US-20260128593-A1 - CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT WITH ADVANCED POWER MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

US20260128593A1US 20260128593 A1US20260128593 A1US 20260128593A1US-20260128593-A1

Abstract

A control unit ( 110 ) for controlling power consumption by construction equipment ( 100 ) powered at least partly via an electrical mains cable connection ( 160 ), where the control unit ( 110 ) is arranged to obtain data indicative of a current drawn by the construction equipment ( 100 ) as function of time, where the control unit ( 110 ) is arranged to process the obtained data using at least a first and a second averaging function, where the first averaging function is associated with a shorter averaging time window compared to the second function, where the outputs of the at least two functions are associated with respective function acceptance criteria, where the control unit ( 110 ) is arranged to limit the current drawn by the construction equipment ( 100 ) in case any of the function outputs does not meet the respective function acceptance criterion.

Inventors

Tommy Olsson

Assignees

HUSQVARNA AB

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20230928
Priority Date: 20220929

Claims (20)

1 . A control unit for controlling power consumption by construction equipment powered at least partly via an electrical mains cable connection, where the control unit is arranged to obtain data indicative of a current drawn by the construction equipment as function of time, where the control unit is arranged to process the obtained data using at least a first and a second averaging function, where the first averaging function is associated with a shorter averaging time window compared to the second averaging function, and where the outputs of the at least two functions are associated with respective function acceptance criteria, where the control unit is arranged to trigger an automated power consumption related action by the construction equipment in case any of the function outputs does not meet the respective function acceptance criterion.
2 . The control unit according to claim 1 , where the triggered power consumption related action comprises limiting the current drawn by the construction equipment, or triggering a notification to a user of the construction equipment.
3 . (canceled)
4 . The control unit according to claim 1 , comprising a current sensor arranged to measure a current drawn via the electrical mains cable connection, where the data indicative of the current drawn by the construction equipment is obtained at least in part from the current sensor.
5 . The control unit according to claim 1 , arranged to estimate the current drawn by the construction equipment based on a generated hydraulic pressure and flow in a hydraulic system of the construction equipment and/or based on an operation by an electric machine or electric actuator, where the data indicative of the current drawn by the construction equipment comprises the estimated current.
6 . The control unit according to claim 1 , where at least one of the first and the second averaging function is a moving average filter and where the acceptance criterion comprises a threshold value.
7 . The control unit according to claim 1 , where at least one of the first and the second averaging function has a low-pass filter characteristic, and where the acceptance criterion comprises a threshold value.
8 . The control unit according to claim 6 , where the threshold value is determined in dependence of a construction site fuse setting.
9 . (canceled)
10 . The control unit according to claim 1 , arranged to limit the current drawn by the construction equipment by adjusting one or more hydraulic valve control curves of the construction equipment.
11 . The control unit according to claim 1 , arranged to limit the current drawn by the construction equipment by adjusting an operation parameter of a hydraulic pump comprised in a hydraulic system of the construction equipment such as to reduce a hydraulic system pressure of the construction equipment.
12 . The control unit according to claim 1 , arranged to limit the current drawn by the construction equipment by adjusting an operation of an electric machine and/or electric actuator of the construction equipment.
13 - 22 . (canceled)
23 . The control unit according to claim 1 , for controlling power consumption by construction equipment powered at least partly by an electrical energy storage, ESS, where the data obtained by the control unit is indicative of a current drawn by the construction equipment over the electrical mains cable connection as function of time, and where the automated power consumption related action comprises control of electrical energy transferred to and/or from the ESS based on both averaging function outputs in relation to the respective filter acceptance criteria.
24 - 29 . (canceled)
30 . Concrete processing equipment comprising a control unit according to claim 1 .
31 . The concrete processing equipment according to claim 30 , comprising any of a demolition robot, a wall saw, a floor grinder, core drilling equipment, a cut-off tool, a power troweling machine, a blaster, a dust extractor, or a scraper.
32 . A computer-implemented method performed by a construction equipment control unit, for controlling power consumption by the construction equipment, the method comprising obtaining data indicative of a current drawn by the construction equipment as function of time, processing the obtained data using at least a first and a second averaging function, where the first averaging function is associated with a shorter averaging time window compared to the second function, where the outputs of the at least two functions are associated with respective function acceptance criteria, and triggering a power consumption related action by the construction equipment in case any of the function outputs does not meet the respective function acceptance criterion.
