High-precision self-adaptive battery replacing robot and battery replacing method thereof

Abstract

The application relates to a high-precision adaptive battery replacing robot and a battery replacing method thereof. The high-precision adaptive battery replacing robot comprises, from top to bottom, a leveling plate assembly (5), a floating plate assembly (4), a moving and lifting plate assembly (3), a rotating plate assembly (2) and a bottom frame assembly (1). The application is aimed at the problems of overload, partial load, tipping of a cargo box, unevenness of a chassis and inclined parking of a light truck. Visual detection is fed back to the high-precision adaptive battery replacing robot, so that the robot can dynamically adjust to the inclination of the chassis, thereby successfully completing the battery replacing work and remarkably improving the battery replacing efficiency.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of replacing batteries at the bottom of light commercial vehicles, and in particular to a high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot and a battery replacement method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the development of technology and the progress of technology, the market share of new energy vehicles is becoming higher and higher. Under this background, the convenience of energy replenishment has become one of the important indicators of new energy vehicles. Compared with the traditional charging scheme, the battery replacement scheme can realize energy replenishment within a few minutes, and the convenience is comparable to refueling, so it is regarded as an important development direction of energy replenishment.

[0003] At present, the battery replacement station of new energy vehicles mainly adopts the bottom battery replacement mode, which needs to have a complete battery replacement platform and a car lifting mechanism. The specific operation process is as follows: first, the vehicle needs to be parked on the battery replacement platform, and the front and rear centering mechanism provided by the battery replacement platform will exert a pushing force on the tires of the vehicle to center the vehicle to the battery replacement position. Then, the car lifting mechanism lifts the vehicle to a certain height to adjust the attitude of the vehicle chassis and provide enough walking space for the automatic guided vehicle (RGV) to complete the battery replacement action.

[0004] However, this structure is relatively complex and has high positioning accuracy requirements, resulting in increased production costs, poor battery replacement experience, and high maintenance costs in the later period. Especially for light truck models, in the case of overload or partial load, the attitude adjustment is more difficult, which affects the success rate of battery replacement.

[0005] Therefore, it is urgent to develop a more simplified and convenient battery replacement system to improve the battery replacement efficiency, reduce the cost, and ensure the success rate of battery replacement under various load conditions. This not only helps to improve the user experience, but also further promotes the development of the new energy vehicle market. SUMMARY

[0006] The present application designs a high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot and a battery replacement method thereof, which solves the technical problem of insufficient positioning accuracy of the existing battery replacement mechanism, resulting in increased production costs, poor battery replacement experience, and high maintenance costs in the later period.

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present application adopts the following scheme:

