JP2023183198A - Movable body, power control method of movable body and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To more effectively utilize power.SOLUTION: A movable body includes a motor, a first battery, a first electric wire for connecting the motor and the first battery, control equipment, a second battery, a second electric wire for connecting the control equipment and the second battery, a first power converter arranged on an electric wire for connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire to convert voltage in a bidirection, and a controller for acquiring information of charging rates of the first battery and the second battery and controlling operation of each part. The controller executes a discharge assist mode for supplying power of the second battery to the first electric wire by a second power converter when driving the motor, a charge assist mode for supplying power of the second electric wire by the second power converter and charging the second battery when regenerating the motor, and a second battery charging mode for supplying power of the first battery to the second electric wire by the second power converter, charging the second battery and performing supply to the control equipment in the case that the charging rate of the second battery is equal to or less than a threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to a power control method for a mobile object, a mobile object, and a program.

As a moving object, there is a moving object whose motor is driven by battery power. Patent Document 1 describes a mobile object that charges a battery also in a regenerative operation, in which two converters are provided between the battery and a motor, and the operation of the converters is switched depending on the magnitude of the current input in the regenerative operation. is listed.

Patent No. 6693446

Although the device described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with two converters and performs regenerative charging efficiently, it is required to use electric power more effectively.

The present disclosure solves the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a mobile body that can utilize electric power more effectively, and a power control method and program for a mobile body.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a mobile object according to the present disclosure includes a motor, a first battery, a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery, a control device, A first power source that is arranged on a second battery, a second electric wire that connects the control device and the second battery, and an electric wire that connects the first electric wire and the second electric wire, and that converts voltage in both directions. a converter; and a controller that acquires information on charging rates of the first battery and the second battery and controls operations of each part, and the controller controls the second power converter when the motor is driven. a discharge assist mode in which power from the second battery is supplied to the first electric wire, and during regeneration of the motor, the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire to charge the second battery. In charging assist mode, when the charging rate of the second battery is below a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery; and a second battery charging mode in which the control device is supplied with the battery.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, a power control method for a mobile body according to the present disclosure includes: a motor, a first battery, a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery, A control device, a second battery, a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery, and an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire, and convert voltage in both directions. A power control method for a mobile body, comprising: a first power converter for controlling the motor; A discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire during driving, and a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire during regeneration of the motor. and a charging assist mode in which the second battery is charged, and when the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter. , a second battery charging mode in which the second battery is charged and supplied to the control device.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the objective, a program according to the present disclosure includes a motor, a first battery, a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery, a control device, and a first battery. a second battery, a second electric wire that connects the control device and the second battery, and a first power converter that converts voltage in both directions, and is arranged on an electric wire that connects the first electric wire and the second electric wire. A program for controlling a moving object, comprising: a controller that acquires information on charging rates of the first battery and the second battery and controls operations of each part, the program controlling the mobile object when the motor is driven; a discharge assist mode in which a second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire; and a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire during regeneration of the motor; When the charging assist mode is used to charge a battery, and the charging rate of the second battery is below a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter, and the second battery is charged. The controller causes the controller to execute a second battery charging mode in which the battery is charged and supplied to the control device.

According to the present disclosure, power can be used more effectively.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile system according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the moving body. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of power supply to a mobile body. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in the discharge assist mode. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in charge assist mode. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in the second battery charging mode. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in standby mode. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the charging rate of the first battery and the settings. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the charging rate of the second battery and the settings. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of power supply to a mobile body.

Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to this embodiment, and if there are multiple embodiments, the present disclosure also includes a configuration in which each embodiment is combined.

(Overall configuration of mobile system)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a mobile system according to a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile system 1 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of mobile bodies 10, a charging device 12, a battery exchange device 14, and a management device 16. The mobile system 1 is a system that controls mobile bodies 10 belonging to equipment. The facility is, for example, a warehouse or other facility where distribution is managed, but is not limited thereto, and may be any facility, for example, outdoors. In the mobile system 1, a mobile body 10 is moved within an area of equipment. The area is, for example, the floor of the equipment. A mobile system 1 moves a mobile body 10 between a work area 2 and a battery management area 4 of the facility. The work area 2 is an area in which the movable body 10 is moved to perform work such as cargo handling and transportation. The battery management area 4 includes a charging device 12 and a battery exchange device 14, and performs charging of the mobile body 10 and exchanging the battery mounted on the mobile body 10.

