Electrohydraulic hybrid work vehicle

• US 9,248,731 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Merlo Project S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
• Original Assignee: Merlo Project S.R.L. Con Unico Socio
• Inventors: Merlo, Amilcare, Soma, Aurelio, Galfre, Renato
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frick, Emma K
• Application Number:
  US14/351,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20140332294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/005 driven by electric motors forming part of the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2025/022 by a mechanical transmission
• 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 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/64 Beam Hoists
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/61 Arrangements of controllers for electric machines, e.g. inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2410/115 Electric wiring; Electric connectors
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0655 with a telescopic boom
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2075 of the hybrid type for vehicles in general B60W20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/0141 Shields associated with casings, enclosures or brackets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/33 Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics H02K11/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A hybrid work vehicle having a direct-current electric power bus for connecting at least an electric power controller, an electric machine for driving the vehicle, a reversible electric machine, and a battery.

Claims

1. A work vehicle (1) comprising an internal combustion engine (10);

a first electric machine (18) for driving the vehicle;

at least one hydraulic circuit comprising a number of hydraulic actuators (7, 8) and a hydraulic machine (12) for operating at least said hydraulic actuators (8);

a second electric machine (11) which is reversible;

a battery (19) rechargeable by said second electric machine (11) to permit operation of said first electric machine (18), and said second electric machine (11) also being operable off of said battery (19) to control said hydraulic machine (12);

a drive (15) for connecting said internal combustion engine (10) mechanically to said second electric machine (11) and to said hydraulic machine (12), so said second electric machine and said hydraulic machine are in parallel with respect to said internal combustion engine (10); and

a clutch (14) for disconnecting said internal combustion engine (10) from said drive (15) to allow said second electric machine (11) to selectively power said hydraulic machine (12) when said internal combustion engine (10) is disconnected from said drive (15);

said vehicle also comprising;

a first electric actuator (40) integrated in a first block (45, 46) with said second electric machine (11);

a second electric actuator (42) integrated in a second block (50) with said first electric machine (18); and

an electric power controller (20) for controlling electric power exchange between said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19);

said electric power controller (20), said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19) being connected by direct-current electric lines; and

said vehicle characterized by comprising an interface (32) designed to transmit a user input signal to a central control unit (21) connected to said electric power controller (20) to at least control the drive speed of said vehicle by said first electric machine (18) on the basis of said input signal; and

in that said central control unit (21) is programmed to select a first operating mode, in which, when the charge of said battery (19) falls below a predetermined threshold, said internal combustion engine (10) is turned on automatically when said hydraulic machine (12) is activated, independently of operation of said first electric machine (18) and said second electric machine (11).

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said central control unit (21) is programmed to permit user selection of a second operating mode, in which said internal combustion engine (10) is turned off and said second electric machine (11) and/or said first electric machine (18) are powered by said battery (19), wherein, in said second operating mode, said internal combustion engine (10) is configured to be turned on solely manually by a user.

3. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said drive (15) provides a mechanical connection when said internal combustion engine (10) drives said second electric machine (11) and/or said hydraulic machine (12).

4. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said hydraulic machine (12) is reversible and is configured to drive said second electric machine (11) when hydraulic fluid is pumped by at least one of said hydraulic actuators connected to an arm (3).

5. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said first electric machine (18) is reversible;

and a central control unit (21) is programmed to supply the power generated by said first electric machine (18) to said battery (19).

6. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said battery (19) and an assembly, comprising at least said second electric machine (11), said hydraulic machine (12), said drive (15), said clutch (14) and said first electric actuator (40), are housed in respective opposite side compartments of said vehicle.

7. A vehicle as claimed in foregoing claim 1, characterized in that said first electric machine (18) comprises at least one wheel drive unit connected to a respective wheel (6) of said vehicle.

8. A work vehicle (1) comprising an internal combustion engine (10);

a first electric machine (18) for driving the vehicle;

at least one hydraulic circuit comprising a number of hydraulic actuators (7, 8) and a hydraulic machine (12) for operating at least said hydraulic actuators (8);

a second electric machine (11) which is reversible;

a battery (19) rechargeable by said second electric machine (11) to permit operation of said first electric machine (18), and said second electric machine (11) also being operable off of said battery (19) to control said hydraulic machine (12);

a drive (15) for connecting said internal combustion engine (10) mechanically to said second electric machine (11) and to said hydraulic machine (12), so said second electric machine and said hydraulic machine are in parallel with respect to said internal combustion engine (10); and

a clutch (14) for disconnecting said internal combustion engine (10) from said drive (15) to allow said second electric machine (11) to selectively power said hydraulic machine (12) when said internal combustion engine (10) is disconnected from said drive (15);

said vehicle also comprising;

a first electric actuator (40) integrated in a first block (45, 46) with said second electric machine (11);

a second electric actuator (42) integrated in a second block (50) with said first electric machine (18); and

an electric power controller (20) for controlling electric power exchange between said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19);

said electric power controller (20), said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19) being connected by direct-current electric lines; and

said vehicle characterized by comprising at least one sealed casing (45, 46;

