IP Library Granted Patent US 12703315
Granted Patent B2
US 12703315 · App. 18/170,874 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Speed control for hydraulic system of a refuse vehicle

Inventors: Chris Mills (Oshkosh, WI); Greg Steffens (Oshkosh, WI); Chris Rukas (Oshkosh, WI); Jeremy Andringa (Oshkosh, WI); Colin Wheeler (Oshkosh, WI)
Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
B60R16/033B65F3/02B65F3/14B65F3/20B65F2003/0259F15B2211/20515F15B2211/20576F15B2211/2658F15B2211/6313
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12703315
App. No.
18/170,874
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A refuse vehicle including an electric motor powered by a battery, a hydraulic pump driven by the electric motor, a hydraulic actuator powered by the hydraulic pump, and one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine a load of the hydraulic actuator, and control a speed of the electric motor driving the hydraulic pump to achieve the load.

Claims (107)

1 . A refuse vehicle comprising:

a first electric motor powered by a battery;

a first hydraulic pump driven by the first electric motor;

a packer actuator powered by the first hydraulic pump;

a second electric motor powered by the battery;

a second hydraulic pump driven by the second electric motor;

a door actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump; and

one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a load of the packer actuator;

control a speed of the first electric motor driving the first hydraulic pump to achieve the load;

determine a second load of the door actuator; and

control a speed of the second electric motor driving the second hydraulic pump to achieve the second load.

2 . The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

control the first electric motor at a first speed during a first operation of the packer actuator; and

control the first electric motor at a second speed during a second operation of the packer actuator.

3 . The refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first operation defines a first load and the second operation defines a second load,

wherein the first load is smaller than the second load, and

wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed.

4 . The refuse vehicle of claim 2 , wherein a torque provided by the first electric motor maintains an approximately constant speed at the first speed and the second speed, and a first efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the first speed is within four percent of a second efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the second speed.

5 . The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an arm grab actuator, and an arm reach actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump.

6 . The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third electric motor powered by the battery;

a third hydraulic pump driven by the third electric motor; and

an arm assembly including:

a reach actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump, and

a lift arm actuator driven by the third hydraulic pump,

wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a third load of the reach actuator;

determine a fourth load of the lift arm actuator;

control a speed of the second electric motor driving the second hydraulic pump to achieve the second load and the third load; and

control a speed of the third electric motor driving the third hydraulic pump to achieve the fourth load.

7 . The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a storage compartment including:

a front post adjacent a front wall,

a rear post adjacent a rear wall,

a mid post between the front post and the rear post,

a hopper volume defined between the front post and the mid post, and

a storage volume defined between the mid post and the rear post;

a hydraulic system cavity defined in the front wall and housing the first electric motor, the first hydraulic pump, the second electric motor, and the second hydraulic pump; and

a door system manifold positioned outside the hydraulic system cavity and rearward of the mid post, wherein the door system manifold receives hydraulic fluid from a first manifold trunk line.

8 . The refuse vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first hydraulic pump or the second hydraulic pump is a variable displacement pump.

9 . A refuse vehicle, comprising:

a first electric motor powered by a battery;

a first hydraulic pump driven by the first electric motor;

a packer actuator powered by the first hydraulic pump;

a second electric motor powered by the battery;

a second hydraulic pump driven by the second electric motor;

a door actuator powered by the second hydraulic pump;

a lift actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump; and

one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a packer load of the packer actuator;

control a speed of the first electric motor driving the first hydraulic pump to achieve the packer load;

determine a door load of the door actuator;

determine a lift load of the lift actuator; and

control a speed of the second electric motor driving the second hydraulic pump to achieve the door load and the lift load.

10 . The refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

control the first electric motor at a first speed during a first operation of the packer actuator; and

control the first electric motor at a second speed during a second operation of the packer actuator.

11 . The refuse vehicle of claim 10 , wherein a torque provided by the first electric motor maintains an approximately constant speed at the first speed and the second speed, and a first efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the first speed is within four percent of a second efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the second speed.

12 . The refuse vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising an arm grab actuator, and an arm reach actuator driven by the second hydraulic pump.

13 . The refuse vehicle of claim 9 , further comprising:

a storage compartment including:

a front post adjacent a front wall,

a rear post adjacent a rear wall,

a mid post between the front post and the rear post,

a hopper volume defined between the front post and the mid post, and

a storage volume defined between the mid post and the rear post;

a hydraulic system cavity defined in the front wall and housing the first electric motor, the first hydraulic pump, the second electric motor, and the second hydraulic pump;

a door system manifold positioned outside the hydraulic system cavity and rearward of the mid post, wherein the door system manifold receives hydraulic fluid from a first manifold trunk line; and

a lift assembly manifold positioned outside the hydraulic system cavity, wherein the lift assembly manifold receives hydraulic fluid from a second manifold trunk line.

14 . The refuse vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the first hydraulic pump and the second hydraulic pump are variable displacement pumps.

15 . A refuse vehicle comprising:

a storage compartment including:

a front post adjacent a front wall,

a rear post adjacent a rear wall,

a mid post between the front post and the rear post,

a hopper volume defined between the front post and the mid post, and

a storage volume defined between the mid post and the rear post;

a hydraulic system cavity defined in the front wall;

a first electric motor positioned within the hydraulic system cavity and powered by a battery;

a first hydraulic pump positioned within the hydraulic system cavity and driven by the first electric motor;

a packer actuator powered by the first hydraulic pump;

a second electric motor positioned within the hydraulic system cavity and powered by the battery;

a second hydraulic pump positioned within the hydraulic system cavity and driven by the second electric motor;

a door assembly including:

a door system manifold positioned outside the hydraulic system cavity and rearward of the mid post, the door system manifold receiving a flow of hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic pump, and

a door actuator powered via the door system manifold;

a grabber arm assembly including:

an arm assembly manifold positioned outside the hydraulic system cavity and receiving a flow of hydraulic fluid from the second hydraulic pump, and

a reach actuator powered via the arm assembly manifold; and

one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors, the one or more memory devices configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a packer load of the packer actuator;

control a speed of the first electric motor driving the first hydraulic pump to achieve the packer load;

determine a door load of the door actuator;

determine a reach load of the reach actuator; and

control a speed of the second electric motor driving the second hydraulic pump to achieve the door load and the reach load.

16 . The refuse vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the grabber arm assembly further includes a lift actuator powered via the arm assembly manifold, and

wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a lift load of the lift actuator; and

control the speed of the second electric motor driving the second hydraulic pump to achieve the door load, the reach load, and the lift load.

17 . The refuse vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the one or more memory devices are further configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

control the first electric motor at a first speed during a first operation of the packer actuator; and

control the first electric motor at a second speed during a second operation of the packer actuator.

18 . The refuse vehicle of claim 17 , wherein a torque provided by the first electric motor maintains an approximately constant speed at the first speed and the second speed, and a first efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the first speed is within four percent of a second efficiency of the first hydraulic pump at the second speed.

19 . The refuse vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the first operation defines a first load and the second operation defines a second load,

wherein the first load is smaller than the second load, and

wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed.