US-20260128439-A1 - BATTERY PACK MODULE FOR HAUL TRUCK

US20260128439A1US 20260128439 A1US20260128439 A1US 20260128439A1US-20260128439-A1

Abstract

A battery pack module for heavy equipment vehicles, such as mining trucks, is presented herein. The battery pack module may include multiple layers of battery trays, each try including multiple battery packs. The battery pack module may further include a cooling line system and a battery cabling system that each are connected to the battery pack layers in parallel. The battery pack module may have a unibody design to reduce weight and cost of manufacturing.

Inventors

Kieran J. Richards

Assignees

CUMMINS INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (20)

1 . A layered battery pack module configured for mounting on a mining truck, the layered battery pack module comprising: a support structure comprising a first support beam and a second support beam, each of the first support beam and the second support beam comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, a distal end of the vertical portion coupled to a distal end of the horizontal portion so that the vertical portion and the horizontal portion define an angle therebetween; a first side plate coupled to the vertical portion of the first support beam and the horizontal portion of the first support beam; a second side plate coupled to the vertical portion of the second support beam and the horizontal portion of the second support beam, the second side plate being positioned opposite of the first side plate; and a plurality of battery pack layers defined between the first side plate and the second side plate.
2 . The layered battery pack module of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of battery pack trays, each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays removably coupled to one corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers.
3 . The layered battery pack module of claim 2 , wherein each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays comprises: a battery tray surface; and at least one battery pack coupled to the battery tray surface; wherein each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays is configured to slide onto a sliding surface of the one corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers.
4 . The layered battery pack module of claim 3 , further comprising a first end plate coupled to a distal end of the battery tray surface and a second end plate coupled to a proximal end of the battery tray surface such that the first end plate and the second end plate extend in a direction perpendicular to the battery tray surface.
5 . The layered battery pack module of claim 3 , wherein the sliding surface of each battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers comprises a first support rail coupled to the first side plate extending a length of the first side plate and a second support rail coupled to the second side plate opposite of and parallel to the first support rail, the second support rail extending a length of the second side plate.
6 . The layered battery pack module of claim 1 , further comprising a top stiffening tray coupled to an upper portion of each of the first side plate and the second side plate.
7 . The layered battery pack module of claim 1 , further comprising: a first mounting pin coupled to a proximal end of the vertical portion of the first support beam; and a second mounting pin coupled to a proximal end of the vertical portion of the second support beam.
8 . The layered battery pack module of claim 1 , further comprising a back plate extending between the first side plate and the second side plate, the back plate including a mounting brace configured to couple to a lower mount of the mining truck.
9 . A layered battery pack module configured for mounting on a mining truck, the layered battery pack module comprising: a first side plate corresponding with a first side of the layered battery pack module; a second side plate corresponding with a second side of the layered battery pack module; a plurality of battery pack layers between the first side plate and the second side plate, each battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers defining a sliding surface; and a plurality of battery pack trays, each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays configured to be removably received by a corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers; wherein each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays comprises: a battery tray surface; and at least one battery pack coupled to the battery tray surface.
10 . The layered battery pack module of claim 9 , further comprising a first end plate coupled to a distal end of the battery tray surface and a second end plate coupled to a proximal end of the battery tray surface such that the first end plate and the second end plate extend in a direction perpendicular to the battery tray surface.
11 . The layered battery pack module of claim 10 , wherein the first end plate and the second end plate each include a tray lifting feature.
12 . The layered battery pack module of claim 10 , wherein the sliding surface of each battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers is defined by: a first support rail coupled to the first side plate and extending a length of the first side plate; and a second support rail coupled to the second side plate and extending a length of the second side plate.
13 . The layered battery pack module of claim 12 , wherein each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays includes a first sliding rail configured to slideably couple to the first support rail and a second sliding rail configured to slideably couple to the second support rail.
14 . The layered battery pack module of claim 9 , wherein each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays is configured to slide along the sliding surface of the corresponding battery pack layer in a direction away from a chassis of the mining truck.
15 . The layered battery pack module of claim 9 , further including a locking mechanism to hold each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays in a position relative to the corresponding battery pack layer.
16 . A layered battery pack module configured for mounting to a mining truck, the layered battery pack module comprising: a first support beam having a first end portion and a second end portion; a first plate coupled to the first support beam to form a first sidewall; a second plate coupled to the first support beam to form a back panel, the second plate including a mounting brace positioned nearer the second end portion of the first support beam than the first end portion of the first support beam, and the mounting brace configured to couple to a lower mount of a chassis of a vehicle; and a first pivot pin coupled to and extending from one of the first end portion of the first support beam than the second end portion of the first support beam, the first pivot pin configured to be received by a pin receiving mount of the chassis of the vehicle.
17 . The layered battery pack module of claim 16 , further comprising: a second support beam having a first end portion and a second end portion, the second support beam coupled to the second plate opposite the first support beam; a third plate coupled to the second support beam to form a second sidewall; and a second pivot pin coupled to and extending from one of the first end portion of the second support beam and the third plate nearer the first end portion of the second support beam than the second end portion of the second support beam, the second pivot pin configured to be received by the pin receiving mount of the chassis of the vehicle.
18 . The layered battery pack module of claim 16 , wherein the first pivot pin extends in a generally perpendicular direction relative to the first support beam or the first plate.
19 . The layered battery pack module of claim 16 , wherein the mounting brace is configured to removably couple to the lower mount of the chassis of the vehicle.
20 . The layered battery pack module of claim 16 , wherein the lower mount to the chassis of the vehicle includes a vibration mitigation element.

