Light tower having a battery housing

• US 9,484,602 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Green Machine Equipment Inc.
• Original Assignee: OSC Manufacturing & Equipment Services, Inc. (Ontario Specialty Contracting, Inc.)
• Inventors: Podolefsky, Noah Solomon
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Glenn
• Application Number:
  US14/465,681
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 362/184, 362/190, 362/191, 362/194, 362/431, 429/163, 429/176, 180/68.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/412 Excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/02 Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 3/32 working downwardly and towards the machine, e.g. with backhoes
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/0866 Engine compartment, e.g. heat exchangers, exhaust filters, cooling devices, silencers, mufflers, position of hydraulic pumps in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/16 Cabins, platforms, or the like, for drivers for motor vehicles in general B62D33/06, for cranes B66C13/54
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2004 Control mechanisms, e.g. control levers control levers per se G05G
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/207 of the type electric propulsion units, e.g. electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/02 characterised by the provision of two or more light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/1005 of working places, building sites or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4257 Smart batteries, e.g. electronic circuits inside the housing of the cells or batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 : Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/204 : Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/02 : characterised by the kind of motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 : using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

Conventional internal combustion engine technology has been around for decades and historically has been the primary power source for virtually all industrial equipment. It relies on carbon-based fuels, is loud, polluting, and the machines it powers are expensive to operate and maintain. A self-contained, rechargeable battery system is provided that possesses superior power than comparable diesel and gas engines. The rechargeable battery power system generates zero emissions, is virtually maintenance free, is quiet, and recharges overnight via a standard electrical outlet. The rechargeable battery power system can be installed in new and used construction equipment (light towers, excavators, generators) and may be used wherever a source of power is required, for example, in vans and boats, and in supplemental power systems including smart grid applications. It can be safely used indoors, in neighborhoods and other locations sensitive to the side effects of internal combustion engines.

Claims

1. A battery assembly comprising:

a battery housing having a base wall joined to first and second side walls and the base wall joined to opposed first and second end walls; and

having a housing cover that is joined to the first and second opposed side walls and the opposed first and second end walls such that the cover is disposed opposite the base wall;

the first sidewall includes a metal layer and first and second foam layers and a plastic such that the first foam layer abuts against and is joined with the metal layer, and the first foam layer abuts against and is joined with the second foam layer, and the second foam layer abuts against and is joined with the plastic sheet;

wherein the second side wall is structurally identical to the first side wall;

the cover has opposed exterior and interior sides and a service disconnect is extends from the exterior side;

joined to the interior side of the cover is a rubber sheet, and a foam cover sheet is joined to the rubber sheet such that the rubber sheet is disposed between the interior side of the cover and the foam cover sheet;

wherein the first end wall is joined to a first end wall foam sheet and the second end wall is joined to a second end wall foam sheet, and the second end wall has an exterior end wall surface and a current sensor is mounted to the second end wall;

the base wall having a base wall sheet having opposed interior and exterior base wall surfaces and wherein joined to the interior base wall surface is a first base wall rubber sheet that is joined to a second base wall rubber sheet; and

,

a battery and wherein the battery is disposed in the battery housing.

2. The battery assembly according to claim 1 further wherein the battery has first and second module banks and wherein the first module bank is made from a first group of modules and the second module bank is made from a second group of modules.

3. The battery assembly according to claim 1 further including a pair of brace members and isolation mounts and wherein the pair of brace members is joined to the base wall with the isolation mounts disposed between the base wall and the pair of brace members such that the battery is isolated from vibrations.

4. The battery assembly according to claim 1 wherein a lithium-ion battery is selected from the group consisting of:

a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery, a lithium cobalt battery (LCO), a lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP);

a lithium manganese oxide battery (LMO); and

, a lithium nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) battery.

5. The battery assembly according to claim 1 wherein the battery has a first module bank having a first group of modules and wherein each module has a module case and cells are disposed in the module case and electrically connected to one another.

6. The battery assembly according to claim 2 wherein each of the first and second groups of modules are each made from individual modules and each module has individual cells that are electrically connected.

7. The battery assembly according to claim 3 wherein a gap is defined from a first module bank to a second module bank and a separator support plate that is part of the battery housing is disposed between the first and second module banks and the separator plate is for providing structural stability.

8. The battery assembly according to claim 7 wherein the battery is installed in a piece of equipment.

9. A light tower comprising:

a tower frame;

a light tower supported on the tower frame and wherein the light tower is telescopic and has a base portion that houses an extendable portion wherein the extendable portion can be raised and lowered;

a light array supported by the light tower;

a battery housing supported by and connected to the tower frame and a battery is disposed in the battery housing;

lead lines that extend from the battery to a tower inverter that converts DC power from the battery to AC power;

inverter lead lines that extend from the tower inverter to the light array and the light array includes the light bulbs;

wherein the battery housing has a base wall joined to first and second side walls and the base wall joined to opposed first and second end walls;

a housing cover that is releasable joined to the first and second opposed side walls and the opposed first and second end walls such that the cover is disposed opposite the base wall;

the first sidewall includes a metal layer and first and second foam layers and a plastic layer such that the first foam layer abuts against and is joined with the metal layer, and the first foam layer abuts against and is joined with the second foam layer, and the second foam layer abuts against and is joined with the plastic sheet;

wherein the second side wall is structurally identical to the first side wall;

the cover has opposed exterior and interior sides and a service disconnect is extends from the exterior side;

joined to the interior side of the cover is a rubber sheet, and a foam cover sheet is joined to the rubber sheet such that the rubber sheet is disposed between the interior side of the cover and the foam cover sheet;

wherein the first end wall is joined to a first end wall foam sheet and the second end wall is joined to a second end wall foam sheet, and the second end wall has an exterior end wall surface and a current sensor is mounted to the second end wall; and

,

the base wall has a metal base wall sheet having opposed interior and exterior metal base wall surfaces and wherein joined to the interior metal base wall surface is a first base wall foam rubber sheet that is joined to a second base wall rubber sheet.

10. The light tower according to claim 9 wherein the tower frame is mounted on wheels.

11. The light tower according to claim 10 wherein the battery further includes a first module bank and wherein the first module bank is made from a first group of modules wherein each module in the first group of modules has individual rechargeable cells that are electrically connected.