[0008] The high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot can automatically disassemble or install the battery pack on the vehicle chassis; wherein the battery pack is locked on the quick replacement support, the quick replacement support is connected with the vehicle chassis support, the high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot sequentially comprises a leveling plate assembly, a floating plate assembly, a moving lifting plate assembly, a rotating plate assembly and a bottom frame assembly from top to bottom, the moving lifting plate assembly comprises a lower horizontal moving plate and an upper vertical lifting plate; the leveling plate assembly can be adjusted in inclination and tightly attached to the bottom surface of the battery pack, the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly is connected with the positioning mechanism of the battery pack, and the unlocking mechanism on the leveling plate assembly unlocks or locks the locking mechanism between the battery pack and the quick replacement support; the floating plate assembly is hinged with the leveling plate assembly, and the floating plate assembly can swing horizontally, thereby ensuring that the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are successfully connected; the floating chain assembly comprises an L-shaped support and a chain, the vertical edge of the L-shaped support is connected with the floating plate assembly, one end of the chain is connected with the horizontal edge of the L-shaped support, and the other end of the chain is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate; the upper vertical lifting plate is provided with an electromagnet, and a corresponding electromagnet adsorption plate is arranged on the floating plate assembly; before the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are connected, the control unit does not start the electromagnet, so that the floating plate assembly can float left and right; after the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are connected, the control unit starts the electromagnet, so that the floating plate assembly and the upper vertical lifting plate are adsorbed and fixedly connected, and the floating plate assembly is prevented from floating left and right to cause the battery pack to be bumped during movement; the moving lifting plate assembly is connected with the floating plate assembly through the floating chain assembly, and the moving lifting plate assembly moves the leveling plate assembly and the floating plate assembly vertically through a Z-direction driving mechanism; the rotating plate assembly can rotate the leveling plate assembly, the floating plate assembly and the moving lifting plate assembly above it to adapt to the position of the battery pack; the moving lifting plate assembly can move horizontally relative to the rotating plate assembly through an X-direction driving mechanism; and the bottom frame assembly can drive all the components thereon to move horizontally through a Y-direction driving mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly is a conical positioning pin, the positioning mechanism of the battery pack is a positioning pin sleeve, and the horizontal swinging of the floating plate assembly can make the conical positioning pin easily enter the positioning pin sleeve; the leveling plate assembly is provided with a plurality of battery pack lifting blocks, each battery pack lifting block is provided with a pressure sensor, and when the battery pack contacts the battery pack lifting block, the pressure sensor can output a corresponding pressure value to the control module; the leveling plate assembly is also provided with a plurality of locking and unlocking sleeves, the lower end of each locking and unlocking sleeve is connected with the rotor of a locking and unlocking driving motor, the gear ring at the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve is matched with the gear ring at the lower end of the screw shaft of the locking mechanism, and the upper end of the screw shaft has a horizontal locking part; the locking and unlocking driving motor rotates the locking and unlocking sleeve, the locking and unlocking sleeve drives the screw shaft to rotate, and the horizontal locking part rotates from the locked state to the unlocked state or from the unlocked state to the locked state.

[0010] Preferably, the floating plate assembly and the leveling plate assembly are hinged by a Hooke hinge. The floating plate assembly is equipped with multiple leveling electric cylinders. The drive rods of the multiple leveling electric cylinders cooperate with each other to tilt the leveling plate assembly and press it tightly against the bottom surface of the battery pack. It also includes a tilt sensor and an encoder. The tilt sensor can detect the tilt angle of the leveling plate assembly. The encoder can perform secondary inspection of the leveling effect and error value of the leveling plate assembly.

[0011] Preferably, two sets of scissor fork assemblies are connected between the lower horizontal moving plate and the upper vertical lifting plate, and a scissor fork beam is connected between the two sets of scissor fork assemblies; the lifting of the upper vertical lifting plate is achieved by a rigid chain drive assembly, one end of the rigid chain of the rigid chain drive assembly is connected to the upper vertical lifting plate, the motor acts on the reducer, and the reducer drives the rigid chain to move vertically through the sprocket drive; the scissor fork assembly includes two mutually hinged moving rods, one of which has a moving slider at its end, and a slide rail is provided on the lower horizontal moving plate, allowing the moving slider to move on the slide rail.

[0012] Preferably, the X-axis drive mechanism includes an X-axis rack, an X-axis moving motor, and a third gear; a long slot is provided on the lower horizontal moving plate, and the X-axis rack is "I"-shaped and passes through the long slot; the top of the "I" shape is the rack body, the lower horizontal moving plate and the bottom of the "I" shape are fixed on the rotating plate assembly, the X-axis moving motor is fixed on the lower horizontal moving plate, the rotor of the X-axis moving motor is connected to the third gear, and the third gear meshes with the X-axis rack; when the third gear rotates, the X-axis moving motor, the lower horizontal moving plate, and all components thereon move horizontally in the X direction.

[0013] Preferably, the rotating plate assembly includes an inner ring, an outer ring, a second gear, a rotating motor, and a rotating plate. The inner ring and the outer ring are coaxially connected, and the inner ring can rotate. The outer ring has teeth on its outer side and is fixed to the bottom frame assembly. The rotating plate is fixedly connected to the inner ring and can rotate around the axis of the inner ring. The rotor of the rotating motor is connected to the second gear, and the second gear meshes with the teeth. The rotating motor is mounted on the rotating plate. When the rotating motor is working, it causes itself and the rotating plate to rotate around the axis of the inner ring.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom frame assembly and the ground rail assembly cooperate with each other. The bottom frame assembly is provided with a first gear and a drive motor, and the corresponding ground rail assembly includes a Y-axis rack. The drive motor drives the first gear to move on the Y-axis rack.

