Battery swap station and battery swap method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a battery swap station and a battery swap method, wherein the battery swap station includes a battery transfer unit, a battery storage unit and a truck carrying platform; at least one side of the battery transfer unit is provided with a battery storage unit; at least one end of the battery storage unit is provided with a truck carrying platform; the battery transfer unit can make a linear reciprocating motion between the two opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit to transport the battery back and forth. The length direction of the truck carrying platform is perpendicular to the length direction of the battery storage unit, and is perpendicular to the movement direction of the battery transfer device. Compared with the existing arrangement in which the truck carrying platform and the battery storage unit are parallel to each other, the overall layout is compact and reasonable, the battery swap route is shortened, and the battery swap efficiency is improved; and, the battery swap station can be arranged with two truck carrying platforms, so that a truck can be parked at each end of the battery swap station, so that seamless battery swap operations can be performed, and the battery swap efficiency is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile battery replacement, and in particular to a battery replacement station and a battery replacement method. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the country has paid more and more attention to environmental issues and promoted energy conservation. Heavy-duty battery vehicles have therefore developed rapidly. Usually, heavy-duty battery vehicles are equipped with batteries, which serve as energy storage devices and can provide electrical energy for the normal driving of the vehicle. When the battery storage is insufficient, the vehicle needs to be driven into a battery swap station for battery replacement.

[0003] At present, the layout of existing battery swap stations is unreasonable, they occupy a large space, and restrict the efficiency of battery swapping. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems of unreasonable layout of existing battery swap stations, large occupied space and restricted battery swap efficiency, the present invention provides a battery swap station and a battery swap method.

[0005] A battery swap station provided to achieve the purpose of the present invention includes a battery transfer unit, a battery storage unit and a truck carrying platform;

[0006] A battery storage unit is provided on at least one side of the battery transfer unit; a truck carrying platform is provided on at least one end of the battery storage unit;

[0007] The battery transfer unit can perform linear reciprocating motion between opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit to transport the battery back and forth.

[0008] In one specific embodiment, battery storage units are provided on opposite sides of the battery transfer unit;

[0009] Truck loading platforms are provided at opposite ends of the battery storage unit.

[0010] In one specific embodiment, each battery storage unit includes a plurality of support assemblies arranged in parallel, each support assembly being capable of carrying one battery;

[0011] The supporting components of the battery storage units on both sides are arranged symmetrically.

[0012] In one specific embodiment, each support assembly includes a bracket, a charging base and a charging pile;

[0013] A charging base is fixed to the top surface of the bracket;

[0014] The top surface of the charging station can hold a battery;

[0015] The charging piles of the battery storage units on both sides are respectively arranged on the mutually opposite sides of the brackets of the battery storage units on both sides, and are connected to the charging seats on the corresponding sides.

[0016] In one of the specific embodiments, it also includes a guide rail;

[0017] There are more than two guide rails, all of which are laid directly below the battery transfer unit, and the extension directions of both ends are the same as the extension directions of both ends of the battery storage unit;

[0018] The battery transfer unit is movable along the axial direction of the guide rail.

[0019] In one of the specific embodiments, the battery transfer unit includes a conveying mechanism and a grasping mechanism;

[0020] The conveying mechanism includes a conveying unit; the conveying unit can perform linear reciprocating motion;

[0021] The grabbing mechanism includes a driving cylinder and a magnetic attraction part;

[0022] The cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder is fixed to the top surface of the conveying unit, and the axial direction is the same as the conveying direction of the conveying unit, and can perform linear reciprocating motion with the conveying unit;

[0023] The magnetic attraction part is fixed to the end of the piston rod of the driving cylinder and can be adsorbed on one end surface of the battery; after the magnetic attraction part is adsorbed on the battery, it is driven by the piston rod of the driving cylinder and the transmission unit to drive the battery to move to the top surface of the transmission unit or move out of the top surface of the transmission unit.

[0024] In one specific embodiment, the conveying mechanism further includes a driving shaft and a driven shaft;

[0025] The driving shaft and the driven shaft are arranged in parallel;

[0026] There are more than two transmission units, which are arranged in parallel. The two ends of one of them are rotatably connected to one end of the driving shaft and one end of the driven shaft, and the two ends of the other are rotatably connected to the other end of the driving shaft and the other end of the driven shaft.

[0027] In one of the specific embodiments, the battery transfer unit further includes an angle adjustment mechanism;

[0028] The angle adjustment mechanism is disposed as a whole directly below the conveying mechanism, and includes a first fixed plate and a first movable plate;

[0029] The first fixing plate is provided with hinge seats at opposite ends thereof;

[0030] The first movable plate is arranged right above the first fixed plate, and its two opposite ends are rotatably connected to hinge seats at corresponding ends respectively, and a transmission unit is fixed on the top surface.

