TELESCOPIC MANIPULATOR WITH CONVERTIBLE PROPULSION

Abstract

A telescopic manipulator (1) is described, equipped with an electric propulsion motor and with several containment compartments (100) for housing means (200, 300) for powering the motor; one compartment (100) is provided with an access opening to allow a user to insert or remove a source of electricity (200, 300) included in the power supply means; a plurality of electric batteries (200) is made available, each designed to be inserted into one of the compartments (100); an electricity generating apparatus (300) is provided for insertion into one of the compartments (100); the telescopic manipulator (1) is equipped with the following alternative power supply configurations: an all-electric configuration wherein the power supply means comprises only one or more electric batteries (200);and a hybrid configuration where the means of energy supply include the electricity generating apparatus (300).;

Description

TELESCOPIC MANIPULATOR WITH CONVERTIBLE PROPULSION DESCRIPTIVE MEMORANDUM This invention relates to a telescopic manipulator with convertible propulsion. In detail, the invention relates to a telescopic manipulator with a propulsion system that can be switched from electric to hybrid and vice versa by the user. There are telescopic manipulators of the prior art, equipped with an electric motor, powered by one or more batteries, instead of the traditional internal combustion engine, which has the advantage of not diffusing exhaust gas into the environments in which they work. Environmental regulations in many countries require that electric telescopic handlers be used instead of those with a fossil fuel power supply if the work is to be carried out in enclosed environments, such as industrial sheds, or in residential center areas where restrictions apply to traffic and the type of vehicles allowed to circulate, such as town centers. However, the use of prior art electric telescopic manipulators has several limitations briefly illustrated below. Firstly, it may be the case that the use of the telescopic handler is requested at more than one work site or that, at the end of the planned operations, the vehicle must return to the yard; in these circumstances, the remaining autonomy of the batteries may not be sufficient to move the telescopic handler to the destination, requiring inconvenient and slow procedures to recharge the batteries. Furthermore, for some user companies, having to provide an electric telescopic handler to be able to operate in those sites for which the law specifies the limitations mentioned above constitutes an additional cost; the amortization times for these can be very uncertain, as they depend on the frequency of the organs for which it is necessary to use an electric telescopic handler. In addition, sometimes the energy supplied by a battery, even a fully charged one, may not be sufficient to complete the scheduled work, and on the other hand, it may be difficult to find a recharging source to which to connect the battery; consider, for example, in the case where the machine is operating in a historic town center. Furthermore, even if a genset (engine generator) were available, in the case, for example, where the telescopic handler is operating inside a shed, the interruption of operational activities due to the need to recharge the battery significantly affects the time for completion of scheduled activities. The technical purpose that forms the basis of the invention is to provide a telescopic manipulator with switchable power supply that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. The specified technical purpose is achieved by the telescopic manipulator made in accordance with the appended claims. Additional features and advantages of the present invention are more evident in the non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment of the proposed telescopic manipulator, as illustrated in the accompanying figures, where: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a telescopic manipulator according to the invention; Figures 2 to 6 are axonometric views of the telescopic manipulator of Figure 1, shown without a turret for reasons of figure eligibility, shown in the various operating configurations and relative transition steps; Figures 7 and 8 are axonometric views of a side portion of the proposed telescopic manipulator carriage showing structural and functional details of a side cargo compartment; and Figure 9 is an exploded view of an electricity generating apparatus that can be used in conjunction with the proposed telescopic manipulator. With reference to the first figure, number 1 denotes in its entirety an electrically powered telescopic manipulator in accordance with the invention. The proposed telescopic manipulator 1 is equipped with a frame 11, or carriage, which can be moved on wheels and can be either fixed or rotating, i.e., it can mount the cab and the operating arm directly on the carriage 11 or, as in the illustrated case, it can be equipped with a platform, or turret 110, rotatably mounted on the carriage 11, which supports the cab and operating arm. The telescopic manipulator 1 according to the invention may comprise at least one electric drive motor placed on one of the shafts and an electric motor to drive the hydraulic pump which, by means of a distributor, powers the arm movement cylinders 111 and, if necessary, the motor-driven rack of the tower 110. The telescopic handler 1 is advantageously equipped with a plurality of containment compartments 100 to house the means 200, 300 that power at least the propulsion motor. The power supply means comprise the power sources 200, 300 which, considered as a whole, electrically power at least the propulsion motor and the pump motor. pump and an electricity generating device 200 configured to charge the battery 200. For this reason, in order to switch from the hybrid configuration to the fully electric configuration it may also be sufficient to remove the electricity generating device 300 from the telescopic handler 1 and to switch from the fully electric configuration to the hybrid configuration it is always necessary to insert the electricity generating device 300 into one of the compartments. Before describing the additional construction and functional aspects of the invention, it is briefly explained below how this overcomes the limitations of the prior art, with reference to the non-limiting example case where the telescopic manipulator 1 is equipped with two compartments 100 made in the carriage 11, as explained above, and the electricity generating apparatus is a diesel-electric generator 300. The proposed telescopic handler 1 can operate, when in its fully electric configuration, without restrictions in town centers or in enclosed environments, powered by its batteries 200 contained in the side compartments 100 of the carriage 11. When the work is finished, or in any case when it is necessary for the telescopic handler 1 to be moved to another site that is not nearby, the operator will open one of the compartments and remove the respective battery 200 (see the sequence in Figures 2, 3 and 4), unless the machine 1 is running on a single battery 200, in which case the hood 101 of the empty compartment will be opened. At this point, the generator 300 will be inserted into compartment 100 (see Figures 5 and 6) and connected to the electrical system inside the telescopic handler 1, which is now in its hybrid configuration, so that the generator 300 charges the battery 200 contained in the other compartment 100. After this, having obtained the necessary autonomy, the telescopic handler 1 can be propelled to the destination. Similarly, once the telescopic handler 1 equipped on board with the generator 300 is transported near a work site where emissions restrictions are in force, the operators can open the compartment containing the generator 300, remove it, if necessary inserting an electric battery 200 in its place, and then move the telescopic handler 1 in the fully electric configuration to the work site. It should be noted that the fact that the proposed telescopic handler 1 can switch from hybrid to fully electric configuration and vice versa allows customers to have a versatile machine 1 that can work in emission-restricted environments, but has the autonomy of a traditional hybrid