Electrical energy capture system with circuitry for blocking flow of undesirable electrical currents therein

An off-highway vehicle comprising:

• a plurality of wheels for supporting and propelling the off-highway (OHV) vehicle;
• a vehicle propulsion system mechanically coupled to at least one of the wheels of the OHV vehicle;
• a primary electric power generator carried on the OHV vehicle for generating primary electrical power to be supplied to the vehicle propulsion system, said vehicle propulsion system having a motoring mode in which the propulsion system is responsive to electric power supplied to the propulsion system for generating mechanical energy that is applied to said wheel for propelling the vehicle, and said vehicle propulsion system further having a dynamic braking mode in which the propulsion system is responsive to mechanical energy from said wheel during dynamic braking operations of the OHV vehicle for generating dynamic braking electrical power;
• an electrical energy capture system carried on the vehicle for storing electrical power generated on the OHV vehicle and for discharging the stored electrical power for use on the vehicle, including selectively using the stored electric power to propel the vehicle;
• a DC bus for electrically connecting the primary electric power generator, vehicle propulsion system and electrical energy capture system;
• a plurality of electrical energy storage devices coupled in parallel circuit to said DC bus, said plurality of electrical energy storage devices being part of said electrical energy capture system;
• circuitry connected to each electrical energy storage device to establish a respective circuit path for charging and discharging electrical energy from each energy storage device with respect to said DC bus, said circuitry configured to block a flow of electrical current from a respective one of said storage devices to any of the other storage devices in said parallel circuit, wherein said circuitry comprises a first diode and a second diode connected in parallel circuit to one another to establish respective circuit paths for charging at least two of said electrical energy storage devices, said first and second diodes being arranged to block a flow of electrical current from said at least two respective storage devices to any of the other storage devices therein, wherein said circuitry further comprises a third diode and a fourth diode connected in parallel circuit to one another and further connected to said first and second diodes, said third fourth diodes being arranged to establish respective circuit paths for discharging said at least two electrical energy storage devices, said third and fourth diodes being further arranged to block a flow of electrical current into said at least two respective storage devices from any of the other storage devices therein;
• a first isolation switch electrically connected in parallel circuit to a respective anode of said first and second diodes and a second isolation switch electrically connected in parallel circuit to a respective cathode of said third and fourth diodes for selectively connecting said at least two electrical energy storage devices to said DC bus, wherein, when the first isolation switch is in an open switching condition, the first and second diodes are electrically disconnected from their respective circuit paths, thereby avoiding a flow of any current through said first and second diodes, and further wherein, when the second isolation switch is in an open switching condition, the third and fourth diodes are electrically disconnected from their respective circuit paths, thereby avoiding a flow of any current through said third and fourth diodes;
• and
• an energy management system configured to control transmission of electrical power among the primary electric power generator, the vehicle propulsion system, the electric energy capture system, and each of the electrical energy storage devices therein.

An electrical energy capture system carried on a traction vehicle for storing electrical power generated on the vehicle and for discharging the stored electrical power for use on the vehicle, including selectively using the stored electrical power to propel the traction vehicle, said traction vehicle including a DC bus for electrically connecting a primary electric power generator, a vehicle propulsion system and the electrical energy capture system, said system comprising:

• a plurality of electrical energy storage devices coupled in parallel circuit to said DC bus;
• circuitry connected to each electrical energy storage device to establish a respective circuit path for charging and discharging electrical energy from each energy storage device with respect to said DC bus, said circuitry configured to block a flow of electrical current from a respective one of said storage devices to any of the other storage devices in said parallel circuit during the charging and discharging of said respective energy storage device, thereby avoiding flow of currents that could otherwise circulate among said plurality of electrical energy storage devices due to electrical imbalances that may occur in one or more of said electrical energy storage devices, wherein said circuitry comprises a first diode and a second diode connected in parallel circuit to one another to establish respective circuit paths for charging at least two of said electrical energy storage devices, said first and second diodes being arranged to block a flow of electrical current from said at least two respective storage devices to any of the other storage devices therein, wherein said circuitry further comprises a third diode and a fourth diode connected in parallel circuit to one another and further connected to said first and second diodes, said third and fourth diodes being arranged to establish respective circuit paths for discharging charging said at least two electrical energy storage devices, said third and fourth diodes being further arranged to block a flow of electrical current into said at least two respective storage devices from any of the other storage devices therein;
• and
• a first isolation switch electrically connected in parallel circuit to a respective anode of said first and second diodes and a second isolation switch electrically connected in parallel circuit to a respective cathode of said third and fourth diodes for selectively connecting said at least two electrical energy storage devices to said DC bus, wherein, when the first isolation switch is in an open switching condition, the first and second diodes are electrically disconnected from their respective circuit paths, thereby avoiding a flow of any current through said first and second diodes, and further wherein, when the second isolation switch is in an open switching condition, the third and fourth diodes are electrically disconnected from their respective circuit paths, thereby avoiding a flow of any current through said third and fourth diodes.