Hybrid light tower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11913611-B2
Application number	US-202217966611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2022
Priority date	Oct 15, 2021
Publication date	Feb 27, 2024
Grant date	Feb 27, 2024

Abstract

A hybrid light tower includes an engine, a permanent magnet generator configured to be driven by the engine, a battery pack including a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells, an extendible mast configured to move between a lowered position and a raised position, and a light assembly including a plurality of light emitting diodes. The generator is configured to produce a first DC power. The battery pack is directly electrically coupled to the generator to receive the first DC power from the generator to charge the battery pack. The light assembly is coupled to the mast and the light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the battery pack to receive a second DC power from the battery pack. The light tower does not include a battery charger connected to the battery pack.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid light tower, comprising:
an engine;
a permanent magnet generator configured to be driven by the engine, wherein the generator is configured to produce a first DC power;
a battery pack including a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells, the battery pack directly electrically coupled to the generator to receive the first DC power from the generator to charge the battery pack;
an extendible mast configured to move between a lowered position and a raised position; and
a light assembly including a plurality of light emitting diodes, the light assembly coupled to the mast and the light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the battery pack to receive a second DC power from the battery pack;
wherein the light tower does not include a battery charger connected to the battery pack.

2. The hybrid light tower of claim 1 , wherein the light tower does not include a DC to AC converter.

3. The hybrid light tower of claim 1 , further comprising a controller in communication with the engine, the battery pack, and the light assembly, the controller being configured to:
receive an available power output from the battery pack;
determine if the available power output is less than a commanded power consumption of the light assembly; and
upon determining that the available power output is less than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to increase speed and thereby increase the first DC power provided by the generator.

4. The hybrid light tower of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is greater than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to maintain speed.

5. The hybrid light tower of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is greater than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to turn off and power the light assembly solely with the battery pack.

6. The hybrid light tower of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is less than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the battery pack to stop supplying the second DC power to the light assembly and power the light assembly solely with the engine and the generator.

7. The hybrid light tower of claim 1 , further comprising:
an engine sensor configured to output a speed of the engine;
a user device or display configured to receive inputs from a user; and
a controller in communication to the user device or display and configured to:
receive the speed of the engine from the engine sensor;
determine an amount of power output needed from the battery pack; and
determine an engine speed required to reach the desired power output.

8. The hybrid light tower of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller in communication with the engine, the battery pack, and the light assembly, the controller being configured to:
receive a power output of the engine;
receive a power output of the battery pack;
control a power output to the light assembly based on the power output of the engine and the power output of the battery pack; and
calculate the power output to the light assembly to run the light assembly for a desired runtime, in response to receiving an input of the desired runtime from a display.

9. A hybrid light tower, comprising:
an engine;
a permanent magnet generator configured to be driven by the engine, wherein the generator is configured to produce a DC power;
a battery pack including a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells;
a mast;
a light assembly including a plurality of light emitting diodes, the light assembly coupled to the mast and the light emitting diodes electrically coupled to the battery pack to receive power from the battery pack, the generator, or both the battery pack and the generator; and
a controller in communication with the engine, the battery pack, and the light assembly, the controller being configured to:
receive an available power output from the battery pack;
determine if the available power output is less than a commanded power consumption of the light assembly; and
upon determining that the available power output is less than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to increase speed and thereby increase the DC power provided by the generator.

10. The hybrid light tower of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is greater than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to maintain speed.

11. The hybrid light tower of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is greater than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to turn off and power the light assembly solely with the battery pack.

12. The hybrid light tower of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is less than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the battery pack to stop supplying the second DC power to the light assembly and power the light assembly solely with the engine and the generator.

13. The hybrid light tower of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a power output of the engine;
control a power output to the light assembly based on the power output of the engine and the available power output of the battery pack; and
calculate the power output to the light assembly to run the light assembly for a desired runtime, in response to receiving an input of the desired runtime from a display.

14. The hybrid light tower of claim 9 , wherein the battery pack is directly coupled to the generator so that the generator is configured to directly charge the battery pack without a battery charger being connected to the battery pack.

15. A hybrid light tower, comprising:
an engine;
a permanent magnet generator configured to be driven by the engine, wherein the generator is configured to produce a first DC power;
a battery pack including a plurality of lithium-ion battery cells, the battery pack directly electrically coupled to the generator to receive the first DC power from the generator to charge the battery pack;
an extendible mast configured to move between a lowered position and a raised position;
a light assembly coupled to the mast and including a plurality of light emitting diodes; and
a controller in communication with the engine, the battery pack, and the light assembly, the controller being configured to selectively supply a second DC power to the light emitting diodes from the battery pack, the generator, or both the battery pack and the generator.

16. The hybrid light tower of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive an available power output from the battery pack;
determine if the available power output is less than a commanded power consumption of the light assembly; and
upon determining that the available power output is less than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly, instruct the engine to increase speed and thereby increase the first DC power provided by the generator.

17. The hybrid light tower of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
upon determining that the available power is greater than the commanded power consumption of the light assembly,

Assignees

• Briggs & Stratton Llc

Inventors

• Avery Stephen Bryan
• Brunelli Brian
• Jones Dave
• Grasz Andrew
• Booth Cole

Classifications

• F21L14/04 Primary

  carried on wheeled supports · CPC title

• F21V21/22 Primary

  telescopic · CPC title

• F21W2131/10

  Outdoor lighting · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21L13/00

  Electric lighting devices with built-in electric generators (with solar cells F21L4/00) · CPC title