Configuration for battery powered electric drive load haul dump

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843578-B2
Application number	US-201916362188-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2019
Priority date	Mar 22, 2019
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

An electric drive work machine may include a body frame, a first electric power storage device mounted on the body frame, a second electric power storage device mounted on the body frame, and a junction box mounted on the body frame. The junction box may be operatively connected to the first electric power storage device by a first electric connection having a first inductance, and operatively connected to the second electric power storage device by a second electric connection having a second inductance. The first inductance may be equal to the second inductance such that power source charging power from the junction box is distributed equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device, and power source output power to the junction box is drawn equally from the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric drive work machine comprising:
a body frame;
a first electric power storage device mounted on the body frame;
a second electric power storage device mounted on the body frame; and
a junction box mounted on the body frame, operatively connected to the first electric power storage device by a first electric connection having a first inductance, and operatively connected to the second electric power storage device by a second electric connection having a second inductance, where the first inductance is equal to the second inductance such that power source charging power from the junction box is distributed equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device, and power source output power to the junction box is drawn equally from the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

2. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device are mounted on the body frame at equal distances from the junction box, wherein a first connection length of the first electric connection is equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection and a first connection wire gauge of the first electric connection is equal to a second connection wire gauge of the second electric connection.

3. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first electric power storage device is disposed a first power source distance from the junction box and the second electric power storage device is disposed a second power source distance from the junction box that is not equal to the first power source distance, and a first connection length of the first electric connection is equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection.

4. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first electric power storage device is disposed a first power source distance from the junction box and the second electric power storage device is disposed a second power source distance from the junction box that is not equal to the first power source distance, a first connection length of the first electric connection is not equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection, and a first connection wire gauge of the first electric connection is not equal to a second connection wire gauge of the second electric connection so that the first inductance is equal to the second inductance.

5. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , comprising:
an inverter operatively connected to the junction box; and
a traction motor operatively connected to the inverter and having a traction motor output shaft; and
a drivetrain operatively connected to the traction motor output shaft, wherein, when the traction motor is operative to cause rotation of the traction motor output shaft to drive the drivetrain, the power source output power is drawn equally from the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device through the junction box to the inverter.

6. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 5 , wherein, when the drivetrain is driven to cause rotation of the traction motor output shaft, the power source charging power generated by the traction motor and transferred by the inverter to the junction box is distributed equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

7. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , comprising:
a direct current-to-direct current converter operatively connected to the junction box; and
a direct current powered system operatively connected to the direct current-to-direct current converter, wherein, when the direct current powered system is operative to draw direct current from the direct current-to-direct current converter, the power source output power is drawn equally from the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device through the junction box to the direct current-to-direct current converter.

8. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 1 , comprising a first charging port operatively connected to the junction box, wherein, when a first external power source is connected to the first charging port to deliver the power source charging power to the electric drive work machine, the power source charging power from the first external power source to the junction box is distributed equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

9. The electric drive work machine in accordance with claim 8 , comprising a second charging port operatively connected to the junction box, wherein, when the first external power source is connected to the first charging port and a second external power source is connected to the second charging port to deliver the power source charging power to the electric drive work machine, the power source charging power from the first external power source and the second external power source to the junction box is distributed equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

10. A method for symmetrically charging a first electric power storage device and a second electric power storage device of an electric drive work machine comprising:
mounting a junction box on the electric drive work machine;
mounting the first electric power storage device on the electric drive work machine;
mounting the second electric power storage device on the electric drive work machine;
connecting the first electric power storage device to the junction box with a first electric connection having a first inductance;
connecting the second electric power storage device to the junction box with a second electric connection having a second inductance that is equal to the first inductance; and
providing power source charging power to the junction box, wherein the junction box, the first electric connection and the second electric connection distribute the power source charging power equally to the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device.

11. The method for symmetrically charging in accordance with claim 10 , wherein mounting the first electric power storage device and mounting the second electric power storage device comprise mounting the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device on a body frame of the electric drive work machine at equal distances from the junction box, and wherein a first connection length of the first electric connection is equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection.

12. The method for symmetrically charging in accordance with claim 10 , wherein mounting the first electric power storage device and mounting the second electric power storage device comprise mounting the first electric power storage device and the second electric power storage device on a body frame of the electric drive work machine at different distances from the junction box, and wherein a first connection length of the first electric connection is equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection.

13. The method for symmetrically charging in accordance with claim 10 , wherein a first connection length of the first electric connection is not equal to a second connection length of the second electric connection, and wherein a first connection wire gauge of the first electric connection is not equal to a second connection wir

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Baumann Jonathan M
• Zwilling Edward L
• Diecker Andrew Ellis
• Sopko Jr Thomas Michael

Classifications

• H02J7/751

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• E21F13/063

  Loading devices for use in mining · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title