MOBILE CART AND POWER SYSTEM THERFOR

• US 20140152099A1
• Filed: 04/29/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott-Clark, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Logiquip, LLC
• Inventors: Boyd, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,705,359 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/23
• 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 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/256 Carrying devices, e.g. belts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/04 in which the distribution system is disconnected from the normal source and connected to a standby source
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

A mobile cart has a battery assembly, which includes an on-board charger for selectively recharging one or more batteries to ensure constant operation of the powered equipment provided on the cart. The battery assembly possesses a removable battery configuration and is operated by a Battery Control System (BCS). The BCS is an intelligent control system for removable batteries and battery cell packs to provide an improved system of charging and discharging the individual batteries.

Claims

1. A power system for a mobile cart, comprising:

a battery assembly comprising one or more rechargeable batteries, a battery support for each respective one of said batteries wherein said battery support is mountable on a mobile cart and said respective battery is removably engagable with said battery support, and a battery connector for each said battery which is engagable with said battery when said battery is installed on said respective battery support; and

a battery control system for recharging said batteries, which has a control unit comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller receiving power from said power supply when connected to external power and controlling battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet receiving power under the control of said charge controller to provide power to electrical equipment on a mobile cart, a power connector for each said battery support, which is selectively connectable to said battery through said battery connector, power flow through each said power connector being controlled by said charge controller to control charging of each said battery by external power and discharging of each said battery, which provides battery power to said first power outlet for use by cart equipment; and

said charge controller charging a respective said battery to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery is chargable at a first charging rate and above which said battery charges at a slower second charging rate, each said battery being charged to said upper charging threshold before said charge controller begins to charge each said battery above said upper charging threshold to a full charge.

2. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein said battery control system determines if external power is present, wherein external power is used to supply power to said first power outlet and charge a selected one of said batteries by said charge controller.

3. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 2, wherein if external power is not present, said charge controller determines which said battery to use, wherein said charge controller determines if each said battery is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery is discharged, said charge controller using said battery which has the lowest battery charge first.

4. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 3, wherein if one said battery is at or below the minimum threshold, then said charge controller uses another said battery having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge.

5. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 3, wherein if two said batteries are above the minimum charge, said charge controller using said battery with a lower battery charge.

6. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 5, wherein said battery in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller switches to another said battery.

7. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein when external power is not present, said charge controller switches so as to receive power from one said battery or another said battery and route this battery power to the first outlet port for powering the cart.

8. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 7, wherein when charging, said battery with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other said battery is less than this charging threshold.

9. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 8, wherein said upper charging threshold is dictated by battery design and chemistry.

10. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein when said battery that is being charged reaches the upper charging threshold, said charge controller switches to charging another said battery up to said upper charging threshold thereof.

11. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 10, wherein after both said batteries have been charged to their upper charging threshold, said charge controller continuing to charge one said battery to a full charge, and then charges the other said battery to a full charge.

12. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein said charge controller initially receives data on a cycle count for each said battery from a data storage associated with said battery, and then compares cycle counts for each said battery, and where the cycle count of one said battery exceeds the cycle count of the other said battery by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge.

13. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein two said charge controllers are provided to provide the option of charging two said batteries simultaneously.

14. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 13, wherein said control system determines when power used by said first power outlet is off or minimal, and then both said charge controllers operate to charge two said batteries simultaneously, when said first power outlet is in use and supplying significant power, said charge controllers charging only one said battery.

15. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein if one said battery is manually removed from said battery support during charging or discharging, said charge controller automatically detecting removal of said battery and switching charging or discharging to another said battery.

16. The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 15, wherein said power system is operable with one or two said batteries installed in two said battery supports.

17. A method for operating a power system for a mobile cart, said power system comprising a battery assembly comprising one or more rechargeable batteries, and a battery control system for recharging said batteries, which has a control unit comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller receiving power from said power supply when connected to external power and controlling battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet receiving power under the control of said charge controller to provide power to electrical equipment on a mobile cart, a power connector for each said battery, which is selectively connectable to said battery, said method comprising the steps of:

controlling power flow through each said power connector by said charge controller to control charging of each said battery by external power and discharging of each said battery, which provides battery power to said first power outlet for use by cart equipment;

initiating charging of each said battery by said charge controller when external power is absent;

continuing charging of a respective one of said batteries by said charge controller to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery is chargable at a first charging rate and above which said battery charges at a slower second charging rate;

after said one battery reaches said upper charging threshold, discontinuing charging of said one battery and initiating charging of the other of said batteries to said upper charging threshold; and

after each said battery is charged to said upper charging threshold, charging one of said batteries by said charge controller to a full charge.

18. The method according to claim 17, including the step of discontinuing charging of said one battery upon reaching a full charge thereof, and then initiating charging of the other said battery up to said full charge.

19. The method according to claim 17, including the step of determining if external power is present, and using said external power to supply power to said first power outlet and to charge each selected one of said batteries by said charge controller.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein if external power is not present, said charge controller determines which said battery to use, wherein said charge controller determines if each said battery is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery is discharged, and said charge controller using said battery which has the lowest battery charge first.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein if one said battery is at or below the minimum threshold, then said charge controller uses another said battery having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge, and if two said batteries are above the minimum charge, said charge controller using said battery with a lower battery charge.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said battery in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller switches to another said battery.

23. The method according to claim 17, wherein when charging, said battery with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other said battery is less than this charging threshold.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein said charge controller initially receives data on a cycle count for each said battery from a data storage associated with said battery, and then compares cycle counts for each said battery batteries, and where the cycle count of one said battery exceeds the cycle count of the other said battery by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge.