This is an idea for a device which would allow an engine to accelerate a vehicle but not decelerate it. Or it could be locked so that the vehicle would function as if the device was not there, meaning it would allow for engine braking as normal.

This device could be controlled by the central processing unit, it could be programmed to let the engine idle if the vehicle does not need propulsion or acceleration, or it could lock itself and cause engine braking.

This device would make the ride less jerky for people who do not know how to properly operate a manual transmission vehicle (like someone I have to ride with regularly).

I believe this device could make most motor vehicles more efficient if used properly.
-- BJS, Apr 16 2007

Freewheel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewheel
Mostly baked [BJS, Apr 17 2007]

Why did you vote against the idea?
-- BJS, Apr 16 2007


The mysterious no-anno bone strikes again!
-- nuclear hobo, Apr 16 2007


How does it work? You haven't mentioned anything about the actual mechanism.
-- discontinuuity, Apr 16 2007


I'm thinking of something like a ratcheting planetary gear with a locking clutch kind of thing.
-- BJS, Apr 17 2007


I found the type of mechanism I was thinking of, but it doesn't lock and its not computer controlled.
-- BJS, Apr 17 2007


One-way drives, etc are all terribly high friction. I suggest simply computer-controlling the clutch, or having some kind of clutch-override.

Not that I fully understand why you'd want this. Tell this person to learn how to drive. You have much more control of the veicle if it's manual and you use the gears and clutch properly.
-- Custardguts, Apr 17 2007


Or you could drive an automatice and stop complaning.
-- Antegrity, Apr 17 2007


Utterly baked. I used to have a Saab 99 that had exactly this (except that it was manually controlled, not CPU controlled) in the 1970s.

Almost no extra friction at all. It probably improved mpg a few percent. Not sure exactly how it worked, but probably similar to a bicycle freewheel plus a device to force engagement when required.
-- Cosh i Pi, Apr 17 2007



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