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WO2024126340A1 - Équipement de construction à gestion de batterie améliorée - Google Patents

Équipement de construction à gestion de batterie améliorée Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2024126340A1
WO2024126340A1 PCT/EP2023/085058 EP2023085058W WO2024126340A1 WO 2024126340 A1 WO2024126340 A1 WO 2024126340A1 EP 2023085058 W EP2023085058 W EP 2023085058W WO 2024126340 A1 WO2024126340 A1 WO 2024126340A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
battery
construction equipment
control unit
electric motor
housing structure
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2023/085058
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ivaylo Ivanov
Peter Karlsson
Jonas Eriksson
Anders LAAG
Samuil MATEV
Svetozar NIKOLOV
Anton Stoyanov
Viktor HAUGE
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Husqvarna AB
Original Assignee
Husqvarna AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from SE2251448A external-priority patent/SE546335C2/en
Priority claimed from SE2251447A external-priority patent/SE2251447A1/en
Application filed by Husqvarna AB filed Critical Husqvarna AB
Priority to EP23832686.2A priority Critical patent/EP4635046A1/fr
Publication of WO2024126340A1 publication Critical patent/WO2024126340A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/007—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
    • H02J7/007188—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters
    • H02J7/007192—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters in response to temperature
    • H02J7/007194—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage the charge cycle being controlled or terminated in response to non-electric parameters in response to temperature of the battery
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C19/00—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving
    • E01C19/22—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving for consolidating or finishing laid-down unset materials
    • E01C19/30—Tamping or vibrating apparatus other than rollers ; Devices for ramming individual paving elements
    • E01C19/34—Power-driven rammers or tampers, e.g. air-hammer impacted shoes for ramming stone-sett paving; Hand-actuated ramming or tamping machines, e.g. tampers with manually hoisted dropping weight
    • E01C19/35—Hand-held or hand-guided tools
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C19/00—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving
    • E01C19/48—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ
    • E01C19/4833—Machines, tools or auxiliary devices for preparing or distributing paving materials, for working the placed materials, or for forming, consolidating, or finishing the paving for laying-down the materials and consolidating them, or finishing the surface, e.g. slip forms therefor, forming kerbs or gutters in a continuous operation in situ with tamping or vibrating means for consolidating or finishing, e.g. immersed vibrators, with or without non-vibratory or non-percussive pressing or smoothing means
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C23/00—Auxiliary devices or arrangements for constructing, repairing, reconditioning, or taking-up road or like surfaces
    • E01C23/06—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
    • E01C23/09—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for forming cuts, grooves, or recesses, e.g. for making joints or channels for markings, for cutting-out sections to be removed; for cleaning, treating, or filling cuts, grooves, recesses, or fissures; for trimming paving edges
    • E01C23/0906—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for forming cuts, grooves, or recesses, e.g. for making joints or channels for markings, for cutting-out sections to be removed; for cleaning, treating, or filling cuts, grooves, recesses, or fissures; for trimming paving edges for forming, opening-out, cleaning, drying or heating cuts, grooves, recesses or, excluding forming, cracks, e.g. cleaning by sand-blasting or air-jet ; for trimming paving edges
    • E01C23/0926—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for forming cuts, grooves, or recesses, e.g. for making joints or channels for markings, for cutting-out sections to be removed; for cleaning, treating, or filling cuts, grooves, recesses, or fissures; for trimming paving edges for forming, opening-out, cleaning, drying or heating cuts, grooves, recesses or, excluding forming, cracks, e.g. cleaning by sand-blasting or air-jet ; for trimming paving edges with power-driven tools, e.g. vibrated, percussive cutters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M10/42—Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells
    • H01M10/48—Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte
    • H01M10/486—Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte for measuring temperature
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M10/60—Heating or cooling; Temperature control
    • H01M10/61—Types of temperature control
    • H01M10/613—Cooling or keeping cold
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0013—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially
    • H02J7/0025—Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0029—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with safety or protection devices or circuits
    • H02J7/00306—Overdischarge protection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0029—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with safety or protection devices or circuits
    • H02J7/00309—Overheat or overtemperature protection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/0063—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02J—CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
    • H02J7/00—Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
    • H02J7/007—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
    • H02J7/00712—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
    • H02J7/007182—Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters in response to battery voltage
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01C—CONSTRUCTION OF, OR SURFACES FOR, ROADS, SPORTS GROUNDS, OR THE LIKE; MACHINES OR AUXILIARY TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPAIR
    • E01C23/00—Auxiliary devices or arrangements for constructing, repairing, reconditioning, or taking-up road or like surfaces
    • E01C23/06—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road
    • E01C23/08—Devices or arrangements for working the finished surface; Devices for repairing or reconditioning the surface of damaged paving; Recycling in place or on the road for roughening or patterning; for removing the surface down to a predetermined depth high spots or material bonded to the surface, e.g. markings; for maintaining earth roads, clay courts or like surfaces by means of surface working tools, e.g. scarifiers, levelling blades

Definitions

  • the present disclosure relates generally to electrically powered construction equipment such as plate compactors, rammers, floor saws, floor grinders and power trowels.
  • Good compaction is the foundation of any construction project. It increases bearing capacity and durability and prevents soil settlement and damage through frost and water erosion.
  • Different machines for ground compaction are known, such as drum rollers, rammers, and vibratory plate compactors.
  • a control unit for construction equipment comprising an electric motor arranged to be powered by an active battery, where the active battery is selected from a first battery and a second battery, possibly having different battery specifications in terms of energy storage capacity, operating temperature characteristics, and discharge capability.
  • the control unit is arranged to monitor respective operating temperatures of the first battery and of the second battery.
  • the control unit is also arranged to initially select the first battery as the active battery, and to switch the active battery from the first battery to the second battery in response to the operating temperature of the first battery exceeding a first battery temperature threshold below a maximum operating temperature threshold of the first battery.
  • the control unit is furthermore arranged to switch back to the first battery as the active battery in response to the operating temperature of the second battery exceeding a second battery temperature threshold below a maximum operating temperature threshold of the second battery.
  • the battery temperature thresholds can be configured based on a desired operating temperature of the battery in order to reduce battery wear.
  • the battery management strategies discussed herein are particularly suitable for systems where both the active battery and the inactive battery are cooled during operation of the construction equipment, since the inactive battery then has time to cool off while the other battery is used to power the machine, due to the switching.
  • the first battery temperature threshold and/or the second battery temperature threshold may be configured between 30-60 degrees Celsius, and preferably between 40-50 degrees Celsius, and more preferably at 50 degrees Celsius. These temperature values represent desired operating temperatures of many batteries, such as many Lithium-Ion type batteries.
  • control unit is also arranged to switch from the active battery to the other battery, i.e., the inactive or disconnected battery, out of the first battery and the second battery in response to occurrence of a shutdown condition of the active battery.
  • the shutdown condition of the first and/or second battery can, for instance, be associated with an operating temperature of the battery at or above a maximum operating temperature threshold of the battery, a current state of charge (SOC) of the battery below a minimum SOC threshold level of the battery, or a battery malfunction condition of some kind.
  • the SOC of the battery may be determined in terms of a voltage level of the battery in, e.g., Volts, or as an estimated energy content remaining in the battery in, e.g., Joules, or as some other SOC metric.
  • the SOC threshold level can for instance be configured between 10-30% of full SOC for the battery, and preferably about 20% of full charge of the battery.
  • the minimum SOC threshold level can be predetermined and/or configurable by a user over a range. This is an advantage since it allows a user to draw more power from a battery than normally permitted, e.g., if a work task is nearly done, justifying the extra battery wear.
  • the maximum operating temperature threshold of the battery is normally dependent on the type of battery, but values on the order of 60 degrees Celsius, i.e., 55-65 degrees Celsius, may be relevant at least for some batteries.
  • the first battery temperature threshold and/or the second battery temperature threshold may also be pre-determined or configured by a user. This allows for optimization of the battery management operations performed by the control unit, which is an advantage.
  • the control unit is, according to some aspects, arranged to determine a rate of temperature increase for at least the active battery based on the monitored operating temperature of the active battery.
  • the control unit is then in a position to predict, i.e., estimate, a time period remaining until the operating temperature of the active battery breaches the respective battery temperature threshold, and to present the estimated time period to a user on a display device of the compactor.
  • This allows the user to plan the work task, which is an advantage.
  • the user can, for instance, better determine when to take a break, having regard to the remaining work that needs to be done using the construction equipment in relation to the time period remining until battery switch.
  • the user can also determine when a trip to the battery charging station on the work site is suitable based on when a battery switch will occur.
  • the control unit may also be arranged to gradually increase the first battery temperature threshold and/or the second battery temperature threshold. This way the battery temperature is allowed to increase beyond, e.g., a desired battery operating temperature, in order to allow a longer operating time.
  • control unit is configured to control the electric motor to maintain a constant target motor speed, e.g., to maintain a consistent performance by the construction equipment, such as a constant level of compaction by a compactor. Equipment such as a compactor will then perform in the same manner regardless of battery SOC, which is an advantage.
  • the control unit is then preferably arranged to switch the active battery out of the first and second batteries to the non-active battery out of the first and second batteries in case the electric motor fails to maintain a motor speed sufficiently close to the target motor speed.
  • the control unit may be configured to monitor battery voltage or SOC, and switch to the other battery out of the first and the second battery when the active battery is no longer able to support operation at the target motor speed.
  • the control unit may also be configured to monitor the output current from the active battery, and switch to the other battery when this output current falls below a threshold required for maintaining the target motor speed.
  • this construction equipment comprises an electric motor and a fan powered by the electric motor.
  • the fan is arranged to generate a flow of cooling air and the electric motor is arranged to power one or more actuators of the construction equipment.
  • a clutch is also arranged between the electric motor and the one or more actuators. The clutch allows separating the electric motor from the construction machine tool, e.g., the vibratory plate of a plate compactor, in order for the electric motor to only drive the fan and not actuate the main construction equipment function.
