Toggle unlocking mechanism and battery replacement device

Abstract

The application provides a kind of toggle unlocking mechanism and battery replacement equipment.The toggle unlocking mechanism includes toggle component, the toggle component includes unlocking lever and first drive component.The unlocking lever corresponds to the lock bolt of locking mechanism;First drive component, connect the unlocking lever, for driving the unlocking lever swing;When the first drive component pulls the unlocking lever swing to unlocking position, the unlocking lever pushes the lock bolt and separates the locking port to remove the obstruction to the lock lever, so as to realize the unlocking operation of locking mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure pertains to the field of battery swapping, and in particular to a toggle-type unlocking mechanism and battery swapping equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Quick-swap electric vehicles (FSEVs) can meet their power needs by swapping batteries. The battery swapping process typically involves using swapping equipment to unlock the old battery pack from the EV and then insert and lock the new battery pack. The EV has a locking mechanism to secure the battery pack, and correspondingly, the swapping equipment also needs an unlocking mechanism.

[0003] During the battery pack unlocking process, the unlocking mechanism acts on the latch of the battery compartment, the latch disengages from the locking slot of the lock seat, and then the locking rod connected to the battery pack disengages from the lock seat through the lock hole and locking slot, thus realizing the unlocking operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above, it is necessary to provide a toggle-type unlocking mechanism and a battery swapping device that can pull the lock tongue away from the locking port of the lock seat during the battery pack unlocking process, thereby releasing the battery pack from its locking position.

[0005] Therefore, this disclosure first provides a toggle-type unlocking mechanism for unlocking a locking mechanism on an electric vehicle, the toggle-type unlocking mechanism including a toggle component, the toggle component comprising:

[0006] The unlocking lever corresponds to the locking tongue of the locking mechanism;

[0007] A first drive assembly is connected to the unlocking lever and is used to drive the unlocking lever to swing. When the first drive assembly pulls the unlocking lever to swing to the unlock position, the unlocking lever pushes the bolt to disengage from the locking lug to release the obstruction to the locking lever.

[0008] The toggle-type unlocking mechanism further includes a first sensor, which is triggered when the unlocking lever is swung to the unlocking position.

[0009] The toggle-type unlocking mechanism further includes a second sensor, which is triggered when the unlocking lever is reset to its initial position.

[0010] According to the toggle unlocking mechanism, the toggle assembly further includes a fixed base, and the bottom of the unlocking lever is rotatably connected to the fixed base.

[0011] The toggle-type unlocking mechanism further includes a toggle member, which is detachably connected to the unlocking rod and is used to actuate the locking tongue of the locking mechanism under the traction of the unlocking rod.

[0012] According to the toggle-type unlocking mechanism, the first drive assembly includes a first telescopic member, one end of which is hinged to the unlocking rod, and the other end is rotatably connected to the fixed base.

[0013] According to the aforementioned toggle-type unlocking mechanism, it further includes a lateral movement assembly for relative movement of the locking rod and the lock seat of the locking mechanism. The lateral movement assembly includes:

[0014] The transverse block corresponding to the locking mechanism;

[0015] The second driving component is used to drive the lateral block to move, and through the lateral block, the locking rod is driven to enter or disengage from the locking port of the locking mechanism.

[0016] According to the aforementioned toggle-type unlocking mechanism, the lateral block is provided with a fork corresponding to the lock seat of the locking mechanism, the fork being used for the lock seat of the locking mechanism to be inserted into the lateral block and thus pull the lock seat to move relative to the locking rod.

[0017] According to the toggle-type unlocking mechanism, the lateral movement component includes a plurality of lateral movement blocks, and the second drive component includes:

[0018] The second driving element is connected to at least one of the aforementioned transverse blocks;

[0019] A timing belt, connected to the transverse block, is used to move synchronously with the battery pack to carry the battery pack when the second drive member moves the battery pack through the transverse block.

[0020] According to the toggle-type unlocking mechanism, the second drive assembly includes a pair of synchronous belts, the second drive member includes a second telescopic member and a push plate, the second telescopic member is connected to the push plate, and both ends of the push plate are respectively connected to the synchronous belts through the transverse block.

[0021] According to the toggle-type unlocking mechanism, the lateral movement assembly further includes a lateral movement spring connected to the lateral movement block for resetting the lateral movement block.

[0022] In addition, this disclosure provides a battery swapping device, including the aforementioned toggle-type unlocking mechanism.

[0023] Compared to existing technologies, the aforementioned toggle-type unlocking mechanism and battery swapping device drive the unlocking rod to swing through the first drive component. During the swinging process of the unlocking rod to the unlock position, the unlocking rod pushes the locking tongue to disengage from the locking port to release the obstruction to the locking rod, thereby realizing the unlocking operation of the locking mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the implementation methods will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the locked state.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the unlocked state.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the battery swapping equipment.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the toggle assembly.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the transverse component.

[0030] Explanation of main component symbols

[0031]

[0032]

[0033] The following detailed embodiments will further illustrate this disclosure in conjunction with the above-described drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0034] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure, the disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure; the described embodiments are merely a part of the embodiments of this disclosure, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this disclosure without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this disclosure.

[0036] In various embodiments, for ease of description and not limitation of this disclosure, the term "connection" used in the patent application specification and claims is not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "below," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship also changes accordingly.

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism 10 in the locked state. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism 10 in the unlocked state. (See diagram below.) Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, as an example, the locking mechanism 10 is used to lock the battery pack 20 to the lock seat 13. The lock seat 13 can be connected to other components, such as an electric vehicle or a battery compartment that houses the battery pack 20, to lock the battery pack 20 to the electric vehicle or the battery compartment.

[0038] The locking mechanism 10 includes a connecting rod 11, a latch 12, and a lock seat 13. The connecting rod 11 is used to simultaneously pull multiple latches 12 to rotate relative to the lock seat 13, thereby opening or closing the locking port 132 of the lock seat 13, which prevents or allows the locking rod 15 from dislodging from the lock hole of the lock seat 13. Specifically, the connecting rod 11 is arranged horizontally and hinged to one or more latches 12. In this embodiment, the connecting rod 11 has a traction part 111 extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the connecting rod 11, which is used to drive the connecting rod 11 to move and rotate the latches 12. The other end of the latches 12 is hinged to the lock seat 13, and the middle part protrudes in the width direction. The lock seat 13 is connected to other components, such as a battery compartment or an electric vehicle. The lock seat 13 has a lock hole extending in the horizontal direction, and the lock hole has a locking port 132 communicating with the outside. In this way, the locking rod 15 connected to the battery pack 20 can enter the lock hole through the locking port 132, or it can disengage from the lock hole through the locking port 132. In addition, the locking mechanism 10 may also include one or more locking springs 14, one end of which is connected to the lock seat 13 and the other end is connected to the connecting rod 11, and is used to apply a force to the connecting rod 11 to prevent the connecting rod 11 from driving the lock tongue 12 to rotate under vibration or other forces.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, in the locked state, the locking rod 15 is located inside the lock hole of the lock seat 13, and the two ends of the latch 12 are hinged to the connecting rod 11 and the lock seat 13 respectively. The protruding part in the middle is located inside the locking stop 132, preventing the locking rod 15 from disengaging from the lock hole. At this time, because the locking stop 132 of the lock hole is in a closed state, the locking rod 15 is located inside the sealed lock hole and cannot disengage from the lock hole even under vibration. Figure 2As shown, under the action of external force, the traction part 111 of the connecting rod 11 moves upward and to the left at the same time, thereby driving the locking tongue 12 to rotate relative to the lock seat 13. Then, the middle part of the locking tongue 12 disengages from the locking stop 132 and opens the lock hole. In this way, the locking rod 15 can disengage from the lock hole through the locking stop 132, thereby unlocking the locking structure.

[0040] During the unlocking process of the locking mechanism 10, the inventors discovered that if the push rod is used to support the traction part 111 of the connecting rod 11 in the vertical direction, the traction part 111 needs to move laterally (determined by the rotation direction of the lock tongue 12) while moving upward. Therefore, during the support process of the push rod, there will inevitably be lateral movement between the push rod and the traction part 111 in the horizontal direction. On the one hand, this will wear down the push rod and the traction part 111, and on the other hand, there is also the problem of jamming due to excessive friction, resulting in unlocking failure.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the battery swapping device 30. (For example...) Figure 3 As shown, corresponding to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The locking mechanism 10 shown in this embodiment provides a battery swapping device 30, which includes a toggle unlocking mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism 10 on an electric vehicle. The toggle unlocking mechanism moves the connecting rod 11 in a swinging manner, thereby enabling the connecting rod 11 to move simultaneously in the vertical direction and the lateral horizontal direction, effectively improving the unlocking reliability of the locking mechanism 10.

[0042] Specifically, the battery swapping device 30 includes a vehicle body, with a walking mechanism at the bottom of the vehicle body for moving the battery pack 20 and for installing the battery pack 20 onto or off the electric vehicle. In some embodiments, the battery swapping device 30 also includes a guide block 31 mounted on the vehicle body for guiding the movement of the battery pack 20 as the vehicle body approaches the battery pack 20.

[0043] In addition, the battery swapping equipment 30 also includes a toggle-type unlocking mechanism installed on the vehicle body, including a toggle assembly 40 and a lateral movement assembly 50. The toggle assembly 40 is used to unlock the locking mechanism 10, and the lateral movement assembly 50 is used to move the locking rod 15 in the lateral direction, so that the locking rod 15 can be disengaged from the lock hole through the locking stop 132, or the locking rod 15 can be pushed into the lock hole from the locking stop 132.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of the toggle assembly 40. (See diagram below.) Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the actuating assembly 40 is used to actuate the connecting rod 11, and includes a fixed base 45, an unlocking rod 42, a first driving assembly, a first sensor 43, and a second sensor 44. The fixed base 45 is used to install and fix other components, the unlocking rod 42 is used to actuate the traction part 111 of the connecting rod 11, the first driving assembly is used to drive the unlocking rod 42 to swing, and the first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 are used to detect the swing position of the unlocking rod 42.

[0045] Specifically, the unlocking lever 42 corresponds to the latch 12 of the locking mechanism 10. The bottom of the unlocking lever 42 is hinged to the fixed base 45, and the top swings relative to the fixed base 45. To improve the service life of the unlocking lever 42, a toggle member 421 is also provided at the top of the unlocking lever 42. The toggle member 421 is detachably connected to the unlocking lever 42 and is used to actuate the latch 12 of the locking mechanism 10 under the traction of the unlocking lever 42. When the toggle member 421 is worn, it can be replaced in time. In addition, the toggle member 421 can also be made of materials with a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber or plastic, to increase the friction between it and the connecting rod 11.

[0046] The first drive assembly is connected to the unlocking rod 42 and is used to drive the unlocking rod 42 to swing. In this embodiment, the first drive assembly includes a first telescopic member 41, one end of which is hinged to the fixed base 45, and the other end is hinged to the middle of the unlocking rod 42, for pulling the locking rod 15 to swing by extending or shortening. In this embodiment, the first telescopic member can be a mechanism that can extend or shorten, such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, motor, or ball screw structure.

[0047] When the first telescopic member 41 of the first drive assembly retracts and pulls the unlocking rod 42 to swing to the initial position, the unlocking rod 42 does not interact with the traction portion 111 of the connecting rod 11. Preferably, it can be in a horizontal state to save space in the battery swapping device 30. At this time, the connecting rod 11 is held in the locked position by the locking spring 14, and the middle part of the latch 12 abuts against the locking port 132, thereby preventing the locking rod 15 from disengaging from the lock hole. When the first telescopic member 41 of the first drive assembly extends and pulls the unlocking rod 42 to swing to the unlock position (preferably extending vertically), the unlocking rod 42, during the swing from the horizontal state to the vertical state, moves the connecting rod 11 to pull multiple latches 12 to rotate relative to the lock seat 13, thereby causing the middle part of the latch 12 to disengage from the locking port 132 to release the obstruction to the locking rod 15. At this time, the locking rod 15 can disengage from the lock hole through the locking port 132.

[0048] The first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 are used to detect the position of the unlocking lever 42. In some embodiments, the first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 can be proximity switches. By setting the first sensor 43 and the second sensor 44 in appropriate positions, the first sensor 43 can be triggered when the unlocking lever 42 swings to the unlock position, and the second sensor 44 can be triggered when the unlocking lever 42 swings to the initial position.

