Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC

Caterpillar Forest Products Inc.

Jason Lee Miller

Jonathan Matthew Baumann

Justin Dale Middleton

Alexander Cameron Crosman, Iii

Dustin Craig Selvey

Jackson Wai

Robert Wayne Lindsey

Brett Michael Nee

Evan B Stumpges

Matthew Lee Boggs

Dustin Dale Denning

Jesse R Gerdes

Ahmed Khalil

Sangameshwar Sonth

Thomas Michael Sopko, Jr

Christopher Lewis Wynkoop

Thomas M Sopko

Timothy Goldammer

Ernesto Inoa

Thuong Le

Daniel D Podany

Adam R Rosenberger

Srikar Thaduvayi

Richard Geist Auch

Carlos Eduardo Nino-Baron

Jared J Brodbeck

Jose D Miranda

Kevin M Sergeant

Luke T Melchior

Peter H Huang

A driving circuit to control/drive a contactor using a high-side driver integrated into the battery pack controller. The driver circuit may electrically isolate the controller pins of the battery pack controller (which interface the contactors) from the low-voltage digital processing core of the battery pack controller. The driver circuit may provide techniques to diagnose a fault by monitoring the voltage at the output of the driver as compared to the reference voltage. The driver circuit may include an electronic switch, such as a field-effect transistor, that is configured on the high side of the contactor to control voltage from an energy source to the contactor.

Circuit to drive electrically controlled switches within electrified machine

As part of a start-up sequence, a controller of a machine causes one or more activation components of a battery of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more electrical components associated with the battery to be enabled, then causes one or more non-accumulator components of a hydraulic system to be enabled, then causes one or more accumulator components of the hydraulic system to charge, and then causes one or more propulsion components to be enabled. As part of a shut-down sequence, the controller causes the one or more propulsion components to be disabled, then causes the one or more accumulator components of the hydraulic system to bleed, then causes the one or more non-accumulator components of the hydraulic system to be disabled, and then causes the one or more electrical components associated with the battery to be disabled.

Systems and methods for starting up and shutting down a machine

A machine includes a plurality of battery string modules that supply electric current to an inverter of the machine. The machine also includes a control system that opens at one contactor coupled to at least one battery string module of the plurality of battery string modules to disconnect the at least one battery string module. The other battery string modules of the plurality of battery string modules, apart from the at least one battery string module, continue supplying electric current to the inverter of the machine while the at least one battery string module is disconnected.

System and method for disengaging battery strings

A battery management system configured to couple to at least one battery module, the battery management system includes a contact configured to couple between the at least one battery module and a machine, a sensor configured to sense an electrical parameter of the at least one battery module, and a control circuit configured to receive an output of the sensor and determine a value of the electrical parameter. The sensor includes an inverting charge pump coupled to receive a positive supply voltage and generate a negative supply voltage, and a differential amplifier coupled to the at least one battery module and supplied by the positive supply voltage and the negative supply voltage, the differential amplifier configured to generate an output representing the electrical parameter.

Sensor with self supplied negative rail for battery pack measurement

A controller of a machine identifies that a battery of the machine is connected to an electrical power connector component. The controller then causes one or more charging components of the battery of the machine to be enabled, then cause one or more electrical components associated with the battery of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more cooling components of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more propulsion components of the machine to be disabled, then causes one or more accumulator components of a hydraulic system of the machine to bleed, and then causes one or more non-accumulator components of the hydraulic system of the machine to be enabled. In this way, the controller causes the battery of the machine to enter into a charging state.

Causing a battery of a machine to enter into a charging state

An example energy source for a work machine includes multiple battery cells connectable in parallel to form a battery system having a high pole and a low pole, a load bus to distribute energy from the battery system to the work machine, and a single point of connection between the battery system and the load bus. The single point of connection is a connector including a dual-pole single-throw (DPST) switch. The DPST switch includes a dual-switched circuit path to connect the high pole and the low pole to the load bus, and a single-switched circuit path to provide a switched connection of a high voltage interlock loop (HVIL) circuit.

Dual pole high voltage disconnect

A system for charging a battery unit to power a work machine. The system includes a charger to charge the battery unit, charging receptacles, power supply connectors, and a charging controller. The power supply connectors are configured to be received into the charging receptacles to attain connections between the charger and the battery unit. The charging controller is communicably coupled to the charger and is configured to receive an input corresponding to a net charge capacity of the battery unit; determine a power to be supplied to the battery unit by the charger to charge the battery unit in response to the input; and supply the power to the battery unit from the charger through the connections. The power to be supplied to the battery unit corresponds to a maximum possible power that meets the net charge capacity of the battery unit in the shortest possible time.

