Battery pack replacement system and replacement method

Abstract

The present application provides a battery pack replacement system and replacement method, which relate to the field of new energy technology. The replacement system includes a line laser sensor, a control device and a battery replacement device; the line laser sensor is used to obtain the contour information of the battery pack with insufficient power, and determine the first relative position of the battery pack with insufficient power relative to the line laser sensor based on the contour information; the control device is connected to the line laser sensor and the battery replacement device signal respectively, and the control device is used to determine the replacement position of the battery pack with insufficient power within the replacement area based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor relative to the replacement area; and determine the replacement route based on the replacement position, and control the battery replacement device to replace the battery pack with insufficient power according to the replacement route. By obtaining the contour information of the battery pack with insufficient power, determining the replacement position of the battery pack with insufficient power according to the contour information and replacing the battery pack with insufficient power, the defect of the positioning part being blocked is eliminated, and the battery replacement efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of new energy technology, and in particular to a battery pack replacement system and replacement method. Background Art

[0002] With the continuous acceleration of economic development, the number of cars owned per capita is also increasing. However, gasoline and diesel, the main power sources of cars, produce a large amount of pollutants when burned, seriously affecting the natural environment. Therefore, new energy vehicles have been vigorously promoted and developed, and electric vehicles are widely used in new energy vehicles.

[0003] Some electric vehicles in the related art use a method of directly connecting to an external power source to charge the battery in the car. However, due to the large capacity of the battery in some cars, direct charging takes a long time, which reduces the working efficiency of the large vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to improve efficiency by directly replacing the battery pack of the car. Under this battery replacement method, the replacement method of the replacement system in the related art is to park the car carrying the battery pack with a defective battery pack in the replacement area, and then use the battery replacement device located on the top of the defective battery pack to grab the defective battery pack and replace it. In this process, a visual camera is installed on the battery replacement device, and the visual camera obtains the information of the positioning part installed on the top of the defective battery pack, and then obtains the replacement position of the defective battery pack based on the information of the positioning part. Thereafter, the battery replacement device moves to the top of the battery pack and replaces the battery pack.

[0004] However, during the replacement process of the defective battery pack in the above-mentioned related technology, the visual camera cannot obtain complete information of the positioning part, resulting in battery replacement failure, reducing the success rate of locating the defective battery pack, and further reducing the battery replacement efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a battery pack replacement system and replacement method, which can directly obtain the replacement position of the deficient battery pack based on the contour information of the deficient battery pack, and replace the deficient battery pack according to the replacement position, eliminating the defect of the positioning part being blocked, improving the success rate of locating the deficient battery pack, and thereby improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, the embodiments of the present application provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] One aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack replacement system for replacing a battery pack that is deficient in power and is located in a replacement area. The replacement system includes a line laser sensor, a control device, and a battery replacement device.

[0008] The line laser sensor is used to obtain contour information of the power-deficient battery pack and determine a first relative position of the power-deficient battery pack relative to the line laser sensor based on the contour information;

[0009] The control device is connected to the line laser sensor and the battery exchange device signals respectively. The control device is used to determine the replacement position of the deficient battery pack in the replacement area based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor relative to the replacement area; and determine the replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack based on the replacement position, and control the battery exchange device to replace the deficient battery pack according to the replacement route.

[0010] By adding a line laser sensor to the replacement system of the deficient battery pack and using the line laser sensor to locate the deficient battery pack in the replacement area, the defect of the positioning part being blocked is eliminated, and the influence of other light on the positioning is avoided, thereby improving the success rate of locating the deficient battery pack and thus improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0011] Based on the above technical solution, the embodiment of the present application can also be improved as follows.

[0012] Furthermore, the line laser sensor is arranged obliquely above the deficient battery pack so that the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor is irradiated on the first side edge of the deficient battery pack, as well as on the first side surface and the second side surface adjacent to the first side edge.

[0013] Another aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a method for replacing a battery pack, the method comprising:

[0014] When the line laser sensor detects a defective battery pack in the replacement area, it obtains the outline information of the defective battery pack;

[0015] The line laser sensor determines a first relative position of the power-deficient battery pack relative to a sensor position of the line laser sensor based on the contour information;

[0016] The control device determines a replacement position of the deficient battery pack within the replacement area based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor relative to the replacement area, determines a replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack based on the replacement position, and sends the replacement route to the battery replacement device;

[0017] The battery replacement device replaces the deficient battery pack according to the replacement route.