[0015] Preferably, each conical positioning pin has a pressure sensor ring at its root. When the conical positioning pin is fully inserted into the positioning pin sleeve, the quick-change bracket squeezes and activates the pressure sensor ring. When all pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings output values ​​reach preset values, it indicates that the battery pack is tightly fixed by the adjustable plate assembly. The control unit automatically activates the electromagnet based on the pressure sensor signals and pressure sensor ring signals, causing the floating plate assembly to be attracted and fixedly connected to the upper vertical lifting plate. When one or more pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings output values ​​do not reach preset values, it indicates that the battery pack is not tightly fixed by the adjustable plate assembly. The control unit activates the rigid chain drive assembly based on the pressure sensor signals and pressure sensor ring signals, causing the upper vertical lifting plate to move up and down for fine-tuning so that the conical positioning pin is fully inserted into the positioning pin sleeve.

[0016] A control method for a high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot includes the following steps:

[0017] The unlocking process is as follows:

[0018] Step 1: After the vehicle is parked in the battery swapping area, the vision camera takes a picture of the vehicle chassis position and sends the information of the depleted battery pack and quick-swap bracket back to the control unit.

[0019] Step 2: After receiving feedback information from the vision camera, the control unit adjusts the adjustment plate assembly to the position indicated by the vision feedback along the X-axis and Y-axis respectively through the X-axis drive mechanism and the Y-axis drive mechanism. At the same time, the control unit controls the Hooke hinge to make the tilt angle of the adjustment plate assembly the same as the tilt angle of the depleted battery pack.

[0020] Step 3: Rotate the rotating plate assembly along the R-axis to the corresponding angle so that the projected shape of the depleted battery pack and quick-change bracket on the horizontal plane coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly.

[0021] Step 4: Control the rigid chain drive assembly so that the upper vertical lifting plate of the moving lifting plate assembly rises along the Z-axis;

[0022] Step 5: The control unit shuts down the electromagnet, and the floating plate assembly is released;

[0023] Step 6: When the positioning pin approaches the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, the X and Y axes will perform corresponding position information compensation. At this time, the encoder begins to contact the depleted battery pack and perform angle recheck. Subsequently, the depleted battery pack contacts the battery pack support block and pressure sensor, and is also detected by the proximity switch. The tilt sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling component in real time and provides feedback. The control unit performs position correction based on this feedback information to achieve precise positioning. When the positioning pin is fully inserted into the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, the unlocking drive motor is started to activate the torque mode of the unlocking sleeve and perform the unlocking action, finally completing the unlocking.

[0024] A control method of a high-precision adaptive battery swap robot, comprising the following steps:

[0025] The locking process is as follows:

[0026] Step 1: The high-precision adaptive battery swap robot carrying a full battery pack moves to the underside of the vehicle chassis in the Y-axis direction;

[0027] Step 2: After the control unit receives the visual camera feedback information, the leveling plate assembly is adjusted to the position indicated by the visual feedback along the X-axis and Y-axis through the X-direction driving mechanism and Y-direction driving mechanism, respectively, and the control unit controls the Hooke joint to make the inclination angle of the leveling plate assembly the same as the inclination angle of the vehicle chassis support;

[0028] Step 3: The rotating plate assembly is rotated to the corresponding angle along the R-axis, so that the horizontal projection shape of the quick-change support coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly;

[0029] Step 4: The rigid chain transmission assembly is controlled to make the upper vertical lifting plate of the moving lifting plate assembly rise along the Z-axis;

[0030] Step 5: The control unit turns off the electromagnet, and the floating plate assembly is released;

[0031] Step 6: When the locking and unlocking sleeve approaches the lower end gear ring of the screw shaft, the X-axis and Y-axis will perform corresponding position information compensation; the inclination sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling assembly in real time and feeds back, and the control unit corrects the position according to the feedback information to realize accurate positioning; when the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve is sleeved on the lower end gear ring of the screw shaft, the locking and unlocking driving motor is started to make the torque mode of the locking and unlocking sleeve start and execute the locking action, and finally complete the locking.

