Regenerative braking and driving apparatus

A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a vehicle having a wheel and an axle about which said wheel rotates, said apparatus comprising:

• a spring operatively connected to said wheel and mounted to rotate about said axle, said spring having a driven end and a driving end;
• deforming means which when activated causes said spring to resiliently deform with resulting braking of said wheel and which, when deactivated, allows said spring to return to an undeformed state, said spring, when so returning, driving said wheel forward;
• first ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said wheel and operable to ensure that said driven end of said spring rotates in the same direction as said wheel;
• second ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said axle and operable to ensure that said driven end of said spring is immovable relative to said axle as said spring returns to an undeformed state;
• said deforming means being mounted to rotate about said axle;
• third ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driving end of said spring and said deforming means and operable to ensure that said deforming means rotates no faster than said wheel as said spring returns to an undeformed state;
• a sleeve mounted to rotate about said axle, said sleeve adapted to rotate between operative and inoperative positions;
• second resilient means for urging said sleeve to said inoperative position, said sleeve being operatively connected to said third ratcheting means and being caused by said deforming means, upon rotation in one direction, to rotate to said operative position, said sleeve further being connected to said first ratcheting means and causing said first ratcheting means to disengage as said sleeve rotates to said operative position, said second ratcheting means engaging upon disengagement of said first ratcheting means.

A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a vehicle having a wheel and an axle about which said wheel rotates, said apparatus comprising:

• a spring mounted to rotate about said axle and having a driven end and a driving end;
• said driven end of said spring being operatively connected to said wheel;
• a brake having a drum and a pad, one of said drum and said pad being connected to said driving end of said spring and the other of said drum and pad being connected to said axle;
• and control means for whichever of said drum and pad is connected to said axle, said control means, upon activation thereof, causing said pad and drum to engage one another with resulting braking thereof and resilient deformation of said spring.

A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a bicycle having a wheel and an axle about which said wheel rotates, said apparatus comprising:

• a hub connected to said wheel and rotatable therewith, said axle extending through said hub and around which said hub revolves;
• a spring disposed about said axle within said housing and having a driven end and a driving end;
• a hollow cylinder within said hub and through which said axle extends, said spring revolving around said axle, a ratchet connected to said hollow cylinder,
• a first pawl connected to said housing and engaging said ratchet to define a first ratcheting means,
• a brake having a drum and a pad, one of said drum and said pad being connected to said driving end of said spring and the other of said drum and pad being connected to said axle,
• control means for whichever of said drum and pad is connected to said axle, said control means, upon activation thereof, causing said pad and drum to engage one another with resulting braking thereof and resilient deformation of said spring.

A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a vehicle equipped with a wheel having a hub and an axle about which said hub rotates, said apparatus comprising:

• first resilient means operatively connected to said wheel and mounted within said hub comprising a spring mounted to rotate about said axle, said spring having a driven end and a driving end;
• deforming means which when activated causes said first resilient means to resiliently deform with resulting braking of said wheel and which, when de-activated, allows said first resilient means to return to an undeformed state, said first resilient means, when so returning, driving said wheel forward;
• first ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said wheel and operable to ensure that said driven end rotates in the same direction as said wheel;
• second ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end of said spring and said axle and operable to ensure that said driven end of said spring is immovable relative to said axle as said spring returns to an undeformed state;
• means for causing said second ratcheting means to be engaged when said first ratcheting means is disengaged.

A regenerative braking and driving apparatus for a vehicle having a wheel and an axle about which said wheel rotates, said apparatus comprising:

• a spring operatively connected to said wheel and mounted to rotate about said axle, said spring having a driven end and a driving end;
• deforming means which when activated causes said spring to resiliently deform with resulting braking of said wheel and which, when deactivated, allows said spring to return to an undeformed state, said spring, when so returning, driving said wheel forward;
• first ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end and said wheel and operable to ensure that said driven end rotates in the same direction as said wheel;
• second ratcheting means operatively interconnecting said driven end and said axle and operable to ensure that said driven end is immovable relative to said axle as said spring returns to an undeformed state;
• means for causing said second ratcheting means to be engaged when said first ratcheting means is disengaged.