[0018] Furthermore, the step of obtaining the contour information of the battery pack with a power shortage by the line laser sensor includes:

[0019] The line laser sensor emits a line laser toward the first side edge, the first side surface, and the second side surface of the battery pack having insufficient power, so as to form a first contour line on the first side surface and a second contour line on the second side surface. The first contour line and the second contour line intersect at the first side edge, and the intersection area of the first side surface and the second side surface forms the first side edge.

[0020] The line laser sensor acquires a plurality of first coordinates of a plurality of points on the first contour line relative to the line laser sensor, and acquires a plurality of second coordinates of a plurality of points on the second contour line relative to the line laser sensor;

[0021] The line laser sensor obtains contour information of the power-deficient battery pack according to the multiple first coordinates and the multiple second coordinates.

[0022] Furthermore, the step of obtaining the contour information of the battery pack with a power shortage according to the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates by the line laser sensor includes:

[0023] The line laser sensor determines, based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates, whether the battery pack having a power shortage has a position deviation relative to the sensor position. If not, the line laser sensor obtains contour information based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates at this time. If so, the following steps are performed;

[0024] Adjust the position of the defective battery pack within the replacement area based on the position deviation;

[0025] The line laser sensor reacquires the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates, and re-determines whether there is a position deviation based on the reacquired plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates.

[0026] Furthermore, the step of the line laser sensor determining whether the battery pack with a power shortage has a position deviation relative to the sensor position based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates includes:

[0027] The line laser sensor determines a deviation value for determining the magnitude of the position deviation based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates and a deviation formula; the deviation formula is:

[0028] θ=tan -1 (α, β)

[0029] The line laser sensor determines whether the battery pack has position deviation based on the deviation value. If the deviation value is zero, the battery pack has no position deviation. If the deviation value is not zero, the battery pack has position deviation.

[0030] Among them, θ is the deviation value, α is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line, β is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line, α is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line, and β is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line.

[0031] Furthermore, the replacement route includes a disassembly route for disassembling the deficient battery pack and an installation route for installing a spare battery pack for replacing the deficient battery pack.

[0032] Furthermore, the steps of replacing the battery pack with a power shortage according to the replacement route include:

[0033] The battery replacement device removes the deficient battery pack from the replacement area according to the disassembly route;

[0034] The battery replacement device transfers the spare battery pack to the replacement area according to the installation route.

[0035] Furthermore, the radiation angle of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor ranges from 10° to 30°.

[0036] Furthermore, the wavelength of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor is in the range of 400 nm to 700 nm.

[0037] An embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack replacement method and a battery swap station. The method uses a line laser sensor to directly obtain the contour information of the deficient battery pack, determines the replacement position of the deficient battery pack based on the contour information, and replaces the deficient battery pack based on the replacement position. This eliminates the defect of the positioning part being blocked, improves the success rate of locating the deficient battery pack, and thereby improves the battery swap efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, a brief introduction will be given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0039] Figure 1 A flowchart of replacing a battery pack according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a low-power battery pack in the related art;

[0041] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Flowchart of the centerline laser sensor acquiring the outline information of a power-deficient battery pack;

[0042] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A flowchart for determining whether a power-deficient battery pack has a position deviation relative to a sensor position;

[0043] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a line laser sensor provided in an embodiment of the present application forming a first contour line and a second contour line on a battery pack with low power;

[0044] Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of a battery pack replacement system provided in another embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the battery replacement device grabbing the battery pack in the replacement system.

[0046] Description of reference numerals:

[0047] 100. Battery pack is out of power;

[0048] 110, first side edge; 120, first side surface; 130, second side surface; 140, positioning portion;

[0049] 141. Identify the frame; 142. Identify the hole;

[0050] 200, Line laser sensor;

[0051] 210, first contour line; 220, second contour line;

[0052] 300, control device;

[0053] 400, battery replacement device;

[0054] 500, track;

[0055] 600. Change area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] As described in the background technology, in the battery replacement process of the related technology, the battery replacement device equipped with a visual camera moves to the top of the battery pack with deficient power. The visual camera captures the position of the positioning part installed on the top of the battery pack with deficient power, and obtains the position of the battery pack with deficient power through the position of the positioning part.

[0057] However, the aforementioned related art suffers from a defect in the positioning portion of a battery pack with a defective battery during replacement. The inventors have discovered that this problem arises because, during actual use, the positioning portion on the top of the battery pack is exposed to the outside environment and is partially or completely covered by obstructions. This prevents the visual camera from obtaining complete information about the positioning portion, leading to battery replacement failures and reducing the success rate of locating the battery pack, thereby reducing battery replacement efficiency.

