Vehicle with an electrical traction motor and an additional user of electrical energy and method for operation of the vehicle

• US 6,659,571 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Linde Material Handling GmbH (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Original Assignee: Linde AG (Linde Plc)
• Inventors: Herrmann, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burch, Melody M.
• Application Number:
  US10/078,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20020158509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 303/151, 303/152, 303/122, 303/122.01, 303/122.04, 303/20, 180/65.1, 290/9
• US Class Current: 303/152
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/18 Controlling the braking effect B60L7/12, B60L7/14, B60L7/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 47/00 Motor vehicles or trailers predominantly for carrying passengers superstructures B62D31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/07572 Propulsion arrangements
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle has at least one electrical traction motor, at least one additional user of electrical energy, a vehicle control system and a source of electrical energy. The traction motor is effectively connected with the vehicle control system so that in the event of a failure of the source of electrical energy, the vehicle is automatically decelerated in regenerative operation and the user is supplied with electrical energy by the traction motor which is operating in the regenerative mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one electrical traction motor;

at least one additional user of electrical energy;

a vehicle control system; and

a source of electrical energy, the at least one traction motor being effectively connected with the vehicle control system so that in the event of a failure of the source of electrical energy, the vehicle is automatically decelerated in regenerative operation and the at least one additional user is supplied with electrical energy by the at least one traction motor which is operating in a regenerative mode,

wherein the at least one additional user is selected from an electric steering system and an electric brake, and

wherein the vehicle control system decelerates the vehicle by causing the at least one traction motor to operate in the regenerative mode so that the electrical energy generated by the at least one traction motor is at least sufficient to operate the at least one additional user.

2. The vehicle claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an industrial truck and the source of electrical energy is a traction battery.

3. The vehicle claimed in claim 2, wherein the industrial truck is an electric fork lift truck.

4. The vehicle claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an industrial truck and the source of electrical energy is a traction battery.

5. A method of operating a vehicle, whereby during traction operation, electrical energy is fed by means of a vehicle control system from an electrical energy source into at least one electric traction motor and into at least one additional user, and in the event of the failure of the source of electrical energy during traction operation electrical energy is generated by automatically decelerating the vehicle using the at least one traction motor in regenerative operation, and supplying the at least one additional user with the generated electrical energy, the method comprising:

generating electrical energy by the at least one traction motor operating in the regenerative mode and feeding the electrical energy into at least one of an electrically actuated brake and an electrical steering system,

wherein the vehicle control system decelerates the vehicle by causing the at least one traction motor to operate in the regenerative mode so that the electrical energy generated by the at least one traction motor is at least sufficient to operate the at least one additional user.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the vehicle is an industrial truck with a traction battery.

7. The method claimed in claim 6, wherein the industrial truck is an electric fork lift truck.