Lift assembly for electrified refuse vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024124224-A1
Application number	US-202318397904-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2023
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Apr 18, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrified refuse vehicle includes a chassis, a cab coupled to the chassis, a body coupled to the chassis, an on-vehicle electrical power source, and a lift assembly coupled to the body and extending in front of the cab. The lift assembly includes a first lift arm, a second lift arm, and one or more electric lift actuators powered by the on-vehicle electrical power source. The one or more electric lift actuators positioned to pivot the first lift arm and the second lift arm.

First claim

1 . An electrified refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis; a cab coupled to the chassis; a body coupled to the chassis; an on-vehicle electrical power source; and a lift assembly coupled to the body and extending in front of the cab, the lift assembly including:
a first lift arm;
a second lift arm; and
one or more electric lift actuators powered by the on-vehicle electrical power source, the one or more electric lift actuators positioned to pivot the first lift arm and the second lift arm.

2 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to at least one of (a) perform a loadsense function to determine a weight of a refuse container being lifted by or coupled to the lift assembly or (b) perform an object impact detection function to determine that a component or portion of the lift assembly has encountered or run into an object based on a signal acquired from the one or more electric lift actuators.

3 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
perform the loadsense function; and at least one of:
provide a notification based on the weight;
control the lift assembly to perform a dump function based on the weight exceeding a dump threshold; or
record the weight in association with a customer associated with the refuse container.

4 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to:
perform the object impact detection function; and at least one of:
provide a notification in response to an impact with the object; or
control the one or more electric lift actuators to stop movement of the first lift arm and the second lift arm or pivot the first lift arm and the second lift arm such that the lift assembly disengages the object.

5 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electric lift actuators are back-drivable, further comprising a controller configured to control the one or more electric lift actuators to generate energy at least one of (a) as the first lift arm and the second lift arm are lowered and descend from a dump position or (b) using vibrations or oscillations of the first lift arm and the second lift arm as the electrified refuse vehicle is driven.

6 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electric lift actuators include:
a first electric lift actuator coupled to the first lift arm; and a second electric lift actuator coupled to the second lift arm.

7 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 6 , wherein each of the first electric lift actuator and the second electric lift actuator includes:
a housing; a rod extendible from the housing; and an electric driver coupled to a sidewall of the housing and extending upward therefrom such that the electric driver is offset from an axis of extension and retraction of the rod.

8 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the electric driver is positioned at least one of (a) above a bottom of the body, (b) beneath the first lift arm or the second lift arm, respectively, when the first lift arm or the second lift arm is in an stowed orientation, or (c) laterally inward from an outermost surface of the first lift arm or the second lift arm, respectively.

9 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electric lift actuators include:
an electric motor; and a transmission coupled to the electric motor and at least one of the first lift arm or the second lift arm.

10 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the transmission includes (a) a torque tube extending between the first lift arm and the second lift arm and (b) a geartrain or a chain assembly coupled to the electric motor and the torque tube.

11 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the body or the cab defines an actuator compartment, and wherein at least one of the electric motor or the transmission is at least partially disposed within the actuator compartment.

12 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the electric motor is a first electric motor and the transmission is a first transmission coupled to the first lift arm, and wherein the one or more electric lift actuators include:
a second electric motor; and a second transmission coupled to the second electric motor and the second lift arm.

13 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first electric motor and the second electric motor are positioned under the body proximate opposing sides of the body, and wherein the first transmission and the second transmission are positioned along the opposing sides of the body.

14 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the transmission is a variable transmission, further comprising a controller configured to control a ratio of the transmission to adjust a lift capacity of the electric motor.

15 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the ratio of the transmission at least one of (a) based on an operation mode of the electrified refuse vehicle or (b) based on a signal acquired from the electric motor.

16 . An electrified refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis; a cab coupled to the chassis; a body coupled to the chassis; a battery pack; and a lift assembly coupled to the body and extending in front of the cab, the lift assembly including:
a first lift arm;
a second lift arm;
a first electric lift actuator powered by the battery pack, the first electric lift actuator coupled to the body and the first lift arm; and
a second electric lift actuator powered by the battery pack, the second electric lift actuator coupled to the body and the second lift arm.

17 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 16 , wherein each of the first electric lift actuator and the second electric lift actuator includes:
a housing; a rod extendible from the housing; and an electric driver coupled to a sidewall of the housing and extending therefrom such that the electric driver is offset from an axis of extension and retraction of the rod.

18 . The electrified refuse vehicle of claim 16 , wherein each of the first electric lift actuator and the second electric lift actuator includes:
an electric motor positioned under the body and proximate one of the sides thereof; and a transmission coupled to the electric motor and one of the first lift arm or the second lift arm.

19 . An electrified refuse vehicle comprising:
a chassis; a cab coupled to the chassis; a body coupled to the chassis; an on-vehicle electrical power source; a lift assembly coupled to the body and extending in front of the cab, the lift assembly including:
a first lift arm;
a second lift arm; and
an electric lift actuator powered by the on-vehicle electrical power source, the electric lift actuator positioned to pivot at least one of the first lift arm or the second lift arm, the electric lift actuator including at least one of (a) a linear electric actuator, (b) an electric motor, or (c) a transmission; and
a controller configured to:
acquire a signal from the electric lift actuator;
perform a loadsense function to determine a weight of a refuse container being lifted by or coupled to the lift assembly based on the signal; and
perform an object impact detection function to determine that a component or portion of the lift assembly has encountered or run into an object based on the signal.

20 . The electrified refuse vehicle of cla

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Schimke Martin J
• Unfried Bennett
• Schad Vince
• Solberg Jake
• Wente Derek A
• Binder Caleb
• Kappers Jerrod

Classifications

• B65F3/08

  Platform elevators or hoists with guides or runways for raising or tipping receptacles {(pivotable guides or runways B65F3/041)} · CPC title

• B65F2003/0279

  the discharging means mounted at the front of the vehicle · CPC title

• B65F2003/025

  Constructional features relating to actuating means for lifting or tipping containers · CPC title

• B65F3/041 Primary

  Pivoted arms or pivoted carriers · CPC title

• B65F3/06

  Arrangement and disposition of fluid actuators · CPC title