[0058] In response to the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack replacement method and a battery swap station. By using a line laser sensor to directly obtain the contour information of the deficient battery pack, the replacement position of the deficient battery pack is determined according to the contour information, and the deficient battery pack is replaced, the defect of the positioning part being blocked is eliminated, the success rate of locating the deficient battery pack is improved, and the battery swap efficiency is thereby improved.

[0059] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the embodiments of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0060] Example 1

[0061] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 6 One aspect of an embodiment of the present application provides a method for replacing a battery pack, which may include:

[0062] In step S101 , when the line laser sensor 200 detects that a defective battery pack 100 exists in the replacement area 600 , the line laser sensor 200 obtains contour information of the defective battery pack 100 .

[0063] refer to Figure 6In some embodiments, the replacement area 600 can be an area marked on the ground, allowing the driver to directly drive the vehicle with the defective battery pack 100 installed into the replacement area 600. The line laser sensor 200 then detects the presence of the defective battery pack 100 within the replacement area 600 and simultaneously begins acquiring contour information of the defective battery pack 100. The replacement area 600 can also be provided with a track 500 for moving the vehicle, with a portion of the track 500 extending beyond the replacement area 600. When the vehicle is about to enter the replacement area 600, the driver first drives the vehicle onto the track 500, which is then used to transport the vehicle into the replacement area 600. At this point, the line laser sensor 200 detects the presence of the defective battery pack 100 within the replacement area 600 and simultaneously acquires contour information of the defective battery pack 100.

[0064] In step S102 , the line laser sensor 200 determines a first relative position of the defective battery pack 100 relative to the sensor position based on the contour information.

[0065] In some embodiments, the first relative position of the defective battery pack 100 relative to the sensor position is determined by the positions of the line laser sensor 200 and the defective battery pack 100, that is, the position of the line laser sensor 200 can be used as the origin. When the line laser is emitted to the defective battery pack 100, the position of the defective battery pack 100 relative to the line laser sensor 200, that is, the first relative position, can be obtained.

[0066] In step S103, the control device 300 determines the replacement position of the deficient battery pack 100 in the replacement area 600 based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor 200 relative to the replacement area 600, and determines the replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack 100 based on the replacement position, and sends the replacement route to the battery replacement device 400.

[0067] In a specific implementation, the second relative position can be based on the replacement area 600 to determine a certain orientation of the line laser sensor 200 in the replacement area 600. For example, when the replacement area 600 is a square, the line laser sensor 200 is located diagonally above a certain vertex corner of the replacement area 600. The position diagonally above relative to the replacement area 600 is the second relative position. When the position of the line laser sensor 200 is determined, the second relative position is also determined successively.

[0068] Specifically, after the control device 300 obtains the first relative position and the second relative position, it can calculate the replacement position of the deficient battery pack 100 in the replacement area 600 according to a certain algorithm, and based on the replacement position, generate a replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack 100, and further send the replacement route to the battery replacement device 400.

[0069] In step S104 , the battery replacement device 400 replaces the deficient battery pack 100 according to the replacement route.

[0070] In some embodiments, after receiving the replacement route sent by the control device, the battery replacement device 400 will replace the deficient battery pack 100 according to the replacement route.

[0071] The battery pack replacement method of the embodiment of the present application directly obtains the contour information of the deficient battery pack 100 by using a line laser sensor 200, determines the replacement position of the deficient battery pack 100 according to the contour information, and replaces the deficient battery pack 100 according to the replacement position. This method eliminates the defect of the positioning part being blocked, improves the success rate of locating the deficient battery pack 100, and thereby improves the battery replacement efficiency.

[0072] refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the battery pack replacement method of the related art requires installing a positioning portion 140 on the top of the defective battery pack 100. This positioning portion 140 includes an identification frame 141 and an identification hole 142 provided on the identification frame 141. To determine the replacement position of the defective battery pack 100, the visual camera needs to capture complete information about the positioning portion 140. This positioning portion information may include information such as the structure or shape of the identification frame 141 or the identification hole 142.

