CONSTRUCTION- AND/OR MATERIAL-HANDLING MACHINE

Abstract

The invention relates to a construction- and/or material-handling machine such as a crane, excavator or tracked vehicle, comprising an internal combustion engine that drives one or more energy-consuming devices such as a pump, winch, actuator for a structure or working-unit drives of the construction- and/or material-handling machine via a mechanical drive train. According to the invention, an electric drive for driving the mechanical drive train is provided and can be engaged by means of a clutch and decoupled from the mechanical drive train.

Claims

1. A construction machine comprising: an internal combustion engine configured to drive one or more energy-consuming devices of the machine via a mechanical drive train, wherein the one or more energy consuming devices comprise a pump, winch, actuator for a structure and/or working unit drives, and an electric drive for driving the mechanical drive train which is engaged by a clutch and decouplable from the mechanical drive train.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the electric drive including the clutch forms a retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprising shaft connectors arranged coaxially to one another at opposite end faces for coaxial installation in the mechanical drive train and for connecting to two coaxial drive shaft pieces of a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train.

3. The machine of claim 1, wherein a power flow of the internal combustion engine is passed centrally through the electric drive via the mechanical drive train.

4. The machine of claim 2, wherein the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly forms an integral part of the mechanical drive train and is configured to transmit a torque of the internal combustion engine, wherein the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprises a drive shaft piece for coupling the shaft connectors to one another in a rotationally fixed manner and to which the electric drive can be coupled by the clutch.

5. The machine of claim 1, wherein the electric drive comprises an electric motor and at least one spur gear for transmitting drive power of the electric motor to the mechanical drive train.

6. The machine of claim 2, wherein the electric drive comprises a hollow shaft motor, through the hollow shaft of which the drive shaft of the mechanical drive train coupled to the internal combustion engine extends, wherein the hollow shaft can be rotated relative to the drive shaft and can be coupled in a torque-transmitting manner via at least one spur gear and the clutch.

7. The machine of claim 1, wherein a planetary gear connects the electric drive to the mechanical drive train.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein an output element of the planetary gear is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a coupling half of the clutch for coupling and uncoupling the electric drive to/from the mechanical drive train and is connected in a 9 rotationally fixed manner to the electric motor of the electric drive by an input element.

9. The machine of claim 8, wherein the output and input elements of the planetary gear are formed by sun gears of the planetary gear, arranged coaxially to a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train.

10. The machine of claim 7, wherein the planetary gear comprises a stationary, non-rotating planet carrier, on which at least one set of planet wheels is rotatably mounted.

11. The machine of claim 7, wherein the planetary gear comprises at least one sun gear which is configured to be hollow and through which a drive shaft of the mechanical drive train for transmitting drive power of the internal combustion engine extends axially.

12. The machine of claim 10, wherein the planetary gear comprises double planet wheels connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner and jointly rotatably mounted on the planet carrier, comprise different diameters and/or numbers of teeth and are in rolling engagement with two separate sun gears.

13. The machine of claim 7, wherein the planetary gear is arranged coaxially to the mechanical drive train, which passes axially through the planetary gear.

14. The machine of claim 1, wherein the clutch is configured to couple and decouple the internal combustion engine to the mechanical drive train.

15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the clutch configured to couple and decouple the internal combustion engine is integrated into the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly, which comprises the electric drive and the clutch for coupling and decoupling the electric drive to/from the mechanical drive train.

16. The machine of claim 1, wherein a motor housing of the electric drive and/or a gear housing connected thereto is configured to be stationary and not to circulate, and comprises a pressure medium connection for supplying pressure medium for actuating the clutch.

17. The machine of claim 5, wherein an electronic control apparatus controls the electric drive with regard to a drive torque generated by the electric drive and applied to the mechanical drive train in dependence on an operating state of the internal combustion engine and drive power required by the one or more energy-consuming devices, wherein the electronic control apparatus is configured to apply additional drive torque from the electric motor to the mechanical drive train if the drive torque of the internal combustion engine is not sufficient.

