Automated battery swapping device

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic battery replacement device. The mobile device comprises a mobile carrier and a charging battery. The mobile carrier comprises a carrier body and a driving member installed on the carrier body. The carrier body is formed with a power supply groove recessed on the outer surface thereof, the inner side wall of the power supply groove is in a circular arc shape, the central angle thereof is not greater than 180 degrees, and the driving member can be used to travel on a working surface. The charging battery is carried in the power supply groove and is used to supply power required for the operation of the mobile carrier. Wherein, the charging battery has a matching structure used to engage with a driving gear; the charging battery is used to be driven to rotate along the inner side wall of the power supply groove by engaging with the driving gear through the matching structure. Accordingly, the mobile device is matched with the structure of the mobile carrier and the charging battery, so as to facilitate the automatic replacement of the charging battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a battery swapping mechanism, and more particularly to an automated battery swapping device, a mobile device, and a rechargeable battery. Background Technology

[0002] Existing mobile devices (such as robotic vacuum cleaners) all have a built-in rechargeable battery. These devices can move towards a charging station when the battery's charge level drops to a charging threshold, allowing them to access the charging station and recharge the battery. However, this charging mechanism suspends the operation of these devices, thus reducing their operational efficiency.

[0003] Therefore, the inventor believed that the above-mentioned defects could be improved, and thus devoted himself to research and applied scientific principles, and finally proposed an invention that is reasonably designed and effectively improves the above-mentioned defects. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides an automated battery swapping device, a mobile device, and a rechargeable battery, which can effectively improve the defects that may occur in existing mobile devices.

[0005] This invention discloses an automated battery swapping device, comprising: a mobile vehicle including: a vehicle body having a power supply groove recessed on its outer surface, the inner sidewall of the power supply groove being arc-shaped with a central angle not exceeding 180 degrees; a drive member mounted on the vehicle body for traveling on a working surface; a charging station configured at a fixed position and having a charging groove recessed on its outer surface, the inner sidewall of the charging groove being arc-shaped with a central angle not exceeding 180 degrees; and a battery swapping module including: a drive gear mounted on at least one of the mobile vehicle and the charging station and capable of being driven by power provided by the charging station; and two rechargeable batteries, each having a meshing capability. A matching structure for a drive gear; one of two rechargeable batteries is mounted in a power supply slot and used to supply power required for the operation of a mobile vehicle, while the other rechargeable battery is installed in a charging slot; wherein the mobile vehicle and the rechargeable battery mounted thereon are collectively defined as a mobile device, and the mobile device can be in a mobile operation state or a stationary battery swapping state relative to a charging station; wherein, when the mobile device is in a stationary battery swapping state, the center of the inner sidewall of the power supply slot overlaps with the center of the inner sidewall of the charging slot, and the matching structure for the drive gear meshing with at least one rechargeable battery drives it to rotate about either center as a rotation axis until the two rechargeable batteries exchange positions.

[0006] This invention also discloses a mobile device, comprising: a mobile vehicle including: a vehicle body having a power supply groove recessed on its outer surface, the inner sidewall of the power supply groove being arc-shaped with a central angle not exceeding 180 degrees; a drive member mounted on the vehicle body for traveling on a working surface; and a rechargeable battery housed in the power supply groove for supplying power required for the operation of the mobile vehicle; wherein the rechargeable battery has a mating structure for engaging with a drive gear; the rechargeable battery is driven to rotate along the inner sidewall of the power supply groove by engaging with the drive gear through the mating structure.

[0007] Another embodiment of the present invention discloses a rechargeable battery for installation in a mobile vehicle or a charging station. The rechargeable battery includes: an outer edge that is arc-shaped and has a central angle of no more than 180 degrees; and a fitting groove formed at the center of the outer edge, wherein the fitting groove can be used to engage with a plurality of teeth of a drive gear; wherein the rechargeable battery can be used to engage with the drive gear through the fitting groove and be driven to rotate along a circular rotation path.

[0008] In summary, the automated battery swapping equipment, mobile device, and rechargeable battery disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention can facilitate the automated replacement of the rechargeable battery through the structural design of the rechargeable battery and its structural combination with other components (such as the drive gear, the mobile vehicle, and / or the charging station).

[0009] To further understand the features and technical content of this invention, please refer to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. However, these descriptions and drawings are only for illustrating the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the invention in any way. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention from another perspective.

