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US 10,814,889 B2Granted
Modular drive train for railcar mover
AssigneeTrackmobile LLC
InventorsJeffrey Looney, Robert Evans
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular drive train assembly is disclosed for the rail wheels of a railcar mover that provides a plurality of electric drive motors. Each electric drive motor may be connected to a gearbox and subsequently connected to a rail wheel. An automated control system may further control the power supplied to each of the electric drive motors such that the power supplied to each electric drive motor may be individually controlled to enhance the traction of each rail wheel. In addition, a plurality of sensors may monitor and communicate information from the electric drive motors to allow the control system to automatically control the power to each of the electric drive motors to enhance traction of the railcar mover.
Claims16
A railcar mover comprising:
- a vehicle chassis;
- an electric drive assembly comprising:
- a frame secured to the vehicle chassis, wherein the frame includes a first end having a first mounting plate and a second end opposite the first end having a second mounting plate, with frame support beams extending between the first end and the second end of the frame, and wherein the first mounting plate has a first plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams and a first central opening of the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate has a second plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams and a second central opening of the second mounting plate;
- a first electric drive motor connected to a first gearbox that is connected to a first rail wheel, wherein the first rail wheel is positioned outboard the first mounting plate of the frame, and wherein the first gearbox has a first mounting ring with a third plurality of mounting holes, wherein the first mounting ring is connected to the first mounting plate;
- a second electric drive motor connected to a second gearbox that is connected to a second rail wheel, wherein the second rail wheel is positioned outboard of the second mounting plate of the frame, and wherein the second gearbox has a second mounting ring with a fourth plurality of mounting holes, wherein the second mounting ring is connected to the second mounting plate;
- and wherein the second rail wheel is substantially coaxial to the first rail wheel;
- wherein the first electric drive motor and the second electric drive motor are connected to a power source, and wherein a first amount of power supplied to the first electric drive motor and a second amount of power supplied to the second electric drive motor are independently controlled such that the first amount of power is different than the second amount of power.
4 more elements
A railcar mover comprising:
- a vehicle chassis;
- a first electric drive assembly comprising:
- a first frame secured to the vehicle chassis, wherein the first frame includes a first end having a first mounting plate and a second end opposite the first end having a second mounting plate, with frame support beams extending between the first end and the second end of the first frame, wherein the first mounting plate has a first plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the first frame and a first central opening on the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate has a second plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams and a second central opening on the second mounting plate;
- a first electric drive motor connected to a first gearbox that is connected to a first rail wheel, wherein the first rail wheel is positioned outboard the first mounting plate of the first frame, and wherein the first gearbox has a first mounting ring with a third plurality of mounting holes, wherein the first mounting ring is connected to the first mounting plate;
- a second electric drive motor connected to a second gearbox that is connected to a second rail wheel, wherein the second rail wheel is positioned outboard of the second mounting plate of the first frame, and wherein the second gearbox has a second mounting ring with a fourth plurality of mounting holes, wherein the second mounting ring is connected to the second mounting plate;
- wherein the second rail wheel is substantially coaxial to the first rail wheel, and
- a second electric drive assembly comprising:
- a second frame secured to the vehicle chassis, wherein the second frame includes a first end having a third mounting plate and a second end opposite the first end having a fourth mounting plate, with frame support beams extending between the first end and the second end of the second frame, and wherein the third mounting plate has a fifth plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the second frame and a third central opening of the third mounting plate and the fourth mounting plate has a sixth plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the second frame and a fourth central opening of the fourth mounting plate;
- a third electric drive motor connected to a third gearbox that is connected to a third rail wheel, wherein the third rail wheel is positioned outboard the first mounting plate of the second frame, and wherein the third gearbox has a third mounting ring with a seventh plurality of mounting holes, wherein the third mounting ring is connected to the third mounting plate;
- and
- a fourth electric drive motor connected to a fourth gearbox that is connected to a fourth rail wheel, wherein the fourth rail wheel is positioned outboard of the second mounting plate of the second frame, wherein the fourth rail wheel is substantially coaxial to the third rail wheel, and wherein the fourth gearbox has a fourth mounting ring with an eighth plurality of mounting holes, wherein the fourth mounting ring is connected to the fourth mounting plate.
8 more elements
A railcar mover comprising:
- a vehicle chassis;
- a first electric drive assembly secured to the vehicle chassis comprising:
- a first frame including a first end having a first mounting plate and a second end opposite the first end having a second mounting plate, with frame support beams extending between the first end and the second end of the first frame, wherein the first mounting plate has a first plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the first frame and a first central opening on the first mounting plate and the second mounting plate has a second plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams and a second central opening on the second mounting plate;
- a first electric drive motor connected to a first gearbox that is connected to a first rail wheel, wherein the first rail wheel is positioned outboard the first mounting plate of the first frame, and wherein the first gearbox has a first mounting ring with a third plurality of mounting holes, wherein the first mounting ring is connected to the first mounting plate;
- a second electric drive motor connected to a second gearbox that is connected to a second rail wheel, wherein the second rail wheel is positioned outboard of the second mounting plate of the first frame, and wherein the second mounting plate has a second plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams and a second central opening on the second mounting plate;
- wherein the second rail wheel is substantially coaxial to the first rail wheel, a second electric drive assembly secured to the vehicle chassis comprising:
- a second frame including a first end having a third mounting plate and a second end opposite the first end having a fourth mounting plate, with frame support beams extending between the first end and the second end of the second frame, and wherein the third mounting plate has a fifth plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the second frame and a third central opening of the third mounting plate and the fourth mounting plate has a sixth plurality of mounting holes located in between the frame support beams of the second frame and a fourth central opening of the fourth mounting plate;
- a third electric drive motor connected to a third gearbox that is connected to a third rail wheel, wherein the third rail wheel is positioned outboard the first mounting plate of the second frame, and wherein the third gearbox has a third mounting ring with a seventh plurality of mounting holes, wherein the third mounting ring is connected to the third mounting plate;
- a fourth electric drive motor connected to a fourth gearbox that is connected to a fourth rail wheel, wherein the fourth rail wheel is positioned outboard of the second mounting plate of the second frame, and wherein the fourth gearbox has a fourth mounting ring with an eighth plurality of mounting holes, wherein the fourth mounting ring is connected to the fourth mounting plate;
- wherein the fourth rail wheel is substantially coaxial to the third rail wheel;
- and
- a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a controller, causes the controller to at least:
- acquire a joystick input position,
- calculate a target speed based upon the joystick input position,
- determine a target electric current for each electric drive motor,
- acquire a measured amount of electric current at the first electric drive motor and the second electric drive motor,
- compare the measured amount of electric current at the first electric drive motor to the target electric current for the first electric drive motor,
- wherein when the railcar mover is maneuvering along a turn on a track, the first rail wheel being located along an inside of the turn and the second rail wheel being located along an outside of the turn, the controller decreases the target electric current for the first electric drive motor while keeping the target electric current the same for the second electric drive motor.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.