Industrial vehicle

• US 8,825,246 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: Yamada, Tadashi, Iwase, Shigenori, Murata, Hiroshi, Uematsu, Nobuyoshi, Ushio, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US13/283,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/24 Electrical devices or systems
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/484 for measuring electrolyte level, electrolyte density or electrolyte conductivity
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An industrial vehicle having a vehicle body includes a battery, an electric motor, an electrolyte level sensor, a vehicle operating with lowered electrolyte level, a vehicle operating time calculator, a data-storing device storing data of the vehicle operating time, an electric motor limiting condition and a motor controller. The electric motor is driven to generate torque. The electrolyte level sensor detects whether or not electrolyte level of the battery is lower than a predetermined level. The vehicle operating time is a time elapsing while the electrolyte level is lower than the predetermined level. The vehicle operating time calculator counts the vehicle operating time in accordance with the detection of the electrolyte level. The electric motor limiting condition limits operation of the electric motor gradually in accordance with the vehicle operating time. The motor controller controls operation of the electric motor based on the electric motor limiting condition.

Claims

1. An industrial vehicle including a vehicle body comprising:

a battery mounted on the vehicle body;

an electric motor driven by electric power from the battery to generate torque, the electric motor being a traction motor by which the industrial vehicle is driven to travel;

an electrolyte level sensor detecting whether or not electrolyte level of the battery is lower than a predetermined level;

a vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level being a time elapsing while the industrial vehicle is in a key-on state and the electrolyte level is lower than the predetermined level;

a vehicle operating time calculator counting the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level in accordance with the detection of the electrolyte level by the electrolyte level sensor;

a data-storing device storing data of the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level;

an electric motor limiting condition for limiting operation of the electric motor gradually in accordance with the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level; and

a motor controller controlling operation of the electric motor based on the electric motor limiting condition.

2. The industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor limiting condition includes a plurality of set times for plural stages and a plurality of limiting manners for the stages in which the operation of the electric motor is limited in each stage, the length of each stage is defined by the set time for the stage, the set times and the limiting manners are variable.

3. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the current stage proceeds to the next stage when the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level exceeds the set time for the current stage.

4. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein torque of the electric motor is limited in each stage in the limiting manner, or traveling speed of the industrial vehicle is limited in each stage in the limiting manner.

5. The industrial vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the limited torque of the electric motor is decreased as the stage proceeds to the next stage.

6. The industrial vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the limited traveling speed of the electric motor is decreased as the stage proceeds to the next stage.

7. The industrial vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the industrial vehicle further includes a display device for displaying time, the display device displays at least one of the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level and a remaining time of the set time before the current stage proceeds to the next stage.

8. The industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor limiting condition is a torque limiting condition for limiting maximum torque of the electric motor gradually in accordance with the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level or the electric motor limiting condition is a traveling speed limiting condition for limiting maximum traveling speed of the industrial vehicle gradually in accordance with the vehicle operating time with lowered electrolyte level.

9. The industrial vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the maximum torque of the electric motor is decreased as the stage proceeds to the next stage.

10. The industrial vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the limited maximum traveling speed of the industrial vehicle is decreased as the stage proceeds to the next stage.

11. The industrial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the electrolyte level by the electrolyte level sensor is performed when the electric motor is at a stop where no current flows through the electric motor.