The charging device 12 supplies power to the mobile body 10 and charges a battery mounted on the mobile body 10 . The battery exchange device 14 exchanges the battery mounted on the mobile body 10. In other words, the battery exchange device 14 exchanges the used battery of the mobile object 10 with a charged battery.

The management device 16 is a device that calculates at least information regarding the movement of the mobile object 10, information regarding the charging of the mobile object 10, etc., and is a so-called ground system. However, the installation position of the management device 16 is arbitrary and is not limited to what is called a ground system. The management device 16 is a computer, and is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs. The storage device includes at least one storage device such as an external storage device such as a hard disk drive (Hard Disk Drive), and an arithmetic device such as an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The management device 16 selects cargo to be transported by each moving body 10, calculates a movement route, and manages the movement of the moving bodies 10. Furthermore, the management device 16 calculates the timing to charge the battery or replace the battery based on the remaining amount of the battery of the mobile body 10, and manages the state of the battery of the mobile body 10.

(mobile object)
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the moving body. The mobile body 10 is an automatically movable device. The moving object 10 may be any vehicle that can move automatically, but for example, it is a non-holonomic moving object that cannot move sideways. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving body 10 is a forklift, more specifically a so-called AGF (Automated Guided Forklift). As shown in FIG. 2, the moving body 10 includes a vehicle body 20, wheels 20A, straddle legs 21, a mast 22, a fork 24, a sensor 26, and a control device 28. The straddle legs 21 are a pair of shaft-shaped members that are provided at one end of the vehicle body 20 in the longitudinal direction and protrude from the vehicle body 20. The wheels 20A are provided at the tip of each straddle leg 21 and on the vehicle body 20. That is, although a total of three wheels 20A are provided, the position and number of wheels 20A may be arbitrary. The mast 22 is movably attached to the straddle leg 21 and moves in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 20. The mast 22 extends along the up-down direction (direction Z here) orthogonal to the front-back direction. The fork 24 is attached to the mast 22 so as to be movable in the Z direction. The fork 24 may also be movable in the lateral direction of the vehicle body 20 (in a direction intersecting the vertical and longitudinal directions) with respect to the mast 22 . The fork 24 has a pair of claws 24A and 24B. The claws 24A and 24B extend from the mast 22 toward the front of the vehicle body 20. The claw 24A and the claw 24B are arranged apart from each other in the lateral direction of the mast 22. Hereinafter, in the front-rear direction, the direction on the side where the fork 24 is provided in the movable body 10 will be referred to as the front direction, and the direction on the side where the fork 24 is not provided will be referred to as the rear direction.

The sensor 26 detects at least one of the position and orientation of an object present around the vehicle body 20. It can also be said that the sensor 26 detects the position of the target object with respect to the mobile body 10 and the attitude of the target object with respect to the mobile body 10. In this embodiment, the sensor 26 is provided on the side surface of each mast 22 and on the rear side of the vehicle body 20. However, the position where the sensor 26 is provided is not limited to this, and may be provided at any position, and the number of sensors may be provided at any number. For example, a safety sensor provided on the moving body 10 may be used as the sensor 26. By reusing the safety sensor, there is no need to install a new sensor.

The sensor 26 is, for example, a sensor that emits laser light. The sensor 26 irradiates a laser beam while scanning in one direction (in this case, the lateral direction), and detects the position and orientation of the object from the reflected light of the irradiated laser beam. That is, the sensor 26 can be said to be a so-called 2D-LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). However, the sensor 26 is not limited to the above, and may be a sensor that detects an object by any method, for example, it may be a so-called 3D-LiDAR that scans in multiple directions, or it may be a camera. You can.

(Power supply configuration of mobile object)
Next, the power supply configuration of the mobile object 10 will be explained. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of power supply to a mobile body. The mobile body 10 includes a controller 30, a first battery 32, a second battery 34, a first power converter 36, a second power converter 38, an inverter 40, a motor 42, a control device 44, A first electric wire 50 and a second electric wire 52 are included.

Here, the motor 42 is a drive source motor for moving the movable body 10 or a motor for cargo handling work that moves the fork 24 and the like. The motor 42 is driven by the electric power supplied during driving. Furthermore, the motor 42 is capable of regenerative operation and generates electric power during braking and deceleration operations.

