US 2026/0193867 A1 · PLUG-IN HYBRID ARCHITECTURE FOR OFF-HIGHWAY MACHINES

Abstract

A system and a method control the energy provided to an off-highway machine having terrain-engagement members to move the machine and having hydraulic cylinders to move a material manipulation implement. An internal combustion engine (ICE) is selectively coupled to a gearbox by a clutch. A motor/generator is coupled to the gearbox. A hydraulic pump is coupled to the gearbox to receive energy from the gearbox. Electric traction motors drive the terrain-engagement members. The machine can operate in an electric-only mode wherein only the motor/generator provides energy to the hydraulic pump via the gearbox; and in a hybrid mode wherein the ICE provides energy to the gearbox and wherein the motor/generator selectively operates as a motor to provide additional energy to the gearbox or as a generator to receive energy from the ICE via the gearbox.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A hybrid power generation system for an off-highway machine having traction motors coupled to terrain-engagement members for moving the off-highway machine over terrain and having a hydraulically powered implement for moving materials, the hybrid power generation system comprising:

a gearbox;
a hydraulic pump mechanically coupled to the gearbox and hydraulically coupled to the hydraulically powered implement;
an internal combustion engine;
a clutch coupled to the engine and coupled to the gearbox, the clutch selectively engageable to mechanically couple the engine to the gearbox;
a motor/generator mechanically coupled to the gearbox;
an energy storage system coupled to the motor/generator and coupled to the traction motors;
and
a control system configured to control the clutch to engage the clutch to couple the engine to the gearbox in a hybrid mode of operation and to disengage the clutch to decouple the engine from the gearbox in an electric-only mode of operation.

5 more elements

A method of operating a hybrid off-highway machine having traction motors coupled to terrain-engagement members for moving the off-highway machine over terrain and having a hydraulically powered implement for moving materials, the method comprising:

mechanically coupling a gearbox to at least one hydraulic pump to drive the hydraulically powered implement;
mechanically coupling at least one motor/generator to the gearbox;
selectively mechanically coupling an internal combustion engine to the gearbox via a clutch;
electrically coupling the at least one motor/generator to at least one electrical energy storage system;
electrically coupling the traction motors to the at least one electrical energy storage system;
selectively performing one of the following:
in an electric-only mode, disengaging the clutch to decouple the engine from the gearbox, and operating the motor/generator as a motor such that the at least one hydraulic pump receives mechanical energy only from the motor/generator;
and
in a hybrid mode, engaging the clutch to couple the engine to the gearbox, and, responsive to energy requirements of the hydraulic pump:
selectively providing mechanical power from the engine to the hydraulic pump, and providing mechanical power to the motor/generator to operate the motor/generator as a generator to provide electrical energy to the electrical energy storage system;
or
selectively providing mechanical power from the engine to the hydraulic pump, and operating the motor/generator as a motor to convert electrical energy from the energy storage system to mechanical power and providing the mechanical power from the motor/generator to the hydraulic pump.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Plug-in hybrid architecture for off-highway machines

Life of this patent

Plug-in hybrid architecture for off-highway machines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18