Modular quick-change battery cabin for logistics unmanned aerial vehicle and cloud energy management system

Abstract

The application provides a modular quick-change battery cabin for logistics unmanned aerial vehicles and a cloud energy management system, relates to the technical field of unmanned aerial vehicles, and comprises a battery cabin shell, a battery is installed in the battery cabin shell, a bottom plate is installed on the inner bottom of the battery cabin shell, limit housings are installed on the two sides above the bottom plate, an electric control limit assembly is installed on the inner side of the limit housings, protruding portions are arranged on the two sides away from the limit housings of the battery cabin shell, touch switches are installed on the inner sides of the protruding portions, the touch switches are electrically connected with the electric control limit assembly, two groups of limit blocks are installed on the outer side of the battery, rubber strips are installed on the inner sides of the limit blocks, and the positions of the rubber strips correspond to the touch switches; the touch switches are linked with the battery clamping action, the direct operation of external clamping jaws on the battery becomes a natural source of unlocking and locking instructions, clamping triggers, no additional communication or manual steps are needed, and the automatic battery replacement process is greatly simplified and accelerated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, and more particularly to a modular quick-change battery compartment and cloud-based energy management system for logistics UAVs. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of e-commerce and on-demand delivery, logistics drones, as an important means of last-mile delivery, are gradually moving from proof-of-concept to large-scale commercial use. However, the endurance of logistics drones remains one of the key bottlenecks restricting their commercial operation. To solve this problem, the industry generally adopts modular batteries and quick-replacement technology, aiming to achieve rapid energy replenishment of drones through ground-based battery swapping stations, thereby maximizing drone utilization.

[0003] Currently, battery swapping technology for logistics drones typically employs automated swapping solutions. However, in existing automated battery swapping schemes, the two key actions of unlocking and locking the battery usually require specific electronic commands from an external control system (such as the main controller of the swapping station). This design approach still has certain problems. For example, a reliable real-time communication link needs to be established between the battery compartment and the swapping equipment, including physical interfaces and data protocols. This not only increases hardware costs and system complexity but also introduces risks such as communication delays, interference, and protocol incompatibility. In complex electromagnetic environments, communication failures can lead to the failure of the entire battery swapping process. Secondly, the external control system needs to accurately grasp the real-time status of the battery compartment (such as whether it is unlocked or locked) and coordinate the timing of the robotic arm's movements accordingly. This increases the complexity of software development and makes fault diagnosis and troubleshooting more difficult. Therefore, this invention proposes a modular fast-swap battery compartment and cloud-based energy management system for logistics drones to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to propose a modular quick-swap battery compartment and cloud-based energy management system for logistics drones. The present invention utilizes the direct clamping action of the battery swapping gripper to trigger automatic unlocking and locking, and achieves reliable locking and unlocking through electronically controlled limit switches, thereby solving the problems in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the following technical solution is provided: A modular quick-change battery compartment for logistics drones, comprising a battery compartment shell, a battery installed inside the battery compartment shell, a base plate installed on the bottom inner side of the battery compartment shell, battery compartment end contacts and temperature monitoring end contacts integrated on the base plate, battery end contacts and temperature output end contacts integrated on the battery, limit shells installed on both sides above the base plate, an electronically controlled limit component installed on the inner side of the limit shell, protrusions provided on both sides of the battery compartment shell away from the limit shell, touch switches installed on the inner side of the protrusions, and the touch switches are electrically connected to the electronically controlled limit components, two sets of limit blocks installed on the outer side of the battery, the limit blocks being located inside the protrusions, and rubber strips installed on the inner side of the limit blocks, the positions of the rubber strips corresponding to the touch switches.

[0006] A further improvement is that the touch switch includes a fixed post, a touch cover is mounted on the fixed post via a spring telescopic member, and two sets of spring telescopic members are symmetrically arranged. The cross-section of the touch cover is an isosceles trapezoid, and a touch post is mounted on the inner side of the touch cover. A switch body is mounted on the fixed post, and the position of the switch body corresponds to that of the touch post.

[0007] A further improvement is that the electronically controlled limiting assembly includes an electric push rod and a synchronous electronic control. Several sets of electric push rods are provided, and both the electric push rods and the synchronous electronic control are fixedly connected to the battery compartment shell by bolts. A limiting post is installed at the output end of the electric push rod. One end of the limiting post passes through the limiting shell and contacts the battery. Several sets of electric push rods are electrically connected to the synchronous electronic control.

[0008] A further improvement is that the battery includes a battery body, an outer frame is installed on the outside of the battery body, a protective plate is installed on the upper end of the inner side of the outer frame, and the protective plate is located above the battery body. Limiting holes are opened on the outer side of the outer frame, and the number and position of the limiting holes correspond to the limiting posts.

[0009] A further improvement is that: power connectors and communication interfaces are respectively installed on both sides of the battery compartment shell, and the power connectors and communication interfaces are electrically connected to the battery compartment end contacts and the temperature monitoring end contacts, respectively.

[0010] A further improvement is that a fixing ear is installed on the outer side of the battery compartment shell, and several sets of fixing ears are provided.

[0011] A cloud-based energy management system for a modular quick-swap battery compartment for logistics drones includes a battery compartment status sensing module for acquiring its status data from the battery compartment in real time, wherein the status data includes trigger status information based on touch switches, status information of electronically controlled limit components, and electrical status information of the battery.

[0012] The health prediction and lifespan management module is used to predict the health status of various components in the battery compartment based on status data, including predicting the wear status of rubber strips based on the trigger data of touch switches, and predicting the remaining lifespan of electric push rods based on the working data of electronically controlled limit components.

[0013] The intelligent scheduling and control module is used to generate battery compartment allocation, scheduling and battery swapping instructions based on the health and electrical status information of the battery compartment and the requirements of the UAV mission. It then sends the battery swapping instructions to the target battery swapping station and controls the automated equipment in the battery swapping station to perform the battery swapping operation.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: By linking the touch switch with the battery clamping action, the direct operation of the external gripper on the battery becomes the natural source of unlocking and locking commands. This achieves instant triggering upon clamping, eliminating the need for additional communication or manual steps, greatly simplifying and accelerating the automated battery swapping process. Thus, the locking and unlocking actions throughout the entire battery swapping process are entirely triggered automatically by mechanical action, without the need for external electronic command intervention, thereby improving battery swapping efficiency. Simultaneously, the use of a multi-point synchronous electronically controlled limit assembly, through the precise cooperation between the limit posts and the limit holes on the battery's outer frame, provides a robust mechanical locking effect. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a top view of the battery compartment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a front view structural diagram of the battery compartment outer shell of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a top view schematic diagram of the electric actuator distribution structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a top view of the base plate of the present invention after installation.

[0019] Figure 5 This is a front view schematic diagram of the connection between the touch cover and the spring telescopic component of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 This is a front view schematic diagram of the distribution of the touch column and the switch body of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a front view schematic diagram of the battery structure of the present invention.

[0022] The components include: 1. Battery compartment shell; 2. Battery; 3. Base plate; 4. Battery compartment end contact; 5. Temperature monitoring end contact; 6. Limiting shell; 7. Protrusion; 8. Limiting block; 9. Rubber strip; 10. Fixing post; 11. Spring telescopic component; 12. Touch cover; 13. Touch post; 14. Switch body; 15. Electric push rod; 16. Synchronous electronic control; 17. Limiting post; 18. Battery body; 19. Outer frame; 20. Protection plate; 21. Power connector; 22. Communication interface; 23. Fixing ear. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enhance understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. These embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] according to Figures 1-7 As shown, this embodiment proposes a modular quick-change battery compartment for logistics drones, including a battery compartment shell 1 made of high-strength lightweight composite material. The internal space accommodates batteries 2. A base plate 3 (located inside the battery compartment shell 1) is fixedly installed at the bottom of the battery compartment shell 1. The base plate 3 integrates battery compartment end contacts 4 for transmitting electrical energy and temperature monitoring end contacts 5 for monitoring the temperature of the battery 2. Correspondingly, matching battery end contacts and temperature output end contacts are integrated at corresponding positions on the bottom of the battery 2. When the battery 2 is installed into the compartment and correctly positioned, these contacts make contact with each other, completing the electrical connection and temperature signal transmission.

