Holding device

Abstract

A holding device (20) includes a housing (22) provided with a holding part (24) that holds an item (10) in a removable manner. The housing has holding frameworks (40, 42) provided therein that position and secure the holding part in a removable manner. The holding part includes a containing part (92) that forms a containing space for containing an item. Before the holding part is held in the holding frameworks, the containing part (92) is provided so as to be preliminarily assembled.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a holding device having a holding portion that holds an article in a removable manner. [Background technology]

[0002] In many electric power devices, power is supplied from a battery that is detachably attached to the power device. As is well known, the discharge capacity of a battery decreases as power is supplied, so the battery must be charged. Charging is performed using a holding device, for example, as described in Japanese Patent No. 6286084.

[0003] The housing that constitutes this holding device includes a main body with multiple internal chambers and multiple door elements rotatably attached to the front of the main body. A battery holder is attached to the back surface of each door element (the surface facing the internal chamber). With the door element in the open position, the battery holder holds the battery in an inclined position, and then the door element is rotated to the closed position. With this rotation, the battery holder and battery move into the internal chamber, and the battery assumes a substantially upright position.

[0004] The device-side connector on the battery holder then engages with the battery-side connector on the bottom of the battery, electrically connecting the two connectors. Power is then supplied to the battery-side connector via the device-side connector, charging the battery. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The holding device described in Japanese Patent No. 6286084 is configured to charge batteries in all interior compartments. However, there is a demand for the holding device to be easily attachable to various devices, such as a display device that shows the charging status of each battery, an operation panel for operating the holding device, and a security camera, depending on the specifications and user preferences.

[0006] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a holding device that allows easy attachment of equipment according to specifications and user desires.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a holding device including a housing having a holding portion that holds an article in an insertable and removable manner, a holding skeleton provided inside the housing and configured to detachably fix the holding portion; The holding device is provided such that the holding portion is provided so that a storage portion that forms a storage space for storing the article can be pre-assembled before the holding portion is held by the holding skeleton.

[0008] According to the present invention, the storage unit is not installed in the housing, but is configured as a module that is detachably fixed to the holding framework. In other words, the storage unit, which is the object to be held, is separate from the housing. This makes it easy to change the storage unit to another object to be held (such as a module), making it possible to assemble a holding device with a configuration that meets the specifications and user wishes. This makes it possible to respond to a variety of specifications and requests.

[0009] Furthermore, even when assembling holding devices with different configurations, only the object to be held is changed, and there is no need to change the housing. In other words, even if the object to be held is changed to configure the holding device with different specifications, the same housing can be used. In other words, the housing can be standardized. This allows for lower manufacturing costs of the holding device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a holding device (battery exchanger) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a battery exchange machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a monocoque frame that is a retaining framework provided within the housing. [Figure 4]This is a schematic oblique view of a slot module (accommodation section) that is held within the housing and accommodates a mobile battery. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a simplified cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part showing a guide rail provided on the retaining skeleton. [Figure 7] FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a mobile battery, which is an item, inserted into a slot module. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic front view of a slot module connected to a monocoque frame. [Figure 9] 9 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the battery exchange machine employing the configuration of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of a battery exchange machine configured by changing the electrical equipment mounted on the battery exchange machine shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of a battery exchange machine configured by further modifying the installed electrical equipment from those in FIGS. 1 and 10. [Figure 12] 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a power line is wound around a protrusion provided on a slot module. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the slot module of FIG. 12 taken along the depth direction of the housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A preferred embodiment of the holding device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this embodiment, the holding device is exemplified by a battery exchanger that holds the mobile battery 10 shown in FIG. 4 and charges the mobile battery 10. The term "pre-assembleable" means that each module can be assembled to the module before it is fixed to the monocoque frame 40 (monocoque case 42) inside the housing 22.

[0012] First, the mobile battery 10 will be briefly described with reference to Fig. 4. In this case, the mobile battery 10 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a battery-side connector 12 including a female terminal as a first terminal is provided at the bottom. Also, a bar-shaped handle 14 that is roughly I-shaped in plan view is provided at the top.

[0013] The mobile battery 10 having such a shape is detachably attached to various power devices and serves as a power supply source that supplies power to the power devices. The power devices are energized by the power supplied from the mobile battery 10 and perform predetermined operations. A typical example of such a power device is a vehicle that runs on electricity, such as an electric car. Note that the vehicle also includes saddle-type vehicles such as motorcycles.

[0014] Next, the battery exchanger 20 (holding device) that holds the mobile battery 10 so that it can be inserted and removed will be described.