The inverter 40 is connected to the motor 42 and placed on the first electric wire 50. The inverter 40 is a device that controls the drive voltage and current of the motor 42. The inverter 40 is, for example, an AC/DC converter, converts the direct current of the first electric wire 50 into alternating current, and supplies the alternating current to the motor 42 . That is, when the motor 42 is driven, the direct current supplied to the motor 42 from the first electric wire 50 is converted into alternating current. Further, the inverter 40 converts the alternating current supplied from the motor 42 into direct current and supplies the direct current to the first electric wire. In other words, the alternating current supplied from the motor 42 to the first electric wire 50 during regeneration of the motor 42 is converted into direct current.

The control device 44 is a device that controls the operation of each part of the mobile body 10. The control device 40 includes a communication device, a computing device, and a storage device, and controls operations based on information input from the management device 16. Although the communication method is wireless communication in this embodiment, any communication method may be used. The storage device is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs, and includes at least one of, for example, a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD. The arithmetic device includes, for example, an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU.

The first electric wire 50 connects the first battery 32, the first power converter 36, and the inverter 40. The second electric wire 52 connects the second battery 34, the first power converter 36, and the second power converter 38.

First battery 32 is connected to inverter 40 via first electric wire 50 . The first battery 32 is basically a battery that supplies electric power to drive the motor 42, and can supply electric power matching the operating voltage of the motor 42. The first battery 32 is a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Various secondary batteries can be used as the first battery 32, and for example, a lithium ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, a lead battery, etc. can be used. The first battery 32 is removable from the moving body 10 and can be replaced by the battery replacement device 14.

The second battery 34 is connected to the second power converter 38 via a second electric wire 52. The second battery 34 is basically a battery that supplies electric power to drive the control device 44 and the controller 30, and can supply electric power matching the operating voltage of the control device 44 and the controller 30. The second battery 34 supplies power at a lower voltage than the first battery 32.

The second battery 34 is a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. Various secondary batteries can be used as the second battery 34, and for example, a lithium ion battery, an all-solid-state battery, a lead battery, etc. can be used. The second battery 34 is fixed to the mobile body 10.

The first power converter 36 is arranged between the first electric wire 50 and the second electric wire 52. The first voltage converter 36 is a DC/DC converter. The first power conversion device 36 can control the direction in which power flows based on the control of the controller 30. The first power converter 36 can convert the electric power of the first electric wire 50 to match the value of the electric power flowing through the second electric wire 52 so that electric power is supplied from the first electric wire 50 to the second electric wire 52. The first power converter 36 can convert the electric power of the second electric wire 52 to match the value of the electric power flowing through the first electric wire 50 so that electric power is supplied from the second electric wire 52 to the first electric wire 5 .

The second power converter 38 connects the second electric wire 52 to the control device 44 and the controller 30. The second power converter 38 converts the power supplied from the second electric wire 52 in accordance with the standards of the control device 44 and the controller 30, and supplies the converted power to the control device 44 and the controller 30.

The controller 30 is a device that controls power supply and charging of the mobile body 10. The controller 30 controls the first battery 32, the second battery 34, and the first power converter 36, and controls charging and discharging, based on the current and voltage of each part, the required power of the motor 42, the control device 44, etc. do. The controller 30 includes communication equipment, computing equipment, and storage equipment, and controls operations based on information input from the management device 16. Although the communication method is wired communication in this embodiment, any communication method may be used. The storage device is a memory that stores various information such as calculation contents and programs, and includes at least one of, for example, a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD. The arithmetic device includes, for example, an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU.

The controller 30 acquires the required output of the motor 42 and the operating status of each part from the control device 44, and calculates the current value and voltage value of the first electric wire 50, the current value and voltage value of the second electric wire 52, and the charging of the first battery 32. information such as the charging rate and the charging rate of the second battery 34 is acquired. The controller 30 controls the first power converter 36 and controls charging and discharging of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34 based on the acquired information. The controller 30 switches among discharge assist mode, charge assist mode, second battery charge mode, standby mode, and the like.

Next, a power control method for a mobile object will be described using FIGS. 4 to 8. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in the discharge assist mode. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in charge assist mode. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in the second battery charging mode. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating processing in standby mode. The process shown in FIG. 4 is executed by the controller 30 acquiring information from each part and controlling the operation of each part, mainly the operation of the first power converter 36. The controller 30 repeatedly executes the process shown in FIG.

The controller 30 acquires charging rate information of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34 (step S12). Next, the controller 30 acquires the voltage value of the first electric wire 50 (step S14). Note that the processing in step S12 and the processing in step S14 may be processed in parallel or in the reverse order.

