Method and system for powering a vehicle
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a traction bus conductively coupled with one or more traction motors of a vehicle, the traction bus including a positive traction portion and a negative traction portion configured to supply corresponding positive and negative components of a first voltage to power the one or more traction motors in order to propel the vehicle;
an auxiliary bus conductively coupled with one or more non-traction motors of the vehicle, the auxiliary bus including a positive auxiliary portion and a negative auxiliary portion configured to supply corresponding positive and negative components of a different, second voltage to power the one or more non-traction motors to perform non-tractive work of the vehicle;
first and second chopper devices each including input terminals and first output terminals, the input terminal of the first chopper device conductively coupled with the positive traction portion of the traction bus, the first output terminal of the first chopper device conductively coupled with the positive auxiliary portion of the auxiliary bus, the input terminal of the second chopper device conductively coupled with the negative traction portion of the traction bus, the first output terminal of the second chopper device conductively coupled with the negative auxiliary portion of the auxiliary bus, the first and second chopper devices configured to control conduction of the first voltage on the positive and negative traction portions of the traction bus to the positive and negative auxiliary portions of the auxiliary bus as the second voltage using first and second duty cycles, respectively; and
a control unit operatively coupled with the first and second chopper devices to change the positive and negative components of the first voltage on the traction bus to the positive and negative components of the second voltage on the auxiliary bus by controlling the first and second duty cycles of the first and second chopper devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for powering a vehicle includes a traction bus, an auxiliary bus, chopper devices, and a control unit. The traction bus is coupled with traction motors of the vehicle to supply a first voltage to power the traction motors. The auxiliary bus is coupled with non-traction motors of the vehicle to supply a different, second voltage to the non-traction motors to. The chopper devices are conductively coupled with both the traction bus and the auxiliary bus to control conduction of the first voltage on the traction bus to the auxiliary bus as the second voltage using first and second duty cycles. The control unit is coupled with the chopper devices to control the first and second duty cycles of the chopper devices, respectively, such that the first voltage on the traction bus is changed (e.g., reduced) to the second voltage on the auxiliary bus.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a traction bus conductively coupled with one or more traction motors of a vehicle, the traction bus including a positive traction portion and a negative traction portion configured to supply corresponding positive and negative components of a first voltage to power the one or more traction motors in order to propel the vehicle; an auxiliary bus conductively coupled with one or more non-traction motors of the vehicle, the auxiliary bus including a positive auxiliary portion and a negative auxiliary portion configured to supply corresponding positive and negative components of a different, second voltage to power the one or more non-traction motors to perform non-tractive work of the vehicle; first and second chopper devices each including input terminals and first output terminals, the input terminal of the first chopper device conductively coupled with the positive traction portion of the traction bus, the first output terminal of the first chopper device conductively coupled with the positive auxiliary portion of the auxiliary bus, the input terminal of the second chopper device conductively coupled with the negative traction portion of the traction bus, the first output terminal of the second chopper device conductively coupled with the negative auxiliary portion of the auxiliary bus, the first and second chopper devices configured to control conduction of the first voltage on the positive and negative traction portions of the traction bus to the positive and negative auxiliary portions of the auxiliary bus as the second voltage using first and second duty cycles, respectively; and a control unit operatively coupled with the first and second chopper devices to change the positive and negative components of the first voltage on the traction bus to the positive and negative components of the second voltage on the auxiliary bus by controlling the first and second duty cycles of the first and second chopper devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a traction bus conductively coupled with one or more traction motors of a vehicle, the traction bus configured to supply a first voltage to power the one or more traction motors in order to propel the vehicle; an auxiliary bus conductively coupled with one or more non-traction motors of the vehicle, the auxiliary bus configured to supply a different, second voltage to power the one or more non-traction motors to perform non-tractive work of the vehicle; first and second chopper devices conductively coupled with both the traction bus and the auxiliary bus, the first and second chopper devices configured to control conduction of the first voltage on the traction bus to the auxiliary bus as the second voltage using first and second duty cycles, respectively; and a control unit operatively coupled with the first and second chopper devices to independently control the first and second duty cycles of the first and second chopper devices, respectively, such that the first and second duty cycles occur over different time periods in order to change the first voltage on the traction bus to the second voltage on the auxiliary bus. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method comprising:
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conveying a first voltage along a traction bus of a vehicle that is conductively coupled with one or more traction motors of the vehicle, the first voltage powering the one or more traction motors in order to propel the vehicle; controlling first and second chopper devices that are conductively coupled with the traction bus and an auxiliary bus of the vehicle, the first and second chopper devices controlled over different first and second duty cycles, respectively, such that the first and second chopper devices convert the first voltage to a second voltage on the auxiliary bus; and conveying the second voltage along the auxiliary bus to one or more non-traction motors of the vehicle in order to power the one or more non-traction motors to perform non-tractive work of the vehicle, wherein the first and second duty cycles of the first and second chopper devices differ from each other such that the first voltage is reduced to the second voltage to power the non-traction motors without conveying the first voltage that is received by the first and second choppers through one or more of a filter or transformer to reduce the first voltage or a transient voltage of the first voltage prior to the second voltage being received by the non-traction motors. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification