Charging bin, battery swap station and battery swap method in station

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of vehicle battery replacement and discloses a charging cabin, a battery replacement station and a method for battery replacement in the station. The charging cabin comprises a first charging unit, a second charging unit and a lifting unit. The first charging unit comprises a full-battery buffer rack, a depleted-battery buffer rack and a plurality of charging battery racks arranged vertically from bottom to top. The second charging unit comprises a fire-fighting room and a plurality of charging battery racks arranged vertically from bottom to top. The first charging unit and the second charging unit are arranged on the two sides of the lifting unit, and the lifting unit can take and place batteries between the two charging units. The charging cabin cancels the original overhead and underground tracks, and the cargo rack only moves in the vertical direction to take and place batteries, without horizontal movement, thereby occupying a small space. When a thermal runaway battery exists on the charging battery rack, the lifting unit can transfer the battery to a fire-fighting box in the fire-fighting room. The fire-fighting box slides out through the slope formed by the safety door that is turned downward, and the safety is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vehicle battery swapping technology, and more particularly to a charging compartment, a battery swapping station, and an in-station battery swapping method. Background Technology

[0002] Battery-swapping vehicles feature a detachable battery box. Specifically, the battery box is detachably connected to the vehicle body via a locking mechanism. When the user's battery is low, they drive into the battery swapping station. The station's unlocking and unlocking battery swapping equipment (in-station RGV) removes the depleted battery box from the vehicle and replaces it with a fully charged one, completing the rapid battery swapping process. The depleted battery box is then transferred to a charging rack within the station, where a charging device recharges it until it is fully charged.

[0003] The process of transferring depleted battery boxes to the charging racks and removing fully charged battery boxes from the charging racks is accomplished by a palletizer. To improve battery swapping efficiency and avoid the repetitive battery placement process when the palletizer is storing old batteries and retrieving new ones, a battery buffer area is usually set up in the station as a transfer station for exchanging old and new batteries. After being removed, the depleted battery box is first transferred to the battery buffer area by the RGV in the station through the battery swapping channel. Then, the palletizer transfers it to the charging rack in the charging compartment for charging.

[0004] Existing charging bays consist of a horizontally extending overhead track with multiple charging racks on both sides. These racks are spaced apart along the track's extension direction. A stacker crane is movably mounted on the track to move between the charging racks, thus transferring battery boxes. In this configuration, the charging racks are laid flat on both sides of the stacker crane, requiring the track to extend to the furthest charging rack. This combination results in a large volume of space occupied by the stacker crane, hindering the development of miniaturized battery swapping stations. Increasing the battery box storage capacity requires adding more charging racks along the track, further increasing the bay's footprint and operating costs. Furthermore, existing battery swapping stations typically have fire suppression systems located outside the charging racks, leading to slow transfer of batteries experiencing thermal runaway. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide a charging compartment and a battery swapping station to solve the problems of large footprint, high operating costs, and slow thermal runaway battery transfer efficiency of existing charging compartments and battery swapping stations.

[0006] Another objective of this invention is to provide an in-station battery swapping method to simplify the steps for replacing battery boxes and improve the efficiency of in-station battery swapping.

[0007] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] Firstly, a charging case is provided, comprising:

[0009] The first charging unit includes a fully charged battery buffer rack, a depleted battery buffer rack, and multiple charging battery racks arranged vertically from bottom to top. The fully charged battery buffer rack is connected to the depleted battery buffer rack and is configured to be connected to the battery swapping channel.

[0010] The second charging unit includes fire compartments arranged vertically from bottom to top and multiple charging battery racks;

[0011] The lifting unit includes a body frame, a carrying rack, and a conveying mechanism. The carrying rack is vertically and flexibly mounted on the body frame. The first charging unit and the second charging unit are respectively located on opposite sides of the body frame. The conveying mechanism is movably mounted on the carrying rack between the first charging unit and the second charging unit.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the fire-fighting room is equipped with:

[0013] A fire extinguishing box, comprising a water tank with an opening at the top and a transfer bracket disposed at the bottom of the water tank;

[0014] A dead battery holder is installed above the water tank and is detachably connected to the top of the fire room.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the top of the fire compartment is provided with a locking mechanism on both sides opposite to the failed battery carrier, the locking mechanism comprising:

[0016] Second linear drive component;

[0017] A drive shaft extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the second linear drive member;

[0018] The drive shaft has one hook or multiple hooks spaced apart along the axial direction of the drive shaft. The failed battery carrier has a hook-attaching part corresponding to the hook, and the hook-attaching part can be detachably attached to the hook.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the top of the fire compartment is provided with a plurality of vertically extending positioning members around the circumference of the failed battery carrier, and the positioning members are provided with guide slopes, which gradually move away from the failed battery carrier from top to bottom.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the failed battery carrier includes:

[0021] A horizontal frame is detachably attached to the top of the fire room;

[0022] There are two vertical frames arranged in parallel, with the two vertical frames located on either side of the horizontal frame;

[0023] Support blocks are provided on each of the two vertical frames facing each other, and the support blocks are located on the side of the vertical frame away from the horizontal frame;

[0024] A buffer pad is provided on the bottom surface of the support block.

[0025] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the charging compartment further includes an outer compartment, the fire room is provided with a safety opening on the side facing away from the lifting unit to allow the fire box to pass through, and the outer compartment is provided with a safety door at the position directly opposite the safety opening;

[0026] The safety door is slidably mounted on the outer compartment; or...

[0027] The safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a first rotating shaft, which is vertically positioned; or...

[0028] The safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a second rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft is horizontally positioned and connected to the bottom of the outer compartment. When the safety door is in the open state, it is tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

[0029] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the first charging unit includes a plurality of vertically arranged first charging racks, each of which includes a plurality of shelves. The plurality of shelves of the bottommost first charging rack are, in sequence, the fully charged battery buffer rack, the depleted battery buffer rack, and a plurality of charging battery racks, and the plurality of shelves of the remaining first charging racks are all charging battery racks.

[0030] The second charging unit includes a plurality of vertically arranged second charging racks. Each second charging rack includes a plurality of shelves. The shelves of the bottom second charging rack are, in order, the fire room and a plurality of the rechargeable battery racks. The shelves of the remaining second charging racks are all rechargeable battery racks.

[0031] The charging compartment also includes multiple vertically arranged container bodies, each of which is equipped with a first charging rack and a second charging rack.

[0032] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, both the fully charged battery buffer rack and the depleted battery buffer rack are provided with a support mechanism. The support mechanism includes a rotatable lifting member, which has the states of supporting the battery and avoiding the battery.

[0033] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the support mechanism further includes:

[0034] First linear drive component;

[0035] A rack extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the first linear drive member;

[0036] A rotating gear is provided, or multiple rotating gears are provided at intervals along the extension direction of the rack and mesh with the rack. The axis of the rotating gear is vertically arranged, and the lifting member is connected to the rotating gear.

[0037] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the support mechanism further includes:

[0038] The support is fixed to the fully charged battery buffer rack or the depleted battery buffer rack;

[0039] A guide rail is provided on the support and is aligned with the extending direction of the rack;

[0040] A slider is disposed on the rack and slidably engages with the guide rail.

[0041] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the support mechanism further includes:

[0042] Rotary drive component;

[0043] A rotating shaft extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the rotating drive member. The lifting member is connected to the rotating shaft and extends radially along the rotating shaft.

[0044] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the support mechanism is provided on at least two opposite sides of the fully charged battery buffer rack and the depleted battery buffer rack.

[0045] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the charging battery holder is provided with:

[0046] Support components, located at the bottom of the battery;

[0047] A positioning pin is provided on the battery, and the positioning pin is inserted into the positioning hole.

[0048] A charging device is vertically mounted on the rechargeable battery rack. The charging device is equipped with a charging plug, which can be plugged into and detached from the charging port on the battery.

[0049] As a preferred embodiment of the charging case provided by the present invention, the lifting unit further includes:

[0050] A rotary drive mechanism is located at the top of the machine frame;

[0051] A drive shaft extends horizontally and is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism; the drive shaft is connected to the drive end of the rotary drive mechanism.

[0052] The chain drive mechanism extends vertically and has two components. The two ends of the drive shaft are respectively connected to the two drive sprockets of the chain drive mechanism, and the rack is connected to the chain of the chain drive mechanism.

[0053] As a preferred embodiment of the charging compartment provided by the present invention, the conveying mechanism includes:

[0054] The lower support plate is fixed inside the rack.

[0055] The middle slide plate is slidably mounted on the lower support plate;

[0056] The upper fork plate is slidably mounted on the middle slide plate.

[0057] Secondly, a battery swapping station is provided, including a battery swapping parking platform, a battery swapping channel, an unlocking device, and a charging compartment as described above. The battery swapping channel extends from the battery swapping parking platform to a fully charged battery buffer rack in the charging compartment, and the unlocking device is movably disposed within the battery swapping channel.

[0058] Thirdly, an in-station battery swapping method is provided, including the following steps:

[0059] The unlocking device removes the depleted battery and transports it through the battery swapping channel to the area below the fully charged battery buffer rack. At the same time, the lifting unit's conveying mechanism picks up the fully charged battery and places it on the loading rack.

[0060] The unlocking device lifts the depleted battery to the depleted battery buffer rack;

[0061] The unlocking / unlocking device descends below the fully charged battery buffer rack;

[0062] The rack moves down and the fully charged batteries are delivered to the fully charged battery buffer rack via a conveyor mechanism.

[0063] The unlocking device lifts up the fully charged battery and returns to the battery swapping parking platform to install the fully charged battery;

[0064] The rack is moved upwards and the depleted battery is retrieved via a conveyor mechanism;

[0065] The depleted batteries are moved upwards on the rack and then transported to the rechargeable battery rack via a conveyor mechanism.

[0066] As a preferred embodiment of the in-station battery swapping method provided by the present invention, the method further includes the following steps:

[0067] Determine if all batteries in the charging case are in a state of thermal runaway;

[0068] The thermal runaway battery was transferred to a fire extinguisher box inside the fire room;

[0069] The safety door of the charging compartment flips down to form a ramp;

[0070] The lifting unit's conveying mechanism pushes the fire box, which slides along the ramp away from the charging compartment;

[0071] A safety warning was activated inside the battery swapping station.

[0072] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0073] This invention provides a charging compartment, a battery swapping station, and an in-station battery swapping method. The charging compartment includes a first charging unit, a second charging unit, and a lifting unit. The first charging unit includes a fully charged battery buffer rack, a depleted battery buffer rack, and multiple rechargeable battery racks arranged vertically from bottom to top. The second charging unit includes a fire compartment and multiple rechargeable battery racks arranged vertically from bottom to top. The lifting unit includes a frame, a carrying rack, and a conveying mechanism. The carrying rack is vertically and vertically mounted on the frame. The first and second charging units are located on opposite sides of the frame. The conveying mechanism is mounted on the carrying rack and can transfer batteries between the first and second charging units. The conveying mechanism can move up and down with the carrying rack, allowing it to move to a position flush with the fully charged battery buffer rack, the depleted battery buffer rack, and the multiple rechargeable battery racks, thereby retrieval and placement of batteries from the two charging units. The two charging units of this charging compartment can be stacked vertically upwards, regardless of the number of battery racks required, instead of being laid out horizontally. Therefore, the original overhead tracks are eliminated. The lifting unit's racks move only vertically to load and unload batteries, eliminating the need for horizontal movement for transport. Compared to existing stacker cranes, the lifting unit occupies significantly less space, thus solving the problems of large footprint and high operating costs associated with existing charging compartments and battery swapping stations. If the battery storage capacity needs to be expanded, simply stack the corresponding number of battery racks above the first and second charging units, without expanding the horizontal footprint of the charging compartment, further reducing costs.

[0074] Furthermore, the fully charged battery buffer rack is connected to the depleted battery buffer rack and configured to connect to the battery swapping channel. After the unlocking device removes the depleted battery from the vehicle body, it transports the depleted battery through the battery swapping channel to below the fully charged battery buffer rack and lifts it onto the depleted battery buffer rack for temporary storage. After the depleted battery is placed, the unlocking device descends below the fully charged battery buffer rack. While the unlocking device is transporting the depleted battery, the lifting unit's conveying mechanism picks up a fully charged battery from either of the two charging unit's battery rack positions and places it onto the carrier rack. The carrier rack then moves down to a position flush with the fully charged battery buffer rack and, via the conveying mechanism, delivers the fully charged battery onto the fully charged battery buffer rack for temporary storage. At this point, the unlocking device is located below the fully charged battery buffer rack. Afterward, the unlocking device rises to lift the fully charged battery and returns along the original path of the battery swapping channel to the battery swapping parking platform to install the fully charged battery onto the vehicle body. The battery rack is moved from its position at the full-charge battery buffer rack to a position level with the depleted battery buffer rack. A conveyor mechanism then picks up depleted batteries and places them onto the rack. The rack then moves upwards with the depleted batteries to an empty charging battery rack, where they are transported for charging. This completes one battery swapping cycle within the station. The vertically positioned full-charge and depleted battery buffer racks allow the unlocking / unlocking equipment to perform the process of storing depleted batteries and retrieving fully charged batteries simply by raising and lowering its position. Furthermore, the battery transport process by the unlocking / unlocking equipment and the battery storage / retrieval process by the lifting unit can be performed simultaneously, effectively simplifying the battery swapping process, improving the efficiency of battery swapping within the station, and avoiding long waiting times for users.

[0075] Furthermore, the placement of the fire chamber at the bottom of the second charging unit allows the lifting unit to quickly transfer batteries that have experienced thermal runaway to the fire chamber. The fire chamber can safely handle the thermally runaway batteries, preventing the failure of the batteries from exploding and affecting the safety of the entire charging compartment. Attached Figure Description

[0076] Figure 1 This is a first view of a battery swapping station provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0077] Figure 2 This is a second view (hidden partition and container) of the battery swapping station provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0078] Figure 3 This is a first isometric view of the charging compartment provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Figure 4 This is a second isometric view of the charging compartment provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] Figure 5 This is a side view of the charging compartment provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] Figure 6 This is a first isometric view of the lifting unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0082] Figure 7 This is a second isometric view of the lifting unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first charging frame at the bottom of the first charging unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0084] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the support mechanism provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0085] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lowermost second charging frame in the second charging unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0086] Figure 11 This is a structural schematic diagram of the fire room in the second charging unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0087] Figure 12 This is an internal schematic diagram of the fire room in the second charging unit provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0088] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0089] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the failed battery carrier provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0090] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the charging battery rack provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0091] Figure 16 yes Figure 15 A magnified view of a section at point A in the middle;

[0092] Figure 17 This is a top view of the charging compartment provided in a specific embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] In the picture:

[0094] 100. Charging compartment; 200. Battery swapping parking platform; 300. Battery swapping channel; 400. Unlocking / unlocking device; 500. Partition; 600. Bottom foundation;

[0095] 1. First charging unit; 2. Lifting unit; 3. Second charging unit; 4. Container body; 5. Cable box; 6. First compartment; 7. Intermediate compartment; 8. Second compartment;

[0096] 11. Fully charged battery buffer rack; 12. Low-charged battery buffer rack; 13. Rechargeable battery rack; 14. Support mechanism;

[0097] 131. Support component; 132. Positioning pin; 133. Charging device; 134. Second positioning detection component;

[0098] 1311. Support component; 1312. Guide component; 1313. Elastic pad;

[0099] 141. Lifting component; 142. First linear drive component; 143. Rack; 144. Rotary gear; 145. Support; 146. Guide rail; 147. Slider; 148. First positioning detection component; 149. Soft pad;

[0100] 21. Machine frame; 22. Loading rack; 23. Conveying mechanism; 24. Rotary drive mechanism; 25. Drive shaft; 26. Chain drive mechanism;

[0101] 231. Lower support plate; 232. Middle sliding plate; 233. Upper fork plate;

[0102] 31. Fire room; 32. Fire box; 33. Failed battery holder; 34. Fixing mechanism; 35. Positioning component;

[0103] 311. Safety gate;

[0104] 321. Water tank; 322. Transfer bracket;

[0105] 331. Hanging part; 332. Horizontal frame; 333. Vertical frame; 334. Support block; 335. Buffer pad;

[0106] 341. Second linear drive component; 342. Drive shaft; 343. Hook; 344. Guide block;

[0107] 351. Guide ramp. Detailed Implementation

[0108] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, the accompanying drawings show only the parts relevant to the present invention, and not all of the structures.

[0109] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0110] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0111] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0112] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown in the figure, this embodiment provides a charging compartment for use in a battery swapping station. Figure 1 The image shown is a first view of the charging compartment 100 installed within the battery swapping station. Figure 2 The image shown is a second view of the charging compartment 100 inside the battery swapping station. For ease of viewing, part of the outer shell structure has been hidden.

[0113] See Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The charging compartment 100 includes a first charging unit 1, a lifting unit 2, and a second charging unit 3. The first charging unit 1 includes a fully charged battery buffer rack 11, a depleted battery buffer rack 12, and multiple charging battery racks 13 arranged vertically from bottom to top. The second charging unit 3 includes multiple charging battery racks 13 arranged vertically from bottom to top. See also... Figure 5 and Figure 6The lifting unit 2 includes a body frame 21, a carrying rack 22, and a conveying mechanism 23. The carrying rack 22 is vertically and vertically mounted on the body frame 21. The first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3 are respectively located on both sides of the body frame 21. The conveying mechanism 23 is mounted on the carrying rack 22 for transfer between the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3. The conveying mechanism 23 can move up and down with the lifting of the carrying rack 22, thereby moving to a position flush with the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, the depleted battery buffer rack 12, and the multiple charging battery racks 13, and then picking up and placing batteries in the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3.

[0114] The first charging unit 1 of the charging compartment 100 can be vertically stacked upwards, regardless of the number of battery racks 13 required, instead of being laid out horizontally. Therefore, the charging compartment 100 eliminates the original overhead tracks. The lifting unit 2's rack 22 moves only vertically to pick up and place batteries, eliminating the need for horizontal movement for battery transport. Compared to existing stacker cranes, the lifting unit 2 occupies significantly less space, thus solving the problems of large footprint and high operating costs associated with existing charging compartments 100 and battery swapping stations. If it is necessary to expand the battery storage capacity within the charging compartment 100, simply stack the corresponding number of battery racks 13 above the two charging units, without expanding the horizontal footprint of the charging compartment 100, thus reducing costs.

[0115] Furthermore, the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 is connected to the depleted battery buffer rack 12 and is configured to connect to the battery swapping channel 300. After the unlocking / unlocking device 400 (in-station RGV) removes the depleted battery from the vehicle body, it transports the depleted battery through the battery swapping channel 300 to below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and lifts it onto the depleted battery buffer rack 12 for temporary storage. After the depleted battery is placed, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 descends below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. While the unlocking / unlocking device 400 is transporting the depleted battery, the conveying mechanism 23 of the lifting unit 2 picks up a fully charged battery from either of the charging battery racks 13 in the two charging units and places it onto the carrying rack 22. Subsequently, the carrying rack 22 moves down to a position flush with the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and, through the conveying mechanism 23, delivers the fully charged battery onto the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 for temporary storage. At this time, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 is located below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. Afterwards, the unlocking device 400 rises to lift the fully charged battery and returns along the battery swapping channel 300 to the battery swapping parking platform 200 to install the fully charged battery onto the vehicle body. The carrying rack 22 moves from the position of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 to a position level with the depleted battery buffer rack 12, and uses the conveying mechanism 23 to pick up the depleted battery and place it on the carrying rack 22. The carrying rack 22 then moves up to an empty charging battery rack 13, and uses the conveying mechanism 23 to send the depleted battery to the charging battery rack 13 for charging, thus completing one battery swapping process within the station.

[0116] The fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12, which are set up vertically, allow the unlocking device 400 to complete the process of storing depleted batteries and retrieving fully charged batteries by simply raising and lowering its position. Furthermore, the process of the unlocking device 400 transporting batteries and the process of the lifting unit 2 storing and retrieving batteries can be carried out simultaneously, which effectively simplifies the battery swapping process, improves the battery swapping efficiency in the station, and avoids long waiting times for users.

[0117] In this embodiment, see Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 For ease of description, the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 23 is defined as the first horizontal direction, that is, the first charging unit 1 is disposed on one side of the lifting unit 2 along the first horizontal direction. The direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction is defined as the second horizontal direction.

[0118] Figure 6 and Figure 7 The diagram shows the structural schematics of lifting unit 2 from two different perspectives. For example... Figure 6 As shown, the lifting unit 2 also includes a rotary drive mechanism 24, a transmission shaft 25, and two chain drive mechanisms 26. The rotary drive mechanism 24 drives the two chain drive mechanisms 26 through the transmission shaft 25, and the chain drive mechanisms 26 in turn drive the lifting rack 22 to move up and down.

[0119] Specifically, see Figure 6 and Figure 7 The machine frame 21 is a U-shaped frame with a central open section. The rack 22 is vertically and height-adjustable within the central open section of the U-shaped frame. The rotary drive mechanism 24 is located at the top of the machine frame 21 to avoid interference with the rack 22. The drive shaft 25 is located at the top of the machine frame 21 and extends along a second horizontal direction, i.e., the drive shaft 25 is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism 23, and is connected to the drive end of the rotary drive mechanism 24. Both chain drive mechanisms 26 are vertically arranged (i.e., the chain conveying direction is vertical), with the driving sprocket located at the top of the machine frame 21 and the driven sprocket located at the bottom of the machine frame 21. The two ends of the drive shaft 25 are respectively connected to the driving sprockets of the two chain drive mechanisms 26, and the rack 22 is connected to the chain of the chain drive mechanism 26.

[0120] When the rotary drive mechanism 24 is activated, it drives the driving sprockets of the two chain drive mechanisms 26 to rotate synchronously via the drive shaft 25. The driving sprockets then drive the driven sprockets to rotate via the chain, so that the chain continuously transmits power. During the chain transmission process, the rack 22 can move up and down with the chain. By setting two chain drive mechanisms 26, the stability of the rack 22 during the lifting process can be ensured, and the rack 22 can be prevented from tilting. The rotary drive mechanism 24 is preferably an electric motor.

[0121] Furthermore, guide rails are vertically installed on both side frames of the portal frame 21, and sliding blocks are installed on opposite sides of the rack 22. The sliding blocks are equipped with sliding grooves, and the guide rails are engaged in the sliding grooves so that the sliding blocks and guide rails slide and cooperate vertically, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the rack 22 when it is raised and lowered.

[0122] Optionally, in this embodiment, see Figure 7 The conveying mechanism 23 includes two telescopic forks on both sides, and two forks are spaced apart along the second horizontal direction. Each fork extends along the first horizontal direction and is telescopic to transport the battery between the first charging unit 1 and the rack 22.

[0123] Specifically, see Figure 7 Each fork includes a lower support plate 231, a middle slide plate 232, and an upper fork plate 233. The lower support plate 231 is fixed within the rack 22. The middle slide plate 232 is slidably mounted on the lower support plate 231 along a first horizontal direction, and the upper fork plate 233 is slidably mounted on the middle slide plate 232 along the first horizontal direction. Both the middle slide plate 232 and the upper fork plate 233 are designed as sliding structures, ensuring a large range of extension and retraction for the entire fork, while minimizing space occupation when fully retracted on the rack 22. Furthermore, the rack 22 is equipped with a drive mechanism for synchronously extending and retracting the two forks.

[0124] It should be noted that the dual-sided telescopic fork is a relatively mature structure in existing technology, and its structure and principle will not be described in detail here.

[0125] Figure 8 The diagram shows the structure of the first charging unit 1. To temporarily store batteries, both the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12 are equipped with support mechanisms 14. Each support mechanism 14 includes a rotatable lifting member 141, which has two states: supporting the battery and avoiding it. When supporting the battery, the lifting member 141 rotates into the corresponding buffer rack to support the battery entering the rack. When not supporting the battery, the lifting member 141 rotates to the avoidance state, allowing the unlocking / unlocking device 400 and its battery to pass smoothly.

[0126] like Figure 9The diagram shows a schematic of the support mechanism 14. The support mechanism 14 also includes a first linear drive 142, a rack 143, and a rotating gear 144. The housing of the first linear drive 142 is fixedly mounted on the frame of the corresponding buffer rack. The rack 143 extends along a first horizontal direction and is connected to the drive end of the first linear drive 142, enabling the first linear drive 142 to drive the rack 143 to move along the first horizontal direction. The rotating gear 144 is disposed on one side of the rack 143 and meshes with it. The axis of the rotating gear 144 is vertically aligned. When the rack 143 moves along the first horizontal direction, it drives the rotating gear 144 to rotate around the vertical axis. A lifting member 141 is connected to the rotating gear 144 and can rotate synchronously with it. That is, the lifting member 141 rotates around the vertical axis between a first position (corresponding to the support state) and a second position (corresponding to the avoidance state) to switch between the support state and the avoidance state.

[0127] See Figure 9 At this point, the lifting member 141 rotates to the first position, which is the supporting state capable of supporting the battery, and the lifting member 141 is perpendicular to the rack 143. When the lifting member 141 rotates to the avoidance state, it is parallel to the rack 143. That is, the lifting member 141 rotates within a 90-degree range.

[0128] Optionally, in each support mechanism 14, there is one rotating gear 144 or multiple rotating gears spaced apart along the extension direction of the rack 143. Correspondingly, a lifting member 141 is provided for each rotating gear 144, so that the rotating gear 144 drives the lifting member 141 to rotate. Specifically, in this embodiment, see... Figure 9 Each rack 143 is provided with two rotating gears 144. When the rack 143 translates under the action of the first linear drive member 142, the two rotating gears 144 meshing with it rotate synchronously, and the two lifting members 141 also rotate synchronously to the supporting state or the avoidance state. In other embodiments, the number of rotating gears 144 can be increased or decreased adaptively.

[0129] Furthermore, support mechanisms 14 are provided on at least two opposite sides of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12. See also Figure 8 A support mechanism 14 is provided on each side of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12 along the second horizontal direction. Each support mechanism 14 is provided with two lifting members 141. That is, both the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12 are provided with four lifting members 141 to support the four corners of the battery and ensure stable support.

[0130] When the unlocking / unlocking device 400 transports the depleted battery to below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, the lifting members 141 on both the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12 are in a clearance state (if in a support state, the lifting members 141 need to be driven to the clearance state). This allows the unlocking / unlocking device 400 to smoothly lift the depleted battery into the depleted battery buffer rack 12, preventing the lifting members 141 from interfering with the rising of the depleted battery. At this time, the depleted battery is slightly higher than the lifting members 141 on the depleted battery buffer rack 12. Subsequently, the lifting members 141 on the depleted battery buffer rack 12 rotate to the support state, and the unlocking / unlocking device 400 descends, allowing the depleted battery to fall onto the four lifting members 141 inside the depleted battery buffer rack 12, completing the temporary storage of the depleted battery.

[0131] After the temporary storage of the depleted batteries is completed, the unlocking device 400 descends below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, below the lifting members 141 inside the rack. The conveying mechanism 23 of the lifting unit 2 delivers the fully charged batteries along the first horizontal direction into the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, slightly above the position of the internal lifting members 141. Subsequently, the four lifting members 141 rotate to the supporting state, and the rack 22 descends so that the fully charged batteries fall onto the four lifting members 141 inside the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, completing the temporary storage of the fully charged batteries.

[0132] Subsequently, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 rises and lifts the fully charged battery, making it slightly higher than the lifting member 141. After the lifting member 141 rotates to a avoidance position, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 lowers the fully charged battery and moves back to the battery swapping parking platform 200 through the battery swapping channel 300 to install the fully charged battery onto the vehicle body. At the same time, the upper fork plate 233 of the conveying mechanism 23 moves to below the depleted battery, picks up the depleted battery, and retracts into the carrying rack 22. The carrying rack 22 rises under the drive of the chain drive mechanism 26 until it is flush with an empty charging battery rack 13. Then, the forks extend to deliver the depleted battery to the charging battery rack 13 via the upper fork plate 233.

[0133] like Figure 9 As shown, the support mechanism 14 also includes a support 145, which is fixed to the frame of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 or the depleted battery buffer rack 12. A guide rail 146 is provided on the support 145, and the guide rail 146 extends in the same direction as the rack 143. A slider 147 is provided on the side of the rack 143 facing the guide rail 146, and the slider 147 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 146. When the first linear drive member 142 drives the rack 143 to translate, the slider 147 and the guide rail 146 slide along the extension direction of the rack 143, improving the stability of the rack 143 during translation. Furthermore, a support 145 is provided below each rotating gear 144 in the support mechanism 14, and the rotating gear 144 and the lifting member 141 are rotatably connected to the support 145 via a shaft.

[0134] Continue reading Figure 9 The support mechanism 14 has two first positioning detection elements 148 on one of its supports 145. One first positioning detection element 148 detects whether the lifting member 141 has rotated to the supporting state, and the other first positioning detection element 148 detects whether the lifting member 141 has rotated to the clearance state. The lifting member 141 rotates between the two first positioning detection elements 148 to ensure that the lifting member 141 rotates to the correct position. For example, the first positioning detection element 148 is an inductive contact switch.

[0135] Further, see Figure 9 Each support member 141 is equipped with a soft pad 149 for contacting the bottom surface of the battery to prevent damage or scratches. In addition, it can also act as a buffer when the battery falls onto the support member 141.

[0136] In another optional embodiment, to achieve the rotation of the lifting member 141, the rotation axis of the lifting member 141 can be configured as a horizontal axis rather than a vertical axis. Specifically, the support mechanism 14 further includes a rotary drive and a rotating shaft. The housing of the rotary drive is fixedly connected to the frame of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 or the depleted battery buffer rack 12. The rotating shaft extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the rotary drive. The lifting member 141 is connected to the rotating shaft and extends radially along the rotating shaft. That is, the lifting member 141 rotates along the horizontal axis between a supporting state and a yielding state. The lifting member 141 in the yielding state can be flipped downwards to the supporting state.

[0137] The structure of the second charging unit 3 is described in detail below.

[0138] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the second charging unit 3 of the charging compartment 100 includes multiple vertically arranged rechargeable battery racks 13. The first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the body frame 21 along a first horizontal direction. The conveying mechanism 23 is movably disposed on the rack 22 between the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3 to transport the batteries. As can be seen from the above, the conveying mechanism 23 is a double-sided telescopic fork, which is telescopic along the first horizontal direction. Figure 5 In the center position, the forks can extend to the left to retrieve batteries from the first charging unit 1, and also extend to the right to retrieve batteries from the second charging unit 3. The first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3 are respectively located on both sides of the lifting unit 2, which increases the battery storage capacity. When additional battery racks 13 are needed, simply continue to vertically stack the required number of battery racks 13 above the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3.

[0139] Specifically, see Figure 10 The second charging unit 3 also includes a fire compartment 31, which is arranged sequentially from bottom to top with multiple battery racks 13. That is, the second charging unit 3 includes a fire compartment 31 and multiple battery racks 13 arranged vertically from bottom to top. When a battery in the charging compartment 100 fails (thermal runaway), the lifting unit 2 transfers the failed battery to the fire compartment 31 for safe handling, preventing the failed battery from exploding and affecting the safety of the entire charging compartment 100.

[0140] See Figure 10 , Figure 11 as well as Figure 12 The fire compartment 31 is equipped with a fire box 32 and a failed battery carrier 33. The failed battery carrier 33 is used to hold failed batteries, and the fire box 32 is used for the safe handling of failed batteries. Specifically, the fire box 32 includes a water tank 321 with an open top and a transfer bracket 322 located at the bottom of the water tank 321. The failed battery carrier 33 is located above the water tank 321 and is detachably connected to the top of the fire compartment 31. After the failed battery is transferred to the failed battery carrier 33 by the lifting unit 2, the connection between the failed battery carrier 33 and the top of the fire compartment 31 is released. The failed battery carrier 33 and the failed battery inside can then be transferred by the lifting unit 2 to the water tank 321. The water stored in the water tank 321 can cool the failed battery, preventing it from aggravating thermal runaway and preventing it from exploding. Furthermore, since the water tank 321 has a transfer bracket 322 at the bottom, the entire fire box 32 can be moved out of the fire compartment 31 and away from the charging chamber 100 via the transfer bracket 322. For example, the transfer bracket 322 is a trolley with wheels, and the water tank 321 is placed on the trolley.

[0141] like Figure 14 As shown, the failed battery carrier 33 includes a horizontal frame 332, vertical frames 333, support blocks 334, and a buffer pad 335. The horizontal frame 332 is detachably connected to the top of the fire compartment 31 to achieve a detachable connection between the entire failed battery carrier 33 and the frame of the fire compartment 31. Two vertical frames 333 are arranged in parallel, located on both sides of the horizontal frame 332, and the horizontal frame 332 and the two vertical frames 333 are connected to form a U-shaped frame. At least one support block 334 is provided on the side of each vertical frame 333 facing each other, and the support block 334 is located on the side of the vertical frame 333 away from the horizontal frame 332. The support block 334 is used to support the failed battery. In this embodiment, each vertical frame 333 is provided with two support blocks 334, that is, a total of four support blocks 334 support the failed battery. A buffer pad 335 is provided at the bottom of each support block 334. When the entire failed battery carrier 33 is lowered into the water tank 321, the buffer pad 335 can play a buffering role to prevent the failed battery from vibrating too much.

[0142] The distance between the supports on the two vertical frames 333 is greater than the width of the conveying mechanism 23. After the conveying mechanism 23 delivers the failed battery to the failed battery carrier 33, it can move down and leave through the gap between the supports on both sides.

[0143] like Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the top of the fire compartment 31 is equipped with locking mechanisms 34 on both sides opposite to the failed battery carrier 33. The locking mechanisms 34 are used for detachably connecting the failed battery carrier 33. Each locking mechanism 34 includes a second linear drive member 341, a drive shaft 342, and a hook 343. The housing of the second linear drive member 341 is fixedly connected to the top of the fire compartment 31 frame. The drive shaft 342 extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the second linear drive member 341, enabling the second linear drive member 341 to drive the drive shaft 342 to translate along its own axis. The hook 343 is connected to the drive shaft 342 and extends towards the failed battery carrier 33. Figure 14 As shown, the horizontal frame 332 of the failed battery carrier 33 is provided with a hook 331 corresponding to the hook 343, and the hook 331 can be detachably hooked onto the hook 343.

[0144] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, when the failed battery carrier 33 is not carrying a failed battery, its hook 331 is attached to the hook 343. When a failed battery is present in the charging compartment 100, the lifting unit 2 transfers the failed battery to the failed battery carrier 33. Subsequently, the forks of the lifting unit 2 extend between the cross frame 332 and the failed battery, and rise to contact the bottom of the cross frame 332. Then, the second linear drive 341 drives the hook 343 to move via the drive shaft 342, causing the hook 343 to disengage from the hook 331 on the cross frame 332, thus releasing the connection between the failed battery carrier 33 and the top of the fire compartment 31. Afterward, the forks move down to lower the failed battery carrier 33 into the water tank 321.

[0145] Optionally, see Figure 13 In this embodiment, each locking mechanism 34 includes two hooks 343, which are spaced apart along the axial direction of the drive shaft 342. Correspondingly, two hooking portions 331 are provided on each opposite side of the cross frame 332, so that the hooking portions 331 are detachably and correspondingly hooked to the hooks 343. Of course, each drive shaft 342 may also have only one hook 343, or three or more hooks 343 may be spaced apart along the axial direction of the drive shaft 342. Accordingly, the cross frame 332 may have a corresponding number of hooking portions 331.

[0146] Furthermore, to ensure smoother movement of the hook 343, a guide block 344 is fixedly installed on the top of the fire compartment 31 frame, such as... Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, a guide groove is provided on the guide block 344, and the upper part of the hook 343 is slidably engaged with the guide groove.

[0147] like Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, multiple positioning elements 35 are arranged circumferentially around the top of the fire compartment 31 and the failed battery carrier 33, each extending vertically. Each positioning element 35 has a guide ramp 351 facing the failed battery carrier 33 and gradually moving away from it from top to bottom. After the failed battery is removed, the fire box 32 and the failed battery carrier 33 need to be moved back into the fire compartment 31, and the failed battery carrier 33 is lifted to the top of the fire compartment 31 by the forks of the lifting unit 2, so that the hook 331 is re-engaged with the hook 343 of the locking mechanism 34 at the top of the fire compartment 31. When the forks lift the failed battery carrier 33, the failed battery carrier 33 moves upward along the guide ramp 351 and is confined between the multiple positioning elements 35, thereby positioning the installation position of the failed battery carrier 33. For example, one positioning element 35 is provided at each of the four corners of the failed battery carrier 33 on the top of the fire compartment 31.

[0148] Optionally, both the first linear drive 142 and the second linear drive 341 are electric actuators.

[0149] In this embodiment, the charging compartment 100 also includes an outer compartment, and the first charging unit 1, the lifting unit 2, and the second charging unit 3 are all located within the outer compartment. See also Figure 10 The fire compartment 31 has a safety opening 311 on the side facing away from the lifting unit 2, allowing the fire box 32 to pass through. Correspondingly, the outer compartment has a safety door directly opposite the safety opening 311. When a failed battery enters the water tank 321, the safety door opens, and the fire box 32 is moved out of the charging compartment 100 through the safety opening 311 and the opened safety door to be transferred to a safe area, preventing the failed battery from exploding and affecting the non-failed batteries in the compartment.

[0150] In one embodiment, a safety door is slidably mounted on the outer compartment. The safety door can be opened or closed by pushing or pulling. After the safety door is opened, personnel inside the station can transfer the fire box 32 containing the failed battery out of the fire room 31 via the transfer bracket 322.

[0151] In another embodiment, the safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a first rotating shaft, which is vertically positioned. That is, the safety door is opened or closed by rotating left or right. After the safety door is opened, personnel inside the station can transfer the fire box 32 containing the failed battery out of the fire room 31 via a transfer bracket 322.

[0152] In another new embodiment, the safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a second rotating shaft, which is horizontally positioned and connected to the bottom of the outer compartment. That is, the safety door opens or closes by flipping up and down, and when open, the safety door is tilted relative to the horizontal plane. After the safety door flips down and opens, it forms a ramp. Subsequently, the forks of the lifting unit 2 push the water tank 321, giving it an initial velocity, so that the fire extinguisher box 32 containing the failed battery slides down the ramp to the ground without human intervention, avoiding personnel injury and improving the safety of work within the station.

[0153] To enable the safety door to be tilted relative to the horizontal plane to form a ramp after it is opened, the bottom of the fire room 31 can be set to be slightly higher than the ground; or, the safety door can be set to a structure with a gradually changing thickness, that is, the safety door is thinner at the top and thicker at the bottom (in the closed state), so that the safety door can form a ramp after it is flipped open.

[0154] like Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, the rechargeable battery rack 13 is equipped with a support component 131, a positioning pin 132, and a charging device 133. The support component 131 supports the bottom of the battery. The battery has a positioning hole. After the depleted battery enters the rechargeable battery rack 13, the positioning pin 132 can be inserted into the positioning hole to position the depleted battery. The charging device 133 is vertically detachable on the rechargeable battery rack 13. The charging device 133 is equipped with a charging plug, which can be plugged into the charging port on the battery. The charging port on the battery is located on the upper surface of the battery. When the depleted battery is positioned by the positioning pin 132, the charging plug of the charging device 133 is also aligned with the charging port of the depleted battery. At this time, driving the charging device 133 to descend allows the charging plug to be inserted into the charging port, and the charging device 133 charges the depleted battery until it is fully charged.

[0155] Optionally, such as Figure 16 As shown, the support assembly 131 includes a support member 1311, a guide member 1312, and an elastic pad 1313. The support member 1311 is fixedly connected to the frame of the rechargeable battery holder 13. The elastic pad 1313 is disposed on the upper surface of the support member 1311 and is used to contact the bottom of the battery to cushion the battery falling onto the support member 1311. The guide member 1312 is disposed on the support member 1311 and is located between the elastic pad 1313 and the frame of the rechargeable battery holder 13. The guide member 1312 is provided with a guide ramp, which can guide the battery entering the rechargeable battery holder 13 so that the positioning pin 132 can be accurately inserted into the positioning hole on the battery.

[0156] Furthermore, a second positioning detection element 134 is also provided on the charging battery rack 13 to detect whether there is a depleted battery in the charging battery rack 13. The control unit of the charging compartment 100 can record whether there is a battery in each charging battery rack 13, and whether the stored battery is a depleted battery or a fully charged battery, providing a basis for the lifting unit 2 to pick up and put in batteries.

[0157] In this embodiment, the first charging unit 1 includes a plurality of vertically arranged first charging racks, and the second charging unit 3 includes a plurality of vertically arranged second charging racks. Specifically, each first charging rack includes multiple shelves, with the lowermost first charging rack consisting of a fully charged battery buffer rack 11, a depleted battery buffer rack 12, and a plurality of rechargeable battery racks 13, and the remaining first charging racks consisting of multiple rechargeable battery racks 13. Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the left side of the lifting unit 2 is the bottommost first charging rack of the first charging unit 1; the other first charging racks are not shown in the figure. That is, the first charging unit 1 is formed by a vertical arrangement of multiple first charging racks, facilitating transportation and installation. Similarly, the second charging unit 3 includes multiple vertically arranged second charging racks, each of which also includes multiple shelves. The shelves of the bottommost second charging rack are, in sequence, a fire compartment 31 and multiple rechargeable battery racks 13; the shelves of the other second charging racks are all rechargeable battery racks 13. Figure 3 , Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 As shown, the right side of the lifting unit 2 is the bottommost second charging frame of the second charging unit 3; the other second charging frames are not shown in the figure. That is, the second charging unit 3 is formed by a vertical arrangement of multiple second charging frames, facilitating transportation and installation.

[0158] Furthermore, the charging compartment 100 also includes multiple layers of vertically arranged container bodies 4, each container body 4 containing a first charging rack and a second charging rack. The first charging rack and the second charging rack are of equal height, and the first charging rack and the second charging rack in each layer are located in the same container body 4. During transportation, the vehicle carries the container body 4, which contains one first charging rack and one second charging rack. After transportation to the battery swapping station, the container bodies 4 can be stacked vertically.

[0159] Due to transportation limitations, the container body 4 has a height of 3.3m and a width of 3.3m. In this embodiment, both the first and second charging racks include seven shelves. In the bottom first charging rack, the upper five shelves are battery racks 13, and the lower two shelves are a fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and a depleted battery buffer rack 12, respectively. In the bottom second charging rack, the upper five shelves are battery racks 13, and the lower two shelves are connected to form a fire compartment 31. That is, the bottom container body 4 has a total of ten charging stations, capable of accommodating ten batteries for charging.

[0160] It is understandable that container body 4 is the aforementioned outer compartment, and the security door is located on container body 4.

[0161] Figure 17 The diagram shows the layout of the charging chamber 100. The charging chamber 100 also includes a first chamber 6, a middle chamber 7, and a second chamber 8 arranged sequentially. The first chamber 6 is a personnel rest room, directly opposite the first charging unit 1 in the second horizontal direction. It contains air conditioning and a control cabinet, facilitating personnel control of the charging chamber 100. The middle chamber 7 connects to the lifting unit 2, the first charging unit 1, and the second charging unit 3, and contains industrial air conditioning, a UPS, and other structures. The second chamber 8 is directly opposite the second charging unit 3 in the second horizontal direction and contains charging cabinets and other structures.

[0162] like Figure 3 and Figure 17 As shown, cable trays 5 are provided on the sides of the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3 facing each other. Cable trays 5 are also provided in the first chamber 6, the middle chamber 7 and the second chamber 8 to store cables and prevent them from being messy.