[0015] 1 to 4 are respectively a schematic exploded perspective view and a schematic side cross-sectional view of the battery exchanger 20, a schematic perspective view of a monocoque frame 40 as a retaining framework provided in a housing 22 constituting the battery exchanger 20, and a schematic perspective view of a slot module 24 as a retaining section (or storage section) held by the monocoque frame 40. Note that each figure shows the width, depth, and height directions of the battery exchanger 20 (or housing 22) to facilitate understanding of directions. Hereinafter, with regard to the depth direction, the side where the user inserts and removes the mobile battery 10, in other words, the insertion and removal operation, will be referred to as the front, and the back side as the rear. As will be apparent from this, the depth direction is also the insertion and removal direction of the mobile battery 10.

[0016] The battery exchanger 20 is configured by holding a plurality of (nine in this embodiment) slot modules 24 in a housing 22. As will be described later, this battery exchanger 20 functions as a charging device for charging the mobile batteries 10 housed in the slot modules 24.

[0017] 1, the housing 22 has a front panel member 26 and a main body 28 each shaped like a curved plate, which serve as a secondary member and a primary member, respectively. A plurality of openings 30 (in this embodiment, nine, the same as the number of slot modules 24) are formed in the front panel member 26. Each opening 30 has a rectangular shape with arc-shaped corners, and penetrates the front panel member 26 in the depth direction.

[0018] A grommet 32 ​​serving as an interposition member is provided on the inner wall that defines the opening 30, running around the inner wall. That is, the grommet 32 ​​has a generally rectangular ring shape, and as shown in the simplified cross-sectional view of Figure 5, an insertion groove 34 is formed around the outer wall. The grommet 32 ​​is attached to the front panel member 26 by inserting a portion of the front panel member 26 near the opening 30 into the insertion groove 34. Alternatively, an adhesive may be applied to the inner wall of the opening 30 or the insertion groove 34, and the grommet 32 ​​may be bonded to the front panel member 26 via the adhesive. In either case, the portion of the grommet 32 ​​forward of the insertion groove 34 is exposed at the front surface of the front panel member 26, and the rear portion is hidden by the rear surface of the front panel member 26.

[0019] As will be described later, the slot module 24 is inserted into the main body 28 through the opening 30 and an insertion hole 36 formed in the main body 28. Therefore, the grommet 32 ​​is interposed between the front panel member 26 and the slot module 24 housed in the main body 28, from slightly forward to slightly rearward of the opening 30.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, a monocoque frame 40, which serves as a supporting framework, is housed inside the main body 28. As shown in FIG. 3, this monocoque frame 40 is constructed by nine monocoque cases 42 supported by a plurality of support columns 44, a front beam 46, side beams 48, and an upper beam 50, and serves as the basic framework of the main body 28. The upper portions of the support columns 44 located other than the rearmost ones are inclined in accordance with the inclination of the housing 22 (see FIG. 2 in particular). The front beam 46 extends in the width direction, straddling the two frontmost support columns 44. Meanwhile, the side beams 48 and the upper beam 50 extend in the depth direction, straddling from the frontmost support column 44 to the rearmost support column 44.

[0021] The monocoque case 42 is a hollow body with an open front end. The rear end of the monocoque case 42 may be either a closed end or an open end.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the monocoque case 42 be made from a punched mesh material. In this case, the monocoque frame 40 is lightweight, which contributes to reducing the weight of the battery exchange device 20. Furthermore, the mobile battery 10 generates heat when charging, and if the monocoque case 42 is made from a punched mesh material, the heated air inside the monocoque case 42 is more easily dissipated to the outside of the monocoque case 42, and cool air outside the monocoque case 42 is more easily able to enter the monocoque case 42. In other words, heat is less likely to accumulate inside the monocoque case 42. This allows the mobile battery 10 to be cooled efficiently.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 6, a set of guide rails 54 extending in the depth direction (front-rear direction / insertion / removal direction) are laid on the inner surface of the bottom of the monocoque case 42. Restriction wall portions 56 are provided on the outer rear ends of the guide rails 54, which serve as abutment members, so as to protrude outward in the width direction. The height of the restriction wall portions 56 is set to be greater than the height of the guide rails 54.

[0024] Furthermore, a leaf spring portion 58 that protrudes upward in the height direction and is bent forward is provided as an elastic portion on the rear end surface of the guide rail 54. The restricting wall portion 56 is integrally connected to the leaf spring portion 58. An engaging protrusion 60 (engaging portion) that protrudes toward the guide rail 54 is formed midway along the portion of the leaf spring portion 58 that extends forward.

[0025] The hollow interior of the monocoque case 42 is a holding space for accommodating most of the slot module 24. Of course, the holding space is connected to the opening 30 formed in the front panel member 26 via the insertion hole 36 formed in the main body portion 28.

[0026] In the main body 28, a utility space 62a is formed below the monocoque frame 40. A cooling device 63 for cooling the inside of the battery exchange machine 20 and a control device (not shown) for controlling the charging of the mobile battery 10 are disposed in the utility space 62a.

