Voltage regulation for auxiliary power supply of battery replacement electric machines

Abstract

A system and method for replacing the main battery of an electric motor may include: storing a first amount of energy in the main battery; storing a second amount of energy in an auxiliary battery, the second amount being less than the first amount; and supplying the first power from the main battery to at least one motor. In response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the electric motor during this period, a second voltage level of the auxiliary battery may be managed (e.g., boosted) to match the first voltage level of the main battery, thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the motor.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Electric machines, such as mining machines, can advantageously be powered by batteries, enabling them to operate in environments that benefit from zero emissions, less noise generation, and less heat from diesel engines. Using electric machines also reduces operating costs. One problem with operating electric machines is the charging and replacement of rechargeable batteries. Because such electric machines consume large amounts of energy, batteries or other batteries need to be recharged relatively frequently (e.g., every few hours). Furthermore, recharging rechargeable batteries is time-consuming (e.g., from 30 minutes to several hours) due to their large size. Therefore, electric machines are configured to replace depleted rechargeable batteries with fully charged ones, rather than shutting down the machines for extended periods. However, rechargeable batteries are quite heavy (e.g., 1000 pounds (454 kg) or significantly heavier), so replacing them typically requires the electric machine to remove the battery and place it on a charger, then driving the machine to another charger with a recharged battery positioned there, allowing the recharged battery to be installed on the machine.

[0002] To enable operation and manipulation of electric machinery while the (main) rechargeable battery is removed, an auxiliary rechargeable battery is typically included on the electric machinery. It should be understood that performing a "hot swap" of the main battery may mean that the auxiliary battery is installed on the electric machinery, and most subsystems of the electric machinery (e.g., air conditioning, heaters, etc.) are deactivated, as operating with the auxiliary battery while replacing the main battery could take up to six minutes or more, and the auxiliary battery may not be suitable or applicable for operating subsystems such as air conditioning or heating. Furthermore, the "hot swap" process carries the risk of damaging electrical connections within the machine because the operating conditions (such as output voltage) of the auxiliary and main batteries may differ. Therefore, there is a need to improve the "hot swap" process for electric machinery. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the drawbacks of performing "hot-swap" on the main battery of an electric machine, the principles described herein provide an electric machine having a main battery, an auxiliary battery, and power electronics to support "hot-swap" of the main battery and enable the electric machine to operate continuously, thereby performing core functions and maintaining the operation of subsystems of the electric machine (such as air conditioning). The power electronics may include power management circuitry (e.g., buck / boost DC / DC circuitry) configured to: (i) match the voltage level of the auxiliary battery to the voltage level of the depleted main battery before being electrically disconnected for recharging; (ii) support the power supply needs of the electric machine to maintain the operation of the subsystem while the electric machine is being manipulated during battery swapping operations; and (iii) match the voltage level of the auxiliary battery to the voltage level of the recharged main battery reloaded onto the electric machine, thereby preventing arcing or other undesirable electrical phenomena (such as current surges) on the system DC power bus.

[0004] One embodiment of the electric motor may include at least one electric motor. A main battery may be configured to store a first amount of energy and removably connected to the electric motor. An auxiliary battery may be configured to store a second amount of energy, which is less than the first amount of energy. The electric motor may include: a system DC power bus; and power electronics that are electrically in communication with the system DC power bus, at least one motor, and the main battery and auxiliary battery being electrically in communication with the system DC power bus. The power electronics may be configured to: (i) supply the first power from the main battery to the motor via the system DC power bus; and (ii) manage the connection of the auxiliary battery to match the first voltage level of the main battery in response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus, thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery to be applied to the system DC power bus to supply power to the motor.

[0005] One embodiment of a method for replacing the main battery of an electric motor may include: storing a first amount of energy in the main battery. An auxiliary battery may store a second amount of energy, which is less than the first amount. The first power may be supplied from the main battery to at least one motor. In response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the electric motor during this period, a second voltage level of the auxiliary battery may be increased, for example, using a DC / DC converter circuit to match the first voltage level of the main battery, thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the motor.

[0006] In one embodiment, a second power source can be connected to at least one motor by managing the parallel connection of an auxiliary battery with a main battery. Once the auxiliary battery is successfully connected in parallel to the main battery, the main battery can then be disconnected from the motor. The main battery can then be recharged once disconnected from the motor. The connection of the auxiliary battery and the disconnection of the main battery can be performed when the power electronic equipment manages the energy from the auxiliary battery to match the DC power bus voltage level. Matching the DC power bus voltage level prevents electrical damage to the main battery, auxiliary battery, and power management devices. One method that can be used to implement this power management is to use a DC / DC converter circuit (e.g., a buck / boost circuit). Other devices can be used to manage the connection between the auxiliary battery and the main battery, including but not limited to power switching semiconductors, electromechanical switching devices, or other devices known to those skilled in the art. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The method and apparatus according to the present invention can be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1A and Figure 1B These are examples of exemplary mining machines that are electrically powered by one or more rechargeable batteries to perform transport and excavation / loading functions, respectively.

[0009] Figure 2 This is an illustrative schematic diagram of an electric machine, which includes a replaceable main battery and a smaller auxiliary battery;

[0010] Figure 3 This is an illustrative signal diagram showing the power signals from each of the main battery and auxiliary battery during a main battery replacement;

[0011] Figure 4 It is an exemplary power system including a main battery, an auxiliary battery, and a power supply circuit; and

[0012] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary process for performing a main battery replacement. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Before turning to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or illustrated in the drawings. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0014] about Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe illustration shows exemplary electric machines 100a and 100b (collectively referred to as 100) (in this case, mining machines), electrically driven by one or more rechargeable batteries (e.g., multiple rechargeable batteries) to perform transport and loading functions, respectively. Because these electric machines 100 are configured to perform very heavy lifting and handling operations, the rechargeable batteries are exceptionally large, as they are used to power the motors of the electric machines 100 in addition to performing lifting, dumping, digging, and other high-torque operations. For example, electric machine 100a (in this case, a mining truck used as a dump truck weighing over 400 tons) is used to transport mined raw materials. The Electric Machine 100a can have a main battery measuring 3.6m x 1.6m x 2.4m (11.8ft x 5.25ft x 7.8ft) and weighing thousands of kilograms (thousands of pounds). This main battery is configured with an energy storage capacity of 1.4MWh (2,600 volts), and such a large battery can still be rapidly charged in just 30 minutes. Despite the rapid charging speed, any loss of operating time is exceptionally costly given the scale of the operations that the Electric Machine 100a is originally intended to perform at the mining site. Therefore, auxiliary batteries are needed to operate when the depleted main battery is replaced with a recharged one.

[0015] As further shown in the figure, both of the electric machines 100a and 100b include operator compartments 102a and 102b (collectively referred to as 102), in which one or more human operators are located during operation of the respective electric machine 100. Each operator compartment 102 may be configured to have subsystems (such as air conditioning and heating) because the electric machine 100 is typically used in challenging environments that may be hot or cold, so that operators expect to be able to continue operating these subsystems even after the main battery has been removed and replaced with a recharged main battery. In one embodiment, performing a main battery replacement may take up to six minutes or longer, so an auxiliary battery will be designated to be able to support the operation of the electric machine 100 during the replacement process, and also support the operation of subsystems (such as air conditioning and heating) in operator compartment 102 or elsewhere.

[0016] about Figure 2The diagram illustrates an exemplary schematic of an electric machine 200, which includes a replaceable main battery 202 and a smaller auxiliary battery 204. In this case, the electric machine 200 may be a vehicle including tires 206 for moving the electric machine 200. It should be understood that the electric machine 200 may include tracks or other systems for moving the electric machine 200, as well as any other mechanisms for performing one or more specific functions, such as a bucket, crane, or any other mechanized system. It should also be understood that the electric machine 200 may be stationary and does not include mechanisms enabling the electric machine 200 to move. The main battery 202 may be configured to store more energy than the auxiliary battery 204, and therefore the main battery 202 may be physically larger than the auxiliary battery 200. Thus, the main battery 202 may primarily be used during normal operation of the electric machine 200, while the auxiliary battery 204 may be used to support the operation of the electric machine 200 during battery replacement periods when the rechargeable main battery 202 is depleted and being replaced with another fully charged rechargeable main battery. The period for replacing the main battery 202 can be a limited amount of time (e.g., less than 10 minutes), allowing the auxiliary battery 204 to be configured to support the main operation of the electric machine and also support one or more subsystems (e.g., air conditioning and / or heaters in the operator's compartment). To initiate the battery replacement, a button or other battery replacement activation element 207 may be provided for the operator to press or otherwise initiate the battery replacement process.

