Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a driving arrangement for a construction machine, such as an excavator, comprising a hydraulic pump for powering a working equipment and/or locomotion of the construction machine through a hydraulic circuit, an electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, wherein power of the electric motor is transferable to the hydraulic pump via a connection means, a supporting device for mounting the driving arrangement to the construction machine, the supporting device supporting the hydraulic pump and the electric motor, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positional relationship between the electric motor and the hydraulic pump to align both component with respect to each other.
Claims
1. A driving arrangement for a construction machine, comprising: a hydraulic pump for powering a working equipment and/or locomotion of the construction machine through a hydraulic circuit; an electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, wherein power of the electric motor is transferable to the hydraulic pump via a connection means; a supporting device for mounting the driving arrangement to the construction machine, the supporting device supporting the hydraulic pump and the electric motor; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positional relationship between the electric motor and the hydraulic pump to align the electric motor and the hydraulic pump with respect to each other.
2. The driving arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the connection means is configured as an elastic coupling.
3. The driving arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism allows for an adjustment of the positional relationship in two different directions, and wherein the two different directions are orthogonal to each other and/or correspond to the vertical and depth directions of the driving arrangement.
4. The driving arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the supporting device comprises a base portion for mounting the driving arrangement to the construction machine, and wherein one of the hydraulic pump and the electric motor is displaceable with respect to the base portion via the adjustment mechanism and the other is stationary with respect to the base portion.
5. The driving arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the supporting device comprises a mounting portion to which the displaceable one of the hydraulic pump and the electric motor is mounted, the mounting portion being connected to the base portion via an adjustment screw for adjusting the positional relationship between the mounting portion and the base portion.
6. The driving arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the mounting portion is connected to the base portion via a vertical adjustment screw for adjusting the vertical positions and a horizontal adjustment screw for adjusting the horizontal positions of the hydraulic pump and the electric motor with respect to each other.
7. The driving arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the supporting device comprises two of the mounting portions, and wherein the two mounting portions are provided on opposite sides of the displaceable one of the hydraulic pump and the electric motor.
8. The driving arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the supporting device comprises a pump mounting portion at one of the ends of the base portion, wherein the electric motor is displaceable above the base portion, and wherein the hydraulic pump is mounted to the pump mounting portion to extend away from the base portion.
9. The driving arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a damping device provided at the supporting device for mounting the driving arrangement to the construction machine via the damping device.
10. A construction machine, comprising a driving arrangement according to claim 1.
11. The driving arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the construction machine is an excavator.
12. The construction machine according to claim 10, wherein the construction machine is an excavator.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a driving arrangement for a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention in a first perspective view.
[0018] FIG. 2 shows the driving arrangement of FIG. 1 in a further perspective view.
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a base element of a supporting device of the driving arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a partial sectional view for illustrating a connection of an electric motor to the base element of FIG. 3.
[0021] FIGS. 5-6 show the configuration of a vertical adjustment screw of the driving arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a driving arrangement 1 for a construction machine according to an embodiment of the present invention in different perspective views. In the present embodiment, the construction machine is an excavator comprising an undercarriage and a superstructure, which is pivotably with respect to the undercarriage. On the superstructure of the excavator, an operator's cabin and a boom with a working equipment at its distal end are provided. The excavator may be a pure electric excavator, implying that the locomotion of the excavator, the actuation of the boom and the actuation of the swing drive between the undercarriage and the superstructure are powered by electrical energy only. The electrical energy for powering those devices may be stored in multiple battery modules provided on top of the excavator's superstructure, wherein said battery modules may function as the excavator's counterweight. The excavator may comprise one or multiple electric motors for powering tracks provided at the excavator's undercarriage to move the excavator backwards, forwards and sidewards. In addition, the excavator may comprise an additional electric motor for powering the excavator's swing drive.