[0031] In one of the specific embodiments, the battery transfer unit further includes a lifting mechanism;

[0032] The lifting mechanism is disposed directly below the angle adjustment mechanism as a whole, and includes a second fixed plate, a drive motor, a right-angle steering gear, a transmission rod, a lifter, a lead screw, a lifting nut and a second movable plate;

[0033] The driving motor is fixed on the top surface of the second fixing plate;

[0034] The input shaft of the right-angle steering gear is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the driving motor, and the output shaft is fixedly connected to the input shaft of the elevator through a transmission rod;

[0035] The screw rod is vertically arranged, the bottom surface is fixedly connected to the worm gear shaft of the elevator, and the upper part is sleeved with a lifting nut;

[0036] The first fixed plate is fixed to the top surface of the second movable plate; a mounting hole adapted to the lifting nut is provided on the second movable plate; the hole wall of the mounting hole is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lifting nut;

[0037] The battery transfer unit also includes a direction adjustment mechanism;

[0038] The direction adjustment mechanism is arranged as a whole directly below the conveying mechanism, and includes a lower chassis and an upper chassis;

[0039] The top surface of the lower chassis is provided with a fixing ring, and the bottom surface can move along the axial direction of the guide rail;

[0040] A transmission unit is fixed on the top surface of the upper chassis, and a movable ring is arranged on the bottom surface; the inner wall of the movable ring is rotatably connected with the outer wall of the fixed ring.

[0041] A battery replacement method based on the same concept includes the following steps:

[0042] The battery transfer unit moves toward the vehicle on one of the truck loading platforms and removes the battery to be charged from the discharge seat on the vehicle;

[0043] The battery moving unit moves the battery to be charged to the battery storage unit, and takes a fully charged battery from the battery storage unit;

[0044] The battery transfer unit moves the fully charged battery to the discharge station on the vehicle.

[0045] Beneficial effects of the present invention: The battery swap station of the present invention is provided with a truck carrying platform, and the truck carrying platform can be used for truck parking. When a vehicle carrying a battery to be charged is parked on the truck carrying platform, the battery transfer unit can remove the battery to be charged from the vehicle and transfer it to the battery storage unit. Afterwards, the battery transfer unit removes any fully charged battery from the battery storage unit and transfers it to the vehicle. Among them, the length direction of the truck carrying platform is perpendicular to the length direction of the battery storage unit, and is perpendicular to the movement direction of the battery transfer equipment. Compared with the existing arrangement in which the truck carrying platform and the battery storage unit are parallel to each other, since the truck carrying platform and the battery storage unit are arranged perpendicular to each other, the battery swap route is shorter and the battery swap efficiency is higher. When the battery transfer unit performs the battery swap task, the space constraints on its operation are relatively small, so that the overall layout of the battery swap station can be designed to be more compact and reduce the floor space. In addition, two truck carrying platforms can be arranged to park vehicles alternately. The battery transfer unit can move back and forth between the opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit to alternately replace batteries in the trucks on the two truck carrying platforms, thereby achieving seamless battery replacement and effectively improving work efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of a battery swap station of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a battery swap station of the present invention when removing a battery from a vehicle;

[0048] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of a battery swap station of the present invention when removing a battery from a battery storage unit;

[0049] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the combined structure of a battery transfer unit and a guide rail in a specific embodiment of a battery swap station is shown;

[0050] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A front view of the battery transfer unit and guide rails shown;

[0051] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A left side view of the battery transfer unit and guide rails shown;

[0052] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A top view of the battery transfer unit and guide rails is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments.

[0054] Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar symbols throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements with the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0055] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axis", "circumferential", etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention or simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0056] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0057] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "install", "connect", "connect", "fix", "join", "hinge", etc. should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 A battery swap station includes a battery transfer unit 100, a battery storage unit 200 and a truck carrying platform 400. The battery transfer unit 100 is provided with a battery storage unit 200 on at least one side. The truck carrying platform 400 is provided on at least one end of the battery storage unit 200. The battery transfer unit 100 can perform linear reciprocating motion between opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit 200 to transport the battery back and forth.

[0059] In this embodiment, the truck carrying platform 400 is used for parking trucks. When a vehicle carrying a battery to be charged is parked on the truck carrying platform 400, the battery transfer unit 100 can remove the battery to be charged from the vehicle and transfer it to the battery storage unit 200. After that, the battery transfer unit 100 removes any fully charged battery from the battery storage unit 200 and transfers it to the vehicle. Among them, the truck carrying platform 400 laid on one end of the battery storage unit 120 has a body length direction perpendicular to the body length direction of the battery storage unit 200, and is perpendicular to the movement direction of the battery transfer device 100. Compared with the existing arrangement of the truck carrying platform and the battery storage unit in parallel, since the truck carrying platform 400 and the battery storage unit 200 are arranged perpendicular to each other, the power exchange route is shorter and the power exchange efficiency is higher. When the battery transfer unit 100 performs the power exchange task, the space constraint on the operation is small, so that the overall layout of the power exchange station can be designed to be more compact and reduce the floor space. In addition, two truck carrying platforms 400 can be arranged to park vehicles in an staggered manner. The battery transfer unit 100 can move back and forth between the opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit 200 to alternately replace batteries for the trucks on the two truck carrying platforms 400, thereby achieving seamless battery replacement and effectively improving work efficiency.

[0060] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, battery storage units 200 are provided on opposite sides of the battery transfer unit 100, and each battery storage unit 200 can store multiple batteries. In this way, more batteries can be stored in the battery exchange station. The mobile device can remove any fully charged battery from the battery storage unit 200 on either side. Moreover, the spacing between the opposite sides of the battery storage units 200 on both sides is a preset length. Here, it should be noted that the preset length is slightly larger than the body length of a single battery. When the battery transfer unit 100 performs the battery exchange task, it is not necessary to carry out a large-scale activity, and it is sufficient to complete a 90-degree rotation between the battery storage units 200 on both sides. A truck carrying platform 400 is laid at opposite ends of the battery storage unit 200. Two truck carrying platforms 400 can accommodate two vehicles carrying batteries to be charged at the same time. On the whole, the layout is reasonable and compact, the space occupied is small, the battery exchange route is shortened, and the battery exchange efficiency is improved.

[0061] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, each battery storage unit 200 includes a plurality of support components, and the plurality of support components are arranged in parallel with each other. Each support component can carry one battery. The support components of the battery storage units 200 on both sides are arranged symmetrically, so that the regularity of the battery swap station is effectively improved. Specifically, each support component includes a bracket 211, a charging seat 212 and a charging pile 213. The bracket 211 is a square frame structure, and a charging seat 212 is fixed on its top surface. The bracket 211 can support and fix the charging seat 212 so that the charging seat 212 is away from the ground surface, which effectively improves the service life and safety of the charging seat 212. The top surface of the charging seat 212 can carry one battery. Here, it should be noted that the charging seat 212 can support and fix the battery and charge the battery. The charging piles 213 of the battery storage units 200 on both sides are respectively arranged on the mutually opposite sides of the brackets 211 of the battery storage units 200 on both sides, and are connected to the charging seat 212 on the corresponding side. The charging pile 213 can supply power to the charging seat 212. Here, it should be noted that the charging pile 213 is connected to an external power source and powered by the external power source. Overall, the structure is simple, and the manufacturing cost is effectively reduced.

[0062] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery swap station also includes a guide rail 300. There are more than two guide rails 300, all of which are laid directly below the battery transfer unit 100. In addition, the extension direction of both ends of each guide rail 300 is the same as the extension direction of both ends of the battery storage unit 200. The battery transfer unit 100 can move axially along the guide rail 200. The guide rail 300 can constrain the movement direction of the battery transfer unit 100, so that the battery transfer unit 100 can be directed toward the opposite ends of the battery storage unit 200, and then the battery transfer unit 100 can accurately move toward the battery on the vehicle parked on the truck loading platform 400, ensuring a shorter battery swap route, thereby improving the battery swap efficiency, and at the same time, saving the time spent on finding the location. In addition, it is conducive to the standardization of the battery swap process.

[0063] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer unit 100 includes a conveying mechanism 120 and a gripping mechanism 110. The conveying mechanism 120 includes a transmission unit 121, and the transmission unit 121 can perform linear reciprocating motion. The gripping mechanism 110 includes a driving cylinder 111 and a magnetic attraction portion 112, wherein the cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder 111 is fixed to the top surface of the transmission unit 121, and the axial direction is the same as the conveying direction of the transmission unit 121, and can perform linear reciprocating motion with the transmission unit 121. The magnetic attraction portion 112 is fixed to the end of the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111, and can be adsorbed on one end surface of the battery. Here, it should be noted that the battery is a battery to be charged or a fully charged battery. After the magnetic attraction portion 111 is adsorbed on the battery, it is driven by the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111 and the transmission unit 121 to drive the battery to move to the top surface of the transmission unit 121 or move out of the top surface of the transmission unit 121.

