STRUCTURE FOR ATTACHING / REMOVING A BATTERY

Abstract

Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery, comprising: a guide element (10) attached to a vehicle (1) and extending from an inside vehicle position to an outside vehicle position in an approximately horizontal direction; a mounting frame (30) on which a battery (3) for powering the vehicle (1) is placed, the mounting frame (30) being configured to be guided by the guide element (10) to move between the inside vehicle position and the outside vehicle position; a retaining element (50) configured to retain the battery (3) on the mounting frame (30);and an actuating cable (60) configured to actuate the retaining part (50) to hold the battery (3) in response to a movement of the mounting frame (30) from the vehicle outside position to the vehicle inside position, and to actuate the retaining part (50) to release the battery (3) in response to a movement of the mounting frame (30) from the vehicle inside position to the vehicle outside position.

Description

Technical field The present disclosure relates to a structure for attaching / removing a battery. State of the art For an electric vehicle (EV) in which a battery and an electric motor powered by the energy supplied by the battery are mounted, a structure for attaching / removing the battery to / from the electric vehicle is known. For example, PTL 1 discloses a structure for attaching / removing a battery, which includes a rack on which the battery is placed, a cover element that covers the battery placed on the rack, and a maintenance plug. In the aforementioned battery mounting / removal structure, the frame includes a shaft. The cover also features a notch and a stopper. Furthermore, the notch includes a first, elongated hole extending in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle, and a second hole extending from the bottom edge of the cover to the front-end section of the vehicle corresponding to the first hole. The shaft is inserted into the first hole in such a way that it moves in the front-to-rear direction and not upwards. As the shaft moves from the rear-end position of the first hole to the front-end position of the vehicle corresponding to the first hole, it can be released from the notch through the second hole. This allows the cover to be removed from the frame, and the battery to be detached from the frame.The shaft is inserted into the first hole in such a way that it cannot move upwards along the vehicle, thus securing the cover to the frame. The maintenance plug is inserted in a position where it makes contact with the stopper. When the maintenance plug makes contact with the stopper, the shaft is held in place at the rear of the vehicle in the first hole. This prevents the cover from detaching from the frame. Reference list Patent literature PTL 1 Published Japanese patent application JP 2014-154 398 A Other structures for attaching / removing batteries are known from the prior art. DE 10 2005 051 015 A1 discloses a forklift truck with a battery pack that can be inserted and removed through a lateral opening in the frame section by means of a linearly movable exchange device. This exchange device eliminates the need for a separate support carriage on which the battery pack rests. Instead, the exchange device moves the battery pack directly by applying a pushing or pulling force directly to it. The battery pack is therefore accessible from its underside and can be picked up for battery replacement not only with a lifting sling but also with a forklift. The exchange device is thus designed as a non-loading movement mechanism that pushes or pulls the battery from the front or rear through a passage underneath the battery, without carrying the battery. EP 2 269 879 A1 relates to a replaceable energy storage device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one energy storage unit, a mounting system for installing the energy storage unit in the motor vehicle, and supply and disposal connections for supplying and disposing of utilities to the energy storage unit. These components interact automatically in such a way that the energy storage unit can be automatically removed from and reinstalled in the motor vehicle. The mounting system comprises a frame with supply connections, a fixing system, and a release mechanism. The mounting can be opened and closed using a remote opening mechanism, whereby the locking / unlocking process can be transmitted mechanically via Bowden cables, hydraulically, or electrically. JP 2001-122 593 A describes a battery compartment device for a forklift truck. A pull-force transmission slide of a compartment-side lever device, mounted on a battery compartment, is connected by a wire cable to an operator-side lever device. A spring, biased in the opposite direction to the pull direction, is provided on the slide. A pull pin is located on the slide, and one end of a lever for securing the compartment to the vehicle body when the compartment is stowed is attached to the slide. The lever is rotatable about a pivot point. When the operator-side lever device is actuated, the slide moves a constant stroke against the spring force, thereby rotating the lever about the pivot point and releasing the compartment's securing force. Brief description of the invention Technical problem Furthermore, in the structure disclosed in PTL 1 for attaching / removing the battery, the user pulls out the service plug to remove the battery from the rack, allowing the shaft to move from the position of the first hole on the rear section of the vehicle to the position of the front section. Additionally, when attaching the cover to the rack to mount the battery, the service plug is inserted, and the shaft is held in place at the first hole on the rear section of the vehicle. This means that the user must insert the service plug every time the battery is attached to or removed from the rack, which is cumbersome for the operator. One purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a structure for attaching / removing a battery that can improve the process of attaching / removing the battery. Solution to the problemTo accomplish the aforementioned task, a structure for attaching / removing a battery according to the present disclosure comprises: a guide element attached to a vehicle and extending from an inside-vehicle position to an outside-vehicle position in an approximately horizontal direction; a mounting frame on which a battery for powering the vehicle is placed, the mounting frame being configured to be guided by the guide element to move between the inside-vehicle position and the outside-vehicle position; and a retaining element configured to retain the battery on the mounting frame.and an actuating cable configured to actuate the retaining element to hold the battery in response to a movement of the mounting frame from the vehicle outside position to the vehicle inside position, and to actuate the retaining element to release the battery in response to a movement of the mounting frame from the vehicle inside position to the vehicle outside position. Advantageous effects of the invention According to the present disclosure, the process for attaching / removing the battery can be improved. Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery of an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a side view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery of an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 3 is a side view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing the battery, wherein a mounting frame is moved into a position on the inside of the vehicle width; Fig. 4 is a front view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery of an embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 5 is a side view showing an exemplary retaining element, wherein the mounting frame is moved into a position on the inside of the vehicle width; Fig.Figure 6 is a side view showing an exemplary retaining element, with the mounting frame moved to the outer side position of the vehicle width; Figure 7 is a top view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the outer side position of the vehicle width; Figure 8 is a top view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the inner side position of the vehicle width; and Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the inner side position of the vehicle width. Description of embodiments An embodiment of the present disclosure is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. A structure for attaching / removing a battery according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a side view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery in the embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 1 represents the BL axis, the TL axis, and the WL axis.1. The vehicle width direction is referred to as the "BL direction," the direction from top right to bottom left is referred to as the vehicle width outside, outer vehicle width direction, or "+BL direction," and the direction from bottom left to top right is referred to as the vehicle width inside, inner vehicle width direction, or "-BL direction." Furthermore, the vehicle front-to-rear direction is referred to as the "TL direction," the direction from top left to bottom right is referred to as the vehicle rear, vehicle reverse direction, or "+TL direction," and the direction from bottom right to top left is referred to as the vehicle front, vehicle forward direction, or "-TL direction." Additionally, the vehicle up-and-down direction is referred to as the "WL direction," the upward direction is referred to as the vehicle top, vehicle up direction, or "+WL," and the downward direction is referred to as the vehicle bottom, vehicle down direction, or "-WL." Vehicle 1 The battery mounting / removal structure according to the embodiment of this disclosure is applied to an electric vehicle (EV) in which a battery is mounted that supplies energy to the drive motor. Furthermore, examples of electric vehicles to which the battery mounting / removal structure according to the embodiment of this disclosure is applied include, but are not limited to, commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks, and the examples may also include vehicles such as construction vehicles, site vehicles, and work vehicles. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle frame includes a pair of side elements 2 that are separated from each other in the vehicle front-to-rear direction (TL direction). Battery 3 Figures 1 and 2 schematically depict an external form of battery 3. Battery 3 is a secondary battery with a substantially cuboid external shape. Battery 3 includes the first locking bracket 4 and the second locking bracket 5. The first locking bracket 4 extends from the wall surface of battery 3 on the inside of the vehicle width (in the -BL direction) to the inside of the vehicle width. The second locking bracket 5 extends from the wall surface (bottom surface) of battery 3 on the underside of the vehicle (in the -WL direction) to the underside of the vehicle. The assembly for attaching / removing 100 includes the guide part 10, the guided part 20, the mounting frame 30, the main locking mechanism 40, the secondary locking mechanism 50 (corresponding to the “retaining part” of the present disclosure), the actuating cable 60, the guide rail 70, the rotating part 80 and the adjusting mechanism 90. Guide section 10 The guide element 10 includes a pair of mounting parts 11, which are attached to the side element 2, and a pair of extension parts 12, which extend from the respective end sections of the pair of mounting parts 11 on the underside of the vehicle (the -WL direction) to the outer side of the vehicle width (the +BL direction). Base 13 (see Fig. 7) is provided above the pair of extension parts 12. Fig. 3 is a side view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing the battery, wherein a mounting frame 30 is moved into a position on the inside of the vehicle's width. Furthermore, Fig. 4 is a front view showing an exemplary structure for attaching / removing a battery of the embodiment of the present disclosure. The paired extension parts 12 are each an L-shaped element and are separated from each other in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction (TL direction). The extension part 12 located on the front of the vehicle (in the -TL direction) comprises a flat plate part 12a extending from its corner section to the front of the vehicle (in the -TL direction), and a vertical wall part 12b extending from the corner section to the underside of the vehicle (in the -WL direction). The extension part 12 located on the rear of the vehicle (in the +TL direction) comprises a flat plate part 12a extending from its corner section to the rear of the vehicle, and a vertical wall part 12b extending from the corner section to the underside of the vehicle. Guided Part 20 The guided part 20 comprises a rectangular floor section 21 with the vehicle width direction (BL direction) as its longitudinal direction and the vehicle front-to-rear direction (TL direction) as its short direction; wall sections 22 extending towards the vehicle top (the +WL direction) from both ends of the floor section 21 in the short direction; and flange sections 23 extending from the ends of the wall sections 22 on the vehicle top towards the vehicle front (TL direction) and the vehicle rear (TL direction). Each flange section 23 comprises a hollow section with a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and cylindrical sections 24 extending in the vehicle width direction are attached to the flange sections 23. Guide rail 70 The guide rails 70 are arranged symmetrically on the rear of the vehicle (in the +TL direction) and the front of the vehicle (in the -TL direction) of the extension section 12. Symmetrically arranged guide rails 70 have the same configuration. The guide rail 70 located at the front of the vehicle (in the -TL direction) is described below as an example. The guide rail 70 consists of three rails 71, 72, and 73 combined in three stages. Each of the three rails 71, 72, and 73 extends towards the outer edge of the vehicle (in the +BL direction). Of the three rails 71, 72, and 73, rail 71 is located at the rear of the vehicle (in the +TL direction) and is attached to the cylindrical part 24. Rail 73 is located at the front of the vehicle (in the -TL direction) and is attached to the upright wall section 12b. Rail 72 is located in the center of the vehicle in the front-to-rear direction and is supported by a bearing (not shown in the drawing) such that it is movable relative to rails 71 and 73 in the BL direction. In this way, each of the three rails 71, 72, and 73 is configured to be movable in the width direction of the vehicle (in the BL direction). The guided part 20 is supported by the guide rail 70 of the extension part 12, so that it is movable in the BL direction. The extension part 12, the guided part 20, and the guide rail 70 are each arranged on the underside of the vehicle (in the -WL direction) as the mounting frame 30. In other words, the mounting frame 30 is arranged on the upper side of the vehicle (in the +WL direction) as the extension part 12, the guided part 20, and the guide rail 70. Mounting frame 30 The battery 3, positioned on the mounting frame 30, is movable between the vehicle's inner side position and the vehicle's outer side position by means of the guide rail 70 with respect to the extension part 12. It should be noted that the vehicle's inner side position corresponds to the "vehicle's inner side position" of this disclosure. Furthermore, the vehicle's outer side position corresponds to the "vehicle's outer side position" of this disclosure. The mounting frame 30 includes a front plate 31, a rear plate 32, a middle plate 33 and a variety of brackets 34. The front plate 31 includes a flat surface 31a with an essentially rectangular outer shape and flanges 31b extending from the ends of the flat surface 31a on the front and rear of the vehicle to the underside of the vehicle. The rear plate 32 is located on the underside of the vehicle (in the -WL direction) of the front plate 31. The rear plate 32 includes a central lower projection 32a, which projects towards the underside of the vehicle and is located on a central section of the rear plate 32 in the vehicle front-to-rear direction (TL direction); a lower end projection 32b, which projects towards the underside of the vehicle and is located at positions on the front side (in the -TL direction) and rear side (in the +TL direction) of the rear plate 32; and an upper projection 32c, which projects towards the top side of the vehicle (in the +WL direction) and is located between the central lower projection 32a and the lower end projection 32b. The lower end projection 32b extends along the plane of the flat plate section 12a and is in contact with the flat plate section 12a from the top side of the vehicle. The middle plate 33 is located on the underside of the vehicle (in the -WL direction) of the front plate 31 and on the upper side of the vehicle (in the +WL direction) of the rear plate 32. In other words, the middle plate 33 is positioned between the front plate 31 and the rear plate 32 in the vehicle's up-down direction (in the WL direction). The central plate 33 includes a central lower projection 33a, which projects towards the underside of the vehicle and is located on a central section of the central plate 33 in the vehicle front-to-rear direction (TL direction), a lower end projection 33b, which projects towards the underside of the vehicle and is located at positions on the vehicle front (of the -TL direction) and the vehicle rear (of the +TL direction) of the central plate 33, and an upper projection 33c, which projects towards the vehicle top (of the +WL direction) and is located between the central lower projection 33a and the lower end projection 33b. The middle lower projection 33a is in contact with the middle lower projection 32a from the top of the vehicle (in the +WL direction). The lower end projection 33b extends along the plane of the lower end projection 32b, in contact with the lower end projection 32b from the top of the vehicle and in contact with the lower vehicle end section of the flange 31b from the underside of the vehicle. The upper projection 33c is in contact with the front plate 31 from the underside of the vehicle. Each of the multiple brackets 34 is attached to the upper surface of the front plate 31 of the vehicle. Each of the multiple brackets 34 is fitted from the underside of the vehicle (the -WL direction) into each of the multiple recesses provided in the bottom section of the battery 3 and recessed towards the top of the vehicle (the +WL direction). When the battery 3 is placed on the mounting frame 30, it is positioned in the vehicle width direction (the BL direction) and vehicle front-to-rear direction (TL direction), with the bracket 34 fitting into the recess. Main locking mechanism 40 For the main locking mechanism 40, a generally known technique is used for engaging the battery 3 with the first locking bar 4 to retain the engaging battery 3 in the vehicle-width inner position. For example, the main locking mechanism 40 includes the body 41, the bolt 42, which is arranged inside the body 41 to be movable into the engagement position for engagement with the first locking bar 4 and into the released position for release from the first locking bar 4, an element (not shown in the drawing) for biasing the bolt 42 in the direction of movement from the engagement position to the released position, the rod 43, which is movable into the retaining position to hold the bolt 42 in the engagement position, the retaining release position for releasing the bolt 42, and the drive motor 44 for driving the rod 43 from the retaining position to the retaining release position. Secondary locking mechanism 50 Fig. 5 is a side view showing an exemplary retaining element with the mounting frame moved to the inward-facing position of the vehicle width. Fig. 6 is a side view showing an exemplary retaining element with the mounting frame moved to the outward-facing position of the vehicle width. The secondary locking mechanism 50 engages the second locking bar 5 to retain the battery 3 in the placement position (underside of the vehicle) in which it is positioned on the mounting frame 30 (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 5). The secondary locking mechanism 50 is released from the second locking bar 5 to release the battery 3 (see Fig. 2 and Fig. 6). The secondary locking mechanism 50 comprises the body 51, the bolt 52, which is arranged inside the body 51 and configured to be movable into the engaged position for engagement with the second locking bar 5 and into the released position for release from the second locking bar 5, an element (not shown in the drawing) for biasing the bolt 52 in the direction of movement from the engaged position to the released position, and the rod 53, which is movable into the retaining position to hold the bolt 52 in the engaged position and into the release position to release the bolt 52. It should be noted that the rod 53 is biased in the direction of movement from the release position to the retained position. The secondary locking mechanism 50 is arranged at a position on the outside of the vehicle width (in the +BL direction) as the center position in the mounting frame 30 in the inside and outside direction of the vehicle width (in the BL direction). Actuating cable 60 Fig. 7 is a top view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the outer side of the vehicle width position. Fig. 8 is a top view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the inner side of the vehicle width position. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an exemplary actuating cable, with the mounting frame moved to the inner side of the vehicle width position. When the mounting frame 30 is actuated to move from the vehicle-width outer position to the vehicle-width inner position, the actuating cable 60 actuates the rod 53 to hold the battery 3 in place. When the mounting frame 30 is actuated to move from the vehicle-width inner position to the vehicle-width outer position, the actuating cable 60 actuates the rod 53 to release the battery 3 from its hold. The actuating cable 60 comprises an outer sheath 61 and an inner wire 62. The longitudinal central section of the actuating cable 60 is arranged to be wound around the rotating part 80. One longitudinal end section of the inner wire 62 includes a locking element 63. The locking element 63 is locked to the guide part 10 (base 13) by the adjusting mechanism 90. The other longitudinal end section of the outer sheath 61 is coupled to the secondary locking mechanism 50 (body 51) via the bracket 64. The other longitudinal end section of the inner wire 62 is coupled to the secondary locking mechanism 50 (rod 53). Turned part 80 The rotating part 80 includes plate 81, wall 82, gate 83 and gate 84. Plate 81 is attached to base 13. Plate 81 comprises a flat plate with a rectangular outer shape. The wall 82 rises from the plate 81 in the upward direction of the vehicle (the +WL direction). The wall 82 includes a semi-cylindrical wall section 82a, a front vehicle side wall section 82b and a rear vehicle side wall section 82c. The semi-cylindrical wall section 82a is an arc-shaped wall with a predetermined radius. The semi-cylindrical wall section 82a projects beyond the vehicle's inner width (the -BL direction). The predetermined radius is set such that the actuating cable 60 can move smoothly relative to the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a when the actuating cable 60 is wrapped around the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a. Furthermore, the predetermined radius is adjusted according to the positions of the secondary locking mechanism 50 and the adjustment mechanism 90 in the vehicle's front-to-rear direction (TL direction). The front vehicle side wall section 82b is bent from the vehicle front end of the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a towards the vehicle rear (in the -TL direction). The rear vehicle side wall section 82c is bent from the rear end of the vehicle side of the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a towards the front of the vehicle (in the +TL direction). Gate 83 is positioned at a location corresponding to the end of the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a on the front of the vehicle. Gate 84 is positioned at a location corresponding to the end of the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a on the rear of the vehicle. Gates 83 and 84 have the same configuration. Gate 83 is described below as representative. Gate 83 includes both leg sections, which are mounted upright on the plate 81, and a bridge section that spans the upper vehicle end sections of both leg sections. Both leg sections and the bridge section form a through-hole for routing the actuating cable 60 in the vehicle width direction (the BL direction). The bridge section includes a curved part that is bent towards the top of the vehicle with a predetermined radius.The length between the two leg parts and the radius of the bent part are determined on the basis of results from experiments and simulations with regard to the ease of routing the actuating cable 60 and the like. Relationship between actuating cable 60 and rotating part 80 Next, a relationship between the actuating cable 60 and the rotating part 80 is described. When the battery 3 is in the vehicle width inboard position shown in Fig. 8, the central section of the actuating cable 60 is deflected in the longitudinal direction and is not wrapped around the semi-cylindrical wall part 82a. In a central position, located midway through the movement of battery 3 from the inner side of the vehicle to the outer side, the central section of the actuating cable 60 is wound longitudinally around the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a. When the actuating cable 60 is wound around the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a, the section between one end of the actuating cable 60 and the central section is under longitudinal tension. Furthermore, the section between the other end of the actuating cable 60 and the central section is also under longitudinal tension. At this point, there is no relative movement between the other end of the inner wire 62 and the rod 53. In other words, the rod 53 is not being pulled by the inner wire 62.The rod 53 is in the holding position to hold the latch 52 in the engagement position. When the battery 3 is moved from the central position to the vehicle-width outer side position shown in Fig. 7, the rod 53 is pulled through the inner wire 62. In this way, the latch 52 is released from the rod 53, and the latch 52 is moved by the preload force from the engaged position to the released position, where it is released from the second locking lever 5. Adjustment mechanism 90 Next, the adjusting mechanism 90 will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The adjusting mechanism 90 includes a sliding part 91, a locking part 92, and a bolt 93 (see the sectional view along line AA in Fig. 7). The sliding part 91 includes a flat, band-shaped plate with an elongated hole 94, wherein the vehicle width direction (the BL direction) is the longitudinal direction. The locking part 92 comprises a first curved section 95, bent from the end of the sliding part 91 on the inner side of the vehicle width (the -BL direction) to the top of the vehicle (the +WL direction), and a second curved section 96, bent from the end of the curved section to the outer side of the vehicle width (the +BL direction). The locking part 92 includes the slot 97. The slot 97 includes a groove cut from the middle section of the first curved section 95 in the vehicle-up-down direction to the upper end of the vehicle, and from the inner end of the second curved section 96 (the upper end of the first curved section 95) to the edge on the outer side of the vehicle width. The inner wire 62 is guided through the slot 97, and the locked part 63 is locked by the locking part 92. The bolt 93 comprises a head and a screw. The head is attached to the base 13. The screw protrudes from the underside of the vehicle (the -WL direction) through the elongated hole 94 to the top of the vehicle (the +WL direction). The nut 98 engages in the threads of the upper vehicle end section of the screw. The sliding part 91 is attached at a predetermined position in the vehicle width direction (the BL direction), with the nut 98 engaging the threads of the screw at the upper vehicle end. The position of the sliding part 91 in the vehicle width direction can be adjusted by loosening the nut 98. Adjusting the position of the sliding part 91 in the vehicle width direction allows the length of the actuating cable 60 to be adjusted. Individual differences can be eliminated in cases where there is variation in the mounting position of the secondary locking mechanism 50 and the like, as well as in the length of the actuating cable 60. Next, an example of the operation of structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery will be described. Vehicle width inner side position Fig. 3 shows the battery 3 and the mounting frame 30, which have been moved into the inward-facing position of the vehicle's width. Fig. 8 further shows the secondary locking mechanism 50, which has also been moved into the inward-facing position of the vehicle's width. The latch 42 shown in Fig. 3 engages with the first locking bar 4. In this way, the battery 3 is held in the inward-facing position of the vehicle's width. Furthermore, the latch 52 shown in Fig. 3 engages with the second locking bar 5. In this way, the battery 3 is held against the mounting frame 30 (secondary locking mechanism 50). Additionally, as shown in Fig. 8, the actuating cable 60 is deflected at the base 13 (in the vehicle's horizontal direction). Movement process from the inner side of the vehicle width to the outer side of the vehicle width position When the battery 3 is actuated to move from the inner vehicle width position to the outer vehicle width position, the drive motor 44 is driven by the user operation such that the rod 43 moves from the retaining position to the retaining release position. In this way, the latch 42 is moved by the preload force from the engaged position to the released position and released from the first locking bar 4, and thus the battery 3 can be moved by the user operation from the inner vehicle width position to the outer vehicle width position. Battery 3 (mounting frame 30) is moved by user operation from the inner vehicle width position to the outer vehicle width position. When battery 3 is moved from the inner vehicle width position to the outer vehicle width position, the central section of the actuating cable 60 is wound longitudinally around the semi-cylindrical wall section 82a. This changes the state of the operating cable 60 on the base 13 (in the vehicle horizontal direction) from the deflected state to the tensioned state. Then, as battery 3 is moved further towards the outer vehicle width, the tensile force of the inner wire 62 is generated, which pulls on the rod 53, and the rod 53 moves from the retaining position to the release position, thus releasing the latch 52. In this way, the latch 52 is moved from the engaged position to the released position by the preload force. Vehicle width outer side position Fig. 2 shows the battery 3 and the mounting frame 30, which have been moved into the vehicle's outer side position. Furthermore, Fig. 7 shows the secondary locking mechanism 50, which has also been moved into the vehicle's outer side position. The latch 52 shown in Fig. 2 is moved from the engaged position to the released position by the preload force. In this way, the battery 3 is released from the secondary locking mechanism 50. Procedure for attaching / removing the battery 3 When battery 3 (mounting frame 30) is moved into the vehicle-wide outer position, battery 3 is released from the secondary locking mechanism 50, and thus battery 3 can be detached from mounting frame 30 by the user. Additionally, battery 3 can be placed on mounting frame 30. When battery 3 is placed on mounting frame 30, the second locking lever 5 presses against the latch 52. In this way, the latch 52 moves against the preload force from the released position to the engaged position, and the latch 52 engages with the second locking lever 5. Movement process from the outer side position of the vehicle width to the inner side position of the vehicle width The mounting frame 30, on which the battery 3 is placed, is moved from the vehicle-width outer position to the vehicle-width inner position by user operation. When the tensile force of the inner wire 62, which pulls the rod 53, decreases as the battery 3 moves from the vehicle-width outer position to the vehicle-width inner position, and the preload force of the preload rod 53 becomes