electric excavator

Abstract

To provide an electric shovel with improved usability.SOLUTION: An electric shovel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided with a switchover part switching over between supplying and not supplying power supplied from an outer power source to electronic parts, being configured to control the switchover part such that the electronic parts are activated using the power supplied from the outer power source when determining a state the power supply is allowed from the outer power source after determining whether or not the electric shovel is in the state allowed to be supplied with the power supply from the outer power source.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electric shovel.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a shovel may be equipped with a battery that supplies power to a plurality of electrical loads. In this shovel, the battery is charged by being supplied with power from an external charging facility.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a situation where it is desired to supply power to an electrical load (e.g., an electronic component) inside the shovel when the battery of the shovel is being supplied with power from an external charging facility. In this situation, it is desirable to be able to control so as to appropriately switch whether to supply the power supplied from the external facility to the electrical load.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above object, an electric shovel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes An electric excavator having a battery, a switching unit that switches whether to supply power supplied from an external power source to an electronic component, and is configured to control the switching unit so that the electronic component operates with the power supplied from the external power source when the electric shovel is in a state where it can be supplied with power from the external power source Furthermore, when power is supplied to the battery from an external power source, the system is configured to determine whether or not to supply power to the electronic components from the external power source depending on the battery status or the time remaining until the battery is fully charged, and to control the switching unit according to the result of that determination. Furthermore, an electric excavator according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an electric excavator having a battery, comprising an electric actuator that operates with power supplied from the battery via an inverter, electronic components different from the electric actuator and the inverter, and a switching unit that switches whether or not to supply power from an external power source to the electronic components, wherein when the electric excavator is in a state where it can be powered from an external power source, the switching unit is controlled to configure the electronic components to operate with power supplied from an external power source, and the switching unit is controlled to supply power from the external power source to the battery and to supply power from the external power source to the electronic components, or to suppress the supply of power from the external power source to the electronic components when power is supplied from the external power source to the battery.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to the above embodiment, the objective is to improve convenience by controlling the switching unit to switch between supplying or not supplying power when operating electronic components. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of a construction machine according to the embodiment, which is a shovel (excavator). [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an excavator according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of a power supply system for an air conditioning system and electrical equipment mounted on an excavator according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processes performed by the battery controller and shovel controller according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the battery controller and shovel controller in a modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] [Shovel Overview] First, referring to Figure 1, we will explain the overview of Shovel 200 as an example of an electric excavator.

[0010] The shovel 200 according to this embodiment comprises a lower traveling body 1, an upper rotating body 3 mounted on the lower traveling body 1 so as to be rotatable via a slewing mechanism 2, a boom 4, an arm 5, and a bucket 6 as attachments, and a cabin 10.

[0011] The lower traveling body 1 includes, for example, a pair of left and right crawlers, and each crawler is hydraulically driven by a travel hydraulic motor 1A, 1B (see Figure 2), allowing it to move under its own power.

[0012] The upper rotating body 3 rotates relative to the lower traveling body 1 by being hydraulically driven by a rotating hydraulic motor 2M (see Figure 2) via a rotating mechanism 2. All driven elements (e.g., the rotating hydraulic motor 2M) are hydraulically driven by the hydraulic fluid supplied from the main pump 14 (see Figure 2). This is equivalent to a configuration in which the power source (engine) of a so-called hydraulic excavator is replaced with an electric pump 12.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper slewing body 3 may be electrically driven by a slewing motor powered by electricity supplied from a battery module 19, instead of the slewing hydraulic motor 2M, via the slewing mechanism 2. In this case, for example, the excavator 200 is connected to the slewing motor from the battery module 19 via a power converter 100 and an inverter. The slewing motor may then perform powered operation to drive the upper slewing body 3 to rotate, and regenerative operation to generate regenerative power to brake the upper slewing body 3 during rotation, under the control of the excavator controller 30 and the inverter. The slewing motor may also supply regenerative power to the battery module 19 and the pump motor 12 via the inverter.

[0014] The boom 4 is mounted to the front center of the upper slewing body 3 so as to be able to be tilted up and down. An arm 5 is mounted to the tip of the boom 4 so as to be able to rotate up and down. A bucket 6 is mounted to the tip of the arm 5 so as to be able to rotate up and down. The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 are hydraulically driven by a boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9, which are hydraulic actuators, respectively.

[0015] Bucket 6 is an example of an end attachment, and other end attachments may be attached to the tip of the arm 5 in place of bucket 6, depending on the work to be done. Other end attachments may be different types of buckets from bucket 6, such as slope buckets or dredging buckets. Other end attachments may also be different types of end attachments from buckets, such as breakers, agitators, or grapples.

[0016] The cab 10 is mounted on the front left side of the upper slewing body 3, and inside it (the interior), there are provided a driver's seat on which an operator sits, an operating device 26 (see FIG. 2) described later, and the like.

[0017] The excavator 200 operates driven elements such as the lower traveling body 1 (left and right crawlers), the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6 according to the operations of an operator boarding the cab 10.

[0018] Alternatively, or in addition to being configured to be operable by an operator boarding the cab 10, the excavator 200 may be configured to be remotely operated from outside the excavator 200. When the excavator 200 is remotely operated, the interior of the cab 10 may be unmanned. Hereinafter, the description will proceed on the premise that the operations of the operator include at least one of the operations on the operating device 26 of the operator in the cab 10 and the remote operations of an external operator.

[0019] Remote operation includes, for example, a mode in which the excavator 200 is operated by an operation input regarding an actuator of the excavator 200 performed by a predetermined external device. In this case, the excavator 200 is equipped with a communication device 91A (see FIG. 3) that can communicate with the predetermined external device, and for example, image information (captured image) output by an imaging device 91B (see FIG. 3) may be transmitted to the external device. Then, the external device may display the image information (captured image) received on a display device provided in the self-device (hereinafter, "remote operation display device"). Also, various information images (information screens) displayed on the output device 50 (display device) inside the cab 10 of the excavator 200 may similarly be displayed on the remote operation display device of the external device. Thereby, an operator of the external device can remotely operate the excavator 200 while checking display contents such as a captured image or an information screen showing the state around the excavator 200 displayed on the remote operation display device. And the excavator 200 operates a hydraulic actuator according to a remote operation signal received from the external device by the communication device 91A (see FIG. 3), and drives driven elements such as the lower traveling body 1 (left and right crawlers), the upper swing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6.

[0020] Also, remote operation may include, for example, a mode in which the excavator 200 is operated by an external voice input or gesture input by a person (for example, an operator) around the excavator 200 to the excavator 200. Specifically, the excavator 200 recognizes voices spoken by surrounding workers or gestures made by workers through a voice input device (for example, a microphone) or a gesture input device (for example, an imaging device) mounted on the excavator 200 (the self-machine). And the excavator 200 may operate an actuator according to the recognized contents of voices or gestures and drive driven elements such as the lower traveling body 1 (left and right crawlers), the upper swing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6.

[0021] Furthermore, the shovel 200 may operate its actuators automatically, regardless of the operator's actions. This enables the shovel 200 to automatically operate at least some of its driven elements, such as the lower traveling body 1 (crawler 1CL, 1CR), upper slewing body 3, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 (a so-called "automatic driving function" or "machine control function").