[0032] Preferably, in step 6 of the unlocking process, when the output values of all pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack is tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly, and the control unit automatically starts the electromagnet according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the floating plate assembly is adsorbed and fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate; in step 6 of the unlocking process, when the output values of one or more pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings do not reach the preset value, it indicates that the full battery pack cannot be tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly, and the control unit starts the rigid chain transmission assembly according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal to make the upper vertical lifting plate move up and down to make the tapered positioning pin completely enter the positioning pin sleeve.

[0033] The high-precision adaptive battery swap robot and the battery swap method thereof have the following beneficial effects:

[0034] (1) The present application aims at the problems of light truck overload, partial load, cargo box overturning, chassis unevenness and inclined parking, etc., and feeds back to the high-precision self-adaptive motor changing robot through visual detection, so that it can dynamically adjust to the chassis inclination, thereby smoothly completing the motor changing work and significantly improving the motor changing efficiency.

[0035] (2) The automatic motor changing process of the present application reduces the labor demand, reduces the labor cost, and improves the stability and reliability of operation. The fast motor changing process can significantly shorten the waiting time, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance the competitiveness of enterprises.

[0036] (3) The vertical movement of the vertical lifting plate of the present application not only has the function of lifting and leveling the plate assembly, but also has the function of positioning mechanism connection correction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 : The present application is a high-precision self-adaptive motor changing robot three-dimensional structure schematic diagram;

[0038] Figure 2 : The structure schematic diagram of the ground rail assembly in the present application;

[0039] Figure 3 : The high-precision self-adaptive motor changing robot of the present application is a walking schematic diagram of the ground rail assembly;

[0040] Figure 4 : The first angle schematic diagram of the high-precision self-adaptive motor changing robot of the present application in the unfolded state;

[0041] Figure 5 : The second angle schematic diagram of the high-precision self-adaptive motor changing robot of the present application in the unfolded state;

[0042] Figure 6 : The combination schematic diagram of the leveling plate assembly and the floating plate assembly of the present application;

[0043] Figure 7 : Figure 6 : The first side surface schematic diagram in the present application;

[0044] Figure 8 : Figure 6 : The second side surface schematic diagram in the present application;

[0045] Figure 9 : The first angle structure schematic diagram of the mobile lifting plate assembly in the present application;

[0046] Figure 10 : The second angle structure schematic diagram of the mobile lifting plate assembly in the present application;

[0047] Figure 11 : The structure schematic diagram of the rigid chain transmission assembly in the present application;

[0048] Figure 12 : The structure diagram of the floating chain assembly in the application;

[0049] Figure 13 : The installation diagram of the electromagnet on the upper vertical lifting plate in the application;

[0050] Figure 14 : The internal structure diagram of the rotating plate assembly in the application;

[0051] Figure 15 : The external structure diagram of the rotating plate assembly in the application;

[0052] Figure 16 : The exploded view of the high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot in the application.

[0053] Explanation of reference signs:

[0054] 1 - bottom frame assembly; 11 - control cabinet; 12 - driving motor; 13 - first gear; 2 - rotating plate assembly; 21 - X-axis rack; 22 - inner ring; 23 - outer ring; 24 - second gear; 25 - rotating motor; 26 - rotating plate; 3 - moving lifting plate assembly; 31 - lower horizontal moving plate; 32 - upper vertical lifting plate; 33 - scissor fork assembly; 34 - scissor fork cross beam; 35 - slide rail; 36 - electromagnet; 37 - rigid chain transmission assembly; 371 - rigid chain end; 38 - moving slider; 39 - X-axis moving motor; 391 - third gear; 4 - floating plate assembly; 41 - leveling cylinder; 42 - hooke joint; 43 - electromagnet adsorption plate; 5 - leveling plate assembly; 51 - positioning pin; 52 - battery pack lifting block; 53 - encoder; 54 - locking and unlocking sleeve; 55 - pressure sensor; 56 - locking and unlocking driving motor; 6 - ground rail assembly; 61 - Y-axis rack; 7 - floating chain assembly; 71 - L-shaped support; 72 - chain. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0055] The application will be further described below: Figures 1 to 16