[0017] The electric machine 200 may include power electronic equipment 208, which may be electrically connected to a main battery 202 and an auxiliary battery 204 to receive power from one or both of the main battery 202 and / or the auxiliary battery 204. For example, (i) during normal operation, the main battery 202 may be electrically connected to the power electronic equipment 208; (ii) during startup or completion of a replacement of the main battery 202, both the main battery 202 and the auxiliary battery 204 may be electrically connected to the power electronic equipment 208 during the transition from the main battery 202 to the auxiliary battery 204 or from the auxiliary battery to the main battery; and (iii) during a replacement of the main battery 202, when the main battery 202 has been electrically disconnected from the electric machine 200, the auxiliary battery 204 may be electrically connected. As shown, the main battery 202 may be electrically disconnected from the power electronic equipment 208 to support the replacement of the main battery 202. In one embodiment, at least one processor 209 may be electrically communicated with and / or integrated with power electronic device 208, and may be configured to control power electronic device 208 to perform a battery replacement process and any other functions that power electronic device 208 and / or other systems can perform. For example, processor 209 may be configured to receive a battery replacement start signal 211 in response to a user pressing an activation element (e.g., a button) 207, which in turn controls power electronic device 208 to initiate the battery replacement process (e.g., see...). Figure 3 The power electronic device 208 may include active power electronic devices (such as DC / DC converters), passive power electronic devices (such as switching diodes), electromechanical devices (such as contactors), and sensors configured to sense voltage and current levels at various points in the power electronic devices, the main battery, and the auxiliary battery.

[0018] The main battery 202 is shown to include an electrical conductor 210a connected to an electrical connector 212a (a socket in this case). A power electronic device 208 may be connected to an electrical conductor 210b connected to an electrical connector 212b (a plug in this case). It should be understood that electrical connectors 210a and 210b (collectively referred to as 210) and electrical connectors 212a and 212b (collectively referred to as 212) are merely illustrative, and other types of electrical conductors 210 and connectors 212 (such as socket and plug interchangeability, capacitive or inductive charging elements, etc.) may be used to provide a quick and easy replacement process for electrical connection between the main battery 202 and the power electronic device 208. The replacement process may be automatic, semi-automatic, or manual.

[0019] An auxiliary battery 204 is shown electrically connected via an electrical conductor 214, which may be releasably or non-releasably connected between the power electronic device 208 and the auxiliary battery 204. The power electronic device 208 may be electrically connected to one or more motors 216 via an electrical conductor 218. The electrical conductor 218 may be releasably or non-releasably connected to one or both of the power electronic device 208 and / or the motor 216. A subsystem 220 (e.g., an air conditioner, heater, radio, etc.) may be electrically connected to the power electronic device 208 via an electrical conductor 222. It should be understood that electrical conductors 210b, 214, 218, and / or 222 may be part of the system DC power bus of the electric machine 200 and are used to power the electrical and / or electronic devices of the electric machine 200 (e.g., motor 216, subsystem 220, controller, lights, etc.).

[0020] about Figure 3 An exemplary signal diagram 300 is shown, illustrating signals from an electric motor during a main battery replacement (see, for example, see...). Figure 2 The power signals 302a, 302b (collectively referred to as 302) and 304a, 304b (collectively referred to as 304) for each of the main and auxiliary batteries are shown. When the main battery is electrically connected to the system DC power bus, the main battery can supply power (shown as voltages 302a and 302b). When not electrically connected to the system DC power bus, the voltage 304a of the auxiliary battery is shown, and when drawn by power electronic devices to connect to the DC power bus, the voltage 304b of the auxiliary energy storage device is shown.