The controller 30 determines whether the voltage value is less than or equal to the first threshold (step S16). Here, the first threshold is a preset value. The first threshold value is a value lower than the voltage required to drive the motor. That is, when the voltage value is less than or equal to the first threshold value, the voltage of the first electric wire has not reached the voltage required to drive the motor.

If the controller 30 determines that the voltage value is less than or equal to the first threshold (Yes in step S16), the controller 30 executes the discharge assist mode (step S18), and ends this process. Here, the discharge assist mode is a mode in which power from the second battery is supplied to the motor 42 when the motor is driven. That is, as shown in FIG. 50 is converted into a voltage that can be supplied to the first electric wire 50, and is supplied to the inverter via the path 104 of the first electric wire 50. Furthermore, the mobile body 10 supplies the power of the first battery 32 to the inverter 40 through the path 106 of the first electric wire 50 . Further, the mobile body 10 supplies the power of the second battery 34 to the second power converter 38 via the path 108 of the second electric wire 52. Thereby, electric power is supplied to the motor 42 from both the first battery 32 and the second battery 34.

If the controller 30 determines that the voltage value is not less than or equal to the first threshold (No in step S16), it determines whether the voltage value is greater than or equal to the second threshold (step S20). The second threshold is a preset value, and is set based on the voltage at which the first battery 32 can be charged.

If the controller 30 determines that the voltage value is equal to or greater than the second threshold (Yes in step S20), the controller 30 executes the charging assist mode (step S22), and ends this process. Here, in the charging assist mode, electric power generated by regeneration of the motor 42 is supplied to both the first battery 32 and the second battery 34. As shown in FIG. 6, the moving body 10 supplies electric power generated by regeneration of the motor 42 to the first battery 32 via the inverter 40 and the path 112 of the first electric wire 50, thereby charging the first battery 32. . In addition, the moving body 10 supplies the electric power generated by regeneration of the motor 42 to the first power converter 367 via the inverter 40 on the path 114 of the first electric wire 50, and the first electric power converter 36 supplies the electric power generated by the regeneration of the motor 42 to the second electric wire. 52 is converted into a voltage that can be supplied to the second battery 34 via the path 116 of the second electric wire 52. Further, the mobile body 10 supplies the power of the second battery 34 to the second power converter 38 via the path 108 of the second electric wire 52. Note that in the mobile body 10, the power supplied from the first power converter 36 may be supplied to the second power converter 38.

If the controller 30 determines that the voltage value is not greater than or equal to the second threshold (No in step S20), the controller 30 determines that the charging rate of the first battery is greater than or equal to the third threshold, and the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to the fourth threshold. It is determined whether there is one (step S24). The third threshold and the fourth threshold are preset values. The third threshold value is a value at which it can be determined that there is a margin in the charging rate of the first battery 32 and that the drive of the motor 42 will not be affected even if some of the electric power is released. The fourth site is a value at which it can be determined that the charging rate of the second battery 34 is low and the period during which power can be supplied to the control device 44 is short.

When the controller 30 determines that the charging rate of the first battery is equal to or higher than the third threshold and the charging rate of the second battery is equal to or lower than the fourth threshold (Yes in step S24), the controller 30 executes the second battery charging mode. (step S26), and this process ends. Here, in the second battery charging mode, the power of the first battery 32 is supplied to the second battery 34 via the first power converter 36, and the second battery 34 is charged. As shown in FIG. 7, the moving body 10 supplies power from the first battery 32 to the first power converter 36 via a path 120 of the first electric wire 50, and from the first power converter 36 to the second electric wire 52. It is converted into a voltage that can be supplied, and is supplied to the second battery 34 through the path 116 of the second electric wire 52. Thereby, the second battery 34 is charged. Further, the mobile body 10 supplies the power supplied from the first power converter 36 to the second power converter 38 via the path 124 of the second electric wire 52.

