Battery pack monitoring system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10615467-B2
Application number	US-201816009893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A battery pack monitoring system is provided with: a battery pack that includes a battery unit capable of supplying electric power to an electric-powered work vehicle, and can be attached to and detached from the electric-powered work vehicle; a detection mechanism configured to detect the state inside the battery pack or the state of the environment surrounding the battery pack with the battery pack detached from the electric-powered work vehicle; a detection mechanism power supply that is separate from the battery unit, and is capable of supplying electric power to the detection mechanism; a notification signal output unit configured to output a notification signal based on a result of the detection performed by the detection mechanism; and a notification device configured to perform notification based on the notification signal output by the notification signal output unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A battery pack monitoring system comprising:
a battery pack that includes a battery unit capable of supplying electric power to an electric-powered work vehicle, and can be attached to and detached from the electric-powered work vehicle;
a detection mechanism configured to detect a state inside the battery pack or a state of an environment surrounding the battery pack with the battery pack detached from the electric-powered work vehicle;
a detection mechanism power supply that is separate from the battery unit, and is capable of supplying electric power to the detection mechanism;
a notification signal output unit configured to output a notification signal based on a result of the detection performed by the detection mechanism; and
a notification device configured to perform notification based on the notification signal output by the notification signal output unit.

2. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection mechanism includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature inside the battery pack or a temperature of the environment surrounding the battery pack, and
the notification signal output unit is configured to output the notification signal based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

3. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a high temperature determination unit configured to determine, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, whether or not a period in which the temperature inside the battery pack or the temperature of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or greater than a predetermined first temperature has reached a predetermined first period,
wherein the notification signal output unit is configured to output the notification signal if it is determined by the high temperature determination unit that the period in which the temperature inside the battery pack or the temperature of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or greater than the first temperature has reached the first period.

4. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a low temperature determination unit configured to determine, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, whether or not a period in which the temperature inside the battery pack or the temperature of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or lower than a predetermined second temperature has reached a predetermined second period,
wherein the notification signal output unit is configured to output the notification signal if it is determined by the low temperature determination unit that the period in which the temperature inside the battery pack or the temperature of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or lower than the second temperature has reached the second period.

5. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection mechanism includes a humidity sensor configured to detect humidity inside the battery pack or humidity of the environment surrounding the battery pack, and
the notification signal output unit is configured to output the notification signal based on the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

6. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a high humidity determination unit configured to determine, based on the humidity detected by the humidity sensor, whether or not a period in which the humidity inside the battery pack or the humidity of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or greater than a predetermined first humidity has reached a predetermined third period,
wherein the notification signal output unit is configured to output the notification signal if it is determined by the high humidity determination unit that the period in which the humidity inside the battery pack or the humidity of the environment surrounding the battery pack is continuously equal to or greater than the first humidity has reached the third period.

7. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein
the detection mechanism is configured to detect a state inside the battery pack or a state of the environment surrounding the battery pack in every predetermined fourth period.

8. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein
the notification device is a display unit provided on the battery pack.

9. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , wherein
the notification device is an on-board monitor included in the electric-powered work vehicle, and
upon the battery pack being attached to the electric-powered work vehicle, the on-board monitor performs notification based on the notification signal output by the notification signal output unit.

10. The battery pack monitoring system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a mobile communication terminal capable of performing wireless communication,
wherein the mobile communication terminal includes the notification device.

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Ito Hirokazu
• Manji Yasuhiro

Classifications

• B60L58/10

  for monitoring or controlling batteries · CPC title

• B60L2250/10

  by alarm · CPC title

• B60L53/80

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title

• B60L2240/545

  Temperature · CPC title

• B60L2200/40

  Working vehicles · CPC title