[0021] During operation, the operator or other user of the electric machine may instruct the machine that the main battery replacement process will be performed at time T1. This instruction may be executed by the operator pressing a button or engaging any other activation device that transmits a main battery replacement signal to the power electronics. In one embodiment, the main battery replacement signal may be transmitted by a processor (see...). Figure 2The processor is configured to control the operation of the power electronic equipment. The power electronic equipment may include circuitry activated at time T2 to draw power from an auxiliary battery at voltage 304a and to supply power to the DC power bus at voltage 304b to match the voltage of the main battery. In matching the voltage level of the auxiliary battery to that of the main battery, voltage 304b may be substantially matched to or slightly below voltage 302a (e.g., voltage 304b may be within a few percentage points of voltage 302a to avoid arcing or any other electrical phenomena (e.g., current surges) on the system DC power bus that could negatively impact electrical and / or electronic equipment on the bus). At time T3, after voltage 304b matches voltage 302a, the main battery may be electrically disconnected from the power electronic equipment (e.g., by disconnecting an electrical connector or switching a switch from a connected state to an open state to electrically disconnect the main battery from the system DC power bus). This disconnection of the main battery can be performed by physical means (e.g., by unplugging the plug from the socket of the electrical connector) or by electromechanical means (e.g., using an electrical switch or an electromechanical switch).

[0022] When the main battery is disconnected from the system DC power bus, the electric machine can be powered by the auxiliary battery. As previously described, the auxiliary battery can be configured to support part or all of the electric machine and subsystems (e.g., air conditioning) during main battery replacement (e.g., six minutes or longer). In one embodiment, the auxiliary battery can be configured to ensure that the voltage it provides during the replacement period is higher than a minimum low voltage level 306 (i.e., the voltage level of the auxiliary battery 304a boosted by power electronic devices).

[0023] At time T4, the primary battery can be replaced by a second primary battery, which is already charged and electrically connected to the system DC power bus of the electric machine. In one embodiment, the power electronic device can draw power from the auxiliary battery to increase the DC power bus voltage 304b to match (i.e., within a few percentage points) the voltage level 302b of the fully charged second primary battery. In response to the matching of the DC power bus voltage level 304b with the primary battery voltage level 302b, at time T5, the primary battery can be electrically connected to the system DC power bus, and the auxiliary battery can be disconnected from the system DC power bus. The power electronic device can also be configured to transfer power from the DC power bus to subsequently recharge the auxiliary battery from the charged primary battery, as per [reference needed]. Figure 4 This provides the voltage of the auxiliary battery 304a to be increased to the maximum voltage.

[0024] It should be understood that the electric machine may be configured to detect whether the voltage level or power level of the main battery is decreasing and automatically generate signals (e.g., visual signals and / or audio signals) or convey notifications (e.g., sending messages to the device to display notifications or generating tactile signals, such as vibrations from a mobile phone or watch) to notify the operator of the low energy level of the main battery so that the main battery replacement can be initiated as soon as possible.

[0025] about Figure 4 An exemplary power system 400 is shown, comprising a main battery 402a, an auxiliary battery 402b, and a power supply circuit 404. The power supply circuit 404 may include an inverter circuit 406 and a DC converter circuit 408 (e.g., a buck / boost circuit). As shown, the main battery 402a may be configured as a battery pack that can be physically and electrically removably connected to an electric motor and a system DC power bus, respectively. The DC converter circuit 408 may be configured to: (i) recharge the auxiliary battery from the main battery using the DC converter circuit; and (ii) supply power to the DC power bus to match the voltage level of the main battery before the main battery is electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus and before a second recharged main battery is electrically reconnected to the system DC power bus. Figure 3 As described. The power electronic device 400 can be used with at least one processor (see...) Figure 2 The processor communicates and / or integrates with the power electronic equipment 400, other subsystems, and optionally provides the operator with information about the electric machinery, such as telemetry data, which may include timing (e.g., countdown timing for battery replacement), energy levels of the main battery and auxiliary battery, voltage levels, etc.