greater than the tensile force, the rod 53 moves from the retraction release position to the retraction position and the rod 53 holds the latch 52 in the engagement position. Furthermore, when the battery 3 (mounting frame 30) moves from the outer side position of the vehicle width to the inner side position of the vehicle width, the central section of the actuating cable 60 is reset longitudinally from the state in which it is wound up on the semi-cylindrical wall part 82a. This deflects the actuating cable 60 on the base 13 (in the vehicle horizontal direction). When the battery 3 (mounting frame 30) moves into the vehicle's center-width position, the first locking bar 4 presses against the latch 42. This moves the latch 42 from its released position to its engaged position, and the latch 42 engages with the first locking bar 4. Then, the rod 43 moves from its retraction release position to its retraction position, holding the latch 42 in the engaged position. This secures the battery 3 in the vehicle's center-width position. In the manner described above, the battery 3 can be detached from the mounting frame 30 without requiring any special procedures by actuating the mounting frame 30 on which the battery 3 is placed to move from the inner to the outer position of the vehicle width. Furthermore, when the battery 3 is placed on the mounting frame 30, actuating the mounting frame 30 to move it from the outer to the inner position of the vehicle width prevents the battery 3 from being detached from the mounting frame 30 without requiring any special procedures. In this way, the process for attaching / removing the battery can be improved. The structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery of the present embodiment comprises: a guide element 10, which is attached to the vehicle 1 and extends from the vehicle interior position to the vehicle exterior position in an approximately horizontal direction; a mounting frame 30, on which the vehicle traction battery 3 is placed, wherein the mounting frame 30 is configured to be guided by the guide element 10 in order to move between the vehicle interior position and the vehicle exterior position; a secondary locking mechanism 50, which is configured to retain the battery 3 on the mounting frame 30;and an actuating cable 60 configured to actuate the auxiliary locking mechanism 50 to retain the battery 3 when the mounting frame 30 is actuated to move from the vehicle outside position to the vehicle inside position, and to actuate the auxiliary locking mechanism 50 to release the retention of the battery 3 when the mounting frame 30 is actuated to move from the vehicle inside position to the vehicle outside position. With the configuration described above, the battery 3 can be released from the mounting frame 30 by actuating the mounting frame 30, on which the battery 3 is placed, to move from the inner side of the vehicle width to the outer side of the vehicle width, without requiring any special operations, such that the actuating cable 60 actuates the secondary locking mechanism 50 and releases the battery 3. Furthermore, by placing the battery 3 on the mounting frame 30 and actuating the mounting frame 30, on which the battery 3 is placed, to move from the outer side of the vehicle width to the inner side of the vehicle width, the battery 3 is prevented from being released from the mounting frame 30 without requiring any special operations, such that the actuating cable 60 actuates the secondary locking mechanism 50 and holds the battery 3 in place.This can improve the process of attaching / removing the battery. Furthermore, the structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery in the present embodiment also includes an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the length of the actuating cable 60. This eliminates individual variations in the length of the actuating cable 60. Moreover, even variations in the fastening component for the actuating cable 60, such as the bracket 64 and its mounting position, can be eliminated. Furthermore, in the structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery of the present embodiment, the actuating cable 60 is deflected in a horizontal direction towards the vehicle when the mounting frame 30 is actuated to move from the vehicle's outer position to the vehicle's inner position. In this way, the actuating cable 60 is not deflected towards the underside of the vehicle, thus preventing it from being obstructed, for example, by objects that have fallen to the ground. In the assembly 100 for attaching / removing a battery of the present embodiment, the secondary locking mechanism 50 is arranged in a position on the exterior of the vehicle rather than in a central position in both the interior and exterior directions within the mounting frame 30. Since the position of the secondary locking mechanism 50 is closer to the exterior of the vehicle than to the central position, the overall length of the actuating cable 60 can be longer than the length of the actuating cable 60 arranged in the central position, thus providing sufficient adjustment range in the longitudinal direction. In this way, for example, the resistance to the release process of the latch 52 due to individual variations in the actuating cable 60 can be reduced. Furthermore, in the structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery of the present embodiment, the secondary locking mechanism 50 engages with a locking bar attached to the battery. In this way, with a