Electric work vehicle with energy-saving work component subsystem pre-conditioning

Abstract

An electric work vehicle includes: a power source; an electric motor; a work part powered by the power source during a power consumption state; a work component subsystem that causes the work component to operate and is powered by the power source; a thermal management system comprising a thermal device for influencing a temperature range of the work component subsystem; and a controller. The controller receives a predicted condition value indicating an environmental condition of a work location at a work time, the predicted condition value being received prior to the work time; setting an operating state of the thermal device based on the predicted condition value; and operating the thermal equipment in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value to pre-condition the work component subsystem prior to a work time to reduce power demand for the power source during the power consumption state.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] not applicable.

[0003] STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0004] not applicable. Technical Field

[0005] The present disclosure relates generally to electric work vehicles and, more particularly, to conserving battery power during work tool operation. Background Art

[0006] Heavy-duty work vehicles, such as those used in the agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining industries, may utilize the entire electrical power source to generate traction power to turn the ground engaging wheels or tracks and to power various subsystems associated with the work tools that perform work operations. Some of the work tool subsystems perform best under certain thermal conditions. In order to ensure that the work tool performs well under the conditions that exist at the work site, it may be beneficial to heat or cool the tool subsystem so that it is within the optimal thermal condition when performing work at the work site. This operation requires the input of additional energy to the tool subsystem. In an electric work vehicle, this energy will come from the electrical power source and may affect the available power for vehicle traction or work operations. Summary of the invention

[0007] In one example, an electric working vehicle includes: an electric power source capable of operating in a charging state and a power consumption state; an electric motor powered by the electric power source; a working component powered by the electric power source during the power consumption state to perform a working operation at a working location at a working time; a working component subsystem that enables the working component to operate and is powered by the electric power source, the working component subsystem being capable of optimal operation within a temperature range; a thermal management system including a thermal device for affecting the temperature range of the working component subsystem; and a controller including a processor and a memory architecture. The controller executes control logic to: receive a predicted condition value indicating an environmental condition of the working location at the working time, the predicted condition value being received by the controller at an evaluation time prior to the working time; set an operating state of the thermal device of the thermal management system based on the predicted condition value; and cause the thermal device to operate in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value so as to pre-condition the working component subsystem prior to the working time, thereby reducing the power demand on the electric power source during the power consumption state.

[0008] In the electric work vehicle, the controller is configured to cause the thermal device to operate during the charging state of the electric power source to pre-condition the work component subsystem.

[0009] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller; the weather forecast includes an expected precipitation value as the predicted condition value received by the controller; and the controller compares the expected precipitation value to a threshold precipitation value to determine whether to pre-condition the working component subsystem.

[0010] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller; the weather forecast includes an ambient temperature value as the predicted condition value received by the controller; and the controller processes the ambient temperature value to set the operating state of the thermal device and determine a time period for operating the thermal device and pre-conditioning the working component subsystem during the charging state of the electric power source.

[0011] In an example of the electric working vehicle, the working component subsystem includes a working fluid utilized by the working component subsystem to operate the working component; and the temperature range applies to the working fluid.

[0012] In examples of the electric work vehicle, the work member is a traction drive including a gear reduction assembly that provides rotational torque to ground engaging wheels or tracks of the electric work vehicle.

[0013] In the example of the electric work vehicle, the work component is a work tool including an implement actuator, and the work component subsystem is operable to cause movement of the work tool via the implement actuator.

[0014] In an example of the electric working vehicle, the working component subsystem includes a pump for pressurizing the working fluid; and the implement actuator includes a piston cylinder driven by the pressurized working fluid of the working component subsystem.

[0015] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the thermal device includes a heating device, a cooling device, or both; the thermal device includes an off state, in which the thermal device is idle or provides a passive thermal effect on the temperature range of the working component subsystem; and the thermal device includes an on state, in which the thermal device is powered to provide an active thermal effect on the temperature range of the working component subsystem.

[0016] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the controller is configured to execute the control logic to receive a state input for the thermal device, the state input indicating whether the thermal device is in the off state or the on state, and when the predicted condition value indicates pre-conditioning of the working component subsystem only during the charging state of the electric power source, change the state of the thermal device from the off state to the on state.

[0017] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the controller is configured to execute the control logic to receive a charging state input for the electric power source, the charging state input indicating whether the electric power source is in the charging state or the power consuming state, and cause the thermal device to operate in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value only during the charging state of the electric power source to pre-condition the working component subsystem.

[0018] In another example, an electric working vehicle includes: an electric power source capable of operating in a charging state and a power consumption state; an electric motor powered by the electric power source; a working component powered by the electric power source during the power consumption state to perform working operations at a working time and at a working location; a working component subsystem that enables the working component to operate and is powered by the electric power source, the working component subsystem including a working fluid for enabling the working component to operate and capable of optimal operation within a temperature range; a thermal management system including a thermal device for affecting the temperature range of the working component subsystem; and a controller including a processor and a memory architecture. The controller executes control logic to: receive a predicted condition value indicating the environmental condition of the working location at the working time, the predicted condition value being received by the controller at an evaluation time before the working time; set the operating state of the thermal device of the thermal management system based on the predicted condition value; and cause the thermal device to operate in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value so as to pre-adjust the working component subsystem before the working time, thereby reducing the power demand on the power source during the power consumption state.

[0019] In the example of the electric work vehicle, the controller is configured to cause the thermal device to operate during the charging state of the power source to pre-condition the work component subsystem.

[0020] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller; the weather forecast includes an expected precipitation value as the predicted condition value received by the controller; and the controller compares the expected precipitation value to a threshold precipitation value to determine whether to pre-condition the working component subsystem.

[0021] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller; the weather forecast includes an ambient temperature value as the predicted condition value received by the controller; and the controller processes the ambient temperature value to set the operating state of the thermal device and determine a time period for operating the thermal device and pre-conditioning the working component subsystem during the charging state of the electric power source.

[0022] In examples of the electric work vehicle, the work member is a traction drive including a gear reduction assembly that provides rotational torque to ground engaging wheels or tracks of the electric work vehicle.

[0023] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the working component is a working tool including a tool actuator, the working component subsystem is operable to cause movement of the working tool through the tool actuator; the working component subsystem includes a pump for pressurizing the working fluid; and the tool actuator includes a piston cylinder driven by the pressurized working fluid of the working component subsystem.

[0024] In the example of the electric work vehicle, the thermal device includes a heating device, a cooling device, or both; wherein the thermal device includes an off state, in which the thermal device is idle or provides a passive thermal effect to the temperature range of the tool subsystem; and wherein the thermal device includes an on state, in which the thermal device is powered to provide an active thermal effect to the temperature range of the work component subsystem.

[0025] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the controller is configured to execute the control logic to receive a state input for the thermal device, the state input indicating whether the thermal device is in the off state or in the on state, and to change the state of the thermal device from the off state to the on state when the predicted condition value indicates pre-conditioning of the working component subsystem only during the charging state of the electric power source.

[0026] In the example of the electric working vehicle, the controller is configured to execute the control logic to receive a charging state input for the power source, the charging state input indicating whether the power source is in the charging state or the power consuming state, and to cause the thermal device to operate in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value only during the charging state of the power source to pre-condition the working component subsystem.

[0027] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 is an exemplary electric work vehicle in the form of a loader in which the work component subsystem preconditioning system may be used;

[0029] Figure 2 is a data flow diagram of a work component subsystem preconditioning control system according to an exemplary embodiment; and

[0030] Figure 3 A flow chart depicts a method for implementing a work component subsystem preconditioning function according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following detailed description describes one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosed electric work vehicle preconditioning control system and method, as shown in the accompanying figures in the above description of the drawings. Various modifications to the exemplary embodiments may be envisioned by those skilled in the art. The discussion herein focuses on an electric work vehicle that is an agricultural tractor, but the electric work vehicle may be other work vehicle platforms in agriculture and industries other than agriculture (e.g., construction, forestry, mining, etc.).

[0032] Overview

[0033] Conventional work vehicles typically include a fuel-consuming power source, such as an internal combustion engine (e.g., a diesel engine, or a gas engine), to power vehicle traction and work tools. Such work vehicles typically include various hydraulic and electro-hydraulic subsystems that facilitate the operation of vehicle traction and work tools. These subsystems typically operate optimally when the hydraulic fluid is at or within a specific temperature or temperature range. In order for the vehicle drive or work tool to perform optimally, the subsystems can be pre-adjusted before the vehicle traction or work operation is required. Such pre-adjustment typically occurs during an initial warm-up period, during which the engine operates for a period of time immediately before a work session. The operation of the engine provides power to various subsystems of the work vehicle, including pumps and various components, so that the hydraulic fluid circulates through the subsystems themselves and various thermal management devices, such as electric heaters or fans, pumps, and other components of various air or liquid cooling circuits.

[0034] While efficient fuel consumption is often a factor in engine and vehicle design, energy conservation is not typically a primary concern in such conventional work vehicles. This is different from the case of work vehicles that have an electrical power source rather than a fuel-consuming power source, such as an internal combustion engine. In electric work vehicles, the costs associated with electrical storage devices and their inherent limitations in terms of power capacity and charging time require more stringent management of energy consumption to optimize available power for vehicle traction and work operations.

[0035] The present disclosure provides an electric work vehicle in which pre-conditioning of a working component subsystem is controlled to maintain power. The electric work vehicle has a power source (e.g., one or more battery packs, collectively referred to as "batteries") of various technologies (e.g., lead-acid, lithium, lithium-ion, lithium polymer, lithium sulfur, lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, solid state, or other known or emerging battery technologies). The power source is capable of operating in a charging state and a power consumption state. As described below, the power consumption state may include an electronically consuming state and a less electronically consuming state, in which the working vehicle subsystem is using the battery for power during the working function, and in which the working vehicle subsystem is not using the battery but the battery is not in a charging state (e.g., an idle state). The electric work vehicle also has an electric motor powered by the power source.

[0036] When the power source is in a charging state, the power source is not being used effectively. The pre-conditioning that occurs under this condition is provided by the grid that is used to power / recharge the power source. Therefore, the pre-conditioning referred to herein is effectively provided by the grid, rather than by the power source of the electric vehicle.