Description

FIELD OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates generally to a battery pack module for a haul truck, such as a mining truck. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a battery pack module including a unibody structure and a plurality of battery pack layers. BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE Large equipment vehicles, such as haul trucks, mining vehicles, cranes, bulldozers, etc., may require a large power source to accommodate the workload and/or sheer size of the vehicle. The large equipment vehicles may be equipped with battery packs to increase peak power output during ascending, aid in breaking, recover energy when descending, and otherwise provide power to the engine. Due to the size of large equipment vehicles, considerably large battery pack systems are necessary to operate the large equipment vehicles. The large battery pack systems necessary to accommodate the power requirements for operation may be heavy and dimensionally difficult to fit onto standard vehicle architectures. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure provides a layered battery pack module configured for mounting on a mining truck. The layered battery pack module including: a support structure including a first support beam and a second support beam, each of the first support beam and the second support beam including a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, a distal end of the vertical portion coupled to a distal end of the horizontal portion so that the vertical portion and the horizontal portion define an angle therebetween; a first side plate coupled to the vertical portion of the first support beam and the horizontal portion of the first support beam; a second side plate coupled to the vertical portion of the second support beam and the horizontal portion of the second support beam, the second side plate being positioned opposite of the first side plate; and a plurality of battery pack layers defined between the first side plate and the second side plate. In another embodiment, the layered battery pack module further includes a plurality of battery pack trays. Each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays removably coupled to one corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers. In another embodiment, each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays includes: a battery tray surface; and at least one battery pack coupled to the battery tray surface. Each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays is configured to slide onto a sliding surface of the one corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers. Further, the layered battery pack module further includes a first end plate coupled to a distal end of the battery tray surface and a second end plate coupled to a proximal end of the battery tray surface such that the first end plate and the second end plate extend in a direction perpendicular to the battery tray surface. Further, each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays includes three battery packs. In yet another embodiment, the sliding surface of each battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers includes a first support rail coupled to the first side plate extending a length of the first side plate and a second support rail coupled to the second side plate opposite of and parallel to the first support rail, the second support rail extending a length of the second side plate. Further, each battery pack tray of the plurality of battery pack trays is configured to slide onto the first support rail and the second support rail of the corresponding battery pack layer of the plurality of battery pack layers. In yet another embodiment, the layered battery pack tray further includes a top stiffening tray coupled to an upper portion of each of the first side plate and the second side plate. In a different embodiment, the layered battery pack tray further includes: a first mounting pin coupled to a proximal end of the vertical portion of the first support beam; and a second mounting pin coupled to a proximal end of the vertical portion of the second support beam. In another embodiment, the layered battery pack tray further includes a back plate extending between the first side plate and the second side plate, the back plate including a mounting brace configured to couple to a lower mount of the mining truck. In another embodiment, the plurality of battery pack layers includes seven battery pack layers. In another embodiment, each of the first side plate and the second side plate include a bottom mounting surface on a bottom portion of the first side plate and the second side plate and an upper mounting surface on an upper portion of the first side plate and the second side plate. Further, at least one of a mud flap, a water guard, and a fluid seal are removably coupled to at least one of the bottom mounting surface and the upper mounting surface. Further still, the layered batter