[0073] Due to the influence of the external environment, the identification frame 141 or the identification hole 142 may be covered by other obstructions, and the visual camera may be unable to obtain complete information about the positioning portion 140, resulting in failure to locate the defective battery pack 100 and reducing the success rate of locating the defective battery pack 100. Therefore, before the visual camera can obtain the position of the defective battery pack 100, it is necessary to first clear the obstructions covering the positioning portion 140, which makes the battery replacement process cumbersome and reduces the replacement efficiency of the defective battery pack 100. Specifically, obstructions can include snow, leaves, plastic products, cloth, paper, etc. that can partially or completely cover the positioning portion 140.

[0074] The replacement method in the embodiment of the present application directly obtains the outline information of the defective battery pack 100, eliminating the need to install the identification frame 141 and identification hole 142 on the top of the defective battery pack 100. This reduces the production cost of the battery pack and eliminates the defect of being unable to locate the defective battery pack 100 due to obstruction of the positioning portion 140, thereby improving the success rate of locating the defective battery pack 100. Furthermore, since it is no longer necessary to obtain information about the positioning portion 140, the steps of checking and clearing obstructions on the positioning portion 140 are omitted, thereby improving the efficiency of replacing the defective battery pack 100.

[0075] In some embodiments, a line laser sensor 200 with high positioning accuracy is used to locate the battery pack 100 that has low power. The repeatability of the positioning accuracy is less than or equal to 100 μm, which can significantly reduce the number of calibrations and improve the battery replacement efficiency.

[0076] The maturity of related-art visual recognition algorithms significantly impacts the accuracy of locating the dead battery pack 100, requiring constant bug fixes and resulting in high maintenance costs. Compared to related-art recognition algorithms, the line laser sensor 200 in this embodiment integrates an algorithm that processes the contour information of the detected object and uses this algorithm to determine the relative position, improving detection accuracy and reducing maintenance costs.

[0077] In some embodiments, when the position of a car within the replacement area 600 needs to be adjusted, the car must be driven to perform the adjustment, resulting in a large error between the actual result and the target, affecting the battery replacement efficiency. However, by providing a track 500 within the replacement area 600 for transporting and adjusting the car's orientation, the car is driven onto the track 500 and then the track 500 is controlled to adjust the car's orientation. This avoids the large errors caused by manual operation and thereby improves the battery replacement efficiency of the depleted battery pack 100.

[0078] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the step of the line laser sensor 200 acquiring the contour information of the battery pack 100 having insufficient power includes:

[0079] In step S301, the line laser sensor 200 emits a line laser toward the first side edge 110, the first side surface 120, and the second side surface 130 of the power-deficient battery pack 100 to form a first contour line 210 on the first side surface 120 and a second contour line 220 on the second side surface 130. The first contour line 210 and the second contour line 220 intersect on the first side edge 110, and the intersection area of the first side surface 120 and the second side surface 130 forms the first side edge 110.

[0080] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 5 The shape of the low-power battery pack 100 in the embodiment of the present application is the same as that of battery packs in related art, and can be a rectangular parallelepiped. A line laser sensor 200 is disposed on a side of the low-power battery pack 100. The side edge of the low-power battery pack 100 closest to the line laser sensor 200 is a first side edge 110, and the two side surfaces adjacent to the first side edge 110 are a first side surface 120 and a second side surface 130. The line laser sensor 200 emits a line laser toward the low-power battery pack 100, forming a first contour line 210 on the first side surface 120 and a second contour line 220 on the second side surface 130. The first contour line 210 and the second contour line 220 intersect at the first side edge 110.

[0081] In step S302 , the line laser sensor 200 obtains a plurality of first coordinates of a plurality of points on the first contour line 210 relative to the line laser sensor 200 , and obtains a plurality of second coordinates of a plurality of points on the second contour line 220 relative to the line laser sensor 200 .

[0082] In some embodiments, the first contour line 210 is formed by the convergence of multiple points, and each point has a first coordinate formed with the line laser sensor 200 as the origin. That is, the first contour line 210 includes multiple first coordinates of multiple points relative to the line laser sensor 200. Similarly, the second contour line 220 also includes multiple second coordinates of multiple points relative to the line laser sensor 200.

[0083] In step S303 , the line laser sensor 200 obtains contour information of the defective battery pack 100 according to the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates.

[0084] In some embodiments, the line laser sensor 200 confirms information about the first side 120, the second side 130, and the first side edge 110 of the power-deficient battery pack 100 illuminated by the line laser sensor 200, that is, the contour information of the power-deficient battery pack 100, based on the multiple first coordinates and the multiple second coordinates contained in the acquired first contour line 210 and the second contour line 220.

