Electrical engine firing pulse converter

Abstract

Systems are provided which retard rotation of a driveline at times associated with an engine firing pulse from an engine driving the driveline to reduce torque peaks. In one system, a control monitors rotation of a drive shaft, to provide an indication of when an engine firing pulse should occur. The control selectively closes a switch to power a coil such that the coil retards rotation of the driveline, and generates electricity for use elsewhere. In a second embodiment, circumferentially spaced magnets are mounted on a driveline and move past a coil at a selected circumferential location. The coil resists the rotation of the shaft, retarding torque peaks. The embodiments thus reduce or eliminate imbalances in rotation of the shaft due to engine firing pulses.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.