Accumulator System Having a High-Voltage Accumulator for Mobile Work Machines

Abstract

An accumulator system has a high-voltage accumulator for mobile work machines. A battery management system, has a controller-line connections which can be switched by switches; and a data bus for connection to a work machine control unit. In order to advantageously render an electrical-system battery unnecessary, the battery management system comprises, for voltage supply, a DC-DC converter which is located upstream of the controller in terms of current flow and which is connected to the high-voltage accumulator via a standby circuit. The standby circuit can be activated by means of a circuit that is external to the accumulator system.

Claims

1. An accumulator system for a mobile work machine, comprising: a high-voltage accumulator; and a battery management system which has a controller and a DC/DC converter which is located upstream of the controller in terms of current flow and which supplies voltage to the controller, line connections which are connected to at least one of the high-voltage accumulator and to the battery management system and which can be switched on and off via switches, and a data bus which connects the battery management system to a work machine control system, wherein the battery management system is connected to the high-voltage accumulator via a standby circuit, and wherein the standby circuit can be activated via a circuit that is located outside of the accumulator system.

2. The accumulator system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a safety circuit which is integrated in a circuit which, in addition to the high-voltage accumulator, comprises at least the standby circuit, the controller and the circuit that is outside the accumulator, and wherein the safety circuit is configured to protect against overvoltages, unintentional discharge or deep discharge, and/or false signals.

3. The accumulator system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two line connections are provided, wherein at least one of the line connections forms a high-voltage connection directly connected to the high-voltage accumulator, and wherein at least one other line connection forms a low-voltage connection connected to the DC/DC converter.

4. The accumulator system as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the high-voltage connection and the low-voltage connection comprises at least two line connections which can be switched via at least one of the switches, wherein at least one the switches can be activated by the controller in a standby position of the work machine, and wherein and all of the switches that activate the line connections of the at least one of the high-voltage connection and the low-voltage connection are activated by the controller in a work position.

5. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle having a plurality of electrical loads; a work machine control system connected to the electrical loads; an accumulator system including a high-voltage accumulator, a battery management system which has a controller and a DC/DC converter which is located upstream of the controller in terms of current flow and which supplies voltage to the controller, line connections which are connected to at least one of the high-voltage accumulator and to the battery management system and which can be switched on or off via switches, and a data bus which connects the battery management system to the work machine control system, and a standby circuit via which the battery management system is connected to the high-voltage accumulator, wherein the standby circuit can be activated via a circuit that is located outside of the accumulator system.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the circuit that is located outside of the accumulator system comprises one or more of is a key circuit, a charging circuit, a standby circuit and/or an emergency circuit.

7. A method for operating an accumulator system of a work vehicle, the accumulator system including a high-voltage accumulator, a battery management system which has a controller and a DC/DC converter which is located upstream of the controller in terms of current flow and which supplies voltage to the controller, line connections which are connected to at least one of the high voltage accumulator and the battery management system and which can be switched on or off via switches, and a data bus which connects the battery management system to a work machine control system, the method comprising: activating a standby circuit using an actuating circuit located outside of the accumulator system; supplying the DC/DC converter and the controller with voltage via the standby circuit; and then selectively enabling line connections via the associated switches on the basis of a signal from the circuit that is located outside the accumulator system.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller has a control connection to a work machine control system via the data bus on the basis of a signal received from the circuit that is located outside the accumulator system after the battery management system has been started up.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller has a control connection to at least one of a charging device and an inverter via the data bus on the basis of a signal received from the circuit that is located outside the accumulator system after the battery management system has been started up.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The subject matter of the invention is illustrated, for example, in the drawing, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic circuit diagram of an accumulator system connected to a work machine,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the circuit diagram of the accumulator system from FIG. 1, and

[0027] FIG. 3 shows the circuit diagram of the work machine from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The accumulator system 1, which can be accommodated by a work machine A, in particular in a replaceable manner, comprises a high-voltage accumulator 2 which provides corresponding drive powers, a battery management system 4 which has a controller 3, line connections 6 which can be switched by means of switches 5, and a data bus 7 for connection to a work machine control system 8.

[0029] According to the invention, the battery management system 4 has, for supplying voltage to the controller 3, a DC/DC converter 9 which is located upstream of the controller 3 and, for the purpose of supplying voltage to the controller 3, is connected to the high-voltage accumulator 2 via a standby circuit 10. The standby circuit 10 can be activated via a circuit 11 outside the accumulator system.

[0030] A safety circuit 12 is integrated in a circuit which, in addition to the high-voltage accumulator 2, comprises at least the standby circuit 10, the controller 3 and the circuit 11 outside the accumulator, in order to protect against overvoltages, unintentional discharge or deep discharge and/or the supply of false signals.

[0031] A plurality of line connections (6) are provided in the exemplary embodiment, wherein two high-voltage connections H.sub.S+, H.sub.AS+ which are connected to the high-voltage voltage accumulator (2) and can be switched by means of switches 5 are provided for the purpose of supplying high power to the work machine A and two low-voltage connections L.sub.+, L.sub.S+which are connected to a DC/DC converter 9 are provided for the purpose of supplying energy to the on-board electronics of the work machine A. The DC/DC converter 9 is also used to supply energy to the controller 3 when the standby circuit 10 is activated.

[0032] The high-voltage connection and/or the low-voltage connection each comprise(s) at least two line connections (6) which can be switched via switches 5, at least one of the line connections 6 of which is activated by the controller 3 in a standby position of the work machine in order to supply the on-board electronics of the work machine with energy and in order to make it possible to activate the work machine. All switches 5 can be activated by the controller 5 in a work position.

[0033] A vehicle, in particular a self-driving work machine A (FIG. 1), is equipped with such an accumulator system and with a circuit 11 which is outside the accumulator system and is intended to activate the accumulator system, wherein the circuit 11 outside the accumulator system is a key circuit, a charging circuit, a standby circuit and/or an emergency circuit.

[0034] In order to activate an accumulator system according to the invention using a circuit 11 outside the accumulator system, the standby circuit 10 is first of all activated by actuating the circuit 11 outside the accumulator system, after which the standby circuit 10 supplies the DC/DC converter 9 and the controller 3 with voltage and after which line connections 6 are selectively enabled via the associated switches 5 on the basis of the signal from the circuit 11 outside the accumulator system. In addition, the controller 3 can have a control connection to the work machine control system 8 and possibly to further components, for example a charging device and/or an inverter, via the data bus 7 on the basis of the signal from the circuit 11 outside the accumulator system after the battery management system 4 has been started up. The battery management system 4 therefore detects whether the work machine is intended to be activated or charged, for example, and activates the corresponding functions.

[0035] The standby circuit 11 is activated by means of a signal from the circuit 11 outside the accumulator system. The signal may be a continuous signal or a pulse.

[0036] The vehicle electrical system naturally comprises a multiplicity of loads 12, only one of which is indicated, however. The DC/DC converter 13 of the vehicle electrical system has two connections each on the primary and secondary sides in order to be able to electrically connect the reference potentials of the work machine A and the accumulator system 1.