[0012] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of its breakdown.

[0013] Figure 4 for Figure 3 An exploded view of the mobile device.

[0014] Figure 5 for Figure 3 An exploded view of the charging station and its onboard rechargeable battery.

[0015] Figure 6 for Figure 1A cross-sectional view of an automated battery swapping device in a mobile operation state.

[0016] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a mobile device moving toward a charging station.

[0017] Figure 8 for Figure 7 An enlarged schematic diagram of part VIII in the diagram.

[0018] Figure 9 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram (I) of an automated battery swapping device in a stationary battery swapping state.

[0019] Figure 10 for Figure 9 An enlarged diagram of the X part in the image.

[0020] Figure 11 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram (II) of an automated battery swapping device in a stationary battery swapping state.

[0021] Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 14 This is a plan view of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 15 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automated battery swapping equipment according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the "automated battery swapping equipment, mobile device, and rechargeable battery" disclosed in this invention. Those skilled in the art can understand the advantages and effects of this invention from the content disclosed in this specification. This invention can be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and various details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the concept of this invention. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings of this invention are for simple illustrative purposes only and are not depictions of actual dimensions; this is stated in advance. The following embodiments will further describe the relevant technical content of this invention in detail, but the disclosed content is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0026] It should be understood that while terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used in this document to describe various components or signals, these components or signals should not be limited by these terms. These terms are primarily used to distinguish one component from another, or one signal from another. Furthermore, the term "or" as used herein should, as appropriate, include any combination of one or more of the related listed items.

[0027] [Example 1]

[0028] Please see Figures 1 to 11 As shown, this is an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this embodiment discloses an automated battery swapping device 100, comprising a mobile carrier 1, a charging station 2, and a battery swapping module 3 mounted on the mobile carrier 1 and the charging station 2. The battery swapping module 3 includes a drive gear 31 and two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b. The two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b are detachably mounted on the mobile carrier 1 and the charging station 2, respectively, and their positions can be interchanged via the drive gear 31.

[0029] It should be noted that although the automated battery swapping equipment 100 in this embodiment is described in terms of the combination of the mobile vehicle 1, the charging station 2, and the battery swapping module 3, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the mobile vehicle 1 and the rechargeable battery 32a it carries can be combined into a mobile device 10, which can be used independently (e.g., for sale) or in combination with other components (e.g., a mobile charging station). Furthermore, the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b can also be used independently (e.g., for sale) or in combination with other components.

[0030] Furthermore, to facilitate the explanation of the automated battery swapping equipment 100, the battery swapping module 3 will be introduced first, and then the structure of the mobile vehicle 1 and the charging station 2 and their connection relationship with the battery swapping module 3 will be explained.

[0031] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the drive gear 31 is mounted on at least one of the mobile vehicle 1 and the charging station 2 and can be driven by the power provided by the charging station 2. In this embodiment, the drive gear 31 is described as being mounted on and electrically coupled to the charging station 2, but the invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments not shown in this invention, the drive gear 31 may also be mounted on the mobile vehicle 1.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive gear 31 is described as an external gear of a spur gear system. However, the type of drive gear 31 can be adjusted and varied according to design requirements and is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the drive gear 31 can also be any type of gear in a bevel gear system or a skew gear system, or other types of gears in a spur gear system.

[0033] In this embodiment, the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b have substantially the same structure. Therefore, for ease of explanation, the structure of a single rechargeable battery 32a and 32b will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the structures of the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b may also differ slightly.

[0034] In this embodiment, the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b are described as having a semi-circular plate-like structure, and the outer surfaces of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b include a top surface 321 and a bottom surface 322 located on opposite sides, a mating edge 323 located between the top surface 321 and the bottom surface 322, and an outer edge 324 connected to the mating edge 323 and located between the top surface 321 and the bottom surface 322.

[0035] In this invention, the top surface 321 and the bottom surface 322 are both semicircles. The mating edge 323 is generally straight and its length is approximately equal to the diameter of the semicircle. The outer edge 324 is arc-shaped with a central angle of 180 degrees. However, this invention is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments not shown in this invention, the shapes of the top surface 321 and the bottom surface 322 may be different from each other and may be shapes other than semicircles. The mating edge 323 may be a shape other than a straight line (e.g., an arc or an irregular shape), and the central angle of the outer edge 324 may be less than 180 degrees (that is, the central angle of the outer edge 324 in this invention may be no greater than 180 degrees).