[0049] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the transverse component 50. (See diagram below.) Figure 5 As shown, the lateral movement component 50 is used to pull the locking rod 15 from the locking port 132 into or out of the lock hole. After the locking mechanism 10 is unlocked, in order to pull the locking rod 15 out of the lock hole, the lateral movement component 50 needs to drive the lock seat 13 or the locking rod 15 to move, so that the locking rod 15 moves along the lock hole and finally comes out of the lock hole through the locking port 132.

[0050] Specifically, the lateral movement assembly 50 includes a lateral movement block 51 and a second drive assembly. The lateral movement block 51 is used to dock with the connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20. The second drive assembly is used to drive the lateral movement block 51 to move. The connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20 drives the locking rod 15 or the locking seat 13 to move relative to each other until the locking rod 15 is disengaged from the lock hole through the locking stop 132.

[0051] In this embodiment, the lateral moving block 51 corresponds to the connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20, and there can be multiple such blocks. It is movably connected to the vehicle body via a horizontally extending lateral moving guide rail 511. The top of the lateral moving block 51 has a fork corresponding to the connecting block 21, which is used for the connecting block 21 to engage with the lateral moving block 51 to pull the lock seat 13 relative to the lock rod 15. In other embodiments, the lateral moving block 51 can also pull the lock rod 15 relative to the lock seat 13 by directly engaging with it. Those skilled in the art will understand that the lateral moving block 51 can also have other connection methods and docking components depending on its position and structure, as long as it can pull the lock rod 15 and the lock seat 13 to move relative to each other.

[0052] The second drive assembly is used to drive the lateral block 51 to move. The lateral block 51 pulls the connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20, causing the locking rod 15 to enter or disengage from the locking port 132 of the locking mechanism 10. As an example, the second drive assembly includes a second driver and a timing belt 52. The second driver is connected to at least one of the lateral blocks 51 and is used to drive the lateral block 51 to move along the lateral guide rail 511. The timing belt 52 is used to synchronously support the movement of the battery pack 20. In some embodiments, the timing belt 52 bypasses the synchronous wheel rotating on the vehicle body to support the horizontal movement of the battery pack 20; in other embodiments, the timing belt 52 may bypass a guide plate to move relative to the guide plate while supporting the movement of the battery pack 20.

[0053] Please refer to the previous document. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the second drive assembly includes a pair of synchronous belts 52, and the second drive member includes a second telescopic member 54 and a push plate 53. The second telescopic member 54 can be a cylinder, a motor, a ball screw, or other structures. The second telescopic member 54 is connected to the push plate 53, and both ends of the push plate 53 are connected to the synchronous belts 52 via the transverse block 51, and are movably connected to the vehicle body via the push plate guide rail 531. In order to reset the transverse block 51 in a timely manner, in this embodiment, the transverse assembly 50 also includes a transverse spring 512, which is connected to the transverse block 51 and used to reset the transverse block 51.

[0054] During operation, the second telescopic component 54 drives the lateral moving blocks 51 on both sides to move via the push plate 53. The lateral moving blocks 51 pull the connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20 to move, causing the battery pack 20 to move horizontally. To reduce friction between the battery pack 20 and the vehicle body, the lateral moving blocks 51 simultaneously drive the synchronous belt 52 to move while pulling the battery pack 20 horizontally. During the movement of the synchronous belt 20 and the battery pack 20, the speed of the synchronous belt 52 is synchronized with the speed of the lateral moving blocks 51, so that there is no speed difference between the battery pack 20 and the synchronous belt 52 and they will not move relative to each other. This reduces the risk of the battery pack 20 being scratched during the horizontal movement and helps protect the battery pack 20. After the lateral moving blocks 51 pull the locking rod 15 and the locking seat 13 to move relative to each other, the return spring pulls the lateral moving blocks 51 back to their original position, realizing the reset action.

[0055] The following describes in detail the implementation process of the aforementioned unlocking mechanism.

[0056] In the initial state, the first telescopic member 41 is in the retracted state, and the unlocking lever 42 is in a horizontal position (i.e., locked state). When the battery swapping device 30 is close to the battery pack 20, the forks of the lateral block 51 are inserted into both sides of the lock seat 13.

