Balancing Unit for Forklift Voltage Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial trucks with electric drives face challenges in managing energy flow and balancing voltages between batteries and capacitors, particularly during charging and operation, leading to inefficiencies and complex control requirements.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a balancing unit with a degaussing unit that actively balances series-connected batteries and capacitors across various operating states, using inductive coupling and switching elements to transfer electrical energy and manage voltage imbalances, allowing for simplified energy management and charging processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If active balancing circuits are used for each battery and capacitor in series connection, then voltage balancing between individual voltage sources is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the balancing function and charging function into a single integrated circuit. The balancing unit with switching elements and inductive stores serves dual purposes: it balances voltages between series-connected voltage sources and charges them from external voltage sources, eliminating the need for separate balancing and charging circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. The same switching elements and inductive stores used for balancing voltages between series-connected batteries or capacitors are also used for charging the voltage sources from external sources, making the circuit universal and reducing overall system complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate balancing circuits are used for charging and balancing operations, then charging function is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the balancing circuit and charging circuit into one integrated system. The balancing unit containing switching elements and inductive stores is used for both balancing voltages between series-connected voltage sources and for charging these sources from external voltage sources, eliminating redundant circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit design enables the same components to serve multiple functions. The switching elements and inductive stores operate in different modes depending on the operational state, providing both balancing and charging capabilities through a single universal circuit architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures continuous voltage balancing between batteries and capacitors, optimizing energy distribution and reducing control complexity, enabling efficient energy transfer and utilization during charging and operation, thereby enhancing the overall energy management system of the industrial truck.
Implementation Method 1
a balancing unit which actively balances the batteries and the capacitors in the event of unequal voltage in any operating state of the industrial truck
Implementation Method 2
the switching elements in the switched-on state electrical energy from the inductive store to the transmitter and in the switched-off state a demagnetizing current from the transmitter via the inductive store in a capacitive memory of the degaussing unit is transmitted
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a forklift truck with an electric drive which can be powered from a first and/or second voltage source, wherein the first voltage source has several batteries connected in series and the second voltage source has several capacitors connected in series, wherein a balancing unit is provided which actively balances the batteries and the capacitors in case of unequal voltage in every operating state of the forklift truck.