Importance

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Abstract

A coupling multi-driving system for producing rotational energy comprises an internal combustion engine, an output shaft and a unitary rotary drive mechanism. The rotary drive mechanism includes stator excitation windings and an armature. An electronic controller controls the rotary drive mechanism 4. The rotary drive mechanism may be operated in a number of modes, including a mode which couples rotational energy produced by the engine to the output shaft, a mode which couples the output of the rotary drive mechanism operated as an electric motor to the output shaft, a mode which couples the rotational outputs of both the rotary drive mechanism and the internal combustion engine to the output shaft, a mode in which the rotational output of the rotary drive mechanism is coupled to the output shaft of the internal combustion engine to start the engine, a mode in which the output of the internal combustion engine is used to drive the rotary drive mechanism so that it acts as a generator to produce electrical power, and a mode in which the rotary drive mechanism may be used as a regenerative braking device to control the angular velocity of the output shaft as driven by the internal combustion engine. In another embodiment, a differential coupling device is used to couple an electric motor and an internal combustion engine to the same output shaft.

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First Claim