  • the motor speed during a cooling operation may thus involve operation at a motor speed above the motor speed that is used during normal operation of the construction equipment.
  • the motor speed used during normal operation of the construction equipment may be referred to as a nominal motor speed.
  • the motor speed used during normal operation may also be a range of motor speeds, which can be referred to as a nominal range of motor speeds.
  • the motor speed that is configured during the cooling operation, i.e., when the clutch is disengaged may be determined in dependence of the temperature of one or both batteries, such that a high battery temperature results in a higher motor speed than a low battery temperature.
  • the clutch may be automatically controlled by the control unit based on an operating temperature of one or more batteries of the construction equipment, or manually by an operator desiring to disengage the main equipment actuator (such as the saw blade, vibratory plate, or grinding head) from the electric motor.
  • the control unit can for instance be arranged to disengage the clutch in response to the operating temperatures of the first battery and the second battery exceeding a clutch disengagement threshold.
  • the user can configure the equipment in cooling mode when both batteries or some other component on the machine have over-heated, which will more efficiently cool the batteries and allow the user to resume the work task faster than if no cooling mode is available on the construction equipment.
  • a warning or notification can be issued to the operator of the construction equipment some time before the clutch is disengaged, so the operator is made aware of the upcoming clutch disengagement operation.
  • an override function may also be implemented which allows the operator to cancel the upcoming clutch disengagement operation. This may be useful, e.g., if the work task is nearing completion, where a clutch disengagement would be inconveni
  • the housing structure comprises an air intake for receiving a flow of cooling air generated by a fan of the electrically powered equipment.
  • An inertial dust separating structure preferably a passive dust separating structure, is arranged downstream from the air intake in the housing structure, where it is configured to extract dust particles from the flow of cooling air and to guide the dust particles towards one or more apertures formed in the housing structure to expel the dust from the housing structure.
  • the inertial dust separating structure extracts unwanted dust from the flow of cooling air, which is an advantage since the dust may otherwise cause obstruction in the air flow channel and thus reduced cooling efficiency.
  • the dust may also damage various parts of the construction equipment, such as the batteries and the control circuitry. It is an advantage that the dust separating structure is based on inertia and does not require a filter, since a filter would cause a pressure drop and a reduction in air flow, i.e., a reduction of cooling efficiency.
  • the dust separating structure is preferably a passive dust extraction structure where extracted dust is evacuated from the housing in a passive manner, i.e., without some kind of actively generated scavenging air flow or the like.
  • the dust in a passive dust separation structure is passively guided by the housing structure and evacuated using no other transport mechanism than the main flow of cooling air in combination with gravity.
  • a mechanism comprising a scavenging air flow is not a passive dust extraction structure.
  • the one or more apertures formed in the housing structure to expel the dust from the housing structure opens up vertically or at least in a general vertical direction to the ambient environment, such that dust extracted from the air flow by the dust separating structure is evacuated directly out from the housing structure into the ambient environment, without any intermediate collection chamber, such as a scavenging chamber.
  • the air intake is preferably arranged on an upper side of the housing structure facing away from the ground surface in use. This location is advantageous since more dust is usually present closer to the ground, especially for concrete surface processing equipment such as floor saws and floor grinders, but also for ground compactors.
  • the air intake may for instance comprise a snorkel extending out from the housing structure in a direction away from the ground surface in use, although other air intake designs are also possible. Further advantages are obtained if the air intake is arranged spatially separated from the air exhaust of the flow of cooling air, since then re-circulation of hot air is avoided.
  • the inertial dust separating structure may comprise any of; one or more vortex generator assemblies, one or more cyclones, and one or more baffle arrangements.
  • the structures require a replaceable filter media, which is an advantage.
  • the structures are also low-cost and require a minimum of service.
  • These structures are also inherently passive as discussed above, i.e., they operate based solely on the inherent force in the flow of cooling air in combination with gravity, and do not require any active dust separation, such as a scavenging air flow generated by a dedicated fan or the like.
  • the housing structure preferably comprises a removable gable portion which allows the housing structure to be opened in order to access the interior of the housing for inspection and servicing purposes.
  • the removable gable portion may comprise the air intake and/or one or more exhaust apertures arranged to discharge the flow of cooling air, although the exhaust aperture may be configured in other ways also, such as in connection to a rear end of the housing structure, as will be discussed in more detail below.
  • the one or more exhaust apertures are preferably arranged closer to a ground surface supporting the construction equipment in use compared to the air intake.
  • the one or more exhaust apertures and the air intake are preferably arranged on the same side of the housing structure, although this is not necessary.
  • an area of the one or more dust expelling apertures formed in the housing structure is smaller than an area of the air intake. This way no air is sucked in through the dust expelling apertures.
  • the housing structure can be arranged, e.g., on a plate compactor, a rammer, a floor saw, a floor grinder, or a power trowel.
  • the construction equipment comprises an electric motor and a fan driven by the electric motor.
  • the fan is arranged to generate the flow of cooling air and the electric motor is arranged to power one or more actuators of the construction equipment.
  • a clutch can be arranged between the electric motor and the one or more actuators in order to allow disconnecting the motor from the main load of the construction equipment.
  • the clutch may, for instance, be arranged to disconnect the motor from an excentre weight of a plate compactor, from a saw of a floor saw, or from a grinding head of a floor grinder. The fan will remain operational when the clutch is disengaged.
  • the clutch may for instance be controlled by the control unit based on an operating temperature of one or more batteries of the construction equipment, or manually by a user of the construction equipment.
  • the clutch may be automatically actuated by the control unit on the construction equipment or manually activated.
  • an instruction to disengage the clutch can be issued to an operator, possibly in combination with inactivating the equipment in case the operator does not comply with the instruction. For instance, in the case of overheated batteries, an instruction to manually disengage the clutch can be triggered. If the operator does not comply such that the cooling mode of operation can be activated, then the machine may eventually be inactivated to prevent damage to the batteries.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of an electrically powered plate compactor
  • FIG. 1 shows details of an electrical system for construction equipment
  • Figure 3 shows a top view of a battery cooling system for construction equipment
  • Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating a battery management strategy
  • Figure 5 is an exploded view of an electrically powered plate compactor
  • Figures 6A-C illustrate an example housing structure for construction equipment
  • Figure 7 shows a housing structure in relation to other parts of a compactor
  • Figure 8 illustrates an example air intake dust separator arrangement
  • FIGS 9A-C illustrate a baffle dust separator arrangement
  • FIGS. 10A-B illustrate a vortex generator dust separator arrangement
  • Figure 1 1 is a flow chart illustrating methods
  • Figure 12 illustrates aspects of a display device
  • FIG. 13 illustrates processing circuitry according to an example realization
  • FIGS 14A-C illustrate example battery management operations
  • Figure 15 schematically illustrates a clutch arrangement
  • Figure 16 is a graph showing battery temperatures over time
  • Figure 17 illustrates a housing with an arrangement for reducing water accumulation in a battery compartment on construction equipment
  • Figures 18A-B show details of a battery compartment
  • Figure 19 show top view of a housing, with and without installed batteries
  • Figure 20 is a cross section view of a housing structure
  • Figures 21 A-B illustrate details of a housing structure and a cooling air flow
  • FIGS 22A-B illustrate details of a housing structure and a control unit
  • Figure 23 is an exploded view of a motor assembly
  • Figures 24A-B illustrate details of a housing structure.
  • FIG 1 illustrates an example ground compaction device 100.
  • This particular ground compaction device is normally referred to as a plate compactor.
  • the present disclosure relates generally to plate compactors of the type illustrated in Figure 1 , not specifically to the exact plate compactor machine in Figure 1 .
  • the battery management strategies and the battery cooling arrangements discussed herein are also applicable to more general construction equipment, such as floor saws, rammers, floor grinders and power trowels. Many of the details described in relation to the housing structure of the construction equipment in Figure 1 are also applicable with other types of machines, as will be apparent to the skilled person.
  • a ground compactor is used to prepare the ground in preparation for various types of construction work, such as construction of buildings and laying of pipelines and roads.
  • the compactor has an upper mass 110 and a lower mass 120, where the lower mass is the part that contacts the ground during the compaction operation.
  • the compactor 100 is associated with a forward direction F, which is the direction the machine normally moves in during use.
  • An upwards direction U on the machine is herein to be construed as the direction away from ground during use, as indicated in Figure 1 .
  • a downward direction D of the machine is opposite to the upwards direction.
  • an operator is located behind the machine to hold the handle 160, and pushes the machine in the forward direction F.
  • the ground compactor 100 normally comprises a control unit 150 arranged to control various functions of the ground compactor.
  • the control unit 150 may be connected to a control panel 170.
  • the control panel 170 can, e.g., be mounted on the handle part 160 of the compactor as illustrated in Figure 1 or arranged somewhere on the upper mass 1 10.
  • the control panel can also be separated from the compactor 100 and connected to the control unit 150 by wireless link 175.
  • An optional operator control device 180 can be mounted onto the construction equipment in order to allow an operator to control various equipment functions, such as engagement and disengagement of a clutch mechanism that connects an electric machine of the equipment to a main actuator of the equipment, such as a vibratory plate, saw blade, or grinding head.
  • the operator control device 180 may be integrally formed with the control panel 170 or separate from the control panel 170.
  • Compactors such as the example plate compactor 100 in Figure 1 have traditionally been powered by gasoline engines that drive a vibration generator, such as an excentre device.
  • electrically powered compactors are becoming increasingly common.
  • An electrically powered compactor such as the example provided in US 10,344,439 B2, use electrical power to drive the machine.
  • a drawback with electrically powered machines is that the batteries are in need of regular re-charging. Therefore, large batteries are often used in order to provide the endurance required for extended duration operation.
  • such large batteries tend to be heavy and cumbersome to manage and may not easily be transportable.
  • Battery charging requires an external power source which is not often conveniently accessible directly from the work location, which means that the batteries need to be transported from the machine at the work location to the location of a charging device.