[0064] In this embodiment, the direction adjustment unit can move along the guide rail 300 to drive the conveying mechanism 120 and the gripping mechanism 110 to move along the guide rail 300. It should be noted that the length direction of the charging seat 212 fixed on the bracket 211 is perpendicular to the axial direction of the guide rail 300, and the length direction of the discharge seat fixed on the vehicle is the same as the axial direction of the guide rail 300. Batteries are placed on the charging seat 212 and the discharge seat. The direction adjustment mechanism 150 can rotate to drive the conveying mechanism 120 to rotate, and make the conveying direction of the conveying unit 121 of the conveying mechanism 120 the same as the length direction of the discharge seat / charging seat 212. The top surface of the conveying unit 121, the bottom surface of the battery and the top surface of the discharge seat / charging seat 212 are in the same horizontal plane. The conveying direction of the conveying unit 121 is bidirectional conveying. Here, it should be noted that bidirectional conveying means that the conveying unit 121 can drive the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic suction part 112 to move toward the battery, or move away from the battery. The driving cylinder 111 is electrically connected to the controller and is also connected to the gas source. When the battery is to be removed from the charging seat 212 or the discharging seat, the transmission unit 121 drives the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic attraction part 112 to move from the initial position toward the battery. At the same time, the length of the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111 extending out of the cylinder barrel continues to increase, so that the magnetic attraction part 112 is close to one end face of the battery. Then, one end face of the battery is adsorbed on the magnetic attraction part 112. It should be noted here that the material of the battery shell is iron. Afterwards, the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111 gradually retracts into the cylinder barrel, and at the same time, the transmission unit 121 drives the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic attraction to reset. In this process, the battery is slowly dragged to the top surface of the transmission unit 121 by the magnetic attraction part 112. When the battery is to be placed on the charging seat 212 or the discharge seat, the conveyor belt drives the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic suction part 112 to move toward the charging seat 212 or the discharge seat, and the magnetic suction part 112 pushes the battery toward the charging seat 212 or the discharge seat. At the same time, the length of the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111 extending out of the cylinder barrel continues to increase to assist in pushing the battery. When the battery is completely placed on the charging seat 212 or the discharge seat. The magnetic suction part 112 is disconnected from the battery. It should be noted that the magnetic suction part 112 is a magnetic device, specifically, it can be a permanent magnetic lifter, and a demagnetization handle is provided on one side of the permanent magnetic lifter. The demagnetization handle can be demagnetized to disconnect the permanent magnetic lifter and the battery. The magnetic suction part 112 can be replaced by any one of a clamping device, a hooking device or a vacuum adsorption device to clamp, hook or absorb the battery. Afterwards, the piston rod of the driving cylinder 111 gradually retracts into the cylinder barrel. At the same time, the transmission unit 121 drives the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic adsorption to reset to avoid scratching the vehicle. In this process, the battery gradually detaches from the top surface of the transmission unit 121 and is transferred to the top surface of the charging seat 212 or the discharge seat. When using the battery swap station to pick up and place the battery, the transmission unit 121 not only drives the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic adsorption unit 112 to move, but also drives the battery to move.When taking the battery, the magnetic attraction part 112 is driven by the driving cylinder 111, and the driving cylinder 111 is used to drive the magnetic attraction part 112 to move, so that the magnetic attraction part 112 has a controllable elastic space before reaching one end of the battery to avoid rigid impact on the battery. After the magnetic attraction part 112 is adsorbed on one end surface of the battery, the driving cylinder 111 is reset to ensure that the battery and the magnetic attraction part 112 can be located in the appropriate position to facilitate later program processing. Afterwards, the conveying unit 121 drives the battery to be conveyed. When placing the battery, the conveying unit 121 first drives the battery to be conveyed, and then the driving cylinder 111 drives the magnetic attraction part 112 to push the battery out of the top surface of the conveying unit 121. When the driving cylinder 111 drives the magnetic attraction part 112 to push the battery, the driving force of the driving cylinder 111 is controllable and has a certain elastic space to avoid damage to the mechanical structure of the vehicle or the charging unit. At the same time, in the process of transferring the battery to the top surface of the transmission unit 121, the transmission unit 121 can continuously support the battery, so that the battery is less affected by its own weight during the picking and placing process, which greatly improves the stability of the picking and placing operation. On the whole, the battery is transferred by dragging, which reduces the difficulty of picking and placing operations and improves the stability of the picking and placing operations. The battery will not shake during the picking and placing process, and will not fall or tip over, which reduces the possibility of battery damage, thereby eliminating the battery combustion and explosion caused by the falling battery, and improving the safety of the picking and placing operation and the efficiency of battery replacement. At the same time, regardless of whether a protective top cover is installed on the vehicle, the picking and placing process is not affected, so that the transfer equipment can be used to pick up and place batteries on mining trucks, enhancing the versatility of the transfer equipment. Moreover, the overall structure is relatively simple, which effectively reduces the manufacturing cost.