[0085] In some embodiments, the visual camera of the related technology needs to obtain the information of the positioning part with the help of an external light source. The external light can be sunlight, lamplight, and the fill light source on the battery pack 100 with insufficient power. Therefore, the recognition function of the visual camera is easily affected by the intensity of the external light. Specifically, when the light emitted by the external light source is weak, the light at the positioning part is relatively dark, and the visual camera cannot obtain clear information about the positioning part, resulting in failure to locate the battery pack 100 with insufficient power; when the light is strong, it also interferes with the recognition process of the visual camera. Therefore, during the replacement process, in order to clearly obtain the information of the positioning part, it is necessary to continuously adjust the brightness of the light source according to the brightness of the light in the battery replacement environment, which leads to a decrease in the battery replacement efficiency of the battery pack 100 with insufficient power.

[0086] The line laser sensor 200 of the present embodiment features light resistance, high resolution, and high measurement accuracy, and can be used in areas such as product size detection, robot motion guidance, and component equipment inspection. Because the reflected light received by the line laser sensor 200 is generated by the line laser it emits, interference from external light on the positioning process is eliminated, improving positioning accuracy. Furthermore, by omitting the step of adjusting the ambient light conditions surrounding the deficient battery pack 100, the battery replacement process is simplified, improving the efficiency of battery replacement for the deficient battery pack 100.

[0087] refer to Figure 4 The step of obtaining the contour information of the power-deficient battery pack 100 by the line laser sensor 200 according to the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates includes:

[0088] In step S401, the line laser sensor 200 determines whether the power-deficient battery pack 100 has a position deviation relative to the sensor position based on multiple first coordinates and multiple second coordinates. If not, the line laser sensor 200 obtains contour information based on the multiple first coordinates and multiple second coordinates at this time. If so, the following steps S402 and S403 are executed.

[0089] refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, when there is a position deviation of the short-lived battery pack 100, the line laser sensor 200 will issue a warning, such as lighting a light or an alarm. When the position of the short-lived battery pack 100 needs to be adjusted, the car can be moved by the track 500 in the above-mentioned replacement area 600, thereby adjusting the position of the short-lived battery pack 100 on the car. After adjusting the position, repeat steps S301 to S303 to reacquire the contour information, and repeat steps S401 and S402 to re-judge the position deviation. By detecting the position deviation of the short-lived battery pack 100, it is possible to determine whether the position of the short-lived battery pack 100 at this time meets the battery replacement requirements. When the position of the short-lived battery pack 100 does not meet the battery replacement requirements, the position of the short-lived battery pack 100 can be adjusted in time, thereby improving the success rate of battery replacement and thereby improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0090] Step S402 : adjusting the position of the defective battery pack 100 in the replacement area 600 according to the position deviation.

[0091] In some embodiments, the position of the defective battery pack 100 is adjusted primarily by adjusting the position of the vehicle carrying the defective battery pack 100 within the replacement area 600. The position of the vehicle within the replacement area 600 can be adjusted by the driver driving the vehicle. If a track 500 is provided within the replacement area, the track 500 can be used to adjust the position of the vehicle within the replacement area 600.

[0092] In step S403 , the line laser sensor 200 reacquires the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates, and re-determines whether there is a position deviation based on the reacquired plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates.

[0093] The line laser sensor 200 reacquires the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates by repeating the above steps S301 and S302 , and then executes step S401 using the reacquired plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates.

[0094] In some embodiments, the step of the line laser sensor 200 determining whether the battery pack 100 has a position deviation relative to the sensor position based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates includes:

[0095] In step S501, the line laser sensor 200 determines a deviation value for determining a position deviation according to a plurality of first coordinates and a plurality of second coordinates and a deviation formula. The deviation formula is as follows:

[0096] θ=tan -1 (α, β)

[0097] Among them, θ is the deviation value, α is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line 210, β is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line 210, α is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line 220, and β is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line 220.

[0098] In some embodiments, a formula for calculating position deviation and a program for applying the deviation formula are preset in the online laser sensor 200. The parameters in the deviation formula can be adjusted as needed. For example, the relevant parameters can be adjusted according to the sensor position, the relative position of the online laser sensor 200 and the power-deficient battery pack 100, etc.

[0099] In some embodiments, the position information is substituted into the deviation formula, and the line laser sensor 200 automatically calculates the deviation value corresponding to the position information at that time.

[0100] In step S502, the line laser sensor 200 determines whether there is a position deviation of the defective battery pack 100 based on the deviation value. If the deviation value is zero, there is no position deviation of the defective battery pack 100. If the deviation value is not zero, there is a position deviation of the defective battery pack 100.