[0022] The automatic driving function may include a function that automatically operates driven elements (actuators) other than the target driven element (hydraulic actuator) in response to the operator's operation device 26 or remote operation (a so-called "semi-automatic driving function"). The automatic driving function may also include a function that automatically operates at least some of the multiple driven elements (actuators) on the premise that there is no operator operation device 26 or remote operation (a so-called "fully automatic driving function"). In the case of the shovel 200, if the fully automatic driving function is enabled, the interior of the cabin 10 may be unoccupied. Furthermore, the semi-automatic driving function and fully automatic driving function may include a mode in which the operation content of the driven elements (actuators) subject to automatic driving is automatically determined according to predetermined rules. Furthermore, the semi-automatic driving function and fully automatic driving function may also include a mode in which the shovel 200 autonomously makes various judgments, and the operation content of the driven elements (actuators) subject to automatic driving is autonomously determined according to the results of those judgments (a so-called "autonomous driving function").

[0023] [Shovel configuration] Next, with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2, the configuration of the shovel 200 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the shovel 200 according to this embodiment.

[0025] In Figure 2, mechanical power lines are shown as double lines, hydraulic lines as thick solid lines, pilot lines as dashed lines, and electric drive / control lines as thin solid lines.

[0026] <Hydraulic drive system> The hydraulic drive system of the excavator 200 according to this embodiment includes hydraulic motors 1A and 1B for travel, hydraulic motor 2M for slewing, and hydraulic actuators such as a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, and a bucket cylinder 9 for hydraulically driving each of the driven elements such as the lower travel body 1, boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6. The hydraulic drive system of the excavator 200 according to this embodiment also includes an electric motor 12 for the pump, a main pump 14, and a control valve 17.

[0027] The pump motor 12 (an example of an electric actuator) is the power source for the hydraulic drive system. The pump motor 12 is, for example, an IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) motor. The pump motor 12 is connected to a high-voltage power supply including a battery module 19 and a power converter 100 via an inverter 18A. The pump motor 12 is powered by three-phase AC power supplied from the battery module 19 via the inverter 18A and drives the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15. The drive control of the pump motor 12 may be performed by the inverter 18A under the control of the shovel controller 30, which will be described later.

[0028] The main pump 14 draws hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid tank T and discharges it into the high-pressure hydraulic line 16, thereby supplying hydraulic fluid to the control valve 17 through the high-pressure hydraulic line 16. The main pump 14 is driven by a pump motor 12. The main pump 14 is, for example, a variable displacement hydraulic pump, and under the control of the shovel controller 30 (described later), a regulator (not shown) controls the angle (tilt angle) of the swash plate. This allows the main pump 14 to adjust the piston stroke length and thus adjust the discharge flow rate (discharge pressure).

[0029] The main pump 14 may be driven by power from another power source in addition to the electric motor 12 for the pump. For example, the energy of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the boom cylinder 7 and arm cylinder 8 to the hydraulic fluid tank due to the weight of the boom 4 and arm 5 when the boom 4 is lowered or the arm 5 is closed may be regenerated to drive the main pump 14. Specifically, the energy of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the boom cylinder 7 and arm cylinder 8 to the hydraulic fluid tank due to the weight of the boom 4 and arm 5 when the boom 4 is lowered or the arm 5 is closed may be used to drive a hydraulic motor arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the main pump 14. Alternatively, the energy of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the boom cylinder 7 and arm cylinder 8 to the hydraulic fluid tank due to the weight of the boom 4 and arm 5 when the boom 4 is lowered or the arm 5 is closed may be regenerated to power a generator. Specifically, when the boom 4 is lowered or the arm 5 is closed, the energy of the hydraulic fluid discharged from the boom cylinder 7 and arm cylinder 8 into the hydraulic fluid tank due to the weight of the boom 4 and arm 5 can be used to drive a hydraulic motor arranged coaxially with the generator, thereby causing the generator to produce electricity. In this case, the power generated by the generator may be supplied to the pump motor 12 or used to charge the battery module 19.

[0030] The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic drive system in response to operator commands or automatic driving functions. As described above, the control valve 17 is connected to the main pump 14 via the high-pressure hydraulic line 16 and is configured to selectively supply hydraulic fluid from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuators (travel hydraulic motors 1A, 1B, swing hydraulic motor 2M, boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9). For example, the control valve 17 is a valve unit that includes multiple control valves (directional control valves) that control the flow rate and direction of the hydraulic fluid supplied from the main pump 14 to each of the hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic fluid supplied from the main pump 14 and that has passed through the control valve 17 and hydraulic actuators is discharged from the control valve 17 to the hydraulic fluid tank T.

[0031] <Electric drive system> The electric drive system of the shovel 200 according to this embodiment includes a pump motor 12, a sensor 12s, and an inverter 18A. The electric drive system of the shovel 200 according to this embodiment also includes a high-voltage power supply consisting of a battery module 19 and a power converter 100, etc.

[0032] Sensor 12s includes a current sensor 12s1, a voltage sensor 12s2, and a rotational state sensor 12s3.

[0033] The current sensor 12s1 detects the current of each of the three phases (U phase, V phase, and W phase) of the pump motor 12. The current sensor 12s1 is installed, for example, in the power path between the pump motor 12 and the inverter 18A. The detection signals corresponding to each of the three phases of the pump motor 12 detected by the current sensor 12s1 are directly input to the inverter 18A via a communication line. Alternatively, these detection signals may be input to the shovel controller 30 via a communication line and input to the inverter 18A via the shovel controller 30.

[0034] The voltage sensor 12s2 detects the applied voltage to each of the three phases of the pump motor 12. The voltage sensor 12s2 is installed, for example, in the power path between the pump motor 12 and the inverter 18A. The detection signals corresponding to the applied voltages of each of the three phases of the pump motor 12 detected by the voltage sensor 12s2 are directly input to the inverter 18A via a communication line. Alternatively, these detection signals may be input to the shovel controller 30 via a communication line and input to the inverter 18A via the shovel controller 30.

[0035] The rotational state sensor 12s3 detects the rotational state of the pump motor 12 (e.g., rotational position (rotation angle), rotational speed, etc.). The rotational state sensor 12s3 is, for example, a rotary encoder or a resolver.

[0036] The inverter 18A drives the pump motor 12 under the control of the shovel controller 30. The inverter 18A includes, for example, a conversion circuit that converts DC power to three-phase AC power and three-phase AC power to DC power, a drive circuit that switches and drives the conversion circuit, and a control circuit that outputs a control signal (for example, a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal) that defines the operation of the drive circuit.

[0037] The control circuit of the inverter 18A controls the drive of the pump motor 12 while monitoring its operating state. For example, the control circuit of the inverter 18A monitors the operating state of the pump motor 12 based on the detection signal of the rotation state sensor 12s3. Alternatively, the control circuit of the inverter 18A may monitor the operating state of the pump motor 12 by sequentially estimating the rotation angle of the rotation shaft of the pump motor 12 based on the detection signal of the current sensor 12s1 and the detection signal of the voltage sensor 12s2 (or the voltage command value generated during the control process).

[0038] Furthermore, at least one of the drive circuit and control circuit of the inverter 18A may be provided outside the inverter 18A.

[0039] The battery module 19 is configured to supply charged power to the electronic components within the shovel 200. The specific configuration will be described later.

