DESCRIPTION

State of the Art

The breaking system named "regenerative" or with energy recovering are used in several types of land vehicles such as cars, bikes, motorbikes and generally on all the vehicles provided with wheels, for recovering at least part of the otherwise lost energy which is product during the braking.

Such systems have an energy storing device connected to the brake and designed to be actuated upon the braking to receive energy by the wheel of the vehicle. The stored energy can be re-used to aid the vehicle in its normal forward, particularly in a slope or when it needs an additional power.

The energy recovering devices could be divided into two macro-categories: a first one comprises the devices wherein the releasing of the stored energy is electronically controlled, such as the system commonly named kers, while a second type comprises the devices basically operating in a mechanical way. The first devices have the advantage of allowing the complete control of the time at which the stored energy is released to the vehicle motor. However, they are generally of complex construction and then are particularly expensive; therefore their use is limited to the vehicles with high performances.

The devices of the second category, one of which is disclosed for example in FR2891592, even if are more simple and economical to be product, and therefore designed to be implemented on every kind of vehicles, such as the common bikes with lever or disk braking system, they don't allow the control of the releasing of the energy. By contrast, these devices are designed for releasing the energy stored during the braking to the propelling system of the vehicle soon the brake is released.

A further energy recovering device is also disclosed in GB453526, wherein a spring is loaded during braking and, upon the deactivation of the brake, releases the stored elastic energy to a crown wheel connected to a vehicle wheel. This system also provides for the vehicle's user the possibility of releasing the stored energy in a controlled way by means of a sprocket wheel system, without specifying the embodiment of such a system. However this device has great overall dimensions and is adapted for vehicles having drum braking system and not disk braking system or simple jaw braking system, such as bikes or motorbikes.

Presentation of the invention

A general object of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks realizing an energy recovering device for braking systems which is particularly effective and economic.

A main object is realizing an energy recovering device for braking systems that allows the control of the time of releasing of the energy stored during braking in a simple and immediate manner.

Another object is realizing an energy recovering device for braking systems that allows taring the maximum energy that can be stored during braking.

A particular object is realizing an energy recovering device for braking systems couplable to a disk or jaw braking system to be inserted in a vehicle such as a bike or motorbike.

These objects, and other which will result clearer hereinafter, are fulfilled by an energy recovering device for braking systems of vehicles, particularly land vehicles, according claim 1.

This device will allow transferring the energy stored in the elastic element only when it needs and without complex solutions of the electronic type, for installing the device also on series vehicles or on relatively economic vehicles such as the bikes.

Moreover, the device will be extremely compact and may be directly connected on a side to the braking system of the vehicle and on the other side to the propelling means of the same with great efficiency, to be also installed on bikes, motorbikes and the like.

Breif disclosure of the drawings Further features and advantages of the invention will appear more evident in light of a detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments of the device according to the invention, shown as a non limiting example with the aid of the annexed drawing tables, wherein:

the Figure 1 is a schematic cross view of a first embodiment of an energy recovering device inserted in the braking system of a motor vehicle, i.e. a car; the Figure 2 is a cross view of a second embodiment of a device applicable to the braking system of a bike or the like;

the Figure 3 is a cross view of a third embodiment of a device applicable to the braking system of a bike or the like.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

The energy recovering device of the invention may be applied to the braking system of a land vehicle having at least one wheel connected to propelling wheel, indifferently with respect of the type of the braking system, which may be of the disk, jaw, lever type or the like, and of the propelling means, which may comprise an endothermic or electric engine connected to the wheel by a axle shaft, such as in the cars, or the bottom bracket with a pinion and chain transmission as in a bike.

Essentially, the device 1 will comprise a support body 2 anchorable to a fixed part of the vehicle by means of a suitable bracket 3 and housing inside a spring member 4 for storing energy susceptible to move form a first working condition wherein it is unloaded to a second working condition wherein it is at least partially loaded. Opportunely the elastic member is of the torsion type. An interface member 5 is also provided integral with the elastic storing member 4 and associable to the brake B of the vehicle. The interface member 5 will be susceptible to rotate about a first longitudinal axis X to transmit a torque to the storing member 4 and allow the transferring thereto of at least part of the energy developed during braking, promoting its passage from the first to the second working condition. A transmission member 6 will be integral with the storing member 4 and connectable to the propelling means of the vehicle, not shown, to transmit to these latter the stored energy of the elastic member 4.