[0065] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the gripping mechanism 110 also includes a connecting seat 113 and a connecting plate 114. The connecting seat 113 can support and fix the driving cylinder 111, so that multiple driving cylinders 111 can move synchronously. The connecting plate 114 can support and fix the magnetic suction part 112, so that the piston rods of multiple cylinders can act on the magnetic suction part 112 synchronously. Specifically, the bottom surface of the connecting seat 113 is fixedly connected to the top surface of the transmission unit 121. One side surface of the connecting plate 114 is fixedly connected to the magnetic suction part 112. There are more than two driving cylinders 111, which are arranged in parallel. The cylinder barrel of each driving cylinder 111 is fixed to the top surface of the connecting seat 113, and the piston rod is fixedly connected to the side of the connecting plate 114 away from the magnetic suction part 112.

[0066] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the conveying mechanism 120 further includes a driving shaft 122 and a driven shaft 123. The driving shaft 122 and the driven shaft 123 are arranged in parallel. It should be noted here that the driving shaft 122 is driven by a fifth driving motor. The fifth driving motor is powered by an external power supply or a power supply carried by the battery transfer unit 100 itself. The fifth driving motor is electrically connected to the controller. There are more than two transmission units 121, which are arranged in parallel, and the two ends of one of them are respectively rotatably connected to one end of the driving shaft 122 and one end of the driven shaft 123, and the two ends of the other are respectively rotatably connected to the other end of the driving shaft 122 and the other end of the driven shaft 123. Specifically, each transmission unit 121 is a chain, and the two ends of one chain are respectively rotatably connected to one end of the driving shaft 122 and one end of the driven shaft 123 through a sprocket, and the two ends of the other chain are respectively rotatably connected to the other end of the driving shaft 122 and the other end of the driven shaft 123 through a sprocket. The use of a sprocket and a chain in combination can effectively improve the transmission accuracy. The conveying mechanism 120 further includes a mounting plate 125 and a mounting seat 124, wherein the length direction of the mounting plate 125 is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying unit 121, the bottom surface is fixedly connected to the top surface of each conveying unit 121, and the top surface is fixed with a connecting seat 113 。 The driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic attraction part 112 on the connecting seat 113 drive the connecting seat 113, the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic attraction part 112 to move. In some other embodiments, the transmission unit 121 is a transmission belt. In addition, the conveying mechanism 120 can also drive the driving cylinder 111 and the magnetic attraction part 112 to move in any form of a sprocket and a chain, a screw drive form, or a gear and a rack.

[0067] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer unit 100 further includes an angle adjustment mechanism 130, which is disposed as a whole directly below the conveying mechanism 120, and includes a first fixed plate 131 of a square structure, a first movable plate 132 of a square structure, a first driving motor 133, and an angle detector. Among them, hinge seats 1311 are respectively provided at opposite ends of the first fixed plate 131, that is, hinge seats 1311 are respectively provided at one end of the first fixed plate 131 located directly below the driving shaft 122 and at one end of the first fixed plate 131 located directly below the driven shaft 123. The first movable plate 132 is disposed directly above the first fixed plate 131, and the opposite ends are respectively rotatably connected to the hinge seats 1311 at the corresponding ends, and the top surface is fixed with the conveying unit 121 through the driving shaft 122 and the driven shaft 123. Specifically, the top surfaces of the opposite ends of the first movable plate 132 are also rotatably connected to the middle of the driving shaft 122 and the middle of the driven shaft 123. The first drive motor 133 is fixed to the hinge seat 1311 at one end of the first fixed plate 131, and the output shaft is fixedly connected to one end of the first movable plate 132, and can drive the first movable plate 132 to rotate. The angle detector is fixed to the hinge seat 1311 at the other end of the first fixed plate 131. Specifically, the first drive motor 133 is electrically connected to the controller, which is powered by an external power supply or a power supply carried by the battery transfer unit 100 itself. The angle detector is an encoder, which is electrically connected to the controller. The angle detector can detect the rotation angle and transmit the detection signal to the controller, and the controller controls the first drive motor 133 to work. In some other embodiments, the first movable plate 132 is driven by a cylinder or a screw. The conveying mechanism 120 also includes a mounting seat 124, the bottom surface of the mounting seat 124 is fixedly connected to the top surface of the first movable plate 132, and the opposite ends of the top surface of the mounting seat 124 are respectively connected to the driving shaft 122 and the driven shaft 123 through bearings, which can support and fix the driving shaft 122 and the driven shaft 123, and can structurally avoid the transmission unit 121. The first driving motor 133 drives the first movable plate 132 to deflect, and the first movable plate 132 drives the mounting seat 124, the driving shaft 122 and the driven shaft 123 to rotate, thereby rotating the transmission unit 121. The angle adjustment mechanism 130 can adjust the inclination angle of the transmission unit 121 so that the top surface of the transmission unit 121 and the top surface of the discharge seat on the vehicle are in the same plane. Here, it should be noted that the inconsistent tire pressure of the two tires of the heavy-duty new energy vehicle or the uneven load will cause the discharge seat on the vehicle to tilt. The angle adjustment mechanism 130 is used to adjust the tilt angle of the transmission unit 121 so that the top surface of the transmission unit 121 and the top surface of the discharge seat are in the same plane, so that the battery can be more smoothly transferred between the discharge seat and the battery transfer unit 100.