[0036] Furthermore, the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b have a mating structure 325 that can engage with the drive gear 31, and the mating structure 325 is located at the mating edge 323; that is, the mating structure 325 of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b can be adjusted and varied according to the type of the drive gear 31, so that the mating structure 325 can correspond to the partial shape of the drive gear 31 in terms of shape.

[0037] In this embodiment, the mating structure 325 includes a fitting groove 3251 recessed on its outer surface (e.g., the mating edge 323), and the fitting groove 3251 is formed at the center of the outer edge 324. The shape of the fitting groove 3251 geometrically corresponds to a portion of the teeth of the drive gear 31, so that the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b can engage with the drive gear 31 (the portion of the teeth) through the fitting groove 3251, and thus be driven to rotate by the drive gear 31 (e.g., the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b rotate along a circular rotation path).

[0038] Furthermore, the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b include a plurality of electrode contacts 326, and the plurality of electrode contacts 326 have different polarities (e.g., positive and negative contacts). The plurality of electrode contacts 326 of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b are exposed on the top surface 321 and are preferably located adjacent to the mating edge 323. The plurality of electrode contacts 326 may be two sets of electrode contacts 326 located on opposite sides of the fitting groove 3251, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the plurality of electrode contacts 326 may also be exposed on the outer edge 324 of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b; or, the plurality of electrode contacts 326 may be only one set of electrode contacts 326 (e.g., positive and negative contacts).

[0039] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the mobile carrier 1 can be a robotic vacuum cleaner or an automated trolley for transporting items, but the type of mobile carrier 1 can be changed according to design requirements and is not limited to this embodiment. It includes a carrier body 11, a drive unit 12 mounted on the carrier body 11, at least one mechanical positioner 13 and at least one optical positioner 14 mounted on the side end of the carrier body 11, and a plurality of conductive strips 15 disposed inside the carrier body 11. It should be noted that in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the mechanical positioner 13, the optical positioner 14, and the plurality of conductive strips 15 of the mobile carrier 1 can be omitted or replaced with other components.

[0040] More specifically, the carrier body 11 has a power supply groove 111 recessed on its outer surface (e.g., the side end), and the power supply groove 111 is configured to accommodate one of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b. However, the shape of the power supply groove 111 can be adjusted and varied according to design requirements and is not limited to the drawings of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the inner sidewall of the power supply groove 111 is arc-shaped and its central angle is approximately 180 degrees. However, in other embodiments not shown in this invention, the central angle corresponding to the inner sidewall of the power supply groove 111 may also be less than 180 degrees (that is, the central angle corresponding to the inner sidewall of the power supply groove 111 may be no greater than 180 degrees in this invention).

[0041] In this embodiment, the drive member 12 includes a plurality of drive wheels 121, a caster wheel 122, and a driver 123 (e.g., a motor) that drives the plurality of drive wheels 121 and / or the caster wheel 122 to rotate, for movement on a working surface (e.g., the ground). That is, the mobile vehicle 1 (or the mobile device 10) can move on the working surface via the drive member 12. Furthermore, in other embodiments of the invention not shown, the drive member 12 may also be formed of other components (e.g., mating rollers and a driver, or mating belts and a driver).

[0042] It should be noted that in the mobile vehicle 1 described in this embodiment, the number of mechanical positioners 13 and the number of optical positioners 14 are each described as two. The two mechanical positioners 13 are located next to the opening of the power supply slot 111 (e.g., on opposite sides of the opening), while the two optical positioners 14 are respectively adjacent to the two mechanical positioners 13. However, for ease of understanding, only a single mechanical positioner 13 and a single optical positioner 14 will be described below.

[0043] More specifically, such as Figure 6 , Figure 7 ,and Figure 9 As shown, the mechanism positioner 13 includes an elastic element 131 (e.g., a spring) installed within the carrier body 11, a latch 132 connected to the elastic element 131, and a positioning switch 133 positioned corresponding to the latch 132. The latch 132 is inclined to an operating position (e.g., a portion of the slot is covered) by the elastic element 131. Figure 7 and Figure 8 Furthermore, the latch 132 can be pressed and moved from the operating position to a battery swapping position (e.g., ...). Figure 9 and Figure 10( ), so as to leave the slot. Furthermore, the positioning switch 133 is electrically coupled to the charging station 2, and the positioning switch 133 can be wirelessly connected to the charging station 2.

