Construction- and/or material-handling machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12365231-B2
Application number	US-202418739026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2024
Priority date	Dec 10, 2021
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

The invention relates to a construction- and/or material-handling machine such as a crane, excavator or tracked vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine that drives one or more energy-consuming devices such as a pump, winch, actuator for a structure or working-unit drives of the construction- and/or material-handling machine via a mechanical drive train. According to the invention, an electric drive for driving the mechanical drive train is provided and can be engaged by means of a clutch and decoupled from the mechanical drive train.

First claim

We claim:

1. A construction machine comprising:
an internal combustion engine configured to drive one or more energy-consuming devices of the machine via a mechanical drive train, wherein the one or more energy consuming devices comprise a pump, winch, actuator for a structure and/or working unit drives,
an electric drive for driving the mechanical drive train which is engaged by a clutch and decouplable from the mechanical drive train, and
a planetary gear that connects the electric drive to the mechanical drive train, wherein the planetary gear comprises a stationary, non-rotating planet carrier, on which at least one set of planet wheels is rotatably mounted, wherein the planetary gear comprises double planet wheels connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner and jointly rotatably mounted on the planet carrier, comprise different diameters and/or numbers of teeth and are in rolling engagement with two separate sun gears.

2. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the electric drive including the clutch forms a retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprising shaft connectors arranged coaxially to one another at opposite end faces for coaxial installation in the mechanical drive train and for connecting to two coaxial drive shaft pieces of a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train.

3. The machine of claim 1 , wherein a power flow of the internal combustion engine is passed centrally through the electric drive via the mechanical drive train.

4. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly forms an integral part of the mechanical drive train and is configured to transmit a torque of the internal combustion engine, wherein the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprises a drive shaft piece for coupling the shaft connectors to one another in a rotationally fixed manner and to which the electric drive can be coupled by the clutch, wherein the drive shaft piece comprises two portions.

5. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the electric drive comprises an electric motor and at least one spur gear for transmitting drive power of the electric motor to the mechanical drive train.

6. The machine of claim 2 , wherein the electric drive comprises a hollow shaft motor, through the hollow shaft of which the drive shaft of the mechanical drive train coupled to the internal combustion engine extends, wherein the hollow shaft can be rotated relative to the drive shaft and can be coupled in a torque-transmitting manner via at least one spur gear and the clutch.

7. The machine of claim 1 , wherein an output element of the planetary gear is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a coupling half of the clutch for coupling and uncoupling the electric drive to/from the mechanical drive train and wherein an input element of the planetary gear is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the electric motor of the electric drive.

8. The machine of claim 7 , wherein the output and input elements of the planetary gear are formed by sun gears of the planetary gear, arranged coaxially to a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train.

9. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear comprises at least one sun gear which is configured to be hollow and through which a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train for transmitting drive power of the internal combustion engine extends axially.

10. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the planetary gear is arranged coaxially to the mechanical drive train, which passes axially through the planetary gear.

11. The machine of claim 1 , wherein the clutch is configured to couple and decouple the internal combustion engine to the mechanical drive train.

12. The machine of claim 11 , wherein the clutch comprises a first clutch and a second clutch, wherein the first clutch is configured to couple and decouple the internal combustion engine and is integrated into the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly, which comprises the electric drive and the second clutch for coupling and decoupling the electric drive to/from the mechanical drive train.

13. The machine of claim 1 , wherein a motor housing of the electric drive and/or a gear housing connected thereto is configured to be stationary and not to circulate, and comprises a pressure medium connection for supplying pressure medium for actuating the clutch.

14. The machine of claim 5 , wherein an electronic control apparatus controls the electric drive with regard to a drive torque generated by the electric drive and applied to the mechanical drive train in dependence on an operating state of the internal combustion engine and drive power required by the one or more energy-consuming devices, wherein the electronic control apparatus is configured to apply additional drive torque from the electric motor to the mechanical drive train if the drive torque of the internal combustion engine is not sufficient.

15. The machine of claim 5 , wherein an energy source supplies the electric motor with electric power, the energy source comprising a battery and/or a rechargeable battery and/or a supply mains connection, wherein the energy source forms part of the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprising the electric drive.

16. A retrofitted, pre-assembled electric drive assembly for installation in a mechanical drive train of a construction machine, comprising:
a drive shaft piece comprising two portions,
two mutually coaxial shaft connectors arranged at opposite axial ends of the assembly for rotationally fixed connection of the drive shaft piece to two drive shaft pieces of the mechanical drive train,
an electric motor, wherein the electric motor comprises a hollow shaft through which the drive shaft piece passes, and wherein a planetary gear comprises, as input and output elements for rotationally fixed connection to the hollow shaft of the electric motor and a coupling half of the at least one clutch, two sun gears configured to be hollow and through which the drive shaft piece extends,
at least one clutch for coupling and decoupling the electric motor to the drive shaft piece, and
at least one spur gear between the electric motor and the at least one clutch and/or between the at least one clutch and the drive shaft piece.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein a clutch is positioned between the drive shaft piece and one of the shaft connectors for releasing and closing the rotationally fixed connection between the shaft connector and the drive shaft piece.

18. A retrofitted, pre-assembled electric drive assembly for installation in a mechanical drive train of a construction machine, comprising:
a drive shaft piece comprising two portions,
two mutually coaxial shaft connectors arranged at opposite axial ends of the assembly for rotationally fixed connection of the drive shaft piece to two drive shaft pieces of the mechanical drive train,
an electric motor,
at least one clutch for coupling and decoupling the electric motor to the drive shaft piece, wherein a clutch is positioned between the drive shaft piece and one of the shaft connectors for releasing and closing the rotationally fixed connection between the shaft connector and the drive shaft piece, and
at least one spur gear between the electric motor and the at least one clutch and/or between the at least one clutch and the drive shaft piece.

Assignees

• Liebherr Components Biberach Gmbh

Inventors

• Hausladen Norbert
• Schindler Viktor

Classifications

• F16H2001/2881

  comprising two axially spaced central gears, i.e. ring or sun gear, engaged by at least one common orbital gear wherein one of the central gears is forming the output · CPC title

• B60Y2200/416

  Cranes · CPC title

• B60W20/10

  Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand · CPC title

• B60W10/30

  including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title