[0026] about Figure 5 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary process 500 for performing a main power equipment replacement is shown. The process may begin at step 502, where a first amount of energy can be stored by the main battery. At step 504, a second amount of energy can be stored by the auxiliary battery. At step 506, the first power can be supplied from the main battery to at least one motor. At step 508, in response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the motor during this period, power from the auxiliary battery can be supplied to the DC power bus to match the first voltage level of the main battery, thereby enabling a second power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the motor.

[0027] One embodiment of the electric motor may include at least one electric motor. A main battery may be configured to store a first amount of energy and removably connected to the electric motor. An auxiliary battery may be configured to store a second amount of energy, which is less than the first amount of energy. The electric motor may include: a system DC power bus; and power electronics that are electrically in communication with the system DC power bus, at least one motor, and the main battery and auxiliary battery being electrically in communication with the system DC power bus. The power electronics may be configured to: (i) supply the first power from the main battery to the motor via the system DC power bus; and (ii) in response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus, manage the connection of a second voltage level of the second battery (e.g., supplying power from the auxiliary battery at the level of the DC power bus) to match the first voltage level of the main battery, thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery to be applied to the system DC power bus to supply power to the motor.

[0028] The main battery and auxiliary battery may be rechargeable batteries. The power electronic device may include DC / DC power management circuitry (e.g., a DC converter circuit) for managing power entering and exiting the auxiliary battery to the system DC power bus. In an alternative configuration, the power electronic device may include passive electronic equipment, such as power diodes. In yet another configuration, the power electronic device may include electromechanical equipment, such as power contactor switches. The power electronic device may also be configured to recharge the auxiliary battery using energy supplied by the main battery from the system DC power bus. The power electronic device may also be configured to manage the parallel connection of the second battery and the main battery to avoid electrical damage to the auxiliary battery, the main battery, or the power electronic device in response to the second main battery being electrically connected to the system DC power bus before powering the electric machine using the second main battery. To avoid electrical damage to the auxiliary battery, the main battery, or the power electronic device, in response to the second main battery being electrically connected to the system DC power bus before powering the electric machine using the second main battery, power drawn from the auxiliary battery may be supplied to the system DC power bus at a voltage level matching a first voltage level of the main battery. The power electronic device can also be configured to use the main battery to: (i) supply power to the electric motor; and (ii) recharge the auxiliary battery when it is not being used to power the electric motor (by not supplying power to the power electronic device to power the system DC power bus).

[0029] The power electronic device can be configured to manage a second voltage level of the system DC power bus voltage above a minimum voltage threshold level between the time when the depleted main battery is electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus and the time when the charged second main battery is connected to the system DC power bus, wherein the time may be at least five minutes.

[0030] The electric machine may also include a user activation device configured to enable a user to initiate a battery replacement process, causing power electronics to draw power from an auxiliary battery and apply power to the DC power bus at a second voltage level matched with a first voltage level, thereby electrically disconnecting the primary battery from the system DC power bus and electrically connecting another primary battery to the system DC power bus. The electric machine may be a vehicle. The vehicle may be a mining vehicle. The electric machine may also include a controller having at least one processor configured to control the power electronics to initiate a second voltage level boost.

[0031] One embodiment of a method for replacing the main battery of an electric motor may include: storing a first amount of energy in the main battery; storing a second amount of energy in an auxiliary battery, the second amount being less than the first amount; and supplying the first power from the main battery to at least one motor. In response to receiving a battery replacement start signal indicating that the main battery will be electrically disconnected from the electric motor during this period, power electronic devices may draw power from the auxiliary battery and apply power to a DC power bus to match the first voltage level of the main battery, thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery to be supplied to the motor.

[0032] Storing the first and second amounts of energy may include storing the first and second amounts of energy in a main battery and an auxiliary battery, each of which is a rechargeable battery. Drawing power from the auxiliary battery may include using a DC / DC converter to transfer power to a DC power bus to match the first voltage level of the main battery. The process may also include charging the auxiliary battery from the second recharged main battery after the second recharged main battery has been connected. In one embodiment, the process may further include drawing power from the auxiliary battery and transferring power to the DC power bus to match the first voltage level of the main battery in response to the second main battery being electrically connected to the electric motor before the second main battery is used to power the electric motor.