[0040] The power converter 100 either boosts the power to the battery module 19 or reduces the power from the pump motor 12 via the inverter 18A and stores it in the battery module 19. The power converter 100 switches between boosting and bucking operations depending on the operating state of the pump motor 12 so that the voltage value of the DC (Direct Current) bus 110 stays within a certain range. The switching control between the boosting and bucking operations of the power converter 100 may be performed by the shovel controller 30, for example, based on the voltage detection value of the DC bus 110, the voltage detection value of the battery module 19, and the current detection value of the battery module 19.

[0041] Furthermore, if it is not necessary to boost the output voltage of the battery module 19 and apply it to the pump motor 12, the power converter 100 may be omitted.

[0042] <Operation system> The operating system of the shovel 200 according to this embodiment includes a pilot pump 15, an operating device 26, and a pressure control valve 31.

[0043] The pilot pump 15 supplies pilot pressure to various hydraulic devices (e.g., pressure control valve 31) mounted on the shovel 200 via the pilot line 25. This allows the pressure control valve 31, under the control of the shovel controller 30, to supply pilot pressure to the control valve 17 according to the operation of the operating device 26 (e.g., operating amount and direction). Therefore, the shovel controller 30 and the pressure control valve 31 can realize the operation of the driven element (hydraulic actuator) according to the operation of the operating device 26 by the operator. Furthermore, under the control of the shovel controller 30, the pressure control valve 31 can supply pilot pressure to the control valve 17 according to the content of the remote operation specified by the remote operation signal. The pilot pump 15 is, for example, a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump and is driven by the pump motor 12 as described above.

[0044] The control device 26 is located within reach of the operator in the cockpit of the cabin 10 and is used by the operator to operate each of the driven elements (i.e., the left and right crawlers of the lower traveling body 1, the upper slewing body 3, the boom 4, the arm 5, and the bucket 6, etc.). In other words, the control device 26 is used by the operator to operate the hydraulic actuators (e.g., travel hydraulic motors 1A, 1B, slewing hydraulic motor 2M, boom cylinder 7, arm cylinder 8, and bucket cylinder 9, etc.) or electric actuators that drive each of the driven elements. The control device 26 is, for example, electrically operated and outputs an electrical signal (hereinafter referred to as "operation signal") corresponding to the operator's operation. The operation signal output from the control device 26 is taken up by the shovel controller 30. As a result, the shovel controller 30 controls the pressure control valve 31 and can control the operation of the driven elements (actuators) of the shovel 200 in accordance with the operator's operation and operation commands corresponding to the automatic driving function.

[0045] The operating device 26 includes, for example, levers 26A to 26C. Lever 26A may be configured to accept operations on the arm 5 (arm cylinder 8) and the upper slewing body 3 (slewing motion) in response to forward / backward and left / right movements, respectively. Lever 26B may be configured to accept operations on the boom 4 (boom cylinder 7) and the bucket 6 (bucket cylinder 9) in response to forward / backward and left / right movements, respectively. Lever 26C may be configured to accept operations on the lower traveling body 1 (crawler), for example.

[0046] Furthermore, if the control valve 17 is composed of an electromagnetic pilot-operated control valve (directional control valve), the operating signal from the electric operating device 26 may be directly input to the control valve 17, and each hydraulic control valve may perform an operation according to the operation of the operating device 26. Alternatively, the operating device 26 may be a hydraulic pilot type that outputs a pilot pressure according to the operation. In this case, the pilot pressure according to the operation is supplied to the control valve 17.

[0047] The pressure control valve 31 outputs a predetermined pilot pressure using hydraulic fluid supplied from the pilot pump 15 through the pilot line 25 under the control of the shovel controller 30. The pilot line on the secondary side of the pressure control valve 31 is connected to the control valve 17, and the pilot pressure output from the pressure control valve 31 is supplied to the control valve 17.

[0048] <Control System> The control system for the shovel 200 according to this embodiment includes a shovel controller 30, an output device 50, and an input device 52.

[0049] The shovel controller 30 may implement each function using any hardware, or any combination of hardware and software. For example, the shovel controller 30 may be centered around a computer that includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory device (main memory) such as RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile auxiliary storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and an interface device for input / output with the outside.

[0050] The shovel controller 30 controls the drive of the shovel 200. For example, the shovel controller 30 outputs a control command to the pressure control valve 31 in response to an operation signal input from the operating device 26, and the pressure control valve 31 outputs a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation of the operating device 26. In this way, the shovel controller 30 can realize the operation of the driven elements (hydraulic actuators) of the shovel 200 that correspond to the operation of the electric operating device 26.

[0051] Furthermore, if the shovel 200 is remotely controlled, the shovel controller 30 may, for example, perform control related to the remote operation. Specifically, the shovel controller 30 may output a control command to the pressure control valve 31, causing the pressure control valve 31 to output a pilot pressure corresponding to the remote operation. This allows the shovel controller 30 to realize the operation of the shovel 200 (driven element) corresponding to the remote operation.

[0052] Furthermore, the shovel controller 30 may also perform control related to the automatic driving function, for example. Specifically, the shovel controller 30 may output a control command to the pressure control valve 31 and apply a pilot pressure corresponding to the operation command for the automatic driving function from the pressure control valve 31 to the control valve 17. In this way, the shovel controller 30 can realize the operation of the driven elements (hydraulic actuators) of the shovel 200 that correspond to the automatic driving function.

[0053] The shovel controller 30 may comprehensively control the operation of the entire shovel 200 (various devices mounted on the shovel 200).

[0054] The shovel controller 30 may control the air conditioning of the shovel 200 by communicating with the air conditioning controller 81. The shovel controller 30 may also control, for example, the operation and stopping of the DC-DC converter 90. Furthermore, the shovel controller 30 may also control, for example, the operation and stopping of the 24V electrical equipment 91. The air conditioning controller 81, DC-DC converter 90, and 24V electrical equipment 91 will be described later.

[0055] The shovel controller 30 performs drive control of the electric drive system based on various input information (for example, control commands including the operation signals of the operating device 26).

[0056] Furthermore, the shovel controller 30 may, for example, drive the power converter 100 based on the operating state of the operating device 26 and control the switching between boost and buck operation of the power converter 100, in other words, between the discharge state and the charge state of the battery module 19. Also, if the shovel 200 is remotely operated, the shovel controller 30 may, for example, drive the power converter 100 based on the content of the remote operation and control the switching between the discharge state and the charge state of the battery module 19. Furthermore, if the automatic operation function of the shovel 200 is enabled, the shovel controller 30 may, for example, drive the power converter 100 based on the operation command corresponding to the automatic operation function and control the switching between the discharge state and the charge state of the battery module 19.

[0057] The output device 50 is located inside the cabin 10 and outputs various information to the operator under the control of the shovel controller 30. The output device 50 includes, for example, a display device that outputs (notifies) information to the operator in a visual manner. The display device may be, for example, installed in a location easily visible to the operator inside the cabin 10 and displaying various information images under the control of the shovel controller 30. The display device may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (electroluminescence) display. The output device 50 also includes, for example, a sound output device that outputs information to the operator in an auditory manner. The sound output device may be, for example, a buzzer or a speaker.