If the controller 30 determines that the charging rate of the first battery does not satisfy at least one of the third threshold value or more and the charging rate of the second battery does not satisfy at least one of the fourth threshold value or less (No in step S24), the controller 30 executes the standby mode ( Step S28), this process ends. The standby mode is a process in which power is not transferred between the first electric wire 50 and the second electric wire 52 via the first power converter 36. In other words, this is the same process as when the first electric wire 50 and the second electric wire 52 are not connected. As shown in FIG. 8, in the moving body 10, electric power is supplied between the first battery 32 and the inverter 40 via a path 130 of the first electric wire 50, and the motor 42 is driven and regenerated, and the first battery 32 is charged. , a discharge occurs. In the moving body 10 , power is supplied from the second battery 34 to the second power converter 38 via a path 132 of the second electric wire 52 . That is, in the standby mode, power is supplied to the motor 42 only from the first battery 32, regenerative power generated by the motor 42 is supplied only to the first battery 32, and there is no power between the second battery 34 and the motor 42. Power is not transferred or received. Further, in the standby mode, power is supplied only from the second battery 34 to the second power converter 38, and power is not supplied from the first battery 32 to the second power converter 38.

As described above, the mobile body 10 forms a power supply circuit having the first power converter 36, and controls the settings of the first power converter 36 with the controller 30, and controls the discharge assist mode, the charge assist mode, and the second battery. The electric power of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34 can be used efficiently by enabling the charging mode and switching between the discharge assist mode, the charge assist mode, the second battery charging mode, and the standby mode according to conditions. can do.

Furthermore, by executing the discharge assist mode, the moving body 10 can supply power from the second battery 34 when a voltage higher than the voltage that can be discharged from the first battery 32 is required, and the output of the motor 42 can be reduced. Can be higher. Further, as in the present embodiment, when the voltage value is less than or equal to the first threshold, the discharge assist mode is executed, and when the voltage value is higher than the first threshold, the discharge assist mode is not executed, that is, the second battery By supplying power to the motor only from the first battery 32 without supplying power to the motor 42 from the battery 34, control can be performed based on the states of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34, for example, the charging rate. . As an example, it is possible to suppress consumption of power from the second battery when it is not necessary.

Further, by executing the charging assist mode, the moving body 10 can effectively utilize the electric power generated by regeneration of the motor 42. In other words, it is possible to prevent the electric power generated by regeneration of the motor 42 from being used for charging and being discharged. Further, as in the present embodiment, when the voltage value is equal to or higher than the second threshold value, the charge assist mode is executed, and when the voltage value is lower than the second threshold value, the charge assist mode is not executed. By charging only the first battery 32 without supplying power to the second battery 34, control can be performed based on the states of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34, for example, the charging rate. As an example, the first battery 32, which has a large capacity and consumes more power, can be charged preferentially. Further, by charging only the first battery 32, no power conversion occurs in the first power converter 36, so that charging efficiency can be increased.

Furthermore, by executing the second battery charging mode, the movable body 10 can increase the electric power of the second battery 34 that drives the control device 44 by executing the second battery charging mode. By lowering, control of the moving body 10 can be prevented from stopping.

Furthermore, by enabling the mobile object 10 to execute the standby mode, independent control is also possible, and when it is not necessary, the first power converter 36 converts the power, thereby suppressing the power consumption caused by the conversion. .

Note that the controller 30 may execute the determination processes in step S16, step S20, and step S24 as separate processes. Alternatively, the determination in step S16 may be performed during power running of the motor, and the process in step S20 may be performed during regeneration of the motor.

Further, the movable body 10 of the above embodiment can appropriately control the power supplied to the control device 44 by providing the second power converter 38, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The mobile body 10 may be configured without the second power converter 38. In this case, the second battery 34 and the first power converter 36 control the current and voltage.

Here, the criteria for determining each mode of the controller 30 is not limited to the voltage value. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a power control method for a mobile body.

The controller 30 acquires charging rate information of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34 (step S12). Next, the controller 30 calculates the chargeable/dischargeable current of the first battery 32 (step S32). The chargeable/dischargeable current is a dischargeable current and a chargeable current. The dischargeable current is the maximum current that can be discharged when the first battery 32 is discharged. The chargeable current is the maximum current that the first battery 32 can use during charging. The chargeable/dischargeable current can be calculated from the charging rate of the first battery 32, a design value, etc. Note that the processing in step S12 and the processing in step S34 may be processed in parallel or in the reverse order.

The controller 30 determines whether discharging more than the dischargeable current of the first battery 32 is unnecessary (step S34). The controller 30 acquires information on the power required to drive the motor 42 from the control device 44 and determines whether the required power is greater than or equal to the dischargeable current of the first battery 32 .

If the controller 30 determines that the motor 42 needs to discharge a current equal to or higher than the dischargeable current of the first battery 32 (No in step S34), the controller 30 executes the discharge assist mode (step S18), and ends this process. That is, power is supplied from both the first battery 32 and the second battery 34, and the necessary power is supplied to the load such as the motor 42.

