Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110056194 | HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT - Heavy equipment includes first and second hydraulic pumps, and first and second hydraulic actuators, where the first hydraulic actuator facilitates a first work function of the heavy equipment and the second hydraulic actuator facilitates a second work function of the heavy equipment. The heavy equipment further includes valving and a computerized controller. The valving is configured to allow the first hydraulic pump to be coupled to the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator, and to allow the second hydraulic pump to be coupled to the first hydraulic actuator and the second hydraulic actuator. The computerized controller is coupled to the valving, and has a logic module. The logic module provides instructions to the computerized controller to operate the valving as a function of inputs from an operator command, a sensor input, and prioritization logic associated with the first and second work functions, so as to optimize performance of the work functions facilitated by the hydraulic actuators with respect to available output of the hydraulic pumps. | 03-10-2011 |
20120257424 | Limiting Peak Electrical Power Drawn by Mining Excavators - The maximum electrical power drawn from an electrical power source by a mining excavator comprising electric motors is reduced by supplying supplementary electrical power from an electrical energy storage unit. The input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator is cyclic. An upper limit is set for the electrical power drawn from the electrical power source. When the input electrical power drawn by the mining excavator exceeds the upper limit, electrical power is supplied by the electrical energy storage unit, such as an ultracapacitor bank. The ultracapacitor bank may be charged by the electrical power source during off-peak intervals. Electrical power generated by electrical motors operating in a regeneration interval may also be recaptured and stored in the electrical energy storage unit. | 10-11-2012 |
20140084685 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STABILIZING POWER RATE OF CHANGE WITHIN GENERATOR BASED APPLICATIONS - Systems and methods for monitoring an electrical energy storage unit and a parameter related to the load and based on the monitoring, if the load parameter is greater than a second rate of change of electrical power for a second component of an electrical power system, providing power from the electrical energy storage unit to the second component until the load parameter and the second component have equivalent rates of change of electrical power. | 03-27-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110056192 | TECHNIQUE FOR CONTROLLING PUMPS IN A HYDRAULIC SYSTEM - A hydraulic system includes a plurality of pumps that provide pressurized fluid to a plurality of hydraulic actuators some of which work more that others. That system is controlled by producing a usage value for each of the plurality of pumps which indicates an amount that the respective pump has worked. One of the pumps is assigned to each hydraulic actuator in response to the usage values. The pumps with lower usage values are assigned to hydraulic actuators which work more, so as to equalize the use of each pump. The assignment of pumps to hydraulic actuators changes with changes in the usage values for the plurality of pumps. When a given one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators is to operate, hydraulic fluid is routed from the assigned pump to that given one of the plurality of hydraulic actuators. | 03-10-2011 |
20120089279 | ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE SYSTEM - Heavy equipment is designed for operation in a substantially-repetitive work cycle that includes lifting, rotating, and lowering steps. The heavy equipment includes a generator, an electrical bus, an energy storage component, and working components. The generator provides a substantially constant electrical output to the electrical bus, which is communicated to the working components. As such, the working components of the heavy equipment are driven directly or indirectly by the electrical output of the generator. The controller selectively couples the energy storage component to the electrical bus, and the energy storage component is configured to store electricity provided by the generator, and to provide electricity to the working components by way of the electrical bus. The electrical output of the generator is less than the power used by the heavy equipment during a portion of the work cycle, and the controller couples the energy storage component to the electrical bus to supplement the electrical output of the generator during the portion of the work cycle in which the electrical output of the generator is less than the power used by the working components of the heavy equipment. | 04-12-2012 |
20120089280 | ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT - Heavy equipment includes a body, an electrical bus, and working components coupled to the body and powered by electricity conveyed via the electrical bus. The heavy equipment further includes a generator set providing an electrical output to the electrical bus, an energy storage element configured to be coupled to the electrical bus, and a computerized controller coupled to the energy storage element. The computerized controller includes a logic module for coupling the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus, where the increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a previous operation of the heavy equipment. | 04-12-2012 |
20140136042 | ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT - Power supply systems and methods for controlling such systems are provided. One power supply system includes a generator set configured to provide an electrical output to an electrical bus, over which power is supplied to heavy equipment. The power supply system further includes a computerized controller configured to be coupled to an energy storage element, wherein the computerized controller is configured to couple the energy storage element to the electrical bus in advance of a predicted increase in demand upon the electrical bus to maintain a substantially constant voltage on the electrical bus during the predicted increase in demand and prevent a drop in voltage on the electrical bus that would otherwise result from the predicted increase in demand. The predicted increase in demand is anticipated by the computerized controller as forthcoming based upon extrapolation, at least in part, from data related to a past operation of the heavy equipment. | 05-15-2014 |