Work machine, in particular dump truck or truck

• US 9,963,094 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liebherr-Mining Equipment Colmar SAS (Liebherr-International AG)
• Original Assignee: Liebherr-Mining Equipment Colmar SAS (Liebherr-International AG)
• Inventors: Richthammer, Burkhard, Kugelstadt, Kai, Levaray, Adrien, Sommer, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, James A
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLEMMONS, STEVE M
• Application Number:
  US14/639,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/448 Electrical distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/125 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/142 Heavy duty trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14324 comprising modular units, e.g. DIN rail mounted units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a work machine, in particular in the form of a dump truck or of a truck, having a diesel electric traction drive, comprising at least one internal combustion engine, at least one alternator, at least one set of power electronics as well as at least one electric motor, wherein the power electronics are divided into two or more functional modules and at least one, each, functional module has an encapsulated housing.

Claims

1. A work machine, having a diesel electric traction drive, comprising at least one internal combustion engine, at least one alternator, at least one set of power electronics having a modular design, as well as at least one electric motor integrated in and coupled to a rear driving axle driving a rear wheel of the work machine, the engine longitudinally mounted in the work machine forward of the rear driving axle,

wherein the power electronics are divided into two or more functional modules, wherein each functional module is accommodated in its own individual encapsulated housing, wherein the encapsulated housings of the functional modules are each configured to be installed and disassembled individually, wherein the work machine comprises parallel longitudinal frame rails, and wherein the two or more functional modules comprise a first functional module fastened to an outer side of one of the frame rails, a second functional module arranged between the frame rails and adjacent to the rear driving axle, and a third functional module fastened to an outer side of the other frame rail.

2. The work machine of claim 1, wherein the work machine is in the form of a dump truck or of a truck.

3. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing material at least partially comprises metal.

4. The work machine of claim 3, wherein the housing material includes steel and/or stainless steel and/or aluminum.

5. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the encapsulated housing comprises one or more external terminals coupled with electrical cabling to the alternator and/or to further functional modules and/or to one or more electrical traction drives.

6. The work machine in accordance with claim 5, wherein frequency converters for each electric motor are accommodated in separate functional modules.

7. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the functional modules at least partially comprise an integrated cooling with external terminals on an outer housing side.

8. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein electronic components of the power electronics are divided into different functional modules.

9. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one functional module comprises an alternator control or alternator regulator and/or a control/regulator of frequency converters for the electric motors.

10. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein a receiving board or frame is provided for receiving two or more or all of the functional modules of the power electronics.

11. The work machine in accordance with claim 10, wherein the receiving board or frame is releasably connectable to a vehicle frame of the work machine, the vehicle frame comprising the frame rails.

12. The work machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least some of the functional modules or all of the functional modules are mounted between the alternator and the electric motor.

13. A system, comprising:

a work machine having a diesel electric traction drive including at least one internal combustion engine, at least one alternator, at least one set of power electronics having a modular design, as well as at least one electric motor integrated in and coupled to a rear driving axle driving a rear wheel of the work machine, the engine longitudinally mounted in the work machine forward of the rear driving axle, wherein the power electronics are arranged adjacent the rear driving axle of the work machine between parallel longitudinal frame rails of the work machine and longitudinally rearward of an output shaft of the engine, wherein the power electronics are divided into two or more functional modules, wherein each functional module is accommodated in its own individual encapsulated housing, and wherein the encapsulated housings of the functional modules are each configured to be installed and disassembled individually.

14. The work machine in accordance with claim 13, wherein the housing material at least partially comprises metal.

15. The work machine in accordance with claim 14, wherein the encapsulated housing of each functional module comprises one or more external terminals coupled with electrical cabling to the alternator and/or to further functional modules and/or to one or more electrical traction drives, and wherein the functional modules at least partially comprise an integrated cooling with external terminals on an outer housing side, wherein electronic components of the power electronics are divided into different functional modules, and wherein frequency converters for each electric motor are accommodated in separate functional modules.

16. The work machine in accordance with claim 14, wherein at least one functional module comprises an alternator control or alternator regulator and/or a control/regulator of frequency converters for the electric motors, and wherein a receiving board or frame is provided for receiving two or more or all of the functional modules of the power electronics, and wherein the receiving board or frame is releasably connectable to a vehicle frame of the work machine, the vehicle frame comprising the frame rails.

17. The work machine in accordance with claim 16, wherein at least some of the functional modules or all of the functional modules are mounted between the alternator and the electric motor, in between the frame rails.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the work machine further comprises an upper walking deck positioned vertically above the frame rails, the frame rails each formed as longitudinal beams coupled together to one another, and where each housing does not extend vertically above a top of the frame rails along an entire longitudinal length of that housing.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least two of the power electronics housings are provided adjacent one another, wherein an outside wall of one of the power electronics housings is adjacent to an inner wall of one of the frame rails, and wherein an outside wall of another one of the power electronics housings is adjacent to an inner side wall of the other frame rail.