[0025] The battery compartment shell 1 is also equipped with a power connector 21 and a communication interface 22, which are used to connect the drone for power supply and for data communication, respectively. Additionally, the battery compartment shell 1 is equipped with a mounting lug 23 for reliably mounting the entire battery compartment onto the drone fuselage.

[0026] On each side above the base plate 3, there is a limiting housing 6, which houses an electronically controlled limiting component, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the electrically controlled limiting assembly includes multiple sets of electric push rods 15 and a synchronous electric controller 16. In this embodiment, the electrically controlled limiting assembly includes two sets of electric push rods 15. A limiting post 17 is connected to the output end of the electric push rod 15, and the limiting post 17 can extend or retract through an opening on the limiting housing 6. The synchronous electric controller 16 is used to control all electric push rods 15 to move synchronously, ensuring uniform force distribution.

[0027] like Figure 7As shown, battery 2 includes a battery body 18, an outer frame 19 surrounding it, and a protective plate 20 located on top. Limiting holes corresponding to the number and position of the limiting posts 17 are provided on the side of the outer frame 19. When the electric push rod 15 pushes the limiting posts 17 out and inserts them into these limiting holes, battery 2 is securely locked inside the battery compartment; when the limiting posts 17 retract, battery 2 is unlocked and can be removed.

[0028] The battery compartment outer shell 1 has protrusions 7 on both sides away from the limiting shell 6. In this embodiment, the limiting shell 6 is distributed on the left and right sides of the battery compartment outer shell 1, and the protrusions 7 are distributed on the front and rear sides of the battery compartment outer shell 1. This corresponds to the gripping part of the external battery swapping robotic arm, which can accommodate the external battery swapping robotic arm gripper. Each protrusion 7 has a touch switch installed inside. Correspondingly, it includes a fixing post 10 fixed to the inner wall of the protrusion 7. A touch cover 12 is installed on the fixing post 10 through a spring telescopic member 11, and two sets of spring telescopic members 11 are symmetrically arranged. The cross-section of the touch cover 12 is an isosceles trapezoid, and a touch post 13 is installed on the inner side of the touch cover 12. A switch body 14 is installed on the fixing post 10, and the position of the switch body 14 corresponds to the touch post 13.

[0029] Two sets of limiting blocks 8 are installed on the outside of the battery 2. The limiting blocks 8 are located inside the protrusion 7, and a rubber strip 9 is installed on the inner side of the limiting blocks 8. The position of the rubber strip 9 corresponds to the touch switch. At the same time, the cross-section of the limiting block 8 is U-shaped, and its outer wall contacts the inner wall of the protrusion 7, thereby forming a limiting effect.

[0030] During operation, battery 2 is installed inside the compartment. The electric push rod 15 pushes the limiting post 17 into the limiting hole of the battery outer frame 19, completing the locking. At this time, the rubber strip 9 on the limiting block 8 is not in contact with the touch cover 12, and the switch body 14 is in the open state. When battery 2 needs to be replaced, the gripper of the battery swapping station's robotic arm extends into the inner cavity of the protrusion 7 and directly clamps the limiting block 8. Due to the insertion of the gripper, the rubber strip 9 in its normal state expands and deforms outward, and its outer surface pushes the touch cover 12 of the corresponding touch switch. The touch cover 12 is forced to move inward, compressing the spring extension member 11 behind it. When the translation reaches the set stroke, the touch post 13 fixed inside the touch cover 12 triggers the switch body 14, generating an electrical signal. When the gripper is fully inserted, the expanded rubber strip 9 can trigger the switch body 14. This trigger signal is transmitted to the synchronous electronic control 16. Synchronous electronic control 16 then controls all electric push rods 15 to retract synchronously, causing the limiting post 17 to exit from the limiting hole of battery 2, thus releasing the mechanical lock of battery 2. At the same time, the battery compartment can send an "unlocked" status signal to the system via communication interface 22. Then, the unlocked battery 2 can be removed from the battery compartment by a robotic arm and replaced with a fully charged new battery 2.