[0027] Meanwhile, an inverter 64 serving as a power control device is disposed in the space 62b above the monocoque frame 40. The number of inverters 64 is set to nine, the same as the number of slot modules 24. Each inverter 64 is electrically connected to an individual mobile battery 10 via a power line 66. That is, the slot module 24 is provided with the power line 66 so that it can be pre-assembled. The inverter 64 and the power line 66 are connected on the front side of the inverter 64 via a coupler (not shown).

[0028] Next, a description will be given of the slot module 24. The slot module 24 has a cage 70, a forehead 72 (insertion portion), a battery holder 74, a battery tray 76, a connector unit 78, a tray holding mechanism 80, a tray lock mechanism 82, and a battery lock mechanism 84.

[0029] The cage 70 has two lower elongated bone members 88 and two upper elongated bone members 90 that extend along the depth direction of the housing 22. Therefore, when the slotted module 24 is viewed from the insertion / removal direction, the slotted module 24 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. The two lower elongated bone members 88 and the two upper elongated bone members 90 are located at the four corners of the rectangle. As will be described later, the lower elongated bone member 88 slides in contact with the guide rails 54.

[0030] In addition, a total of four short ulnar bone members 91 are provided, two on each side, extending along the height direction of the housing 22 from the lower long ulnar bone member 88 to the upper long ulnar bone member 90. By assembling the lower long ulnar bone member 88, the upper long ulnar bone member 90, and the short ulnar bone members 91 at positions spaced a predetermined distance from one another, a slot 92, which is a storage space for storing the mobile battery 10, is provided inside the cage 70 so as to be able to be pre-assembled. The lower long ulnar bone members 88 are substantially L-shaped, and each has an engagement hole 94 (engaged portion) formed near its rear end. Furthermore, a stopper bracket 95 bridges between the two left and right short ulnar bone members 91 at the rear.

[0031] The forehead body 72 is attached so as to surround the front ends of the lower elongated bone member 88 and the upper elongated bone member 90. The forehead body 72 is made of resin and has a generally rectangular ring shape, with a through-hole 96 extending in the depth direction. The lower part of the forehead body 72 protrudes forward more than the upper part. Therefore, when the user lifts the mobile battery 10 and places it in the slot 92, the protruding lower part can support the rear end of the mobile battery 10. As a result, the weight of the mobile battery 10 is borne by the slot module 24, making it easier to insert the mobile battery 10 into the slot 92.

[0032] An indicator 100 is provided as a notification unit on the front of the forehead body 72. The indicator 100 lights up red, for example, when the mobile battery 10 inserted in the slot module 24 is charging, and changes color to green when charging is complete. Based on the color of the indicator 100, the user can tell whether the mobile battery 10 in the slot module 24 is charging or has already been charged.

[0033] A relatively thin flange 102 is formed to protrude from the rear end of the forehead body 72 so as to expand outward. When the slot module 24 is housed in the holding space of the monocoque case 42, the flange 102 is blocked by the main body 28, and as shown in Figure 5, the grommet 32 ​​provided on the inner wall of the opening 30 is positioned in front of the flange 102. Furthermore, the grommet 32 ​​abuts against the forehead body 72 and is crushed, thereby sealing the gap between the inner wall of the opening 30 and the slot module 24.

[0034] The battery holder 74 is provided adjacent to the rear of the forehead body 72 and is fixed to the lower long bone member 88 and the upper long bone member 90. Both the front and rear ends of the battery holder 74 are open ends, and the internal space of the battery holder 74 communicates with a through-hole 96 in the forehead body 72. The shape of the inner wall surface of the internal space of the battery holder 74 is formed to be substantially the same as the shape of the inner wall surface of the through-hole 96 in the forehead body 72.

[0035] The battery tray 76 is provided behind the battery holder 74. The battery tray 76 is movable in the depth direction with the assistance of the X link 104 of the tray holding mechanism 80. That is, as the insertion depth of the mobile battery 10 into the slot 92 increases, the battery tray 76, which is positioned at the forward end, is displaced toward the rear. At this time, the first link member 106 and the second link member 108, which constitute the X link 104 and whose centers are connected to each other, rotate so that their lower ends and upper ends approach each other (see FIG. 7).

[0036] The tray holding mechanism 80 has two stoppers 109 spaced apart by a predetermined distance. When the battery tray 76 moves rearward, it abuts against the stoppers 109. A step is formed on the lower surface of the rear end of the stopper 109, and the stopper 109 is supported by the stopper bracket 95 by being positioned and fixed to the upper surface of the stopper bracket 95.

[0037] The connector unit 78 has a device-side connector 110 that includes a male terminal as the second terminal. That is, the device-side connector 110 is provided in the slot module 24 so as to be pre-assembled.

[0038] Each device-side connector 110 is electrically connected to each inverter 64 provided in the space 62b above the main body 28 via the power lines 66 (see FIG. 2). More specifically, the device-side connector 110 has a front end facing the slot 92 and a rear end behind the front end facing the rear surface of the housing 22. Male terminals are provided at the front end so as to extend forward. Meanwhile, the power lines 66 are connected to the rear end via a coupler (not shown). In other words, the power lines 66 extend from the rear end of the device-side connector 110.

