METHOD OF CONVERTING, STORING AND UTILIZING POTENTIAL ENERGY AT A WORKSITE AND SYSTEM USING THE SAME

• US 20120273285A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Jensen, Jeffrey E., Slone, Larry M.
• Application Number:
  US13/094,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20120273285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0444 Arrangement on a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/28 Trailers
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/46 Vehicles with auxiliary ad-on propulsions, e.g. add-on electric motor kits for bicycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/586 the retarders being of the electric type
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/142 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/147 Trailers, e.g. full trailers or caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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

A method of utilizing potential energy at a worksite comprising providing an energy storage machine including an energy storage system at a first rendezvous height above a working area, coupling the energy storage machine to a first work machine, generating energy while commuting the energy storage machine and first work machine down the first height, storing the generated energy in the energy storage system and decoupling the energy storage machine and the first work machine at a second rendezvous point adjacent to the working area.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing potential energy at a worksite, the method comprising:

providing an energy storage machine including an energy storage system at a first rendezvous point at a first height above a working area;

coupling the energy storage machine to a first work machine;

generating energy while commuting the energy storage machine and first work machine down the first height;

storing the generated energy in the energy storage system; and

decoupling the energy storage machine and the first work machine at a second rendezvous point adjacent to the working area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating energy while commuting the energy storage machine and first work machine down the first height and storing the generated energy in the energy storage system includes providing an electrical regenerative braking system in the first work machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the providing an electrical regenerative braking system includes providing at least one electrical traction motor that functions as a generator in the first work machine.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the providing an energy storage machine including an energy storage system includes:

providing a battery in the energy storage machine; and

transmitting electrical energy to the battery from the at least one electrical traction motor in the first work machine.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

coupling the energy storage machine to a second work machine at the second rendezvous point;

expending energy from the energy storage system while commuting the energy storage machine and the second working machine up a second height; and

decoupling the energy storage machine and the second work machine at the first rendezvous point at the second height above the working area,

wherein the second working machine is the same as, or different than, the first working machine, and

wherein the second height is the same as, or different than, the first height.

6. The method of claim 8, wherein the expending energy from the energy storage system while commuting the energy storage machine and the second working machine up a second height comprises:

providing a battery in the energy storage machine; and

providing at least one electrical traction motor in the second work machine in connection with the battery.

7. The method of claim 9, wherein the providing at least one electrical traction motor in the second work machine in connection with the battery includes:

providing an electrical traction motor in all wheels of the second work machine.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the coupling the energy storage machine to the first work machine comprises utilizing at least one of a Janney-type coupler, a tow hitch and a pintle hook and lunette ring.

9. The method of claim 1, further including:

providing a solar array in electrical communication with the energy storage system of the energy storage machine.

10. An energy conversion, storage and utilization system comprising:

a worksite including a first rendezvous point and a second rendezvous point disposed at a first height below the first rendezvous point;

at least one energy storage machine that includes;

a regenerative braking system that generates energy while commuting the energy storage machine from the first area to the second area down the first height; and

an energy storage system that stores the generated energy; and

at least one work machine which is coupled to at least one of the at least one energy storage machines while the energy is generated,

wherein the at least one energy storage machine and the at least one work machine are coupled at the first rendezvous point and decoupled at the second rendezvous point.

11. The energy conversion, storage and utilization system of claim 15, wherein the at least one work machine receives energy from the at least one energy storage machine while the at least one work machine commutes from the second rendezvous point to the first rendezvous point.

12. The energy conversion, storage and utilization system of claim 10,

wherein the at least one energy storage machine includes a plurality of energy storage machines,

wherein the at least one work machine includes a plurality of work machines, and

wherein multiple energy storage machines are coupled to an individual work machine of the plurality of work machines.

13. The energy conversion, storage and utilization system of claim 10,

wherein the at least one energy storage machine includes a plurality of energy storage machines,

wherein the at least one work machine includes a plurality of work machines, and

wherein multiple work machines are coupled to an individual energy storage machine of the plurality of energy storage machines.

14. The energy conversion, storage and utilization system of claim 10, wherein the at least one work machine is an off-highway truck.

15. The energy conversion, storage and utilization system of claim 10, wherein the at least one energy storage machine and the at least one work machine are configured for use in an underground mine.

16. An energy storage machine comprising:

a chassis;

a motive assembly connected to the chassis;

an energy storage system; and

a coupler configured for connection with a work machine, wherein the coupler mechanically couples the energy storage machine to the work machine and the coupler provides an energy transfer path between the work machine and the energy storage system.

17. The energy storage machine of claim 16, wherein the motive assembly includes a two axle configuration.

18. The energy storage machine of claim 16, wherein the energy storage system includes at least one of a battery, an ultracapacitor, a compressed air reservoir and a flywheel.

19. The energy storage machine of claim 16, wherein the energy storage system is configured to be pulled behind the work machine.

20. The energy storage machine of claim 16, wherein the energy storage system is configured to be pushed in front of the work machine.