[0058] The input device 52 is located inside the cabin 10 and receives various inputs from the operator. The input device 52 may include, for example, an operation input device that receives operation inputs from the operator. The operation input device may include, for example, buttons, toggles, levers, touch panels, touch pads, etc. The input device 52 may also include, for example, an audio input device that receives voice inputs from the operator and a gesture input device that receives gesture inputs from the operator. The audio input device may include, for example, a microphone that acquires the voice of the operator inside the cabin 10. The gesture input device may include, for example, an indoor camera capable of capturing images of the operator's gestures inside the cabin 10. Signals corresponding to the operator inputs received by the input device 52 are taken up by the shovel controller 30.

[0059] <Power supply system around the battery module> Figure 3 shows an example of a power supply system for the air conditioning system and electrical components mounted on the excavator 200 according to this embodiment. High-voltage cables are shown as thick solid lines, 24V cables as thin solid lines, signal lines as dotted lines, refrigerant flow paths as dashed-dotted lines, and water pipes as dashed-dotted lines.

[0060] Shovel 200 includes a vehicle inlet 101 for normal charging and a vehicle inlet 102 for rapid charging as a configuration for charging the battery module 19.

[0061] The vehicle inlet 101 for normal charging is configured to be connectable to a charging connector provided at the tip of a predetermined cable (hereinafter referred to as "charging cable") of an external power supply.

[0062] The AC-DC converter 103 for charging converts AC power supplied from an external power source via the vehicle inlet 101 for normal charging into DC power that can be used to charge the battery 192, and supplies it to the battery module 19.

[0063] The rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 is configured to be connectable to a charging connector provided at the end of a charging cable of an external power source. The rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 is, for example, an inlet for performing rapid charging based on CHAdeMO®. In this embodiment, by using such a DC charging method, DC power can be supplied to the battery module 19 without going through an AC-DC converter.

[0064] The battery module 19 of the excavator 200 according to this embodiment supplies power to each component within the excavator 200. In the example shown in Figure 3, the case in which the battery module 19 supplies power to the air conditioning system 80 and the like will be mainly described.

[0065] The battery module 19 includes a junction box 193, a battery 192, and a battery controller 191.

[0066] The junction box 193 includes various relays (an example of a switching unit) that switch whether or not to supply power from an external power source to each of the DC-DC converter 90, compressor 82, battery 192, and PTC heater 83 (an example of an electronic component). For example, the junction box 193 includes a converter relay 193A, a compressor relay 193B, a battery relay 193C, and a heater relay 193D. Note that the relays are not limited to the DC-DC converter 90, compressor 82, battery 192, and PTC heater 83, but can be used for any electronic component that receives power from the battery module 19.

[0067] The converter relay 193A switches whether or not to supply power to the DC-DC converter 90 according to control from the battery controller 191. One end of the converter relay 193A is connected to the vehicle inlet 101 for normal charging and the vehicle inlet 102 for rapid charging, The system allows switching between battery 192 and the converter relay 193A. For example, when operating the Shovel 200, one end of the converter relay 193A is electrically connected to battery 192. When a charging connector provided on an external power source is connected to either the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102, one end of the converter relay 193A is electrically connected to the inlet to which the charging connector is connected (either the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102). The other end of the converter relay 193A is electrically connected to the DC-DC converter 90. When the DC-DC converter 90 is not operating, the converter relay 193A is in the off state.

[0068] The compressor relay 193B switches whether or not to supply power to the compressor 82 according to control from the battery controller 191. One end of the compressor relay 193B can switch between the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 and the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 and the battery 192. For example, when the shovel 200 is in operation, one end of the compressor relay 193B is electrically connected to the battery 192. When a charging connector provided on an external power source is connected to the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102, one end of the compressor relay 193B is electrically connected to the inlet to which the charging connector is connected (normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or rapid charging vehicle inlet 102). The other end of the compressor relay 193B is electrically connected to the compressor 82. When the compressor 82 is not operating, the compressor relay 193B is in the off state.

[0069] The battery relay 193C switches whether or not to supply power to the battery 192 according to control from the battery controller 191. One end of the battery relay 193C can switch between the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 and the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 and the battery 192. For example, when the shovel 200 is in operation, one end of the battery relay 193C is electrically connected to the battery 192. When a charging connector provided on an external power source is connected to the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102, one end of the battery relay 193C is electrically connected to the inlet to which the charging connector is connected (normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or rapid charging vehicle inlet 102). The other end of the battery relay 193C is electrically connected to the battery 192. When the battery 192 is not operating, the battery relay 193C is in the off state.

[0070] The heater relay 193D switches whether or not to supply power to the PTC heater 83 according to control from the battery controller 191. One end of the heater relay 193D can switch between the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 and the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 and the battery 192. For example, when the shovel 200 is in operation, one end of the heater relay 193D is electrically connected to the battery 192. When a charging connector provided on an external power source is connected to the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102, one end of the heater relay 193D is electrically connected to the inlet to which the charging connector is connected (normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or rapid charging vehicle inlet 102). The other end of the heater relay 193D is electrically connected to the PTC heater 83. When the PTC heater 83 is not operating, the heater relay 193D is in the off state.

[0071] The battery 192 supplies power to various components within the shovel 200. For example, the battery 192 supplies charged (stored) power to the pump motor 12 (see Figure 2). The battery 192 also charges the power generated (regenerative power) of the pump motor 12.

[0072] Furthermore, the battery 192 is capable of supplying the charged (stored) power to at least one of the DC-DC converter 90, compressor 82, and PTC heater 83.

[0073] Battery 192 is charged (stored) when connected to an external power source via a charging cable through the vehicle inlet 101 for normal charging or the vehicle inlet 102 for rapid charging, and when the battery relay 193C is in the ON state.

[0074] Battery 192 is charged (stored) by being connected to an external power source via a charging cable.

[0075] Battery 192 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery and has a relatively high output voltage (e.g., several hundred volts).

[0076] The battery controller 191 (an example of a control unit) controls the internal configuration of the battery module 19. For example, the battery controller 191 monitors the temperature status of the battery 192 and calculates the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192. The battery controller 191 then outputs the calculated SOC to the shovel controller 30. This allows the shovel controller 30 to display the SOC of the battery 192 on the output device 50 (display device) inside the cabin 10.

[0077] The battery controller 191 determines whether power can be supplied based on whether it is connected to an external power source via a charging cable through the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102. In this embodiment, the determination of whether power can be supplied is based on whether a charging cable is connected between the external power source and the shovel 200. However, this embodiment does not limit the method for determining whether power can be supplied to determining whether power can be supplied based on whether a charging cable is connected. For example, in the case of wireless power supply, other methods may be used, such as determining whether power can be supplied by mutual communication with a charging facility equipped with an external power source.

[0078] The battery controller 191 then communicates with the charging equipment, which is provided with the external power supply, when it determines that the battery is connected to an external power supply via a charging cable (in other words, when it determines that it is in a state where power can be supplied). The battery controller 191 then begins supplying power from the external power supply when it is authorized by the charging equipment through this communication. The battery controller 191 may also adjust the amount of power supplied from the external power supply through communication with the charging equipment.

[0079] Then, when the battery controller 191 is authorized to supply power from the charging equipment, it switches the battery relay 193C to the ON state, thereby starting the charging (power supply) of the battery 192.