[0044] like Figures 4 to 6 As shown, the multiple conductive strips 15 have different polarities (e.g., positive conductive strips and negative conductive strips). In this embodiment, the multiple conductive strips 15 are exposed on the top wall of the power supply groove 111, and the multiple conductive strips 15 are distributed in concentric circles at intervals, with each conductive strip 15 being annular and its center approximately overlapping the center of the power supply groove 111.

[0045] The above describes the structure of the battery swapping module 3 and the mobile vehicle 1. One of the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b in the battery swapping module 3 is mounted in the power supply slot 111 and used to supply the power required for the operation of the mobile vehicle 1. The following will describe the cooperation relationship between the mobile vehicle 1 and the one rechargeable battery 32a mounted thereon (that is, the mobile device 10).

[0046] The mechanism positioner 13 of the mobile carrier 1 and the inner wall of the power supply slot 111 are used to jointly position the rechargeable battery 32a within the mobile carrier 1. In this embodiment, the mobile carrier 1 uses the latch 132 located in the operating position and the inner wall of the power supply slot 111 to jointly position the rechargeable battery 32a, and the plurality of electrode contacts 326 of the rechargeable battery 32a respectively abut against the plurality of conductive strips 15.

[0047] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 ,and Figure 9 As shown, when the latch 132 is in the battery swapping position, the rechargeable battery 32a can be driven to rotate along the inner wall of the power supply groove 111 by engaging the drive gear 31 through the mating structure 325, and the plurality of conductive strips 15 remain in contact with the plurality of electrode contacts 326 of the rechargeable battery 32a.

[0048] The above describes the cooperation relationship between the mobile vehicle 1 and the rechargeable battery 32a it carries. The following describes the structure of the charging station 2, and then the connection relationship between the charging station 2 and other components.

[0049] like Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, the charging station 2 is configured in a fixed position, and in this embodiment, the charging station 2 is electrically coupled to a mains socket (not shown) to obtain power from the mains socket. More specifically, the charging station 2 has a charging groove 21 recessed on its outer surface, the inner sidewall of the charging groove 21 being arc-shaped with a central angle of approximately 180 degrees. The charging groove 21 is configured to accommodate one of the rechargeable batteries 32b, and the shape of the charging groove 21 can be adjusted and varied according to design requirements, and is not limited to the figures of this embodiment. For example, in other embodiments not shown in this invention, the central angle corresponding to the inner sidewall of the charging station 2 may also be less than 180 degrees (that is, the central angle corresponding to the inner sidewall of the charging station 2 in this invention may be no greater than 180 degrees).

[0050] Furthermore, the charging station 2 includes at least one optical locator 23 and at least one mechanical locator 22, which correspond functionally and positionally to at least one optical locator 23 and at least one mechanical locator 22 of the mobile vehicle 1, respectively. In the charging station 2 of this embodiment, the number of mechanical locators 22 and the number of optical locators 23 are each described as two, and the two mechanical locators 22 are located next to the opening of the charging slot 21 (e.g., on opposite sides of the opening), while the two optical locators 23 are respectively adjacent to the two mechanical locators 22. However, for ease of understanding, this embodiment only describes a single mechanical locator 22 and a single optical locator 23.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the drive gear 31 is installed in the charging station 2, and the drive gear 31 is located in the opening of the charging slot 21 (e.g., at the center of the charging slot 21), so that the drive gear 31 and the inner wall of the charging slot 21 jointly position a rechargeable battery 32b in the charging station 2. In addition, the drive gear 31 is preferably detachably or movably disposed in the opening of the charging slot 21, so that the drive gear 31 can be removed from the opening of the charging slot 21 as needed.

[0052] Furthermore, the charging station 2 includes a drive mechanism (not shown) capable of driving the drive gear 31 to rotate, and the drive mechanism is, for example, a motor and a transmission gear set connected to the motor, so that the motor can drive the drive gear 31 to rotate through the transmission gear set, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the linkage between the drive mechanism and the drive gear 31 can also be implemented in other ways (e.g., the drive gear 31 is directly driven to rotate by the motor).