[0101] In some embodiments, upon obtaining the current deviation value, the line laser sensor 200 identifies and determines the deviation value. Specifically, if the deviation value is 0, it indicates that the battery pack 100 has no positional deviation. If the deviation value is not 0, it indicates that the battery pack 100 has a positional deviation. The line laser sensor 200 may be provided with a display device that can display the magnitude of the deviation value corresponding to the current position information.

[0102] In some embodiments, by calculating the deviation value of the deviation formula, it is possible to determine whether the defective battery pack 100 has a position deviation relative to the sensor position, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the defective battery pack 100 and further improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0103] refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the deviation value θ is the angle at which the defective battery pack 100 is deflected relative to the line laser sensor 200. A larger angle indicates a larger deviation value θ, and also indicates a larger deviation in the position of the defective battery pack 100.

[0104] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, a rectangular coordinate system is established with the position of the line laser sensor 200 as the origin, the horizontal coordinate direction being the X-axis direction, and the vertical coordinate direction being the Y-axis direction. The defective battery pack 100 may be located in the first quadrant, the second quadrant, the third quadrant, or the fourth quadrant of the rectangular coordinate system. In some embodiments, when the first side 120 of the defective battery pack 100 is parallel to the Y-axis, there is no positional deviation of the defective battery pack 100, or when the second side 130 of the defective battery pack 100 is parallel to the X-axis, there is also no positional deviation of the defective battery pack 100.

[0105] refer to Figure 6 In some embodiments, the defective battery pack 100 may be located in the first quadrant, and the deviation value is calculated using points A (x1, y1) and B (x2, y2) on the first contour line 210 as an example. Specifically, the absolute value α of the difference in distance between points A and B in the horizontal coordinate direction is |x1-x2|, and the absolute value β of the difference in distance between points A and B in the vertical coordinate direction is |y1-y2|. Substituting α and β into the above deviation formula, the deviation value θ is obtained as follows:

[0106]

[0107] When θ is equal to zero, the difference in the distance between point A and point B in the X-axis direction is equal to 0, that is, the first side surface 120 of the defective battery pack 100 remains parallel to the Y-axis direction, indicating that there is no position deviation of the defective battery pack 100 in the replacement area 600 at this time.

[0108] refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, line laser sensors 200 can also be set near several other side edges of the rectangular battery pack 100. By setting multiple line laser sensors 200, the positioning accuracy of the battery pack 100 can be further improved, and the battery replacement efficiency can be further improved.

[0109] In some embodiments, the replacement route includes a disassembly route for disassembling the defective battery pack 100 and an installation route for installing a spare battery pack for replacing the defective battery pack 100 .

[0110] In some embodiments, the process of replacing a deficient battery pack 100 includes removing the deficient battery pack 100 from a vehicle within the replacement area 600 and installing a spare battery pack on the vehicle. Therefore, after the control device 300 determines the replacement location of the deficient battery pack 100 within the replacement area 600, the control device 300 further determines the replacement route required by the battery swapping device 400 to replace the deficient battery pack 100 based on the replacement location. This replacement route includes at least a removal route for removing the deficient battery pack 100 and an installation route for installing a spare battery pack.

[0111] In some embodiments, the steps of the battery replacement device 400 replacing the deficient battery pack 100 according to the replacement route include:

[0112] In step S601 , the battery replacement device 400 removes the deficient battery pack 100 from the replacement area 600 according to the disassembly route.

[0113] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device 400 can be a robotic arm that grabs the top of the deficient battery pack 100, removes the deficient battery pack 100 from the car, and places the removed deficient battery pack 100 in a storage section for storing battery packs. The storage section can also store spare battery packs to replace the deficient battery pack 100.

[0114] In step S602, the battery swapping device 400 transfers the spare battery pack to the replacement area 600 according to the installation route. In some embodiments, the battery swapping device 400 places the disassembled low-power battery pack 100 in the storage section, then grabs the spare battery pack in the storage section, and installs the spare battery pack in the position of the original low-power battery pack 100 on the above-mentioned vehicle according to the installation route.

[0115] refer to Figure 5 In some embodiments, the radiation angle γ of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor 200 ranges from 10° to 30°. The wavelength of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor 200 ranges from 400 nm to 700 nm. Specifically, the wavelength of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor 200 is within the wavelength range of visible light. Because the line laser sensor 200 only receives reflected light from its own line laser, it can prevent other external light from interfering with the positioning process of the defective battery pack 100, thereby improving the practicality of the replacement method.