[0080] The battery controller 191 detects the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192 and, when it determines that the battery is fully charged, switches the battery relay 193C to the off state. This helps to reduce power consumption.

[0081] Furthermore, after the battery controller 191 is authorized to supply power from the charging equipment, if it receives a power supply request from the shovel controller 30 to an electronic component, it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component to the ON state, supplies power from an external power source to the electronic component, and controls the electronic component to operate.

[0082] In this embodiment, the junction box 193 is equipped with a relay for each electronic component that receives power from an external power source. Therefore, the battery controller 191 switches on the relay corresponding to the electronic component that it wants to start operating from among the multiple relays.

[0083] Furthermore, the battery controller 191 determines the amount of power required for the electronic components to operate. The method for determining the amount of power can be any method; for example, the required amount of power may be included in the supply request from the shovel controller 30. The battery controller 191 then controls the junction box 193, etc., so that the amount of power supplied from the external power source is distributed to the electronic components. The battery controller 191 may also communicate with the charging equipment, which is provided with an external power source, to request the supply of additional power necessary to operate the electronic components.

[0084] In this embodiment, by having the configuration described above, the relays in the junction box 193 can be switched to supply power from an external power source only to the electronic components that are to be operated. These electronic components can then start operating with the supplied power.

[0085] Incidentally, there has long been a demand to supply power to the electronic components inside the excavator while power is being supplied from an external power source. In such cases, if the battery inside the excavator is charged by an external power source and power is supplied from that battery to the electronic components, the battery will be consumed quickly. On the other hand, if power from an external power source is always available to the electronic components inside the excavator, the amount of power supplied to the battery may decrease as the electronic components are powered. In this case, it may take time for the battery to reach a fully charged state. Furthermore, if the battery is fully charged and the charging connector on the external power source is connected to the inlet of the excavator, and then the air conditioner or other appliances are operated, power will be supplied from the battery to the air conditioner or other appliances, which may cause the State of Charge (SOC) of the charged battery to decrease.

[0086] Therefore, in this embodiment, a relay corresponding to each electronic component is provided. When power needs to be supplied to an electronic component from an external power source, the relay corresponding to that electronic component is switched from the off state to the on state. This prevents power from being supplied to electronic components that the operator does not intend to operate, thereby saving power and shortening the time it takes for the battery 192 to be fully charged. Next, the air conditioning system and electrical components, including the electronic components to which power is supplied, will be described.

[0087] <Air conditioning system> The air conditioning system of the shovel 200 in this embodiment includes an air conditioning system 80, an air conditioning controller 81, a compressor 82, a PTC heater 83, and an electric pump 84 for the heater.

[0088] The air conditioning system 80 is configured to adjust the air and configuration conditions inside the cabin 10. Air conditions refer to, for example, temperature or humidity. The air conditioning system 80 according to this embodiment is an integrated device unit that includes equipment for adjusting the air conditions, such as a blower, a heat exchanger, and a humidifier.

[0089] For example, the heat exchanger included in the air conditioning system 80 adjusts the temperature of the ambient air inside the cabin 10 by exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant flow path 85B and the ambient air.

[0090] Furthermore, the air conditioning system 80 controls the heating of the interior of the cabin 10 using water heated by the PTC heater 83, which is supplied from the water pipe 86C.

[0091] The compressor 82 circulates the refrigerant within the air conditioning system 80 by drawing refrigerant from the refrigerant passage 85A and discharging it into the refrigerant passage 85B, according to the control from the air conditioning controller 81 (example of operation). The compressor 82 is an example of an electronic component that can switch on or off whether or not it is powered by an external power source.

[0092] The PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater 83 is a type of electric wire heater that, according to the control from the air conditioning controller 81, controls the heating of water flowing from the water pipe 86B (example of operation). The heated water is then sent to the air conditioning system 80 through the water pipe 86C. The PTC heater 83 is an example of an electronic component that can switch whether or not it is powered by an external power source.

[0093] The electric heater pump 84 circulates water in the water pipes 86A, 86B, and 86C, including the air conditioning system 80, by drawing water from water pipe 86A and discharging it into water pipe 86B, according to control from the air conditioning controller 81. The electric heater pump 84 may be powered, for example, by a 24V auxiliary battery 92.

[0094] The air conditioning controller 81 controls the air conditioning system 80, the compressor 82, the PTC heater 83, and the electric pump 84 for the heater, according to requests from the excavator controller 30.

[0095] For example, when the compressor relay 193B is switched to the ON state, power is supplied to the compressor 82. In this state, when the air conditioning controller 81 receives an operation request for the compressor 82 and the air conditioning system 80 from the shovel controller 30, it controls the operation of the compressor 82 and the air conditioning system 80 according to the request. This allows the temperature or humidity of the air inside the cabin 10 to be adjusted.

[0096] In the air conditioning system of this embodiment, the compressor 82 and PTC heater 83 can be switched by relay to either receive power from an external power source or not. This allows the temperature or humidity inside the cabin 10 to be adjusted by the control of the shovel controller 30 and the battery controller 191.

[0097] For example, the operator may not be inside the cabin 10 while the battery 192 is charging. Even in such a case, the operator can control the start of operation of the compressor 82 or PTC heater 83 by sending a request to start operation to the excavator controller 30 via the communication device 91A from the operator's communication terminal. Therefore, the temperature or humidity of the cabin 10 can be adjusted to a comfortable state while the operator is away from the cabin 10. The specific procedure for starting operation will be described later.

[0098] The air conditioning system in this embodiment is merely an example and is not limited to the configuration described above. Other electronic components may be provided to adjust temperature and humidity. Even if other sub-components are provided, control similar to that in this embodiment can be achieved by providing relays corresponding to those electronic components.

[0099] <Electrical components related> The shovel 200 of this embodiment includes a DC-DC converter 90 and a 24V auxiliary battery 92 as a configuration for supplying power to the 24V electrical equipment 91.

[0100] The 24V electrical component 91 is an electrical component installed in the shovel 200 and operates according to the DC power stepped down by the DC-DC converter 90. In this embodiment, the 24V electrical component 91 includes a communication device 91A and an imaging device 91B. However, the 24V electrical component 91 is not limited to the communication device 91A and the imaging device 91B, and may include other electronic devices.

[0101] The communication device 91A communicates wirelessly with an external communication terminal. The communication device 91A switches whether or not to enable wireless communication (an example of operation) according to the control of the shovel controller 30.

[0102] The imaging device 91B is, for example, a surveillance camera for the purpose of security imaging inside the cabin 10, and switches whether or not to take images (an example of operation) according to the control of the shovel controller 30.

[0103] The DC-DC converter 90 steps down very high voltage (e.g., approximately 350V) DC power supplied from the battery 192 or an external power source to approximately 24V and outputs it. The output power of the DC-DC converter 90 is supplied to the 24V auxiliary battery 92 for charging (storage) or to electronic devices that are driven by 24V power, such as the various components of the 24V electrical equipment 91. The DC-DC converter 90 is an example of an electronic component that can switch whether or not to be powered by an external power source. By supplying power from an external source to the DC-DC converter 90, the operation of the 24V electrical equipment 91 and the charging of the 24V auxiliary battery 92 can be achieved.

