Abstract: An automotive eddy current retarder includes a stator mounted to a frame of the vehicle, a plurality of claw-type poles disposed along an outer perimeter of the stator, and a single coil through each pole. A rotor, mechanically coupled to a wheelend of the vehicle, includes an annular ferro-magnetic body that rotates about the stator. The rotor further includes an annular conductor disposed on the radially inner surface of the ferro-magnetic body. The annular conductor, which preferably includes end rings bridged by integrally-formed, axially-extending bars whose depth dimension exceeds their width dimension, lowers the surface resistivity of the ferro-magnetic body to thereby increase the skin effects achieved at higher rotational speeds of the rotor relative to the stator, while further increasing the maximum braking torque generated by the retarder.

Abstract: The present invention includes a novel regenerative energy management system having a flywheel assembly with an integrated motor-generator which is coupled to a drivetrain motor-generator. The coupling between the flywheel assembly and the drivetrain motor-generator includes a system controller having integrated voltage control and inverters. The flywheel of the present invention avoids the use of expensive bearings, vacuum systems, cooling systems, and other such support subsystems found in other high technology flywheels. The integration of the flywheel-motor-generator system saves valuable space within the vehicle, reduces the number of bearings necessary for operation, and simplifies the coupling of the flywheel motor generator to the flywheel. The system controller has integrated inverters and voltage control that determine the direction and flow of current between the flywheel assembly and the driveline motor-generator.

Abstract: The present invention includes a novel regenerative energy management system having a flywheel assembly with an integrated motor-generator which is coupled to a drivetrain motor-generator. The coupling between the flywheel assembly and the drivetrain motor-generator includes a system controller having integrated voltage control and inverters. The flywheel of the present invention avoids the use of expensive bearings, vacuum systems, cooling systems, and other such support subsystems found in other high technology flywheels. The integration of the flywheel-motor-generator system saves valuable space within the vehicle, reduces the number of bearings necessary for operation, and simplifies the coupling of the flywheel motor generator to the flywheel. The system controller has integrated inverters and voltage control that determine the direction and flow of current between the flywheel assembly and the driveline motor-generator.