Power supply system and power supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12095265-B2
Application number	US-202017612222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2020
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A power supply system includes a movable power supply device including a first power storage device, a robot including a second power storage device, and a controller, and the controller performs control for conveying the first power storage device to the robot by using the power supply device, on the basis of information about an amount of power stored in the second power storage device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power supply system, comprising:
a power supply device including a first power storage device and control circuitry; and
a plurality of robots, each robot needing power supply and each robot including a second power storage device, wherein
the control circuitry of the power supply device is configured to
acquire, from each robot of the plurality of robots, power information indicating an amount of power stored in the second power storage device of the robot and position information indicating a position of the robot;
determine a robot of the plurality of robots which is closest to the power supply device and which needs power supply, as being a conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on (i) the power information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, (ii) the position information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, and (iii) information indicating a position of the power supply device; and
control the power supply device to convey the first power storage device to the robot, based on the power information of the robot.

2. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply device further includes a traveling device for the power supply device to travel to the robot in response to control of the control circuitry.

3. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply device further includes a first transfer device that transfers the first power storage device to the robot.

4. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply device further includes a second transfer device that transfers the second power storage device to the power supply device.

5. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the robot includes a third transfer device that transfers the second power storage device from the robot to the power supply device and transfers the first power storage device from the power supply device to the robot.

6. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry receives the power information, on the amount of power stored in the second power storage device, from the robot via wireless communication.

7. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry determines at least either the robot that is the conveyance target of the first power storage device or the power supply device that is to convey the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots, the position information of the plurality of robots, and the information indicating the position of the power supply device.

8. The power supply system according to claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry determines the robot having a lowest level of the amount of power stored among the plurality of robots that needs power supply, as the conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots.

9. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry determines the robot having a lowest level of the amount of power stored among the plurality of robots that needs power supply, as the conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots.

10. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
each robot of the plurality of robots is a corresponding linear distance away from the power supply device, and
the control circuitry determines the robot having a shortest linear distance from the power supply device.

11. The power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
each robot of the plurality of robots is a corresponding distance away from the power supply device along a travel route, and
the control circuitry determines the robot having a shortest distance from the power supply device along the travel route.

12. A power supply device, comprising:
a first power storage device; and
control circuitry configured to
acquire, from each robot of a plurality of robots, power information indicating an amount of power stored in a second power storage device of the robot and position information indicating a position of the robot;
determine a robot of the plurality of robots which is closest to the first power storage device and which needs power supply, as being a conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on (i) the power information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, (ii) the position information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, and (iii) information indicating a position of the first power storage device; and
control the first power storage device to convey to the robot, based on the power information of the robot.

13. The power supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry determines the robot having a lowest level of the amount of power stored among the plurality of robots that needs power supply, as the conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots.

14. The power supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry determines at least either the robot that is the conveyance target of the first power storage device or the power supply device that is to convey the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots, the position information of the plurality of robots, and the information indicating the position of the power supply device.

15. The power supply device according to claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry determines the robot having a lowest level of the amount of power stored among the plurality of robots that needs power supply, as the conveyance target of the first power storage device, based on the power information of the plurality of robots.

16. The power supply device according to claim 12 , further comprising a traveling device for the power supply device to travel to the robot in response to control of the control circuitry.

17. The power supply device according to claim 12 , further comprising a first transfer device that transfers the first power storage device to the robot.

18. The power supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry receives the power information, on the amount of power stored in the second power storage device, from the robot via wireless communication.

19. A power supply method, comprising:
acquiring, from each robot of a plurality of robots, power information indicating an amount of power stored in a second power storage device of the robot and position information indicating a position of the robot, by a control circuitry of a power supply device;
determining a robot of the plurality of robots which is closest to the power supply device and which needs power supply, as being a conveyance target of a first power storage device of the power supply device, based on (i) the power information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, (ii) the position information acquired from each robot of the plurality of robots, and (iii) information indicating a position of the power supply device; and
controlling, based on the power information of the robot, the power supply device to convey to the robot.

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd
• Nakanishi Metal Works Co

Inventors

• Yoshikuwa Eiji
• Tsujimori Toshiyuki
• Yamane Hideshi
• Miyao Shoichi
• Okazaki Yoshihiro
• Kitaguchi Ryoichi
• Otsuji Yuichi
• Hoshi Masayoshi
• Matsui Shigetomo
• Matsushima Kanji
• Wakayama Hiromu

Classifications

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/40

  characterised by the exchange of charge or discharge related data · CPC title

• H02J7/855 Primary

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• B25J19/005 Primary

  using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source · CPC title