[0104] The 24V auxiliary battery 92 supplies power to 24V electrical components and the shovel controller 30. Additionally, when power is supplied from the DC-DC converter 90, the 24V auxiliary battery 92 is charged.

[0105] For example, when the converter relay 193A is switched to the ON state, power is supplied to the DC-DC converter 90. In this state, if the imaging device 91B receives a request from the shovel controller 30 to start imaging, it starts imaging in accordance with the request.

[0106] Thus, in this embodiment, the operation of the electronic component is initiated when the relay corresponding to the electronic component to be operated is in the ON state, and the shovel controller 30 receives an operation request for the electronic component. Since it is necessary to turn on the corresponding relay when operating the electronic component, power consumption can be suppressed.

[0107] <Description of the process when power is supplied from an external power source according to this embodiment> Next, the process performed when the shovel 200 according to this embodiment is powered from an external power source will be described.

[0108] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the battery controller 191 and the shovel controller 30 according to this embodiment. In the example shown in Figure 4, the process flow indicates whether or not to perform heating control by the PTC heater 83 when charging. Note that the same process is performed when controlling the compressor 82, etc., so the explanation is omitted.

[0109] First, the battery controller 191 determines whether the charging cable is connected to an external power source from the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 (S401). If it determines that it is not connected to an external power source (S401: No), the process is repeated until it determines that it is connected.

[0110] Then, if the battery controller 191 determines that a charging cable has been connected to an external power source from the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102 (S401: Yes), it controls the battery relay 193C to turn on (S402). This starts charging the battery 192.

[0111] Meanwhile, after charging has started, the shovel controller 30 determines whether or not it has received an operation request for the PTC heater 83 (S411). The operation request for the PTC heater 83 may be an operation to the operator's control device 26 in the cabin 10, or it may be data received by the communication device 91A from a communication terminal connected via a wireless communication line. The communication terminal is a communication device owned by the operator, and may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or PC.

[0112] If the shovel controller 30 determines that it has not received an operation request from the PTC heater 83 (S411: No), it repeats the process until it determines that it has received an operation request.

[0113] On the other hand, if the shovel controller 30 determines that it has received an operation request for the PTC heater 83 (S411: Yes), it sends a request to the battery controller 191 to supply power to the PTC heater 83 (S412).

[0114] After charging of the battery 192 begins, the battery controller 191 determines whether or not it has received a request to supply power to the electronic components (S403). If it determines that it has not received a request to supply power to the electronic components (S403: No), it proceeds to process S407.

[0115] Furthermore, if the battery controller 191 determines that it has received a request to supply power to an electronic component (S403: Yes), it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component, for example, the PTC heater 83 (heater relay 193D), to the ON state (S404). This switch allows power to be supplied to the electronic component (PTC heater 83) from an external power source.

[0116] The battery controller 191 then controls communication with the charging equipment, which is provided with the external power source, so that the amount of power supplied from the external power source is distributed to the electrical component that is requesting the power (S405).

[0117] The battery controller 191 sends a notification to the shovel controller 30 that power has been supplied to an electronic component (e.g., the PTC heater 83) (S406).

[0118] The battery controller 191 determines whether the battery 192 is fully charged or not based on the state of charge (S407). If it determines that the battery 192 is not fully charged (S407: No), the process proceeds to S409.

[0119] On the other hand, if the battery controller 191 determines that the battery 192 is fully charged (S407: Yes), it switches the battery relay 193C to the off state (S408).

[0120] The battery controller 191 then determines whether the charging cable has been disconnected from the external power source (S409). If it determines that it has not been disconnected (S409: No), it resumes processing from S403.

[0121] The battery controller 191 terminates processing if it determines that the charging cable has been disconnected from the external power source (S409: Yes).

[0122] Meanwhile, after sending a power supply request, the shovel controller 30 determines whether or not it has received notification that power has been supplied to the electronic components (S413). If it determines that it has not received notification (S413: No), it repeats the process until it receives notification.

[0123] If the shovel controller 30 determines that it has received notification that power has been supplied to the electronic components (S413: Yes), it notifies the air conditioning controller 81 that power has been supplied to the PTC heater 83 (S414) and terminates processing. As a result, the air conditioning controller 81 controls the operation of the PTC heater 83, the heater's electric pump 84, and the air conditioning system 80. It is assumed that the heater's electric pump 84 is supplied with power in advance (for example, from the 24V auxiliary battery 92).

[0124] According to the processing procedure shown in Figure 4, while power is being supplied from an external power source, power can be supplied to the electronic component in response to a power supply request, regardless of whether the battery 192 is being charged or not.

[0125] In this embodiment, if the battery 192 is fully charged while connected to an external power source, and there is no power supply to other electronic components, the shovel controller 30 may shut down the internal system. After shutting down the system, if it receives a request for operation of an electronic component, the shovel controller 30 restarts the system. The shovel controller 30 then determines whether power is being supplied from an external power source, and if it determines that power is being supplied from an external power source, it may perform the processing to operate the electronic components as described above.

[0126] Furthermore, when the battery controller 191 receives an operation request from the 24V electrical component 91, it may switch the converter relay 193A to the ON state so that the battery controller 191 supplies power to the DC-DC converter 90, or it may maintain the converter relay 193A in the OFF state and allow the 24V auxiliary battery 92 to supply power to the 24V electrical component 91. Then, when the SOC of the 24V auxiliary battery 92 falls below a predetermined value (for example, a value at which charging is required), the converter relay 193A may be switched to the ON state to supply power to the DC-DC converter 90.

[0127] <Description of the screen display in the embodiment> In this embodiment, when electronic components are operated using power supplied from an external power source, the shovel controller 30 may display information (e.g., icons) on the output device 50 (display device) in a recognizable manner indicating that the electronic components are operating using power supplied from an external power source. For example, the shovel controller 30 may display a first icon representing the external power source and a second icon representing the electronic components operating with power supplied from the external power source, and may also display an arrow connecting the first icon to the second icon and making the arrow blink. Furthermore, this display is not limited to the output device 50 (display device) but may be performed by an external device.

[0128] <Explanation of the process when power is supplied from an external power source in the modified example 1> The processing procedure shown in Figure 4 describes an example in which power is supplied to the electronic components from an external power source regardless of the charge status of the battery 192. However, it is also possible to switch whether or not to supply power to the electronic components from an external power source depending on the charge status of the battery 192. Therefore, as a modified example, an example in which power is switched whether or not to supply power to the electronic components depending on the charge status of the battery 192 will be described.

[0129] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processes performed by the battery controller 191 and shovel controller 30 in a modified example. In the example shown in Figure 5, the process flow indicates whether or not heating control by the PTC heater 83 is performed when charging. Note that the same process is performed when controlling the compressor 82, etc., so the explanation is omitted.

[0130] The battery controller 191 performs the same process as in S401 to S402 in Figure 4, including controlling the battery relay 193C to be turned ON (S501 to S402).

[0131] Meanwhile, the shovel controller 30 sends a request to the battery controller 191 to supply power to the PTC heater 83 (S521-S522) through the same process as in S411-412 of Figure 4.

[0132] After charging of the battery 192 begins, the battery controller 191 determines whether or not it has received a request to supply power to the electronic components (S503). If it determines that it has not received a request to supply power to the electronic components (S503: No), it proceeds to process S509.