18. The machine of claim 5, wherein an energy source supplies the electric motor with electric power, the energy source comprising a battery and/or a rechargeable battery and/or a supply mains connection, wherein the energy source forms part of the retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly comprising the electric drive.

19. A retrofitted, pre-assembled electric drive assembly for installation in a mechanical drive train of a construction machine, comprising: a drive shaft piece, two mutually coaxial shaft connectors arranged at opposite axial ends of the assembly for rotationally fixed connection of the drive shaft piece to two drive shaft pieces of the mechanical drive train, an electric motor, at least one clutch for coupling and decoupling the electric motor to the drive shaft piece, and at least one spur gear between the electric motor and the at least one clutch and/or between the at least one clutch and the drive shaft piece.

20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the electric motor comprises a hollow shaft through which the drive shaft piece passes, and wherein a planetary gear comprises, as input and output elements for rotationally fixed connection to the hollow shaft of the electric motor and a coupling half of the at least one clutch, two sun gears configured to be hollow and through which the drive shaft piece extends.

21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein a clutch is positioned between the drive shaft piece and one of the shaft connectors for releasing and closing the rotationally fixed connection between the shaft connector and the drive shaft piece.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The invention is explained in more detail below using a preferred exemplary embodiment and associated drawings. The drawings show:

[0033] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a construction- and/or material-handling machine in the form of a mobile rotating tower crane,

[0034] FIG. 2 a longitudinal sectional view of the mechanical drive train of a construction- and/or material-handling machine from its internal combustion engine to its energy-consuming devices, wherein an engaged and decoupled electric drive is integrated into the drive train;

[0035] FIG. 3 a longitudinal sectional view of the drive train from FIG. 1, which shows the energy or torque flow from the electric motor to the mechanical drive train when the electric drive is engaged, so that the drive powers of the internal combustion engine and the electric drive are added together;

[0036] FIG. 4 a longitudinal sectional view of the drive train from the foregoing figures with the electric drive switched on, but operated as a generator in towing operation in order to charge an energy storage unit;

[0037] FIG. 5 a longitudinal sectional view of the drive train from the foregoing figures, wherein the internal combustion engine is uncoupled and the drive train is driven solely by the electric drive; and

[0038] FIG. 6 a longitudinal sectional view of the drive train from the foregoing figures, wherein, similar to FIG. 4, the internal combustion engine is uncoupled, but the electric drive is in towing operation and the electric motor is operating as a generator to charge an energy storage unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] As shown in in FIG. 1, the construction- and/or material-handling machine can be configured to be a mobile rotating tower crane 1 comprising a jib 3 supported by an upright stationary tower 2. A trolley 5 can be moved along the jib 3 projecting from the tower 2, from which a load hook 6 runs via a hoist rope and can be raised and lowered.

[0040] The tower 2 is arranged on an upper carriage 18, which is mounted rotatably about an upright axis on a lower carriage 16 and can be rotated by a slewing gear. The undercarriage may comprise a traveling gear with at least one driven traveling gear axle in order to be able to move the crane 1 from site to site. As shown in FIG. 1, the crane can be foldable for this purpose in order to comply with road transport dimensions, wherein the tower 2 can be telescopic and the jib 3 can be foldable and/or telescopic, wherein the tower 2 can be luffed down onto the superstructure together with the folded jib 3.

[0041] For driving the various energy-consuming devices, the construction- and/or material-handling machine comprises an internal combustion engine 4, which drives a mechanical drive train 7 comprising a drive shaft 8, for example in the form of a cardan shaft, which is connected to the internal combustion engine 4, possibly via a transmission, and can be driven by the internal combustion engine 4.