[0037] The electric working vehicle has a working component that is powered by an electric power source during a power consumption state to perform working operations at a working location during working time. The working component subsystem enables the working component to operate and is powered by an electric power source. The working component subsystem operates optimally within a given temperature range required for the operation of the working component subsystem. As used herein, the term "working component" will be understood to define a component or assembly that is part of a traction drive or a working tool. The term "working component subsystem" will be understood to define a system or assembly that facilitates the operation of a working component (such as a traction drive or a working tool), wherein the operation of the working component subsystem is optimal within a specified temperature range. These terms do not include conventional systems for managing the condition and performance of the electric power source or the battery itself. The electric working vehicle also has a thermal management system that includes thermal devices for affecting the temperature range of the working component subsystem.

[0038] An electric work vehicle has a control system including a controller having a processor and memory architecture. The controller executes control logic to receive a predicted condition value indicating an environmental condition of a work location at a work time. The predicted condition value is received by the controller at an evaluation time prior to the work time. Based on the predicted condition value, the controller sets an operating state of a thermal device of a thermal management system and causes the thermal device to operate in the set operating state so as to pre-condition a work component subsystem during a charging state of an electric power source prior to the work time, thereby reducing the power demand on the electric power source during a power consumption state.

[0039] In some cases, the work component subsystem includes a hydraulic fluid utilized by the work component subsystem to operate the work component. In this case, the temperature range is applicable to the hydraulic fluid. As an example, extreme temperatures may affect the impact responsiveness and efficiency of the hydraulic system. The work component can be any number of components or assemblies that affect vehicle traction or work operation carried by the electric work vehicle. For example, the work component can be a hydraulic traction drive, such as a wheel end or a "final" drive, which includes a gear reduction assembly that provides rotational torque to the ground engaging wheel or track of the electric work vehicle. As another example, the work component can be a work tool including one or more hydraulic actuators (such as a piston cylinder device). The work component subsystem can include a pump and a hydraulic circuit for conveying pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator. The work tool can be any of various known work tools, such as various booms and bucket assemblies for loaders and trenchers, blades, plows, rakes, grabs, and many special tools for specific agricultural machines.

[0040] The predicted condition value may be a sensed or derived value from any of a variety of sensor devices or data sources onboard or remote to the electric working vehicle. In some cases, the predicted condition value is extracted from a weather or environmental forecast feed received by the controller. The weather or environmental forecast may include various information indicated by the surrounding environment at a given workplace. Such information may include air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, dew point, wind speed, sunrise / sunset time, precipitation (e.g., rain, sleet, snow, etc.) and various other information related to the environment at the workplace. In some cases, for example, the weather or environmental forecast may provide an expected precipitation value as a predicted condition value. When received by the controller, the expected precipitation value may be compared with a threshold precipitation value to determine whether to pre-adjust the working component subsystem. In other examples, the weather forecast may include an ambient temperature value as a predicted condition value received by the controller, which processes the ambient temperature value to set the operating state of the thermal device and determines the time period for operating the thermal device and pre-adjusting the working component subsystem during the charging state of the power source. In making pre-adjustment determinations, the controller may obtain and process various other sensors, feeds, and predicted values.

[0041] The thermal management system may include any suitable heating and cooling devices (e.g., fans, pumps, valves, heat exchangers, etc.). These devices may utilize a gaseous medium (e.g., air) or a liquid medium to affect the cooling or heating of the working component subsystem. The thermal device may be shut down or operated in one or more on states. In the shut down state, the thermal device may be idle or provide a passive thermal effect to the temperature range of the working component subsystem. In the one or more on states, the thermal device may be powered on to provide an active thermal effect to the temperature range of the working component subsystem. The controller may be configured to execute control logic to receive a state input for the thermal device, the state input indicating whether the thermal device is in a shut down state or an on state, and when the predicted condition value indicates that the working component subsystem is pre-regulated only during the charging state of the power source, the state of the thermal device is changed from the shut down state to the on state. In various embodiments, the controller may be configured to execute control logic to receive a charging state input for the power source, the charging state input indicating whether the power source is in a charging state or a power consumption state. In this case, the controller may cause the thermal device to operate in an operating state set according to the predicted condition value only during the charging state of the electric power source to precondition the working component subsystem.

[0042] These and other aspects of the disclosed electric work vehicle will be better understood with respect to the exemplary work vehicle that will now be described.

[0043] Exemplary electric work vehicle with energy-efficient work component subsystem preconditioning

[0044] exist Figure 1 An exemplary embodiment of an electric work vehicle 100 that saves energy through preconditioning functionality is shown in FIG. In the depicted example, the work vehicle 100 is in the form of a loader, which may include or otherwise implement a preconditioning control system 102 that functions to selectively precondition or forgo preconditioning one or more subsystems of the work vehicle 100 between work activities (e.g., during the night, or after a day or operating period and before a potential day or operating period) based on various parameters (including weather forecasts).

[0045] The work vehicle 100 may be viewed as including or interacting with a controller 104, a powertrain 106, one or more implement devices 108, and one or more sensors 110 supported on a chassis 112 of the work vehicle 100. Figure 1 In the present invention, the work vehicle 100 as a loader is provided as an exemplary work vehicle or machine. However, it should be understood that other configurations are possible, including configurations of the work vehicle 100 as other machines for lifting and moving various materials in agriculture, construction, and / or forestry. Specific examples include tractors, trenchers, harvesters, mowers, snow blowers, etc.