Advantageously, the device 1 will comprise unidirectional releasing means 7 of the elastic member 4 designed to selectively avoid the elastic element 4 to turn from the second loaded condition to the first unloaded condition.

Moreover, the releasing means 7 will be at least partially disabled in a selective manner to allow the at least partial transferring of the stored energy of the elastic member 4 to the transmission member 6.

Advantageously, the storing elastic member 4 will be a substantially longitudinal coil spring with coils having predetermined maximum section. The spring 4 may have a first longitudinal end coil 8 made integral with the interface member 5 and a second end coil 9 integral with the transmission member 6.

Particularly, the support body 2 may comprise a substantially longitudinal tubular portion 10 rotatable about the first longitudinal axis X and housing the elastic member 4, coaxial to the same tubular portion 10.

In the embodiment of figure 1 , this latter may have a first end 10' made integral with the interface member 5, e.g. by means of reciprocal keying, and may be firmly fastened to the first end coil 8 of the elastic member 4, e.g. by a catch 1 1.

Moreover, the support body 2 may comprise a longitudinal inner cylindrical jacket 12 that passes through at least part of the coils of the elastic member 4, preferably the whole elastic member 4, to limit its torque. In practice, the torque of the spring 4 will be limited by the abutment against the inner cylindrical jacket 12.

With particular reference to figure 1 , the interface member 5 may be made by a fiction disk susceptible to come into contact by relative translation with the brake disk D of the braking system B. The releasing means 7 will comprise a kinematic motion adapted to mechanically connect the transmission member 6 to the second end 9 of the coil spring 4.

In particular, the kinematic motion may comprise a first gear member 13 rigidly fastened on a side the transmission member 6 and on the other side to the second end coil 9 of the elastic member 4, e.g. by a rigid anchoring ring 14 integral to the elastic member 4 and that engages the external toothing of the first gear member 13.

This latter will be rotatable around a second axis Y, preferably coinciding with the first X to simplify the configuration of the device 1 , and will be connected to the propelling means of the vehicle. For example, it may be directly mounted on the axle shaft of the vehicle.

The releasing means 7 will also comprise a disk 15 rotatable around the first axis X exclusively in a first direction opposite to that of the interface member 5 during the turning form the second to the first working condition of the elastic member 4.

By this way the unidirectional disk 15 will avoid that, when the brake disk D is released, the interface member 5 may rotate in opposite direction with respect to the motion, unloading the elastic member 4.

The kinematic motion of the selective releasing means 7 will further comprise a second gear member 16 adapted to engage the first gear member 13.

Particularly, the second gear member 16 will be unidirectionally rotatable and configured to avoid the rotation of the first gear member 13 when the elastic member 4 turns from the first to the second working condition.

In practice, during the braking step, the second gear member 16 will be rotationally locked, allowing the torque of the elastic member 4 and the following loading.

In a preferred embodiment the first gear member 13 will be a toothed wheel, e.g. with a double crown, while the second gear member 16 will be a worm screw rotatable only in the forwarding direction of the vehicle and extending along an axis Z orthogonal to the second axis Y.

Advantageously, the releasing means 7 will comprise an electric actuator 17 selectively actuatable by a user of the vehicle and adapted to unlock the second gear member 16 to allow the rotation of the first gear member 15 around the second axis Y with such a direction to bring the elastic member 4 form the second to the first working condition.

By this way, the elastic member 4 may unload to transfer at least part of its stored energy to the propelling means of the vehicle.

The actuator 17 may be an electric engine housed in a proper carter of the support body 2.

In figure 2 is shown a device 10 applicable to the braking system of a vehicle such as a bike provided with a cable for operating the brake and at least one wheel moved by a pinion or toothed gear motion, not shown in the figure.

