Handling a fault condition on a lithium-battery-powered utility vehicle
First Claim
1. A control system for a utility vehicle, the control system comprising:
- a lithium battery;
a battery contactor configured to control electrical access to the lithium battery; and
control circuitry coupled with the lithium battery and the battery contactor, the control circuitry being configured to;
while the battery contactor is closed to provide a set of loads of the utility vehicle with electrical access to the lithium battery, detect onset of a fault condition,in response to detection of the onset of the fault condition, perform a set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, andafter a predefined amount of time has elapsed since the onset of the fault condition, perform a subsequent operation which (i) opens the battery contactor if the fault condition remains and (ii) maintains closure of the battery contactor if the fault condition does not remain;
wherein the control circuitry is constructed and arranged to energize an electric brake to allow the utility vehicle to move while detecting onset of the fault condition;
wherein the control circuitry, when performing the set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, is constructed and arranged to;
de-energize, as one of the set of remedial operations, the electric brake to stop rotation of an electric motor of the utility vehicle prior to opening the battery contactor to prevent the utility vehicle from stopping abruptly; and
wherein opening the battery contactor disconnects the electric motor from access to electric power.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for handling a fault condition on a utility vehicle includes a lithium battery, a contactor configured to control electrical access to the lithium battery, and control circuitry coupled with the lithium battery and the contactor. The control circuitry is configured to detect, while the contactor is closed to provide a set of loads of the utility vehicle with electrical access to the lithium battery, onset of a fault condition. The control circuitry is further configured to perform, in response to detection of the onset of the fault condition, a set of remedial operations to address the fault condition. The control circuitry is further configured to perform, after a predefined amount of time has elapsed since the onset of the fault condition, a subsequent operation which opens the contactor if the fault condition remains and maintains closure of the contactor if the fault condition does not remain.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A control system for a utility vehicle, the control system comprising:
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a lithium battery; a battery contactor configured to control electrical access to the lithium battery; and control circuitry coupled with the lithium battery and the battery contactor, the control circuitry being configured to; while the battery contactor is closed to provide a set of loads of the utility vehicle with electrical access to the lithium battery, detect onset of a fault condition, in response to detection of the onset of the fault condition, perform a set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, and after a predefined amount of time has elapsed since the onset of the fault condition, perform a subsequent operation which (i) opens the battery contactor if the fault condition remains and (ii) maintains closure of the battery contactor if the fault condition does not remain; wherein the control circuitry is constructed and arranged to energize an electric brake to allow the utility vehicle to move while detecting onset of the fault condition; wherein the control circuitry, when performing the set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, is constructed and arranged to; de-energize, as one of the set of remedial operations, the electric brake to stop rotation of an electric motor of the utility vehicle prior to opening the battery contactor to prevent the utility vehicle from stopping abruptly; and wherein opening the battery contactor disconnects the electric motor from access to electric power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A utility vehicle, comprising:
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a utility vehicle body; an electric motor supported by the utility vehicle body; and a control system coupled with the motor, the control system including; a lithium battery, a battery contactor configured to control electrical access to the lithium battery, and control circuitry coupled with the lithium battery and the battery contactor, the control circuitry being configured to; while the battery contactor is closed to provide the motor with electrical access to the lithium battery, detect onset of a fault condition, in response to detection of the onset of the fault condition, perform a set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, and after a predefined amount of time has elapsed since the onset of the fault condition, perform a subsequent operation which (i) opens the battery contactor if the fault condition remains and (ii) maintains closure of the battery contactor if the fault condition does not remain; wherein the control circuitry is constructed and arranged to energize an electric brake to allow the utility vehicle to move while detecting onset of the fault condition; wherein the control circuitry, when performing the set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, is constructed and arranged to; de-energize, as one of the set of remedial operations, the electric brake to stop rotation of the electric motor prior to opening the battery contactor to prevent the utility vehicle from stopping abruptly; and wherein opening the battery contactor disconnects the electric motor from access to electric power. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. In a lithium-battery powered utility vehicle, a method of handling a fault condition, the method comprising:
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while a battery contactor is closed to provide an electric motor of the lithium-battery powered utility vehicle with electrical access to the lithium battery, detecting onset of a fault condition, in response to detection of the onset of the fault condition, performing a set of remedial operations to address the fault condition, and after a predefined amount of time has elapsed since the onset of the fault condition, performing a subsequent operation which (i) opens the battery contactor if the fault condition remains and (ii) maintains closure of the battery contactor if the fault condition does not remain; wherein control circuitry of the lithium battery powered utility vehicle is constructed and arranged to energize an electric brake to allow the vehicle to move while detecting onset of the fault condition; wherein performing the set of remedial operations to address the fault condition includes; de-energizing, by the control circuitry and as one of the set of remedial operations, the electric brake to stop rotation of the electric motor of the lithium battery powered utility vehicle prior to opening the battery contactor to prevent the lithium battery powered utility vehicle from stopping abruptly; and wherein opening the battery contactor disconnects the electric motor from access to electric power.
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Specification