Hydraulic-electric drive arrangement for work vehicles

• US 10,099,552 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2016
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Long, Randall L., Watt, Dwayne B., Detrick, G. William
• Primary Examiner(s): Hlavka, David J
• Application Number:
  US15/282,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20180093564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 45/10 of sugar cane for digging sugar cane A01D31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/005 Non electric hybrid systems, e.g. comprising mechanical and/or hydraulic and/or pneumatic drives
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/025 Electric hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/28 characterised by arrangement, location, or type of power take-off
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/022 by a mechanical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/065 the transmission being fluidic, e.g. hydraulic
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/02 directly from an engine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 8/00 Arrangement or mounting of propulsion units not provided for in one of the preceding main groups
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/222 Harvesters
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/411 Bulldozers, Graders
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/73 Planetary gearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/46 Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, i.e. systems having three or more central gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/082 Planet carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/952 Housing details

Abstract

A hydraulic-electric drive assembly for a work vehicle has a hydraulic pump drive including a manifold housing, a power input interface configured to couple with a prime mover for receiving rotational input power, and a plurality of power output interfaces coupled to the power input interface to transmit the input power from the prime mover mechanically at a first drive speed. At least one hydraulic pump is mounted to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover. At least one electric generator is coupled to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover. The at least one electric generator is configured to convert the input power from the prime mover into electric power.

Claims

1. A hydraulic-electric drive assembly for a work vehicle having a prime mover, comprising:

a hydraulic pump drive having;

a manifold housing;

a power input interface configured to couple with the prime mover for receiving rotational input power; and

a plurality of power output interfaces coupled to the power input interface to transmit the input power from the prime mover mechanically at a first drive speed;

at least one hydraulic pump mounted to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover; and

at least one electric generator coupled to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover, the at least one electric generator configured to convert the input power from the prime mover into electric power

wherein the at least one electric generator includes at least one electric machine and at least one gear set coupled to the associated one of the plurality of power output interfaces;

wherein the manifold housing defines a common mounting pad for each of the power output interfaces; and

wherein the at least one hydraulic pump and the at least one gear set each includes a housing defining a common mounting interface of a complementary configuration for mating with the associated mounting pad.

2. The drive assembly of claim 1,

wherein the at least one gear set has a positive gear ratio to mechanically generate a second drive speed that is greater than the first drive speed of the hydraulic pump drive.

3. The drive assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one gear set is mounted directly to the manifold housing.

4. The drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one gear set is a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear, and planet gears mounted to a carrier;

and

wherein the ring gear couples to the associated power output interface of the hydraulic pump drive and the sun gear couples to a rotor of the associated electric machine.

5. The drive assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one gear set includes an input shaft coupled for co-rotation with the ring gear and configured for engagement with a drive gear of the associated power output interface.

6. The drive assembly of claim 5, wherein the carrier is fixed against rotation with respect to the housing of the associated gear set.

7. A work vehicle, comprising:

an engine; and

a hydraulic-electric drive assembly, including;

a hydraulic pump drive having;

a manifold housing;

a power input interface configured to couple with the engine for receiving rotational input power; and

a plurality of power output interfaces coupled to the power input interface to transmit the input power from the engine mechanically at a first drive speed;

at least one hydraulic pump mounted to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover; and

at least one electric generator coupled to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover, the at least one electric generator configured to convert the input power from the prime mover into electric power;

wherein the at least one electric generator includes at least one electric machine and at least one gear set coupled to the associated one of the plurality of power output interfaces;

wherein the manifold housing defines a common mounting pad for each of the power output interfaces; and

wherein the at least one hydraulic pump and the at least one gear set each includes a housing defining a common mounting interface of a complementary configuration for mating with the associated mounting pad.

8. The work vehicle of claim 7,

wherein the at least one gear set has a positive gear ratio to mechanically generate a second drive speed that is greater than the first drive speed of the hydraulic pump drive.

9. The work vehicle of claim 8, wherein the at least one gear set is mounted directly to the manifold housing.

10. The work vehicle of claim 7, wherein the at least one gear set is a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear, and planet gears mounted to a carrier;

and

wherein the ring gear couples to the associated power output interface of the hydraulic pump drive and the sun gear couples to a rotor of the associated electric machine.

11. The work vehicle of claim 10, wherein the carrier is fixed against rotation with respect to the associated housing.

12. A drive assembly for a work vehicle having a prime mover, comprising:

a hydraulic pump drive having;

a manifold housing;

a power input interface configured to couple with the prime mover for receiving rotational input power; and

a plurality of power output interfaces coupled to the power input interface to transmit the input power from the prime mover mechanically at a first drive speed;

at least one hydraulic pump mounted to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover; and

at least one electric generator coupled to at least one of the power output interfaces to be driven by the input power from the prime mover, the at least one electric generator configured to convert the input power from the prime mover into electric power, and the at least one electric generator having;

at least one electric machine; and

at least one gear set coupled between the at least one electric machine and the associated one of the plurality of power output interfaces;

wherein the manifold housing defines a common mounting pad for each of the power output interfaces; and

wherein the at least one hydraulic pump and the at least one gear set each includes a housing defining a common mounting interface of a complementary configuration for mating with the associated mounting pad.

13. The drive assembly of claim 12, wherein each gear set has a positive gear ratio to mechanically generate a second drive speed that is greater than the first drive speed of the hydraulic pump drive.

14. The drive assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one gear set is mounted directly to the manifold housing.

15. The drive assembly of claim 12, wherein the at least one gear set is a planetary gear set having a ring gear, a sun gear, and planet gears mounted to a carrier;

and

wherein the ring gear couples to the associated power output interface of the hydraulic pump drive and the sun gear couples to a rotor of the associated electric machine.

16. The drive assembly of claim 15, wherein the carrier is fixed against rotation with respect to the associated housing.

17. The drive assembly of claim 16, wherein the at least one gear set includes an input shaft coupled for co-rotation with the ring gear and configured for engagement with a drive gear of the associated power output interface.