[0039] The male terminals constituting the device-side connector 110 engage with the female terminals constituting the battery-side connector 12 (see FIG. 3) provided at the bottom of the mobile battery 10. This electrically connects the inverter 64 and the mobile battery 10 via the power line 66, the device-side connector 110, and the battery-side connector 12, enabling power to be supplied from the inverter 64 to the mobile battery 10.

[0040] The tray lock mechanism 82 allows the battery tray 76 to move backward when the mobile battery 10 is inserted into the slot module 24. On the other hand, when the mobile battery 10 is not inserted into the slot module 24, the tray lock mechanism 82 restricts the battery tray 76 from moving backward.

[0041] The tray lock mechanism 82 also has a function to prevent reverse insertion of the mobile battery 10. The user needs to insert the mobile battery 10 into the slot module 24 with a specific side of the mobile battery 10 facing up. The reason for this is to align the position of the device-side connector 110 of the slot module 24 with the position of the battery-side connector 12 of the mobile battery 10.

[0042] That is, if the slot module 24 did not have the tray lock mechanism 82, when a user inserts the mobile battery 10 upside down into the slot module 24 and then pushes the mobile battery 10 in, not only would the battery-side connector 12 of the mobile battery 10 not be connected to the device-side connector 110 of the slot module 24, but there would also be a concern that a large force would be applied to the device-side connector 110. To avoid this, the tray lock mechanism 82 maintains the locked state and restricts movement of the battery tray 76 in the depth direction when the mobile battery 10 is inserted upside down into the slot module 24.

[0043] The battery lock mechanism 84 restricts the forward movement of the mobile battery 10 when the mobile battery 10 is housed in the slot module 24.

[0044] The battery exchange device 20 is configured by detachably positioning and fixing the slot module 24 configured as described above to the monocoque frame 40. This configuration makes it easy to replace the slot module 24 with other electrical equipment. This point will be explained below.

[0045] When assembling the battery exchange device 20, the front panel member 26 is removed from the main body 28, and the slot modules 24 are individually inserted into the nine holding spaces of the monocoque case 42. To do this, as shown in Figure 6, the lower elongated bone members 88 that make up the cage 70 of the slot module 24 are slid along the upper surfaces of the guide rails 54 laid on the monocoque case 42. This makes it easy to insert the slot modules 24 into the holding spaces.

[0046] During sliding, the engaging protrusions 60 of the leaf spring portions 58 ride on the upper surface of the lower long bone member 88. When the position of the engaging protrusions 60 corresponds to the position of the engaging holes 94 formed in the lower long bone member 88, the engaging protrusions 60 engage with the engaging holes 94 due to the elastic action of the leaf spring portions 58. With this engagement, the slot module 24 is positioned and fixed. In addition, in this engaged state, the outer surface of the rear end of the lower long bone member 88 abuts against the restricting wall portion 56. Therefore, the slot module 24 is prevented from shifting in position in the width direction. Thereafter, the power line 66 from the inverter 64 is electrically connected to the device-side connector 110.

[0047] Instead of engaging the engaging protrusions 60 with the engaging holes 94, the slot module 24 may be positioned and fixed by fastening bolts.

[0048] 8 and 9, a flange portion 112 may be provided as an extension extending outward from the outer edge of the flange portion 102 that constitutes the slot module 24, and the flange portion 112 may be connected to the front beam 46 via bolts 114 or the like. This allows the slot module 24 to be positioned and fixed even more securely. Note that, although two flange portions 112 are provided in the illustrated example, the number is not particularly limited to this.

[0049] Next, the front panel member 26 is attached to the main body 28. At this time, the forehead body 72 is passed through the opening 30 formed in the front panel member 26. Therefore, the grommet 32 ​​provided around the inner wall of the opening 30 is interposed between the forehead body 72 and the inner wall of the opening 30.

[0050] Here, the dimensions of the multiple slot modules 24 vary individually within the tolerance range. That is, for example, there are slot modules 24 with frame bodies 72 having larger outer dimensions than average, and conversely, there are slot modules 24 with frame bodies 72 having smaller outer dimensions. The thickness of the grommet 32 ​​is set to a size that allows it to be sufficiently crushed by the reaction force from the frame body 72 when the frame body 72 with the smallest outer dimensions within the tolerance is passed through the opening 30. Because the grommet 32 ​​is highly elastic, it is significantly crushed when the frame body 72 with the largest outer dimensions within the tolerance is passed through the opening 30. Therefore, regardless of the outer dimensions in the height, width, and depth of the frame body 72 passed through the opening 30, the grommet 32 ​​closes the clearance between the inner wall of the opening 30 and the frame body 72 of the slot module 24. In other words, a seal is formed.