[0116] Example 2

[0117] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery pack replacement system for replacing a deficient battery pack 100 located in a replacement area 600. The replacement system includes a line laser sensor 200, a control device 300, and a battery replacement device 400. The line laser sensor 200 is used to obtain contour information of the deficient battery pack 100, and determine a first relative position of the deficient battery pack 100 relative to the line laser sensor 200 based on the contour information. The control device 300 is signal-connected to the line laser sensor 200 and the battery replacement device 400, respectively. The control device 300 is used to determine the replacement position of the deficient battery pack 100 in the replacement area 600 based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor 200 relative to the replacement area 600; and determine a replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack 100 based on the replacement position, and control the battery replacement device 400 to replace the deficient battery pack 100 based on the replacement route.

[0118] In some embodiments, the line laser sensor 200 can be a line laser measuring instrument, a laser displacement meter using triangulation, and specifically a two-dimensional or three-dimensional line laser measuring instrument. By irradiating a strip of laser light onto the surface of an object and detecting changes in the reflected light using a CMOS image sensor, it can non-contactly measure contours such as height, height difference, and width. By performing image processing on the continuously acquired contour data, the 3D shape of the object is determined, enabling high-precision measurement and detection.

[0119] In some embodiments, the control device 300 is capable of processing the relative position and the replacement position, as well as sending the replacement position information to the battery replacement device. For example, the control device 300 can be a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller). The control device 300 is preset with data information of the regional position. After receiving the data information of the relative position, the control device 300 will fit the data information of the regional position and the relative position, and calculate the replacement position of the power-deficient battery pack 100 relative to the regional position after fitting, and finally send the data information of the replacement position to the battery replacement device 400. By processing the regional position and relative position data.

[0120] In other embodiments, the battery pack replacement system may further include a track 500 for transporting the deficient battery pack 100 to the replacement area 600. The track 500 may extend outside the replacement area 600. In a specific implementation, a vehicle carrying the deficient battery pack 100 is driven onto the track 500 outside the replacement area 600. The track 500 then transports the vehicle into the replacement area 600, and the deficient battery pack 100 on the vehicle is replaced.

[0121] refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7In a specific implementation, the battery replacement device 400 can be located above the replacement area 600, and can be removed from the car and moved out of the replacement area 600 by grabbing the top of the deficient battery pack 100.

[0122] Continue to refer Figure 6 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the line laser sensor 200 is disposed obliquely above the deficient battery pack 100 so that the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor 200 is irradiated on the first side edge 110 of the deficient battery pack 100 , as well as on the first side surface 120 and the second side surface 130 adjacent to the first side edge 110 .

[0123] In some embodiments, the line laser sensor 200 is fixed diagonally above the power-deficient battery pack 100. Specifically, the line laser sensor 200 can emit a line laser to the first side edge 110 of the rectangular power-deficient battery pack 100, and the line laser is perpendicular to the first side edge 110, and can emit a line laser toward the first side surface 120 and the second side surface 130 adjacent to the first side edge 110.

[0124] Compared with the prior art that uses a visual camera to locate the positioning part 140 on the defective battery pack 100 to replace the defective battery pack 100 at a battery battery swap station, the above-mentioned embodiment of the present application adopts the method of directly obtaining the contour information of the defective battery pack 100 and obtaining the position information of the defective battery pack 100 through the contour information, thereby omitting the process of installing the identification frame 141 and the identification hole 142 on the top of the defective battery pack 100, thereby reducing the production cost of the battery pack; eliminating the defect of being unable to locate the defective battery pack 100 due to the positioning part 140 being blocked, thereby improving the success rate of positioning the defective battery pack 100; since it is no longer necessary to obtain the information of the positioning part 140, the steps of checking and cleaning the obstructions on the positioning part 140 are omitted, thereby improving the battery replacement efficiency of the defective battery pack 100.

[0125] The various embodiments or implementation methods in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referenced to each other.

[0126] It should be noted that references in this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," "some embodiments," and the like indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not necessarily every embodiment includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0127] Generally speaking, terms should be understood, at least in part, based on the context in which they are used. For example, as used herein, the term "one or more" can be used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in the singular sense, or can be used to describe a combination of features, structures, or characteristics in the plural sense, depending at least in part on the context. Similarly, terms such as "a," "an," or "the" can also be understood to convey either singular or plural usage, depending at least in part on the context.

