Split Battery Lift Architecture Using Slip Ring Power Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lift devices face challenges in efficiently managing battery power distribution and rotation between a base assembly and a turntable assembly, leading to potential operational limitations and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A lift device with a split battery architecture, utilizing a slip ring transmission to rotatably couple the turntable assembly with the base assembly, allowing for electrical energy transfer and rotation, and a controller to manage battery levels and charging between the two assemblies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single battery pack is used in the base assembly, then the device structure is simple, but the turntable assembly cannot maintain operation during rotation due to power distribution limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is divided into two separate battery packs: a base assembly battery pack in the base assembly and a turntable battery pack in the turntable assembly. This segmentation allows the turntable to have its own power source, ensuring continuous operation during rotation while keeping the base assembly structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
A controller acts as an intermediary between the base assembly battery pack and the turntable battery pack. The controller manages power transfer through the slip ring transmission, enabling the base assembly battery to charge the turntable battery when needed, thus ensuring reliable power supply to the turntable assembly during rotation.
2Ease of operation
If the turntable assembly has independent battery power, then it can operate autonomously during rotation, but the overall device requires complex power management and charging systems
Solution Approach 1:
The slip ring transmission serves multiple functions: it mechanically transmits rotation between the base assembly and turntable assembly, and simultaneously provides an electrical pathway for power transfer and charging. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated charging infrastructure, simplifying the overall power management system while maintaining autonomous operation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The turntable assembly can autonomously manage its own power needs by receiving charge from the base assembly battery through the slip ring transmission when the turntable is stationary or rotating slowly. The controller automatically monitors battery levels and initiates charging when the turntable battery level drops below a threshold, enabling self-service power management without constant external intervention.
3Speed
If power is transferred through the rotating slip ring, then the turntable can rotate freely, but electrical connection stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The turntable battery pack is pre-charged from the base assembly battery pack before the turntable assembly begins high-speed rotation or before power-intensive operations. The controller monitors battery levels and initiates charging in advance, ensuring that sufficient power is stored in the turntable battery to sustain operations during rotation, thereby maintaining electrical connection stability even during free rotation.
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
Enables efficient power distribution and rotation, preventing operational restrictions due to low battery levels, and supports autonomous or semi-autonomous operations with enhanced mobility and task-specific control.
Implementation Method 1
The slip ring transmission is electrically coupled with both the base assembly batteries and the turntable batteries
Data Source
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AI summary
A lift device includes a base assembly, a turntable assembly, and a controller. The base assembly includes multiple base assembly batteries. The turntable assembly is rotatably coupled with the base assembly through a slip ring transmission. The turntable assembly includes multiple turntable assembly batteries. The controller is configured to operate the base assembly batteries to discharge electrical energy to the turntable batteries through the slip ring transmission. The slip ring transmission is configured to both (1) drive the turntable assembly to rotate relative to the base assembly and (2) to electrically and communicably couple electrical components of the base assembly with electrical components of the turntable assembly.