If the controller 30 determines that the motor 42 does not require a current higher than the dischargeable current of the first battery 32 (Yes in step S34), the controller 30 determines whether it is necessary to charge the first battery 32 with a current higher than the dischargeable current. (Step S36). That is, it is determined whether the motor 40 is in a regenerative state and the electric power (discharge) supplied from the motor 40 is equal to or higher than the chargeable current.

When the controller 30 determines that the motor 42 needs to charge the first battery 32 with a current equal to or higher than the chargeable current (Yes in step S36), the controller 30 executes the charging assist mode (step S22), and ends this process.

If the controller 30 determines that charging with a current equal to or higher than the chargeable current is not necessary (No in step S36), the charging rate of the first battery is equal to or higher than the third threshold, and the charging rate of the first battery is equal to or higher than the third threshold, and It is determined whether the charging rate of the second battery is equal to or less than a fourth threshold (step S24).

When the controller 30 determines that the charging rate of the first battery is equal to or higher than the third threshold and the charging rate of the second battery is equal to or lower than the fourth threshold (Yes in step S24), the controller 30 executes the second battery charging mode. (Step S26), this process ends.

If the controller 30 determines that the charging rate of the first battery does not satisfy at least one of the third threshold value or more and the charging rate of the second battery does not satisfy at least one of the fourth threshold value or less (No in step S24), the controller 30 executes the standby mode ( Step S74), this process ends.

In this way, the mode may be determined based on the state of the first battery, the required discharge power, and the supplied regenerative power.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the charging rate of the first battery and the settings. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the relationship between the charging rate of the second battery and the settings. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the dischargeable power, dischargeable current, chargeable power, and chargeable current of the first battery and the second battery change based on the charging rate (SOC). The mobile object 10 detects the charging rate, calculates dischargeable power, dischargeable current, chargeable power, and chargeable current based on the charging rate, and determines the mode to be executed based on the calculated values. , charging and discharging of the first battery and the second battery can be controlled more suitably.

The moving body may switch the determination process depending on the operating state of the motor. 12 and 13 are flowcharts each showing an example of a power control method for a mobile body. FIG. 12 shows an example of control during motor drive, and FIG. 13 shows an example of control during motor regeneration.

As shown in FIG. 12, when driving the motor, that is, when supplying power from the battery, the controller 30 acquires charging rate information of the first battery and the second battery (step S60), and acquires the required power (step S60). Step S62). The required power is the power required to drive the motor 42. Next, the controller 30 obtains the power consumption of the control equipment (step S64). The control equipment power consumption is the total value of power required for each part to which power is supplied from the control equipment 44 and the controller 30, that is, the second power converter 38.

Next, the controller 30 determines whether the total power is less than or equal to the required power (step S66). Here, the total power is a value obtained by subtracting the control device power consumption from the total power that can be output from the first battery and the second battery. When the controller 30 determines that the total power is less than or equal to the required power (Yes in step S66), the controller 30 performs output disabling processing (step S68) and ends this processing. Here, the output disabling process is a process of notifying that the drive cannot be performed with the requested output, stopping the drive, and outputting information to reduce the requested output.

If the controller 30 determines that the total power is not less than or equal to the required power (No in step S66), the controller 30 determines whether the power of the first battery is less than or equal to the required power (step S70). When the controller 30 determines that the power of the first battery is less than or equal to the required power (Yes in step S70), the controller 30 performs the discharge assist mode (step S72) and ends this process. When the controller 30 determines that the power of the first battery is not less than the required power (No in step S70), the controller 30 performs a standby mode (step S74) and ends this process. That is, when supplying power to the motor 42, the controller 30 does not supply power to the motor 42 from the second battery 34, but supplies power to the motor 42 from the first battery 32.

By performing the process shown in FIG. 12 when driving the motor, the moving body 10 can appropriately switch the power supply to the motor 42 depending on the charging state of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34. That is, it is possible to appropriately switch between a discharge assist mode in which power is supplied to the motor 42 from both the first battery 32 and the second battery 34, and a standby mode in which power is supplied to the motor 42 only from the first battery 32.

As shown in FIG. 13, when the motor is regeneratively driven, that is, when power is supplied from the battery, the controller 30 acquires charging rate information of the first battery and the second battery (step S80), and receives regenerative power from the motor. Acquire (step S82). Next, the controller 30 obtains the power consumption of the control equipment (step S84).