The device 21 will also comprise a support body 22 with a longitudinal tubular portion 210 that houses, integral with the same, an elastic member 24 for energy storing, that will be preferably a coil spring or other torque elastic member.

The interface member 25 will be instead a lever anchorable to an operating cable that could be in turn connected to the operating cable of the braking system, or that could coincide with the same, e.g. by a through hole 217 wherein inserting and locking the cable.

The support body 22 will comprise a bracket 218 rigidly anchorable to a fixed part of the frame of the vehicle. In particular, the bracket 218 may be configured to be anchored at an anchoring bracket to the bike stand.

Moreover, the tubular portion 210 will be rotatable around its longitudinal axis X and rotationally fastened to the lever 25 in a disengageable manner.

Moreover, the tubular portion 210 may present the two longitudinal end 210' and 210" slidable in respective curved eyelet made in transverse portion of the anchoring bracket 218 for the movable fastening of this with the tubular portion 210.

By this way, the tubular portion 210, actuated by the lever 25, may turn from a first inoperative position wherein the brake is not actuated, wherein it is distal with respect of the vehicle wheel, to a second operative position with the brake actuated wherein it is into contact with the wheel for transmitting a torque and load the elastic member 24.

The kinematic motion of the releasing means 27 may comprise or be constituted by the transmission member 26 that may be a first externally toothed crown integral and coaxial with the tubular portion 210 and susceptible of engaging the pinion or toothed wheel motion of the vehicle only when the tubular portion 210 is in the first inoperative position.

The selective releasing means 27 finally comprise a pin 220 hand actuatable by the user of the vehicle and configured to selectively connect/disconnect the transmission member 26 from the tubular portion 210 of the support body 22 to activate/exclude the device 20.

In a particular variant, shown in figure 3, the interface member 25 will comprise a substantially longitudinal loading crown 30 coaxial with the tubular portion 210 of the cylindrical support body 22, which will be keyed at a first end 210' to such a loading crown 30 for rotating integrally with the same upon the actuation of the brake.

The first end coil 28 of the spring 24 will be firmly fastened to the loading crown to be twisted during braking.

The transmission member 26 will be configured to engage the motion of the vehicle and rotate idle around the longitudinal axis X, dragged by the motion, when this latter rotates in the normal driving direction.

In particular, the transmission member 26 will be a first crown externally toothed integral and coaxial to the tubular portion 210 of the support body 22 and susceptible to engage the vehicle motion to be dragged in to rotation by the same in a first direction during the normal driving of the vehicle. The kinematic motion of the selective releasing means 27 will comprise a second internally toothed crown 3 1 coaxial with the transmission member 26 and fastened to the second end 29 of the spring 24.

Moreover, the second toothed crown 3 1 will be at least partially inserted with play in the tubular portion 210 of the support body 22, in such a manner that it is not brought into rotation by the same.

The kinematic motion of the releasing means 27 will also comprise a longitudinal pin 32 that connects the first crown 26 to the second crown 31 and that will be apt to transmit the rotation movement from the first 26 to the second 3 1 exclusively when the first crown 26 rotates in a second rotation direction opposite to the first.

The releasing means 27 will comprise a hook 33 that connects the second end 29 of the spring 24 to the second crown 31 and that will be configured to avoid the spring 24 to turn from the loaded position to the unloaded one.

In particular, when the first crown 26 will be rotate in the second rotation direction, e.g. after a thrust on a pedal by the user in opposite sense to the driving direction, it will engage, through the pin 32, the second crown 3 1. Such movement will cause the unlocking of the hook 33, allowing the unloading of the spring 24 that will transmit the torque to the transmission member 26 through the kinematic motion and so to the central motion, allowing an aided restarting of the vehicle.

The contact between the tubular portion 220 and the vehicle wheel, generally the rear one, is obtained by acting on the lever actuated by the brake control. The lever fulcrum will be positioned on a bracket 34 adapted to be fixed to the vehicle frame, e.g. at the bifurcation of the fork of the rear wheel, close to the stand.