  • the ground compactor 100 is an electrically powered compactor which comprises at least one electric motor arranged to drive the ground compactor 100.
  • Figure 2 illustrates details 200 of a battery housing suitable for use with the plate compactor 100.
  • a housing structure 203 is illustrated into which first and second battery compartments 130, 140 are integrally formed.
  • the housing structure 203 is preferably assembled in the upper mass 110 of the plate compactor 100 via at least one vibration isolating element 250.
  • the ground compactor 100 comprises first and second battery compartments 130, 140 for receiving respective first and second batteries 201 , 202, and power circuitry configured to supply power in the voltage range to the at least one electric motor from either of the first and second batteries 201 , 202. More than two batteries can of course also be used, in which case there are also more than two battery compartments. In this case additional battery compartments are arranged in connection to the first and the second battery compartment. Additional features of the battery compartments 130, 140 will be discussed below in connection to Figures 17-24.
  • the housing structure 203 has an upper side 204, which is the side facing away from the ground surface in use. It is appreciated that the housing structure 203 with the battery compartments is generally applicable in many different types of construction equipment, such as floor saws, rammers, floor grinders and power trowels. The arrangement can for instance be mounted onto a floor saw to power an electric motor 210 which drives the saw blade. The same type of housing structure 203 can also be mounted onto a floor grinder or power trowel to power the grinder or trowel in an efficient manner.
  • the housing structure 203 may comprise first and second battery compartment lids 220, 230 arranged to cover the first and the second battery compartment 130, 140, respectively.
  • the lids can comprise gaskets to provide a water-tight seal around the lid and/or be formed in a resilient material such as rubber in which case no gasket is necessary, which is an advantage.
  • the lids may be configured with locks in order to prevent theft of a battery inserted into the battery compartment.
  • the locks may be mechanical locks opened by use of a key or electronic locks, where the control unit may control the electronic locks 150.
  • a user may, e.g., open the electronic lock by means of a radio frequency identification device (RFID), by insertion of a passcode via a display device 170, or by a facial or fingerprint recognition system, to give a few examples.
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • This battery lid locking function provides theft protection for the batteries in an efficient manner.
  • Figure 17 illustrates some example details 1700 of a housing structure 203 which can be used together with the compactor illustrated in Figure 1 or with some other type of construction equipment, such as a rammer, a floor saw, a floor grinder, or a power trowel.
  • the battery compartment arrangement can also be used with smaller handheld power tools, such as chain saws and power cutters.
  • This example housing structure 203 comprises battery compartments 130, 140 which open up in an essentially vertical direction, i.e., upwards U in a normal operating position of the housing 203.
  • the battery compartments are arranged to receive and to hold respective rechargeable batteries 201 , 202 in a replaceable manner.
  • to be held in a replaceable manner means that an operator can replace the battery with another battery without using special tools and without dismantling parts of the housing 203.
  • the batteries are inserted into their compartments in the housing from above and can be removed from the compartment without use of tools, by an operator of the equipment.
  • a potential issue with a design such as that shown in Figure 17 is that water may flow into the battery compartment 130, 140 from above, and accumulate in the battery compartment, where it may cause problems. The same problem may also be encountered on smaller handheld power tools where there is only one battery compartment.
  • a water barrier 1710 is formed in connection to an aperture 1720 of the battery compartment to prevent water from flowing freely into the battery compartment.
  • the water barrier 1710 extends along at least part of the aperture periphery 1720 (indicated in Figure 18A by a dashed line).
  • the water barrier 1710 is configured to divert a flow of water away from the aperture of the battery compartment 130, 140 such that the water cannot flow freely into the compartment, where it may accumulate and cause problems.
  • the water barrier 1710 which may be formed as a type of wall or other vertically protruding structure or guide, is advantageously configured to guide water accumulating on the upper side of the housing structure to a place where it may flow off the housing structure, and not into the housing structure 203.
  • the water barrier forms a type of gutter together with the upper part of the housing 203 which guides water to a desired location, such as a drain.
  • the water is thus at least initially guided in a channel which is open towards the ambient environment.
  • the housing structure 203 may also comprise at least one drainage conduit 1730 formed in connection to the aperture 1720 of the battery compartment 130,140.
  • the drainage conduit 1730 is a closed conduit, i.e., not open towards the ambient environment except for at its start and end openings.
  • the water barriers 1710 are preferably arranged so as to prevent a flow of water into a ventilation opening in a battery held in the battery compartment, which ventilation opening of the battery is normally arranged to match a corresponding ventilation opening in the battery compartment.
  • An example such ventilation opening 1820 is exemplified in Figure 18B.
  • the water barriers are preferably arranged over any ventilation openings formed in the battery compartments, i.e., upwards U relative to the ventilation openings 1820.
  • the drainage conduit 1730 is configured to guide a flow of water from an upper side of the housing structure 203, past the battery compartment, to a drainage opening in the housing structure 203 below the battery compartment in a normal operating position of the housing structure.
  • the drainage conduit 1730 prevents water that has accumulated on the upper side of the housing structure from freely flowing into the battery compartment or compartments where it may cause problems.
  • the drainage conduits 1730 are preferably combined with the water barrier 1710 discussed above.
  • the water barrier 1710 can be configured to guide a flow of water away from the battery compartment aperture 1710 to the drainage conduits 1730. This way water is prevented from accumulating in the battery compartments where it may cause problems.
  • Figure 18A shows a view 1800 of a battery compartment comprising both water barriers 1710 and drainage conduits 1730.
  • the flow of water 1810 is schematically indicated by the dash-dotted lines.
  • the water flow is initially directed along a first direction along an open channel, i.e., a channel which is open towards the ambient environment.
  • the first direction is here essentially horizontal.
  • the water flow 1810 then changes direction into an essentially vertical direction when it enters the drainage conduits 1730, which is a closed conduit.
  • Figure 19 illustrates an example housing structure 203 with (upper) and without (lower) installed batteries.
  • the lower part of Figure 19 illustrates example drainage holes 1900 which open up a passage from the bottom of the battery compartments 130, 140 to a lower side of the housing. Water that has accumulated in a battery compartment is drained via these holes out from the housing 203.
  • the combination of the water barriers 1710 that guide the flow of water 1810 to the drainage conduits 1730, and the drainage holes 1900 which allow the water from the drainage conduits to exit the battery compartment results in an effective protection against problems caused by water accumulating in the battery compartments. This arrangement reduces the requirements on water seals and the like arranged between the batteries and the battery compartment opening.
  • the upper part of Figure 19 indicates a cross-section view A-A which is shown in Figure 20.
  • the battery compartments 130, 140 can open up in a vertical direction, i.e., upwards U, as illustrated in the Figures.
  • a vertical direction i.e., upwards U
  • the construction equipment battery compartments become more sensitive to water entering in via the battery compartment openings and accumulating in the battery compartment.
  • water barriers 1710 and/or the drainage conduits 1730, as well as the drainage openings 1900 such problems are alleviated.
  • the present disclosure relates to a housing structure 203 comprising at least one battery compartment 130, 140 arranged to receive and to hold a rechargeable battery 201 , 202 in a replaceable manner, where a water barrier 1710 is formed in connection to an aperture 1720 of the battery compartment 130, 140 and where the water barrier 1710 is configured to divert a flow of water from the aperture 1720 of the battery compartment 130, 140.
  • a housing structure 203 comprising at least one battery compartment 130, 140 arranged to receive and to hold a rechargeable battery in a replaceable manner, where a drainage conduit 1730 is formed in connection to an aperture 1720 of the battery compartment 130, 140 and where the drainage conduit 1730 is configured to guide a flow of water from an upper side of the housing structure 203, past the battery compartment, to a drainage opening below the battery compartment 130, 140 in a normal operating position of the housing structure.
  • Figures 17-20 can be used in construction equipment independently of the other features and functions discussed herein. Le., the features in Figures 17-20 are not inextricably linked to any other features discussed herein. Consequently, there is disclosed construction equipment comprising a housing structure with the water barrier or water barriers 1710 illustrated in, e.g., Figure 17. There is also disclosed construction equipment comprising the type of drainage conduits described in connection to Figure 17.
  • Figures 18A-B illustrate details of a battery compartment 1800.
  • the battery compartment is not inextricably linked to the other features of the different housings described herein but can also be used with other types of construction equipment, including handheld work tools such as regular handle chain saws, top handle chain saws, power cutters, and the like.
  • Figure 19 shows two views of the housing structure 203, both seen from the top.
  • the upper part of Figure 19 illustrates the housing structure 203 with batteries received in the battery compartments 130, 140.
  • the lower part of Figure 19 illustrates the same housing structure, but without batteries received in the battery compartments 130, 140.
  • Water that has accumulated around the aperture 1720 of the battery compartment 1800 is prevented from flowing into the battery compartment by at least one water barrier 1710.
  • the water barrier may be formed as a wall or other vertically extending structure which guides the flow of water 1810.
  • the water is preferably guided by the water barrier 1710 or barriers to an opening of a drainage conduit 1730, where it is guided in a controlled manner to a preferred destination, such as a battery compartment drainage hole 1900 (shown in Figure 19).
  • a battery compartment for construction equipment where the battery compartment comprises an elongated battery slot arranged to receive a battery in a replaceable manner, where an opening of the battery compartment has a shape matched to a cross-section shape of a rechargeable battery configured to be installed in the battery compartment.
  • At least one water barrier 1710 extends around at least a part of the opening of the battery compartment to prevent water from flowing freely into the battery compartment.
  • one or more drainage conduits 1730 are arranged in connection to an end of a water barrier, where the drainage conduits are arranged to guide a flow of water from an upper side of the battery compartment to a lower side of the battery compartment in use.
  • the housing structure 203 optionally comprises a control panel (not shown in Figure 2) arranged accessible by an operator to control at least part of the power circuitry.
