AGRICULTURAL HARVESTER WITH DUAL ENGINE FAILURE POWER TRANSFER SYSTEM

• US 20100293913A1
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Sheidler, Alan D., Mackin, Ryan P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 56/10.20R
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/105 Driving mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 69/025 Electric hybrid systems
• 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 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An agricultural harvester includes a first power unit which is couplable with a first primary load. The first primary load includes a threshing system load. A first motor/generator is mechanically coupled with the first power unit. A first clutch is mechanically coupled between the first power unit and the first primary load. A second power unit is couplable with a second primary load. The second primary load includes a propulsion load. A second motor/generator is mechanically coupled with the second power unit and electrically coupled with the first motor/generator. A second clutch is mechanically coupled between the second power unit and the second motor/generator.

Claims

1. An agricultural harvester, comprising:

a first power unit which is couplable with a first primary load, said first primary load including a threshing system load;

a first motor/generator mechanically coupled with said first power unit;

a first clutch mechanically coupled between said first power unit and said first primary load;

a second power unit which is couplable with a second primary load, said second primary load including a propulsion load;

a second motor/generator mechanically coupled with said second power unit and electrically coupled with said first motor/generator; and

a second clutch mechanically coupled between said second power unit and said second motor/generator.

2. The agricultural harvester of claim 1, wherein said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator are bidirectionally electrically coupled together.

3. The agricultural harvester of claim 2, including at least one electrical processing circuit configured for selective bidirectional transfer of electrical power between said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator, dependent upon an operating state of at least one of said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator.

4. The agricultural harvester of claim 3, wherein said operating state is a failure of one of said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator.

5. The agricultural harvester of claim 1, wherein said first clutch is mechanically coupled between said first power unit and each of said first primary load and said first clutch, and said second clutch is mechanically coupled between said second power unit and each of said second primary load and said second clutch.

6. The agricultural harvester of claim 1, wherein said second motor/generator is configured to electrically drive at least one external load.

7. The agricultural harvester of claim 6, wherein each said external load corresponds to one of a parasitic load and an auxiliary load.

8. The agricultural harvester of claim 7, wherein each said parasitic load is a non-drivetrain load without operator intervention, and each said auxiliary load is a non-drivetrain load with operator intervention.

9. The agricultural harvester of claim 7, wherein said agricultural harvester is an agricultural combine, and said at least one auxiliary load corresponds to at least one of:

a heating and air conditioning system;

a reel drive;

a cleaning shoe drive;

an air compressor for cleanout function;

a vehicle lighting system;

a clean grain unloading system;

a cleaning fan drive;

a cutterbar/auger drive;

a chaff spreader;

a clean grain elevator; and

an auxiliary electrical power outlet.

10. The agricultural harvester of claim 1, wherein said first power unit and said second power unit are each an internal combustion (IC) engine.

11. A method of operating an agricultural harvester, comprising the steps of:

driving a threshing system load with a first power unit;

driving a propulsion load with a second power unit, said second power unit being mechanically independent from said first power unit;

driving a first motor/generator with said first power unit;

driving a second motor/generator with said second power unit;

detecting a failure state of at least one of said first power unit and said second power unit; and

transferring electrical power between said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator, dependent upon an occurrence of said failure state.

12. The method of operating an agricultural harvester of claim 11, wherein if said failure state corresponds to said first power unit, then electrical power is transferred from said second motor/generator to said first motor/generator to thereby drive said threshing system load.

13. The method of operating an agricultural harvester of claim 11, wherein if said failure state corresponds to said second power unit, then electrical power is transferred from said first motor/generator to said second motor/generator to thereby drive said propulsion load.

14. The method of operating an agricultural harvester of claim 11, including the step of driving at least one external load with one of said first motor/generator and said second motor/generator.

15. The method of operating an agricultural harvester of claim 14, wherein each said external load corresponds to one of a parasitic load and an auxiliary load.