Next, the controller 30 determines whether the regenerated power is below the upper limit of the first battery (step S86). If the controller 30 determines that the regenerated power is not below the upper limit of the first battery (No in step S86), the controller 30 performs the charging assist mode (step S88) and ends this process. When the controller 30 determines that the regenerated power is less than or equal to the upper limit of the first battery (Yes in step S86), the controller 30 performs a standby mode (step S90) and ends this process.

In this way, the mobile body 10 may switch the target to be determined depending on the driving state of the mobile body 10. Furthermore, when the mobile body 10 is determined to be in standby mode, it can also determine whether to execute the second battery charging mode.

By performing the process shown in FIG. 13 during motor regeneration, the moving body 10 can appropriately switch the battery to be charged depending on the charging state of the first battery 32 and the second battery 34. That is, it is possible to appropriately switch between a charging assist mode in which both the first battery 32 and the second battery 34 are charged, and a standby mode in which only the first battery 32 is charged.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of power supply to a mobile body. The basic configuration of the mobile body 10a shown in FIG. 14 is the same as that of the mobile body 10 except for the position of the first power converter. The configuration specific to the mobile body 10a will be described below. In the mobile body 10a, the first electric wire 50 and the second power converter 38 are connected. The first power converter 36 connects the second battery 34 and the first electric wire 50.

The mobile body 10a has a structure in which the first electric wire 50 connects the first battery 32 and the second power converter 38, and the first power converter 36 connects the second battery 34 and the first electric wire 50. Even in this case, by controlling the operation of the first power converter 36 with the controller 30, it is possible to switch between the discharge assist mode, the charge assist mode, the second battery charge mode, and the standby mode. Furthermore, the mobile body 10a can appropriately control the current and voltage of the second battery 34.

Note that, like the mobile body 10, by arranging the first power converter 36 between the first electric wire 50, the second electric wire 52, and the second power converter 38, the first electric wire 50 to the second electric wire 52 The current supplied from the first battery 32, that is, the current supplied from the first battery 32 can be appropriately controlled by the first power converter 36. Moreover, by having the second power converter 38, the mobile body 10 can supply appropriate voltages to the motor 42 and the control device 44, which have different voltage values, and can stably operate the control device 44.

This disclosure discloses the following inventions. Note that the examples are not limited to the following.
(1) A motor;
a first battery;
a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery;
control equipment;
a second battery;
a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery;
a first power converter that is disposed on an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire and converts voltage in both directions;
a controller that acquires information on charging rates of the first battery and the second battery and controls operations of each part,
The controller includes a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode that supplies power to the mobile object;

The mobile body includes a first battery and a second battery, and is capable of executing a discharge assist mode, a charge assist mode, and a second battery charge mode, thereby appropriately driving the motor and regenerating from the motor. be able to. As a result, the driving force of the mobile object can be increased, regenerated power can be used effectively, the battery can be used efficiently, and the second battery can be maintained charged, allowing the control function of the mobile object to be used for a long time. .

(2) According to (1), the second power converter is arranged on the second electric wire and converts the voltage supplied to the control device via the second electric wire into a voltage usable by the control device. mobile object. By having the second power converter, the mobile body can supply an appropriate voltage to the motor and the control device, which have different voltage values, and can stably operate the control device.

(3) the controller obtains the voltage value of the first electric wire;
If the voltage value is less than or equal to a first threshold, executing the discharge assist mode;
The mobile object according to (1) or (2), which executes the charging assist mode when the voltage value is equal to or higher than a second threshold value. The mobile object can appropriately switch the mode by selecting the mode to be executed based on the voltage value of the first electric wire.

(4) the controller obtains the chargeable current and dischargeable current of the first battery;
If it is necessary to discharge more than the dischargeable current, execute the discharge assist mode,
The mobile object according to any one of (1) to (3), which executes the charging assist mode when charging with a current equal to or higher than the chargeable current is required. The mobile object can appropriately switch modes by selecting the mode to be executed based on the state of the first battery.

(5) When driving the motor, if the required power of the motor is lower than the power of the first battery, the controller does not supply power to the motor from the second battery, and supplies power from the first battery to the motor. supplies power to the motor,
If the required power of the motor is higher than the power of the first battery and lower than the total power that can be supplied to the motor from the first battery and the second battery, the power from the first battery and the second battery is The moving body according to any one of (1) to (4), which supplies The moving body can appropriately supply power to the motor by switching the power supply source based on the required power when driving the motor.