  • This control panel can advantageously be arranged between the first and second battery compartment lids 220, 230, where it is protected from mechanical impacts and the like during operation. It is an advantage to provide a control panel on a housing such as that illustrated in Figure 2, since the electric motor and the batteries are close by, which reduces the need for cabling. An example control panel will be discussed in more detail below in connection to Figure 12.
  • Figures 24A-B illustrate an example upper part of the housing structure 203.
  • a resilient membrane 2410 has been integrated into the upper side 204 of the housing structure 203.
  • a cross-sectional view 2400 of the resilient membrane 2410 is shown in Figure 24B.
  • This resilient membrane 2410 is arranged to cover a control input device of the construction equipment 100, such as a rocker switch 2420.
  • the resilient membrane is arranged to flex, i.e., bend, and thus allow the battery compartments lids 220, 230 to open and close without exposing the control input device.
  • the resilient membrane may comprise a U-shaped periphery 2430, as illustrated in Figure 24B.
  • the resilient membrane 2410 is not inextricably linked to any of the other features disclosed herein but can be used on other types of housing structures and on other types of construction equipment than that illustrated in the Figures.
  • the present disclosure related to construction equipment 100 comprising a housing structure 203 with at least one battery compartment lid 220, 230 arranged to cover a respective battery compartment 130, 140.
  • a resilient membrane 2410 extends over a control input device 2420, such as a rocker switch or the like, adjacent to the at least one battery compartment lid 220, 230, such that the resilient membrane bends when the lid is opened.
  • the construction equipment 100 may implement a low-power or eco mode where the electric motor 210 is operated at reduced speed, such as at a motor speed 20-30% below nominal motor speed.
  • the control panel can be used to activate and inactivate this low-power or eco operating mode.
  • the low-power mode may also be automatically activated in response to detecting a battery temperature of one or both batteries above an eco-mode threshold. Operating the machine 100 in eco-mode for a while reduces the thermal load on the components of the construction equipment, allowing the components to cool off or at least to exhibit a reduced rate of temperature increase.
  • the operating temperatures of the first and the second batteries may, for instance, be compared periodically against the eco-mode temperature threshold. If both batteries are hotter than the eco-mode temperature threshold, then the eco mode may be automatically activated by the control unit 150.
  • the electric motor 210 is operated at a constant or at least near-constant speed.
  • An advantage of operating the electric motor 210 at a constant or near-constant speed is that the compaction performance is maintained at a consistent level during a battery cycle from full charge to low charge.
  • the motor speed i.e., the axle speed of the electric motor 210
  • the control unit 150 possibly along with the battery voltage, and the control of the electric motor 210 is adjusted to maintain an axle speed close to a desired target speed.
  • a switch from the active battery to the non-active battery may be triggered in case the battery voltage of the active battery drops to a level where the desired target motor speed cannot be maintained.
  • the control unit may inactivate the equipment, since otherwise inconsistent performance may result. In the case of a compactor, inconsistent compaction of the ground surface may result, which is undesired.
  • the control panel may also be arranged to indicate which battery compartment that is currently being used to provide power to the motor, such that an operator may remove the non-active battery from its compartment in order to charge the battery or replace the battery by a freshly charged battery.
  • the control panel may also be arranged to indicate respective states of charge for batteries inserted into the battery compartments, and/or the respective battery temperatures. This way the operator can determine which battery that is in need of charging and remove this battery for transportation away to the charging station. The operator can also receive information of battery temperature in a convenient manner.
  • the control panel may also be configured to display any of: ambient temperature, temperature of the flow of cooling air, temperature inside the construction equipment, temperature of the control unit, and temperature of the electric motor 210.
  • a fan 240 is arranged on the motor axle of the electric motor 210 and driven by the electric motor 210.
  • the fan 240 is arranged to provide a flow of cooling air 310 into the first and second battery compartments 130, 140.
  • This flow of cooling air 310 extends from an air intake 320 at least partly along an extension direction 340 of the motor axle, followed by a branching of the flow 330 radially out from the motor axle towards the first and the second battery compartment 130, 140.
  • a part of the flow of cooling air 310 is directed towards the electrical components of the control unit 150.
  • the electric motor 210 powers one or more actuators of the construction equipment, such as an excentre weight via a drive pulley 350.
  • the drive pulley 350 is an example of a motor load.
  • a clutch 360 is arranged between electric motor 210 and the motor load, such that the electric motor 210 can be disconnected from the one or more actuators of the construction equipment and only used to drive the fan.
  • the clutch may advantageously be disconnected in case the batteries and/or the electric motor 210 are in need of extra cooling.
  • the clutch 360 is schematically illustrated in Figure 15. The clutch may be manually operated or automatically actuated by the control unit 150.
  • control unit 150 is arranged to monitor an operating temperature of the electric motor 210, and to configure a flow direction of the flow of cooling air 310 based on a comparison between the operating temperatures of the first battery T 1 and of the second battery T2 and the operating temperature of the electric motor 210. This way the control unit 150 can determine which component out of the batteries and the electric motor that receives the cooling air first. This component will be better cooled since the flow of cooling air 310 will be heated by the first component which the flow of cooling air passes. In Figure 3, the flow direction is such that the motor receives the flow of cooling air first, and then the two batteries.
  • the batteries By reversing the flow of cooling air, i.e., by operating the electric motor in reverse, the batteries instead receives the flow of cooling air first, and then the electric motor.
  • the flow direction is preferably configured by also accounting for maximum operating temperatures of the electric motor and batteries, such that a component which risks overheating receives the flow of cooling air before a component which is in less risk of overheating.
  • the electric motor is relatively cool while the batteries are running hot, and that the flow of cooling air is directed as in Figure 3.
  • the control unit 150 may then reverse the flow of cooling air to improve the cooling of the batteries, at least temporarily.
  • the electric motor 210 can, generally, be mounted with its drive axle extending out on either side of the battery housing 203, i.e., the first battery compartment 130 may be on the left-hand side of the motor or on the righthand side of the motor, depending on how the motor 210 is mounted in relation to the housing 203.
  • FIG 16 shows a graph which illustrates an example battery management operation involving disengagement of the clutch 360.
  • the graph shows battery temperature vs time.
  • Two batteries are cycled during use of the construction equipment (indicated as solid temperature graph and dashed temperature graph) in Figure 16.
  • the first battery B1 is initially activated, and its temperature rises.
  • the second battery B2 in then switched in because the operating temperature of the first battery breaches a battery temperature threshold.
  • the control unit 150 then switches between the batteries, and also gradually increases the temperature threshold for switching.
  • both batteries come too close to their respective maximum operating temperatures, which triggers disengagement of the clutch. This means that at least one function of the construction equipment is inactivated, such as the vibratory plate of a plate compactor, or saw blade of a floor saw.
  • the electric machine 210 then only powers the fan, which increases the efficiency of the cooling and reduces the power outtake from the active battery. Operation can be resumed once the batteries have cooled down sufficiently.
  • the electric motor may be placed in a reduced power mode, such as at 20-30% below full power, in order to reduce the thermal load in the construction equipment.
  • the control unit 150 may be arranged to control the clutch 360 based on an input signal from an operator control device 180, exemplified in Figure 1 , and/or based on an operating temperature of the first battery 201 and the second battery 202.
  • An operator using the operator control device 180 may selectively activate the main construction equipment function, e.g., the vibratory plate of a plate compactor, a grinding head of a floor grinder, or a saw blade of a floor saw by the operator control device 180.
  • the electric motor 210 can be activated and deactivated by the control unit 150 as function of the battery temperature and/or electric motor temperature in case the clutch is disconnected, i.e., in case the construction equipment is in an inactive state.
  • control unit 150 can cool down the components along the flow of cooling air 310 in the construction equipment 100 in case the components have high temperatures, also when the clutch is disengaged. The control unit 150 can then turn off the electric motor 210 (and thus also the fan 240) when cooling is not needed.
  • construction equipment 100, 700 comprising a control unit 150, an electric motor 210 and a fan 240 powered by the electric motor 210, where the fan 240 is arranged to generate a flow of cooling air 310 for cooling one or more batteries 201 , 202 of the construction equipment, where the electric motor 210 is arranged to power one or more actuators (such as a vibrator plate, a saw blade, or a grinding head) of the construction equipment 100, 700 in an active state of the construction equipment, where a clutch 360 is arranged between the electric motor 210 and the one or more actuators to disconnect the electric motor 210 from the one or more actuators in an inactive state of the construction equipment, where the control unit 150 is arranged to control the electric motor 210 to drive the fan 240 also in the inactive state, based on an operating temperature of one or more batteries of the construction equipment.
  • actuators such as a vibrator plate, a saw blade, or a grinding head
  • the control unit 150 may, e.g., compare the temperatures of the batteries to a battery temperature threshold, such as the first and second battery temperature thresholds or the maximum operating temperatures of the batteries, and drive the fan to bring down the temperatures when the construction equipment is in the inactive state with the clutch disengaged. This can for instance be advantageous when the construction equipment is being transported in-between work tasks, or temporarily left without the main actuator operating.
  • a battery temperature threshold such as the first and second battery temperature thresholds or the maximum operating temperatures of the batteries
  • Construction equipment such as the machine 100 illustrated in Figure 1 is often used in dusty and wet environments such as on construction sites. Dust and water may enter the interior of the machine via the air intake 320 and cause, e.g., hindrance to the cooling air flow 310.
  • the construction equipment 100 may comprise a dust separator arrangement in connection to the air intake 320. Examples of such dust separator arrangements will be discussed below in connection to Figures 8-10.
  • a snorkel can be added to the air intake 320. The snorkel draws ambient air into the machine from an air intake location distanced from the ground. Example air intakes with snorkels will be discussed below in connection to Figures 6-8. It is appreciated that the snorkel is an optional feature that is not required to operate the construction equipment. Different types of air intake designs are possible.
  • the power circuitry is according to some aspects configured to draw power from either of the batteries 201 , 202 during operation, and to automatically and seamlessly switch between drawing power from one battery and drawing power from the other battery. A slight decrease in axle speed of the electric motor 210 may in some equipment be noticed during the switch.