[0163] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment also provides a battery swapping station, including a battery swapping parking platform 200, a battery swapping channel 300, an unlocking device 400, and a charging compartment 100 as described above. The battery swapping channel 300 extends from the battery swapping parking platform 200 to the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 of the charging compartment 100. The unlocking device 400 (in-station RGV) is movably installed within the battery swapping channel 300. The battery swapping parking platform 200 is used to park vehicles, and a partition 500 is provided circumferentially in the area where vehicles are parked. The charging compartment 100 is arranged on one side of the battery swapping parking platform 200 along a first horizontal direction. The bottom plate of the container body 4 of the charging compartment 100 forms a bottom foundation 600, and the lifting unit 2, the lowermost first charging rack, and the lowermost second charging rack are all installed on the bottom foundation 600.

[0164] The battery swapping station provided in this embodiment, regardless of the number of charging battery racks 13, only requires vertical stacking above the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3, instead of laying out multiple charging racks flat. This eliminates the original overhead track system. The lifting unit 2's carrying rack 22 only moves vertically to pick up and place batteries, eliminating the need for horizontal movement for battery transport. Compared to existing battery swapping stations, the station provided in this embodiment occupies significantly less space, solving the problems of large footprint and high operating costs associated with existing stations. If it is necessary to expand the battery storage capacity within the charging compartment 100, simply continue stacking the corresponding number of charging battery racks 13 above the first charging unit 1 and the second charging unit 3, without expanding the horizontal area occupied by the charging compartment 100, thus reducing costs.

[0165] This embodiment also provides an in-station battery swapping method, which can be applied to the battery swapping stations described above, and specifically includes the following steps:

[0166] S1. The unlocking device 400 removes the depleted battery and transports it through the battery swapping channel 300 to the bottom of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. At the same time, the conveying mechanism 23 of the lifting unit 2 picks up the fully charged battery and places it on the load rack 22.

[0167] S2, Add / unlock device 400 lifts the depleted battery to the depleted battery buffer rack 12;

[0168] S3, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 descends to below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11;

[0169] S4. The rack 22 moves down and the fully charged battery is sent to the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 via the conveyor mechanism 23.

[0170] S5. The unlocking device 400 lifts the fully charged battery and returns to the battery swapping parking platform 200 to install the fully charged battery.

[0171] S6. The rack 22 moves upward and the depleted battery is retrieved via the conveyor mechanism 23.

[0172] S7. The depleted battery is moved upward on the rack 22 and sent to the rechargeable battery rack 13 via the conveyor mechanism 23.

[0173] After the unlocking / unlocking device 400 (in-station RGV) removes the depleted battery from the vehicle body, it transports the depleted battery through the battery swapping channel 300 to below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. During this process, the first linear drive component 142 drives the lifting component 141 in the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12 to rotate to the avoidance state (or maintain the avoidance state). Subsequently, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 lifts the depleted battery into the depleted battery buffer rack 12, and the lifting component 141 in the depleted battery buffer rack 12 rotates to the support state. The unlocking / unlocking device 400 then places the depleted battery on the lifting component 141, completing the temporary storage of the depleted battery.

[0174] After the depleted batteries are placed, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 descends below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. Simultaneously, while the unlocking / unlocking device 400 transports the depleted batteries, the conveying mechanism 23 (forks) of the lifting unit 2 picks up a fully charged battery from either the first charging unit 1 or the second charging unit 3's battery rack 13 and places it onto the carrying rack 22. The carrying rack 22 then moves down to a position flush with the fully charged battery buffer rack 11, and the conveying mechanism 23 delivers the fully charged batteries into the fully charged battery buffer rack 11. The lifting members 141 inside the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 rotate to a supporting position, and then the conveying mechanism 23 descends slightly to allow the fully charged batteries to fall onto the four lifting members 141, completing the temporary storage of the fully charged batteries. At this time, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 is located below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11.

[0175] Afterwards, the unlocking / unlocking device 400 rises to lift the fully charged battery, and the lifting component 141 inside the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 rotates again to the avoidance state to prevent interference with the descent of the fully charged battery. The unlocking / unlocking device 400 then lowers the fully charged battery to below the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and returns along the battery swapping channel 300 to the battery swapping parking platform 200 to install the fully charged battery onto the vehicle body. During the transportation of the fully charged battery by the unlocking / unlocking device 400, the carrying rack 22 moves from the position of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 to a position level with the depleted battery buffer rack 12, and the conveying mechanism 23 picks up the depleted battery and places it on the carrying rack 22. The carrying rack 22 then moves the depleted battery to an empty charging battery rack 13, and the conveying mechanism 23 delivers the depleted battery to the charging battery rack 13 for charging, thus completing one in-station battery swapping process.

[0176] In this embodiment, the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12, positioned vertically, allow the unlocking / unlocking device 400 to complete the process of storing depleted batteries and retrieving fully charged batteries simply by raising and lowering its position. Furthermore, the battery transport process by the unlocking / unlocking device 400 and the battery storage / retrieval process by the lifting unit 2 can be performed simultaneously, effectively simplifying the battery swapping process, improving the efficiency of battery swapping within the station, and avoiding long waiting times for users. In addition, the lifting component 141 allows for a smaller design of the fully charged battery buffer rack 11 and the depleted battery buffer rack 12, facilitating the miniaturization of the entire charging compartment 100 and the battery swapping station.

[0177] To prevent failed batteries (batteries that have experienced thermal runaway) from affecting the safety of the entire battery swapping station, the in-station battery swapping method provided in this embodiment also includes the following steps:

[0178] W1. Determine whether all batteries in the charging case 100 are in a state of thermal runaway.

[0179] W2, the thermal runaway battery was transferred to the fire box 32 in the fire room 31;

[0180] W3, The safety door of the charging compartment 100 is flipped down to form a ramp;

[0181] W4, the conveying mechanism 23 of the lifting unit 2 pushes the fire box 32, and the fire box 32 slides along the slope to move away from the charging compartment 100;

[0182] W5. Safety warning activated within the battery swapping station.

[0183] When the control unit in the charging compartment 100 detects thermal runaway of a battery, the lifting unit 2 transfers the thermally runaway battery to the failed battery carrier 33 in the fire compartment 31 via the conveying mechanism 23 (forks). Then, the forks of the lifting unit 2 extend between the crossbeam 332 of the failed battery carrier 33 and the failed battery, and rise until they contact the bottom of the crossbeam 332. Subsequently, the second linear drive 341 moves the hook 343 via the drive shaft 342, causing the hook 343 to disengage from the attachment portion 331 on the crossbeam 332, thus releasing the connection between the failed battery carrier 33 and the top of the fire compartment 31. Afterward, the forks move down, lowering the failed battery carrier 33 into the water tank 321.

[0184] After the failed battery carrier 33 is lowered into the water tank 321, the safety door can automatically flip down and open to form a ramp. Then, the forks of the lifting unit 2 push the water tank 321, giving it an initial velocity so that the fire box 32 containing the failed battery slides down the ramp to the ground without human intervention, avoiding casualties and improving the safety of work in the station.

[0185] As the fire extinguisher box 32 slides along the ramp away from the charging compartment 100, a safety warning is activated within the battery swapping station. Specifically, the station is equipped with an alarm module that can promptly issue an alarm signal when the battery experiences thermal failure, alerting personnel to take timely safety measures to prevent further losses.

