# US 8,464,821 B2 · Regenerative braking system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,821 B2 - Document ID: US8464821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/024,742 - Filed: 2011-02-10 - Published: 2011-08-18 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-12 - Applicants: Marc Charles Gravino - Inventors: Marc Charles Gravino - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464821B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/10: by means of a chargeable mechanical accumulator, e.g. flywheel - B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60L 50/30: using propulsion power stored mechanically, e.g. in fly-wheels - B60T 1/10: by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors - B60W 10/184: with wheel brakes - B60W 10/24: including control of energy storage means - B60W 30/18127: {Regenerative braking} - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A regenerative braking system is provided. The regenerative braking system includes at least one energy storage medium operably connected to a coupler. The coupler is operable to selectively couple and decouple the energy storage medium with a drive train of motor vehicle, or an electric generator, or a combination of both. A control arrangement governs the operation of the coupler. A sensor of the control arrangement is operable to determine information relating to the relative deceleration and acceleration of the motor vehicle and send said information to the controller. The controller is operable to determine the amount of energy storage medium or mediums to be coupled to the drive train via the coupler. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A regenerative braking apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one spring in mechanical communication with a drive train of the motor vehicle; a coupler configured to selectively couple and decouple the at least one spring with the drive train; and a control arrangement including a controller and a sensor for sensing an acceleration and a deceleration of the motor vehicle, and the controller operable to operate the coupler such that the at least one spring is compressed by the coupler when the sensor senses the deceleration and the at least one spring is decompressed when the sensor senses the acceleration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupler moves in a first direction to compress the at least one spring, and a second direction opposite the first direction when the at least one spring is decompressed, and wherein the coupler is mechanically coupled between the at least one spring and a drive shaft of the drive train such that movement of the coupler in the second direction results in rotation of the drive shaft by the coupler. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the coupler is mechanically coupled between the at least one spring and the drive train, and between an electric generator, wherein movement of the coupler in the second direction results in rotation of the electric generator to generate electricity and a rotation of the drive shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one spring includes a plurality of springs independently compressible and decompressible from one another by the coupler, wherein the control arrangement is operable select predetermined ones of the plurality of springs to match a braking requirement, and wherein the coupler is operable to simultaneously compress the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control arrangement is operable to select predetermined compressed ones of the plurality of springs based on an acceleration requirement, and wherein the coupler is operable to unlock the predetermined compressed ones of the plurality of springs to mechanically transfer energy to the drive shaft. ### Claim 6 A regenerative braking apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising: at least one bank of springs including a plurality of springs in mechanical communication with a drive train of the motor vehicle; a coupler for selectively coupling and decoupling each of the plurality of springs of the at least one bank of springs with the drive train; and a control arrangement including a controller operable to select predetermined ones of the plurality of springs of the at least one bank of springs to be selectively coupled or decoupled with the drive train such that the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs are selectively compressed and decompressed in parallel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each one of the plurality of springs is mechanically connected to the coupler such that they are independently compressible and decompressible from one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the coupler includes a ratcheting mechanism adapted to incrementally compress each one of the plurality of springs in a first direction and selectively prevent decompression of each one of the plurality of springs in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one bank of springs includes a plurality of banks of springs, wherein each bank of the plurality of banks of springs incorporates a different spring type than each other one of the plurality of banks of springs. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each one of the plurality of springs has a different spring constant than each other one of the plurality of springs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control arrangement includes a sensor in electronic communication with the controller, the sensor adapted to detect acceleration of the vehicle and deceleration of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 A regenerative braking apparatus for a motor vehicle, comprising: a plurality of springs in mechanical communication with a drive train of the motor vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of springs has a predetermined spring constant; a coupler configured to selectively couple and decouple each of the plurality of springs to the drive train; and a control arrangement including a controller and a sensor, the controller operable to select predetermined ones of the plurality of springs to be coupled by the coupling means, wherein the control arrangement operably selects the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs such that a desired resultant spring constant is obtained, the desired resultant spring constant being determined by the controller and based upon a signal received from the sensor, wherein the sensor senses an acceleration and a deceleration of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coupler is operable to compress the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs during deceleration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the coupler is operable to unlock the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs from a compressed position to decompress the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs. ### Claim 15 A regenerative braking apparatus, comprising: a plurality of springs in mechanical communication with a drive train of the vehicle; a coupler configured to selectively couple and decouple predetermined ones of the plurality of springs to the drive train, the coupler operable to couple the predetermined ones to the drive train such that the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs are compressed during a deceleration of the vehicle and decompressed during an acceleration of the vehicle, wherein the coupler selectively maintains the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs in a compressed state; and a control arrangement operable to select the predetermined ones of the plurality of springs and operate the coupler to selectively couple and decouple the predetermined ones of plurality of springs to the drive train. ### Claim 16 A method for storing and releasing energy generated during deceleration of a motor vehicle, the method comprising: incrementally storing excess energy generated during braking in a storage medium; maintaining the stored energy in the storage medium; and releasing the stored energy from the storage medium such that the stored energy is converted to at least one of mechanical energy to propel the motor vehicle or converted to electricity to supply electrical power to the motor vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein incrementally storing includes compressing a spring in a first direction a plurality of times corresponding to a plurality of braking cycles. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein maintaining includes preventing decompression of the spring in a second direction opposite the first direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein releasing the stored energy includes rotating a drive shaft of the motor vehicle.