  • An operator can load one or both battery compartments with charged batteries. If batteries are inserted into both battery compartments, then the machine operation time is extended. For shorter duration work tasks, or if only one charged battery is available, then a single battery can be used in one of the battery compartments, leaving the other empty or occupied by a depleted battery. Due to the fact that the battery capacity is split in two in this manner, each battery is manageable in terms of weight and form factor and can therefore be conveniently carried by the operator to the work location, which is an advantage.
  • each battery is between 8-12 Ah, and preferably about 9.4Ah.
  • the nominal voltage of a battery is preferably on the order of 36V, although other voltages can also be conceivable.
  • the weight of this type of battery may be on the order of 1 -3 kg, and commonly about 1 .9kg.
  • This type of battery is easily managed manually, i.e., can be carried by an operator from a charging station to the ground compactor at the work site without much difficulty. A battery twice as heavy on the other hand, would be more cumbersome to manage.
  • each battery may be configured to have a weight between 2500g and 5500g, and preferably either 2000g or 5100g.
  • the working time is on the order of 22 minutes, which means that a ground compactor with two fully charged batteries can be operated for about 44 minutes without interruption.
  • This time span is enough to complete many tasks on a construction site.
  • one of the batteries can be removed and placed in a charging station while the ground compactor is operated, thus allowing for a considerable extension of the operating time if the batteries are cycled between the charging station and the ground compactor.
  • three batteries may be used, where one battery is always in the charging station, while the other two are inserted into the battery compartments.
  • the battery switch can be performed while the ground compactor is in use thanks to the dual battery compartment system disclosed herein.
  • Some of the machines and housing structures disclosed herein are able to support batteries of different sizes, i.e., batteries having different energy storage capacities in the two battery compartments.
  • the battery management is preferably adapted. For instance, different operating temperatures may be desired.
  • the battery management techniques discussed herein are particularly suitable for use in systems with two or more batteries of different specification, where the specification points that differ may be related to any of; energy storage capacity, desired operating temperature, maximum operating temperature, desired power outtake, and/or maximum power outtake.
  • the electric motor and its associated power circuitry are arranged for continuous operation during removal and/or insertion of one of the first and the second battery, conditioned on that the other of the first and the second battery is received in its respective battery compartment and has a minimum charge level.
  • This feature may be referred to as a hot- swap feature where the operator can replace batteries without first stopping the machine.
  • the possibility for hot swap of a charged battery with an empty battery may be particularly advantageous while compacting sticky materials where the compactor may get stuck if stopped for too long, or more sensitive materials where the compactor may leave a mark if left at one place for too long.
  • the batteries are optionally connected separately to the motor drive circuitry. This means that each battery compartment has its own separate connectors that are wired to the drive circuit.
  • the drive circuit is then in a position to select from which battery to draw power. In some cases, it may be preferable to only draw power from one of the batteries, such that only one battery becomes depleted. This is an advantage, since the depleted battery can then be transported away to a charging station, and the ground compaction operation can be continued with power from the other battery.
  • the construction equipment discussed herein comprises power circuitry configured to select an active battery compartment out of the first and the second battery compartments, and to draw power from a battery inserted into the active battery compartment during use, conditioned on that a battery 1 is inserted into the active battery compartment and that this battery has a sufficient level of charge.
  • the power circuitry is configured to switch the active battery compartment to the other battery compartment. In case no battery of sufficient charge is inserted into any of the compartments, then the power circuitry is configured to inactivate the construction equipment.
  • a control panel may be arranged to indicate to an operator which battery compartment that holds the active battery used to power the machine, and which battery compartment that is either empty or holds the inactive battery. This allows the operator to remove the battery from the inactive battery compartment in a convenient manner.
  • the battery compartments comprise lids with locks, then the unlocking of the active battery compartment may be associated with some additional verification, such as a request for additional confirmation issued to the user or the like.
  • the motor drive circuitry may comprise an input port for receiving a signal that determines which battery compartment that is the active battery compartment. This way the operator may override the selection of active battery compartment to manually select which battery that should be used to power the construction equipment.
  • This signal may, e.g., be generated from a control panel of the construction equipment.
  • the construction equipment may also be arranged to indicate when the active battery compartment changes, such that an operator receives a notification that one battery has become depleted or has a temperature above a temperature operating threshold.
  • This notification may be a visual signal, such as a flashing light, and/or an audible signal such as a buzzer sound or the like.
  • the power circuitry may be arranged to switch active battery compartment in case the batteries risk overheating. This way the motor drive circuitry may cycle back and forth between batteries, such that no battery becomes over-heated. The battery not used for driving the construction equipment will still receive the flow of cooling air 310. This is an advantage since it means that the inactive battery will drop in temperature (if it is hotter than ambient temperature).
  • the control unit 150 is optionally arranged to select an active battery compartment out of the first and the second battery compartments 130, 140 for driving the electric motor, where the selection of the active battery compartment is based on any of: presence of a battery in one or both battery compartments, a state of charge of inserted batteries, a temperature of inserted batteries, and/or a manual selection of active battery compartment.
  • control unit 150 cycles the active battery according to temperature and state of charge (SOC), using a set of predefined threshold values Th1 , Th2.
  • the predefined threshold values Th1 , Th2 are set between 30-60 degrees Celsius, and preferably between 40-50 degrees Celsius, and more preferably at 50 degrees Celsius. These threshold values corresponds to temperatures where some batteries start to exhibit a reduced performance in terms of power outtake, and also starts to exhibit an increased wear. Generally, for a Lithium-Ion battery, the preferred operating temperature range is somewhere from 10 degrees Celsius to about 50 degrees Celsius. According to some aspects the predefined threshold values Th1 , Th2 are set based on the battery specifications of the batteries received in the battery compartments, so as to correspond to a preferred upper temperature operating value.
  • the battery temperatures T1 and T2 of the two batteries 201 , 202, respectively, are monitored by the control unit 150 (using, e.g., temperature sensors wired to the control unit).
  • the SOC of each battery is optionally also monitored. Methods for monitoring temperature and SOC of a battery are known in the art and will therefore not be discussed in more detail herein.
  • Respective temperature thresholds Th1 , Th2 are defined for each battery 201 , 202. The threshold values can be the same for each battery or different for the two batteries.
  • Each battery may also be associated with a respective shutdown condition (SD).
  • a shutdown condition can, for instance, comprise a SOC threshold when the battery is considered depleted, or a maximum temperature threshold when the battery is considered to be overheated and in need of shut down.
  • a shutdown condition may also comprise a battery malfunction of some kind.
  • the SOC threshold values, and the maximum temperature threshold values may be the same for the batteries or different.
  • the battery may revert back into usable state after some time or not. If the battery is in an SD condition due to depletion, then it can be charged to enable continued use. If the battery is in an SD due to high temperature, then a drop in temperature is enough to remove the SD condition. A damaged or broken battery may require servicing to enter out of the SD condition, or it may be permanently stuck in the SD condition in which case the battery must be discarded.
  • the machine is initially operated 401 using power from the first battery 201 .
  • the first battery is therefore gradually heats up (unless the ambient air is very cool and the cooling particularly effective).
  • the SOC of the first battery also gradually decreases.
  • the control unit switches to the second battery 202 if the temperature of the first battery exceeds the first battery temperature threshold Th1 (402), or if the SOC of the first battery goes below the first battery SOC threshold (403) associated with the shutdown condition (SD) of the first battery, as illustrated in the flow chart 400.
  • the switch was made due to the temperature exceeding the first battery temperature threshold Th1 , then the second battery 202 is operated until the temperature of the second battery goes above the respective battery temperature threshold Th2, or until the second battery shutdown condition occurs, whichever happens first.
  • a switch 404 back to the first battery 201 is then made.
  • the first battery 201 is then operated until its shutdown condition occurs, i.e., until depletion or until the temperature of the first battery reaches the maximum allowable temperature of the battery, whichever occurs first
  • a technical effect of operating the batteries in this manner is that the battery use is distributed over the two batteries, allowing the first battery to be cooled a bit while the second battery powers the electric motor 210.
  • the early switch to the second battery also means that the battery wear evens out if many shorter time duration compaction jobs are performed by the machine, i.e., compaction jobs where the SOC threshold or maximum temperature threshold of the first battery is never reached.
  • the temperature thresholds may, as noted above, be configured in dependence of battery specification, i.e., in dependence of how high temperatures that the batteries can manage.
  • the two batteries may be of different type and may therefore be associated with different temperature specifications.
  • the SOC thresholds may also be configured in dependence of battery characteristics, since some battery types can manage low SOC better than other battery types.
  • a SOC threshold may be configured around 10-30% of full charge, and preferably about 20% of full charge.
  • FIG 4 illustrates aspects of a control unit 150 for a compactor such as the compactor 100 illustrated in Figure 1.
  • the compactor 100 comprises an electric motor 210 arranged to be powered by an active battery, where the active battery is selected from a first battery 201 and a second battery 202 by the control unit 150.
  • the active battery is selected from a first battery 201 and a second battery 202 by the control unit 150.
  • Various power electronics for the purpose of switching between a first battery and a second battery are known in the art and will therefore not be discussed in more detail herein. Realizations may, e.g., involve a common voltage regulated direct current (DC) bus that link the batteries to an inverter that controls the electric motor 210.
  • DC direct current
  • the control unit 150 is arranged to monitor respective operating temperatures of the first battery T1 and of the second battery T2 and will initially select 401 the first battery 201 as the active battery.
  • the denomination “first battery” and “second battery” can be arbitrarily selected, i.e., any out of two batteries can be called the first battery.
  • the battery labelled as the first battery is switched periodically, such as between charges or after a given time period. This way both batteries will periodically have the role as first battery.
