External Cable Protection for Electric Traction Drive Machines

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrically powered tracked machinery faces challenges in optimizing the routing of motor cables, which are typically protected within the undercarriage's steel structure, leading to non-optimized transmission length and complex assembly/disassembly of crawler tracks.

Innovation Solution

The motor cables are routed externally within a separate protective device that extends outside the undercarriage's central section and track carrier, providing mechanical protection and flexibility, allowing easy access and adaptation to machine configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If motor cables are routed through the steel structure of the undercarriage, then mechanical protection is provided, but cable length is increased and assembly/disassembly becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protection of motor cablesVSAvoidcable length
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the motor cables from the steel structure routing and places them in a separate protective device that runs externally along the longitudinal axis of the crawler track. This separation allows the cables to be protected mechanically while reducing their length by eliminating unnecessary routing through the undercarriage structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the cable routing system into a dedicated protective device separate from the undercarriage steel structure. This segmentation allows independent optimization of the cable routing path while maintaining mechanical protection, resolving the contradiction between protection and length optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If motor cables are routed through the steel structure of the undercarriage, then mechanical protection is provided, but assembly and disassembly of crawler tracks becomes complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical protection of motor cablesVSAvoidassembly and disassembly of crawler tracks
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

By extracting the motor cables from the steel structure and placing them in a separate protective device with external routing, the patent enables easier access to the cables during assembly and disassembly operations, directly improving ease of operation while maintaining mechanical protection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The segmentation of cable routing into a separate protective device allows the cables to be accessed and disconnected independently from the undercarriage structure, simplifying crawler track assembly and disassembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Length of moving object

If motor cables are routed externally in a separate protective device, then cable length is reduced and accessibility is improved, but mechanical protection must be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecable lengthVSAvoidmechanical protection of motor cables
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a separate protective device as an intermediary structure that houses the motor cables externally. This protective device serves as a mediator between the cables and the harsh external environment, providing mechanical protection while allowing the cables to be routed directly and maintain short length.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4342713B1Electric traction drive working machine
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 LIEBHERR WERK NENZING
  • EP4342713B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4342713B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4342713B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a work machine, in particular a cable excavator, with an undercarriage comprising a central section and at least one crawler track connected to the central section, the crawler track having at least one electric drive unit, wherein at least one power transmission line for supplying power to the drive unit and at least one further supply line run between the drive unit and the central section. The work machine is characterized in that the at least one power supply line and the at least one further supply line run together in a separate protective device outside of the central section and the crawler track.