(6) The mobile body according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the first battery is removable. By making the first battery removable in the mobile body, it is possible to charge a large-capacity power source that drives the motor separately from the mobile body. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the time during which the mobile object cannot be used while charging the first battery.

(7) a motor, a first battery, and a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery;
A control device, a second battery, a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery, and an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire, and convert voltage in both directions. A power control method for a mobile body, comprising: a first power converter for controlling the charging rate of the first battery and the second battery, and a controller for controlling the operation of each part by
a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode for supplying power to a mobile object; and a method for controlling power of a mobile object.

By providing a first battery and a second battery and being able to execute a discharge assist mode, a charge assist mode, and a second battery charge mode, it is possible to appropriately drive the motor and regenerate from the motor. As a result, the driving force of the mobile object can be increased, regenerated power can be used effectively, the battery can be used efficiently, and the second battery can be maintained charged, allowing the control function of the mobile object to be used for a long time. .

(8) a motor, a first battery, and a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery;
A control device, a second battery, a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery, and an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire, and convert voltage in both directions. A program for controlling a mobile object, comprising: a first power converter for controlling the first power converter;
a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode for supplying the battery to the controller;

By providing a first battery and a second battery and creating a program that can execute discharge assist mode, charge assist mode, and second battery charge mode, it is possible to appropriately drive the motor and regenerate from the motor. can. As a result, the driving force of the mobile object can be increased, regenerated power can be used effectively, the battery can be used efficiently, and the second battery can be maintained charged, allowing the control function of the mobile object to be used for a long time. .

Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the embodiment is not limited by the content of this embodiment. Furthermore, the above-mentioned components include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are in a so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the aforementioned components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the constituent elements can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments described above.

10 Mobile object 12 Charging device 14 Battery exchange device 16 Management device 30 Controller 32 First battery 34 Second battery 36 First power converter 38 Second power converter 40 Inverter 42 Motor 44 Control device 50 First electric wire 52 Second electric wire

Claims (8)

motor and
a first battery;
a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery;
control equipment;
a second battery;
a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery;
a first power converter that is disposed on an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire and converts voltage in both directions;
a controller that acquires information on charging rates of the first battery and the second battery and controls operations of each part,
The controller includes a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode that supplies power to the mobile object; The mobile object according to claim 1, further comprising a second power converter arranged on the second electric wire and converting a voltage supplied to the control device via the second electric wire into a voltage usable by the control device. . The controller obtains a voltage value of the first electric wire,
If the voltage value is less than or equal to a first threshold, executing the discharge assist mode;
The mobile object according to claim 1, wherein the charging assist mode is executed when the voltage value is equal to or higher than a second threshold value. The controller obtains a chargeable current and a dischargeable current of the first battery,
If it is necessary to discharge more than the dischargeable current, execute the discharge assist mode,
The mobile object according to claim 1, which executes the charging assist mode when charging with a current equal to or higher than the chargeable current is required. When driving the motor, if the required power of the motor is lower than the power of the first battery, the controller does not supply power to the motor from the second battery and supplies power to the motor from the first battery. supply,
If the required power of the motor is higher than the power of the first battery and lower than the total power that can be supplied to the motor from the first battery and the second battery, the power from the first battery and the second battery is The moving body according to claim 1, which supplies the following. The moving object according to claim 1, wherein the first battery is removable. a motor, a first battery, and a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery;
A control device, a second battery, a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery, and an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire, and convert voltage in both directions. A power control method for a mobile body, comprising: a first power converter for controlling the charging rate of the first battery and the second battery, and a controller for controlling the operation of each part by
a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode for supplying power to a mobile object; and a method for controlling power of a mobile object. a motor, a first battery, a first electric wire connecting the motor and the first battery, a control device, a second battery, and a second electric wire connecting the control device and the second battery; a first power converter that is disposed on an electric wire connecting the first electric wire and the second electric wire and converts voltage in both directions, and information on the charging rates of the first battery and the second battery; A program for controlling a moving body, comprising: a controller for controlling operations of each part;
a discharge assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power from the second battery to the first electric wire when the motor is driven;
a charging assist mode in which the second power converter supplies power to the second electric wire and charges the second battery during regeneration of the motor;
When the charging rate of the second battery is less than or equal to a threshold value, the power of the first battery is supplied to the second electric wire by the second power converter to charge the second battery, and the control device a second battery charging mode supplied to the controller, and a program executed by the controller.

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