MIXER VEHICLE, DRIVE TRAIN, CONTROL UNIT AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A MIXER VEHICLE

• US 20150217480A1
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mulder Europe B.V.
• Original Assignee: Mulder Europe B.V.
• Inventors: van der Wel, Jacobus Antonius Maria, van Aalst, Gerbrand August Wynand
• Application Number:
  US14/434,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20150217480A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/4206 Control apparatus; Drive systems, e.g. coupled to the vehicle drive-system
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/421 Drives in general B28C5/0831
• CPC Class Codes: B28C 5/4272 with rotating drum rotating about a horizontal or inclined axis, e.g. comprising tilting or raising means for the drum B28C5/4279 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/16 for carrying mixed concrete, e.g. having rotatable drums concrete-mixing apparatus specially adapted for being mounted on vehicles with provision for mixing during transport B28C5/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36

Abstract

The invention relates to a mixer vehicle (1). Such mixer vehicle (1) can for instance be a concrete mixer truck (1a). The mixer vehicle (1) comprises a mixer drum (3). Further, the mixer vehicle (1) comprises a drive train (4) for driving said mixer drum (3). The drive train (4) comprises an electric motor (5) and a mains connector (6) for connecting the electric motor (5) to a power mains (7). Consequently, the power mains (7) can be used for driving the mixer drum (3), for instance when loading the mixer drum at a concrete batching plant and/or when unloading the mixer drum at a construction site. Besides, the drive train (4) comprises at least one of a generator (8) for generating electric power and a battery pack (9).

Claims

1. Mixer vehicle, comprising a mixer drum and a drive train for driving the mixer drum, wherein the drive train comprises an electric motor and a mains connector for connecting the electric motor to a power mains, and wherein the drive train further comprises at least one of:

a generator for generating electric power; and

a battery pack.

2. Mixer vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the drive train comprises a switch system for connecting the electric motor selectively with the mains connector, the generator and/or the battery pack.

3. Mixer vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the switch system allows connecting the electric motor selectively with at least two of the mains connector, the generator and the battery pack at the same time.

4. Mixer vehicle according to any one of claim 2 or 3, the drive train further comprises a controller for controlling the switch system.

5. Mixer vehicle according to any one of claims 2-4, wherein the drive train comprises a sensor system for sensing a power need or consumption of the electric motor and/or for sensing availability of power via the mains connector, from the generator and/or from the battery pack, wherein the sensor system is connected to the controller and said controller is arranged for setting the switch system at least partly based on said detected power need or consumption and/or said detected availability of power.

6. Mixer vehicle according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the drive train comprises an electric circuit for driving the electric motor on direct current and/or alternating current power sources.

7. Mixer vehicle according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the drive train is provided with an input device for inputting data concerning an intended drive state of the mixer drum, wherein the input device preferably is connected to the controller or a further controller and the controller or the further controller preferably is arranged for controlling the switch system and/or the mixer drum at least partly based on inputted data.

8. Mixer vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the input device is provided with an input means comprising a control lever.

9. Mixer vehicle according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the vehicle is a mixer truck comprising the drive train with the electric motor and further comprising a main engine for driving said truck, or wherein the vehicle comprises a tractor unit and a mixer trailer or mixer semi-trailer, the tractor unit comprising a main engine for driving the vehicle.

10. Drive train for driving a mixer drum of a mixer vehicle, comprising an electric motor and a mains connector for connecting the electric motor to a power mains, and at least one of:

a generator for generating electric power; and

a battery pack.

11. Control unit for a drive train for driving a mixer drum of a mixer vehicle, arranged for coupling to a mains connector of the drive train and arranged for coupling to an electric motor of the drive train for driving a mixer drum, the control unit further is arranged for coupling to a generator of the drive train and/or a battery pack of the drive train, wherein the control unit further comprises a switch system for connecting an electric motor and/or the respective coupler selectively with the mains connector, the generator and/or the battery pack and/or with the respective coupler.

12. Method for operating a mixer vehicle having a mixer drum, comprising the steps of:

connecting a mains connector of the mixer vehicle to a power mains;

feeding electric power from said power mains to an electric motor of the mixer vehicle for driving the mixer drum; and

driving the mixer drum by means of the electric motor.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the electric power is fed from the power mains to the electric motor when loading of the mixer drum.

14. Method according to claim 12, wherein the electric power is fed from the power mains to the electric motor when unloading of the mixer drum.