50, 53) for housing and protecting against atmospheric agents at least one of the following electric power devices;

said second electric machine (11), said first electric machine (18), said electric power controller (20), and said first and second electric actuator (40, 42); and

further characterized in that said at least one sealed casing (45, 46;

50, 53) has a power current first electric terminal (49a) connected to at least one of said direct-current lines; and

a low-voltage second electric terminal (49b) connected to said at least one electric power device.

9. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized by comprising at least one further electric terminal (M) for alternating power current;

and in that said further electric terminal (M) is located inside said at least one sealed casing (50, 53).

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said drive (15) provides a mechanical connection when said internal combustion engine (10) drives said second electric machine (11) and/or said hydraulic machine (12).

11. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said hydraulic machine (12) is reversible and is configured to drive said second electric machine (11) when hydraulic fluid is pumped by at least one of said hydraulic actuators connected to an arm (3).

12. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said first electric machine (18) is reversible;

and a central control unit (21) is programmed to supply the power generated by said first electric machine (18) to said battery (19).

13. A vehicle as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said battery (19) and an assembly, comprising at least said second electric machine (11), said hydraulic machine (12), said drive (15), said clutch (14) and said first electric actuator (40), are housed in respective opposite side compartments of said vehicle.

14. A vehicle as claimed in foregoing claim 8, characterized in that said first electric machine (18) comprises at least one wheel drive unit connected to a respective wheel (6) of said vehicle.

15. A work vehicle (1) comprising an internal combustion engine (10);

a first electric machine (18) for driving the vehicle;

at least one hydraulic circuit comprising a number of hydraulic actuators (7, 8) and a hydraulic machine (12) for operating at least said hydraulic actuators (8);

a second electric machine (11) which is reversible;

a battery (19) rechargeable by said second electric machine (11) to permit operation of said first electric machine (18), and said second electric machine (11) also being operable off of said battery (19) to control said hydraulic machine (12);

a drive (15) for connecting said internal combustion engine (10) mechanically to said second electric machine (11) and to said hydraulic machine (12), so said second electric machine and said hydraulic machine are in parallel with respect to said internal combustion engine (10); and

a clutch (14) for disconnecting said internal combustion engine (10) from said drive (15) to allow said second electric machine (11) to selectively power said hydraulic machine (12) when said internal combustion engine (10) is disconnected from said drive (15);

said vehicle also comprising;

a first electric actuator (40) integrated in a first block (45, 46) with said second electric machine (11);

a second electric actuator (42) integrated in a second block (50) with said first electric machine (18); and

an electric power controller (20) for controlling electric power exchange between said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19);

said electric power controller (20), said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and said battery (19) being connected by direct-current electric lines; and

said vehicle characterized by comprising a cooling circuit for cooling at least one of said second electric machine (11), said first electric machine (18), and a further electric power device (20, 40, 42);

said cooling circuit having a branch (45, 46, 50, 53) comprising an inlet port (47, 51) and an outlet port (48, 52); and

said at least one of said second electric machine (11) and said first electric machine (18) being located downstream from said further electric power device (20, 40, 42) with respect to said inlet and outlet ports (47, 48);

said further electric power device being selected from the group comprising said electric actuator and said electric power controller.

16. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15, characterized by comprising at least one sealed casing (45, 46;

50, 53) for housing and protecting against atmospheric agents at least one of the following electric power devices;

said second electric machine (11), said first electric machine (18), said electric power controller (20), and said first and second electric actuator (40, 42) and in that said branch comprises said sealed casing (45, 46, 50, 53).

17. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said drive (15) provides a mechanical connection when said internal combustion engine (10) drives said second electric machine (11) and/or said hydraulic machine (12).

18. A vehicle as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said hydraulic machine (12) is reversible and is configured to drive said second electric machine (11) when hydraulic fluid is pumped by at least one of said hydraulic actuators connected to an arm (3).