Electric powertrain for off-highway trucks

• US 20100065356A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Krause, Michael, McKenzie, Philip C., Reddy, Suresh B.
• Application Number:
  US12/210,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20100065356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.310
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/16 of differential gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/24 Energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/142 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An off-highway truck with an electric powertrain is provided. The off-highway truck includes a set of steerable idle wheels supported by a chassis. An engine is configured to provide the off-highway truck with mechanical energy. At least one electric power generator is operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy. At least one electric motor is operably coupled to the electric power generator. First and second final drives are configured to rotate at least one drive wheel that is non-steerable. A differential is operably coupled to the at least one electric motor for distributing the torque produced by the at least one electric motor to the first and second final drives.

Claims

1. An off-highway truck comprising:

a chassis;

a bucket supported on the chassis;

a set of steerable idle wheels supported by the chassis;

an engine configured to provide the off-highway truck with mechanical energy;

at least one electric power generator operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy;

at least one electric motor operably coupled to the electric power generator;

a first final drive and a second final drive, the first and second final drives each being configured to rotate at least one drive wheel that is non-steerable; and

a differential operably coupled to the at least one electric motor for distributing the torque produced by the at least one electric motor to the first and second final drives.

2. The off-highway truck of claim 1 wherein a multiple range gear box is operably coupled to the at least one electric motor.

3. The off-highway truck of claim 1 further including an electric energy storage system for storing any excess electric energy generated by the electric power generator.

4. The off-highway truck of claim 1 wherein the electric power generator is configured to also act as a motor.

5. The off-highway truck of claim 1 wherein the at least one electric motor is configured to also act as a generator.

6. The off-highway truck of claim 1 wherein the off-highway truck includes two electric motors operably coupled to the electric power generator.

7. The off-highway truck of claim 1 further including at least one power electronics unit operably coupled to the electric power generator.

8. The off-highway truck of claim 1 further including at least one power electronics unit operably coupled to the at least electric motor.

9. An off-highway truck comprising:

an engine configured to provide mechanical energy;

at least one electric power generator operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy;

at least one electric motor operably coupled to the electric power generator;

a multiple range gear box operably coupled to the at least one electric motor;

a first final drive and a second final drive, the first and second final drives each being configured to rotate at least one drive wheel; and

a differential operably coupled to the multiple range gear box for distributing a torque output from the multiple range gear box to the first and second final drives.

10. The off-highway truck of claim 9 further including an electric energy storage system for storing any excess electric energy generated by the electric power generator.

11. The off-highway truck of claim 9 wherein the electric power generator is configured to also act as a motor.

12. The off-highway truck of claim 9 wherein the at least one electric motor is configured to also act as a generator.

13. The off-highway truck of claim 9 wherein the off-highway truck includes two electric motors operably coupled to the electric power generator.

14. The off-highway truck of claim 9 further including at least one power electronics unit operably coupled to the electric power generator.

15. The off-highway truck of claim 9 further including at least one power electronics unit operably coupled to the at least one electric motor.

16. The off-highway truck of claim 9 further including a chassis that supports a set of idle wheels.

17. The off-highway truck of claim 16 wherein the idle wheels are steerable and the drive wheels are non-steerable.

18. An off-highway truck comprising:

an engine configured to provide mechanical energy;

at least one electric power generator operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy;

a first electric motor and a second electric motor operably coupled to the electric power generator;

a first multiple range gear box operably coupled to the first electric motor and a second multiple range gear box operably coupled to the second electric motor; and

a first final drive operably coupled to the first multiple range gear box and a second final drive operably coupled to the second multiple range gear box, the first and second final drives each being configured to rotate at least one drive wheel.

19. The off-highway truck of claim 18 further including an electric energy storage system for storing any excess electric energy generated by the electric power generator.

20. The off-highway truck of claim 18 further including a chassis that supports a set of idle wheels and wherein the idle wheels are steerable and the drive wheels are non-steerable.