EP-4737354-A1 - ELECTRIC REFUSE VEHICLE POWER MANAGEMENT

Abstract

A refuse vehicle includes a vehicle chassis and an all-electric vehicle body on the chassis. The body includes a hopper, a refuse storage container, and a plurality of electrically powered body systems. The body systems include an electrically actuated tailgate, an electrically actuated refuse loading assembly, and an electrically actuated refuse packing assembly configured to remove refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container. The vehicle (e.g., vehicle body) further includes a power management module configured to regulate energy usage of the body systems and/or to record and track electrical energy usage in the body systems.

Inventors

• PARKER, BRIAN T.
• CHANDLER, SAVANNAH G.
• Ham, Brian Huston
• MARONEY, STANLEY L.
• PALMER, REBECCA B.
• PEEK, MICHAEL SHANE
• SMITH, JOHN FORREST
• STEWART, BRYAN

Assignees

• The Heil Co.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20220628

Claims (15)

1. A refuse vehicle comprising: a vehicle chassis; an all-electric vehicle body on the chassis, the body including a hopper and a refuse storage container, the body including electrically powered body systems, the body systems including an electrically actuated tailgate, an electrically actuated refuse loading assembly, and an electrically actuated refuse packing assembly configured to remove refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container; and a power management module configured to regulate energy usage of the body systems and/or record and track electrical energy usage in each of the body systems wherein the power management module is configured: to process video data to estimate a load in a refuse container; and to process said estimated container load to determine an actuation speed of the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly when lifting and emptying the refuse container.
2. The refuse vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power management module is configured to estimate a quantity of refuse in the hopper and to trigger the refuse packing assembly to remove the refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container when the quantity of refuse in the hopper exceeds a threshold.
3. The refuse vehicle of claim 2, wherein the power management module is configured to evaluate electrical usage of the of the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly to estimate a weight of refuse loaded into the hopper and actuate the electrically actuated refuse packing assembly to remove the refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container when the weight of refuse loaded into the hopper exceeds the threshold.
4. The refuse vehicle of claim 2, wherein: the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly comprises an electrically actuated side loader comprising an electrically actuated side arm and an electrically actuated grabber; and the power management module is configured to evaluate the electrical usage of the electrically actuated side arm to estimate a weight of refuse loaded into the hopper.
5. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the power management module is configured to evaluate video camera images of the hopper or optical sensor data to estimate a volume or a height of refuse in the hopper and to actuate the electrically actuated refuse packing assembly to remove the refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container when the volume of refuse in the hopper exceeds the threshold.
6. The refuse vehicle of claim 1, wherein: the refuse vehicle further comprises a carry can coupled to an electrically actuated front loader, the carry can further comprising an electrically actuated arm and an electrically actuated grabber; and the power management module is configured to estimate a quantity of refuse in the carry can and to trigger the electrically actuated front loader to empty the carry can into the hopper when the quantity of refuse in the carry can exceeds a threshold.
7. The refuse vehicle of claim 6, wherein the power management module is configured to evaluate electrical usage of the of the electrically actuated arm to estimate a weight of refuse loaded into the carry can and actuate the electrically actuated front loader when the weight of refuse loaded into the carry can exceeds the threshold; and/or evaluate video camera images of the refuse in the carry can or optical sensor data to estimate a volume of refuse in the carry can and actuate the electrically actuated front loader when the volume of refuse loaded into the carry can exceeds the threshold.
8. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the power management module is configured to measure energy usage in each of the body systems during refuse collection operations, wherein, optionally, the power management module is configured to provide an aggregated report of said energy usage at predetermined time intervals.
9. The refuse vehicle of claim 8, wherein: the power management module is configured for two-way electronic communication with a cloud-based computing system; and the power management module is configured to upload the electrical energy usage to a cloud database, wherein, optionally, the power management module is configured to receive vehicle efficiency recommendations from the cloud-based computing system.
10. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 8 and 9, wherein the power management module is configured to flag electrical energy usage that falls outside of corresponding energy usage threshold values or energy usage norms; and/or evaluate said energy usage and provide vehicle maintenance recommendations, vehicle operator training recommendations, or vehicle route recommendations to reduce vehicle energy requirements; and/or provide substantially real-time instructions to a vehicle operator, said instructions including recommendation to improve vehicle energy efficiency, said instructions provided via a driver interface; and/or automatically block use of one or more of the electrically powered body systems when remaining battery life falls below a threshold.
11. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-10, wherein the vehicle body further comprises at least one rechargeable battery system configured to provide electric power to the body systems.
12. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-11, further comprising charging rails deployed on a roof of the vehicle body.
13. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-12, further comprising at least one motion energy generator deployed on the vehicle body and configured to convert mechanical energy of uneven vehicle motion into electrical energy for charging a vehicle battery.
14. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-13, further comprising solar collection components deployed on the vehicle body and configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy for charging a vehicle battery; and/or wind collection components deployed on the vehicle body and configured to convert wind energy into electrical energy for charging a vehicle battery.
15. The refuse vehicle of any one of claims 1-14, wherein the vehicle chassis is a fully-electric vehicle chassis.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present disclosure is related to, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/231,071, titled "Electric Refuse Vehicle Power Management," which was filed on August 9, 2021, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/216,730, titled "Electric Refuse Vehicle Power Management," which was filed on June 29, 2021. Both of these provisional applications are incorporated by reference, in their entirety, into the present disclosure. FIELD OF THE INVENTION Disclosed embodiments relate generally to refuse collection vehicles and more particularly to electrically powered refuse vehicles employing a power management module. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Refuse vehicles have long serviced homes and businesses in urban, residential, and rural areas. Collected waste is commonly transported to a landfill, an incinerator, a recycling plant, or some other facility. Refuse vehicles commonly include numerous vehicle body systems to perform vital vehicle functions. Such systems commonly include a refuse collection system, such as front load and side load assemblies, a refuse packing (or compaction) and ejector assembly, and a tailgate open and close assembly. Historically, refuse vehicles have employed diesel powered engines to propel the vehicle and a power takeoff (PTO) that provides hydraulic actuation of the above noted vehicle body systems. While such refuse vehicles have long been serviceable, there is a need for further improvements. For example, such vehicles are believed to be damaging to the environment, particularly in concentrated urban and suburban areas. Diesel exhaust may be problematic in such areas. Moreover, hydraulic systems tend to leak and can be expensive, difficult to service, and prone to failure in cold temperatures. For these and other reasons, there is a developing demand for all electric or partially electric refuse vehicles (e.g., to eliminate hydraulic actuators). SUMMARY One aspect of the present disclosure features a refuse vehicle including: a vehicle chassis, the chassis including a chassis frame, a liquid natural gas or a compressed natural gas fuel storage tank, and a natural gas powered internal combustion engine; and an all-electric vehicle body on the chassis, the body including a refuse container and further including electrically powered body systems, the body systems including an electrically actuated tailgate, an electrically actuated refuse loading assembly, and an electrically actuated refuse packing assembly, the vehicle body further including at least one rechargeable battery pack configured to provide electric power to the body systems. In some embodiments, the battery pack is deployed on an underside of vehicle body between adjacent rails in the chassis frame. In some embodiments, the internal combustion engine further includes an alternator electrically connected with and configured to recharge the battery pack. In some embodiments, the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly includes an electrically actuated front loader including an electrically actuated fork and an electrically actuated loader arm configured to load refuse into the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the refuse vehicle further includes a carry can coupled to the electrically actuated front loader, the carry can further include an electrically actuated arm and an electrically actuated grabber configured to load refuse into the carry can. In some embodiments, the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly includes an electrically actuated side loader including an electrically actuated side arm and an electrically actuated grabber configured to load refuse into the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the electrically actuated refuse loading assembly includes an electrically actuated rear loader assembly configured to load refuse into the vehicle body. In some embodiments, the vehicle body does not include any hydraulically powered components. In some embodiments, the vehicle body further includes a power management module configured to regulate energy usage of the body systems and/or record and track electrical energy usage in each of the body systems. Another aspect of the present disclosure features a refuse vehicle including: a vehicle chassis; an all-electric vehicle body on the chassis, the body including a hopper and a refuse storage container, the body including electrically powered body systems, the body systems including an electrically actuated tailgate, an electrically actuated refuse loading assembly, and an electrically actuated refuse packing assembly configured to remove refuse from the hopper and to pack said refuse in the storage container; and a power management module configured to regulate energy usage of the body systems and/or record and track electrical energy usage in each of the body systems. In some embodiments, the power management module is configured to estimate a quantity of refuse in the hopper and to trigger the