[0023] The driving arrangement 1, which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, may be mounted to the excavator's superstructure. The driving arrangement 1 of the present embodiment comprises a hydraulic pump 2 for powering multiple hydraulic cylinders of the excavator's boom via a hydraulic circuit. Specifically, the excavator comprises a boom with multiple arms, which are movable with respect to each other via hydraulic cylinders. The hydraulic cylinders are part of a hydraulic circuit, which is powered by the hydraulic pump 2 of the driving arrangement 1 of the present embodiment. Furthermore, the driving arrangement 1 comprises an electric motor 3, which is powered by electric energy of the excavator's battery modules. The electric motor 3 comprises a lateral surface 4, a front surface 5 and a back surface 6, wherein the motor's shaft is oriented symmetrically with respect to the lateral surface 4 and is accessible via the front surface 5. In addition, the driving arrangement 1 comprises a connection means 7, which is configured as an elastic coupling in the present embodiment. The connection means 7 is provided between the electric motor 3 and the hydraulic pump 2 for transferring power of the electric motor 3 to the hydraulic pump 2.
[0024] Furthermore, the driving arrangement 1 comprises a supporting device 8 for mounting the driving arrangement 1 to the construction machine. The supporting device 8 is configured to support the electric motor 3 and the hydraulic pump 2 as well as the connection means 7. The supporting device 8 comprises a base element 9, which is illustrated in FIG. 3. The base element 9 exhibits a substantially rectangular plate-like base portion 10 via which the driving arrangement 1 can be mounted to the construction machine. Specifically, the base portion 10 comprises a damping device with four damping units 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, via which the driving arrangement 1 can be mounted to the construction machine. In the present embodiment, the damping units 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4 are configured as mechanical damping units, e.g. rubber plates, which are placed between the base portion 10 of the base element 9 and the construction machine, wherein the damping units are provided at the corners of the plate-like base portion 10. The base portion 10 is oriented horizontally when the driving arrangement 1 is attached to the construction machine in the intended fashion.
[0025] In addition, the base element 9 comprises a vertical plate-like pump mounting portion 12, which is provided upright on and in parallel to the short narrow side surfaces of the rectangular plate-like base portion 10. The pump mounting portion 12 is formed symmetrically and exhibits a through-hole 13, which is provided substantially centrally. Furthermore, as derivable from FIG. 3, the pump mounting portion 12 is situated offset and in proximity to one of the short narrow side surfaces of the base portion 10. Further, the base element 9 comprises a first strengthening portion 14.1 and a second strengthening portion 14.2, which respectively extend in parallel to the long narrow side surfaces of the base portion 10, are formed plate-like, and are provided upright in a vertical fashion on the base portion 10. The strengthening portions 14.1 and 14.2 extend approximately along the entire length of the base portion 10 and engage with the pump mounting portion 12. In the area, in which the supporting portions 14.1, 14.2 engage with the pump mounting portion 12, they respectively exhibit a protruding portion for increasing the surface contact between both parts. The pump mounting portion 12 and the strengthening portions 14.1, 14.2 are welded to each other, wherein all three parts are also respectively welded to the base portion 10. The strengthening portions 14.1, 14.2 serve as strengthening means for strengthening the connection between the pump mounting portion 12 and the base portion 10, thereby fixing the positional relationship between both parts. The entire base element 9 is made from steel.
[0026] As derivable from FIGS. 1 and 2, the hydraulic pump 2 is connected to a mounting surface 16 of the pump mounting portion 12, which is facing away from the base portion 10. In the present embodiment, the hydraulic pump 2 is attached to the pump mounting portion 12 with multiple bolts and/or screws, as shown in FIG. 2, for fixing the positional relationship between the base element 9 and the hydraulic pump 2. The connection means 7, which is coupled with the shaft of the hydraulic pump 2, is fixed in the through-hole 13 of the pump mounting portion 12. The electric motor 3 is positioned above the base portion 10 and between the strengthening sections 14.1, 14.2 of the base element 9. As derivable from FIG. 3, the base portion 10 exhibits a cut-out 15 between the damping units 11.3, 11.4 provided on the mounting surface 16 side of the mounting portion 12 for allowing good accessibility to the hydraulic pump 2. Further, as derivable from FIG. 3, the base portion 10 exhibits a central cut-out 30 for accommodating the bottom portion of the electric motor 3, thereby allowing for a compact design of the driving arrangement 1.