[0046] In general, the powertrain 106 includes one or more electric motors 114 and one or more additional power sources 116 (e.g., one or more batteries, generally referred to as "batteries"). In one example, the battery 116 can operate in various states, including a charging state, in which the battery 116 is supplied with energy and stores energy, such as via a power grid or utility connection 130, or a depleted state, in which the battery 116 provides power (e.g., for operating one or more working components, such as aspects of the powertrain 106 and / or the implement device 108, as described below). As described below, the battery 116 itself can be considered a working component subsystem that operates within an optimal temperature range so that preconditioning can improve overall performance.

[0047] The powertrain 106 also includes a transmission 118 that transmits power or electricity from the power source 114 or the electric power source 116 to a suitable driveline connected to one or more driven wheels 120 to achieve propulsion of the work vehicle 100. The transmission 118 can also supply power or electricity to drive other components of the work vehicle 100, including the implement device 108 described below. The transmission 118 can include various gears, shafts, clutches, and other power transmission elements that can operate within various ranges representing selected output speeds and / or torques.

[0048] In one example, as described above, the transmission 118 can transmit power or electricity directly to the two driven wheels 120, and / or transmit power or electricity to the two driven wheels 120 via a traction drive 128 at or near the wheels 120. In some examples, the traction drive 128 can be a hydraulic traction drive, where the battery 116 powers a hydraulic pump that pressurizes a hydraulic fluid that in turn produces a rotational torque through various gear reduction devices, thereby providing the necessary power for traction to move the tractor. The traction drive 128 can be considered a work component subsystem for facilitating the operation of the work vehicle 100. In general, the traction drive 128 can include various components that can have an optimal operating temperature range so that the implementation of the pre-conditioning control system 102 can be beneficial.

[0049] Figure 1 The depicted implement arrangement 108 is merely an example, and tractors and other work vehicles may use a wide range of implements and hydraulic systems to perform a variety of functions, including blades, plows, rakes, snow blowers, grapples, lawn mowers, and many other specialized tools specifically tailored for a particular work vehicle. Figure 1 Device 108 can hydraulically operate such machines.

[0050] As described above, the work vehicle 100 also includes a machine device 108 that performs one or more work tasks (including excavation tasks). In one example, the machine device 108 includes a boom 122a and a bucket 124a. As shown, the boom 122a has a first end connected to the chassis 112 and a distal end on which the bucket 124a is mounted. Various linkage mechanisms, crossbars, mountings, pins, etc. can be provided. The bucket 124a is generally configured to receive a load of material. The machine device 108 also includes one or more actuators 126a, 126b configured to reposition the boom 122a and / or the bucket 124a. In one example, the actuators 126a, 126b are hydraulic cylinders, wherein a first actuator (or set of actuators) 126a extends between the chassis 112 and the boom 122a to reposition the boom 122a, and a second actuator (or set of actuators) 126b extends between the boom 122a and the bucket 124a to reposition the bucket 124a relative to the boom 122a. The implement device 108 may be considered a work component subsystem for facilitating operation of the work vehicle 100. In general, the implement device 108 may include various components that may have optimal operating temperature ranges such that implementation of the preconditioning control system 102 may be beneficial.

[0051] As introduced above, the work vehicle 100 may include a hydraulic system 132 that provides pressurized fluid to operate various components including the implement device 108 and the traction drive 128. The hydraulic system 132 may include one or more pumps and accumulators (as well as various control valves and conduits) that may be driven directly by the power source 114 or the electric power source 116 or via the transmission 118. The hydraulic system 132 may be considered a work component subsystem for facilitating operation of the work vehicle 100. In general, the hydraulic system 132 may include various components and work fluids that may have optimal operating temperature ranges.

[0052] In some examples, the work vehicle 100 may include a cab HVAC (heating / ventilation / air conditioning) system or device 140 that functions to direct heated, cooled, or ventilated airflow to an operator in the cab. The cab HVAC device 140 may include various heating elements, cooling elements, fans, etc., for improving the comfort of the operator. In some cases, the cab HVAC device 140 may be considered a work component subsystem that facilitates the overall operation of the work vehicle 100, and the cab HVAC device may have an optimal temperature range such that implementation of the preconditioning control system 102 may be beneficial.

[0053] In some examples, work vehicle 100 may include airflow device 142. Airflow device 142 may include a fan that generates a flow of air and a plurality of airflow structures (e.g., plenums, tubes, lines, etc.) that receive the air blown from the fan. Such a device 142 may facilitate the manipulation of materials within work vehicle 100. In some cases, airflow device 142 may be considered a work component subsystem that facilitates the overall operation of work vehicle 100. Airflow device 142 may have an optimal temperature range so that implementation of preconditioning control system 102 may be beneficial.

[0054] The work vehicle 100 may also include a thermal management system 134 that includes one or more thermal devices 136 for heating and / or cooling various aspects of the work vehicle 100, including aspects of the hydraulic system 132 and / or the implement device 108, as well as other subsystem components of the work vehicle 100. In addition to the one or more thermal devices 136, the thermal management system 134 may include heating elements, cooling elements, fans, fluid and / or air systems, etc. The thermal management system 134 may include a dedicated thermal management system or subsystems that function to handle a specific work component subsystem (e.g., the battery 116, the implement device 108, the cab HVAC device 140, and / or the airflow device 142), or may be part of an integrated system.

