Appeal No. 2003-0275 Page 5
Application No. 09/550,032
a) providing a drive axle powered by an engine and including an axle
housing extending between a pair of wheels with a rotating member for driving
the wheels;
b) generating a braking force to slow rotation of the wheels;
c) generating a magnetic field between the rotating member and the axle
housing during braking to produce a retarding force to additionally slow rotation
of the wheels; and
d) storing energy generated by the magnetic field in an accumulator.
20. A vehicle drive unit assembly comprising:
a driveshaft driven by an engine;
an axle extending between a pair of wheels and including an axle shaft
coupled to said driveshaft for driving said wheels;
a retarding system having an actuated position and an unactuated
position, said retarding system including at least one magnet mounted for
rotation with at least one of said driveshaft or axle shaft and an inductor held
fixed independently from said magnet wherein said retarding system selectively
produces a retarding force as said magnet rotates with respect to said inductor to
slow the rotation of said driveshaft or axle shaft when said retarding system is in
said actuated position; and
a controller for moving said retarding system between said actuated and
unactuated positions.
25. A vehicle drive train assembly 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 engine for
providing driving input to said axle shaft via said driveshaft to drive said vehicle
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 separated from an
inductor to define a gap such that said magnet and inductor can move relative to
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