Regenerative system including an energy transformer which requires no external power source to drive same

A controllable mount for interconnecting a first member and a second member which undergo relative motion, said controllable mount operating without an auxiliary power source for actively providing assisting forces and comprising:

• a) an energy transformer associated with said controllable mount for transforming kinetic energy from said relative vibratory motion between said first and said second member to an energy in storable form and for releasing said energy in storable form for performing useful work between said first member and said second member to reduce said relative motion;
• b) a spring mounted in parallel spring relation to said energy transformer which functions to support static loads and provide axial, radial, and cocking stiffnesses;
• c) an energy storage element for receiving said energy in storable form from said energy transformer;
• d) a sensor associated with said controllable mount for providing a signal indicative of a force condition of said system;
• e) an energy management element interconnected between said energy transformer and said energy storage element for channeling said energy in storable form to and from said storage element;
• and
• f) a controller responsive said sensor for controlling said channeling of said energy in said storable form to and from said energy storage element such that said energy in said storable form is stored at a first point in time and released during a later point in time without an auxiliary power source for actively driving said energy transformer for providing assisting forces.

A regenerative actuator for interconnecting a first member and a second member which undergo relative motion, said regenerative actuator operating without an auxiliary power source for actively providing assisting and comprising:

• a) an energy transformer including a piston slidably received within an cylinder thus forming two opposed fluid chambers, said energy transformer capable of transforming kinetic energy from said relative motion within a cycle between said first and said second members to a fluid pressure which is an energy in storable form, and for later, within said same cycle, utilizing said energy in storable form for doing useful work to reduce said relative motion;
• b) an energy storage element including an accumulator for storing said energy in storable form captured by said energy transformer;
• c) a sensor for sensing a force condition of said regenerative actuator;
• d) an energy management element including a network of valves for channeling said energy in storable form to and from said energy storage element;
• and
• e) a controller responsive to said sensor for controlling said network of valves such that said channeling of said energy in storable form to and from said energy storage element is controlled such that energy is stored during one portion of the operating cycle and energy is released during a later portion of said operating cycle to provide assisting forces without an auxiliary power source for driving said energy transformer for actively providing assisting forces.