[0042] The energy-consuming devices of the construction- and/or material-handling machine may be connected to the mechanical drive train via one or more transfer cases 9 and drive shafts branching off from them, for example in the form of pumps, winch drives or actuators for a structure, for example, the hoisting gear for raising and lowering the load hook 6, the slewing gear for rotating the tower 2 about the upright axis of rotation, possibly a luffing gear for luffing the jib 3 up and down or also a telescoping drive and/or folding drive for telescoping the tower 2 in and out and folding the jib 3 in and out. Furthermore, the drive train 7 can also form part of a travel drive and be coupled to at least one drivable axle of the traveling gear of the undercarriage 6, possibly via a shiftable travel gear, in order to be able to drive the mobile construction- and/or material-handling machine from one place of use to another.

[0043] As it is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, an electric drive 11 is integrated into the mechanical drive train 7, which connects the internal combustion engine 4 with the energy-consuming devices 10a, b, c, and can be coupled to and decoupled from the mechanical drive train 7 by means of a clutch K2, so that the electric drive 11 can be engaged and disengaged.

[0044] The electric drive 11, including at least the clutch K2, forms a pre-assembled assembly for retrofitting to an existing construction- and/or material-handling machine, wherein the electric drive assembly 12 can advantageously also comprise a further clutch K1, by means of which the internal combustion engine 4 can be decoupled from or coupled to the drive train 7.

[0045] Said retrofitted assembly 12 can be integrated coaxially into the mechanical drive train and advantageously comprise shaft connectors 13a and 13b at opposite axial ends, which can be arranged coaxially to each other and can be connected coaxially to the drive shaft 8. More specifically, the two shaft connectors 13a and 13b can be coupled in rotation to a drive shaft piece 8a coupled to the internal combustion engine 4 and, on the other hand, to a drive shaft piece 8b leading to the energy-consuming devices 10a, b, c, and can be coaxially aligned with said drive shaft pieces 8a, 8b. For example, the shaft connectors 13 can comprise screwable shaft flanges or shaft hub connections that connect the assembly 12 to the drive shaft 8 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0046] The retrofitted assembly 12 can comprise a drive shaft piece 8c, which can extend coaxially to the drive shaft pieces 8a and 8b and can extend axially through the electric drive in order to be able to feed the drive power of the internal combustion engine 4 through the engaged electric drive 11 and input it to the energy-consuming devices.

[0047] The electric drive 11 can comprise an electric motor 14, which can be configured to be a hollow shaft motor in order to be able to guide the drive shaft 8 connected to the internal combustion engine 4 therethrough.

[0048] The electric motor 14 can transmit its drive power to the drive shaft 8 via at least one spur gear 17, wherein the spur gear 17 can be coupled to and uncoupled from the drive shaft 8 of the drive train 7 via said clutch K2.

[0049] In particular, the electric motor 14 of the electric drive 11 can be connected to the drive shaft 8 via a planetary gear 15, wherein said planetary gear 15 can advantageously extend between the electric motor 14 and the clutch K2. An output-side planetary gear element can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one coupling half of the clutch K2, the other coupling half of which can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the drive shaft 8, so that depending on the closed state of the clutch K2, the planetary gear 15 is uncoupled from or coupled to the drive shaft 8 of the drive train 7.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the planetary gear 15 can advantageously comprise a planet carrier 19, being stationary, configured as not to circulate, on which at least one set of planet wheels 20 can be rotatably mounted in order to be in rolling engagement with one or more sun gears 21, 22 and possibly one or more ring gears.

[0051] As the figures show, the planet wheels 12 can be configured to be double planets, wherein two planet wheels can be rotatably connected to each other and jointly rotatably mounted on the planet carrier 19, wherein the two planet wheels can comprise different diameters or numbers of teeth and can be in rolling engagement with sun gears 21, 22 of different sizes.

[0052] The sun gears 21, 22 are advantageously configured to be hollow and arranged coaxially to the drive shaft 8 of the mechanical drive train 7, so that said drive shaft 8 can be guided axially through the sun gears 21, 22, cf. FIG. 2.

[0053] One of the sun gears 21 can form the input-side drive element of the planetary gear 15, while the other sun gear 22 can form the output element of the planetary gear 15, which can be connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the clutch K2.