[0057] The first telescopic member 41 pulls the unlocking rod 42 to swing in the vertical direction. During the swinging process, the actuating member 421 of the unlocking rod 42 contacts the traction part 111 of the connecting rod 11, and pushes the connecting rod 11 to move upward and sideways at the same time through the traction part 111, thereby causing the locking tongue 12 to rotate relative to the locking seat 13 and unlock.

[0058] After unlocking is completed, since the unlocking lever 42 is in a generally vertical unlocked position, it can prevent the traction unit 111 from returning to the locked state unexpectedly.

[0059] After the unlocking lever 42 unlocks the locking mechanism 10, the second drive assembly drives the lateral block 51 to move the locking lever 15 and the lock seat 13 relative to each other via the connecting block 21 of the battery pack 20, disengaging the locking lever 15 from the lock hole 13 through the locking port 132. Afterward, the unlocking lever 42 swings to a horizontal position under the traction of the first drive assembly, saving space.

[0060] The aforementioned toggle-type unlocking mechanism and battery swapping device 30 drive the unlocking rod 42 to swing through the first drive assembly. During the swinging process of the unlocking rod 42 to the unlock position, the unlocking rod 42 pushes the locking tongue 12 to disengage from the locking port 132 to release the obstruction to the locking rod 15, thereby realizing the unlocking operation of the locking mechanism 10.

[0061] In the several specific embodiments provided in this disclosure, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this disclosure is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that this disclosure can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be embraced within this disclosure. Furthermore, it is clear that the word "comprising" does not exclude other units or steps, and the singular does not exclude the plural. Terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used to denote names and do not indicate any particular order.

[0062] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the above preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions to the technical solutions of this disclosure should not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A toggle-type unlocking mechanism for unlocking a locking mechanism on an electric vehicle, the locking mechanism comprising a connecting rod, a latch, and a lock seat, the lock seat having a lock hole with a locking recess, characterized in that, The toggle-type unlocking mechanism includes a toggle component, which includes: The unlocking lever corresponds to the locking tongue of the locking mechanism; A first drive assembly is connected to the unlocking rod and is used to drive the unlocking rod to swing. When the first drive assembly pulls the unlocking rod to swing to the unlock position, the unlocking rod pushes the connecting rod of the locking mechanism to move upward and sideways at the same time, causing the locking tongue to disengage from the locking port to release the obstruction to the locking rod. The unlocking rod is in the unlock position to prevent the connecting rod from returning and re-entering the locking state. The toggle assembly also includes a mounting base, and the bottom of the unlocking lever is rotatably connected to the mounting base; The first drive assembly includes a first telescopic member, one end of which is hinged to the unlocking rod, and the other end is rotatably connected to the fixed base; It also includes a lateral movement assembly for relative movement of the traction locking rod and the lock seat of the locking mechanism; The lateral movement component includes: The transverse block corresponding to the locking mechanism; The second driving component is used to drive the lateral block to move, and through the lateral block, the locking rod is driven to enter or disengage from the locking port of the locking mechanism. The lateral movement component includes multiple lateral movement blocks, and the second drive component includes: The second driving element is connected to at least one of the aforementioned transverse blocks; A timing belt, connected to the transverse block, is used to move synchronously with the battery pack to carry the battery pack when the second drive member moves the battery pack through the transverse block.

2. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first sensor that is triggered when the unlocking lever is swung to the unlock position.

3. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second sensor that is triggered when the unlocking lever is reset to its initial position.

4. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a toggle element, which is detachably connected to the unlocking lever and is used to actuate the linkage of the locking mechanism under the traction of the unlocking lever.

5. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The transverse block is provided with a fork, which is used for the locking seat of the locking mechanism to be inserted into the transverse block and to pull the locking seat to move relative to the locking rod.

6. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The second drive assembly includes a pair of synchronous belts, and the second drive member includes a second telescopic member and a push plate. The second telescopic member is connected to the push plate, and both ends of the push plate are connected to the synchronous belts via the transverse block.

7. The toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The lateral movement assembly also includes a lateral movement spring connected to the lateral movement block for resetting the lateral movement block.

8. A battery swapping device, characterized in that, Includes the toggle-type unlocking mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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