  • the control unit 150 is arranged to switch 403, 405 from the active battery to the other battery out of the first battery 201 and the second battery 202 in response to the operating temperature of the first battery exceeding a first battery temperature threshold Th1 below a maximum operating temperature threshold Tmax of the first battery 201. This means that the control unit 150 switches batteries before the active battery has actually reached its maximum operating temperature. This has the technical effect of balancing out battery use.
  • the first battery temperature threshold Th1 may be configured at about 50-80% of the maximum battery operating temperature or so.
  • the control unit 150 then switches back 404 to the first battery 201 as the active battery in response to the operating temperature of the second battery exceeding a second battery temperature threshold Th2 to balance battery use.
  • the second battery temperature threshold Th2 may or may not be the same as the first battery temperature threshold Th1. It could, for instance, be advantageous to use different battery temperature thresholds if the two batteries differ in terms of thermal capability.
  • a shutdown condition occurring at the active battery may of course also trigger a battery switch.
  • the SD condition may, e.g., involve the battery reaching its maximum operating temperature or reaching a state of charge (SOC) below a minimum SOC level, i.e., a SOC level where the battery is considered depleted. Battery malfunction may also trigger a battery switch.
  • the control unit 150 is optionally also arranged to switch 403, 405 from the active battery to the other battery out of the first battery 201 and the second battery 202 in response to occurrence of a shutdown condition SD of the active battery.
  • the shutdown condition criteria of the first and/or second battery may be the same or different.
  • the shutdown condition may, e.g., be associated with an operating temperature above a maximum operating temperature threshold Tmax of the battery, and/or a current SOC of the battery being below a minimum SOC threshold level as mentioned above.
  • the SOC threshold level is between 10-30% of full SOC for the battery, and preferably about 20% of full SOC for the battery. It may be advantageous to allow a user to configure the minimum SOC threshold level over a range. The user can then temporarily deplete a battery more than what is good for the battery in conditions where this increase in battery wear is justified, such as if a work task is close to completion or under strict time constraints which justify increased component wear.
  • the first battery temperature threshold Th1 and/or the second battery temperature threshold Th2 may also be configured by a user. This allows the user to fine-tune the operation of the control unit according to personal preference, or to optimize the operation for a given work task.
  • the control unit 150 may furthermore be arranged to determine a rate of temperature increase for at least the active battery based on the monitored operating temperature of the active battery and predict a time period remaining until the operating temperature of the active battery breaches the respective battery temperature threshold Th1 , Th2.
  • the control unit 150 can then present the estimated time period to a user on a display device of the compactor 100. This allows a user to see when a trip to the charging station is required, to recharge one or more batteries or fetch new fully charged batteries. The user may then better plan the work task.
  • FIGS 14A-C illustrate some examples of the above battery management technique, which the control unity 150 may be configured to perform.
  • Each of the examples comprises the control unit 150 monitoring respective operating temperatures of the first battery and of the second battery (BAT 1 temp and BAT 2 temp).
  • the control unit 150 initially selects the first battery (BAT 1 ) as the active battery, which starts at temperature TO.
  • the control unit then switches the active battery from the first battery to the second battery in response to the operating temperature of the first battery exceeding a first battery temperature threshold Th1 below a maximum operating temperature threshold Tmax of the first battery.
  • the control unit also switches back to the first battery as the active battery in response to the operating temperature of the second battery exceeding a second battery temperature threshold Th2 which is also below a maximum operating temperature threshold Tmax of the second battery 202.
  • the temperature trajectory of the batteries is therefore, with reference to Figure 14A; A, B, C, D, E, F, G, before the construction equipment is inactivated due to both batteries having experienced a shutdown condition due to high temperature.
  • the control unit 150 instead switches back and forth between the batteries.
  • a battery switch is triggered each time a battery reaches a battery temperature in excess of the corresponding battery temperature threshold Th1 , Th2.
  • this battery management strategy maintains an optimal or close to optimal operating temperature of the batteries during use of the construction equipment, which is an advantage.
  • the wear on the batteries is also reduced since no battery experiences a battery temperature in significant excess of the configurable battery temperature threshold.
  • the battery temperature trajectory in Figure 14B is; A, B, C, D, E, F, G, D, E, F, G, D, and so on.
  • FIG 14C shows an example of the herein discussed battery management strategies where the control unit 150 gradually increases the first battery temperature threshold Th1 and also the second battery temperature threshold Th2.
  • the first battery (BAT 1 ) is initially selected and increases in temperature A until a switch B to the second battery is performed.
  • the second battery then increases in temperature C until the second battery temperature threshold Th2 is breached, following which a switch back to the first battery is performed D.
  • the battery temperature thresholds Th1 , Th2 for switching are then gradually increased, here in steps, to gradually allow hotter and hotter temperatures, and the control unit keeps switching between the batteries as shown in Figure 14C. This operation may prolong the operating time before a temperature induced SD condition occurs in one or both batteries.
  • the battery temperature thresholds Th1 , Th2 are here replaced by a sequence of battery temperature thresholds ⁇ Th1 ⁇ , ⁇ Th2 ⁇ , which is also considered a form of battery threshold herein.
  • the control unit 150 may therefore be arranged to monitor an ambient temperature of the battery housing 203 and/or of the construction equipment 100, and to switch the active battery from the first battery 201 to the second battery 202 in dependence of the monitored ambient temperature.
  • the control unit 150 may, e.g., have two battery management modes, one where repeated battery switching takes place and one where no repeated battery switching takes place. The battery management mode can be selected based on a comparison of the monitored ambient temperature relative to an ambient temperature threshold.
  • Figure 12 illustrates an example display device 1200 which can be mounted onto the compactor 100 or be arranged remote from the compactor 100.
  • the control unit 150 may be arranged to communicate with the display device 1200 via wired or wireless interface.
  • the display device 1200 optionally shows the current operating temperature of the active battery 1210, in relation to the relevant battery temperature threshold Th and the maximum battery operating temperature Tmax. The user can then get an idea of what the active battery temperature is, if it is increasing or decreasing, and if so at what rate. A warning can be displayed if the temperature rate of change is above a threshold, indicating that the cooling system is not fully functional.
  • the control unit 150 may also be configured to use the display device 1200 to convey information about which battery that is the active battery 1220, the SOC of each battery, and also the estimated time to the next battery switch 1230.
  • both the first battery 201 and the second battery 202 are arranged to be cooled in parallel by the flow of cooling air 310 regardless of which battery is selected as active battery by the control unit 150, as illustrated in Figure 3.
  • the control unit 150 may also illustrate both battery temperatures on the display, allowing a user to check that the battery temperature of the inactive battery is decreasing as it should due to the cooling air flow.
  • Figure 1 1 is a flow chart that illustrates a method performed by a control unit 150 in a compactor 100 comprising an electric motor 210 arranged to be powered by an active battery.
  • the active battery is selected from a first battery 201 and a second battery 202 as described above.
  • the method comprises monitoring S1 , by the control unit 150, respective operating temperatures of the first battery T1 and of the second battery T2, initially selecting S2, by the control unit 150, the first battery 201 as the active battery, switching S3, by the control unit 150, the active battery from the first battery 201 to the second battery 202 in response to the operating temperature of the first battery exceeding a first battery temperature threshold Th1 below a maximum operating temperature threshold Tmax of the first battery 201 , and also switching back S4 404, by the control unit 150, to the first battery 201 as the active battery in response to the operating temperature of the second battery exceeding a second battery temperature threshold Th2 or in response to detecting a shutdown condition SD of the second battery 202.
  • the illustrated method summarizes the various operations by the control unit 150 discussed above in connection to Figure 4.
  • Figure 5 shows an exploded view 500 of the example compactor 100.
  • the plate compactor comprises an electric motor 210 arranged to drive an eccentric weight mechanism 510 comprised in the lower mass 120 via a drive belt 520.
  • the ground compactor 100 comprises a bottom plate 530 arranged to contact the ground, an engine plate 540 assembled on the bottom plate 530 by a first set of vibrationally isolating elements 545, and a battery plate 550 assembled on the engine plate by a second set of vibrationally isolating elements 250, where the electric motor is mounted onto the engine plate 540 and where the battery plate is arranged to support the first and second battery compartments 130, 140.
  • the plate 540 is referred to here as “engine plate” even though an electric machine and no combustion engine is mounted thereon. This way a particularly efficient vibration isolation is achieved, since vibration from the ground must traverse two sets of vibration isolating elements 545, 250 before reaching the battery compartments.
  • the first set of vibration isolating elements protect the electric motor from vibration, and indirectly also the batteries.
  • the other set of vibrationally isolating elements provide further vibration isolation, and thus increase the vibration protection of the batteries. Having two sets of vibration isolating elements in this manner also reduces oscillation between the battery compartment and the motor, which is an advantage. It is a further advantage that the motor is not too loosely connected to the bottom plate 530 since the geometrical relation between the motor 210 and the eccentric weight mechanism 510 is then kept reasonably constant such that the drive belt does not slip.
  • the electric motor 210 is used to power the eccentric weight mechanism 510 and also to generate the flow of cooling air 310 for cooling the batteries 201 , 202 held in the battery compartments 130, 140.
  • the branching of the flow 330 radially out from the motor axle towards the first and the second battery compartment 130, 140 can be achieved by resilient conduit members attached to the fan housing.
  • Figures 21 A-B illustrate an example 2100 where example resilient air conduits 21 10 are shown.
  • Each conduit is a resilient hollow conduit arranged to guide a part of the flow of cooling air from the fan towards a respective battery compartment.
  • Each conduit has an aperture 21 10 which opens up in the fan housing as illustrated in example 2100.
  • apertures are offset in fan axle angle, illustrated by the dash-dotted line in Figure 21 A.
  • the apertures 2110 in the example 2100 are offset by about 180 degrees, i.e., in a range between 160 degrees and 200 degrees, which promotes an even distribution of cooling air into the two conduits 21 10. It is an advantage to use resilient conduits since these are less prone to break down over time due to the strong vibrations in the machine 100.
  • the resilient air conduits 21 10 are preferably attached to the rest of the housing using flanged press fits using flanged press-in assemblies.