[0133] If the battery controller 191 determines that it has received a request to supply power to the electronic components (S503: Yes), it determines whether the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192 is above a predetermined value (S504). For example, the predetermined value could be a value used to determine whether the battery 192 is in an over-discharged state.

[0134] If the battery controller 191 determines that the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192 is less than a predetermined value (S504: No), it notifies the shovel controller 30 that it cannot start supplying power (S505), and then proceeds to process S509.

[0135] If the battery controller 191 determines that the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192 is above a predetermined value (S504: Yes), it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component, such as the PTC heater 83 (e.g., heater relay 193D), to the ON state (S506). This switch supplies power to the electronic component (PTC heater 83) from an external power source. Subsequent processing by the battery controller 191 is the same as in steps 405-409 of Figure 4, and is therefore omitted from the explanation (S507-S511).

[0136] Meanwhile, the shovel controller 30 determines whether it has received a notification that it cannot start supplying power after sending a power supply request (S523). If it has received a notification that it cannot start (S523: Yes), it notifies the destination of the operation request for the PTC heater 83 that it cannot operate the PTC heater 83 (S524) and terminates the process. The destination of the operation request may be, for example, the output device 50 (display device) inside the cabin 10, or an external communication terminal connected via the communication device 91A.

[0137] Furthermore, the shovel controller 30 determines whether or not it has received notification that power supply to the electronic components has started (S525). If it determines that it has not received notification (S525: No), it proceeds again from S523.

[0138] If the shovel controller 30 determines that it has received a signal that power has been supplied to the electronic components (S525: Yes), it notifies the air conditioning controller 81 that power has been supplied to the PTC heater 83 (S526) and then terminates the process.

[0139] The processing procedure shown in Figure 5 allows switching whether or not to supply power from an external power source to the electronic component, depending on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192, while power is being supplied from an external power source. For example, if the battery 192 is in an over-discharged state, prioritizing charging the battery 192 over supplying power to the electronic component reduces the burden on the battery 192.

[0140] This modified example illustrates one mode in which power is switched on or off depending on the charge status of the battery 192. While the example of a charge status shown is whether or not the battery is over-discharged, other modes may also be used.

[0141] In the example shown in Figure 5, the case where the predetermined value is a value used to determine whether or not the battery is in an over-discharge state was explained. However, the predetermined value is not limited to a value used to determine whether or not the battery is in an over-discharge state. Furthermore, the predetermined value may be set to a different value depending on the situation. For example, the predetermined value may be switched depending on whether the charging cable is connected to the normal charging vehicle inlet 101 or the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102. For example, if the charging cable is connected to the rapid charging vehicle inlet 102, the predetermined value (SOC) may be set to "0" so that the battery 192 can be fully charged within one hour even if power is supplied to the electronic components. If the charging cable is connected to the normal charging vehicle inlet 101, the predetermined value (SOC) may be set to "80" to prioritize charging the battery 192.

[0142] In this modified example, it is possible to switch whether or not to supply power to the electronic components depending on the status of the battery 192, thereby improving convenience.

[0143] <Explanation of the process when power is supplied from an external power source in the modified example 2> Furthermore, the above-described modification illustrates an example where the decision of whether or not to supply power to the electronic components is made based on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192. However, the example is not limited to the decision of whether or not to supply power to the electronic components based on the SOC of the battery 192. For example, the relay may be switched so that power is not supplied to the electronic components from an external power source while the battery 192 is charging, and only after the battery 192 has finished charging is power supplied to the electronic components from an external power source.

[0144] In other words, while connected to an external power source via a charging cable, the battery controller 191 determines whether or not the battery 192 is charging when it receives a request to supply power to an electronic component. If the battery controller 191 determines that the battery 192 is charging, it maintains the off state of the relay corresponding to the electronic component, thereby suppressing the supply of power to the electronic component from the external power source. If the battery controller 191 determines that the battery 192 is not charging (in other words, the battery 192 has finished charging), it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component to the on state, thereby starting the supply of power to the electronic component from the external power source.

[0145] In this modified example, while the battery 192 is being charged, the supply of power to the electronic components from an external power source is suppressed, prioritizing the charging of the battery 192, thereby shortening the time it takes to charge the battery 192.

[0146] <Explanation of the process when power is supplied from an external power source in the modified example 3> Various criteria can be considered for determining whether or not to supply power to electronic components. For example, if there is a defined power supply time during which the device can be connected to an external power source, the decision to supply power to the electronic components may be made based on whether or not the battery 192 is fully charged within that power supply time.

[0147] For example, when the battery controller 191 receives a request to supply power to an electronic component while connected to an external power source via a charging cable, it determines whether the battery 192 will be fully charged within the charging time based on the battery 192's State of Charge (SOC) and the remaining power supply time. If the battery controller 191 determines that charging will not be completed, it maintains the off state of the relay corresponding to the electronic component, thereby suppressing the power supply to the electronic component. Then, if the battery controller 191 determines that the battery 192 is fully charged, it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component to the on state, thereby starting the power supply to the electronic component. In this way, the supply of power to the electronic component may be switched depending on the time remaining until the battery 192 is fully charged.

[0148] <Explanation of the process when power is supplied from an external power source in the modified example 4> In the embodiments and modifications described above, an example was described in which, when the battery controller 191 determines that it is connected to an external power source and a charging cable (in other words, when it determines that it is in a state where power can be supplied), it switches the relay corresponding to the electronic component to the ON state in response to a power supply request from the shovel controller 30.

[0149] In this modified example, when connected to an external power source and charging cable, the shovel controller 30 switches whether or not to request power supply to the electronic components from the battery controller 191 depending on the state of the shovel 200 or its components. The components of the shovel 200 may be electronic components that make up the shovel 200, or circuits within the shovel 200. The state may be the result of a judgment on whether or not an abnormality has occurred, or the current communication status of the shovel 200, etc.

[0150] For example, when the shovel controller 30 starts up, it performs a self-diagnosis. If the shovel controller 30 detects an abnormality in the circuitry or communication within the shovel 200 as a result of the self-diagnosis, it selects a power supply disallowance setting for the flag that holds the setting for whether or not to allow power supply within the shovel controller 30. As a result, even if the shovel controller 30 is in a state where it can be powered from an external power source, it suppresses the request for power supply to the electronic components from the battery controller 191. This keeps the relay corresponding to the electronic component in the off state, thus preventing the electronic component from operating.

[0151] Meanwhile, if the shovel controller 30 determines, based on its self-diagnosis, that there are no abnormalities in the circuits or communications within the shovel 200, it selects the power supply permission setting for the flag that holds the setting for whether or not to allow power supply within the shovel controller 30. Subsequently, if the shovel controller 30 is able to receive power from an external power source, it requests the battery controller 191 to supply power to the electronic components. As a result, the relay corresponding to the electronic component turns on.

[0152] In this modified example, safety can be improved by switching whether or not to request power supply to the electronic components from the battery controller 191 depending on the state of the shovel 200 or the components of the shovel 200.

[0153] <Explanation of whether or not to supply power to the electronic component in the modified example 5> When connected to an external power source and charging cable, the operator may set whether or not to switch the relay corresponding to the electronic component to the ON state.

[0154] In this modified example, the output device 50 (display device) or a predetermined external device displays a screen for setting whether or not to operate the electronic components using power supplied from an external power source. The operator can input operations related to the operation settings via the output device 50 (display device) or the predetermined external device.

