Systems and methods for in-vehicle charging of pallet jack batteries

• US 9,041,340 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayne M. Spani
• Original Assignee: Wayne M. Spani
• Inventors: Spani, Wayne M
• Primary Examiner(s): Muralidar, Richard V
• Application Number:
  US13/773,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 320/103, 320/104, 320/109, 320116-119, 187/276, 187/277, 187/289.29, 187/413, 280/43.12
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/44 Industrial trucks or floor conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0024 Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Systems and methods for in-vehicle charging of pallet jack batteries are provided. An example system allows using a power source of a host vehicle configured to provide power at voltage levels lower than the operating voltage of the pallet jack battery stack. The system may allow, for example, charging a 24 volts pallet jack battery stack from a 12 volts power source of the host vehicle. The system may further comprise an interconnecting circuit having a plurality of contactors electrically coupling the batteries in parallel for charging and serially for discharging. The system may further comprise a voltage monitoring circuit to detect whether the pallet jack is connected to the host vehicle power source for charging. Based on the detection, the voltage monitoring circuit may reconfigure the interconnecting circuit to electrically couple the pallet jack batteries in parallel.

Claims

1. A method for in-vehicle charging of a pallet jack batteries, the method comprising:

monitoring a voltage level of a power source associated with a host vehicle;

based on the monitoring, configuring an interconnecting circuit associated with a pallet jack battery stack of a pallet jack to enable charging of the pallet jack battery stack at a voltage level of the power source associated with the host vehicle;

electrically coupling the pallet jack battery stack to the power source; and

charging the pallet jack battery stack from the power source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the interconnecting circuit comprises:

configuring the interconnecting circuit in a first mode when the voltage level exceeds a predetermined voltage level; and

configuring the interconnecting circuit in a second mode when the voltage level is below a predetermined voltage level.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interconnecting circuit in the first mode is configured to electrically couple two or more batteries of the pallet jack battery stack in parallel and wherein the interconnecting circuit in the second mode is configured to electrically couple the two or more batteries of the pallet jack battery stack serially.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pallet jack battery stack is configured to be charged when the interconnecting circuit operates in the first mode, and wherein the pallet jack battery stack is configured to be discharged when the interconnecting circuit operates in the second mode.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined voltage level is between 12 and 14 volts.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the pallet jack battery stack includes two or more batteries, the two or more batteries being configured to operate at substantially 24 volts when coupled serially by the interconnecting circuit.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the power source associated with the host vehicle is configured to supply substantially 12 volts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuring of the interconnecting circuit comprises:

activating a plurality of configuring contactors electrically connected to the pallet jack battery stack;

activating an input contactor electrically connected to the pallet jack battery stack; and

electrically coupling an input connector to the input contactor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of configuring contactors is activated with a delay after the input contactor is triggered.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of configuring contactors and the input contactor are triggered when a micro-switch detects that the input connector is electrically connected to the power source.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of configuring contactors and the input contactor are powered by the pallet jack battery stack.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising starting a timer to disconnect the pallet jack battery stack from the power source after a predetermined period of time.

13. A system for in-vehicle charging of pallet jack battery stack, the system comprising:

a plurality of configuring contactors electrically coupled to a pallet jack battery stack;

an input contactor electrically coupled to the pallet jack battery stack;

an input connector electrically coupled to the input contactor connector associated with a power source; and

a voltage monitoring circuit configured to;

monitor a voltage level of the input connector,

determine that the voltage level exceeds a predetermined voltage threshold, and

based on the determination, activate the plurality of configuring contactors and the input contactor to charge the pallet jack battery stack from the power source.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a data logger configured to log data associated with the pallet jack battery stack.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a cable electrically coupled to the input connector.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a visual indicator, the visual indicator indicating that the pallet jack battery stack is being charged.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the power source is an alternator.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the power source is a battery.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the voltage monitoring circuit is configured to activate the plurality of configuring contactors such that two or more multiples of two batteries associated with the pallet jack battery stack are interconnected in parallel for charging from the power source and serially for powering a pallet jack by the pallet jack battery stack.

20. A system for in-vehicle charging of a pallet jack battery stack, the system comprising:

a pallet jack battery stack;

a plurality of configuring contactors electrically coupled to the pallet jack battery stack;

an input contactor electrically coupled to the pallet jack battery stack;

an input connector electrically coupled to the input contactor; and

a voltage monitoring circuit configured to;

monitor a voltage level of the input connector associated with a power source;

determine that the voltage level exceeds a predetermined voltage level;

based on the determination, selectively activating the plurality of configuring contactors to electrically reconfigure two or more multiples of batteries associated with the pallet jack battery stack from a serial connection to a parallel connection;

activate the input connector with a predetermined delay after the plurality of configuring contactors are activated; and

charge the pallet jack battery stack from the power source.