# US 2014/0152099 A1 · Mobile cart and power system therfor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152099 A1 - Document ID: US20140152099A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/872,640 - Filed: 2013-04-29 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-27 - Assignees: LogiQuip LLC - Inventors: James S. Boyd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152099A1 ## CPC - H02J 9/061: {for DC powered loads} - H01M 10/0525: Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries - H01M 10/441: {for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially} - H01M 50/204: Racks, modules or packs for multiple batteries or multiple cells - H01M 50/247: specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers - H01M 50/256: Carrying devices, e.g. belts - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/585: {Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries} - H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries} - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - H02J 9/04: in which the distribution system is disconnected from the normal source and connected to a standby source - H01M 2010/4271: {Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing} - H02J 7/865: {Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/92: with prioritisation of loads or sources - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY ## Abstract A mobile cart has a battery assembly, which includes an on-board charger for selectively recharging one or more batteries to ensure constant operation of the powered equipment provided on the cart. The battery assembly possesses a removable battery configuration and is operated by a Battery Control System (BCS). The BCS is an intelligent control system for removable batteries and battery cell packs to provide an improved system of charging and discharging the individual batteries. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A power system for a mobile cart, comprising: a battery assembly comprising one or more rechargeable batteries, a battery support for each respective one of said batteries wherein said battery support is mountable on a mobile cart and said respective battery is removably engagable with said battery support, and a battery connector for each said battery which is engagable with said battery when said battery is installed on said respective battery support; and a battery control system for recharging said batteries, which has a control unit comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller receiving power from said power supply when connected to external power and controlling battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet receiving power under the control of said charge controller to provide power to electrical equipment on a mobile cart, a power connector for each said battery support, which is selectively connectable to said battery through said battery connector, power flow through each said power connector being controlled by said charge controller to control charging of each said battery by external power and discharging of each said battery, which provides battery power to said first power outlet for use by cart equipment; and said charge controller charging a respective said battery to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery is chargable at a first charging rate and above which said battery charges at a slower second charging rate, each said battery being charged to said upper charging threshold before said charge controller begins to charge each said battery above said upper charging threshold to a full charge. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein said battery control system determines if external power is present, wherein external power is used to supply power to said first power outlet and charge a selected one of said batteries by said charge controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 2, wherein if external power is not present, said charge controller determines which said battery to use, wherein said charge controller determines if each said battery is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery is discharged, said charge controller using said battery which has the lowest battery charge first. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 3, wherein if one said battery is at or below the minimum threshold, then said charge controller uses another said battery having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 3, wherein if two said batteries are above the minimum charge, said charge controller using said battery with a lower battery charge. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 5, wherein said battery in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller switches to another said battery. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein when external power is not present, said charge controller switches so as to receive power from one said battery or another said battery and route this battery power to the first outlet port for powering the cart. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 7, wherein when charging, said battery with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other said battery is less than this charging threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 8, wherein said upper charging threshold is dictated by battery design and chemistry. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein when said battery that is being charged reaches the upper charging threshold, said charge controller switches to charging another said battery up to said upper charging threshold thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 10, wherein after both said batteries have been charged to their upper charging threshold, said charge controller continuing to charge one said battery to a full charge, and then charges the other said battery to a full charge. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein said charge controller initially receives data on a cycle count for each said battery from a data storage associated with said battery, and then compares cycle counts for each said battery, and where the cycle count of one said battery exceeds the cycle count of the other said battery by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein two said charge controllers are provided to provide the option of charging two said batteries simultaneously. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 13, wherein said control system determines when power used by said first power outlet is off or minimal, and then both said charge controllers operate to charge two said batteries simultaneously, when said first power outlet is in use and supplying significant power, said charge controllers charging only one said battery. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 1, wherein if one said battery is manually removed from said battery support during charging or discharging, said charge controller automatically detecting removal of said battery and switching charging or discharging to another said battery. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The power system for a mobile cart according to claim 15, wherein said power system is operable with one or two said batteries installed in two said battery supports. ### Claim 17 A method for operating a power system for a mobile cart, said power system comprising a battery assembly comprising one or more rechargeable batteries, and a battery control system for recharging said batteries, which has a control unit comprising a power supply removably connectable to external power, a charge controller receiving power from said power supply when connected to external power and controlling battery charging and discharge, a first power outlet receiving power under the control of said charge controller to provide power to electrical equipment on a mobile cart, a power connector for each said battery, which is selectively connectable to said battery, said method comprising the steps of: controlling power flow through each said power connector by said charge controller to control charging of each said battery by external power and discharging of each said battery, which provides battery power to said first power outlet for use by cart equipment; initiating charging of each said battery by said charge controller when external power is absent; continuing charging of a respective one of said batteries by said charge controller to an upper charging threshold, wherein said upper charging threshold reflects a battery charge below which said battery is chargable at a first charging rate and above which said battery charges at a slower second charging rate; after said one battery reaches said upper charging threshold, discontinuing charging of said one battery and initiating charging of the other of said batteries to said upper charging threshold; and after each said battery is charged to said upper charging threshold, charging one of said batteries by said charge controller to a full charge. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, including the step of discontinuing charging of said one battery upon reaching a full charge thereof, and then initiating charging of the other said battery up to said full charge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, including the step of determining if external power is present, and using said external power to supply power to said first power outlet and to charge each selected one of said batteries by said charge controller. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, wherein if external power is not present, said charge controller determines which said battery to use, wherein said charge controller determines if each said battery is below a minimum charge which establishes that a battery is discharged, and said charge controller using said battery which has the lowest battery charge first. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein if one said battery is at or below the minimum threshold, then said charge controller uses another said battery having a higher battery charge above the minimum charge, and if two said batteries are above the minimum charge, said charge controller using said battery with a lower battery charge. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein said battery in use will continue to be used until its charge decreases to the minimum charge, at which time said charge controller switches to another said battery. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein when charging, said battery with the higher state of charge is charged first, provided its charge level is not more than said upper charging threshold and the other said battery is less than this charging threshold. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein said charge controller initially receives data on a cycle count for each said battery from a data storage associated with said battery, and then compares cycle counts for each said battery batteries, and where the cycle count of one said battery exceeds the cycle count of the other said battery by more than a defined cycle differential, then the battery with the lower cycle count is used first in both discharge and recharge.