[0155] As a result, the shovel controller 30 receives operation input via the input device 52 regarding whether or not to operate the electronic components with power supplied from an external power source. Similarly, the shovel controller 30 may receive information indicating the operation input regarding the said operation setting from a predetermined external device via the communication device 91A.

[0156] Then, when the shovel controller 30 receives an operation input for the operation setting from the input device 52, or when it receives information for the operation setting from an external device, it switches whether or not to operate the electronic components with power supplied from an external power source based on the said operation setting.

[0157] In other words, in this modified version, when the operator inputs a request to operate the electronic component using power supplied from an external power source, the shovel controller 30 supplies power to the electronic component from the external power source in the same procedure as in the embodiment described above. On the other hand, when the operator inputs a request to suppress the operation of the electronic component, the shovel controller 30 suppresses the supply of power to the electronic component from the external power source, even if it is possible to supply power from the external power source. In this modified version, since the control described above allows switching whether or not to supply power according to the operator's request, improved convenience can be achieved.

[0158] The battery controller 191 may calculate the time until charging is complete based on the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 192 and the amount of power from an external power source. The battery controller 191 then outputs the calculated time until charging is complete to the shovel controller 30. This allows the shovel controller 30 to display the time until charging is complete on the output device 50 (display device) inside the cabin 10. Based on this, the operator can determine whether or not to request the operation of the electronic components. Note that the output destination of the calculated time until charging is complete is not limited to the output device 50 (display device), but may also be a communication terminal connected via the communication device 91A.

[0159] <Explanation of battery charging method> In the embodiments and modifications described above, the shovel 200 was described as being charged via a wired connection using a charging cable when powered from an external power source. However, electric shovels like the shovel 200 described above can be charged via wired or wireless methods.

[0160] In a wired system, the electric excavator can perform normal operations even when the power supply cable (corresponding to the charging cable in the above-described embodiment) is connected. Therefore, even if the electric excavator does not have a battery as its main power source, or if it is equipped only with a smaller battery compared to the wireless system, it can be continuously powered and operated. Even when operating such an electric excavator, control as in the above-described embodiment and its modifications may be performed.

[0161] In a wireless system, the electric excavator can receive power from an external power source without being connected to an external power source or charging cable. This eliminates the need for a charging cable, thus improving convenience. Even with such a wirelessly powered electric excavator, control methods like those described in the embodiments and modifications above may be employed.

[0162] Incidentally, in the case of wireless power supply, due to the energy density of the battery, there is a possibility that the output from the battery, or the duration of operation due to changes in charging time or charge level, may be limited. In wireless systems where such limitations exist, further advantages can be obtained by performing the control shown in the above-described embodiments and modifications. This is because, although wireless systems are required to operate under such limitations, when the control shown in the above-described embodiments and modifications is performed, even when various functions are activated (in other words, electronic components are operated), appropriate switching control of the relay corresponding to the function is performed, so efficient power utilization is possible and it becomes easier to maintain the battery charge level.

[0163] <effect> In the embodiments and modified examples described above, while power is supplied from an external power source, the on / off state of the relay corresponding to the electronic component is switched in response to the operation request of the electronic component. As a result, when the operation of the electronic component is not required, the power supply can be suppressed, thereby achieving power savings.

[0164] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modified examples described above, the battery controller 191 can control whether or not to supply power by controlling the relay corresponding to the electronic component when operating the electronic component, thereby improving convenience.

[0165] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, the on / off state of the relay corresponding to the electronic component can be switched in response to a request from a communication terminal or the like, while power is being supplied from an external power source. In other words, since it is possible to switch whether or not to supply power to the electronic component even when not in the cabin 10, convenience can be improved. As a specific example, while power is being supplied from an external power source, the operator can request the start of heating via a communication terminal before boarding, thereby turning on the relay corresponding to the compressor 82 or PTC heater 83 so that power is supplied to the compressor 82 or PTC heater 83. This allows the operator to board the cabin 10 with the temperature adjusted.

[0166] In this embodiment and its modified form, a relay is provided for each electronic component. This allows switching between on / off states according to the electronic component when power needs to be supplied to it. This enables precise control over the power supply.

[0167] Although embodiments and modifications have been described in detail above, this disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments and modifications, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist described in the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0168] 200 Shovel 1. Lower running body 2. Swivel mechanism 3. Upper rotating body 4 Boom 5 Arms 6 buckets 7 Boom Cylinder 8 Arm Cylinder 9 Bucket Cylinder 10 cabins 30 Shovel Controller 19 Battery Modules 191 Battery Controller 192 batteries 193 Junction Box 193A Converter Relay 193B Compressor Relay 193C Battery Relay 193D Heater Relay 80 Air conditioning system 81 Air Conditioning Controller 82 Compressor 83 PTC heater 84 Electric pump for heaters 85A, 85B Refrigerant flow path 86A, 86B, 86C water pipe 90 DC-DC Converter 91 24V electrical components 91A Communication equipment 91B Imaging device 92 24V auxiliary battery

Claims

1. An electric excavator having a battery, It includes a switch that allows switching whether or not to supply power from an external power source to electronic components. When the electric excavator is in a state where it can be powered from the external power source, the switching unit is controlled to configure the electronic components to operate using the power supplied from the external power source. When power is supplied to the battery from the external power source, the system is configured to determine whether or not to supply power to the electronic components from the external power source depending on the status of the battery or the time remaining until the battery is fully charged, and to control the switching unit according to the result of that determination. Electric excavator.

2. An electric excavator having a battery, An electric actuator that operates using power supplied from the aforementioned battery via an inverter, Electronic components different from the aforementioned electric actuator and inverter, It includes a switching unit that switches whether or not to supply power from an external power source to the electronic component, When the electric excavator is in a state where it can be powered from the external power source, the switching unit is controlled to configure the electronic components to operate using the power supplied from the external power source. The switching unit is controlled to supply power from the external power source to the battery and to supply power from the external power source to the electronic component, or, when supplying power from the external power source to the battery, the switching unit is controlled to suppress the supply of power from the external power source to the electronic component. Electric excavator.

3. The system further includes a control unit configured to determine whether or not power can be supplied depending on whether or not a predetermined cable is connected between the external power supply and the electric shovel. The electric excavator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The system is configured to determine the amount of power required for the electronic component to operate and to distribute the power supplied from the external power source to the electronic component according to that amount of power. An electric excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The switching unit is provided for each of the plurality of electronic components, The system is configured to control the switching unit corresponding to the electronic component when operating the electronic component. An electric shovel according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. When the electric excavator is in a state where it can be powered from the external power source, and when the power supply permission setting is selected based on the state of the electric excavator or the components of the electric excavator, the switching unit is controlled so that the electronic components operate with power supplied from the external power source. An electric shovel according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The system accepts input for setting whether or not to operate the electronic component using power supplied from the external power source. When the electric excavator is in a state where it can be powered from the external power source, it is configured to switch whether or not to operate the electronic components with the power supplied from the external power source, based on the operation setting. An electric shovel according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. When the electronic component is operating on power supplied from the external power source, the system is configured to display information indicating that the electronic component is operating on power supplied from the external power source in a recognizable manner. An electric shovel according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

Images