[0054] In particular, the electric motor 14 of the electric drive 11 can be connected to said sun gear 22 on the input side, which drives the planet wheels 17, which in turn drive the second sun gear 22. When the clutch K2 is closed, the drive power is then applied from the sun gear 22 to the drive shaft 8.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 2, the two clutches K1 and K2 may be provided at opposite axial end portions of the retrofitted assembly 12 and/or axially enclose between them the electric motor 14 and the planetary gear 15, wherein both clutches K1 and K2 may be part of the pre-assembled assembly 12 and/or may be received within a jointly assembly housing.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 2, the electric motor 14 can be supplied with electric power from an energy source 25, for example a battery or a rechargeable battery or possibly also a supply network.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 3, when the clutches K1 and K2 are closed, the drive powers of the internal combustion engine 4 and the electric drive 11 can be added together to jointly drive the drive shaft piece 8b on the output side from the internal combustion engine 4 and the electric drive 11. The drive power or torque of the internal combustion engine 4 flows axially and centrally through the connected electric motor 14 and is transmitted via the axially extending drive shaft 8. The drive torque of the electric drive 11 is connected to the drive shaft 8 via the coaxial planetary gear 15 and the clutch K2.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 4, with closed clutches K1 and K2, the electric drive 11 can also be operated in towing operation, in which the electric motor 14 works as a generator and can store energy generated in the energy storage 25.

[0059] In another operating mode, however, the internal combustion engine 4 can also be decoupled from the drive train 7 by opening the clutch K1, so that the electric drive 11 can work alone or drive the mechanical drive train 7 alone when the clutch K2 is closed simultaneously. This can be used to reverse the drive train 8 in a simple manner or to drive it in opposite directions, as the electric motor 14 can be reversed in its direction of rotation in a simple manner.

[0060] However, with said operating mode of the clutches, i.e. open clutch K1 and closed clutch K2, the electric drive 11 can also be operated in towing mode in order to brake the drive train 7. The electric motor 14, which then works as a generator, can store the energy it provides in the energy storage unit 25.

[0061] The clutches K1 and K2 can be configured to be hydraulically actuated, wherein a pressure oil supply 26 can be provided in a simple manner via the stationary gear housing 24.

[0062] By providing the two clutches K1 and K2 or the activatable electric drive 11, the operating state can be adapted in various ways to a wide range of operating conditions. The following table illustrates the switching options:

TABLE-US-00001 V E K1 K2 n T P Description on off x ? n.sub.V T.sub.V P.sub.V only combustion engine rotates on on x x n.sub.V T.sub.V + P.sub.V + combustion engine and electric T.sub.E P.sub.E motor add the torques a a x x n.sub.E T.sub.V ? P.sub.V ? electric motor runs as a T.sub.E P.sub.E generator, is driven .fwdarw. charging function off on ? x n.sub.E T.sub.E P.sub.E only e-motor drives, drive forward off on ? x ?n.sub.E ?T.sub.E P.sub.E only e-motor drives, drive backwards off on ? x n.sub.E ?T.sub.E ?P.sub.E only electric motor is driven from outside, braking operation, drive forwards off on ? x ?n.sub.E T.sub.E ?P.sub.E only electric motor is driven from the outside, braking operation, driving backwards

[0063] The abbreviations used in the table above indicate the following:

TABLE-US-00002 V = internal combustion engine (4) E = electric motor (14) K1 = clutch 1 K2 = clutch 2 ? = negative n = speed T = torque P = power T.sub.V = torque internal combustion engine T.sub.E = torque electric motor P.sub.V = power internal combustion engine P.sub.E = power electric motor x = clutch closed ? = clutch open

[0064] The electric drive 11 integrated into the mechanical drive train 7, which is integrated into the power path of said drive train 7, may also have advantageous uses beyond construction- and/or material-handling machines and may form an aspect of the present invention independently and autonomously of a construction- and/or material-handling machine, in particular in the form of a retrofitted, pre-assembled assembly for installation in a mechanical drive train.