A regenerative damper and method for regenerative damping are disclosed. The
regenerative
damper uses the kinetic energy of undesirable vehicle motion to generate electrical
current in a circuit. The electricity is generated by a power screw that operates
like an alternator. Vehicle energy efficiency is increased by using the electrical
current to charge a battery. The regenerative damper can be semi-active or passive.
The semi-active embodiment is able to adapt to operating conditions to improve
vehicle ride and handling, whereas the passive embodiment has a fixed response,
regardless of operating conditions.