System and method for charging battery units of work machines

A machine may a first high voltage interlocking loop (HVIL) system to provide power to one or more components of the machine, the first HVIL system comprising: a plurality of groups of batteries; a plurality of disconnect components connected to the plurality of groups of batteries; a plurality of sets of contactors, a set of contactors, of the plurality of sets of contactors, being connected to a group of batteries of the plurality of groups of batteries. The machine may a second HVIL system to receive power from a power source, the second HVIL system comprising: a port configured to receive a connector of the power source and receive power, from the power source via the connector, to charge the plurality of groups of batteries, wherein the second HVIL system is independent with respect to the first HVIL system.

Independent high voltage interlocking loop systems

In some aspects, a method of monitoring a battery system of an industrial vehicle is disclosed. The battery system may include a first string of battery modules including at least two battery modules connected in series; a first contactor connected to a positive end of the first string of battery modules, a second contactor connector to a negative end of the first string of battery modules; a third contactor connected to the first contactor; a fourth contactor connected to the second contactor; and one or more controllers configured to monitor the first contactor and the second contactor. The method may include receiving, at the one or more controllers, an indication of a failure of one of the first contactor and the second contactor; and opening, via the one or more controllers, at least one of the third contactor or the fourth contactor.

Battery system

A battery management component for passive battery cell discharge is disclosed. The battery management component may determine that a charging operation associated with a battery has ended. The battery management component may identify, based on the charging operation ending, that a first cell of the battery has a first state of charge. The battery management component may determine that a second cell of the battery has a second state of charge that is outside of a threshold range of the first state of charge. The battery management component may determine, based on the first and second states of charge, an amount of energy to be removed from the first cell to enable the first state of charge to be within the threshold range of the second state of charge. The battery management component may discharge energy from the first cell based on the determined amount of energy.

Passive battery cell discharge

A system for balancing battery cell charge in a battery array for an electrified machine is provided. The battery array includes a plurality of individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells. A plurality of cell monitors are in communication with the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells, with the plurality of cell monitors being powered by the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells. A battery controller of the system receives information about the individual battery cells, or groups of battery cells, from the plurality of cell monitors. The information traverses the plurality of cell monitors in a first pattern to the battery controller and, after a predetermined period of time or occurrence of a predetermined event, the information traverses the plurality of cell monitors in a second pattern that is different than the first pattern to the battery controller.

System and method for balancing battery cell charge in battery array for electrified machine

A control system for a switched reluctance (SR) motor includes a Direct Current (DC) power source, and an inverter. The control system includes a user interface configured to enable an operator to specify a desired torque output. The control system further includes a controller which converts a DC current from the Alternating Current (AC) supplied to the SR motor by the inverter. The controller estimates an actual power output generated by the SR motor based on a DC voltage supplied by the DC power source to the inverter, and the converted DC current. The controller estimates an actual torque output based on the actual power output and a rotational speed of the SR motor. The controller compares the actual torque output and a desired torque output to calculate a torque error. The controller adjusts a torque output limit and the rotational speed of the SR motor.

Switched reluctance motor power estimation compensation for variable DC-link voltage

A fault detection system for a machine having a plurality of electrical conducting elements insulated from a frame ground of the machine is disclosed. The fault detection system may include a high voltage DC power source, a positive high voltage bus connected to a positive terminal of the high voltage DC power source and providing high voltage electrical power to the plurality of electrical conducting elements, and a negative high voltage bus connected to a negative terminal of the high voltage DC power source and returning high voltage electrical power from the plurality of electrical conducting elements. At least one of the positive and negative high voltage buses may be selectively connected through a plurality of switches to plural zones of the electrical conducting elements, with each of the plural zones being electrically connected in parallel, and selectively connected to the high voltage DC power source by one of the plurality of switches. A low voltage DC power source may be configured to form part of a leakage current detector selectively connected through each of the plurality of switches to each of the plural zones for detecting leakage current between an electrical conducting element and the frame ground.

Fault detection system with leakage current detection

A method of actively discharging a common bus () of a machine () having an engine (), a generator (), a traction motor () and one or more auxiliary devices () is provided. The method may monitor a speed of the engine () with respect to a first threshold, monitor a voltage of the common bus () with respect to a second threshold, and enable one or more of the generator (), the motor () and the auxiliary devices () if the engine speed falls below the first threshold and the voltage exceeds the second threshold so as to discharge voltage from the common bus ().

Active high voltage bus bleed down

A guard () for an antenna () includes a base () defined between a front edge (), a rear edge (), and two lateral edges (). A front generally triangular surface () extends from the front edge () to a narrowed upper edge, a rear generally triangular surface () extends from the rear edge () to a narrowed upper edge, and two lateral generally triangular surfaces (), each having a narrowed upper edge, extend from their respective lateral edge (). The narrowed upper edges form an apex (), which forms an opening (). The surfaces () at least partially define an internal cavity () that encloses a portion () of the antenna (). The front surface () is at a first angle (&#x3b1;) relative to a mounting surface () and the rear surface () is at a second, larger angle (&#x3b2;) relative to the mounting surface ().

Growing community of inventors

Princeville, IL, United States of America

Jason Lee Miller