Exchangeable energy devices for electric vehicles

Abstract

The exchangeable energy device for electric vehicles allows electric vehicles to be adapted to existing power systems, such as overhead catenary systems, with little or no modification to modern electric vehicles. The exchangeable energy device has the same form factor as a battery pack and is fully compatible with the vehicle's drive system. The exchangeable device allows the battery pack to be replaced with an adapter, allowing the use of existing power systems, such as overhead catenary systems.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 828,963, filed April 3, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 16 / 839,336, filed April 3, 2020. [Background technology]

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to electric vehicles, and more specifically, to electric vehicles used in underground mines.

[0003] Co-pending and commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 908,802, filed Feb. 28, 2018, describes a method and system for installing and removing a battery from an electric vehicle and replacing one battery with another, the contents of which are made a part of the provisional application and are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0004] For electric-only and at least partially electric-powered vehicles, the power source can be from a fuel engine, a hybrid system, or a fully electric drive system powered by a battery. In underground mining environments, as mining operators transition from traditional diesel or mobile electric machines, there is a need to accommodate advances in electric and clean energy alternatives to traditional diesel machines. While fully electric machines are becoming more available with an on-board energy source in the form of large battery packs, some applications would be even more advantageous to be able to provide a replaceable energy source for the electric machines. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Various embodiments of electric vehicles are disclosed. The embodiments describe an electric mining vehicle that can be battery-powered or powered by a conventional overhead line system with electric catenary or rails that serves underground mines. The replaceable device can be a type of adapter that allows the vehicle to be powered by another battery or overhead line system. The concept is to provide an exchangeable energy device that can be another battery, another type of battery, a generator, a fuel engine, an adapter for the overhead line system, or another type of energy source or an adapter for another type of energy. The replaceable device is sized and configured to be compatible with the battery packs that are supplied to a particular type of electric vehicle or vehicle drive system, allowing the vehicle's energy source to be easily changed or replaced.

[0006] The vehicle and method of installing and removing the battery are described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 908,802. The present disclosure contemplates using different types of energy sources or adapters for energy sources having a form factor compatible with the battery pack and drive system of the machine. In the context of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 908,802, a primary battery assembly may be provided as an on-board energy source for a vehicle, or more broadly, a machine.

[0007] Any of a variety of types of energy sources having compatible form factors and capabilities are contemplated, providing an array of options for an operator to provide the appropriate set of energy devices to operate any given powered machine.

[0008] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

[0009] The present invention may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the different views. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an underground mining machine powered by an overhead live catenary or rail; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a machine with two exchangeable energy devices, both of which are shown outside the machine. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a machine, with one exchangeable energy device mounted on a pedestal and another exchangeable energy device shown outside the machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The electric vehicle may be supplied with an on-board energy device, such as a battery pack, that allows the vehicle to move freely. In some conventional underground mines, the electric vehicle is powered by a hardwire connection, such as a suspension line or a conductive rail of a track.

[0012] The vehicle 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a conventional electric vehicle powered by overhead lines or rails 12 via contact between current collecting shoes 14 at the ends of trolley poles 16 connected to the top surface of the vehicle at trolley pole bases 18.

[0013] Some underground mines are powered by overhead lines. To allow modern electric vehicles to be used in existing mines, newer vehicles are provided with swappable energy devices to make them backward compatible with existing mines that have overhead line infrastructure. Figures 2 and 3 conceptually illustrate an electric vehicle and battery pack that may be used in underground mines. With reference to Figure 2, only a portion of a vehicle 20 is shown, which in this exemplary embodiment includes a battery mounting rack next to the driver's cab. The vehicle 20 may also carry auxiliary batteries, such as for powering the vehicle 20 during energy source swap operations or when traveling between battery charging areas. A battery 22 is shown in Figure 2, which may be a battery pack of the type described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 908,802. Also shown in Figure 2 is a battery pack of the type described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 15 / 908,802. 3 1 shows a replaceable energy device 24 having the same form factor as the battery 22. As used herein, both the battery 22 and the energy device 24 are replaceable energy devices. The energy device 24 functions as an adapter to power the vehicle 20 using the existing overhead line system (FIG. 1). Thus, the energy device 24 has the same form factor as the battery 22, but includes a trolley pole base 26, a trolley pole 28, and current collecting shoes 30 and 32. The form factor of the device 24 is the same as that of the battery 22. 22 The form factor is the same as that of the 4 is fully compatible with the battery mounting hardware on the vehicle 20 and the drive system of the vehicle 20.

[0014] FIG. 3 shows the vehicle 20 with the replaceable device 24 installed and the battery 22 removed. The details of the replacement method are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 908,802. The overhead line or suspension rail 40 is shown diagrammatically in contact with the energy device current collector shoes 30 and 32. It can thus be seen that the replaceable energy device can be used to make the vehicle 20 compatible with an existing overhead catenary system (OCS). In some environments, the OCS may be discontinuous, in which case the vehicle's auxiliary battery can be used to power the vehicle from one OCS section to the other OCS section. The auxiliary battery also provides power during the installation and removal of the energy source as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 15 / 908,802.