[0033] The process may also include: (i) supplying power to the electric motor using the charged second main battery; and (ii) recharging the auxiliary battery using the energy from the second main battery.

[0034] Drawing power from the auxiliary battery and supplying power to the DC power bus may include maintaining the DC power bus voltage level above a minimum voltage threshold level between the time when the depleted main battery is electrically disconnected from the motor and the time when a charged second main battery is electrically connected to the motor. The process may also include receiving a user-initiated signal to initiate drawing power from the auxiliary battery and supplying power to the DC power bus, thereby matching the first voltage level.

[0035] The foregoing method descriptions and process flowcharts are provided as illustrative examples only and are not intended to require or imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed in the presented order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the steps in the foregoing embodiments can be performed in any order. Words such as "then" and "next" are not intended to limit the order of steps; these words are only used to guide the reader in understanding the description of the method. Although process flowcharts may describe operations as a sequential process, many operations within an operation may be performed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of operations may be rearranged. A process may correspond to a method, function, program, subroutine, subroutines, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to the function returning to the calling function or the main function.

[0036] The various exemplary logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, various exemplary components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above in general terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application; however, such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of the principles of this disclosure.

[0037] Implementations in computer software can be achieved through software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or any combination thereof. Code segments or machine-executable instructions can represent procedures, functions, subroutines, programs, routines, subroutines, modules, software packages, classes, or any combination of instructions, data structures, or program statements. Code segments can be coupled to other code segments or hardware circuitry by passing and / or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc., can be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means, including memory sharing, messaging, token passing, network transmission, etc.

[0038] The actual software code or dedicated control hardware used to implement these systems and / or methods does not constitute a limitation of the invention. Therefore, since the operation and behavior of the systems and / or methods have been described without reference to specific software code, it should be understood that software and control hardware can be designed to implement these systems and / or methods based on the description herein.

[0039] When implemented in software, these functions may be stored as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitory computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. The steps of the methods or algorithms disclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executable software module that may reside on a computer-readable or processor-readable storage medium. Non-transitory computer-readable or non-transitory processor-readable media include both computer storage media and tangible storage media that facilitate the transfer of computer programs from one place to another. Non-transitory processor-readable storage media may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such non-transitory processor-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other tangible storage medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer or processor. As used herein, disks and optical discs include compact optical discs (CDs), laser optical discs, optical discs, digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, wherein disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while optical discs utilize lasers to optically reproduce data. Combinations of the foregoing should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Additionally, the operation of a method or algorithm may reside as a single line of code and / or instruction, or any combination or set of code and / or instructions, on a non-transitory processor-readable medium and / or computer-readable medium that may be incorporated into a computer program product.

[0040] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but should be granted the broadest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0041] As used herein, the term "substantially" and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning, consistent with common and accepted usage by those skilled in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure relates. Those skilled in the art, upon reviewing this disclosure, will understand that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features described and claimed, without limiting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that non-substantial or irrelevant modifications or alterations to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to fall within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[0042] As used herein, the term “coupling” and its variations mean that two components are directly or indirectly connected to each other. Such a connection can be static (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such a connection can be achieved by: two components being directly coupled to each other; two components being coupled to each other using a single intermediate component and any additional intermediate component; or two components being coupled to each other using an intermediate component that is integral with one of the two components to form a single whole. If “coupling” or its variations are modified by an additional term (e.g., direct coupling), the general definition of “coupling” provided above is modified by the colloquial meaning of the additional term (e.g., “direct coupling” means the connection of two components without any single intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition of “coupling” than the general definition provided above.

[0043] References to element positions (e.g., "top", "bottom", "above", "below") herein are used merely to describe the orientation of the various elements in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be covered by this disclosure.

[0044] While this disclosure has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, modifications may be made to it within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this application is intended to cover any changes, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure made using the general principles disclosed herein. Furthermore, this application is intended to cover known or customary practices within the technical field to which this disclosure pertains that contradict the content of this disclosure.