simple configuration in which the second locking bar 5 is arranged in the battery 3, the battery 3 can be retained on the mounting frame 30 (secondary locking mechanism 50). Furthermore, in the structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery of the present embodiment, the guide part 10 includes a rotating part 80, wherein one end section of the actuating cable 60 is coupled longitudinally to the guide part 10 and another end section of the actuating cable 60 is coupled longitudinally to the secondary locking mechanism 50, and a central section of the actuating cable 60 is arranged longitudinally such that it is wound onto the rotating part 80. Since the central section of the actuating cable 60 is wound longitudinally onto the rotating part 80, the overall length of the actuating cable 60 can be increased compared to the case in which the actuating cable 60 simply extends in the direction of the vehicle width without being wound onto the rotating part 80, and thus the adjustment range of the actuating cable 60 in the longitudinal direction can be sufficiently provided. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the vehicle's inward and outward orientation as the direction of movement of the battery 3 (mounting frame 30) is the vehicle's inward and outward width orientation; however, the present disclosure is not limited to this, and it can also be the vehicle's front-rear direction. Furthermore, the installation position of the structure 100 for attaching / removing a battery is the side element 2; however, it need only be one component of the vehicle. The embodiments mentioned above are merely examples of ways to implement the disclosure, and they should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of technical protection afforded by the disclosure. The present disclosure can therefore be implemented in various forms without deviating from its core or main features. List of reference symbols 1 Vehicle 2 Side element 3 Battery 4 First locking bar 5 Second locking bar 10 Guide part 11 Mounting part 12 Extension part 12a Flat plate part 12b Upright wall part 13 Base 20 Guided part 21 Bottom section 22 Wall part 23 Flange part 24 Cylindrical part 30 Mounting frame 31 Front plate 31a Flat surface 31b Flange 32 Rear plate 32a Middle lower projection 32b Lower end projection 32c Upper projection 33 Middle plate 33a Middle lower projection 33b Lower end projection 33c Upper projection 34 Bracket 40 Main locking mechanism 41 Body 42 Latch 43 Rod 44 Drive motor 50 Retaining part (secondary locking mechanism) 51 Body 52 Latch 53 Rod 60 Actuating cable 61 Outer sheath 62 Inner wire 63 Locked part 64 Bracket 70 Guide rail 71 Rail 72 Rail 73 Rail 80 Rotating part 81 Plate 82 Wall 82a Semi-cylindrical wall part 82b Front vehicle side wall part 82c Rear vehicle side wall part 83 Gate 84 Gate 90Adjustment mechanism 91 Sliding part 92 Locking part 93 Bolt 94 Slotted hole 95 First curved part 96 Second curved part 97 Slot 98 Nut 100 Structure for attaching / removing a battery

Claims

Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery, comprising: a guide element (10) attached to a vehicle (1) and extending from an inside vehicle position to an outside vehicle position in an approximately horizontal direction; a mounting frame (30) on which a battery (3) for powering the vehicle (1) is placed, the mounting frame (30) being configured to be guided by the guide element (10) to move between the inside vehicle position and the outside vehicle position; a retaining element (50) configured to retain the battery (3) on the mounting frame (30);and an actuating cable (60) configured to actuate the retaining part (50) to hold the battery (3) in response to a movement of the mounting frame (30) from the vehicle outside position to the vehicle inside position, and to actuate the retaining part (50) to release the battery (3) in response to a movement of the mounting frame (30) from the vehicle inside position to the vehicle outside position. Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, which further comprises an adjustment mechanism (90) configured to adjust the length of the actuating cable (60). Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, wherein the actuating cable (60) is deflected in a horizontal vehicle direction when the mounting frame (30) is actuated to move from the vehicle outside position to the vehicle inside position. Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, wherein the retaining part (50) is arranged outside a central position in a vehicle interior and exterior direction closer to an exterior of the vehicle in the mounting frame (30). Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, wherein the retaining part (50) engages with a locking bracket (5) attached to the battery (3). Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, wherein the guide part (10) includes a rotating part (80), wherein an end section of the actuating cable (60) is coupled in a longitudinal direction to the guide part (10), wherein another end section of the actuating cable (60) is coupled in a longitudinal direction to the retaining part (50), and wherein a central section of the actuating cable (60) is arranged in the longitudinal direction such that it is wound up on the rotating part (80). Structure (100) for attaching / removing a battery according to claim 1, wherein the actuating cable (60) is configured to actuate the retaining part (50) by a change in force in conjunction with the movement of the mounting frame (30).

Images