[0015] The interchangeable equipment allows the vehicle to operate with little or no modification in either existing OCS systems or new environments where on-board power is used. The system allows the machine to mount the trolley equipment as needed to swap out energy sources as required by operating conditions. This provides the flexibility required for vehicle fleets or mining operators to ensure the system is forward and backward compatible.

[0016] It will be understood that a variety of variations in energy sources are envisioned within the scope of the present concept, i.e. the exchangeable energy device may be a battery, a different type of battery, a generator, a fuel engine, or an adapter for any existing energy infrastructure, and it will also be understood that the present system may be used with any combination of devices such as batteries and adapters.

[0017] It will also be understood that the energy source, whether a battery, an overhead line adapter, or another type of source, is compatible with and in communication with the drive system and drive controller.

[0018] As described herein, the OCS, or overhead catenary system or rail, may include options for off-wire operation, such as surface collection or on-board energy storage systems. On-board power generation is a third option that has been less explored, but hydrogen fuel cell technology may be changing that. Any combination of energy systems is considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0019] Surface collection can be contact or non-contact. Contact surface collection essentially uses a buried third rail, as typically used in subway systems and some early streetcar systems. Significantly improved versions of this technology can offer advantages in challenging environments with heavy loads, such as the need for heating or cooling, or the need to traverse steep slopes, all of which can quickly deplete stored power systems.

[0020] Another type of infrastructure that may exist is a contactless ground power collection system that uses an induction coil to power a vehicle. Typically, this power transfer occurs only when the vehicle is over the coil, and the range of such a system may be extended by combining the coil with on-board power storage so that the coil does not need to be installed along the entire length of the system.

[0021] On-board energy storage is providing an alternative or complement to surface collection methods. Storage mechanisms include batteries, capacitors, flywheels, and in some cases, recovering kinetic energy from braking to increase system efficiency. Systems with limited off-wire operation can often recharge on-board power as they operate on wired sections. Longer ranges of off-wire operation may require a charging station approach, which is achieved by providing sufficient dwell time at stops. For example, in some tram systems, the programmed contact dwell time at stations is long enough to recharge roof-mounted supercapacitors, which have a constant short charge duration for their duty cycle.

[0022] Generally, as used herein, an "electric vehicle" refers to a vehicle that uses electric power for propulsion purposes in at least one operating mode. Electric vehicles thus include all-electric vehicles (e.g., vehicles with only a traction motor and an on-board electric energy storage device or mechanism for receiving electric energy from an off-board power source, such as an overhead line or powered rail), hybrid electric vehicles (e.g., vehicles with a traction motor, an energy storage device, a hydraulic propulsion device, and a fuel engine, or a fuel cell, or the like, that directly generates power to charge the energy storage device and / or to drive the traction motor), dual mode vehicles (e.g., vehicles with engine-only and electric-only operating modes, or vehicles with a first operating mode in which traction power is provided by an engine and a second operating mode in which traction power is provided by another power source), diesel electric vehicles and other engine electric vehicles (e.g., vehicles with an engine that generates power to drive a traction motor), and combinations and variations thereof. An electric vehicle may have one traction motor or multiple traction motors, where "traction motor" refers to a motor of sufficient size and capacity to move a vehicle of sufficient size to perform its intended maneuver.

[0023] The roadside station vehicle interface equipment may also include, for example, a "plug-in" module by which the vehicle plugs into a receptacle at the roadside station to receive power from the station, or a continuous-power interface, such as the overhead line or third rail mentioned above, that allows the vehicle to receive off-board power while in motion.

[0024] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described, this description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited, except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents. Various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle having an energy device mounting and removal stand; a first exchangeable energy device configured to be removably attached to the cradle of the electric vehicle and adapted to power a drive system of the electric vehicle using on-board stored energy; a second exchangeable energy device configured to be removably attached to the cradle of the electric vehicle and adapted to power the drive system of the electric vehicle using off-vehicle supplied energy; and an auxiliary battery disposed on the electric vehicle for providing power during installation or removal of one of the first exchangeable energy device or the second exchangeable energy device; Equipped with both the first and second exchangeable energy devices are compatible by having the same form factor; Only one of the first exchangeable energy device or the second exchangeable energy device is attached to the cradle; A system for supplying energy to electric vehicles.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary battery powers the electric vehicle when the first and second exchangeable energy devices are removed.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first exchangeable energy device is a battery pack.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second exchangeable energy device is an adapter for an overhead line system.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first exchangeable energy device or the second exchangeable energy device is a battery pack.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first exchangeable energy device or the second exchangeable energy device is an adapter for an overhead line system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first exchangeable energy device is a generator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first exchangeable energy device is a supercapacitor.

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