[0068] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer unit 100 also includes a lifting mechanism 140. Specifically, the lifting mechanism 140 is arranged as a whole directly below the angle adjustment mechanism 130, and includes a second fixed plate 141, a second drive motor, a right angle steering gear, a transmission rod 143, a lifter 142, a screw 144, a lifting nut 145 and a second movable plate. Among them, the second fixed plate 141 is a square structure. The second drive motor is fixed on the top surface of the second fixed plate 141, and there are three right angle steering gears, namely the first right angle steering gear, the second right angle steering gear, and the third right angle steering gear. The first right angle steering gear is fixed to the middle of the top surface of the second fixed plate 141, and the input shaft is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the second drive motor. The second right angle steering gear and the third right angle steering gear are respectively fixed on opposite sides of the top surface of the second fixed plate 141. One of the output shafts of the first right angle steering gear is fixedly connected to the input shaft of the second right angle steering gear through a transmission rod 143, and the other output shaft is fixedly connected to the input shaft of the third right angle steering gear through a transmission rod 143. There are four lifters 142, which are fixed at the four corners of the top surface of the second fixed plate 141. The two output shafts of the second right-angle steering gear are fixedly connected to the input shafts of the two lifters 142 on the corresponding side through the transmission rod 143. The two output shafts of the third right-angle steering gear are fixedly connected to the input shafts of the two lifters 143 on the corresponding side through the transmission rod 143. Each lifter 142 is provided with a worm gear shaft, which is driven by the input shaft of the lifter 142. There are four screw rods 144, all of which are vertically arranged. The bottom surfaces of the four screw rods 144 are fixedly connected to the worm gear shafts of the lifters. A lifting nut 145 is sleeved on the upper part of each screw rod 144. The second movable plate is a square structure, and the first fixed plate 131 is fixed on the top surface. The four corners are provided with mounting holes adapted to the lifting nuts 145, and the hole walls of the mounting holes are fixedly connected to the outer walls of the lifting nuts 145. The second fixed plate 141 can support and fix the second drive motor, the right-angle steering gear and the lifter. The second drive motor drives the transmission rod to rotate through the right-angle steering gear, thereby driving the worm gear shaft of each elevator to rotate, thereby driving the screw 144 to rotate, and then each lifting nut 145 can move along the axial direction of the corresponding screw 144. The four nuts 145 can drive the second movable plate and the first fixed plate 131 fixed on the second movable plate to move up and down. The lifting mechanism 140 can adjust the height of the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the transmission unit 121 in the vertical direction, so that the top surface of the transmission unit 121 and the top surface of the charging seat / discharging seat are in the same horizontal plane, and the height difference between the top surface of the transmission unit 121 and the top surface of the charging seat / discharging seat in the vertical direction is minimized, so that the battery is more stable when transferring between the charging seat / discharging seat and the transfer device. It should be noted that a laser radar is also fixed on the top surface of the transfer device. The laser radar has the function of finding the plane where the top surface of the discharge seat is located. The laser radar and the second drive motor are both electrically connected to the controller.The laser radar can find the plane where the top surface of the discharge seat is located, and transmit the detection signal to the controller, and the controller controls the second drive motor to work. The second drive motor is also powered by an external power supply or a power supply carried by the transfer device itself. In some other embodiments, the second movable plate is directly driven by a cylinder or driven by a gear rack.