[0045] Regarding virtually any plural and / or singular terms used herein, those skilled in the art can appropriately convert them from plural to singular and / or from singular to plural depending on the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural permutations may be explicitly described herein.

[0046] It should be noted that any element disclosed in one embodiment may be used in combination with or together with any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An electric motor (200) (100a), the electric motor comprising: At least one electric motor; A main battery (402a) (202) is configured to store a first amount of energy and is removably connected to the electric motor (200) (100a). An auxiliary battery (402b) (204) is configured to store a second amount of energy, the second amount of energy being less than the first amount of energy; System DC power bus; and A power electronic device (400) (208) that communicates electrically with the system DC power bus, the at least one motor, the main battery, and the auxiliary battery communicating electrically with the system DC power bus, the power electronic device (400) (208) being configured to: (i) supply a first power from the main battery (402a) (202) to the at least one motor via the system DC power bus; (ii) In response to receiving a battery replacement start signal (211) indicating that the main battery (402a) (202) will be electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus, manage the connection of the second voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level of the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) to match the first voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level of the main battery (402a) (202), thereby enabling the second power from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) to be applied to the system DC power bus to supply power to the at least one motor.

2. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to claim 1, wherein the main battery and the auxiliary battery are rechargeable batteries.

3. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the power electronic device (400) (208) includes a DC / DC power management circuit for managing the power applied from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) to the system DC power bus.

4. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the power management circuit is further configured to recharge the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) using energy supplied from the system DC power bus by the main battery (402a) (202).

5. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the power electronic device (400) (208) is further configured to: manage the parallel connection of the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) and the main battery (402a) (202) to avoid electrical damage to the auxiliary battery (402b) (204), the main battery (402a) (202), or the power electronic device (400) (208) before the second main battery (402a) (202) is electrically connected to the system DC power bus.

6. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to claim 5, wherein the power electronic device (400) (208) is further configured to use the main battery (402a) (202) to: (i) supply power to the electric machine (200) (100a); and (ii) recharge the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) when the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) is not used to supply power to the at least one electric motor.

7. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the power electronic device (400) (208) is configured to: manage the second voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level of the DC power bus to be higher than the minimum voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) threshold level between the time when the main battery (402a) (202) is electrically disconnected from the system DC power bus after the energy is depleted and the second main battery (402a) (202) is connected to the system DC power bus after the energy is depleted.

8. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to claim 7, wherein the time is at least five minutes.

9. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of the preceding claims, the electric machine further comprising a user activation device configured to enable a user to initiate a battery replacement process such that the power electronic device (400) (208) manages the second voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level, thereby allowing the main battery (402a) (202) to disconnect from the system DC power bus without causing electrical damage, and allowing another main battery (402a) (202) to connect to the system DC power bus without causing electrical damage.

10. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric machine (200) (100a) is a vehicle.

11. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle is a mining vehicle.

12. The electric machine (200) (100a) according to any one of the preceding claims, the electric machine further comprising a controller having at least one processor (209) configured to control the power electronic device (400) (208) to initiate management of the second voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level.

13. A method for replacing the main battery (402a) (202) of an electric motor (200) (100a), the method comprising: The first amount of energy is stored by the main battery (402a) (202); A second amount of energy is stored by an auxiliary battery (402b) (204), the second amount of energy being less than the first amount of energy; The first power from the main battery (402a) (202) is supplied to at least one motor via the system DC power bus; as well as In response to receiving a battery replacement start signal (211) indicating that the main battery (402a) (202) will electrically disconnect from the electric motor (200) (100a) during its operation, a second power supply from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) is supplied to the system DC power bus to match the first voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level of the main battery (402a) (202), thereby enabling the second power supply from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) to be supplied from the auxiliary battery to the at least one motor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein storing the first amount of energy and the second amount of energy comprises storing the first amount of energy and the second amount of energy in the main battery and the auxiliary battery, each of the main battery and the auxiliary battery being a rechargeable battery.

15. The method according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein supplying a second power from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) comprises: The second power from the auxiliary battery (402b) (204) is supplied to the DC power bus using a DC converter circuit (408) to match the first voltage (304b) (304a) (302a) level of the main battery (402a) (202).

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