[0056] The purpose of the application is to provide a high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot that can replace the batteries at the bottom of a light truck without the need for centering positioning and without the need for lifting the vehicle to adjust the vehicle body posture in a designated battery replacement area. The core of the application is to optimize the battery replacement process through advanced mechanical and electronic systems, making it more efficient and convenient, thereby significantly improving the use efficiency of electric light trucks.

[0057] As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 16 , the high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot can automatically disassemble or install the battery pack on the vehicle chassis; wherein the battery pack is locked on the quick replacement support, and the quick replacement support is connected with the vehicle chassis support.​

[0058] The high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot consists of, from top to bottom, a leveling plate assembly 5, a floating plate assembly 4, a moving lifting plate assembly 3, a rotating plate assembly 2, and a base frame assembly 1. This robot has independent X, Y, Z, and R axis movements and can work collaboratively with each other.

[0059] The adjustable plate assembly 5 can be tilted and pressed firmly against the bottom surface of the battery pack. The positioning mechanism of the adjustable plate assembly 5 is connected to the positioning mechanism of the battery pack. The unlocking mechanism on the adjustable plate assembly 5 unlocks or locks the locking mechanism between the battery pack and the quick-change bracket. The floating plate assembly 4 is hinged to the adjustable plate assembly 5 and can swing horizontally to ensure that the positioning mechanism of the adjustable plate assembly 5 is smoothly connected to the positioning mechanism of the battery pack. The movable lifting plate assembly 3 is connected to the floating plate assembly 4 through the floating chain assembly 7. The movable lifting plate assembly 3 uses a Z-axis drive mechanism to make the adjustable plate assembly 5 and the floating plate assembly 4 move vertically in the Z-axis direction. The rotating plate assembly 2 can make the adjustable plate assembly 5, the floating plate assembly 4 and the movable lifting plate assembly 3 above it rotate to adapt to the position of the battery pack. The movable lifting plate assembly 3 can move horizontally in the X-axis direction relative to the rotating plate assembly 2 through an X-axis drive mechanism. The bottom frame assembly 1 can drive all its components to move horizontally in the Y-axis direction through a Y-axis drive mechanism.

[0060] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the base frame assembly 1 and the ground rail assembly 6 cooperate with each other. The base frame assembly 1 is equipped with a first gear 13 and a drive motor 12. The corresponding ground rail assembly 6 includes a Y-axis rack 61. The drive motor 12 drives the first gear 13 to move on the Y-axis rack 61. A control cabinet 11 is provided on the base frame assembly 1, and the control unit is located in the control cabinet 11.

[0061] The ground rail assembly 6 provides a clear path for the high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot, ensuring its safe movement along the predetermined track when shuttling between the battery swapping compartment and the battery compartment, reducing the possibility of deviation from the track. By fixing or embedding it in the ground, the ground rail assembly 6 enhances the stability of the high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot, ensuring balance during heavy-duty and accelerated operation. A Y-axis rack 61 is installed on the ground rail assembly; Y-axis movement relies on the first gear 13 and the rack drive, which helps the high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot to accurately position itself, especially during battery swapping operations, ensuring more accurate docking between it and the vehicle or battery pack.

[0062] The base frame component 1 provides a solid foundation and is the main load-bearing structure, capable of supporting the center of gravity and various components of the entire high-precision adaptive battery swapping robot, ensuring overall stability. It connects various parts of the battery swapping robot, including wheels, drive units, sensors, and other important components, forming a complete transportation system.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the leveling plate assembly 5 is mainly composed of a leveling plate body, a locking and unlocking drive motor 56, a locking and unlocking sleeve 54, a positioning pin 51, a battery pack lifting block 52, a pressure sensor, an inclination sensor, a pressure sensor ring, and an encoder 53. As the core component of the adaptive battery replacement robot, the leveling plate assembly can adjust the angle of the battery pack to adapt to the inclination angle of the chassis, thereby smoothly completing the battery replacement operation. This design not only improves the accuracy and safety of the battery replacement process, but also enhances the adaptability of the entire system.

[0064] The positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly 5 is a conical positioning pin 51, and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack is a positioning pin sleeve. The horizontal swinging of the floating plate assembly 4 can easily allow the conical positioning pin 51 to enter the positioning pin sleeve. The leveling plate assembly 5 is provided with a plurality of battery pack lifting blocks 52, and each battery pack lifting block 52 is provided with a pressure sensor 55. When the battery pack contacts the battery pack lifting block 52, the pressure sensor 55 can output the corresponding pressure value to the control module.

[0065] As shown in Figure 6 , the leveling plate assembly 5 is also provided with a plurality of locking and unlocking sleeves 54, and the lower end of each locking and unlocking sleeve 54 is connected with the rotor of the locking and unlocking drive motor 56. The gear ring at the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve 54 cooperates with the gear ring at the lower end of the locking mechanism, and the upper end of the screw shaft has a horizontal locking part. The locking and unlocking drive motor 56 rotates the locking and unlocking sleeve 54, which in turn rotates the screw shaft to rotate the horizontal locking part from the locked state to the unlocked state or from the unlocked state to the locked state.

[0066] As shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8 , the floating plate assembly 4 is composed of a floating plate body, a floating support leg, a floating chain assembly 7, a leveling cylinder 41, a hooke joint 42, and an electromagnet adsorption plate 43. The floating plate body can float ±15mm in the XY plane, compatible with the size error of the vehicle body, and reduce the positioning accuracy requirement of the battery replacement robot.

[0067] The floating plate assembly 4 and the leveling plate assembly 5 are hinged together by a Hooke hinge 42. The floating plate assembly 4 is equipped with multiple leveling cylinders 41. The drive rods of these cylinders cooperate to tilt the leveling plate assembly 5 and press it firmly against the bottom surface of the battery pack. The leveling plate assembly 5 is supported by the Hooke hinge 42, and the four leveling cylinders 41 are connected to it via the hinge, allowing the assembly to tilt at different angles. This design enables the battery swapping robot to adapt to different tilting postures of the chassis under overload or off-center load conditions, ensuring a smooth battery swapping process. Specifically, using position information fed back by a 3D vision camera, the four leveling cylinders move up and down at different angles, causing the leveling plate to form a certain angle around the Hooke hinge, the same angle as the vehicle chassis and battery pack angle, making the leveling plate parallel to the vehicle chassis.

[0068] It also includes a tilt sensor and an encoder 53. The tilt sensor can detect the tilt angle of the adjustment plate assembly 5; the encoder 53 can perform a secondary check on the leveling effect and error value of the adjustment plate assembly 5.

[0069] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, the movable lifting platform assembly 3 includes a lower horizontal moving plate 31 and an upper vertical lifting plate 32. Two sets of scissor fork assemblies 33 are connected between the lower horizontal moving plate 31 and the upper vertical lifting plate 32, and a scissor fork crossbeam 34 is connected between the two sets of scissor fork assemblies 33. The lifting of the upper vertical lifting plate 32 is achieved through a rigid chain drive assembly 37. One end 371 of the rigid chain drive assembly 37 is connected to the upper vertical lifting plate 32. The motor acts on a reducer, and the reducer drives the rigid chain vertically through a sprocket. Figure 11 As shown. The scissor fork assembly 33 includes two movable rods that are hinged to each other. One of the movable rods has a movable slider 38 at its end. A slide rail 35 is provided on the lower horizontal movable plate 31, and the movable slider 38 can move on the slide rail 35.

[0070] like Figure 10 As shown, the X-axis drive mechanism includes an X-axis rack 21, an X-axis moving motor 39, and a third gear 391. A long slot is formed on the lower horizontal moving plate 31, and the X-axis rack 21, which is I-shaped, passes through this slot. The top of the I-shape is the rack body, and the lower horizontal moving plate 31 and the bottom of the I-shape are fixed to the rotating plate assembly 2. The X-axis moving motor 39 is fixed to the lower horizontal moving plate 31, and its rotor is connected to the third gear 391, which meshes with the X-axis rack 21. When the third gear 391 rotates, the X-axis moving motor 39, the lower horizontal moving plate 31, and all its components move horizontally in the X-axis direction. X-axis pitch variation can better adapt to vehicle position deviations in the X-axis direction.

[0071] like Figure 12As shown, the floating chain assembly 7 includes an L-shaped bracket 71 and a chain 72, the vertical edge of the L-shaped bracket 71 is connected with the floating plate assembly 4, one end of the chain 72 is connected with the horizontal edge of the L-shaped bracket 71, and the other end of the chain 72 is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate 32.

[0072] As shown in the drawings, the upper vertical lifting plate 32 is provided with an electromagnet 36, and the floating plate assembly 4 is provided with an electromagnet adsorption plate 43 corresponding to the electromagnet 36; one of the main functions of the electromagnet adsorption plate 43 is to attract the electromagnet 36 during the Y-direction movement of the high-precision battery replacement robot, so that the floating plate assembly is static and loses the floating function, thereby avoiding accidental collision of the battery pack. Figure 13 The control unit does not start the electromagnet 36 before the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly 5 and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are connected, so that the floating plate assembly 4 can float left and right; the control unit starts the electromagnet 36 after the positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly 5 and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are connected, so that the floating plate assembly 4 is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate 32, thereby avoiding the floating plate assembly 4 from floating left and right, which causes the battery pack to be knocked during movement.

[0073] The root of each conical positioning pin 51 is provided with a pressure sensor ring, and when the conical positioning pin 51 completely enters the positioning pin sleeve, the quick-change support extrudes and activates the pressure sensor ring; when the output values of all the pressure sensors and the pressure sensor rings reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack is tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly 5, and the control unit automatically starts the electromagnet according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the floating plate assembly 4 is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate 32; when the output values of one or more pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings do not reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack cannot be tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly 5, and the control unit starts the rigid chain transmission assembly 37 according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the upper vertical lifting plate 32 moves up and down to make the conical positioning pin 51 completely enter the positioning pin sleeve. The upper vertical lifting plate 32 not only has the function of lifting the leveling plate assembly 5, but also has the function of positioning mechanism correction.

[0074]

[0075] ​In order to make the positioning pin 51 easy to enter the positioning pin sleeve, not only the end of the positioning pin 51 is designed as a taper, but also the diameter of the positioning pin sleeve is larger than that of the positioning pin 51, and the pressure sensor 55 is located on the battery pack lifting block 52 to contact the battery pack first, and the base of the positioning pin 51 contacts the battery pack late. Such a structure may cause an extreme situation: the positioning pin 51 tilts into the positioning pin sleeve and is stuck therein, and the pressure sensor is also triggered, but the battery pack is not fixed stably, causing damage during the movement of the battery pack. Therefore, a pressure sensor ring is added, and the control unit can definitely determine that the positioning pin 51 is completely in the positioning pin sleeve, and when the positioning pin 51 is not completely in the positioning pin sleeve, the rigid chain transmission assembly 37 is started to make the positioning pin 51 vertically reciprocate for adjustment, and finally completely enter the positioning pin sleeve.

[0076] As shown in Figure 14 and Figure 15 , the rotating plate assembly 2 includes an inner ring 22, an outer ring 23, a second gear 24, a rotating motor 25, and a rotating plate 26. The inner ring 22 is coaxially connected with the outer ring 23, and the inner ring 22 can rotate. The outer ring 23 is provided with a tooth on the outside and is fixed on the bottom frame assembly 1. The rotating plate 26 is fixedly connected with the inner ring 22 and can rotate around the axis of the inner ring 22. The rotor of the rotating motor 25 is connected with the second gear 24, and the second gear 24 is engaged with the tooth. The rotating motor 25 is installed on the rotating plate 26, and when the rotating motor 25 works, it makes itself and the rotating plate 26 rotate around the axis of the inner ring 22.