[0051] When a typical thin, rectangular ring-shaped seal is applied to the front side of the opening 30, the entire seal is exposed. This makes the seal susceptible to deterioration. Furthermore, if the lower part of the seal bends because it cannot support the weight of the slot module 24, a gap forms between the upper part of the seal and the frame 72, resulting in poor sealing. Thus, there is a concern that the seal may not provide a sufficient seal if the reaction force from the frame 72 is large or uneven.

[0052] In contrast, according to the present embodiment using the grommet 32, even if there is variation in the outer dimensions of the individual slot modules 24, as described above, the variation can be absorbed and the gap between the inner wall of the opening 30 and the frame body 72 of the slot module 24 can be sealed. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly set the distance between the inner wall of the opening 30 and the frame body 72. This allows for a reduction in the manufacturing cost of the front panel member 26.

[0053] Furthermore, when the sealing member is brought into contact with the flange 102 to achieve a seal, the outer peripheral surface of the frame body 72 is exposed. In this case, dust and other particles are likely to accumulate on the outer peripheral surface. In contrast, when the grommet 32 ​​is used, the front and rear portions of the grommet 32 ​​bulge outward from the front and rear of the opening 30, respectively, so that the grommet 32 ​​comes into contact with a wide area of ​​the outer peripheral surface of the frame body 72. In other words, little of the outer peripheral surface is exposed. This makes it possible to prevent dust and other particles from accumulating on the frame body 72.

[0054] Furthermore, because the forehead body 72 is supported by the grommets 32, the slot module 24 in the holding space is kept tilted at a predetermined angle relative to the vertical or horizontal direction. Therefore, there is no need to position and fix the slot module 24 to the housing 22 with screws or the like. This simplifies the assembly work of the slot module 24 to the housing 22.

[0055] The battery exchanger 20 assembled as described above is of so-called indoor specification and is suitable for use when there are a limited number of users. That is, the user installs the battery exchanger 20 indoors, and when the mobile battery 10 needs to be charged, inserts the mobile battery 10 into a slot module 24 whose indicator 100 is off. Alternatively, the user may remove a charged mobile battery 10 from a slot module 24 whose indicator 100 is green, and then insert a mobile battery 10 that needs to be charged into the same slot module 24.

[0056] Note that the indicator 100 lights up red for a mobile battery 10 that has been previously charged by another user and is not fully charged. In this way, the user can easily determine whether or not a mobile battery 10 is inserted and whether or not the mobile battery 10 in the slot 92 is fully charged by visually checking whether the indicator 100 is off or whether the indicator 100 is lit green or red.

[0057] Next, the mobile battery 10 that needs to be charged is inserted into the slot 92 (into the battery holder 74) through the opening 30 in the front panel member 26 and the through-hole 96 in the forehead body 72. At this time, the mobile battery 10 is supported by the slightly protruding lower part of the forehead body 72, and the weight of the mobile battery 10 is borne by the slot module 24 and, by extension, the monocoque case 42. This makes it easy to insert the mobile battery 10 into the slot 92.

[0058] When the mobile battery 10 is inserted into the slot 92 and pushed further backward as shown in FIG. 7, the tray lock mechanism 82 is released and the battery tray 76 is displaced backward. The male terminal of the device-side connector 110 engages with the female terminal of the battery-side connector 12, resulting in an electrical connection between the power supply unit and the mobile battery 10. After the control device recognizes that the male terminal of the device-side connector 110 has engaged with the female terminal of the battery-side connector 12, it starts supplying power from the power supply unit to the mobile battery 10. In other words, the mobile battery 10 is charged. The control device also lights up the indicator 100 in red.

[0059] On the other hand, when the user inserts the mobile battery 10 into an empty slot 92, the user removes the charged mobile battery 10 from the slot module 24 whose indicator 100 is lit green. The user can carry the charged mobile battery 10 and attach it to a battery-powered device, i.e., a power device, such as a vehicle such as an electric motorcycle.

[0060] Incidentally, if the battery exchanger is to be installed outdoors and there are an unspecified number of users, it is desirable to have a lid member that opens or closes the opening 30 of the front panel member 26 to prevent as much as possible the intrusion of sand, rainwater, etc. into the slot 92. In this case, it is also preferable to provide a lid locking mechanism (restraint unit) that locks the lid member (covering lid unit) in a closed state to prevent theft of the mobile battery 10, and an operation panel that unlocks the lid member by entering an ID, etc., so that they can be pre-assembled.

[0061] To meet such a demand, an assembler can assemble a battery exchange device 124, as shown in FIG. 10 , in which eight lidded modules 120 and one operation panel 122 are supported by a monocoque frame 40 instead of the nine slot modules 24. That is, the cage 70 of the lidded module 120, the circuit board housing section and wiring connection section of the operation panel 122, etc. are individually stored in the holding space of the monocoque case 42. In this case, the lidded module 120 is provided with an opaque lid member 126 and a lid locking mechanism 128 that locks the lid member 126 in a closed state. To release the lid locking mechanism 128 and open the lid member 126, a user enters a pre-assigned ID into the operation panel 122.