[0031] During the loading of the new battery 2, the robotic arm grips a fully charged new battery 2, preparing to insert it into the battery compartment. At this time, due to the gripping of the robotic arm's claws, the rubber strip 9 on the new battery 2 is in an expanded state. The robotic arm then aligns the new battery 2 with the battery compartment and begins to insert it. As the battery 2 falls or is pushed into place, the expanded rubber strip 9 inside the upper limit block 8 of the new battery 2 contacts the isosceles trapezoidal inclined surface of the touch cover 12. As the battery 2 continues to fall, the expanded rubber strip 9 slides along the inclined surface of the touch cover 12, continuously applying pressure to the inclined surface. The horizontal component of this pressure pushes the touch cover 12 inward, compressing the spring extension member 11.

[0032] When battery 2 falls completely onto the bottom plate 3, and its battery end contacts come into contact with the battery compartment end contacts 4, the rubber strip 9 exerts maximum pressure on the touch cover 12. At this time, the displacement of the touch cover 12 causes the touch post 13 to trigger the switch body 14, generating a "lock" electrical signal. This "lock" signal is immediately received by the synchronous electronic control 16 and interpreted as a command to execute the locking action. The synchronous electronic control 16 then controls all the electric push rods 15 to extend synchronously, pushing the limit post 17 into the limit hole of the outer frame 19 of the new battery 2, completing the secure mechanical locking of the new battery 2.

[0033] A cloud-based energy management system for a modular quick-swap battery compartment used in logistics drones. This system, integrated with the battery compartment, enables remote intelligent management via the battery compartment's communication interface 22. Specifically, the system includes:

[0034] The battery compartment status sensing module, serving as a data entry point, continuously collects data, including:

[0035] Touch switch trigger data: Records the time of each clamping trigger and the degree of deformation of the rubber strip 9 (related to clamping force), which can be calculated based on the design. This reflects the frequency and intensity of the battery swapping operation;

[0036] Electronic limit component status data: Monitor the working current, action time, and position signal of each electric push rod 15, and determine in real time whether the locking / unlocking action is completed normally;

[0037] Battery electrical status data: Battery voltage, current, remaining charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), and temperature are obtained through contacts.

[0038] The health prediction and lifespan management module is used to predict the health status of various components in the battery compartment based on status data. Specifically:

[0039] By analyzing the number of times and the force history of the rubber strip 9 being stretched, and combining it with the material fatigue model, we can predict when it will age and need to be replaced.

[0040] Statistically analyze the number of execution cycles and workload of each electric actuator 15 to predict its mechanical and electrical life and plan preventive maintenance;

[0041] A comprehensive assessment of the performance degradation of Battery 2 will provide a scientific basis for the tiered utilization of Battery 2 (such as assigning it to flight routes of different intensities).

[0042] The intelligent scheduling and control module generates battery compartment allocation, scheduling, and battery swapping instructions based on the battery compartment's health and electrical status information, combined with the drone's mission requirements. These instructions are then sent to the target battery swapping station, controlling the automated equipment within the station to perform the swapping operation. Specifically, when a drone requests a battery swap, the system not only selects battery compartments with sufficient charge but also prioritizes those whose electronic control limit components are currently extended (locked). This means that after the battery compartment is loaded into the drone, final locking can be completed immediately or very quickly, reducing preparation time. Furthermore, the system dynamically optimizes battery charging strategies and logistics allocation routes by considering factors such as battery health status, charging station load, and electricity price periods.

