Material transportation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12202394-B2
Application number	US-202217959386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 4, 2022
Priority date	Oct 8, 2021
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A material transportation system for a working machine is provided. The material transportation system comprises a load implement body with a plurality of air flow channels. The air flow channels comprise a set of heat insulated air flow channels, and a set of heat transfer channels, wherein each air flow channel of the set of heat insulated air flow channels comprises a heat insulating structure. When the temperature level of the load implement body is below a predetermined threshold limit, pressurized air is directed to the set of heat transfer channels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A material transportation system for a working machine, the material transportation system comprising:
an air blowing device arranged in an air conduit;
a load implement body comprising an open box structure configured to receive a load material, wherein the load implement body comprises a plurality of air flow channels arranged in downstream fluid communication with the air conduit, the plurality of air flow channels comprising a set of heat insulated air flow channels, and a set of heat transfer channels, wherein each air flow channel of the set of heat insulated air flow channels comprises a heat insulating structure;
an air flow direction device, the air flow direction device being arranged in the air conduit in fluid communication between the air blowing device and the plurality of air flow channels of the load implement body, wherein the air flow direction device is configured to controllably direct a flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to the set of heat insulated air flow channels and/or to the set of heat transfer channels; and
a control unit connected to the air flow direction device, the control unit comprising control circuitry configured to:
receive a signal indicative of a temperature level of the load implement body;
compare the temperature level with a predetermined threshold limit; and
control the air flow direction device to direct the flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to the set of heat transfer channels when the temperature level of the load implement body is below the predetermined threshold limit.

2. The material transportation system according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a signal indicative of an ambient air temperature; and
adjust the predetermined threshold limit based on the ambient air temperature.

3. The material transportation system according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold limit is a first predetermined threshold limit, the control circuitry being further configured to:
compare the temperature level with a second predetermined threshold limit, the second predetermined threshold limit being higher than the first predetermined threshold limit.

4. The material transportation system according to claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the air flow direction device to direct a portion of the flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to the set of heat transfer channels and a remaining portion of the flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to the set of heat insulated air flow channels when the temperature level is above the first predetermined threshold limit and below the second predetermined threshold limit.

5. The material transportation system according to claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the air flow direction device to direct the flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to the set of heat insulated air flow channels when the temperature level is above the second predetermined threshold limit.

6. The material transportation system according to claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the air flow direction device to prevent the flow of pressurized air to reach the set of heat transfer channels when the temperature level of the load implement body is above the second predetermined threshold limit.

7. The material transportation system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of air flow channels comprises a sound absorbing structure.

8. The material transportation system according to claim 1 , further comprising an electric machine, wherein the air blowing device is connected to, and operable by, the electric machine, and an energy storage system electrically connected to the electric machine, the control unit being connected to the electric machine, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a signal indicative of a retarder brake operation mode of the working machine; and
control the electric machine to operate the air blowing device to deliver the flow of pressurized air when the working machine is operated in the retarder brake operation mode.

9. The material transportation system according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is connected to the energy storage system, the control circuitry being further configured to:
control the energy storage system to supply electric power to the electric machine; and
control the electric machine to operate the air blowing device by electric power received from the energy storage system.

10. The material transportation system according to claim 8 , wherein the material transportation system further comprises an electric brake resistor in the air conduit, the electric brake resistor being arranged in fluid communication between the air blowing device and the air flow direction device, wherein the energy storage system is electrically connected to the electric brake resistor.

11. A working machine comprising a material transportation system according to claim 1 .

12. The working machine according to claim 11 , wherein the working machine further comprises an electric traction motor, the working machine being at least partially propelled by the electric traction motor.

13. A method of controlling a material transportation system for a working machine, the material transportation system comprising:
an air blowing device arranged in an air conduit; and
a load implement body comprising an open box configured to receive a load material, wherein the load implement body comprises a plurality of air flow channels arranged in downstream fluid communication with the air conduit, the plurality of air flow channels comprising a set of heat insulated air flow channels, and a set of heat transfer channels, wherein each air flow channel of the set of heat insulated air flow channels comprises a heat insulating structure,
wherein the method comprises:
determining a temperature level of the load implement body;
comparing the temperature level with a predetermined threshold limit; and
controlling the flow of pressurized air from the air blowing device to be directed to the set of heat transfer channels when the temperature level of the load implement body is below the predetermined threshold limit.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium carrying instructions for performing the steps of claim 13 when the instructions are executed on a computer.

Assignees

• Volvo Constr Equip Ab

Inventors

• Kvist Roland
• Audhav Tove
• Ekman Gordon
• Haegerstam Joakim

Classifications

• B60P1/286 Primary

  Loading buckets · CPC title

• B60H1/00014

  for load cargos on load transporting vehicles · CPC title

• B60L1/00 Primary

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B60H1/00385

  for vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell · CPC title