Vehicle for materials handling and other industrial uses

• US 7,201,244 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Longview Operations LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: LeTourneau, Inc. (Valaris Ltd.)
• Inventors: Johnston, Ronald A., Stoldt, Nelson L., Schufeldt, Paul K., Baker, Dwight, Bradley, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RESTIFO, JEFFREY J
• Application Number:
  US10/678,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20050072608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.5, 301/6.5
• US Class Current: 180/65.51
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/043 Transmission unit disposed in on near the vehicle wheel, or between the differential gear unit and the wheel
• 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 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2018 for braking on a slope
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/18 Reluctance machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/58 with more than three phases
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 : Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0038 : relating to sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 : relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 : Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/12 : using AC generators and DC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/06 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 : Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 13/22 : for electric drives transmitting control pulses B66C13/40; systems or devices of general application H02P
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/34 : with bucket-arms , i.e. a pair of arms, e.g. manufacturing processes, form, geometry, material of bucket-arms with a single arm E02F3/283 directly pivoted on the frames of tractors or self-propelled machines
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 : of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/092 : Converters specially adapted for controlling reluctance motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 : Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A heavy duty wheeled vehicle for an industrial environment is electrically driven by one or more switched reluctance motor traction drive system connected to the wheels. The switched reluctance motors are powered by an electrical generator that is driven by an engine, such as a diesel engine, which may run at a substantially constant RPM. A digital control system provides operator displays and controls power conversion from the generator, as well as providing maintenance and control functions for the switched reluctance motors. A heavy-duty hoisting apparatus electrically drives a hoisting mechanism using an SR motor, providing power for lifting a load. The heavy-duty hoisting apparatus may include an engine and generator or provide power to the SR motor from an external source.

Claims

1. A method for providing traction for a multi-wheeled heavy-duty materials handling apparatus, comprising the steps of:

running an engine;

driving a generator from the engine, producing a DC voltage;

switching the DC voltage, driving a first switched reluctance (SR) motor, comprising the steps of;

calculating a position of a rotor of the SR motor independent of sensors; and

turning on and off current through coils of the SR motor responsive to the calculating step;

driving a first wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor;

controlling the operation of the first SR motor by a digital control system; and

controlling the operation of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus and a materials handling system of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the digital control system,

wherein the step of driving a generator from the engine, producing a DC voltage and the step of driving a first wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor are performed concurrently.

2. The method of claim 1, the step of driving a generator comprising the steps of:

driving an AC generator from the engine; and

converting an output of the AC generator to the DC voltage.

3. The meted of claim 1, the step of running an engine comprising the step of:

running the engine at a substantially constant predetermined RPM.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

dissipating excess power when slowing the SR motor from a predetermined speed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the SR motor is a multi-phase motor having a plurality of poles, further comprising the steps of:

energizing less than all of the poles of the SR motor;

holding the motor in a predetermined rotational position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

reversing the first wheel, comprising to step of;

reversing the SR motor.

7. The method of claim 1, the step of switching the DC voltage further comprises the step of:

driving a second SR motor further comprising the steps of;

driving a second wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor;

controlling the operation of the second SR motor by the digital control system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

driving a second wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the first SR motor.

9. A method for providing traction for a multi-wheeled heavy-duty materials handling apparatus, comprising the steps of:

running an engine at a substantially constant predetermined RPM;

driving a generator from the engine, producing a DC voltage;

switching the DC voltage, driving a first switched reluctance (SR) motor, comprising the steps of;

calculating a position of a rotor of the SR motor independent of sensors; and

turning on and off current through coils of the SR motor responsive to the calculating step;

driving a first wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor;

controlling the operation of the first SR motor by a digital control system;

controlling the operation of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus and a materials handling system of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the digital control system; and

dissipating excess power when slowing the SR motor from a predetermined speed,

wherein the step of driving a generator from the engine, producing a DC voltage and the step of driving a first wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor are performed concurrently.

10. A method for providing traction for a multi-wheeled heavy-duty materials handling apparatus, comprising the steps of:

running an engine;

driving a generator from the engine, producing a DC voltage;

concurrently with driving the generator, switching the DC voltage, driving a first multi-phase switched reluctance (SR) motor having a plurality of poles;

driving a first wheel of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the SR motor;

controlling the operation of the first SR motor by a digital control system;

controlling the operation of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus and a materials handling system of the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus by the digital control system;

stationary braking the heavy-duty materials handling apparatus, comprising the steps of;

energizing less than all of the poles of the SR motor; and

holding the SR motor in a predetermined rotational position.