[0128] Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as "below," "beneath," "beneath," "above," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to other elements or features as shown in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be in other orientations (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0129] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery pack replacement system, characterized in that: Used to replace a deficient battery pack located in a replacement area, the replacement system includes a line laser sensor, a control device, and a battery replacement device; The line laser sensor is used to obtain contour information of the battery pack with insufficient power, and determine a first relative position of the battery pack with insufficient power relative to the line laser sensor according to the contour information; The control device is respectively connected to the line laser sensor and the battery exchange device signals, and the control device is used to determine the replacement position of the deficient battery pack in the replacement area according to the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor relative to the replacement area; and determine the replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack according to the replacement position, and the replacement route includes a disassembly route for disassembling the deficient battery pack and an installation route for installing a spare battery pack for replacing the deficient battery pack; and control the battery exchange device to remove the deficient battery pack from the replacement area according to the disassembly route, and control the battery exchange device to transfer the spare battery pack to the replacement area according to the installation route.

2. The replacement system according to claim 1, characterized in that The line laser sensor is arranged obliquely above the power-deficient battery pack so that the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor is irradiated on the first side edge of the power-deficient battery pack, as well as on the first side surface and the second side surface adjacent to the first side edge.

3. A method for replacing a battery pack, characterized in that: The replacement method includes: When the line laser sensor detects that there is a battery pack with a defective battery in the replacement area, the line laser sensor obtains contour information of the battery pack with a defective battery; The line laser sensor determines a first relative position of the power-deficient battery pack relative to a sensor position of the line laser sensor based on the contour information; The control device determines a replacement position of the deficient battery pack within the replacement area based on the first relative position and the second relative position of the line laser sensor relative to the replacement area, and determines a replacement route for replacing the deficient battery pack based on the replacement position, and sends the replacement route to the battery replacement device, wherein the replacement route includes a disassembly route for disassembling the deficient battery pack and an installation route for installing a spare battery pack for replacing the deficient battery pack; The battery replacement device removes the battery pack with insufficient power from the replacement area according to the disassembly route; The battery replacement device transfers the spare battery pack to the replacement area according to the installation route.

4. The replacement method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The step of obtaining the contour information of the power-deficient battery pack by the line laser sensor includes: The line laser sensor emits a line laser toward a first side edge, a first side surface, and a second side surface of the battery pack having insufficient power, so as to form a first contour line on the first side surface and a second contour line on the second side surface, wherein the first contour line and the second contour line intersect at the first side edge, and an intersection area of the first side surface and the second side surface forms the first side edge; The line laser sensor acquires a plurality of first coordinates of a plurality of points on the first contour line relative to the line laser sensor, and acquires a plurality of second coordinates of a plurality of points on the second contour line relative to the line laser sensor; The line laser sensor obtains the contour information of the power-deficient battery pack according to the multiple first coordinates and the multiple second coordinates.

5. The replacement method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The step of obtaining, by the line laser sensor, the contour information of the battery pack having insufficient power according to the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates includes: The line laser sensor determines, based on the multiple first coordinates and the multiple second coordinates, whether the battery pack with power shortage has a position deviation relative to the sensor position. If not, the line laser sensor obtains the contour information based on the multiple first coordinates and the multiple second coordinates at this time. If yes, perform the following steps: Adjusting the position of the battery pack with defective power within the replacement area according to the position deviation; The line laser sensor reacquires the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates, and re-determines whether the position deviation exists based on the reacquired plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates.

6. The replacement method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The step of determining, by the line laser sensor, whether the battery pack having a power shortage has a position deviation relative to the sensor position based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates includes: The line laser sensor determines a deviation value for determining the magnitude of the position deviation based on the plurality of first coordinates and the plurality of second coordinates, and based on a deviation formula; the deviation formula is: The line laser sensor determines whether the battery pack with power shortage has the position deviation according to the deviation value. If the deviation value is zero, the battery pack with power shortage does not have the position deviation. If the deviation value is not zero, the battery pack with power shortage has the position deviation. Among them, θ is the deviation value, α is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line, β is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two first coordinates on the first contour line, α is the absolute value of the difference between the vertical coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line, β is the absolute value of the difference between the horizontal coordinates of the two second coordinates on the second contour line.

7. The replacement method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that: The radiation angle of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor ranges from 10° to 30°.

8. The replacement method according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that: The wavelength of the line laser emitted by the line laser sensor is in the range of 400 nm to 700 nm.

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