Voltage control for battery powered motor or the like

• US 4,788,480 A
• Filed: 08/07/1987
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Field, Bruce F., Mason, Richard A., Waldhauser, Steven J. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US07/082,665
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 318/106, 318/107, 318/108, 318/109, 318/139, 318/150, 318/151, 318/161, 318/440, 318/442, 318/123, 318/124, 318/126, 318/127, 318/128, 318/134, 318/162, 318/163, 318/164, 307/18, 307/23, 307/29, 307/43, 307/66, 307/80, 307/48, 307/52, 307/54, 307/46, 307/85, 307/86, 320/8
• US Class Current: 318/442
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/142 acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0019 using switched or multiplexed charge circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A method of control and a control circuit for use in connecting all or sub-parts of a battery supply to a battery driven motor includes relays connected between a motor and each sub-part of a battery supply; a timer having a predetermined time period and which changes its output condition at the end of each time period; a motor speed selector for selecting either full motor speed or a portion thereof; and a switch arrangement which interconnects the relays, timer and motor speed selector. The switch arrangement provides for a first sub-part of the battery supply to be connected to the motor when the selector is in a less than full speed position and when the timer has one output condition. A second sub-part of the battery supply is connected to the motor when the selector is in a less than full speed position and the timer has a second output condition. The relays connect the full battery supply to the motor when the selector is in a full speed position.

Claims

1. A control circuit for use in connecting all or subparts of a battery supply to a battery driven motor, including:

relay means connected between a motor and each sub-part of a battery supply,

timing means having a predetermined time period and which changes its output condition at the end of each timing period,

a motor speed selector for selecting full motor speed or a portion thereof,

switch means interconnecting said relay means, timing means and motor speed selector whereby;

said relay means are operable in a first position to connect a first sub-part of the battery supply to the motor when said selector is in a less than full speed position and with said timing means having a first output condition;

said relay means are operable in a second position to connect a second sub-part of the battery supply to the motor when said selector is in a less than full speed position and with said timing means having a second output condition;

said relay means are operable in a third position to connect the full battery supply to the motor when said selector is in a full speed position.

2. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein said timing means includes a counter and a memory, with termination of a timing period occurring when said memory has accumulated a predetermined count as determined by said counter.

3. The control circuit of claim 2 further including a power supply for said memory to maintain the memory in a particular condition, even if the motor is not being driven by the battery supply.

4. The control circuit of claim 1 wherein said battery supply has two sub-parts, said motor speed selector having a full speed position and a half speed position, and said timing means having two output conditions.

5. A control circuit for use in connecting all or either half of a battery supply to a battery driven motor, including:

relay means connected between a motor and each half of a battery supply,

a timer with two output conditions, including a counter, memory and power supply, with the output of the timer changing from one output condition to the other at the end of each time period determined by a predetermined accumulated count in the memory,

a motor speed selector for selecting high speed or low speed,

switch means interconnecting said relay means, timer and motor speed selector whereby;

said relay means are operable in a first position to connect one half of the battery supply to the motor when the selector is in a low speed position and with

said timer having said one output condition;

said relay means are operable in a second position to connect the other half of the battery supply to the motor when the selector is in a low speed position and with the timer having the other of its two output conditions;

said relay means are operable in a third position to connect the full battery supply to the motor when said selector is in a full speed position.

6. The control circuit of claim 5 wherein a timer power supply is continuously connected to said memory.

7. A method of controlling the supply of all or sub-parts of a battery voltage to a battery driven motor including the steps of:

connecting the full battery voltage to the battery driven motor when full speed is selected for the motor,

connecting a first sub-part of battery voltage to the motor when less than full speed is selected,

timing the period of battery voltage first sub-part use when less than full speed is selected and maintaining use of the first battery sub-part for a predetermined period of time, which time period is continuous if selection of less than full motor speed is continuous and which time period is discontinuous if selection of less than full motor speed is discontinuous.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the step of connecting a second sub-part of battery voltage to the motor when less than full speed is selected and when the predetermined period of time for use of the first battery sub-part has expired,

timing the period of battery voltage second sub-part use when less than full speed is selected and maintaining use of the second battery sub-part for a predetermined period of time, which period is either continuous or discontinuous, depending upon whether selection of less than full speed is continuous or discontinuous.