Enhanced braking system and method

• US 20050065693A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Large Drives LLC
• Original Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaobin, Brown, Gerald
• Granted Patent: US 7,308,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/10 for automatic control superimposed on human control to limit the acceleration of the vehicle, e.g. to prevent excessive motor current electric devices for safety purposes B60L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 3/06 for stopping or slowing an individual dynamo-electric motor or dynamo-electric converter
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide for automatic power control and/or torque boost for retarding a machine that considers a machine weight and/or a machine slope. The automatic power control and/or torque boost can provide a control margin under retard. Certain exemplary embodiments can control, or attempt to control, a speed of the machine at less than a maximum safe speed.

Claims

1. A method comprising a plurality of activities, comprising:

for a machine comprising a wheel drive system comprising an electric motor and an electric motor braking system, obtaining information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine;

obtaining an estimated weight related to the machine;

based on the information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine of the machine and the estimated weight related to the machine, controlling a retard torque of the electric motor to no greater than a dynamic maximum retard torque;

affecting the retard power of the electric motor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a dynamic maximum safe speed for the machine based on the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine and the estimated weight related to the machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a dynamic maximum safe speed via a user interface, the dynamic maximum safe speed determined based on the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine and the estimated weight related to the machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

measuring a speed of the machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling activity is also based on a difference between a speed of the machine and a dynamic maximum safe speed of the machine.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a measurement of a retard torque of the electric motor.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a measurement of a speed of the electric motor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling activity is also based on a retard power related to a speed and a retard torque of the electric motor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a predetermined retard power limit related to the electric motor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said controlling activity is also based on a predetermined retard power limit related to the electric motor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine comprises an inclinometer adapted to provide the information indicative of the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly obtaining information indicative of the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting information indicative of the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine is obtained responsive to information indicative of a location obtained from a GPS.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicative of the inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine is obtained responsive to information indicative of a location obtained from a GIS.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the dynamic maximum retard torque based on a maximum safe speed of the machine.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the dynamic maximum retard torque based on a difference between an actual speed of the machine and a maximum safe speed of the machine.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the dynamic maximum retard torque based on a comparison of an acceleration rate of the electric motor to a predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic maximum retard torque is less than a rated capacity related to an electric braking system.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic maximum retard torque is approximately equal to a rated capacity related to an electric braking system.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic maximum retard torque is above a rated capacity related to an electric braking system.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine is a truck.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine is a mine haul truck.

24. A system comprising:

for a machine comprising a wheel drive system comprising an electric motor and an electric motor braking system, an incline processor adapted to obtain information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine;

a weight processor adapted to obtain an estimated weight related to the machine; and

based on the information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine of the machine and the estimated weight related to the machine, a torque controller adapted to control a retard torque of the electric motor to no greater than a dynamic maximum retard torque.

25. A machine-readable medium comprising stored instructions for:

for a machine comprising a wheel drive system comprising an electric motor and an electric motor braking system, obtaining information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine;

obtaining an estimated weight related to the machine; and

based on the information indicative of an inclination of the machine with respect to a travel direction of the machine of the machine and the estimated weight related to the machine, controlling a retard torque of the electric motor to no greater than a dynamic maximum retard torque.