Electric drive vehicle control system

• US 9,409,578 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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:
  US14/500,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 mounted on an axle of the vehicle, and an accelerator capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal, the control system comprising:

a motor speed sensor configured to detect a speed, a change in acceleration, and a rotation of the at least one electric drive motor to provide a drive motor speed signal;

a drive controller in communication with the at least one electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on either or both of the accelerator input signal and the drive motor speed signal, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the at least one electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the at least one electric drive motor indicated by the drive motor speed signal; 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.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the acceleration of the at least one electric drive motor when a desired acceleration indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the change in acceleration of the at least one electric drive motor indicated by the drive motor speed signal.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the direction of rotation of the at least one electric drive motor when a desired direction indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the rotation of the at least one electric drive motor indicated by the drive motor speed signal.

4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the drive controller is configured to decrease the speed of the at least one electric drive motor when a switch for controlling the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

5. The control system of claim 1, further comprising an axle speed sensor configured to detect a speed of the axle to provide an axle speed signal, wherein the drive controller is configured to determine that the at least one electric drive motor is in neutral when the axle speed signal indicates that the axle is not rotating.

6. A drive and control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a power supply disposed on the vehicle;

an electric transaxle disposed on the vehicle and driving a pair of output axles, the electric transaxle comprising an electric drive motor;

a controller in operative contact with the electric transaxle;

an accelerator disposed on the vehicle and capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal;

a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle, each sensor capable of providing a separate sensor input signal, wherein one of the plurality of sensors is a motor speed sensor configured to detect a speed, a change in acceleration, and a rotation of the electric drive motor to provide a motor speed signal;

a drive controller in communication with the electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on one or more of the accelerator input signal, the motor speed signal and another of the separate 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.

7. The drive and control system of claim 6, wherein the at least one electric auxiliary motor is a pair of deck motors, each of the pair of deck motors driving a mowing blade, and the auxiliary controller is a deck controller for controlling the pair of deck motors.

8. The drive and control system of claim 7, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

9. The drive and control system of claim 8, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

10. The drive and control system of claim 9, wherein the drive controller is configured to decrease the speed of the electric drive motor when a switch for controlling the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

11. The drive and control system of claim 6, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

12. The drive and control system of claim 6, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

13. The drive and control system of claim 6, wherein the drive controller is configured to decrease the speed of the electric drive motor when a switch for controlling the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

14. A drive and control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a power supply disposed on the vehicle;

an electric transaxle disposed on the vehicle and driving a pair of output axles, the electric transaxle comprising an electric drive motor;

a controller in operative contact with the electric transaxle;

a vehicle direction switch capable of causing generation of a direction input signal;

an accelerator disposed on the vehicle and capable of causing generation of an accelerator input signal;

a plurality of sensors disposed on the vehicle, each sensor capable of providing a separate sensor input signal;

a drive controller in communication with the electric drive motor to facilitate adjustment thereto based on one of the separate 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.

15. The drive and control system of claim 14, wherein the at least one electric auxiliary motor is a pair of deck motors, each of the pair of deck motors driving a mowing blade, and the auxiliary controller is a deck controller for controlling the pair of deck motors.

16. The drive and control system of claim 15, wherein one of the plurality of sensors is a motor speed sensor configured to detect a speed, a change in acceleration, and a rotation of the electric drive motor to provide a motor speed signal, and the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

17. The drive and control system of claim 16, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by the motor speed signal.

18. The drive and control system of claim 17, wherein the drive controller is configured to decrease the speed of the electric drive motor when a switch for controlling the at least one electric auxiliary motor is activated.

19. The drive and control system of claim 14, wherein the drive controller is configured to adjust the speed of the electric drive motor when a desired speed indicated by the accelerator input signal does not match the speed of the electric drive motor indicated by a drive motor speed signal.

20. The drive and control system of claim 14, wherein the drive controller is configured to decrease the speed of the electric drive motor when a switch for controlling the at least one electric auxillary motor is activated.