[0027] In addition, the driving arrangement 1 comprises an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positional relationship between the electric motor 3 and the base portion 10 of the base element 9. Specifically, the adjustment mechanism of the present embodiment is configured to adjust the positional relationship between those two parts in vertical direction V and in depth direction T of the driving arrangement 1. As the connection means 7 and the hydraulic pump 2 are provided stationary with respect to the base portion 10 of the base element 9, the adjustment mechanism allows for an adjustment of the positional relationship between the electric motor 3 and the hydraulic pump 2 in vertical direction V and in depth direction T.
[0028] In the present embodiment, the adjustment mechanism is embodied by the supporting device 8. For that purpose, the supporting device 8 comprises two plate-like mounting portions 17.1, 17.2, which are provided upright and in vertical fashion on the base portion 10. The mounting portion 17.1, 17.2 are attached to the right and left sides of the lateral surface 4 of the electric motor 3 via multiple bolts and/or screws, as shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, as derivable from FIG. 4, the mounting portion 17.1, 17.2 are oriented in parallel to the strengthening portions 14.1, 14.2 of the base element 9. In depth direction T of the driving arrangement 1, the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 are respectively provided outside of the strengthening portions 14.1, 14.2, as shown in FIG. 4. At their bottom end, the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 respectively exhibit a plate-like lip portion 18.1, 18.2, which is oriented perpendicular to the remaining mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 such that the entire mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 exhibit a substantially L-shaped cross section.
[0029] The lip portions 18.1, 18.2 are provided horizontally and parallel to the base portion 10 of the base element 9.
[0030] The mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 are connected to the base portion 10 via vertical adjustment screws 19. Specifically, each lip portion 18.1, 18.2 is connected to the base portion 8 via two vertical adjustment screws 19. As derivable from FIGS. 5 and 6, the vertical adjustment screws 19 exhibit a hexagonal head 20 for turning of the screw and a cylindrical portion 21 with an outer thread. At the end opposite to the hexagonal head 20, the vertical adjustment screws 19 exhibit a planar engagement surface 22. The planar engagement surface 22 of the vertical adjustment screws 19 engages with the top surface of the base portion 10 to form a planar contact. Furthermore, the outer thread of the cylindrical portion 21 of the vertical adjustment screws 19 engages with an inner thread formed in the respective lip portion 18.1, 18.2 of the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2. By applying a torque to the hexagonal head 20 of the vertical adjustment screw 19, the outer thread 21 is turned relatively to the inner thread of the lip portion 18.1, 18.2, thereby moving the lip portion 18.1, 18.2 in vertical direction V with respect to the base portion 10, as the front surface 22 of the vertical adjustment screw 19 is in planar engagement with the base portion 10. As the electric motor 3 is mounted to the lip portions 18.1, 18.2 via the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2, turning of the vertical adjustments screws 19 displaces the electric motor 3 with respect to the base portion 10 and therefore with respect to the hydraulic pump 2 in vertical direction V.
[0031] Furthermore, as derivable from FIG. 4, the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 are respectively connected to the strengthening portions 14.1, 14.2 of the base element 9 with two horizontal adjustment screws 25. By loosening the horizontal adjustment screws 25 of one of the mounting portions 17.1 and tightening the adjustment screws 25 of the other one of the mounting portions 17.2, the mounting portions 17.1, 17.2 and therefore the electric motor 3 may moved with respect to the base portion 10 and thus with respect to the hydraulic pump 2 in depth direction T.
