Systems and methods for a hydraulic system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466382-B2
Application number	US-202218054677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2022
Priority date	Nov 11, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A method for controlling an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump for a battery-powered electric mobile machine includes receiving one or more command signals for one or more hydraulically-driven systems. The method also includes determining a minimum pump speed for each of the one or more hydraulically-driven systems, and determining a highest minimum pump speed for the one or more hydraulically-driven systems. The method further includes converting the highest minimum pump speed to an electric motor command, and sending the electric motor command to the electric motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump for a battery-powered electric mobile machine, the method comprising:
receiving one or more command signals for a plurality of hydraulically-driven systems; determining a minimum pump speed for each of the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems required to operate the hydraulically-driven system; determining a highest minimum pump speed of the minimum pump speeds for the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems; converting the highest minimum pump speed to an electric motor command; and sending the electric motor command to the electric motor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of limiting the electric motor command based on a ramping rate.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of determining an operating status of the machine, wherein the ramping rate is a first ramping rate if the machine is in a first operating status, and wherein the ramping rate is a second ramping rate different from the first ramping rate if the machine is in a second operating status.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a minimum pump speed for each of the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems includes comparing the command signals to stored values of pump speeds for each of the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems under various conditions.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a highest minimum pump speed is performed in response to a change of an operating status of the battery-powered electric machine.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic pump includes a plurality of hydraulic pumps arranged in a hydraulic pump stack.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems includes a hydraulic brake system, a hydraulic steering system, a hydraulic implement system, and hydraulic fans.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the battery-powered electric mobile machine is a haul truck.

9 . A control system for a battery-powered electric mobile machine, comprising:
an electric motor; a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor; a plurality of hydraulically-driven systems driven by the hydraulic pump, wherein each hydraulically-driven system has a minimum pump speed required to operate the hydraulically-driven system; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more command signals, and wherein the controller is configured to determine a highest minimum pump speed of the minimum pump speeds for the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems, and wherein the controller is further configured to determine and output a motor command for the electric motor based on the determined highest minimum pump speed.

10 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic pump is coupled to the electric motor via a gear reduction.

11 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the motor command at a ramping rate.

12 . The control system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an operating status of the battery-powered electric mobile machine, wherein if the machine is in a first operating status, the ramping rate is a first ramping rate, and if the machine is in a second operating status, the ramping rate is a second ramping rate different from the first ramping rate.

13 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the highest minimum pump speed in response to one or more operator commands for the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems.

14 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the controller includes a memory storing a minimum pump speed for each of the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems under various conditions and in response to various operator commands.

15 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic pump includes a plurality of hydraulic pumps arranged in a pump stack.

16 . The control system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems includes a hydraulic brake system, a hydraulic steering system, a hydraulic implement system, and hydraulic fans.

17 . The control system of claim 9 , wherein the battery-powered electric mobile machine is a haul truck.

18 . A battery-powered electric mobile machine, comprising:
a battery; an electric motor powered by the battery; a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor; a plurality of hydraulically-driven systems, wherein the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems includes a hydraulic brake system, a hydraulic steering system, a hydraulic implement system, and hydraulic fans, wherein each hydraulically-driven system has a minimum pump speed required to operate the hydraulically-driven system; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more command signals, determine a highest minimum pump speed of the minimum pump speeds for the plurality of hydraulically-driven systems, convert the highest minimum pump speed to a motor speed, and output a motor command to ramp up or ramp down within predetermined ramping limits.

19 . The battery-powered electric mobile machine of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the battery is charging, wherein if the machine is charging, the predetermined ramping limits are first predetermined ramping limits, and if the machine is not charging, the predetermined ramping limits are second predetermined ramping limits different from the first predetermined ramping limits.

20 . The battery-powered electric mobile machine of claim 18 , wherein the battery-powered electric mobile machine is a haul truck including a frame and a dump bed.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Olson Andrew
• Denning Dustin D
• Wynkoop Christopher L
• Thaduvayi Srikar
• Schneider Karl P

Classifications

• B60Y2200/14

  Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses · CPC title

• B60L1/00

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

• Y10S903/93

  Conjoint control of different elements · CPC title

• Y10S903/903

  having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor · CPC title

• B60L50/16

  with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion · CPC title