[0062] It is possible to determine which mobile battery 10 is being charged or has already been charged based on the color of the indicator lamp 129 provided on the operation panel 122. In other words, the operation panel 122 is a providing electrical device that provides information to the user of the battery exchange machine 124. In this way, in the battery exchange machine 124, the providing electrical device is fixed in one of the holding spaces of the monocoque case 42, instead of the lidded module 120 for holding the mobile battery 10.

[0063] Other examples of information-providing electrical devices include a display that displays instructions input by a user as images, and a speaker that repeats instructions input by a user as audio. The electrical device may also provide a benefit to the user. An example of this type of electrical device is a USB port unit equipped with a USB port.

[0064] The lidded module 120 (or slot module 24) may be substituted for one of the holding spaces in the monocoque case 42, and an electrical receiving device may be fixed thereto. Here, the electrical receiving device refers to an electrical device for receiving information from the user or information about the surroundings of the battery exchange machine 124. Typical examples of electrical receiving devices that perform such functions include a microphone, which is a sound collecting device, and a camera, which is an imaging device.

[0065] 11 shows a battery exchanger 130 that can accommodate requests when there are even more users or when it is desired to easily know that the mobile battery 10 is charged, even at night, for example. This battery exchanger 130 has two housings 22a and 22b that are connected to each other. In housing 22a, eight illuminated modules 132 and one touch panel 134 (display unit) are supported by a monocoque frame 40. Meanwhile, in housing 22b, nine illuminated modules 132 are supported by another monocoque frame 40.

[0066] In the battery exchange machine 130, the illuminated module 132 is provided with a transparent lid member 136, a lid locking mechanism 138 that locks the lid member 136 in a closed state, and a light such as a blue LED. In addition, the touch panel 134 can operate the illuminated modules 132 of both the housing 22a and the housing 22b. Furthermore, which mobile battery 10 is currently charging or has already been charged is displayed on the touch panel 134.

[0067] The touch panel 134 has a display main body 140 that displays predetermined information, and a main body support part 142 that is inserted into and fixed in the holding space of the monocoque case 42. The display main body 140 is larger than the holding space of the monocoque case 42 that constitutes the monocoque frame 40, and therefore cannot be stored in the holding space. On the other hand, the main body support part 142 can be stored in the holding space.

[0068] In this case, the assembler accommodates and fixes the main body support portion 142 of the touch panel 134 in one of the nine monocoque cases 42 that make up the monocoque frame 40 in the housing 22a. That is, the main body support portion 142 of the touch panel 134 is provided so as to be fixable to the holding space in the monocoque case 42 in place of the illuminated module 132. Meanwhile, the display main body portion 140 is exposed from the housing 22a. The assembler further accommodates the cages 70 of the illuminated modules 132 in the remaining eight holding spaces in the monocoque case 42 and in all nine monocoque cases 42 that make up the monocoque frame 40 in the housing 22b.

[0069] In the illuminated module 132, when the mobile battery 10 in the slot 92 is fully charged, the blue LED is lit. Because the cover member 136 is transparent, the user can easily determine the location of the charged mobile battery 10, even at night, by simply looking at the housings 22a, 22b. In this way, the blue LED of the illuminated module 132 is provided so as to be pre-assembled to the illuminated module 132, and serves as an indicator that notifies the user of the presence and location of the charged mobile battery 10 by turning on or off.

[0070] To release the lid lock mechanism 138 of the illuminated module 132 whose blue LED is lit and open the lid member 136, the user simply inputs a pre-assigned ID into the display main body 140 of the touch panel 134. The user then pulls out the charged mobile battery 10 from the slot 92 and inserts the mobile battery 10 that needs to be charged into the same slot 92. When the lid member 136 is closed, the lid member 136 is locked by the lid lock mechanism 138, and charging of the mobile battery 10 inserted in the slot 92 begins.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, the slot 92 for accommodating and charging the mobile battery 10 is provided in the slot module 24, which is modularized separately from the housings 22, 22a, and 22b, and the slot module 24 is supported by the monocoque frame 40 housed within the housings 22, 22a, and 22b (inserted into the holding space of the monocoque case 42). In other words, the slot module 24 is not attached to the housings 22, 22a, and 22b. Therefore, the object supported by the monocoque frame 40 is not limited to the slot module 24. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 , the held object can be a lidded module 120, an illuminated module 132, or even other electrical devices such as an operation panel 122 or a touch panel 134.

[0072] That is, in this embodiment, by standardizing the housing 22 and changing the held object, it is possible to change the specifications or configure the device according to the user's wishes. Because the housing 22 can be standardized, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing costs of the battery exchange devices 20, 124, 130, etc. Furthermore, even if it is required to install electrical devices other than those described above, such as a USB port unit or a security camera, this can be accommodated by simply changing the held object of the monocoque frame 40 to these electrical devices. In other words, it is possible to respond to a variety of specifications and requests.