[0186] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will be able to make various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging case, characterized in that, include: The first charging unit (1) includes a fully charged battery buffer rack (11), a depleted battery buffer rack (12) and a plurality of charging battery racks (13) arranged vertically from bottom to top. The fully charged battery buffer rack (11) is connected to the depleted battery buffer rack (12) and is configured to be connected to the battery swapping channel (300). The second charging unit (3) includes a fire room (31) arranged vertically from bottom to top and a plurality of the charging battery racks (13); The lifting unit (2) includes a body frame (21), a rack (22) and a conveying mechanism (23). The rack (22) is vertically mounted on the body frame (21). The first charging unit (1) and the second charging unit (3) are respectively located on opposite sides of the body frame (21). The conveying mechanism (23) is movably mounted on the rack (22) between the first charging unit (1) and the second charging unit (3). The first charging unit (1) includes a plurality of first charging racks arranged vertically. Each first charging rack includes a plurality of shelves. The shelves of the bottom first charging rack are, in order, the fully charged battery buffer rack (11), the depleted battery buffer rack (12), and a plurality of charging battery racks (13). The shelves of the remaining first charging racks are all charging battery racks (13). The second charging unit (3) includes a plurality of vertically arranged second charging racks. Each second charging rack includes a plurality of shelves. The shelves of the bottom second charging rack are, in order, the fire room (31) and a plurality of the charging battery racks (13). The shelves of the remaining second charging racks are all the charging battery racks (13). The charging compartment (100) also includes multiple vertically arranged container bodies (4), each of which is provided with a first charging rack and a second charging rack; Both the fully charged battery buffer rack (11) and the depleted battery buffer rack (12) are provided with a support mechanism (14). The support mechanism (14) includes a rotatable lifting member (141), which has the states of supporting the battery and avoiding the battery. The support mechanism (14) also includes: First linear drive component (142); A rack (143) extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the first linear drive (142); A rotating gear (144) is provided, or multiple gears are provided at intervals along the extension direction of the rack (143) and mesh with the rack (143). The axis of the rotating gear (144) is vertically arranged, and the lifting member (141) is connected to the rotating gear (144).

2. The charging case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fire room (31) is equipped with: Fire box (32), including a water tank (321) with an opening at the top and a transfer bracket (322) disposed at the bottom of the water tank (321); A dead battery carrier (33) is disposed above the water tank (321) and is detachably connected to the top of the fire room (31).

3. The charging case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top of the fire room (31) is provided with a locking mechanism (34) on both sides opposite to the failed battery carrier (33). The locking mechanism (34) includes: Second linear drive (341); A drive shaft (342) extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the second linear drive (341); A hook (343) is provided on the drive shaft (342) with one or multiple hooks spaced apart along the axial direction of the drive shaft (342). The failed battery carrier (33) is provided with a hooking part (331) corresponding to the hook (343). The hooking part (331) can be detachably hooked to the hook (343).

4. The charging case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The top of the fire room (31) is provided with a plurality of vertically extending positioning members (35) around the circumference of the failed battery carrier (33). The positioning members (35) are provided with guide ramps (351), which gradually move away from the failed battery carrier (33) from top to bottom.

5. The charging case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The failed battery carrier (33) includes: A horizontal frame (332) is detachably connected to the top of the fire room (31); There are two vertical frames (333) arranged in parallel, with the two vertical frames (333) located on both sides of the horizontal frame (332); Support block (334): At least one support block (334) is provided on each side of the two vertical frames (333) facing each other, and the support block (334) is located on the side of the vertical frame (333) away from the horizontal frame (332); A buffer pad (335) is disposed on the bottom surface of the support block (334).

6. The charging case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The charging compartment (100) also includes an outer compartment. The fire room (31) is provided with a safety opening (311) on the side facing away from the lifting unit (2) to allow the fire box (32) to pass through. The outer compartment is provided with a safety door in the position directly opposite the safety opening (311). The safety door is slidably mounted on the outer compartment; or... The safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a first rotating shaft, which is vertically positioned; or... The safety door is rotatably connected to the outer compartment via a second rotating shaft. The second rotating shaft is horizontally positioned and connected to the bottom of the outer compartment. When the safety door is in the open state, it is tilted relative to the horizontal plane.

7. The charging case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support mechanism (14) also includes: The support (145) is fixed to the fully charged battery buffer (11) or the depleted battery buffer (12); A guide rail (146) is disposed on the support (145) and is aligned with the extending direction of the rack (143); A slider (147) is disposed on the rack (143) and is slidably engaged with the guide rail (146).

8. The charging case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support mechanism (14) also includes: Rotary drive component; A rotating shaft extends horizontally and is connected to the drive end of the rotating drive member. The lifting member (141) is connected to the rotating shaft and extends radially along the rotating shaft.

9. The charging case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support mechanism (14) is provided on at least two opposite sides of the fully charged battery buffer rack (11) and the depleted battery buffer rack (12).

10. The charging case according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The charging battery holder (13) is provided with: Support component (131) is placed at the bottom of the battery; Positioning pin (132), the battery is provided with positioning hole, the positioning pin (132) is inserted into the positioning hole; A charging device (133) is vertically mounted on the charging battery rack (13). The charging device (133) is equipped with a charging plug, which is pluggable to the charging port on the battery.

11. The charging case according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The lifting unit (2) further includes: A rotary drive mechanism (24) is disposed on the top of the body frame (21); A drive shaft (25) extends horizontally and is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying mechanism (23), and the drive shaft (25) is connected to the drive end of the rotary drive mechanism (24); There are two chain drive mechanisms (26) extending vertically. The two ends of the drive shaft (25) are respectively connected to the drive sprockets of the two chain drive mechanisms (26), and the rack (22) is connected to the chain of the chain drive mechanism (26).

12. The charging case according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The conveying mechanism (23) includes: The lower support plate (231) is fixed inside the carrying rack (22); The middle slide plate (232) is slidably disposed on the lower support plate (231); The upper fork plate (233) is slidably disposed on the middle slide plate (232).

13. A battery swapping station, characterized in that, The device includes a battery swapping parking platform (200), a battery swapping channel (300), an unlocking device (400), and a charging compartment (100) as described in any one of claims 1-12. The battery swapping channel (300) extends from the battery swapping parking platform (200) to the fully charged battery buffer rack (11) of the charging compartment (100), and the unlocking device (400) is movably disposed within the battery swapping channel (300).

14. An in-station battery swapping method, characterized in that, The in-station battery swapping method is applied to the battery swapping station as described in claim 13, and the in-station battery swapping method includes the following steps: The unlocking device (400) removes the depleted battery and transports it through the battery swapping channel (300) to the bottom of the fully charged battery buffer rack (11). At the same time, the conveying mechanism (23) of the lifting unit (2) picks up the fully charged battery to the load rack (22). The unlocking device (400) lifts the depleted battery to the depleted battery buffer rack (12); The unlocking / unlocking device (400) descends below the fully charged battery buffer (11); The rack (22) moves down and the fully charged battery is delivered to the fully charged battery buffer rack (11) via the conveyor mechanism (23); The unlocking device (400) lifts up the fully charged battery and returns to the battery swapping parking platform (200) to install the fully charged battery; The rack (22) moves upward and the depleted battery is taken out through the conveyor mechanism (23); The rack (22) carries the depleted battery upwards and sends it to the charging battery rack (13) via the conveyor mechanism (23).

15. The in-station battery swapping method according to claim 14, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: Determine whether all batteries in the charging compartment (100) are in a state of thermal runaway; The thermal runaway battery was transferred to the fire box (32) inside the fire room (31); The safety door of the charging compartment (100) flips down to form a ramp; The conveying mechanism (23) of the lifting unit (2) pushes the fire box (32), which slides along the ramp away from the charging compartment (100); A safety warning was activated inside the battery swapping station.

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