US 12,421,693 B2
Working machine
Matthew James Clowes, Uttoxeter (GB); Neil Beloe, Uttoxeter (GB); and Alex Kay, Uttoxeter (GB)
Assigned to J.C. BAMFORD EXCAVATORS LIMITED, Uttoxeter (GB)
Filed by J.C. BAMFORD EXCAVATORS LIMITED, Uttoxeter (GB)
Filed on Jul. 23, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/937,559.
Claims priority of application No. 1910496 (GB), filed on Jul. 23, 2019; and application No. 2004772 (GB), filed on Mar. 31, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0023907 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. E02F 9/22 (2006.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); B60H 1/03 (2006.01); B60H 1/22 (2006.01); E02F 9/20 (2006.01); F15B 21/0423 (2019.01); F15B 21/0427 (2019.01); F15B 21/04 (2019.01)
CPC E02F 9/226 (2013.01) [B60H 1/00378 (2013.01); B60H 1/00392 (2013.01); B60H 1/03 (2013.01); B60H 1/22 (2013.01); E02F 9/207 (2013.01); E02F 9/2075 (2013.01); F15B 21/0423 (2019.01); F15B 21/0427 (2019.01); B60Y 2200/41 (2013.01); F15B 21/04 (2013.01); Y02T 10/70 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A working machine comprising:
a hydraulic fluid circuit arranged to provide hydraulic fluid to one or more hydraulic actuators to perform a working operation;
an operator structure;
an operator structure climate control assembly comprising an operator structure heat exchanger, wherein the operator structure heat exchanger comprises an operator structure heater arranged to selectively add thermal energy to the operator structure for selectively warming the operator structure, and an operator structure cooler arranged to selectively remove thermal energy from the operator structure for selectively cooling the operator structure;
a hydraulic fluid heat exchanger arranged to selectively add and/or remove thermal energy from the hydraulic fluid circuit for selectively warming and cooling the hydraulic fluid; and
a thermal management system connecting the hydraulic fluid heat exchanger to the operator structure heater to selectively supply thermal energy to the operator structure heater and to the operator structure cooler to selectively remove thermal energy from the operator structure cooler,
wherein the thermal management system comprises a processor configured to execute a control logic to determine an operator structure energy requirement based on a target operator structure temperature and a hydraulic fluid energy requirement based on a target hydraulic fluid temperature,
wherein the thermal management system comprises an energy distribution system comprising a coolant circuit having a coolant flow path in thermal communication with the operator structure cooler and the hydraulic fluid heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy between the operator structure and the hydraulic fluid, and
wherein the energy distribution system is configured to selectively transfer thermal energy between the operator structure and the hydraulic fluid based on the relative values of the operator structure energy requirement and the hydraulic fluid energy requirement.