[0073] Furthermore, although the slot module 24, lidded module 120, illuminated module 132, etc., become considerably heavy when the mobile battery 10 is inserted, the monocoque frame 40 has sufficient rigidity to prevent distortion and a decrease in the joint strength of the joints between the monocoque case 42 and the support columns 44, or the joints between the support columns 44 and the front beam 46, side beam 48, or upper beam 50. In other words, the monocoque frame 40 exhibits sufficient durability.

[0074] 12 and 13, the surplus power line 66 may be bridged from the first protrusion 170 to the second protrusion 172, or from the second protrusion 172 to the first protrusion 170 (i.e., along the depth direction of the slot module 24). The end of the bridged power line 66 is routed further forward than the first protrusion 170. In other words, the power line 66 is routed so as to extend beyond the front end of the device-side connector 110 and reach the front of the slot module 24 or the slot 92.

[0075] Here, the first protrusion 170 is provided on the front of the upper surface of the slot module 24, while the second protrusion 172 is provided on the upper surface of the stopper bracket 95 located at the rear of the upper surface of the slot module 24. In this case, the first protrusion 170 and the second protrusion 172 are sufficiently spaced apart, so the number of turns of the power line 66 (the number of round trips between the first protrusion 170 and the second protrusion 172) is reduced. This makes it easy to wind the power line 66. Moreover, because the number of round trips is reduced, it is possible to avoid winding the power line 66 in an overlapping manner more than necessary. This prevents the winding thickness of the power line 66 from becoming too large.

[0076] In this way, by winding the excess power line 66 around the first protrusion 170 and the second protrusion 172, the length of the power line 66 between the inverter 64 and the device-side connector 110 can be adjusted as needed. In other words, in this case, the drawn-out length of the power line 66 can be changed as needed depending on the arrangement position (storage position) of the slot module 24 relative to the housing 22. Therefore, multiple slot modules 24 can be manufactured with the same linear length of the power line 66.

[0077] That is, in this case, there is no need to individually set the linear length of the power lines 66. As a result, it is possible to avoid complication in the design and manufacture of the slot modules 24. Moreover, because the linear length of the power lines 66 is the same in all of the slot modules 24, it is possible to effectively prevent incorrect assembly, such as placing a slot module 24 with short power lines 66 in the bottom row, or conversely, placing a slot module 24 with long power lines 66 in the top row.

[0078] The present invention is not particularly limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0079] For example, the holding device is not limited to a charging device configured with a module for charging the mobile battery 10 as the main held object, but can also be a power supply device configured with a power supply module powered by the mobile battery 10, a USB port unit, a general power supply (AC outlet) unit, etc. as held objects.

[0080] Furthermore, the device-side connector 110 including the second terminal may be provided inside the housings 22, 22a, and 22b.

[0081] Furthermore, an indicator 100 may be provided on the illuminated module 132, so that it is possible to determine whether the battery is charging or fully charged based on the color of the indicator 100, as described above, and a blue LED may be lit when the cover member 136 is in the open state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10...Mobile battery (item / power storage device) 12...Battery side connector (first terminal) 20, 124, 130...Battery exchanger (holding device) 22, 22a, 22b...Housing 24...Slot module (retaining part) 26... Front panel member (sub-member) 28... Main body portion (main member) 30…Aperture 32... Grommet (intervening member) 34... Insertion groove 36...Through hole 40...Monocoque frame (supporting framework) 42...Monocoque case (retaining frame) 54...Guide rail (contact part) 56... Restriction wall portion 58... Leaf spring portion (elastic portion) 60...Engagement protrusion (engagement portion) 64...Inverter 66...Power line 70...Cage 72...Forehead body (insertion part) 88...Lower long bone member (skeletal member) 90...Upper long bone member (skeletal member) 92...Slot (accommodating portion) 94...Engagement hole (engaged portion) 100... indicator (notification part) 102... flange part 110...Device side connector (second terminal) 112...Flange portion (extension portion) 120... Lidded module (holding portion) 122... Operation panel 126, 136...Lid member (cover part) 128, 138... Lid lock mechanism (restraint part) 132... Illuminated module (holding part) 134...Touch panel (display unit) 140...Display main body unit 142...Main body support portion 170...First protrusion 172...Second convex part

Claims

1. A holding device (20) comprising a housing (22) having a holding portion (24) that holds an article (10) in an insertable and removable manner, a retaining skeleton (40, 42) provided inside the housing and removably fixing the retaining portion; The holding portion is provided so that a storage portion (92) that forms a storage space for storing the article can be pre-assembled before the holding portion is held by the holding skeleton, A holding device in which a presentation electrical device (132) that replaces the holding part and provides information or benefits to users of the holding device can be fixed in a holding space where the holding part of the holding skeleton is fixed.