[0053] In addition, the charging station 2 in this embodiment also includes a plurality of charging bars 24, and the plurality of charging bars 24 have different polarities (e.g., positive charging bars and negative charging bars). In this embodiment, the plurality of charging bars 24 are exposed on the top wall of the charging slot 21, and the plurality of charging bars 24 are distributed in concentric circles at intervals, and each charging bar 24 is annular and its center roughly overlaps with the center of the inner sidewall of the charging slot 21.

[0054] Furthermore, the plurality of electrode contacts 326 of the rechargeable battery 32b respectively abut against the plurality of charging strips 24, thereby enabling the rechargeable battery 32b to obtain power from the mains socket through the plurality of charging strips 24 of the charging slot 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the charging station 2 may also be provided with a plurality of charging metal pads with positions respectively corresponding to the plurality of electrode contacts 326, for connecting the plurality of electrode contacts 326 of the plurality of rechargeable batteries 32b respectively.

[0055] The above describes the structure of the automated battery swapping equipment 100. The following describes the operation mode of the automated battery swapping equipment 100. The mobile device 10 can be in a mobile operation state relative to the charging station 2 (e.g., ...). Figures 6 to 8 ) or a static power-swapping state (e.g.: Figures 9 to 11 When the mobile device 10 is in the mobile operation state, it can perform its own operation (such as a sweeping robot performing sweeping operations, or an automated trolley performing conveying operations); and when the power of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b carried by the mobile device 10 drops to a preset charging threshold, it will move toward the charging station 2.

[0056] More specifically, such as Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the mobile device 10 can move towards the charging station 2 through the cooperation of the two optical positioners 14 and 23. When the mobile carrier 1 moves towards the charging station 2, the mobile carrier 1 and the charging station 2 can be engaged by the two mechanical positioners 13 and 22 (e.g., the latch 132 can be pressed by the mechanical positioner 22 of the charging station 2, moving from the operating position to the battery swapping position and leaving the corresponding slot), thus placing the mobile carrier 1 in the stationary battery swapping state. Furthermore, the engagement of the latch 132 and the mechanical positioner 22 (e.g., the latch 132 and the mechanical positioner 22 engage with each other through a convex-concave fit) can also fix the mobile carrier 1 and the charging station 2 to prevent them from separating.

[0057] like Figures 9 to 11As shown, when the mobile device 10 is in the stationary battery-swapping state, the latch 132 is located at the battery-swapping position and can trigger the positioning switch 133, causing the positioning switch 133 to send a start signal to the charging station 2, thereby driving the drive gear 31 to rotate. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the charging station 2 may also receive instructions from other components to drive the drive gear 31, so that the positioning switch 133 can be omitted or replaced by other components.

[0058] More specifically, when the mobile device 10 is in the stationary battery swapping state, the center of the inner sidewall of the power supply slot 111 overlaps with the center of the inner sidewall of the charging slot 21, and the drive gear 31 meshes with the mating structure 325 of each of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b to drive it to rotate about any one of the centers as the axis of rotation until the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b exchange positions with each other.

[0059] In this embodiment, when the mobile device 10 is in the stationary battery swapping state, the engagement slots 3251 of the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b respectively engage with opposite sides of the drive gear 31 (e.g., the engagement slots 3251 of the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b engage with all the teeth of the drive gear 31), so that the drive gear 31 can synchronously drive the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b to rotate. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the drive gear 31 may also engage only with the matching structure 325 of one of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b to drive it to rotate about any one of the centers of rotation until the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b exchange positions with each other.

[0060] Furthermore, when the mobile device 10 is in the stationary battery swapping state, the plurality of conductive strips 15 remain in contact with the plurality of electrode contacts 326 of at least one of the rechargeable batteries 32a, 32b (e.g., ...). Figure 4 and Figure 5 This allows the mobile vehicle 1 to achieve uninterrupted power supply by electrically coupling it to at least one of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b via a plurality of the conductive strips 15. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mobile vehicle 1 can also be electrically coupled to the charging station 2 via the engagement of the two mechanism positioners 13 and 22, so that the mobile device 10 can obtain power from the charging station 2 when in the stationary battery swapping state.

[0061] [Example 2]

[0062] Please see Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, this is Embodiment Two of the present invention. Since this embodiment is similar to Embodiment One described above, the similarities between the two embodiments will not be repeated. The differences between this embodiment and Embodiment One are roughly explained as follows:

[0063] In this embodiment, the automated battery swapping device 100 further includes a plurality of lateral auxiliary wheels 5 and a plurality of forward auxiliary wheels 6. The plurality of lateral auxiliary wheels 5 are respectively located between the inner wall of the power supply trough 111 and the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b mounted thereon, and between the inner wall of the charging trough 21 and the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b mounted thereon. Furthermore, the plurality of forward auxiliary wheels 6 are respectively located between the bottom wall of the power supply trough 111 and the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b mounted thereon, and between the bottom wall of the charging trough 21 and the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b mounted thereon.