[0055] Generally, controller 104 implements the operation of pre-regulation control system 102, powertrain system 106, and other aspects of work vehicle 100, including any of the functionality described herein. Controller 104 may be configured as a computing device having an associated processor device and memory architecture, such as a hydraulic controller, an electrical controller, or an electro-hydraulic controller, among others. As such, controller 104 may be configured to perform various computational and control functions with respect to work vehicle 100. Controller 104 may be in electronic, hydraulic, or other communication with various other systems or devices of work vehicle 100, including via a CAN bus (not shown). For example, controller 104 may be in electronic or hydraulic communication with various actuators, sensors, and other devices and systems within (or outside) work vehicle 100, some of which will be discussed in greater detail below. Figure 1 An example location for controller 104 is depicted in FIG. 2 . However, it should be understood that other locations are possible, including other locations on work vehicle 100 or various remote locations.

[0056] In some embodiments, the controller 104 may be configured to receive input commands and interact with an operator via a human-machine interface or operator interface (not shown), including typical steering, acceleration, speed, transmission and wheel brake controls and other suitable controls. The human-machine interface may be configured in a variety of ways and may include one or more joysticks, various switches or levers, one or more buttons, a touch screen interface that may be superimposed on a display, a keyboard, a speaker, a microphone associated with a voice recognition system, or various other human-machine interface devices. The controller 104 may also receive input from one or more sensors 110 associated with various systems and components of the work vehicle 100 and the environment to implement the pre-conditioning control system 102.

[0057] As described above, the work vehicle 100 may include one or more sensors (generally represented by sensors 110) in communication with the controller 104 to provide various types of feedback and data in order to implement the functions described herein. In some applications, the sensors 110 may be configured to observe various conditions associated with the work vehicle 100, including the environment of the work vehicle 100. In one example, the sensors 110 may provide information associated with the ambient temperature and / or precipitation associated with the work vehicle 100 and / or the intended work site. Typically, the sensors 110 are onboard the work vehicle 100. However, as discussed below, the sensors 110 (and / or other information sources) may be located outside the work vehicle 100 (e.g., received by the work vehicle via one or more communication devices). Such information sources may include weather forecasts at the work site for the current work period, the next work period (e.g., the next day), and / or the time between the current work period and the next work period (e.g., the time period between the end of the work period and the subsequent work period). Sensors 110 may also include mechanisms for determining the state of battery 116 (e.g., power saving or power consumption) and / or the state of thermal device 136 (e.g., on state or off state). As described below, preconditioning control system 102 may take this information into account when implementing preconditioning functions.

[0058] The preconditioning control system 102 can be considered to include the controller 104, the thermal device 136, and, optionally, one or more of the work component subsystems discussed above. As described in more detail below, the preconditioning control system 102 operates to evaluate various parameters in the background to identify one or more predicted condition values ​​indicative of one or more environmental conditions of the work location at a future work time; and based on the predicted condition values, the preconditioning control system 102 can set the operating state of the thermal management system 134 to precondition one or more work component subsystems.

[0059] Now also refer to Figure 2, a data flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a preconditioning control system 102, which is implemented by an onboard sensor 110, a controller 104, and an external data source 150 to perform a preconditioning function to generate a signal for use via a thermal management system 134 ( Figure 1 ) to precondition one or more work component subsystems (e.g., hydraulic system 132, transmission 118, battery 116, cab HVAC device 140, air flow device 142, and / or implement device 108). In general, controller 104 may be considered a vehicle controller or a dedicated controller, such as a thermal management system controller(s).

[0060] about Figure 2 The pre-conditioning control system 102, the controller 104 can be organized into one or more functional units or modules 160, 162 (eg, software, hardware, or a combination thereof). It will be appreciated that Figure 2 The modules 160, 162 shown in the figure can be combined and / or further divided to perform functions similar to those described herein. As an example, each of the modules 160, 162 can be implemented with a processing architecture such as a processor 164 and a memory 166 and one or more suitable communication interfaces or units 168. For example, the controller 104 can implement the modules 160, 162 using the processor 164 based on a program or instruction stored in the memory 166. Generally, the communication unit 168 can connect various system components, including the memory 166 to the processor 164 and components inside and outside the work vehicle 100. In one example, the function of the communication unit 168 is to enable wireless communication, including directly (for example, via Therefore, the communication unit 168 may include Transceiver, radio transceiver, cellular transceiver, LTE transceiver and / or Wi-Fi transceiver. For example, such communications may utilize one or more of a variety of communication technologies or mechanisms, including radio frequency, Wi-Fi, cellular, telecommunications, and / or any other suitable platform.

[0061] In some examples, consideration and implementation of the pre-regulation function by the controller 104 is continuous, such as continuously activated. In other examples, activation of the pre-regulation function may be selective, such as enabled or disabled based on input from an operator or other considerations. In any case, the pre-regulation function may be enabled and implemented by the pre-regulation control system 102 as described below.

[0062] As shown, in general, the controller 104 (and in particular the prediction module 160) may receive input data in a variety of forms and / or from a variety of sources. Figure 2, prediction module 160 is depicted as receiving input data from onboard sensors 110 and external data sources 150, but such input data may also come from other systems or controllers internal or external to work vehicle 100. In general, the input data considered by prediction module 160 represents any data sufficient to evaluate conditions that potentially affect the operation of one or more work component subsystems of work vehicle 100 during a subsequent work period. As an example, such information may be considered during an evaluation after a work period (e.g., day "n") and before a subsequent potential work period (e.g., day "n+1").

