Hybrid-type forklift

• US 7,677,340 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Umeno, Takaji, Kato, Norihiko, Sugai, Masaru, Ichijo, Hisashi, Ieoka, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/394,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20060243260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.21, 180/65.235, 180/65.25, 180/65.27, 180/65.275, 180/65.31, 903/910, 903/917
• US Class Current: 180/65.235
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/00 Auxiliary drives B60K16/00 takes precedence; arrangements of tyre-inflating pumps mounted on vehicles B60C23/10; driving tyre-inflating pumps B60C; driving engine auxiliaries F02B
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 25/06 from the transmission power take-off transmissions having power-take-off B60K17/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/15 Fork lift trucks, Industrial trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/20 Means for actuating or controlling masts, platforms, or forks power take-off from vehicle transmissions, combined with vehicle propulsion systems B60K
• 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: Y10S 903/91 Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio

Abstract

When an engine is operated, a power dividing mechanism divides power of the engine to output the power to a motor for running operation and a motor for a cargo handling operation, respectively. Each of loads is driven via a rotational shaft of a corresponding one of the motors. By operating the engine and supplying the motors with electric power from a battery to operate the motors, each of the loads can also be driven by the sum of power of the engine and power of a corresponding one of the motors. When surplus power is generated in the power of the engine, each of the motors is operated as an electric power generating unit by the surplus power. As a result, the battery is charged.

Claims

1. A hybrid-type forklift comprising:

an engine;

a power dividing mechanism connected to the engine, for dividing and outputting power of the engine to a plurality of output ends;

a plurality of motors connected to the plurality of output ends of the power dividing mechanism, respectively, each of the motors also serving as an electric power generating means; and

a battery connected to the plurality of motors, for storing electric power generated by the plurality of motors and for supplying each of the motors with electric power according to need to operate the motor,

one end of each of the rotational shafts of the plurality of motors being connected to rotational shafts used as the plurality of output ends of the power dividing mechanism respectively,

the other end of each of the rotational shafts of the plurality of motors being connected to a plurality of loads respectively,

each of the plurality of loads being driven by at least one of power from the engine and power from a corresponding one of the motors, and

when surplus power is generated in the power of the engine output to the plurality of output ends of the power dividing mechanism, each of the motors is operated by the surplus power as electric power generating means to generate electric power,

the power dividing mechanism has a planetary gear device, the planetary gear device comprises;

a sun gear having a first output end;

a plurality of planetary gears each meshing with the sun gear and coupled to one another by a carrier having an input end; and

a ring gear meshing with the plurality of planetary gears and having a second output end,

the plurality of motors including a first motor and a second motor, the rotational shafts of which are connected to the first output end and the second output end, respectively,

the power of the engine being transmitted to the input end.

2. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of loads include a running load for running and a cargo handling load for performing a cargo handling operation,

one of the first motor and the second motor bring a running motor corresponding to the running load,

the other of the first motor and the second motor being a cargo handling motor corresponding to the cargo handling load.

3. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 2, wherein the sun gear of the planetary gear device has a rotational shaft used as the first output end while the ring gear of the planetary gear device has a rotational shaft used as the second output end.

4. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 3, further comprising a transmission provided between the running motor and the rotational shaft of the output end of the planetary gear device to which the running motor is connected.

5. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 3, further comprising a transmission provided between the running motor and the running load.

6. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 2, further comprising a transmission one end of which is connected to the running motor,

the ring gear of the planetary gear device having outer teeth used as the second output end to which the other end of the transmission is directly coupled,

the cargo handling motor being connected to the first output end of the planetary gear device.

7. A hybrid-type forklift according to claim 2, wherein the cargo handling load is a variable displacement hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic oil to a hydraulic power unit for a cargo handling operation.