[0064] It should be further noted that, in this embodiment, the plurality of lateral auxiliary wheels 5 and the plurality of forward auxiliary wheels 6 are limited to rotating only by friction with the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b, and are not driven by other components. That is to say, the rolling elements that can be driven by components other than the rechargeable batteries are different from the lateral auxiliary wheels 5 or the forward auxiliary wheels 6 in this embodiment.

[0065] Accordingly, when the mobile carrier 1 is in the stationary battery swapping state, the two rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b can rotate along the inner wall and bottom wall of the power supply trough 111 and the inner wall and bottom wall of the charging trough 21 via the plurality of lateral auxiliary wheels 5 and the plurality of forward auxiliary wheels 6, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present invention not shown, the automated battery swapping device 100 may omit the plurality of lateral auxiliary wheels 5 or the plurality of forward auxiliary wheels 6.

[0066] [Example 3]

[0067] Please see Figure 14 As shown, this is Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Since this embodiment is similar to Embodiments 1 and 2 above, the similarities between the above embodiments will not be repeated. The differences between this embodiment and Embodiments 1 and 2 are roughly explained as follows:

[0068] In this embodiment, the mating edges 323 of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b can be arc-shaped, and the mating edges 323 are flush with the surface of the adjacent carrier body 11, thereby making the mobile device 10 approximately circular in shape. Furthermore, the structure of the mobile carrier 1 and the charging station 2 is designed with corresponding structural adjustments based on the mating edges 323 of the rechargeable batteries 32a and 32b and design requirements.

[0069] [Example 4]

[0070] Please see Figure 15 As shown, this is Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Since this embodiment is similar to Embodiments 1 to 3 described above, the similarities between the above embodiments will not be repeated. The differences between this embodiment and Embodiments 1 to 3 are roughly explained as follows:

[0071] In this embodiment, the automated battery swapping device 100 further includes a pair of alignment mechanisms 4 installed on the charging station 2. The charging station 2 is configured in the fixed position via the alignment mechanisms 4, allowing it to oscillate elastically. In this embodiment, the charging station 2 is electrically coupled to a mains outlet (not shown) to obtain power from the mains outlet.

[0072] More specifically, when the mobile device 10 moves toward and comes into contact with the charging station 2, the charging station 2 can be passively oscillated by the alignment mechanism 4 to bring the mobile vehicle 1 into the stationary battery-swapping state. That is, when there is a slight deviation in the relative position between the mobile device 10 and the charging station 2, the charging station 2 can be passively oscillated by the alignment mechanism 4 to compensate for the deviation, thereby enabling the mobile device 10 and the charging station 2 to achieve precise alignment.

[0073] [Technical Effects of the Embodiments of the Invention]

[0074] In summary, the automated battery swapping equipment, mobile device, and rechargeable battery disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention can facilitate the automated replacement of the rechargeable battery through the structural design of the rechargeable battery and its structural combination with other components (such as the drive gear, the mobile vehicle, and / or the charging station).

[0075] Furthermore, the automated battery swapping equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, through a specific structural design (such as: a plurality of mutually cooperating mechanical positioners; a plurality of mutually cooperating optical positioners; or the alignment mechanism), enables the mobile device to effectively achieve precise alignment with each other when moving toward the charging station.

[0076] Furthermore, the automated battery swapping device disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention enables the mobile device to achieve uninterrupted power supply when in the stationary battery swapping state through a specific structural design (such as: the combination between the multiple conductive strips of the mobile vehicle and the multiple electrode contacts of the two rechargeable batteries; or, the mobile vehicle being electrically coupled to the charging station through the mutual engagement of the two mechanism positioners).

