US 12,215,676 B2
Lift drive system for energy storage and delivery system
Andrea Pedretti, Thousand Oaks, CA (US)
Assigned to Energy Vault, Inc., Westlake Village, CA (US)
Filed by Energy Vault, Inc., Westlake Village, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 5, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/810,819.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/203,070, filed on Jul. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0009666 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. F03G 3/00 (2006.01); H02K 7/10 (2006.01); H02K 7/112 (2006.01)
CPC F03G 3/094 (2021.08) [H02K 7/1004 (2013.01); H02K 7/112 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A lift drive system for an energy storage and delivery system, comprising:
an electric motor having an output shaft;
a clutch coupled to the output shaft;
a driven shaft coupled to the clutch;
a steel ribbon disposed at least partially about and in contact with the driven shaft, rotation of the driven shaft causing the steel ribbon to translate; and
a brake assembly operatively coupled to the driven shaft and selectively operable to brake the rotation of the driven shaft,
wherein when the clutch is engaged, rotation of the output shaft rotates the driven shaft in a first direction to translate the steel ribbon, and wherein when the clutch is disengaged, rotation of the output shaft does not rotate the driven shaft and the brake assembly is engaged to maintain a position of the driven shaft and the steel ribbon.