[0063] As shown, onboard sensors 110 may provide information about current temperature, precipitation, and current system data about various components and / or systems (e.g., fluid or component temperature or pressure) to prediction module 160. External data sources 150 may provide information associated with current and / or future temperature and / or precipitation at the work site for prediction data.

[0064] Typically, for the prediction module 160, information from the onboard sensors 110 and the external data sources 150 is considered, and one or more predicted condition values ​​representing expected future condition parameters associated with the environment of the work vehicle 100 and / or the work site are extracted and / or derived. In one example, the prediction module 160 may also receive the state of the battery 116, such as indicating whether the battery 116 is in a charging state or a depleted state. If the battery 116 is in a depleted state, the prediction module 160 may terminate any modification to the pre-regulation function or terminate any pre-regulation function based on the predicted condition value. If the prediction module 160 determines that the battery 116 is in a charging state, the prediction module 160 provides one or more predicted condition values ​​to the thermal management pre-regulation module 162. In some examples, the prediction module 160 (and the entire system 102) may generate and / or consider the predicted condition values ​​and operate to pre-regulate the work component subsystem before the work time, as described below, regardless of the state of the battery 116.

[0065] The thermal management pre-regulation module 162 considers the predicted condition value, particularly in the context of the functions of various working component subsystems. For example, the thermal management pre-regulation module 162 determines whether the predicted condition value indicates that the working component subsystem will operate during the next working period. This determination may depend on the properties of the corresponding working component subsystem. To achieve this, the thermal management pre-regulation module 162 may include or otherwise access a model that evaluates the predicted condition value based on both the functions of one or more of the working component subsystems and the optimal temperature range of the component subsystem to achieve (or abandon) the optimal range of time for operation during the evaluation period. Such models may include thermodynamic models regarding temperature and / or precipitation, the relationship of thermal equipment 136 and / or component subsystems, and other aspects of the working vehicle 100 and / or the environment.

[0066] Additional details are provided below, but generally as described above, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 does not modify the preconditioning functionality unless the battery 116 is in a charging state, but as previously described, in some examples, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can modify the preconditioning functionality regardless of the state of the battery 116. In addition, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can determine that the next day of operation is unlikely given the functionality of the work vehicle 100 or the work vehicle component subsystem (e.g., no snow for a snowplow, or excessive rain for an agricultural vehicle). Upon receiving the predicted condition value, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can determine a mechanism for effectively preconditioning one or more work component subsystems to reduce the demand on the battery 116 during the subsequent power-consuming state. In other words, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can generate a command to activate the thermal device 136 at a specified time to enable the corresponding component subsystem to achieve an optimal temperature when operating. This enables preconditioning when the battery 116 is in a charging state (e.g., connected to the power grid 130) rather than a power-consuming state (e.g., at a work site, before operation). In some cases, when the battery 116 is in a charging state, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can consider the predicted condition value and use passive measures to facilitate preconditioning. For example, if: 1) the corresponding work component subsystem is relatively warm after a day of operation; 2) the temperature is expected to be relatively low; and 3) and operation is expected to occur during the next work period, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can deactivate the cooling function of the work component subsystem that would otherwise occur so that subsequent heating during the preconditioning period can be reduced or avoided. As described above, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 can modify the preconditioning function and / or perform preconditioning in a different manner regardless of the state of the battery 116. In other words, in one example, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 operates to precondition the working component subsystem only when the battery 116 is in a charging state; and in another example, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 may operate to precondition the working component subsystem even when the battery 116 is not in a charging state, particularly when the battery 116 is in a low power or idle state, in which the working component subsystem does not apply a load to the battery 116 but is not in a charging state. In yet another example, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 may operate to precondition the working component subsystem before the working time even when the battery 116 is not in a charging state, but the degree of preconditioning when the battery 116 is not in a charging state is less or modified than the degree to which the working component subsystem would be preconditioned if the battery 116 was in a charging state. In such a scenario, the threshold for preconditioning the working component subsystem may be more stringent or more conservative to avoid consuming more power from the battery 116 that would otherwise occur.

[0067] Refer to the following example: The work vehicle 100 may be as follows: Figure 1 The loader represented is intended to maneuver and dig using various work component subsystems (e.g., implement device 108 powered by battery 116, hydraulic system 132, traction drive 128, etc.) during an evaluation period prior to the next work period; and the predicted condition value indicates that heavy rain is predicted. In this example, the work vehicle 100 is unlikely to operate in the rain. As a result, there is no need to pre-condition the loader because no operation will occur. In this scenario, the thermal management pre-conditioning module 162 will not activate (or deactivate) the thermal device 136, which might otherwise have been used to pre-condition the hydraulic device 108 (and / or the implement device 108). Otherwise, if the predicted condition value indicates that the weather is suitable for operation, the thermal management pre-conditioning module 162 sets the operating state of the thermal device 136 to be activated at the specified time. In particular, the thermal management preconditioning module 162 will activate the thermal device 136 to warm or otherwise prepare the work component subsystems prior to operation (including when the power source is operating in a charging state), thereby alleviating the need for preconditioning at the work site or immediately prior to operation when the battery 116 is in a depleted state. In addition, if the weather forecast for the subsequent period shows low temperatures at night below the optimal hydraulic operating threshold, the system 102 can deactivate its cooling system at the end of the work day to store heat for the next day. By allowing the hydraulic fluid to retain heat generated from its inefficient operation during the previous day, the work vehicle 100 can be better prepared for potential work the following day, thereby reducing reliance on battery energy during future potential operations.

