Operating machine

• US 9,030,165 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd. (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Original Assignee: Kobelco Cranes Co., Ltd. (Kobe Steel Limited)
• Inventors: Shimomura, Koichi, Ishihara, Hideaki, Sasai, Shintaro, Kawai, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/614,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20130082517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109, 320/115, 320/134, 320/137, 320/155, 320/128
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/033 characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00716 in response to integrated charge or discharge current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1446 in response to parameters of a vehicle
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

An operating machine includes: a charging time estimation unit that estimates a first estimated charging time required to restore a capacity of a first battery from a first estimated residual capacity to a target capacity value of the first battery and a second estimated charging time required to restore a capacity of a second battery from a second estimated residual capacity to a target capacity value of the second battery; a capacity management implementation unit that implements capacity management on the first battery and the second battery such that the first battery is charged for the first estimated charging time and the second battery is charged for the second estimated charging time; and a discharge amount limitation unit for limiting a discharge amount of the second battery during an idling stop so that a residual capacity of the second battery after discharge is maintained at or above a set value.

Claims

1. An operating machine comprising:

an engine serving as a power source;

an engine control unit that performs idling stop control, in which said engine is stopped automatically during an idling operation, when a predetermined condition is established;

an electric component;

a power generation device that is driven by said engine to supply electricity;

a first battery that is connected to said power generation device via a first switch, switched by said first switch between a condition of being charged by said power generation device and a condition of not being charged, and used to start said engine;

a second battery that is connected to said power generation device in parallel with said first battery via a second switch, switched by said second switch between a condition of being charged by said power generation device and a condition of not being charged, and used to operate said electric component during an idling stop in said engine;

a residual capacity estimation unit that estimates a first estimated residual capacity which is a residual capacity of said first battery and a second estimated residual capacity which is a residual capacity of said second battery;

a charging time estimation unit that estimates a first estimated charging time which is a charging time required to restore a capacity of said first battery from said first estimated residual capacity to a target capacity value of said first battery and a second estimated charging time which is a charging time required to restore a capacity of said second battery from said second estimated residual capacity to a target capacity value of said second battery;

a capacity management implementation unit that implements capacity management on said first battery by controlling said first switch such that said first battery is charged for said first estimated charging time and implements capacity management on said second battery by controlling said second switch such that said second battery is charged for said second estimated charging time; and

a discharge amount limitation unit for limiting a discharge amount of said second battery during said idling stop in said engine so that a residual capacity of said second battery after discharge is maintained at or above a set value.

2. The operating machine according to claim 1, wherein said set value is set at a value that satisfies a condition whereby, when discharge from said first battery having a larger capacity than said set value to said second battery having a capacity equal to said set value is performed due to a capacity difference between said first battery and said second battery, said residual capacity of said first battery is maintained at or above a minimum capacity required to start said engine.

3. The operating machine according to claim 2, wherein said set value is set at a value that satisfies a condition whereby said minimum capacity required to start said engine is smaller than a value of half a sum of said set value and a capacity of said first battery before discharge is performed from said first battery to said second battery following said idling stop.

4. The operating machine according to claim 1, further comprising a memory which stores said first estimated residual capacity and said second estimated residual capacity, wherein

said residual capacity estimation unit estimates a new first estimated residual capacity by determining a discharge amount during every discharge operation of said first battery and subtracting said determined discharge amount of said first battery from said first estimated residual capacity stored in said memory at that time, and updates said first estimated residual capacity stored in said memory to said new first estimated residual capacity,

said residual capacity estimation unit estimates a new second estimated residual capacity by determining a discharge amount during every discharge operation of said second battery and subtracting said determined discharge amount of said second battery from said second estimated residual capacity stored in said memory at that time, and updates said second estimated residual capacity stored in said memory to said new second estimated residual capacity,

when said charging time estimation unit estimates said first estimated charging time, said charging time estimation unit uses said first estimated residual capacity stored in said memory at that time, and

when said charging time estimation unit estimates said second estimated charging time, said charging time estimation unit uses said second estimated residual capacity stored in said memory at that time.

5. The operating machine according to claim 1, wherein said charging time estimation unit estimates said first estimated charging time and said second estimated charging time on the basis of a correlation between a predetermined battery capacity and a battery receivable current and a correlation between a current battery capacity and a charging time required to charge a corresponding battery to said target capacity value.