Powertrain operation and regulation
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsPeter J. Miller, Omar Abdel-Baqi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One or more powertrains can include a motor-generator disposed therein that is electrically coupled to an energy storage device through an inverter gate. A regulation strategy can monitor operation of the powertrain to regulate the inverter gate to selectively discharge energy from the energy storage device to the motor-generator to assist the powertrain or to charge energy from the motor-generator to the energy storage device for future use. In an aspect, the regulation strategy may maintain a consistent speed of an internal combustion engine associated with the powertrain. In another aspect, the regulation strategy may regulate simultaneous operation of first and second powertrains disposed a parallel relation.
Claims6
1-15. (canceled)
A method of regulating operation of a machine comprising:
- calculating a total power requirement of the machine based upon inputs;
- dividing the total power requirement between a first powertrain and a second powertrain to determine a first request signal and a second request signal;
- converting the first request signal to a first torque signal and converting the second request signal to a second torque signal;
- using the first torque signal to determine a direction of energy flow between a first energy storage device electrically coupled to a first motor-generator of the first powertrain;
- and
- using the second torque signal to determine a direction of energy flow between a second energy storage device electrically coupled to a second motor-generator of the second powertrain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.