Battery Pack Discharge Control for Tool Compatibility Checking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing electric work machine and battery pack systems face challenges in ensuring compatibility, leading to difficulties in discharging power between new and existing units, resulting in inhibited power transfer due to incompatible connector shapes and types.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a battery pack with a controller and interface that communicates with an electric work machine to determine compatibility through data exchange, allowing or prohibiting discharge based on type identification, and vice versa, using a communication terminal to transmit permission or prohibition signals for safe and compatible power transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the connector shape is changed to ensure compatibility between new battery packs and existing electric work machines, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to potential incompatible discharges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communication terminal as an intermediary between the battery pack and electric work machine. This terminal enables data exchange to identify device types and determine compatibility before allowing discharge, thus maintaining reliable operation while preserving connector shape consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identification of device types through data exchange before enabling power discharge. The controller determines compatibility in advance by checking device type information, preventing incompatible discharges before they occur.
2Ease of operation
If the connector shape is kept consistent across different battery pack models, then the ease of operation is improved, but the ability to inhibit incompatible discharges deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The communication terminal serves as a mediator that enables the system to maintain consistent connector shapes while adding intelligence to prevent incompatible discharges. Through data exchange, the system adapts to different device types without changing the physical connector design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by introducing communication protocols and data exchange mechanisms. This allows the same physical connector to safely serve multiple device types by controlling discharge based on identified device characteristics rather than physical form factors.
3Reliability
If type identification and compatibility checking mechanisms are added to the battery pack and electric work machine, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The communication terminal performs multiple functions: device type identification, compatibility determination, and discharge control signaling. By consolidating these functions into a single communication interface, the system achieves improved reliability without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system in one aspect of the present disclosure includes a battery pack and an electric work machine. The battery pack includes a battery, a first interface, a first memory and a first controller. The first controller is configured to transmit battery data identifying a type of the battery pack. The electric work machine includes a motor, a second interface, a switching element, a manual switch, a second memory and a second controller. The second controller is configured to transmit electric apparatus data identifying a type of the electric work machine.