A/C bus assembly for electronic traction vehicle

• US 20040133332A1
• Filed: 03/16/2004
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Morrow, Jon J., Yakes, Christopher K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/06 using substantially sinusoidal ac
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/30 for monitoring or controlling fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An electronic traction vehicle comprising a principal power unit, a power storage unit mounted on a vehicle platform. A plurality of wheels are rotably mounted on the vehicle platform with an electric motor coupled to at least one wheel. A drive controller is coupled to the electric motor and a vehicle controller having an input and output terminal is coupled to the drive controller. A data bus network is coupled to the drive controller and the vehicle controller. An A/C bus assembly is coupled to the principal power unit, the power storage unit and the electric motor through the drive controller. Another embodiment of the electronic traction vehicle provides at least four electric motors and four drive controllers coupled to four wheels and the data bus network and A/C power bus assembly. Another embodiment of the electronic traction vehicle provides the components of the vehicle as moduled including an auxiliary module removably connected to the data bus network and the A/C bus assembly.

Claims

1. An electronic traction vehicle comprising:

a vehicle platform;

a principal power unit mounted on the vehicle platform;

a power storage unit mounted on the vehicle platform;

a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the vehicle platform;

an electric motor coupled to at least one wheel;

a drive controller coupled to the electric motor;

a vehicle controller having an input and an output terminal, the vehicle controller coupled to the drive controller and a data bus network; and

,

an AC bus assembly to couple the principal power unit, the power storage unit, and the electric motor through the drive controller.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is coupled to one of the principal power unit and the power storage unit.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, including another electric motor and drive controller coupled to another wheel and coupled to the data bus network and the AC bus assembly.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least four electric motors and four drive controllers are coupled to four wheels and coupled to the data bus network and AC bus assembly.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein at least eight electric motors and eight drive controllers are coupled to eight wheels and coupled to the data bus network and AC bus assembly.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, including a differential assembly coupled to the electric motor for driving at least two wheels.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 or 5, including at least two differential assemblies, with each differential assembly coupled to the electric motor for driving at least two wheels.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the principal power unit, the power storage unit, the electric motor, the drive controller, and the vehicle controller are modules removably mounted on the vehicle platform and removably connected to the data bus network and the AC bus assembly.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, including an auxiliary module removably connected to the data bus network and the AC bus assembly.

10. The vehicle of claim 1,2,3,4,5, 6 or 7 wherein the AC bus assembly is configured to provide at least 50/60 Hz, 480 VAC, three-phase power.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the electric motor through the drive controller to brake the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric motor is configured to regenerate power back to one of the principal power unit and the power storage unit.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, including an energy dissipation unit coupled to the AC bus assembly and the data bus network.

14. An AC bus assembly for interconnecting removable modules of an electronic traction vehicle, the modules including a principal power unit, a power storage unit, an electric motor coupled to at least one wheel of the vehicle, a drive controller coupled to the electric motor, an energy dissipation unit, and a vehicle controller having a user interface, the AC bus assembly comprising:

a first conductor having a first end and a second end; and

,

a second conductor having a first end and a second end,

wherein the first end of each conductor is coupled to the principle power unit and the second end of each conductor is connected to on of the modules.

15. The AC bus assembly of claim 14, including a third conductor having a first end and a second end, with the first end coupled to the principle power unit and the second end coupled to one of the modules.

16. The AC bus assembly of claim 15, including a fourth conductor having a first end and a second end, with the first end coupled to the principle power unit and the second end coupled to a ground terminal mounted on the vehicle, wherein the fourth conductor provides a neutral for interconnecting the modules.

17. The AC bus assembly of claim 15, including a junction wherein another module is connected to each of the conductors.

18. The AC bus assembly of claim 15, including a plurality of junctions wherein a plurality of modules are connected to each of the conductors.

a. The AC bus assembly of claim 14, including a data bus network coupled to each module.

19. The AC bus assembly of claim 18, wherein at least four of the modules are each an electric motor coupled to a wheel.

20. The AC bus assembly of claim 18, wherein at least eight of the modules are each an electric motor coupled to a wheel.