33 . A hybrid electrical power system for powering at least one actuator on construction equipment, the system comprising an electrical energy storage, ESS, an electrical mains cable connection, and a control unit, where the control unit is arranged to obtain data indicative of a current drawn over the electrical mains cable connection as function of time, where the control unit is arranged to process the obtained data using at least a first and a second averaging function, where the first averaging function is associated with a shorter averaging time window compared to the second averaging function, and where the outputs of the at least two functions are associated with respective function acceptance criteria, where the control unit is arranged to control a transfer of electrical energy to and/or from the ESS based on both filter outputs in relation to the respective filter acceptance criteria.
34 . The hybrid electrical power system according to claim 33 , where the control unit is arranged to increase a current drawn from the ESS in case any of the averaging function outputs does not meet the respective function acceptance criteria.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to construction equipment, such as electrically powered demolition robots, floor grinders, power trowels, core drilling equipment, cut-off tools, blasters, scrapers, and wall saws. There are disclosed methods and control units for controlling power consumption by the construction equipment. BACKGROUND Demolition robots are relatively light-weight and agile construction machines which can be used for various tasks, such as smaller excavation jobs, transportation, and of course demolition tasks. Demolition robots are often electrically powered via cable from electrical mains. The machines may draw considerable power during operation, and therefore require large fuses, e.g., with rated currents on the order of 32 A, in order to support full functionality. However, many work sites only offer 16 A rated connections to electrical mains. In order to be able to work under these conditions, there is a need to limit the power drawn by the machines. EP2842213 B1 discusses hybrid power systems which uses a battery to complement an electrical mains connection with insufficient rated current. EP2589709 A2 describes a demolition robot which can be configured in an operation mode where power consumption is limited. The power limitation is achieved by adjusting control curves of the valves comprised in the hydraulic system of the machine. Other types of power-hungry construction equipment include floor grinders, power trowels, core drilling equipment, cut-off tools, blasters, scrapers, and wall saws. These machines may in some cases be associated with the same power issue. Despite the development work done to-date, there is a need for further improvements in power control of demolition robots and other types of construction equipment. SUMMARY It is an object of the present disclosure to provide improved techniques for managing the power consumption of construction equipment such as demolition robots, floor grinders, power trowels, core drilling equipment, cut-off tools, blasters, scrapers, and wall saws. This object is at least in part obtained by a control unit for controlling power consumption by construction equipment that is powered at least partly via an electrical mains cable connection. The control unit is arranged to obtain data indicative of a current drawn by the construction equipment as function of time. The control unit is also arranged to process the obtained data using at least a first and a second averaging function, where the first averaging function is associated with a shorter averaging time window, i.e., a larger filtering bandwidth, compared to the second function and where the outputs of the at least two functions are associated with respective and different function acceptance criteria, such as acceptance thresholds. The control unit is furthermore arranged to trigger an automated power consumption related action by the construction equipment in case any of the function outputs does not meet the respective function acceptance criterion. This automated power consumption related action may comprise, e.g., automatically limiting the current drawn by the construction equipment to reduce the risk of tripping a fuse and/or triggering an automated notification to a user to inform the user of the risk of tripping a fuse such that the user can take action to reduce the power consumption of the equipment. By the disclosed techniques, a machine such as a demolition robot or some form of concrete processing equipment may be allowed to temporarily exceed a rated current of a fuse, as long as the long-term current consumption (as indicated by the second averaging function output) over the monitored time period satisfies the long term acceptance criteria. This added freedom in transient power consumption improves performance of the construction equipment, in particular at construction sites with low-rated fuses. As noted above, the system can either be configured to automatically limit the current drawn by the construction equipment, or just trigger an automated notification to a user. Some systems can be configured to first trigger generation of a warning, and then trigger limitation of the drawn current after some time in case the operator does not act to reduce power consumption in response to the notification. The notification can thus serve as a warning, or a heads-up, informing the operator that current consumption is high and that there is a risk of tripping the electrical mains fuse, but leaves the decision whether to actually reduce power consumption or risk blowing the fuse to the operator. According to some aspects, the control unit comprises a current sensor arranged to measure a current drawn via the electrical mains cable connection. The data indicative of the current drawn by the construction equipment is then obtained at least in part from the current sensor. This is a reliable way to measure actual current consumption by a machine. According to some oth