Method of allocating batteries for use on specific industrial vehicles in a fleet

• US 8,427,104 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2010
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Raymond Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: McCabe, Paul P., Baldini, Augustus, Kirk, John Bryant
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/765,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/109, 320/116, 320/132, 320/149, 414/227, 414/234, 414/293, 414/294, 180/65.1, 180/65.21
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 10/44 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: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

A plurality of rechargeable and removable batteries are allocated to a plurality of industrial vehicles based on the power delivery capability of each battery and the intensity level at which each vehicle is operated. One of a plurality of ratings is assigned to each industrial vehicle, wherein a rating denotes an operating intensity level. The actual capacity of each battery is measured. A given battery is installed on a particular industrial vehicle in response to the relationship between the rating assigned to that industrial vehicle and the actual capacity of the given battery. Batteries with greater actual capacity are installed on industrial vehicles that are used more intensively. When a battery ages and its actual capacity diminishes, that battery is installed on less intensively used industrial vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for allocating a plurality of batteries to a plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein the plurality of batteries are rechargeable and removable from vehicles, said method comprising:

assigning one of a plurality of ratings to each of the plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein a rating so assigned indicates an intensity level at which a given industrial vehicle is operated;

for each of the plurality of batteries, occasionally measuring a parameter that indicates a present capability of each battery to supply power thereby producing a parameter measurement; and

installing a given battery on a particular industrial vehicle in response to a relationship between the rating assigned to the particular industrial vehicle and the parameter measurement for the given battery.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein installing a given battery comprises installing batteries with a parameter measurement above a first threshold on industrial vehicles with an intensity level rating above a second threshold;

and installing batteries with a parameter measurement below the first threshold on industrial vehicles with an intensity level rating below the second threshold.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein measuring a parameter occurs upon recharging each battery.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the parameter is a resistance.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the parameter is a battery capacity.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the battery capacity is in units of ampere hours.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the battery capacity is in units of one of watt hours and kilowatt hours.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein assigning one of a plurality of ratings to each of the plurality of industrial vehicles is response to a load carrying capability specified by a manufacturer of each industrial vehicle.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

while a given battery is installed on an industrial vehicle, measuring an electrical characteristic that indicates an actual capacity of the given battery; and

limiting operation of the industrial vehicle in response to the electrical characteristic.

10. A method for allocating a plurality of batteries to a plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein the plurality of batteries are rechargeable and removable from vehicles, said method comprising:

assigning one of a plurality of ratings to each of the plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein a rating so assigned indicates an intensity level at which a given industrial vehicle is operated;

for each of the plurality of removable batteries, occasionally measuring an actual capacity of each battery, thereby producing an actual capacity value; and

installing a given battery on a particular industrial vehicle in response to a relationship between the rating assigned to the particular industrial vehicle and the actual capacity value of the given battery.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein installing a given battery comprises installing batteries with actual capacity values above a first threshold on industrial vehicles with an intensity level rating above a second threshold;

and installing batteries with actual capacity values below the first threshold on industrial vehicles with an intensity level rating below the second threshold.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein measuring the actual capacity occurs upon recharging each battery.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the actual capacity value is in units of ampere hours.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the actual capacity value is in units of one of watt hours and kilowatt hours.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein assigning one of a plurality of ratings to each of the plurality of industrial vehicles is response to a load carrying capability specified by a manufacturer of each industrial vehicle.

16. The method as recited in claim 10 further comprising while a given battery is installed on an industrial vehicle, measuring a parameter that indicates the actual capacity of the given battery;

and limiting operation of the industrial vehicle when the actual capacity is less than a predefined value.

17. A method for allocating a plurality of batteries to a plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein the plurality of batteries are rechargeable and removable from vehicles, said method comprising:

assigning one of a plurality of ratings to each of the plurality of industrial vehicles, wherein an assigned rating indicates an intensity level at which a given industrial vehicle is operated;

for each of the plurality of removable batteries, measuring an actual electrical parameter of each battery;

assigning each battery to an operating condition category in response to measuring an actual electrical parameter; and

installing batteries on the plurality of industrial vehicles in response to the rating assigned each industrial vehicle and the operating condition category of each battery.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein installing batteries comprises installing batteries with better operating conditions on industrial vehicles with greater intensity level ratings;

and installing batteries with lesser operating conditions on industrial vehicles with lower intensity level ratings.