machine or a traditional bevel machine; for this reason, customers can have savings by not having to purchase a plurality of telescopic handlers that have different power supply systems. Advantageously, it is possible to replace the 200 flat batteries and 300 generators that have run out of fuel. For example, once one of the batteries 200 according to the invention is flattened, it is sufficient to open the respective compartment 100, remove the flattened battery 200, which is then transported for recharging to a site equipped with charging means connected to the national electricity grid or by other known means. Meanwhile, the telescopic handler 1 can continue its programmed operations using the energy stored in the other battery 200. After that, when the first 200 battery is recharged, it will again be transported to the work site in order to, for example, replace the other 200 battery, which in the meantime has been drained, and so on. In any case, even if equipped with two (or more) 100 battery compartments, the telescopic handler 1 can also use only one 200 battery if the task for which it is used can be completed before it is delineated, or if it uses the current from both 200 batteries simultaneously, as described in more detail below. On the other hand, if the telescopic handler 1 is equipped with only one 100 battery compartment, it is still possible to use two 200 batteries, so that once the battery housed in the 100 compartment is discharged, the other is already available nearby for replacement. Preferably, the batteries 200 and the electricity generating apparatus 300 that can be replaced according to the invention are equipped, on their underside, with insert seats 201, 301 to receive the tines of a loading fork, to allow movement by means of a forklift. In other words, the battery 200 and the electricity generating apparatus 300 may have a lower portion that defines or consists of, or is fixed to, a pallet-shaped base, for the purpose of inserting forks and moving them with a conventional forklift.In this case, the replacement occurs by opening door 101, placing forks under the battery 200 or the electricity generating apparatus 300, after electrical disconnection and removing it from compartment 100 by sliding it over the guide means 103, 104; subsequently, after placing forks under another battery 200 or another electricity generating apparatus, moving it to the height of the opening and then inserting it by sliding it over the guide means 103, 104, examples of which are described in more detail below. Preferably, the battery 200 comprises a connector 202 for supplying current (possibly only one), which can be connected to a respective individual transmission cable 105 (possibly only one) located in compartment 101, connected to the electrical system of the telescopic handler 1 and connected to the aforementioned electric motors for the purpose of powering them. The attached figures also show the optional solution for providing an internal connector 102 to the compartment to which the cable 105 is attached when the door 101 is closed with an empty compartment 100; in this way, the telescopic handler 1 can be started using the other battery 200 without leaving an open circuit in the system.In addition, the battery 200 may be equipped with an on / off switch 203 (shown in Figure 7) which is used to electrically disconnect, without the need to disconnect the cable 105, to prevent it from draining during non-operational periods when it remains on board the telescopic handler 1. The invention optionally provides the use of an electricity generating apparatus consisting of a 300 diesel-electric generator with a new design, specifically conceived for use in the hybrid configuration of the proposed telescopic handler. The apparatus 300, as shown in Figure 9, includes a casing 302 that first contains an internal combustion engine 303, equipped with one or more exhaust components 304, directed downwards to expel exhaust gases outside the casing 302, a radiator 305, and a water tank 306. The diesel tank 307 that supplies the internal combustion engine 303 can also be positioned to form one of the walls of the casing 302 that contains the aforementioned components. The casing 302 also contains the actual generator 308, i.e., the alternator which, driven by an internal combustion engine 303, produces the current with which the battery 200 of the telescopic handler 1 is charged in its hybrid configuration. The inverter 309 used to control this current can also be mounted on the outer surface of the liner 302, for example, on the tank 307 mentioned above, and is connected to the generator 308 by suitable wiring 310. The liner 302 also has an external connector 311, like the one on the battery 200, designed to connect to the transmission cable 105 mentioned above. In even more detail, the electrical system that connects battery 200 to the motor and the electricity generating apparatus 300 to battery 200 includes all the usual electrical and electronic devices for the operation of motors and other user devices, such as inverters placed upstream of the motors, units for distributing the power supply downstream of the batteries 200 (typically one for each battery), chargers for charging the batteries 200 by means of an external plug (to be used if there is a power supply source near the work site, for example a battery charging station) and the various circuits for lighting the flashing warning lights and reflectors, internal lighting, etc. Preferably, as shown in Figure 8, the guide means 103, 104 mentioned above includes a lower shaped surface 103 of the compartment 100, which is equipped with recesses to slideably receive the seats 201 for inserting the teeth MA / a / ZUZZ / UUUUI 4 that are located on the lower surface of the power source 200, 300 housed in compartment 100. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, the battery 200 and the electricity generating apparatus 300 can be equipped with respective coupling elements 204, for example in the form of wings protruding from respective opposite sides; it should be noted that, although the figure only shows the case of the battery 200, the coupling elements 204 can also be mounted on the electricity generating apparatus 300. The wings 204 protruding from opposite side surfaces of the power source 200, 300 allow a sliding coupling with respective side guide elements 104 (see Figure 8), made, for example, by metal plates, which are placed in the compartments 100, to define shelf 104 on which the room 104 of the battery 200 or of the apparatus 300, which are therefore supported by them, slide into place. In addition, liberal locking means 106, consisting, for example, of screws and / or bolts, may be provided to prevent unintentional removal of the battery 200 from inside the compartment 100. In addition, there may also be a tilt retention panel 107, hinged to the lower edge of the opening and which can be lowered after completion of the removal and insertion of the battery 200 or the electricity generating apparatus. Finally, the invention may include electronic processing means, connectable to battery 200 or to the batteries 200 contained in and / or in compartment 100 and designed to adjust the current supply. In particular, the processing means, which may also consist of or be included in or connected to the control unit usually used in telescopic handlers 1, include a current regulator module configured in such a way as to adjust the current supply from the various batteries 200 in accordance with variable proportions. In other words, if the telescopic handler 1 is fitted with two 200 batteries, for example, the operator in the cab can set, by means of a user interface connected to the processing medium, how much current is to be drawn from one of the 200 batteries in relation to the other in order to supply the vehicle's user devices; in particular cases, only one 200 battery supplies the electric motors of the telescopic handler 1 or both of the 200 batteries supply half of the required electricity. Similarly, the processing means may include a control module for the 300 electricity generating apparatus, configured to adjust its operation; again, thanks to the interface mentioned above, the operator can manage or set the operation of the 300 electricity generating apparatus and the 200 battery.