2. A holding device (20) comprising a housing (22) having a holding portion (24) that holds an item (10) in an insertable and removable manner, a retaining skeleton (40, 42) provided inside the housing and removably fixing the retaining portion; The holding portion is provided so that a storage portion (92) that forms a storage space for storing the article can be pre-assembled before the holding portion is held by the holding skeleton, A holding device in which a receiving electrical device that receives information from a user of the holding device or information about the surrounding area of ​​the holding device can be fixed in place of the holding part in a holding space where the holding part of the holding skeleton is fixed.

3. A holding device (20) comprising a housing (22) having a holding portion (24) that holds an item (10) in an insertable and removable manner, a retaining skeleton (40, 42) provided inside the housing and removably fixing the retaining portion; The holding portion is provided so that a storage portion (92) that forms a storage space for storing the article can be pre-assembled before the holding portion is held by the holding skeleton, a display unit (134) provided separately from the housing and having an outer shape larger than an outer shape of the accommodating unit when viewed in the insertion / removal direction; The display unit has a display main body (140) and a main body support (142) formed integrally with the display main body, A holding device in which the main body support portion is fixedly provided in place of the holding portion in a holding space to which the holding portion of the holding skeleton is fixed.

4. The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the article is an electrical device having a first terminal (12), The holding portion is further provided with a second terminal (110) that is electrically connected to the first terminal of the electrical device accommodated in the accommodating portion so as to be pre-assembled.

5. 5. The holding device according to claim 4, wherein the holding portion is further provided with a power line (66) that is electrically connected to the second terminal so as to be capable of being pre-assembled.

6. 6. The holding device according to claim 5, wherein the power line is routed so as to extend beyond the end of the second terminal facing the holding portion and reach the holding portion.

7. The holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the holding portion is further provided with a cover portion (126, 136) capable of covering at least a part of the article so as to be pre-assembled.

8. 8. The holding device according to claim 7, wherein the cover portion is provided movably relative to the holding portion, The holding device further includes a restraining portion (128, 138) that can be pre-assembled and that can restrain the cover portion when it is covering at least a portion of the article.

9. 9. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the holding section further includes a notification section (132) that notifies information about the item stored in the storage section, and the notification section (132) is provided in a manner that allows for pre-assembly.

10. In the holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the holding portion is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the insertion / removal direction of the article, The holding device has skeletal members (88, 90) arranged at the four corners of the rectangle and extending in the insertion / removal direction.

11. In the holding device according to claim 10, the holding skeleton has an abutment portion (54) extending in the insertion / removal direction so as to be able to abut against the skeleton member, A holding device in which an engaging portion (60) is provided on one of the skeletal member and the abutting portion, and an engaged portion (94) that engages with the engaging portion is provided on the remaining one.

12. 12. The holding device according to claim 11, wherein the engaging portion is a convex portion, the engaged portion is an engaging hole, and the engaging portion is provided on the elastic portion.

13. In the holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the holding portion is formed in a substantially rectangular shape when viewed in the insertion / removal direction of the article, The holding device is configured such that the holding skeleton surrounds the holding portion when viewed in the insertion / removal direction.

14. In the holding device according to claim 13, the holding portion has an extension portion (112) that is provided so as to extend outward from an outer edge of the holding portion when viewed in the insertion / removal direction, A holding device in which the holding portion is fixed to the holding skeleton via the extension portion.

15. In the holding device according to any one of claims 1 to 14, the housing has a main member (28) that covers the holding skeleton, and a sub-member (26) that is detachably provided on a surface of the main member that faces in the insertion / removal direction of the article, The secondary member is a holding device having an opening (30) through which the holding portion fixed to the holding skeleton can be inserted.

16. 16. The holding device according to claim 15, further comprising an interposition member (32) interposed between an inner peripheral end of the opening and an outer peripheral end of an insertion portion (72) that passes through the opening of the holding portion.

17. 17. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the article is an electric storage device that is detachably attached to an electric power device that uses electric power.

18. 18. The support device according to claim 17, wherein the power device is a vehicle that runs on electricity.

19. A holding device (20) comprising a housing (22) having a holding portion (24) that holds an article (10) in an insertable and removable manner, a holding skeleton (40) provided inside the housing and detachably fixing the holding part; The holding portion has a first storage portion (92) that stores the article in an insertable / removable manner along an insertion / removal direction of the article relative to the holding portion, the retaining skeleton has a second accommodating portion (42) that accommodates the retaining portion so that the retaining portion can be inserted and removed in the same direction as the insertion and removal direction, and a support portion (44) that supports the second accommodating portion, the insertion / removal direction is a direction inclined relative to the horizontal direction so that the front side in the insertion direction is higher than the rear side in the insertion direction, A holding device in which the holding section is provided so that the first storage section for storing the article can be pre-assembled before the holding section is stored in the second storage section.

20. A holding device as described in claim 19, wherein the holding portion is assembled to the holding skeleton before the item is accommodated in the pre-assembled first accommodation portion.

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