[0043] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from its framework and scope of application, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A modular quick-change battery cabin for logistics drones, comprising a battery cabin shell (1), a battery (2) is installed in the battery cabin shell (1), characterized in that: A base plate (3) is installed on the bottom of the inner side of the battery compartment shell (1). The base plate (3) integrates battery compartment end contacts (4) and temperature monitoring end contacts (5). The battery (2) integrates battery end contacts and temperature output end contacts. Limiting shells (6) are installed on both sides above the base plate (3). An electronically controlled limiting component is installed on the inner side of the limiting shell (6). The battery compartment shell (1) has protrusions (7) on both sides away from the limiting shells (6). A touch switch is installed on the inner side of the protrusions (7). The touch switch is electrically connected to the electronically controlled limit assembly. Two sets of limit blocks (8) are installed on the outside of the battery (2). The limit blocks (8) are located inside the protrusion (7), and a rubber strip (9) is installed on the inside of the limit blocks (8). The position of the rubber strip (9) corresponds to the touch switch. When the rubber strip (9) is squeezed by the external gripper, it deforms and pushes the touch switch. When the touch switch is pushed, it generates an electrical signal and transmits the signal to the electronically controlled limit assembly. The electronically controlled limit assembly performs locking or unlocking actions on the battery according to the electrical signal.

2. The modular swappable battery compartment for logistics drones according to claim 1, characterized in that: The touch switch includes a fixed post (10), a touch cover (12) is installed on the fixed post (10) by a spring telescopic member (11), and two sets of spring telescopic members (11) are symmetrically arranged. The cross section of the touch cover (12) is an isosceles trapezoid, and a touch post (13) is installed on the inner side of the touch cover (12). A switch body (14) is installed on the fixed post (10), and the position of the switch body (14) corresponds to that of the touch post (13).

3. The modular swappable battery compartment for logistics drones according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electronically controlled limiting assembly includes an electric push rod (15) and a synchronous electronic control (16). The electric push rod (15) is provided in several groups, and the electric push rod (15) and the synchronous electronic control (16) are fixedly connected to the battery compartment shell (1) by bolts. The output end of the electric push rod (15) is equipped with a limiting post (17). One end of the limiting post (17) passes through the limiting shell (6) and contacts the battery (2). The several groups of electric push rods (15) are electrically connected to the synchronous electronic control (16).

4. The modular swappable battery compartment for logistics drones according to claim 3, characterized in that: The battery (2) includes a battery body (18), an outer frame (19) is installed on the outside of the battery body (18), a protective plate (20) is installed on the upper end of the inner side of the outer frame (19), and the protective plate (20) is located above the battery body (18). Limiting holes are opened on the outside of the outer frame (19), and the number and position of the limiting holes correspond to the limiting posts (17).

5. The modular swappable battery compartment for logistics drones according to claim 1, wherein: The battery compartment shell (1) is equipped with a power connector (21) and a communication interface (22) on both sides, respectively. The power connector (21) and the communication interface (22) are electrically connected to the battery compartment end contact (4) and the temperature monitoring end contact (5), respectively.

6. The modular swappable battery compartment for logistics drones of claim 1, wherein: The outer side of the battery compartment shell (1) is equipped with a fixing ear (23), and the fixing ear (23) is provided in several sets.

7. A cloud-based energy management system for a modular quick-swap battery compartment for a logistics drone as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It includes a battery compartment status sensing module, which is used to acquire its status data from the battery compartment in real time. The status data includes trigger status information based on touch switches, status information of electronically controlled limit components, and electrical status information of the battery. The health prediction and lifespan management module is used to predict the health status of various components in the battery compartment based on status data, including predicting the wear status of rubber strips based on the trigger data of touch switches, and predicting the remaining lifespan of electric push rods based on the working data of electronically controlled limit components. The intelligent scheduling and control module is used to generate battery compartment allocation, scheduling and battery swapping instructions based on the health and electrical status information of the battery compartment and the requirements of the UAV mission. It then sends the battery swapping instructions to the target battery swapping station and controls the automated equipment in the battery swapping station to perform the battery swapping operation.

Images