[0069] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer unit 100 also includes a direction adjustment mechanism 150, which is integrally arranged directly below the lifting mechanism 140, and includes a lower chassis 151, an upper chassis 152 and a third drive motor 153. The top surface of the lower chassis 151 is provided with a fixed ring, and the bottom surface can move along the axial direction of the guide rail 300. The top surface of the upper chassis 152 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the second fixed plate 141, and the bottom surface is provided with a movable ring. The inner wall of the movable ring is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the fixed ring (similar to a bearing), and the outer wall is provided with a first meshing tooth. The third drive motor 153 is fixed on the lower chassis 151, and the output shaft is arranged upward, and the output shaft is sleeved with a first gear. The output shaft of the third drive motor 153 is meshed with the outer wall of the movable ring through the first gear and the first meshing tooth. In this way, the accuracy of the direction adjustment is greatly improved. Among them, the third drive motor 153 can drive the movable ring to rotate, thereby driving the upper chassis 152 to rotate, thereby driving the second fixed plate 141 to rotate. The direction adjustment mechanism 150 can drive the lifting mechanism 140, the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the conveying mechanism 120 to rotate. The conveying direction of the conveying unit 121 is the same as the length direction of the charging seat 212 / discharging seat, so that the battery is more stable when the position is transferred between the charging seat 212 / discharging seat and the battery transfer unit 100. It should be noted that the charging seat 212 is arranged on the frame, and the length direction of the charging seat 212 is perpendicular to the length direction of the discharge seat. The third drive motor 153 is also powered by an external power supply or a power supply carried by the battery transfer unit 100 itself. In addition, the direction adjustment mechanism 150 also includes a rotation angle detector, specifically, the rotation angle detector is an encoder, which is fixed to the top surface of the lower chassis 151. The rotation angle detector and the third drive motor 153 are both electrically connected to the controller. The rotation angle detector can detect the rotation angle of the upper chassis 152 and transmit the detection signal to the controller, and the controller controls the third drive motor 153 to work.

[0070] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer unit 100 also includes a moving base plate 160, the top surface of the transfer base plate 160 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the lower chassis 151, a driving device 161 is provided on at least one side, and a plurality of rollers are provided on both opposite sides. The driving device 161 is transmission-connected to the guide rail 300 on the corresponding side. The rollers on both sides can roll along the guide rail 300 on the corresponding side respectively. The transfer base plate 160 can support the fixed direction adjustment mechanism 150, the lifting mechanism 140, the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the conveying mechanism 120, and enable the direction adjustment mechanism 150, the lifting mechanism 140, the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the conveying mechanism 120 to move axially along the guide rail 300. The driving device 161 can drive the transfer base plate 160 to move axially along the guide rail 300. The rollers on both sides improve the smoothness of the movement of the transfer base plate 160. Specifically, one of the guide rails 300 is provided with a second meshing tooth on a side facing the other guide rail 300, and the driving device includes a fourth driving motor and a second gear. The fourth driving motor is fixed on the transfer base plate 160, and the output shaft is arranged downward, and the output shaft is sleeved with a second gear. The output shaft of the fourth driving motor is meshed and connected with the guide rail 300 through the second gear and the second meshing tooth. In this way, the displacement accuracy of the direction adjustment mechanism 150, the lifting mechanism 140, the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the conveying mechanism 120 is effectively improved.

[0071] In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the two opposite sides of the transfer base plate 160 are provided with a driving device 161 that is transmission-connected to the guide rail 300 on the corresponding side. The driving device 161 can drive the transfer base plate 160 to slide axially along the guide rail 160. Specifically, the two guide rails 160 are provided with second meshing teeth on the opposite sides, and the driving device includes a fourth drive motor and a second gear. Among them, the fourth drive motor is fixed on the transfer base plate 160, and the output shaft is arranged downward, and the second gear is sleeved on the output shaft. The output shaft of the fourth drive motor is meshed and connected to the guide rail 300 through the second gear and the second meshing teeth. In this way, the moving speed of the direction adjustment mechanism 150, the lifting mechanism 140, the angle adjustment mechanism 130 and the conveying mechanism 120 is effectively improved, thereby improving the power exchange efficiency. The fourth drive motor is electrically connected to the controller, which is powered by an external power supply or a power supply carried by the transfer device itself.

[0072] In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the battery transfer device further includes a lifting mechanism 140 and a direction adjustment mechanism 150. The direction adjustment mechanism 150 is disposed directly below the angle adjustment mechanism 130, and the lifting mechanism 140 is disposed directly below the direction adjustment mechanism 150.

[0073] The present invention also provides a battery replacement method, comprising the following steps:

[0074] First, the battery transfer unit 100 moves toward the vehicle on one of the truck loading platforms 400 and removes the battery to be charged from the discharge seat on the vehicle. Then, the battery transfer unit 100 transfers the battery to be charged to the battery storage unit 200 and removes a fully charged battery from the battery storage unit 200. After that, the battery transfer unit 100 transfers the fully charged battery to the discharge seat on the vehicle. Overall, the difficulty of battery replacement is reduced, and the stability and efficiency of the battery replacement process are improved.