[0077] The content disclosed above is only a preferred and feasible embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent technical changes made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings are included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated battery swapping device, characterized in that, The automatic battery swapping device comprises: a mobile carrier comprising: a carrier body formed with a power supply slot recessed in the outer surface of the carrier body, the inner side wall of the power supply slot being arc-shaped and the central angle of the power supply slot being no more than 180 degrees; and a driving member installed on the carrier body and used to travel on a working surface; a charging station configured at a fixed position and formed with a charging slot recessed in the outer surface of the charging station, the inner side wall of the charging slot being arc-shaped and the central angle of the charging slot being no more than 180 degrees; and a battery swapping module comprising: a driving gear installed on at least one of the mobile carrier and the charging station and capable of being driven by the power provided by the charging station; and two charging batteries each having a matching structure capable of engaging with the driving gear, one of the two charging batteries being carried in the power supply slot and used to supply the power required for the operation of the mobile carrier, and the other charging battery being installed in the charging slot; wherein the mobile carrier and the charging battery carried by the mobile carrier are combined to define a mobile device, and the mobile device can be in a mobile operation state or a static battery swapping state relative to the charging station; wherein when the mobile device is in the static battery swapping state, the centers of the inner side walls of the power supply slot and the charging slot overlap, and the driving gear engages with the matching structure of at least one of the charging batteries to drive the driving gear to rotate around either of the centers until the two charging batteries are interchanged with each other; wherein the mobile carrier and the charging station each comprise a mechanism positioner; the mechanism positioner of the mobile carrier is arranged beside the slot opening of the power supply slot, and the mechanism positioner of the mobile carrier and the inner side wall of the power supply slot together position one of the charging batteries in the mobile carrier; the mechanism positioner of the mobile carrier comprises: a resilient member installed in the carrier body; and a clasp connected to the resilient member; wherein the clasp is inclined to an operating position that shields the slot opening by the resilient member to together position one of the charging batteries with the inner side wall of the power supply slot; 2. The battery swapping station of claim 1, wherein wherein when the mobile device moves towards the charging station, the clasp can be pressed by the mechanism positioner of the charging station to move from the operating position to a battery swapping position away from the slot opening, so that the mobile carrier and the charging station can be electrically coupled by the engagement of the two mechanism positioners, and the mobile device is in the static battery swapping state and can obtain power from the charging station. The matching structure of each of the charging batteries comprises an insertion slot recessed in the outer surface of the matching structure, and the shape of each of the insertion slots corresponds to part of the gear teeth of the driving gear in geometry, so that any of the charging batteries can be driven to rotate by engaging the insertion slot with the driving gear.

3. The battery swapping station of claim 2, wherein, When the mobile device is in the stationary battery swapping state, the drive gear is located at either of the circle centers, and the engagement slots of the two charging batteries are engaged on opposite sides of the drive gear, so that the drive gear can synchronously drive the two charging batteries to rotate.

4. The battery swapping station of claim 3, wherein, The drive gear is mounted and electrically coupled to the charging station, and the drive gear is co-located with the inner side wall of the charging slot for one of the charging batteries in the charging station.

5. The battery swapping station of claim 1, wherein, The automated battery swapping device further comprises a pair of alignment mechanisms, and the charging station is arranged at the fixed position by the alignment mechanisms; when the mobile device moves towards and abuts against the charging station, the charging station can be passively swung by the alignment mechanisms, so that the mobile device is in the stationary battery swapping state.

6. The battery swapping kiosk of claim 1, wherein, The mobile carrier and the charging station each comprise an optical positioner, and the mobile device can move towards the charging station by cooperation of the two optical positioners.

7. The battery swapping kiosk of claim 1, wherein, The mechanism positioner of the mobile carrier further comprises a position switch corresponding to the tenon, and the position switch is electrically coupled to the charging station; when the tenon is located at the battery swapping position, the position switch can be triggered to send a start signal to the charging station, thereby driving the drive gear to operate. 8.The battery swapping kiosk of claim 1, wherein, The mobile carrier comprises a plurality of conductive strips arranged on the carrier body, each of the charging batteries comprises a plurality of electrode contacts, and the charging batteries carried by the mobile carrier have the plurality of electrode contacts of the charging batteries abutting against the plurality of conductive strips, respectively; when the mobile device is in the stationary battery swapping state, the plurality of conductive strips keep abutting against the plurality of electrode contacts of at least one of the charging batteries.

9. The battery swapping kiosk of claim 8, wherein, Each of the conductive strips is in the shape of a circular ring, and the circle centers of the conductive strips are overlapped with the circle centers of the power supply slots, and the plurality of conductive strips are distributed in the shape of concentric circles.

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