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Mobile Cart and Power System Therfor
| Content Provider | The Lens |
|---|---|
| Related Links | https://www.lens.org/lens/patent/010-454-965-829-27X/frontpage |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 2019-06-05 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Alternative Title | Mobiler Wagen Und Stromsystem Dafür Chariot Mobile Et Système D'alimentation Pour Un Tel Chariot |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Patent |
| Date Applied | 2013-04-29 |
| Agent | Karakatsanis, Georgios |
| Applicant | Scott Clark L P |
| Application No. | 13782021 |
| Claim | A power system suitable for use in a mobile cart (10), comprising: a battery assembly (17) comprising one or more rechargeable batteries (25), a battery support (27) for each respective one of said batteries (25) wherein said battery support (27) is mountable on the mobile cart (10) and said respective battery (25) is removably engagable with said battery support (27), and a battery connector (32) for each respective one of said batteries (25) which is engagable with said respective battery (25) when said respective battery (25) is installed on said respective battery support (27); and a battery control system (35) adapted to recharge said batteries (25), which has a control unit (36) comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller (41) adapted to receive power from said power supply when connected to external power and to control battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet (46) adapted to receive power under the control of said charge controller (41) to provide power to electrical equipment on the mobile cart (10), a power connector (42/43) for each said battery support (27), which is selectively connectable to said respective battery (25) through said battery connector (32), said charge controller (41) being adapted to control power flow through each said power connector (42/43) to control charging of each one of said batteries (25), said power connector (42/43) being adapted to provide battery power to said first power outlet (46) for use by cart equipment; characterized in that said charge controller (41) is adapted to charge said respective battery (25) to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery (25) is chargeable at a first charging rate and above which said battery (25) charges at a slower second charging rate, said charge controller being further adapted to charge each one of said batteries (25) to said upper charging threshold before beginning to charge each one of said batteries (25) above said upper charging threshold to a full charge. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to Claim 1, wherein said battery control system (35) is adapted to determine if external power is present, wherein external power is used to supply power to said first power outlet (46) and charge a selected one of said batteries (25) by said charge controller (41), and when external power is not present, said charge controller (41) is adapted to switch so as to receive power from one said battery (25) or another said battery (25) and route this battery power to the first outlet port (46) for powering the cart. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of Claims 1 and 2, wherein if external power is not present, said charge controller (41) is adapted to determine which said battery (25) to use, wherein said charge controller (41) is adapted to determine if each said battery (25) is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery (25) is discharged, said charge controller (41) being adapted to use said battery (25) which has the lowest battery charge first. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to Claim 3, wherein if one said battery (25) is at or below the minimum charge, then said charge controller (41) is adapted to use another said battery (25) having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge, and if two said batteries (25) are above the minimum charge, said charge controller (41) being adapted to use said battery (25) with a lower battery charge. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to Claim 4, wherein said battery (25) in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller (41) switches to another said battery (25). The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when charging, said battery (25) with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other said battery (25) is less than said upper charging threshold. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said upper charging threshold is dictated by battery design and chemistry. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when said battery (25) that is being charged reaches the upper charging threshold, said charge controller (41) is adapted to switch to charging another said battery (25) up to said upper charging threshold thereof, and wherein after both said batteries (25) have been charged to their upper charging threshold, said charge controller (41) being adapted to continue to charge one said battery (25) to a full charge, and then charge the other said battery (25) to a full charge. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said charge controller (41) is adapted to initially receive data on a cycle count for each one of said batteries (25) from a data storage (34) associated with said batteries (25), and then to compare cycle counts for each said battery (25), and where the cycle count of one said battery (25) exceeds the cycle count of the other said battery (25) by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery (25) with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge. The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to Claim 1, wherein two said charge controller (41)s are provided to provide the option of charging two said batteries (25) simultaneously, and wherein said control system is adapted to determine when power used by said first power outlet (46) is off or minimal, and then both said charge controllers (41) operate to charge two said batteries (25) simultaneously, and when said first power outlet (46) is in use and supplying significant power, said charge controllers (41) charging only one said battery (25). The power system for a mobile cart (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said power system is operable with one or two said batteries (25) installed in two said battery supports (27), wherein if one said battery (25) is manually removed from said battery support (27) during charging or discharging, said charge controller (41) is adapted to automatically detect removal of said battery (25) and to switch charging or discharging to another said battery (25). A method for operating a power system suitable for use in a mobile cart (10), said power system comprising a battery assembly (17) comprising one or more rechargeable batteries (25), and a battery control system (35) adapted to recharge recharging said batteries (25), which has a control unit (36) comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller (41) adapted to receive power from said power supply when connected to external power and to control battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet (46) adapted to receive power under the control of said charge controller (41) to provide power to electrical equipment on the mobile cart (10), a power connector (42/43) for each one of said batteries (25), which is selectively connectable to said batteries (25), said method comprising the steps of: controlling power flow through each said power connector (42/43) by said charge controller (41) to control charging of each one of said batteries (25) by external power and discharging of each said battery (25), which provides battery power to said first power outlet (46) for use by cart equipment; initiating charging of each one of said batteries (25) by said charge controller (41) when external power is present; characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: continuing charging of a respective one of said batteries (25) by said charge controller (41) to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery (25) is chargeable at a first charging rate and above which said battery (25) charges at a slower second charging rate; after said respective one battery (25) reaches said upper charging threshold, discontinuing charging of said respective one battery (25) and initiating charging of the other of said batteries (25) to said upper charging threshold; and after each one of said batteries (25) is charged to said upper charging threshold, charging one of said batteries (25) by said charge controller (41) to a full charge. The method according to Claim 12, including the step of determining if external power is present, and using said external power to supply power to said first power outlet (46) and to charge each selected one of said batteries (25) by said charge controller (41), and if external power is not present, said charge controller (41) determining which one of said batteries (25) to use, wherein said charge controller (41) determines if each one of said batteries (25) is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery (25) is discharged, and said charge controller (41) using said battery (25) which has the lowest battery charge first. The method according to Claim 13, wherein if one of said batteries (25) is at or below the minimum threshold, then said charge controller (41) uses another one of said batteries (25) having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge, and if two of said batteries (25) are above the minimum charge, said charge controller (41) using said battery (25) with a lower battery charge, wherein said battery (25) in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller (41) switches to another one of said batteries (25). The method according to any one of Claims 12 to 14, wherein when charging, said one of the batteries (25) with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other one of said batteries (25) is less than said upper charging threshold, said method further including the step of discontinuing charging of said one battery (25) upon reaching the full charge thereof, and then initiating charging of the other one of said batteries (25) up to said full charge. The method according to any one of Claims 12 to 15, wherein said charge controller (41) initially receives data on a cycle count for each one of said batteries (25) from a data storage (34) associated with said batteries (25), and then compares cycle counts for each one of said batteries (25), and where the cycle count of one of said batteries (25) exceeds the cycle count of the other one of said batteries (25) by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery (25) with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge. |
| CPC Classification | Processes Or Means; E.G. Batteries; For The Direct Conversion Of Chemical Energy Into Electrical Energy CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER;SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY |
| Extended Family | 035-800-807-305-207 130-023-978-385-870 001-855-386-649-101 064-187-142-319-936 101-711-640-358-450 146-987-729-699-147 160-458-169-260-331 082-952-992-429-400 010-585-697-637-430 199-461-073-862-971 157-171-775-111-508 082-580-430-656-500 010-454-965-829-27X 030-604-196-879-008 |
| Patent ID | 2842195 |
| Inventor/Author | Boyd James S |
| IPC | H01M10/42 H01M10/44 H01M50/204 H01M50/247 H02J7/00 H02J7/02 H02J9/06 |
| Status | Active |
| Simple Family | 035-800-807-305-207 130-023-978-385-870 001-855-386-649-101 064-187-142-319-936 101-711-640-358-450 146-987-729-699-147 160-458-169-260-331 082-952-992-429-400 010-585-697-637-430 199-461-073-862-971 157-171-775-111-508 082-580-430-656-500 010-454-965-829-27X 030-604-196-879-008 |
| CPC (with Group) | H01M10/441 H01M2010/4271 H02J7/0013 H02J7/0045 H02J7/0068 H02J9/061 H02J7/0071 H02J7/0025 H02J7/0048 H01M50/204 H01M50/247 H02J7/00 H01M50/256 H02J9/04 H01M10/0525 |
| Issuing Authority | United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
| Kind | Patent/Patent 1st level of publication/Inventor's certificate |