[0075] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", "one specific embodiment" or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0076] The above description is only a preferred specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can make equivalent replacements or changes according to the technical solution and the inventive concept of the present invention within the scope disclosed by the present invention, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery swap station, It is characterized in that include: Battery transfer unit, battery storage unit and truck loading platform; The battery storage unit is provided on at least one side of the battery transfer unit; The truck carrying platform is provided at least at one end of the battery storage unit; The battery transfer unit is capable of linearly reciprocating between opposite ends of one side of the battery storage unit to transport the battery back and forth; It also includes guide rails; there are more than two guide rails, all of which are laid directly below the battery transfer unit, and the extension directions of both ends are the same as the extension directions of both ends of the battery storage unit; the battery transfer unit can move along the axial direction of the guide rails; The battery transfer unit includes a conveying mechanism and a gripping mechanism; the conveying mechanism includes a transmission unit; the transmission unit can perform linear reciprocating motion; the gripping mechanism includes a driving cylinder and a magnetic attraction portion; the cylinder barrel of the driving cylinder is fixed to the top surface of the transmission unit, and the axial direction is the same as the conveying direction of the transmission unit, and can perform linear reciprocating motion with the transmission unit; the magnetic attraction portion is fixed to the end of the piston rod of the driving cylinder, and can be adsorbed on one end surface of the battery; after the magnetic attraction portion is adsorbed on the battery, it is driven by the piston rod of the driving cylinder and the transmission unit to drive the battery to move to the top surface of the transmission unit or move out of the top surface of the transmission unit; The battery transfer unit also includes a lifting mechanism; the lifting mechanism is arranged as a whole directly below the angle adjustment mechanism, and includes a second fixed plate, a drive motor, a right-angle steering gear, a transmission rod, an elevator, a screw, a lifting nut and a second movable plate; the drive motor is fixed on the top surface of the second fixed plate; the input shaft of the right-angle steering gear is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the output shaft is fixedly connected to the input shaft of the elevator through a transmission rod; the screw is vertically arranged, the bottom surface is fixedly connected to the worm gear shaft of the elevator, and the upper part is sleeved with the lifting nut; the second A first fixed plate is fixed on the top surface of the movable plate; a mounting hole adapted to the lifting nut is opened on the second movable plate; the hole wall of the mounting hole is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the lifting nut; the battery transfer unit also includes a direction adjustment mechanism; the direction adjustment mechanism is arranged as a whole directly below the conveying mechanism, including a lower chassis and an upper chassis; a fixed ring is provided on the top surface of the lower chassis, and the bottom surface can move along the axial direction of the guide rail; the conveying unit is fixed on the top surface of the upper chassis, and a movable ring is provided on the bottom surface; the inner wall of the movable ring is rotatably connected to the outer wall of the fixed ring; The battery transfer unit further includes a direction adjustment mechanism, and the entirety of the elevator is disposed directly below the direction adjustment mechanism.

2. The battery swap station according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The battery storage units are disposed on opposite sides of the battery transfer unit; The truck carrying platforms are provided at opposite ends of the battery storage unit.

3. The battery swap station according to claim 2, It is characterized in that The battery storage unit on each side includes a plurality of support assemblies arranged in parallel, and each of the support assemblies is capable of carrying one battery; The support components of the battery storage units on both sides are symmetrically arranged.

4. The battery swap station according to claim 3, It is characterized in that Each of the support components includes a bracket, a charging seat and a charging pile; The charging seat is fixed on the top surface of the bracket; The top surface of the charging stand is capable of carrying one of the batteries; The charging piles of the battery storage units on both sides are respectively arranged on the mutually opposite sides of the brackets of the battery storage units on both sides, and are connected to the charging bases on the corresponding sides.

5. The battery swap station according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The conveying mechanism also includes a driving shaft and a driven shaft; The driving shaft and the driven shaft are arranged in parallel; There are more than two transmission units, which are arranged in parallel. The two ends of one of them are rotatably connected to one end of the driving shaft and one end of the driven shaft, and the two ends of the other are rotatably connected to the other end of the driving shaft and the other end of the driven shaft.

6. The battery swap station according to claim 1, It is characterized in that The battery transfer unit also includes an angle adjustment mechanism; The angle adjustment mechanism is disposed as a whole directly below the conveying mechanism and includes a first fixed plate and a first movable plate; The first fixing plate is provided with hinge seats at opposite ends thereof; The first movable plate is arranged directly above the first fixed plate, and its two opposite ends are rotatably connected to the hinge seats at the corresponding ends respectively, and the transmission unit is fixed on the top surface.

7. A battery replacement method, comprising the battery replacement station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, It is characterized in that The following steps are involved: The battery transfer unit moves toward the vehicle on one of the truck loading platforms and removes the battery to be charged from the discharge seat on the vehicle; The battery transfer unit transfers the battery to be charged to the battery storage unit, and takes a fully charged battery from the battery storage unit; The battery transfer unit transfers the fully-charged battery to a discharge seat on the vehicle.

Images