21. The AC bus assembly of claim 18, wherein one of the modules is an auxiliary module.

22. The AC bus assembly of claim 15 or 19, wherein the AC bus is configured to provide at least 50/60 Hz, 480 VAC, three-phase power.

23. An vehicle comprising:

a vehicle support structure;

a plurality of wheels rotatably supported by the vehicle structure, wherein at least two of the wheels are steerable;

a principal power unit supported by the structure;

at least one electric motor coupled to at least one of the wheels;

an electric AC power bus including at least two phase conductors, wherein the phase conductors are coupled to the principal power unit;

a power storage unit coupled to the AC power bus;

a vehicle controller coupled to the electric motor and the AC power bus;

a data bus coupled to the vehicle controller; and

a motor drive controller unit coupled to the electric motor and to the data bus to communicate signals to the vehicle controller such that the speed and/or torque of the motor are controlled based upon the signals.

24. The vehicle of claim 23, including an energy dissipation unit coupled to the AC power bus and the data bus.

25. The vehicle of claim 24, further comprising a plurality of suspension assemblies, wherein each assembly independently suspends one of the wheels relative to the vehicle support structure.

26. The vehicle of claim 24, further comprising a differential assembly for coupling the electric motor to at least two of the wheels such that the average speed of the wheels is proportional to the motor speed.

27. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the electric motor is coupled to only one of the wheels.

28. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the plurality of wheels includes at least six wheels.

29. The vehicle of claim 28, further comprising a plurality of suspension assemblies, wherein each assembly independently suspends one of the wheels relative to the vehicle support structure.

30. The vehicle of claim 29, further comprising:

at least two additional electric motors and two additional respective drive controllers for coupling the two additional motors to the power bus, wherein the controllers are coupled to the data bus;

at least three differential assemblies, wherein each differential assembly couples at least two of the wheels to a respective electric motor such that the average speed of the respective wheels is proportional to the motor speed.

31. The vehicle of claim 29, further comprising at least five additional electric motors and five additional respective drive controllers for coupling the two additional motors to the power bus, wherein each of the motors is coupled to a respective wheel, wherein the drive controllers are coupled to the data bus.

32. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein the motors are suspended with their respective wheels.

33. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of wheel end reduction assembles for coupling the wheels to their respective differential assemblies.

34. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of wheel end reduction assembles for coupling the wheels to their respective motors.

35. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a plurality of wheel end reduction assembles for coupling the wheels to their respective motors.

36. The vehicle of claim 24, 25, 26, 27, 34 or 36, wherein the AC power bus is configured to at least provide 50/60 Hz, 480 VAC, three-phase power.

37. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the electric motor to brake the vehicle.

38. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein the electric motor is configured to regenerate power back to one of the principal power unit and the power storage unit.

39. A method of transferring data indicative of an electronic traction vehicle to potential customers over the Internet comprising:

obtaining information on the electronic traction vehicle, the electronic traction vehicle including a vehicle platform, a principal power unit mounted on the vehicle platform, a power storage unit mounted on the vehicle platform, a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted on the vehicle platform, an electric motor coupled to at least one wheel, a drive controller coupled to the electric motor, a vehicle controller having an input and an output terminal, the vehicle controller coupled to the drive controller and a data bus network, and an AC bus assembly to couple the principal power unit, the power storage unit, and the electric motor through the drive controller;

entering the information on to a terminal, the terminal operationally connected to an Internet server, the Internet server operationally connected to the Internet; and

transmitting to the information from the terminal to the Internet through an Internet server.

40. The method of transferring data indicative of an electronic traction vehicle to potential customers over the Internet of claim 39, wherein the terminal is a computer.

41. The method of transferring data indicative of an electronic traction vehicle to potential customers over the Internet of claim 39, wherein the information is selected from the group consisting of dates, prices, shipping times, shipping locations, general shipping data, module type, inventory, specification information, graphics, source data, trademarks, certification marks and combinations thereof.