Working Machine and a Method for Operating a Working Machine

• US 20080264051A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Filla, Reno, Ericson, Hans, Carlsson, Sven-Ake, Unneback, Joakim
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/327
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/00 Auxiliary drives B60K16/00 takes precedence; arrangements of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10; driving tyre-inflating pumps B60C; driving engine auxiliaries F02B
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/50 Architecture of the driveline characterised by arrangement or kind of transmission units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/415 Wheel loaders
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2253 Controlling the travelling speed of vehicles, e.g. adjusting travelling speed according to implement loads, control of hydrostatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2003/0936 with multiple countershafts comprising only two idle gears and one gear fixed to the countershaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0043 the gear ratios comprising four forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0095 the gear ratios comprising four reverse speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/093 : with two or more countershafts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

A working machine including an internal combustion engine for supplying torque to the driving wheels of the working machine, and a transmission line arranged between the internal combustion engine and the driving wheels for transmitting torque from the internal combustion engine to the driving wheels. The working machine further including at least one hydraulic pump in a hydraulic system for moving an implement arranged on the working machine and/or steering the working machine. The transmission line includes at least one electric machine for driving or braking the driving wheels, and/or for generating electric power for the at least one hydraulic pump.

Claims

1. A working machine comprising

an internal combustion engine for supplying torque to driving wheels of the working machine,

a transmission line arranged between the internal combustion engine and the driving wheels for transmitting torque from the internal combustion engine to the driving wheels,

at least one hydraulic pump in a hydraulic system for at least one of moving an implement arranged on the working machine and steering the working machine,

wherein the transmission line comprises at least one electric machine for at least one of driving the driving wheels braking the driving wheels and generating electric power for the at least one hydraulic pump, wherein the transmission line comprises a transmission unit for engagement and disengagement of the internal combustion engine relative to the driving wheels, wherein the transmission line comprises at least one electric machine arranged between the transmission unit and the driving wheels and the at least one electric machine arranged between the transmission unit and the driving wheels is arranged between the transmission unit and a gearbox.

2. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line comprises at least one other electric machine arranged between the internal combustion engine and the transmission unit.

3. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the working machine comprises at least one electric machine for each driving wheel.

4. A working machine according to claim 3, wherein the transmission unit is a hydrodynamic torque converter.

5. A working machine according to claim 4, wherein the hydrodynamic torque converter has a lock-up function where a transmission ratio of the torque converter is fixed.

6. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is a mechanical clutch.

7. A working machine according to claim 6, wherein the hydrodynamic torque converter has a lock-up function where a transmission ratio of the torque converter is fixed, and wherein the working machine comprises a plurality of electric machines, and at least two of the electric machines are electrically connected to each other for transmitting torque from the internal combustion engine to the driving wheels via the at least two electric machines.

8. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the working machine comprises an electric energy storage means for providing energy to the at least one hydraulic pump.

9. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the working machine comprises an electric energy storage means for providing energy to one or more of the at least one electric machine.

10. A working machine according to claim 8 wherein at least one of the at least one electric machine is arranged to charge the electric energy storage means when the electric machine functions as a generator.

11. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one electric machine is arranged to brake the driving wheels of the working machine during a brake operation of the working machine.

12. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one electric machine is arranged to drive the driving wheels of the working machine during operation of the implement or during acceleration of the working machine.

13. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one electric machine is arranged to facilitate coupling or decoupling of a direct operation state of the transmission unit by adapting the rotation of speed of the internal combustion engine and the rotation of speed of the transmission line to each other.

14. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the working machine is a wheel loader.

15. A working machine according to claim 1, wherein the working machine has at least two of at least one of implement functions and steering functions, and at least one the hydraulic pump is arranged for each function.

16. A working machine according to claim 15, wherein the working machine comprises three hydraulic pumps, a first hydraulic pump being arranged to provide a lifting and lowering function of the implement, a second hydraulic pump being arranged to provide a tilting function of the implement, and a third hydraulic pump being arranged to provide the steering function of the working machine.

20. A method according to claim 1, comprising using at least one or mere of the at least one electric machine and the at least one other electric machine for braking the driving wheels of the working machine during a brake operation of the working machine, and for recuperation of energy during the brake operation.

17. A method for operating a working machine having an internal combustion engine for supplying torque to the driving wheels of the working machine, and a transmission line arranged between the internal combustion engine and the driving wheels for transmitting torque from the internal combustion engine to the driving wheels, the working machine further comprising at least one hydraulic pump in a hydraulic system for moving an implement arranged on the working machine and/or steering the working machine, comprising

using at least one electric machine in the transmission line to at least one of drive the driving wheels brake the driving wheels and generate electric power for the at least one hydraulic pump,

using a transmission unit in the transmission line for engagement and disengagement of the internal combustion engine relative to the driving wheels,

using at least one electric machine arranged between the transmission unit and the driving wheels and between the transmission unit and a gearbox and driving the driving wheels by the electric machine, the electric machine being electrically powered by at least one other electric machine in the transmission line and an electric energy storage means of the wheel loader.

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising using the at least one other electric machine arranged between the internal combustion engine and the transmission unit, and driving the driving wheels by the at least one other electric machine via the transmission unit.

19. A method according to claim 17 comprising driving the driving wheels of the working machine by at least one of the at least one electric machine and the at least one other electric machine during at least one of operation of the implement and acceleration of the working machine.

21. A method according to claim 17, comprising driving the driving wheels while using a hydrodynamic torque converter as a transmission unit.

22. A method according to claim 21, comprising driving the driving wheels during a lock-up state of the hydrodynamic torque converter.

23. A method according to claim 17, comprising using at least one of the at least one electric machine and the at least one other electric machine for driving the driving wheels in a reversed direction relative to a direction of rotation of the internal combustion engine.