Claims

1. A telescopic handler (1) equipped with at least one electric propulsion motor and with several containment compartments (100) for housing means (200, 300) for powering said motor; wherein at least one of said compartments (100) is provided with an access opening to allow a user to insert or remove at least one source of electricity (200, 300) included in said power supply means; wherein a plurality of electric batteries (200) is made available, each designed to be inserted into one of the compartments (100); wherein at least one electricity generating apparatus (300) is provided for insertion into one of the compartments (100); wherein said telescopic handler (1) is equipped with two alternative power supply configurations: a fully electric configuration wherein the aforementioned power supply means include only one or more electric batteries (200);and a hybrid configuration in which the aforementioned power supply means include said electricity generating apparatus (300).; 2. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to the preceding claim, further characterized in that in said hybrid configuration the power supply means include an electric battery (200) that supplies the propulsion motor and an electricity generating apparatus (300) that charges said battery (200).

3. The telescopic manipulator (1) in accordance with any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said electricity generating apparatus is a diesel-electric generator (300).

4. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the electricity generating apparatus is a fuel cell.

5. The telescopic handler (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that it can switch from said fully electric configuration to said hybrid configuration, following the insertion of the electricity generating apparatus (300) into the aforementioned compartment (100) equipped with an access opening, and from the hybrid configuration to the fully electric configuration, following the removal of the electricity generating apparatus (300) from the compartment (100).

6. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the compartment (100) equipped with an access opening comprises guide means (103, 104) for sliding a battery (200) or the electricity generating apparatus (300) during the respective insertion or extraction.

7. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that it comprises a carriage (11) that can be moved on wheels, wherein the compartment (100) is made in said carriage (11), with the access opening located on one side of the carriage (11).

8. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to the preceding claim, further characterized in that it comprises two compartments (100) having the respective access openings located on opposite sides of the carriage (11).

9. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the battery (200) is equipped, on a lower side, with insert seats (201) to receive the teeth of a loading fork, to allow movement by means of a forklift.

10. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the electricity generating apparatus (300) is equipped, on a lower side, with a starting seat (301) to receive the teeth of a loading fork, to allow movement by means of a forklift.

11. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to claim 9 or 10, further characterized in that said means and (103, 104) include a lower surface (103) of the compartment (100), in such a way as to slideably receive said insert seats.

12. The telescopic manipulator (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further characterized in that it comprises liberal locking means (106, 107) to prevent the unintentional removal of the power supply means component from inside the compartment (100).

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