IP Library Granted Patent US 9,676,411
Granted Patent B2
US 9,676,411 · App. 14/503,511 · Granted Jun 13, 2017

Electric drive retrofit kit

Inventors: Joseph D. Tigue (Peoria, IL); Vance M. Buatte (Danvers, IL); Jonathan M. Baumann (Hanna City, IL); Gregory Austin (East Peoria, IL); Timothy J. Schlack (Washington, IL)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
B62D11/04B60L11/08B62D11/14B60L2200/44B60L2220/50B60L2270/40Y02T10/641Y02T10/70Y02T10/7077
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,676,411
App. No.
14/503,511
Granted
Jun 13, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electric drive retrofit kit includes a rear entry electric drive motor module that includes an electric drive planetary gear assembly and a second electric drive planetary gear assembly which can be inserted into a rear final drive cavity of a frame housing for a tracked tractor with a high track drive. The electric drive retrofit kit may further include a generator, a cooling package, an additional water pump, a steering pump, a steering motor, power inverters with control modules, and electric cables.

Claims (31)

1. A retrofit kit for a tracked tractor with a high track drive and an engine, comprising:

a rear entry electric drive motor module, wherein the rear entry electric drive motor module includes an electric drive planetary gear assembly, and an electric motor;

a power inverter with control modules;

a generator connectable with the engine, the generator configured to be electrically connected to the power inverter; and

electric cables.

2. The high drive track-type tractor retrofit kit of claim 1 , wherein the rear entry electric drive motor module is operatively associated with a first planetary gear assembly, a second planetary gear assembly, and a third planetary gear assembly.

3. The high drive track-type tractor retrofit kit of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling package with compartmentalized cooling cores.

4. The retrofit kit of claim 1 , further comprising a water pump.

5. The retrofit kit of claim 1 , further comprising a steering pump.

6. The retrofit kit of claim 1 , further comprising a steering motor.

7. The retrofit kit of claim 1 , wherein the electric motor is an alternating current electric motor.

8. A method for retrofitting a tracked tractor with a high track drive, comprising:

inserting a rear entry electric drive motor module into a frame housing, wherein the rear entry electric drive motor module includes an electric drive planetary gear assembly, and an electric motor; and

mounting a power inverter having control modules to a fuel tank attached to the tracked tractor.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the rear entry electric drive motor module is operatively associated with a first planetary gear assembly, a second planetary gear assembly, and a third planetary gear assembly.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising inserting a reaction member through the rear entry electric drive motor module.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising removing an existing transmission from the frame housing prior to insert the rear entry electric drive motor module into the frame housing.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising attaching a generator to the tracked tractor with a high track drive.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein inserting the rear entry electric drive motor module into the frame housing comprises inserting the rear entry electric drive motor module through a rear cavity of the frame housing.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising attaching a first final drive assembly, a first planetary gear assembly, a second planetary gear assembly, and a second final drive assembly to the rear entry electric drive motor module through a first side and a second side.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electric motor is an alternating current electric motor.

16. The method of claim 8 , further comprising connecting a first final drive assembly and a second final drive assembly to the rear entry electric drive motor module.

17. The method of claim 8 , further comprising attaching a

steering pump and a steering motor to the tracked tractor with a high track drive.

18. A retrofit kit for a tracked tractor with a high track drive, comprising:

a rear entry electric drive motor module, wherein the rear entry electric drive motor module includes an electric drive planetary gear assembly, and an alternating current electric motor;

a power inverter with control modules;

a cooling package having compartmentalized cooling cores configured to handle at least one heat load split; and

electric cables.

19. The retrofit kit of claim 18 , further comprising a reaction member for drivingly connecting the electric drive planetary gear assembly to a first sprocket of the tracked tractor.

20. The retrofit kit of claim 19 , wherein the reaction member is configured to be driven by a first planetary gear assembly driven by the electric drive planetary gear assembly.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2014
From: TIGUE, JOSEPH D.; BUATTE, VANCE M.; BAUMANN, JONATHAN M.; AUSTIN, GREGORY; SCHLACK, TIMOTHY J.
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 033860/0011 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160096563A1 · Apr 7, 2016