Importance

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Abstract

An automotive air blower includes an air pump (14) connected to the output shaft of a transmission system, whose input shaft is connected, in use, to the engine (16) of a motor vehicle. The input and output shafts are connected to the ring gear (10) and sun gear (13), respectively, of a three-branch epicyclic differential gearset. The planet carrier (12) of the gearset is connected to the rotor (2) of an electric motor/generator and the input shaft is connected to the rotor of an electrical machine (1), which constitutes at least a generator. The electrical connections of the stators of the two machines are connected together via a controller arranged to control the flow of electrical power between them. A selectively engageable mechanical connection (15) is provided between two of the branches of the gearset and arranged to connect the two branches together such that the gearset will rotate as a single unit.

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First Claim