Electric drive vehicle control system

• US 8,849,490 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Wyatt, Christopher K., Fox, Ivan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US13/561,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20130030631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 903/902
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/78 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/44 Wheel Hub motors, i.e. integrated in the wheel hub
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1886 Controlling power supply to auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1888 Control of power take off [PTO]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors

Abstract

Electronic control systems and related control methods for controlling electric drive motors for propelling a vehicle and electric auxiliary motors for performing work. The apparatus is shown in use with a vehicle that includes a mowing deck. Features of the control systems allow for safe and efficient use of the vehicle. These features include a power take-off timeout, automatic fail-safe brake (parking), and customized drive characteristics.

Claims

1. A control system for an electric drive system of a vehicle having at least one electric drive motor in communication with a driven wheel of the vehicle, the control system comprising:

an accelerator of the vehicle capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal;

a plurality of sensors mounted within the vehicle and each providing a sensor input signal;

a drive controller in communication with the at least one electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on the accelerator input signal and at least one of the sensor input signals;

a drive controller memory in communication with the drive controller for storing first computer-executable instructions;

an auxiliary controller in communication with at least one electric auxiliary motor and the drive controller to facilitate adjustment of the at least one electric auxiliary motor; and

an auxiliary controller memory in communication with the auxiliary controller for storing second computer-executable instructions.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary controller memory comprises the second computer-executable instructions for causing the auxiliary controller to perform the steps of:

receiving one or more signals from either one or both of at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors and the drive controller;

receiving a signal from the drive controller indicating that the vehicle has been stopped for a predetermined period of time; and

stopping the at least one electric auxiliary motor if the vehicle has been stopped for the predetermined period of time.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the drive controller memory comprises the first computer-executable instructions for causing the drive controller to perform the steps of:

determining whether the vehicle is in a start-up mode;

driving the at least one electric drive motor to a predetermined holding torque specification while a vehicle brake is engaged;

monitoring whether the driven wheel of the vehicle moves; and

disabling driving of the at least one electric drive motor if the driven wheel of the vehicle moves.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the drive controller memory comprises the first computer-executable instructions for causing the drive controller to perform the steps of:

monitoring a load on the at least one electric auxiliary motor;

determining if a predetermined load on the at least one electric auxiliary motor has been exceeded; and

decreasing a speed of the at least one electric drive motor when the predetermined load on the at least one electric auxiliary motor has been exceeded.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electric auxiliary motor drives at least one cutting blade for mowing.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to back drive the at least one electric auxiliary motor to stop the at least one electric auxiliary motor within a predetermined interval when a power take-off switch is moved to the off position while the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

7. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor in communication with the auxiliary controller to back drive the at least one electric auxiliary motor to stop the at least one electric auxiliary motor within a predetermined interval when a power take-off switch is moved to the off position while the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the drive controller memory comprises the first computer-executable instructions and programmable settings stored therein for manufacturer selection of mowing options of a reverse operating system.

9. A control system for an electric drive system of a vehicle having at least one electric drive motor in communication with a driven wheel of the vehicle, the control system comprising:

an accelerator of the vehicle capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal;

a plurality of sensors mounted within the vehicle and each providing a sensor input signal;

a drive controller in communication with the at least one electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on the accelerator input signal and at least one of the sensor input signals;

an auxiliary controller in communication with at least one electric auxiliary motor and the drive controller to facilitate adjustment of the at least one electric auxiliary motor; and

a power supply in communication with the drive controller and the auxiliary controller to provide electrical power for operating the drive controller and the auxiliary controller.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the power supply comprises at least one 12 volt battery.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the at least one electric auxiliary motor drives at least one cutting blade for mowing.

12. The control system of claim 11, further comprising a reverse operating system switch for activating and deactivating a reverse operating system associated with the at least one cutting blade for mowing.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the reverse operating system switch comprises one or more of a momentary switch, a toggle switch, or a key switch position.

14. The control system of claim 9, wherein:

the drive controller comprises one or more of a drive motor overcurrent sensor or a drive motor overvoltage sensor, wherein;

the drive motor overcurrent sensor is for monitoring and protecting the at least one electric drive motor from an overcurrent condition; and

the drive motor overvoltage sensor is for monitoring and protecting the at least one electric drive motor from an overvoltage condition; and

the auxiliary controller comprises one or more of an auxiliary motor overcurrent sensor or an auxiliary motor overvoltage sensor, wherein;

the auxiliary motor overcurrent sensor is for monitoring and protecting the at least one electric auxiliary motor from an overcurrent condition; and

the auxiliary motor overvoltage sensor for monitoring and protecting the at least one electric auxiliary motor from an overvoltage condition.

15. The control system of claim 9, wherein:

the at least one electric drive motor comprises a drive motor temperature sensor in communication with the drive controller for monitoring a temperature of the at least one electric drive motor; and

the at least one electric auxiliary motor comprises an auxiliary motor temperature sensor in communication with the auxiliary controller for monitoring a temperature of the at least one electric auxiliary motor.

16. The control system of claim 9, further comprising a vehicle inclination sensor in communication with the drive controller for detecting whether the vehicle is situated on a slope.

17. A control system for an auxiliary mechanism of a utility vehicle, the auxiliary mechanism driven by an electric auxiliary motor, the control system comprising:

an auxiliary controller in communication with the electric auxiliary motor and a drive controller of the utility vehicle, the auxiliary controller for facilitating adjustment of the electric auxiliary motor; and

a power take-off switch in communication with the auxiliary controller, the power take-off switch having an on position for activating the electric auxiliary motor and an off position for deactivating the electric auxiliary motor;

wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to back drive the electric auxiliary motor to stop the electric auxiliary motor within a predetermined interval when the power take-off switch is moved to the off position while the electric auxiliary motor is activated.

18. The control system of claim 17, further comprising a capacitor in communication with the auxiliary controller to back drive the electric auxiliary motor to stop the electric auxiliary motor within the predetermined interval when the power take-off switch is moved to the off position while the electric auxiliary motor is activated.

19. A control system for an electric drive system of a vehicle having at least one electric drive motor in communication with a driven wheel of the vehicle, the control system comprising:

an accelerator of the vehicle capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal;

a plurality of sensors mounted within the vehicle and each providing a sensor input signal;

a drive controller in communication with the at least one electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on the accelerator input signal and at least one of the sensor input signals; and

an auxiliary controller in communication with at least one electric auxiliary motor and the drive controller to facilitate adjustment of the at least one electric auxiliary motor, wherein the auxiliary controller is configured to back drive the at least one electric auxiliary motor to stop the at least one electric auxiliary motor within a predetermined interval when a power take-off switch is moved to an off position while the at least one electric auxiliary motor is running.

20. The control system of claim 19, further comprising a capacitor in communication with the auxiliary controller to back drive the at least one electric auxiliary motor to stop the at least one electric auxiliary motor within the predetermined interval when the power take-off switch is moved to the off position while the at least one electric auxiliary motor is running.