Generation And Starting System

• US 20100289327A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Shoemaker, Jim Milton, Mackin, Ryan Patrick, Burke, Daniel James, Stahlhut, Ronnie Dean, Sheidler, Alan David, Pope, Glenn E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/025 Electric hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 5/08 comprising more than one engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 73/00 Combinations of two or more engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 25/00 Controlling two or more co-operating engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators

Abstract

An agricultural vehicle including plurality of engines, a plurality of mechanical loads, a plurality of electrical generators, a plurality of electrical loads, at least one load sensor, and a controller. The plurality of engines includes a first engine and a second engine. The plurality of mechanical loads includes a first mechanical load and a second mechanical load. The first mechanical load is coupled to the first engine and a second mechanical load is coupled to the second engine. The plurality of electrical generators includes a first generator and a second generator. The first generator is coupled to the first engine and the second generator is coupled to the second engine. The plurality of electrical loads can be separately coupled to the first generator or the second generator. The at least one load sensor is configured to produce a signal representative of the first mechanical load on the first engine, the second mechanical load on the second engine, a sum of electrical loads on the first generator, and/or a sum of electrical loads on the second generator. The controller is configured to shift at least one of the plurality of electrical loads between the first generator and the second generator dependent upon the signal.

Claims

1. An agricultural vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of engines including a first engine and a second engine;

a plurality of mechanical loads including a first mechanical load and a second mechanical load, said first mechanical load being coupled to said first engine, said second mechanical load being coupled to said second engine;

a plurality of electrical generators including a first generator and a second generator, said first generator being coupled to said first engine, said second generator being coupled to said second engine;

a plurality of electrical loads separately couplable to one of said first generator and said second generator;

at least one load sensor configured to produce a signal representative of at least one of said first mechanical load on said first engine, said second mechanical load on said second engine, a sum of electrical loads on said first generator and a sum of electrical loads on said second generator; and

a controller configured to shift at least one of said plurality of electrical loads between said first generator and said second generator dependent upon said signal.

2. The agricultural vehicle of claim 1, wherein said at least one load sensor includes a plurality of load sensors including a first load sensor and a second load sensor, said first load sensor being associated with said first engine and said second load sensor being associated with said second engine, said first load sensor producing a first signal representative of a first total load on said first engine, said second load sensor producing a second signal representative of a second total load on said second engine, said controller being configured to alter said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first signal and said second signal.

3. The agricultural vehicle of claim 2, wherein said first engine has a first performance attribute associated therewith and said second engine has a second performance attribute associated therewith, said controller being additionally configured to alter said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first performance attribute and said second performance attribute.

4. The agricultural vehicle of claim 2, wherein said first generator has a first performance attribute associated therewith and said second generator has a second performance attribute associated therewith, said controller being additionally configured to alter said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first performance attribute and said second performance attribute.

5. The agricultural vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a stored power source, said controller being further configured to direct power from said stored power source to said first generator, said first generator being configured to act as an electrical motor and to start said first engine.

6. The agricultural vehicle of claim 5, wherein said controller is further configured to direct power from said first generator to said second generator, said second generator being configured to act as an electrical motor and to start said second engine.

7. The agricultural vehicle of claim 1, wherein said second generator is configured to additionally function as an electrical motor, said controller being further configured to remove all of said electrical loads from said second generator and to direct electrical power from said first generator to said second generator to assist said second engine meet a demand of said second mechanical load.

8. The agricultural vehicle of claim 7, wherein said controller is further configured to connect at least some of said electrical loads removed from said second generator to said first generator.

9. The agricultural vehicle of claim 7, further comprising:

a first gear box coupled to said first engine, said first gear box serving to couple said first generator and said first mechanical load to said first engine; and

a second gear box coupled to said second engine, said second gear box serving to couple said second generator and said second mechanical load to said second engine.

10. The agricultural vehicle of claim 1, wherein the agricultural vehicle is a harvester.

11. A method of controlling load distribution in an agricultural vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling a first mechanical load to a first engine and a second mechanical load to a second engine;

coupling a first generator to said first engine and a second generator to said second engine;

separately coupling a plurality of electrical loads to one of said first generator and said second generator;

generating a signal by a load sensor representative of at least one of said first mechanical load on said first engine, said second mechanical load on said second engine, a sum of electrical loads on said first generator and a sum of electrical loads on said second generator; and

shifting at least one of said plurality of electrical loads between said first generator and said second generator dependent upon said signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one load sensor includes a plurality of load sensors including a first load sensor and a second load sensor, said first load sensor being associated with said first engine and said second load sensor being associated with said second engine, said first load sensor producing a first signal representative of a first total load on said first engine, said second load sensor producing a second signal representative of a second total load on said second engine, the method further including the step of altering said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first signal and said second signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said first engine has a first performance attribute associated therewith and said second engine has a second performance attribute associated therewith, the method further including the step of altering said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first performance attribute and said second performance attribute.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said first generator has a first performance attribute associated therewith and said second generator has a second performance attribute associated therewith, the method further including the step of altering said first total load and said second total load by shifting at least one of said electrical loads from being electrically coupled to said first generator to being electrically coupled to said second generator dependent upon said first performance attribute and said second performance attribute.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

directing power from a stored power source to said first generator; and

starting said first engine by being mechanically rotated by said first generator that is configured to act as an electrical motor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

directing power from said first generator to said second generator; and

starting said second engine by said second generator that is configured to act as an electrical motor.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said second generator is configured to additionally function as an electrical motor, the method including the steps of removing all of said electrical loads from said second generator and directing electrical power from said first generator to said second generator to assist said second engine meet a demand of said second mechanical load.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of connecting at least some of said electrical loads removed from said second generator to said first generator.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a first gear box is coupled to said first engine, said first gear box serving to couple said first generator and said first mechanical load to said first engine, a second gear box being coupled to said second engine, said second gear box serving to couple said second generator and said second mechanical load to said second engine.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the agricultural vehicle is a harvester.