Battery powered vehicle with immobilizing charger plug

• US 9,296,306 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Original Assignee: Husqvarna AB (HUSQVARNA)
• Inventors: Schygge, Sebastian, Viskari, Pasi, Dwyer, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US14/349,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20140244090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/662 to the front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/78 electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/00 Safety devices for propulsion-unit control, specially adapted for, or arranged in, vehicles, e.g. preventing fuel supply or ignition in the event of potentially dangerous conditions for electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; road vehicle drive control systems for purposes not related to the control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/00; drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/22 Standstill, e.g. zero speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/223 Ridable lawn mowers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/214 by power from domestic supply, e.g. plug in supplies
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A battery powered vehicle may include a battery power source, an electric drive motor, a charging receptacle, and a drive controller. The electric drive motor may be powered by the battery power source. The electric drive motor may be operably coupled to a wheel of the battery powered vehicle to provide drive power for the battery powered 5 vehicle. The charging receptacle may be configured to enable charging of the battery power source via a battery charging assembly connectable to the charging receptacle. The charging receptacle may include circuitry forming a detection loop closed responsive to operable coupling of the charging receptacle with a charger plug of the battery charging assembly. The closing of the detection loop may generate an indication that the charging 10 receptacle is operably coupled to the charger plug. The drive controller may include processing circuitry configured to implement a mobility restriction at least with respect to operation of the electric drive motor responsive to the indication.

Claims

1. A battery powered vehicle comprising:

a battery power source;

an electric drive motor powered by the battery power source, the electric drive motor being operably coupled to a wheel of the battery powered vehicle to provide drive power for the battery powered vehicle;

a charging receptacle configured to enable charging of the battery power source via a battery charging assembly connectable to the charging receptacle, the charging receptacle comprising circuitry forming a detection loop closed responsive to operable coupling of the charging receptacle with detection loop completion circuitry provided in a charger plug of the battery charging assembly, closing of the detection loop generating an indication that the charging receptacle is operably coupled to the charger plug; and

a drive controller comprising processing circuitry configured to implement a mobility restriction at least with respect to operation of the electric drive motor responsive to the indication,

wherein the detection loop completion circuitry is configured to complete a signal path from the drive controller to the charger plug and back to the drive controller, that implements the mobility restriction and enables operation of at least one auxiliary function.

2. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to implement the mobility restriction independent of whether electrical power is being provided to the battery powered vehicle by the charger plug.

3. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to implement the mobility restriction by preventing delivery of current to the electric drive motor.

4. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to implement the mobility restriction by preventing power up of the battery powered vehicle.

5. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to provide a message indicating of a state of charge to an operator of the battery powered vehicle.

6. The battery powered vehicle of claim 5, wherein the drive controller is configured to wirelessly send the message to the operator.

7. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to provide a message indicating a state of connection between the charger plug and the charging receptacle to an operator.

8. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection loop comprises an open circuit that is closed by the detection loop completion circuitry of the charger plug responsive to operable coupling of the charger plug and the charging receptacle.

9. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the battery powered vehicle is a riding yard maintenance vehicle.

19. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection loop completion circuitry comprises an electrical short between at least two terminals of the charger plug.

20. The battery powered vehicle of claim 1, wherein the detection loop completion circuitry comprises a wire loop electrically connecting two terminals of the charger plug.

10. A drive controller for a battery powered vehicle comprising a battery power source, an electric drive motor, and a charging receptacle, the electric drive motor being operably coupled to a wheel of the battery powered vehicle to provide drive power for the battery powered vehicle, and the charging receptacle being configured to enable charging of the battery power source via a battery charging assembly connectable to the charging receptacle, the charging receptacle comprising circuitry forming a detection loop closed responsive to operable coupling of the charging receptacle with detection loop completion circuitry provided in a charger plug of the battery charging assembly, closing of the detection loop generating an indication that the charging receptacle is operably coupled to the charger plug, the drive controller comprising:

processing circuitry configured to implement a mobility restriction at least with respect to operation of the electric drive motor responsive to the indication,

wherein the detection loop completion circuitry is configured to complete a signal path from the drive controller to the charger plug and back to the drive controller, that implements the mobility restriction and enables operation of at least one auxiliary function.

11. The drive controller of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to implement the mobility restriction independent of whether electrical power is being provided to the battery powered vehicle by the charger plug.

12. The drive controller of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to implement the mobility restriction by preventing delivery of current to the electric drive motor.

13. The drive controller of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to implement the mobility restriction by preventing power up of the battery powered vehicle.

14. The drive controller of claim 10, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a message indicating of a state of charge to an operator of the battery powered vehicle.

15. A method of controlling operation of a battery powered vehicle, the battery powered vehicle comprising a battery power source, an electric drive motor, and a charging receptacle, the electric drive motor being operably coupled to a wheel of the battery powered vehicle to provide drive power for the battery powered vehicle, and the charging receptacle being configured to enable charging of the battery power source via a battery charging assembly connectable to the charging receptacle, the charging receptacle comprising circuitry forming a detection loop closed responsive to operable coupling of the charging receptacle with detection loop completion circuitry provided in a charger plug of the battery charging assembly, closing of the detection loop generating an indication that the charging receptacle is operably coupled to the charger plug, the method comprising:

determining if the detection loop is closed based on whether the indication is received; and

implementing a mobility restriction at least with respect to operation of the electric drive motor responsive to the indication,

wherein the detection loop completion circuitry is configured to complete a signal path from a drive controller to the charger plug and back to the drive controller, that implements the mobility restriction and enables operation of at least one auxiliary function.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a message indicative of a state of charge to an operator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing the message comprises providing the message wirelessly.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a message indicating that the charger plug is connected to the charging receptacle.