  • the resilient air conduits 21 10 can be connected to the fan housing using a flange arrangement, as illustrated in Figure 21 B.
  • FIG. 21 A- B there is disclosed herein construction equipment 100 comprising an electric motor 210 arranged to drive a fan 240 to generate a flow of cooling air 310, e.g., as illustrated in Figure 3.
  • First and second resilient air conduits 21 10 extend out from respective apertures 2120 formed in a fan housing 2150 of the fan 240, and each resilient air conduit 21 10 connects the fan housing with a respective battery compartment 130, 140 in order to cool a battery received therein.
  • the resilient air conduits 21 10 may for instance be formed in a pliable material such as rubber, soft plastic, or silicone.
  • the apertures 2120 of the resilient air conduits 21 10 are angularly offset about the fan axis in an angular range between 160- 200 degrees, and preferably about 180 degrees. This promotes a more even distribution of air flow in the two air conduits.
  • the resilient air conduits 21 10 are preferably attached to a housing 203 of the construction equipment 100 by flanged press fits using flanged press-in assemblies.
  • Example flanged press-fits 2130 are illustrated in Figure 21 A.
  • a part 2240 of the flow of cooling air 310 can optionally be diverted towards the control unit 150.
  • Figures 22A-B illustrates details of the internal structure of the housing 203.
  • An aperture 2210 is here formed in the fan housing 2150 which diverts the part 2240 of the flow of cooling air 310 towards cooling flanges 2230 of the control unit 150. Heat is thus transported away from a printed circuit board 2220 of the control unit 150.
  • a deflector 2250 is used to guide the part 2240 of the flow of cooling air towards the flanges 2230.
  • the deflector is basically a wall which directs the flow of air 2240 towards the cooling flanges 2230.
  • there are three apertures formed in the fan housing 2150 Two of these apertures connect to the resilient air conduits 21 10 and one aperture opens up directly into the inner housing volume, where the flow of air is directed towards the cooling flanges 2230 of the control unit 150.
  • construction equipment 100 comprises a fan housing 2150 arranged to house a fan 240 as exemplified in the Figures.
  • An aperture 2210 is formed in the fan housing to allow a flow of cooling air 2240 to exit the fan housing 2150 directly into the internal volume of a housing 203 of the construction equipment 100.
  • a deflector 2250 is arranged on the outside of the fan housing 2150 to direct the flow of cooling air 2240 in a predetermined direction, such as towards cooling flanges 2230 of the control unit 150.
  • At least one additional aperture 2120, such as two additional apertures may also be formed in the fan housing 2150.
  • a resilient air conduit 21 10 then preferably extends out from at least one of the additional apertures 2120, such as towards a battery compartment 130, 140 of the construction equipment.
  • the fan housing and the parts related thereto are not inextricably linked to the other technical features discussed herein. This fan housing can be arranged on other types of construction equipment also.
  • Figure 22A also shows a heel 2260 which forms part of the electrical harness routing inside the housing 203. This heel is arranged on the outside of the fan housing to route the electrical harness.
  • the construction equipment 100 may comprise a bottom plate 530 arranged to contact the ground, an engine plate 540 assembled on the bottom plate 530 by a first set of vibrationally isolating elements 545, and a battery plate 550 assembled on the engine plate by a second set of vibrationally isolating elements 250.
  • the electric motor 210 is mounted onto the engine plate 540 and the battery plate is arranged to support the first and second battery compartments 130, 140. Vibration from the ground must traverse two sets of vibration isolating elements 545, 250 before reaching the battery compartments.
  • the first set of vibration isolating elements protect the electric motor from vibration, and indirectly also the batteries.
  • the other set of vibrationally isolating elements provide further vibration isolation, and thus increase the vibration protection of the batteries.
  • the first and second sets of vibration isolating elements create two different vibration domains.
  • a first domain comprising the electric motor 210 moves relative to the bottom plate 530
  • a second domain comprising the battery compartments 130, 140 moves relative to both the bottom plate 530 and the first vibration domain.
  • the fan 240 is connected to the axle of the electric motor 210 and therefore comprised in the first vibration domain, and so is the fan housing 2150.
  • FIG 23 shows an exploded view of an example electric motor mounting.
  • the rigid fan housing 2150 also illustrated in Figures 22A-B, is connected by a flange 2160 to the electric motor 210.
  • An axle extender 2310, 2330 is used to connect the electric motor to the vibration generating implement.
  • a bracket 2320 is used to secure the electric motor to the engine plate 540.
  • construction equipment 100 comprising an electric motor 210 arranged to drive a vibration generating part 510, such as an eccentric weight arrangement or some other type of tool, such as a saw blade or core drill.
  • the construction equipment also comprises a fan 240.
  • the electric motor 210 and the fan 240 are vibrationally isolated from the vibration generating part 510 in a first vibration domain.
  • the construction equipment further comprises one or more battery compartments 130, 140 arranged to hold respective batteries to power the electric motor 210. These battery compartments are vibrationally isolated from the electric motor 210 and the fan 240 in the first vibration domain, and also from the vibration generating part 510.
  • the battery compartments are thus comprised in a second vibration domain separated from the first vibration domain and from the main source of vibration.
  • Resilient air conduits 21 10 extend between the fan 240 in the first vibration domain to the battery compartments 130, 140 in the second vibration domain. This way the flow of cooling air 310 is transported in an efficient and robust manner between the two vibration domains.
  • the resilient air channels can advantageously be connected by use of flanged press-fit assemblies 213O.
  • the compactor 100 in use, tends to generate a significant amount of dust, at least if compacting loose material such as gravel.
  • the compactor is also often used in environments such as construction sites where other machines generate dust. This dust may enter into the machine interior, i.e., into the electric motor and the batteries, via the flow of cooling air 310 drawn into the machine by the fan 240 through the air intake 320.
  • FIGS 6A-C illustrate an optional housing structure design that can be used together, e.g., with the plate compactor 100 or with some other type of construction equipment such as a rammer, a floor saw, a floor grinder, or the like.
  • This housing structure 203 comprises an air intake 320 arranged vertically distanced from the lower mass 120 of the compactor 100. This location a bit up from the ground has less dust in the air and it is therefore an advantage to draw air in here compared to the ambient air closer to ground.
  • the battery housing implementation and electric machine realization illustrated in Figure 5 does not comprise the same type of air intake as illustrated in Figures 6A-C.
  • the air intake 320 is arranged at a location separated from the ground by a horizontal plane aligned with the motor axle of the electric motor 210.
  • the air intake 320 is arranged at a location away from the ground separated from the first and second batteries 201 , 202 by a horizontal plane, i.e., the air intake 320 is arranged above the batteries.
  • the air intake is preferably situated on one side of the battery housing structure 203 as illustrated in Figure 6A and 6B, and angled inwards. Le., the air intake aperture is angled upwards at an angle and facing away from the ground.
  • the air intake preferably also comprises some form of grating to prevent larger objects from entering into the air intake.
  • the snorkel 610 preferably comprises a cap portion 640 arranged to prevent water and dirt from entering into the air intake 320 from a vertical direction in use.
  • the cap portion for instance, prevents rain from entering into the air intake.
  • the cap portion can be formed in a number of different ways. For instance, as a roof or gooseneck ventilator as illustrated in the inserts in Figure 6B, or by an angled grate as illustrated in Figures 6B and 6C.
  • the snorkel may extend some distance away from the main housing body, for instance such that the air intake location is distanced from the main housing body by 20 cm up to 100 cm.
  • a snorkel 610 can be arranged to guide the flow of cooling air 310 into the machine.
  • a snorkel 610 is an air channel such as a tubular member which extends from a location above the compactor upper mass 1 10 and into the machine. The snorkel therefore draws more clean air into the machine 100 compared to an air intake which starts at a position closer to the ground.
  • Another advantage associated with separating the air intake location from the air exhaust location is that re-circulation of hot air is avoided. Le., the air intake will draw in cool air from the environment instead of hot air which has recently been exhausted from the machine, as could happen if the air intake and air exhaust are located too close to each other.
  • the flow of cooling air 210 terminates in exhaust apertures 620 formed in the side wall of the housing structure 203 below the air intake location in use, i.e., closer to the ground compared to the air intake.
  • the exhaust apertures 620 are also formed on the same side of the housing 203 as the air intake, although this is not a necessary feature. These apertures will not let any significant amount of dust into the machine interior due to the overpressure and the flow of air coming out from the apertures. Le., any dust entering the machine interior via the apertures first has to overcome the flow of air going out from the machine interior into the ambient environment.
  • the exhaust apertures 620 are preferably covered by grates or a mesh to prevent larger objects from entering into the machine interior. Other solutions for providing air exhaust are of course possible.
  • the exhaust apertures 620 formed in the side wall of the housing structure 203 and illustrated in the drawings are optional.
  • the flow of cooling air 210 may, e.g., just as well be terminated at apertures 660 formed at the front or rear walls 650 of the housing structure, as illustrated in Figure 6A.
  • the exhaust aperture 660 may advantageously be arranged behind a rear wall or a front wall of the housing structure 203, where it is protected from the ambient environment.
  • Figure 6C illustrates a gable portion 630 of the housing structure 203.
  • This gable portion 630 may be configured as a service hatch which can be removed from the housing structure in order to access the machine interior.
  • Figure 7 illustrates an example housing structure 203 assembled on an example compactor frame.
  • the gable portion 630 can be releasable from the rest of the housing structure 203, as illustrated by the dashed arrow in Figure 7.
  • the gable portion 630 can, for instance, be held in position relative to the rest of the housing structure by a releasable snaplock, an interference fit, or excentre lock mechanism.
  • a handle 710 can optionally be attached to the gable portion 630 in order to facilitate removal of the gable portion.
  • the gable portion 630 can, according to some aspects, be removed from the rest of the housing structure 203 in order to inspect and/or service parts of the machine interior, such as the fan, the motor, and the battery connectors.
