Appeal No. 2003-0275 Page 4
Application No. 09/550,032
The claimed subject matter
Claims 1, 11, 15, 20 and 25, the independent claims on appeal, read as follows:
1. A vehicle drive unit assembly comprising:
a drive axle extending between a pair of wheels and including an axle
shaft for driving said wheels;
a braking system including a brake member supported on each of said
wheels and an actuator for selectively moving said brake members between an
unactuated position and an actuated position, said braking system for producing
a braking force to slow the rotation of said wheels when said brake members are
in said actuated position; and
a retarding system including at least one magnet mounted to said axle
shaft for rotation with said axle shaft and an inductor held fixed independently
from said magnet, said retarding system for producing a retarding force as said
magnet rotates with respect to said inductor to slow the rotation of said wheels
when said actuator moves said brake members to the actuated position.
11. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
an axle having a housing extending between a pair of wheels and
including an axle shaft rotatably supported with respect to said housing for
driving said wheels;
a driveshaft extending between said engine and said axle, said driveshaft
for providing input to said axle shaft to drive said vehicle wheels;
a braking system including a first brake member supported on one of said
wheels, a second brake member supported on the other of said wheels, and an
actuator for selectively moving said first and second brake members between an
unactuated position and an actuated position, said braking system for producing
a braking force to slow the rotation of said wheels when said first and second
brake members are in said actuated position; and
a retarding system including at least one magnet supported for rotation
with said axle shaft anal an inductor mounted to said housing, said retarding
system for producing a retarding force as said magnet rotates with respect to
said inductor to slow the rotation of said wheels when said actuator moves said
first and second brake members to the actuated position.
15. A method for simultaneously retarding the speed of a vehicle and
regenerating operating power for a vehicle system comprising the steps of
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