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Rechargeable Brakes

Incorporate a CV gearing mechanism to rechargeable bakes (electric cars)
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Its common knowledge that electric cars need charged, and rechargeable brakes are nothing new, but as far as I know they simply recharge when you lift of the ‘gas’ or just slightly brake. This idea uses a CV gearing mechanism (like a potters wheel or the variable belt drive used on early Volvos or the newer Honda CRVs ???) between the road wheels and a generator. When the driver bakes the system is activated at say a 1:1 ratio but as the braking force needs to be increased so is the ratio thus constantly increasing the RPM of the generator and creating more charge whilst slowing the vehicle down. However traditional brakes would have to be activated once the CV system has reached its highest ratio and / or the generator is spinning beyond the speed of the car (a ratchet would be incorporated so it wouldn’t stop when the car stops). It would be like down shifting in a regular car, but at a constantly increasing rate.
baldross, Sep 16 2002

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       In the final analysis, you don't get more energy out than you put in.
phoenix, Sep 16 2002
  

       I'm not sure the energy return would be worth the cost of a CV transmition that could handle that much load....   

       ...But the idea seems good enough to merit study.
James Newton, Sep 16 2002
  

       baldross you're doing pretty well I must say. The halfbakery seems not to like people tampering with brakes, much.
General Washington, Sep 16 2002
  

       Thanks General Washington - First attempt and all -   

       Should have made it a bit clearer, but the system would only top up the battery and increase the time between recharges.
baldross, Sep 17 2002
  

       [phoenix] You don't get more energy than you put in, no. But you can change the amount of deceleration that you desire.
rapid transit, May 19 2003
  

       IIRC, this "regenerative braking" is already done, simply by using the wheel motors as generators. The amount of braking force can be adjusted by altering the voltage fed to the field coils. This is an effective means of increasing city mileage, but does practically nothing for highway mileage.
Freefall, May 19 2003
  


 

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