  • FIG 8 shows an example dust separator arrangement 800.
  • a dust separator arrangement is, generally, an arrangement which separates dust and other unwanted matter from the flow of cooling air 310 that is drawn into the machine interior in order to cool the electric motor 210 and the batteries 201 , 202, and possibly also one or more electronic components such as the processing circuitry of the control unit 150.
  • the dust separator arrangement can be realized in many different ways, for example as a vortex generator to be discussed in more detail below in connection to Figures 10A-B.
  • the dust separator arrangement can be arranged in axial alignment with the electric motor 210 as shown in the example of Figure 8, or in the snorkel 610, i.e., along the vertical extension direction of the cooling air flow 310 after the cooling air flow has entered the machine interior via the air intake 320.
  • FIGS 9A-C illustrate an example baffle arrangement 900 which can be used as dust separator to remove dust and other unwanted matter from the flow of cooling air 310 before the flow of cooling air passes the electric motor 210 and the batteries 201 , 202.
  • the baffle arrangement 900 can be arranged in a cylindrical conduit 910 as illustrated in Figure 9A, which cylindrical member can be axially aligned with the fan 240, upstream of the fan 240 and the electric motor 210, and also upstream of the batteries 201 , 202.
  • Baffle arrangements use one or more baffle members 920 that causes the conveying air stream to make a sudden change of direction.
  • Air guides 940 can be used to direct the flow of cooling air onto the baffle members.
  • the air guides are V-shaped elongated members forming a grate held in position by an annular member 950.
  • the annular member has protrusions or tabs 960 which simplify insertion with correct alignment of the air guides into the cylindrical conduit 910.
  • Figure 9C shows a cross-section view of the dust separator baffle arrangement 900, with the air guide portion slightly removed from the tubular conduit.
  • a water drain hole 970 is preferably arranged at the lowest point in the cylindrical conduit 910, such that any accumulated water can exit the dust separator arrangement.
  • a low wall may also be arranged to stop water and larger particles from entering into the machine downstream of the fan.
  • the water drain hole preferably has a rather small cross-section area, such as an area on the order of 3-10 mm2 or so.
  • FIGs 10A-B illustrate a dust separator arrangement based on a vortex generator assembly 1000.
  • a vortex generator 1020 is arranged in a cylindrical conduit 1010, which can be mounted in axial alignment with the fan 240 in the same manner as the baffle arrangement 900 discussed above.
  • the flow of cooling air 310 enters into the vortex generator assembly 1000 where the air flow is brought into rotation R by the vortex generator 1020. This rotation forces dust particles radially outwards.
  • the flow of cooling air 310 is then guided in through a funnel 1040, whereupon the dust forced radially outwards instead exists D the dust separator through the apertures 1030 formed in the bottom part of the cylindrical conduit 1010.
  • the vortex generator 1020 comprises a set of fixed vanes 1050 extending out from a center of the generator and angled with respect to the input direction of the flow of cooling air 310 (not unlike a fixed propeller).
  • the set of vanes interferes with the flow of cooling air to cause the flow of cooling air to rotate R as illustrated in Figure 10B.
  • the rotation forces dust radially particles outwards in the cylindrical conduit 1010 while clean air continues past the funnel 1040 and onwards towards the motor 210 and the battery compartments.
  • the dust particles are trapped by the funnel 1040 and falls out from the dust separator arrangement via the apertures 1030.
  • Vortex generators like this are generally known and will therefore not be discussed in more detail herein.
  • Figures 6-10 illustrate some example housing structures 203 for electrically powered construction equipment, such as the compactor 100 illustrated in Figure 1 .
  • the illustrated housing structures 203 comprise an air intake 320 for receiving a flow of cooling air 310 generated by a fan 240 of the electrically powered equipment 100.
  • This flow of cooling air 310 may be used for cooling the electric motor 210 as well as the two batteries 201 , 202, as illustrated in Figure 3.
  • the processing circuitry of the control unit 150 and other electronic components in connection thereto may also be cooled by a part of the flow of cooling air 310.
  • An inertial dust separating structure 800, 900, 1000 is optionally arranged downstream from the air intake 320 in the housing structure 203, where it is configured to extract dust particles from the flow of cooling air 310 and to guide the dust particles towards one or more apertures 930, 1030 formed in the housing structure 203.
  • the inertial dust separating structure is preferably a passive structure which operates using the inherent force in the cooling air flow in combination with gravity, i.e., no additional scavenging air flow or the like is required. In this manner dust and other unwanted matter is removed at least partially from the flow of cooling air in a passive manner and expelled from the housing structure 203 via the one or more apertures 930, 1030.
  • the one or more apertures 930, 1030 are preferably arranged to open up in a vertical direction, and directly into the ambient environment, i.e., not via some form of scavenging chamber or the like, which needs to be actively scavenged by a scavenging air flow. This means that less dust enters the machine interior, where it can cause clogging of the cooling air conduits and unwanted wear to various components of the compactor 100, which is an advantage.
  • the area of the apertures where dust exits the dust separating structure is generally smaller than the ingress area of the dust separating structure and the egress area of the dust separating structure.
  • the relationship between the main air intake area and the apertures 930, 1030 can be determined by practical experimentation or computer simulation.
  • the air intake 320 is arranged on an upper side of the housing structure facing away from the ground surface in use. This location for the air intake is advantageous since there is a smaller amount of dust at this location compared to locations closer to the ground (being compacted, sawed, grinded or troweled).
  • the air intake 320 may also comprise a snorkel 610 which extends out from the housing structure 203 in a direction away from the ground surface in use, thus removing the air intake even further from the ground surface being compacted.
  • the inertial dust separating structure may comprise any of; one or more vortex generator assemblies 1000, one or more cyclones, and one or more baffle arrangements 900.
  • the housing structure 203 comprises a removable gable portion 630, which allows convenient access to the machine interior. This allows for convenient cleaning of, e.g., the inertial dust separating structure, where dust may sometimes gather.
  • the removable gable portion preferably comprises the air intake 320.
  • FIG. 13 schematically illustrates, in terms of a number of functional units, the general components of the control unit 150, 1300 for realizing at least some of the techniques discussed herein.
  • Processing circuitry 1310 is provided using any combination of one or more of a suitable central processing unit CPU, multiprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor DSP, etc., capable of executing software instructions stored in a computer program product, e.g., in the form of a storage medium 1330.
  • the processing circuitry 1310 may further be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit ASIC, or field programmable gate array FPGA.
  • the processing circuitry 1310 is configured to cause the construction equipment 100 and/or the control panel display unit 170, 1200 to perform a set of operations, or steps, such as the methods discussed above.
  • the storage medium 1330 may store the set of operations
  • the processing circuitry 1310 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 1330 to cause the device to perform the set of operations.
  • the set of operations may be provided as a set of executable instructions.
  • the processing circuitry 1310 is thereby arranged to execute methods as herein disclosed.
  • the storage medium 1330 may also comprise persistent storage, which, for example, can be any single one or combination of magnetic memory module, optical memory module, solid state memory module or even remotely mounted memory module.
  • the circuit may further comprise an interface 1320 for communications with at least one external device.
  • the interface 1320 may comprise one or more transmitters and receivers, comprising analogue and digital components and a suitable number of ports for wireline or wireless communication.
  • the processing circuitry 1310 controls the general operation of the control panel, e.g., by sending data and control signals to the interface 1320 and the storage medium 1330, by receiving data and reports from the interface 1320, and by retrieving data and instructions from the storage medium 1330.

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Abstract

Unité de commande (150) pour un équipement de construction (100, 700) comprenant un moteur électrique (210) agencé pour être alimenté par une batterie active, la batterie active étant sélectionnée parmi une première batterie (201) et une seconde batterie (202), l'unité de commande (150) étant agencée pour surveiller des températures de fonctionnement respectives de la première batterie (T1) et de la seconde batterie (T2), l'unité de commande (150) étant agencée pour sélectionner initialement (401) la première batterie (201) en tant que batterie active, l'unité de commande (150) étant agencée pour commuter (402) la batterie active de la première batterie (201) à la seconde batterie (202) en réponse au fait que la température de fonctionnement de la première batterie dépasse un seuil de température de première batterie (Th1) au-dessous d'un seuil de température de fonctionnement maximal (Tmax) de la première batterie (201), l'unité de commande (150) étant agencée pour revenir (404) à la première batterie (201) en tant que batterie active en réponse au fait que la température de fonctionnement de la seconde batterie dépasse un seuil de température de seconde batterie (Th2) au-dessous d'un seuil de température de fonctionnement maximal (Tmax) de la seconde batterie (202).
PCT/EP2023/085058 2022-12-13 2023-12-11 Équipement de construction à gestion de batterie améliorée Ceased WO2024126340A1 (fr)

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EP23832686.2A EP4635046A1 (fr) 2022-12-13 2023-12-11 Équipement de construction à gestion de batterie améliorée

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

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SE2251448-3 2022-12-13
SE2251448A SE546335C2 (en) 2022-12-13 2022-12-13 Electrically powered construction equipment comprising a housing structure with an inertial dust separating structure
SE2251447A SE2251447A1 (en) 2022-12-13 2022-12-13 Construction equipment with improved battery control
SE2251447-5 2022-12-13

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EP1267001B1 (fr) 2001-06-14 2009-09-23 Swepac International AB Compacteur à plaque vibrante
US20130279980A1 (en) * 2010-12-22 2013-10-24 Wacker Neuson Produktion GmbH & Co. KG Soil compacting device having an air-cooled battery
US20130257386A1 (en) * 2012-03-30 2013-10-03 Robert Bosch Gmbh Electric device and method for operating an electric drive
US20170025869A1 (en) * 2015-07-22 2017-01-26 Motorola Mobility Llc Controlling charging and/or discharging of batteries within a user device
US10344439B2 (en) 2017-09-13 2019-07-09 Wacker Neuson Produktion GmbH & Co. KG Soil compacting device

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