MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR CHARGING SECONDARY BATTERIES OF WORK VEHICLES, AND SYSTEM FOR CHARGING SECONDARY BATTERIES OF WORK VEHICLES

• US 20120126754A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Tayca Corporation
• Inventors: Akahane, Fumihiro, Tsumaki, Toshimichi
• Application Number:
  US13/387,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20120126754A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/42 Fork lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0014 Circuits for equalisation of charge between batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles includes: a step of acquiring remaining battery levels of secondary batteries which supply powers respectively to work vehicles; a step of calculating estimated power consumptions of the work vehicles for a predetermined time from the current time; a step of calculating an index value for determining a priority order for replacing the secondary batteries of the work vehicles by referring to differences between the remaining battery levels of the secondary batteries and the estimated power consumptions; and a step of outputting a return command to one of the work vehicles based on the index value and the acceptable charge amounts by which the secondary batteries can be respectively charged.

Claims

1. A management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles, comprising:

a step of acquiring remaining battery levels of a plurality of secondary batteries which respectively supply powers to a plurality of work vehicles;

a step of calculating estimated power consumptions of the plurality of work vehicles for a predetermined time from the current time;

a step of calculating an index value for determining a priority order for replacing the plurality of secondary batteries of the plurality of work vehicles, by referring to differences between the remaining battery levels of the plurality of secondary batteries and the estimated power consumptions; and

a step of outputting a return command to one of the plurality of work vehicles based on the index value and acceptable charge amounts by which the plurality of secondary batteries are respectively charged.

2. The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 1, further comprising:

a step of stopping a work in progress and changing a schedule if it is determined that a problem arises in completing the work due to a shortage in the remaining battery levels of the plurality of the secondary batteries.

3. The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the estimated power consumptions comprise an amount of power consumption necessary for one of the plurality of work vehicles to return to a base.

6. The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of secondary batteries comprises a lithium ion battery.

7. The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of work vehicles comprises an electric forklift.

4. A management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles, comprising:

a step of determining in advance a schedule for managing a plurality of work vehicles and charging a plurality of secondary batteries respectively installed in the plurality of work vehicles based on usable runtimes of the plurality of secondary batteries and acceptable charge amounts by which the plurality of secondary batteries are respectively charged by a battery charger; and

a step of making the plurality of work vehicles carry out work according to the schedule for managing the plurality of work vehicles and charging the plurality of secondary batteries.

5. The management method for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 4, further comprising:

a step of starting the plurality of work vehicles at regular time intervals based on the schedule for managing the plurality of work vehicles and charging the plurality of secondary batteries.

8. A system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles, comprising:

a plurality of work vehicles respectively installed with a plurality of secondary batteries, the plurality of work vehicles being driven by powers respectively supplied from the plurality of secondary batteries;

a charging base configured to communicate with the plurality of work vehicles and to charge the plurality of secondary batteries;

a plurality of remaining battery level sensors respectively included in the plurality of work vehicles, the plurality of remaining battery level sensors being configured to measure remaining battery levels of the plurality of secondary batteries which supply powers respectively to the plurality of work vehicles;

a plurality of power consumption sensors respectively included in the plurality of work vehicles, the plurality of power consumption sensors being configured to measure power consumptions of the plurality of work vehicles; and

a communication unit configured to transmit, to the charging base, data obtained from the plurality of remaining battery level sensors and the plurality of power consumption sensors, and the communication unit being configured to transmit, from the charging base to the plurality of work vehicles, a return command for ordering a charging,

wherein the charging base comprises;

a controller configured to calculate, based on data received from the plurality of power consumption sensors and work schedule data for the plurality of work vehicles, estimated power consumptions of the plurality of work vehicles for a predetermined time from the current time, the controller being configured to determine a priority order for replacing the plurality of secondary batteries of the plurality of work vehicles by referring to differences between the estimated power consumptions calculated and the plurality of remaining battery levels of the plurality of secondary batteries, and the controller being configured to output a return command indicating that one of the plurality of work vehicles returns to the charging base according to the priority order.

9. The system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 8, wherein if it is determined that a problem arises in completing work in progress due to a shortage in the plurality of remaining battery levels of the plurality of secondary batteries, the work is stopped and a schedule is changed.

10. The system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 8, wherein the estimated power consumptions comprise an amount of power consumption necessary for one of the plurality of work vehicles to return to the charging base.

13. The system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of secondary batteries comprises a lithium ion battery.

14. The system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of work vehicles comprises an electric forklift.

11. A system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles, comprising:

a schedule generating unit configured to determine in advance a schedule for managing a plurality of work vehicles and charging a plurality of secondary batteries respectively installed in the plurality of work vehicles based on usable runtimes of the plurality of secondary batteries and acceptable charge amounts by which the plurality of secondary batteries are respectively charged by a battery charger; and

a schedule transmitting unit configured to make the plurality of work vehicles carry out work in accordance with the schedule for managing the plurality of work vehicles and charging the plurality of secondary batteries.

12. The system for charging secondary batteries of work vehicles according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of work vehicles are started at regular time intervals based on the schedule for managing the plurality of work vehicles and charging the plurality of secondary batteries.