Electric Bikes - Regenerative Braking - Arizona State Univ.

Came across this on a hackaday.com,

Mind you this is not an electrical, but mechanical storage regenerative braking system, some of their ideas and i think also their clutch mechanism might be of some use if you were looking to do an electrical regen. system.

http://www.public.asu.edu/~mgomes1/Bungee_Bike/Web%20Page%20FINAL%20Group3.htm


Video of system working on their website.






...

Actually, that's not new. Several regen braking systems have been don in the past. Some using coil springs and the best, in my opinion, using a flywheel in a vacuum.

The flywheel in a vacuum was really sweet because once the energy from the braking was stored in the flywheel, it would spin really fast and that spinning effect for give the bike/rider the gyroscope effect. This gyroscope effect would keep the bike upright at standstill.

So here's a breakdown of what happens:

1 - Rider is riding his bike and is about to come to a halt
2 - Rider presses brake
3 - Energy from an electric motor (running as a generator) is picked up and used to spin the flywheel.
4 - As the flywheel spins in it's vacuum chamber there's very little loss of energy because of the super low friction teflon coated bearings.
5 - Bike is brought to a halt. The spinning flywheel generates a gyroscope effect which keeps the bike upright. The rider doesn't have to put his feet down.
6 - When the rider wants to start back up, he releases the brake
7 - Energy from the spinning flywheel is sent to the motor to propel the bike forwards.
8 - Flywheel stops spinning once energy runs out, gyroscopic effect is cancelled and the rider can now lean into the corners without resistance.

Really sweet!

Actually, that's not new. Several regen braking systems have been don in the past. Some using coil springs and the best, in my opinion, using a flywheel in a vacuum.

The flywheel in a vacuum was really sweet because once the energy from the braking was stored in the flywheel, it would spin really fast and that spinning effect for give the bike/rider the gyroscope effect. This gyroscope effect would keep the bike upright at standstill.

So here's a breakdown of what happens:

1 - Rider is riding his bike and is about to come to a halt
2 - Rider presses brake
3 - Energy from an electric motor (running as a generator) is picked up and used to spin the flywheel.
4 - As the flywheel spins in it's vacuum chamber there's very little loss of energy because of the super low friction teflon coated bearings.
5 - Bike is brought to a halt. The spinning flywheel generates a gyroscope effect which keeps the bike upright. The rider doesn't have to put his feet down.
6 - When the rider wants to start back up, he releases the brake
7 - Energy from the spinning flywheel is sent to the motor to propel the bike forwards.
8 - Flywheel stops spinning once energy runs out, gyroscopic effect is cancelled and the rider can now lean into the corners without resistance.

Really sweet!
You tube video please!!

I wonder if anyone ever tried using compressed air.

5 - Bike is brought to a halt. The spinning flywheel generates a gyroscope effect which keeps the bike upright. The rider doesn't have to put his feet down.

Oh, I want one of those just to watch people's reactions!:lol:

This reminds me of a story I heard of some professor who liked playing pranks.
He installed a battery and motor on a large gyroscope installed in a suitcase with a hidden external switch. Then he took it with him on trips.

He would walk into a hotel, set the suitcase down and turn it on as he checked in. Then when the valet picked up the suitcase to carry it up to the room, the fun would begin the first time he turned.:lol:

OMG thats funny.

Video video video!!!!:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

$275 and a bungee cord? That's amazing!