[0068] exist Figure 2 In the depicted example, the thermal management pre-conditioning module 162 generates and references Figure 1 The commands associated with the thermal devices of the various work components discussed include hydraulic system thermal control commands, transmission thermal control commands, electrical power source or power source thermal control commands, cab HVAC system thermal control commands, and implement system thermal control commands. Additional thermal control commands for additional work component subsystems may be generated by the thermal management preconditioning module 162.

[0069] The pre-conditioning control system discussed herein can be further embodied as a method 180, such as Figure 3. The method 180 may be implemented by the controller 104 discussed above. In an initial step 182, the system 102 may determine the operating state of the battery 116, and in particular, determine whether the battery is in a state of charge. If the battery 116 is in a state of charge, the method 180 proceeds to step 184. If the battery 116 is not in a state of charge, the method 180 may proceed to step 200, in which no action is taken. In some examples, step 182 may be optional, and the system 102 may operate to precondition the operating component subsystems prior to the operating time as described below, regardless of the state of the battery 116, or to the same or lesser extent or with different thresholds (e.g., more conservative) than the system 102 would precondition the operating component subsystems when the battery 116 is in a state of charge, particularly when the battery 116 is in a less depleted or idle state. In other words, the method 180 may begin at step 184. In step 184, the preconditioning control system 102 considers the function of the vehicle and / or work component subsystems; and in step 186, the preconditioning control system 102 receives forecast and / or vehicle system data. In a further step 188, the preconditioning control system 102 predicts future conditions in the form of one or more predicted condition values. In step 190, the preconditioning control system 102 evaluates to determine whether the predicted conditions provide a need to stop any cooling functions. The control model uses weather forecasts to predictively store or dissipate heat from operations by enabling or disabling cooling functions of certain systems at the end of the day to achieve optimal system temperatures for efficiency the next day. Upon completion of step 192, or if the preconditioning control system 102 determines in step 190 that the cooling functions should not be modified, the system determines whether the work vehicle 100 will be operated in the next period of time. In step 194, if the work vehicle 100 will not be operated in the next period of time, the preconditioning control system 102 does not take any action or terminates the existing preconditioning functions, as represented in step 200. In step 196, if the work vehicle 100 is to be operated in the next period of time, the method 180 proceeds to step 196, where the predicted conditions are compared to the thermal requirements of the relevant work vehicle component subsystems. If the predicted conditions indicate that activation is necessary, the system 102 generates appropriate thermal commands, as represented by step 196. On the other hand, if the ambient temperature is such that thermal management is not necessary, the preconditioning control system 102 may not take the action represented by step 198. For example, the preconditioning control system 102 may consider the expected ambient temperature of the working fluid relative to the hydraulic device 108, which is a work vehicle component subsystem; and if the ambient temperature is such that heating is required prior to operation, the preconditioning control system 102 generates a command to activate the thermal device 136 of the thermal management system 134 associated with the hydraulic device 108.Generally, upon completion of step 198 or step 200 , preconditioning control system 102 may continue to monitor forecast data and / or system data such that if conditions change such that a modification of the thermal command is required, method 180 will be repeated.

[0070] Thus, the preconditioning control system adjusts the intensity of cooling or heating, activates passive thermal components, or preconditions the working component subsystems so that the thermal management system ensures optimal performance under different environmental conditions. Preconditioning the working component subsystems during the charging state of the power source or when not in the charging state before the working time reduces the power demand during the power consumption state. This proactive approach saves energy and improves the overall performance and life of the working component subsystems. As a result, the electric working vehicle benefits from increased efficiency, reduced power consumption, cost savings, and better utilization of available resources.

[0071] The terms used herein are only used for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", "said", "the" are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the terms "comprisies" and / or "comprising" when used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof.

[0072] As used herein, unless otherwise limited or modified, a list of elements separated by a conjunction (e.g., "and") and preceded by the phrase "one or more" or "at least one" indicates a configuration or arrangement that potentially includes the individual elements of the list or any combination thereof. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" or "one or more of A, B, and C" indicates the following possibilities: only A; only B; only C; or any combination of two or more of A, B, and C (e.g., A and B; B and C; A and C; or A, B, and C).

[0073] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, certain aspects of the disclosed subject matter may be embodied as a method, system (e.g., a work machine control system included in a work machine), or computer program product. Thus, certain embodiments may be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or as a combination of software and hardware (among other) aspects. Furthermore, certain embodiments may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

[0074] As used herein, the term "module" refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic and / or processor device, alone or in any combination, including but not limited to: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, (shared, dedicated or group) processors and memories that execute one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuits, and / or other suitable components that provide the functionality. The term "module" may be synonymous with unit, component, subsystem, subcontroller, circuit, routine, element, structure, control portion, etc.

[0075] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional and / or logical block components and various processing steps. It should be understood that such block components may be implemented by any number of hardware, software, and / or firmware components configured to perform specified functions. For example, embodiments of the present disclosure may employ various integrated circuit components, such as memory elements, digital signal processing elements, logic elements, lookup tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in conjunction with any number of work vehicles.

