Caterpillar Inc.

Robert Roy Sychra

Robert Wayne Lindsey

Thomas M Baker

Dustin Craig Selvey

Jon Nathaniel Husser

Arthur Wild

Keith Elliot Dixler

Stephen K Phelps

Jackson Wai

Stephen C Garnett

William James Tate

Daniel Stanek

Thomas M Sopko

Bruce Henry Hein

Kevin Joseph Carew

Shawn C Passwater

A machine is described that includes an electric drive for propelling the machine along a ground surface. The machine includes an electric power supply system configured to deliver operating electrical power to the electric drive. The electric power system includes a first generator and a second generator. The electric power system also includes a first rectifier coupled to the first generator and having a first direct current (DC) output and a second rectifier coupled to the second generator and having a second DC output. Both the first DC output and the second DC output are coupled to the single DC bus, thereby providing an arrangement for the first rectifier and the second rectifier to simultaneously provide power to the single DC bus. The electrical power system also includes a first inverter/controller coupled to the single DC bus and configured to provide a controlled alternating current to a first motor.

Dual generator single DC link configuration for electric drive propulsion system

A power converter assembly includes a housing and at least one transistor module. The housing has a liquid cooled heat transfer surface. The at least one transistor module is mounted directly to the liquid cooled heat transfer surface and positioned at least partially within the housing.

Power converter assembly having a housing

A high voltage wiring system for an electric powertrain is disclosed. The system includes a power conversion unit sealed in a first enclosure. The system also includes at least one second enclosure configured to be sealed and having at least one cable disposed therein. The disclosed system further includes a plurality of wiring termination compartments configured to provide a plurality of electrical termination points. The plurality of wiring termination compartments are separately encased in a material configured to provide a sealed barrier between an outside environment and the plurality of electrical termination points. The disclosed system further includes a source of at least one pressurized gas configured to substantially prevent the ingress of moisture into the first enclosure, the at least one second enclosure, and the plurality of wiring termination compartments.

High voltage wiring system for electric powertrains

Assembling a power converter for a multiple phase electric drive propulsion system in a machine includes arranging a plurality of rectangular capacitor units of a capacitor subassembly for conditioning electrical power in the power converter in a first packaging arrangement. In the first packaging arrangement, major capacitor axes of each one of the capacitor units are co-linear with one another and minor capacitor axes of each one of the capacitor units are oriented parallel but not co-linear with one another. Assembling the power converter further includes arranging a plurality of IGBT modules of a transistor subassembly for power switching in the power converter in a second packaging arrangement. In the second packaging arrangement major module axes of each one of the IGBT modules are oriented parallel but not co-linear with one another and minor module axes of each one of the IGBT modules are co-linear with one another. The capacitor subassembly and the transistor subassembly are supported in the first packaging arrangement and in the second packaging arrangement for service in a power converter housing.

Electronics component packaging for power converter

A control system is disclosed. The control system has an electric machine coupled to provide power to or receive power from a DC bus and a controller in communication with the electric machine and the DC bus. The controller is configured to receive a voltage from the DC bus, compare the voltage from the DC bus to a characteristic indicative of a fault of at least one winding of the electric machine, and take a precaution based on the comparison.

Winding fault detection system

Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting a faulty ground strap connection for a machine hosting a high voltage system. In one embodiment, a fault detection and compensation system includes a ground strap, a DC power supply electrically referenced to a machine frame, a leakage detection switch connected to the machine frame, a current source controlled by the leakage detection switch, and a voltage measuring device that measures an offset voltage. The fault detection and compensation system further includes a leakage detection and compensation controller that compensates for the unbalanced fault condition by controlling the leakage detection switch and the current source, and determines whether the ground strap is properly connected to the machine frame.

Systems and methods for detecting a faulty ground strap connection

Systems and methods are disclosed for compensating electrical leakage and detecting balanced electrical leakage for a machine hosting an HV system. In one embodiment, a fault detection and compensation system includes a DC power supply electrically referenced to a machine frame, a leakage correction switch connected to the machine frame, a current source controlled by the leakage correction switch, and a voltage measuring device that measures an offset voltage reflecting whether the HV system is in an unbalanced fault condition. The fault detection and compensation system further includes a leakage detection and compensation controller that compensates for the unbalanced fault condition by controlling the leakage correction switch and the current source.

Systems and methods for electrical leakage detection and compensation

A method is provided for dissipating power in a propelled machine having an electric drive system and a mechanical brake system. An inclination of the machine is determined. A speed of the machine is determined. A retarding requirement is determined based on the determined inclination and speed. A first portion of the retarding requirement is allocated to be met by the electric drive system, the first portion being less than or equal to a retarding capacity of the electric drive system. A second portion of the retarding requirement is allocated to be met by the mechanical brake system if the retarding requirement is greater than the retarding capacity of the electric drive system.

Slope-limited retarding control for a propelled machine

A protection system for an electrical device may include at least one temperature sensitive element located in a region adjacent to a component of the electrical device and configured to provide an output related to an actual temperature in the region. The system may also include a controller configured to determine the actual temperature in the region based on the output of the at least one temperature sensitive element and to determine a predicted temperature of the component based on the actual temperature in the region and on a predetermined heat dissipation characteristic of the electrical device.

Overload protection system for an electrical device

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of providing diagnostic information to an operator of a work machine. Whether the work machine control system is in diagnostic messaging mode is determined. At least one diagnostic fault parameter descriptive message is read from a memory. The diagnostic fault parameter descriptive message is provided to the operator. Preferably, diagnostic messaging mode is determined by whether the work machine control system is in service mode and whether the diagnostic text function is selected. Advantageously, a component identification number descriptive message is provided in a first character display and a failure mode indicating number descriptive message is provided in a second character display of an operator interface.

Apparatus and method of providing diagnostic information to an operator

The present invention pertains to an inclination sensor construction that is capable of determining the pitch and roll of a machine or machine implement. Moreover, the present invention may be employed to detect the pitch and roll of a blade of a motor grader or bulldozer. The invention is directed to a method of detecting the native inaccuracy of an inclination sensor and providing compensation values to correct for errors in the sensor output, and to an inclination sensor construction that makes use of such compensation values to produce highly accurate inclination sensor construction outputs, and contemplates the inclusion in the inclination sensor construction of a microprocessor that has stored therein compensation values that are utilized during operation of the inclination sensor construction to correct the native outputs of individual transducers to take into account recognized inaccuracies of such native outputs relative to actual inclination values. Thus, there is provided an inclination sensor construction that has the capability to correct native output values from component transducers with compensating offset values for errors that may be due to misalignment, skewing, and so forth.

Inclination sensor and method of measuring the accuracy thereof

An earth moving or construction equipment implement control system is disclosed. The control system includes a fuzzy logic controller that is connected to an electro-hydraulic valve. An implement position sensing system senses the height of the implement. A set point is compared to the implement position to produce an implement position error signal which is an input to the fuzzy logic controller.

Apparatus and method for control of an earth moving implement

An inclination sensor is disclosed. The sensor includes two temperature controlled inclination devices that are mounted orthogonal to each other. The inclination devices include an oven, a resistive element attached to the oven, an inclination transducer mounted in the oven and a thermistor being mounted to the oven. The thermistor produces a signal representative of the actual temperature of the oven. A microprocessor receives the actual temperature signal of each inclination device and produce heating signals to energize the corresponding resistive elements to control the temperature of the respective ovens to a desired temperature.

Growing community of inventors

Washington, IL, United States of America

Robert Roy Sychra