A compressed fluid medium system for recapturing kinetic energy not used in driving a mechanical output means driven by a hydraulic transmission assembly, said compressed fluid medium system comprising:

• (a) fluid medium compressing means for compressing fluid medium from a continuous supply of fluid medium,
• (b) hydraulic fluid drive motor means for driving said fluid medium compressing means,
• (c) diverting means for directing hydraulic transmission fluid from said transmission assembly to said drive motor means,
• (d) said diverting means including means to control said hydraulic transmission fluid in an amount proportional to the kinetic energy not used for driving said mechanical output means by said transmission assembly,
• (e) said drive motor means being effective to produce stored amounts of compressed fluid medium by operating said fluid medium compressing means during operation of said compressed fluid medium system, and
• (f) energy conversion means is connected to the hydraulic transmission assembly to convert the stored amounts of compressed fluid medium to produce kinetic energy therefrom and operate said mechanical output means on demand.

A compressed air system for storing energy not used in driving a mechanical output means hydraulically driven by a hydraulic fluid transmission assembly, said compressed air system comprising:

• (a) reservoir means for storing compressed air,
• (b) means for compressing air from a continuous supply of air for said reservoir means,
• (c) hydraulic drive means for operating said air compressing means, and
• (d) diverting means for directly moving hydraulid fluid not used to drive said mechanical output means away from said transmission assembly to said hydraulic drive means,
• (e) said hydraulic drive means being effective to operate said air compressing means causing amounts of compressed air to be stored in said reservoir means in proportion to the amount of hydraulic fluid being directed thereto by said diverting means,
• (f) means connected to the transmission assembly for converting said stored amounts of the compressed air to hydraulic fluid energy is directed from said compressed air system to said hydraulic fluid transmission assembly to recapture the kinetic energy of said diverting unused hydraulic fluid from said stored amounts of compressed air.

In a hydraulic driven system having a hydraulic transmission assembly including means for directing hydraulic fluid to a mechanical output means, a compressed fluid medium system comprising:

• (a) fluid medium compressor means for compressing fluid medium from a continuous supply of fluid medium,
• (b) hydraulic fluid drive means for operating the compressor means, and
• (c) diverting means for directing hydraulic fluid not used to drive said mechanical output means away from said hydraulic fluid transmission assembly to said hydraulic fluid drive means,
• (d) said drive means being effective to produce stored amounts of compressed fluid medium from said continuous supply by said fluid medium compressor in proportion to the amount of hydraulic fluid being diverted from said hydraulic fluid transmission assembly,
• (e) energy conversion means is connected to said transmission assembly to boost the hydraulic fluid in said hydraulic fluid transmission assembly with fluid medium from said stored amounts of said compressed fluid medium.

In a hydraulic drive system having a hydraulic fluid transmission assembly including means for directing hydraulic fluid to a mechanical output means, a compressed air system comprising:

• (a) means for storing energy,
• (b) diverting means for directing the amount of hydraulic fluid not used to drive said mechanical output means away from said hydraulic fluid directing means to said compressed air system,
• (c) said energy storing means including hydraulic drive means connected to said hydraulic fluid diverting means to receive said unused hydraulic fluid for introducing an amount of energy proportional to the diverted amount of hydraulic fluid into said compressed air system from a continuous source of air, and
• (d) means for directing energy from said energy storing means back to said hydraulic fluid transmission assembly.

A method of using energy in an energy output system having a main power source, an energy transmission system and a mechanical output, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating kinetic energy with the main power source,
• (b) transmitting a first portion of said kinetic energy sufficient to drive the mechanical output under operating conditions,
• (c) diverting a second portion of said kinetic energy not used in driving said mechanical output to an energy storing means,
• (d) storing said second portion in the energy storing means until it is required for use, said storing step includes compressing fluid medium with said second portion of kinetic energy from a continuous supply of fluid medium to produce stored amounts of compressed fluid medium which provides a source from which energy may be recovered on demand,
• (e) recovering energy from said second portion on demand, and
• (f) reintroducing the energy in the recovering step into said energy output system.