[0076] For the sake of brevity, conventional techniques related to signal processing, data transmission, signaling, control and other functional aspects of the system (and the various operating components of the system) are not described in detail herein. In addition, the connecting lines shown in the various figures included herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0077] The description of the present disclosure is presented for the purpose of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure of the disclosed form. Without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure, many modifications and changes are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments explicitly cited herein are selected and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, and to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present disclosure and identify many alternatives, modifications and changes on the described (one or more) examples. Therefore, various embodiments and embodiments other than the embodiments and embodiments explicitly described are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An electric working vehicle (100), comprising: a power source (116) operable in a charging state and a power consuming state; an electric motor (114), the electric motor being powered by the electric power source (116); a working component, the working component being powered by the power source (116) during the power consumption state to perform a working operation at a working location during a working time; a working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) that enables the working component to operate and is powered by the power source (116), the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) being capable of optimal operation within a temperature range; a thermal management system (134) comprising a thermal device (136) for affecting the temperature range of the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142); A controller (104) comprising a processor and a memory architecture, the controller executing control logic to: receiving a predicted condition value indicating an environmental condition of the working location at the working time, the predicted condition value being received by the controller (104) at an evaluation time prior to the working time; setting an operating state of the thermal device (136) of the thermal management system (134) based on the predicted condition value; as well as The thermal device (136) is operated in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value to pre-condition the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) before the working time, thereby reducing the power demand on the power source (116) during the power consumption state.

2. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The controller (104) is configured to cause the thermal device (136) to operate during the charging state of the power source (116) to pre-condition the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

3. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 2, in, The predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller (104); wherein the weather forecast includes an expected precipitation value as the forecast condition value received by the controller (104); and The controller (104) compares the expected precipitation value with a threshold precipitation value to determine whether to pre-adjust the work component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

4. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 2, in, The predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller (104); wherein the weather forecast includes an ambient temperature value as the forecast condition value received by the controller (104); and wherein the controller (104) processes the ambient temperature value to set the operating state of the thermal device (136) and determines a time period for operating the thermal device (136) and preconditioning the working component subsystems (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) during the charging state of the power source (116).

5. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) includes a working fluid utilized by the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) to operate the working component; and Wherein, the temperature range is applicable to the operating fluid.

6. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 5, wherein: The working member is a traction drive (128) including a gear reduction assembly that provides rotational torque to ground engaging wheels or tracks of the electric working vehicle (100).

7. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 5, wherein: The work component is a work tool (108) including a tool actuator (126a, 126b), and the work component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) is operable to cause movement of the work tool via the tool actuator (126a, 126b).

8. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 7, wherein: The working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) includes a pump (132) for pressurizing the working fluid; and The implement actuator includes a piston cylinder (126a, 126b) driven by pressurized working fluid of the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

9. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 1, wherein: The thermal device (136) includes a heating device, a cooling device, or both a heating device and a cooling device; wherein the thermal device (136) includes an off state in which the thermal device (136) is idle or provides a passive thermal effect to the temperature range of the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142); and Wherein the thermal device (136) includes an on state in which the thermal device (136) is powered to provide an active thermal effect to the temperature range of the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

10. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 9, wherein: The controller (104) is configured to execute the control logic to: receiving a status input for the thermal device (136), the status input indicating whether the thermal device (136) is in the off state or the on state; as well as When the predicted condition value indicates that the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) is pre-conditioned only during the charging state of the power source (116), the state of the thermal device (136) is changed from the off state to the on state.

11. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 10, wherein: The controller (104) is configured to execute the control logic to: receiving a charging state input for the power source (116), the charging state input indicating whether the power source (116) is in the charging state or the consuming state; as well as The thermal device (136) is caused to operate in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value only during the charging state of the power source (116) to pre-condition the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

12. An electric working vehicle (100), comprising: a power source (116) operable in a charging state and a power consuming state; an electric motor (114), the electric motor being powered by the electric power source (116); a working component, the working component being powered by the power source (116) during the power consumption state to perform a working operation at a working location during a working time; a working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) that operates the working component and is powered by the power source (116), the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) comprising a working fluid for operating the working component and capable of optimal operation within a temperature range; a thermal management system (134) comprising a thermal device (136) for affecting the temperature range of the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142); A controller (104) comprising a processor and a memory architecture, the controller executing control logic to: receiving a predicted condition value indicating an environmental condition of the working location at the working time, the predicted condition value being received by the controller (104) at an evaluation time prior to the working time; setting an operating state of the thermal device (136) of the thermal management system (134) based on the predicted condition value; as well as The thermal device (136) is operated in the operating state set according to the predicted condition value to pre-condition the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) before the working time, thereby reducing the power demand on the power source (116) during the power consumption state.

13. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 11, wherein: The controller (104) is configured to cause the thermal device (136) to operate during the charging state of the power source (116) to pre-condition the working component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

14. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 13, in, The predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller (104); wherein the weather forecast includes an expected precipitation value as the forecast condition value received by the controller (104); and The controller (104) compares the expected precipitation value with a threshold precipitation value to determine whether to pre-adjust the work component subsystem (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142).

15. The electric working vehicle (100) according to claim 13, in, The predicted condition value is extracted from a weather forecast feed received by the controller (104); wherein the weather forecast includes an ambient temperature value as the forecast condition value received by the controller (104); and wherein the controller (104) processes the ambient temperature value to set the operating state of the thermal device (136) and determines a time period for operating the thermal device (136) and preconditioning the working component subsystems (108, 116, 118, 128, 132, 140, 142) during the charging state of the power source (116).

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