Working Vehicle Power Relay Control for Idle Battery Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electric motors in working vehicles, such as excavators, can continue to consume power unnecessarily when the operator is not present, leading to wasteful battery discharge due to the quiet operation making it difficult to detect power supply status.
Innovation Solution
A working vehicle with a main controller that shuts down power supply to driving units after a set time of inactivity, using a sub-controller to manage relay states based on operator input, ensuring power is only supplied when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the battery continues to supply power to the driving unit when the operator is not present, then the working vehicle remains ready for immediate operation, but wasteful power consumption increases due to unnecessary battery discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary detection of operator presence/absence and predicts the need for power supply before actual operation is required. By detecting whether the operator is present or absent in advance, the system can proactively control power supply status, ensuring immediate readiness when the operator is present while preventing wasteful discharge when the operator is absent.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors operator presence/absence status and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust power supply control. The control unit receives real-time information about operator status and adjusts the relay state accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes power consumption based on actual operational needs.
2Loss of energy
If the battery is turned off to prevent wasteful discharge, then power consumption is reduced, but the working vehicle cannot respond immediately when the operator returns
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary assessment of operator presence status and activates power supply in advance when the operator is detected to be present. This preliminary action ensures that the driving unit is already powered and ready for immediate operation, eliminating any delay that would occur if power had to be activated after the operator returned.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts power supply status based on real-time operator presence detection. The relay control is not static but changes state according to the operator's status, allowing the system to optimize between energy conservation and operational readiness by being powered on when needed and powered off when not needed.
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
Prevents unnecessary battery discharge by automatically shutting down power when the operator is not present, improving power consumption and safety by limiting power usage to active operation times.
Implementation Method 1
stop supplying of power from the battery to the driving unit by turning off a relay via the sub-controller
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a working vehicle capable of further improving power consumption by preventing discharging of a battery in situations where discharging is unnecessary. A main controller of a working vehicle is operable when a set time has elapsed in a state where no input operation has been performed from a time when a lock lever was raised and operations of working units via operation levers were disabled, to stop supplying of power from the battery to a first driving unit by turning off a relay via a sub-controller.