[0077] The rotating plate assembly 2 is an important part of the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot. It adopts gear drive, has high positioning accuracy, and allows the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot to rotate ±7 degrees in place. This function enables the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot to better adapt to the vehicle tilt caused by uneven parking position or terrain factors. Through rotation, the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot can accurately align the contact point with the vehicle, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of the battery changing process. In addition, the design of the rotating plate assembly 2 also improves the flexibility of the battery changing robot, enabling it to effectively operate in limited space and improving overall work efficiency.

[0078] The above-mentioned drive structure connected with the rotating motor 25 and the X-axis moving motor 39 can make the rotating motor 25 and the X-axis moving motor 39 move by themselves, but can fully utilize the limited space of the robot, so that the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot has small volume and can be applied to different types of battery changing environments.

[0079] The control method of the high-precision adaptive battery changing robot of the application comprises the following steps:

[0080] The unlocking process is as follows:

[0081] Step 1, after the vehicle stops in the battery swap area, the visual camera captures the position of the vehicle chassis, and feeds back the information of the discharged battery pack and the quick swap support to the control unit.

[0082] Step 2, after the control unit receives the feedback information from the visual camera, it adjusts the leveling plate assembly 5 to the position indicated by the visual feedback along the X and Y axes through the X and Y direction driving mechanisms respectively, and controls the Hooke joint 42 to make the inclination angle of the leveling plate assembly 5 the same as that of the discharged battery pack.

[0083] Step 3, the rotating plate assembly 2 rotates along the R axis to the corresponding angle, so that the horizontal projection shape of the discharged battery pack and the quick swap support coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly 2.

[0084] Step 4, control the rigid chain transmission assembly 37, so that the upper vertical lifting plate 32 of the moving lifting plate assembly 3 rises along the Z axis.

[0085] Step 5, the control unit turns off the electromagnet 36, and the floating plate assembly 4 is released.

[0086] Step 6, when the positioning pin approaches the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, the X and Y axes will make corresponding position information compensation; at this time, the encoder starts to contact the discharged battery pack for angle recheck; then, the discharged battery pack contacts the battery pack lifting block 52 and the pressure sensor 55, and is also detected by the proximity switch; the inclination sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling assembly in real time and feeds back, and the control unit corrects the position according to the feedback information to realize accurate positioning; when the positioning pin completely enters the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, the unlocking and locking driving motor 56 is started to make the torque mode of the unlocking and locking sleeve 54 open and execute the unlocking action, and finally complete the unlocking.

[0087] The locking process is as follows:

[0088] Step 1, the high-precision adaptive battery swap robot carries the fully charged battery pack to move to the position under the vehicle chassis through the Y axis direction.

[0089] Step 2, after the control unit receives the feedback information from the visual camera, it adjusts the leveling plate assembly 5 to the position indicated by the visual feedback along the X and Y axes through the X and Y direction driving mechanisms respectively, and controls the Hooke joint 42 to make the inclination angle of the leveling plate assembly 5 the same as that of the vehicle chassis support.

[0090] Step 3, the rotating plate assembly 2 rotates along the R axis to the corresponding angle, so that the horizontal projection shape of the discharged battery pack and the quick swap support coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly 2.

[0091] Step 4, control the rigid chain transmission assembly 37, so that the upper vertical lifting plate 32 of the moving lifting plate assembly 3 rises along the Z axis.

[0092] Step 5, the control unit turns off the electromagnet 36, and the floating plate assembly 4 is released.

[0093] Step 6, when the locking and unlocking sleeve 54 approaches the lower end of the screw shaft gear ring, the X-axis and Y-axis will make corresponding position information compensation; the tilt angle sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling assembly in real time and feeds back, and the control unit corrects the position according to the feedback information to realize accurate positioning; when the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve 54 is sleeved on the lower end of the screw shaft gear ring, the locking and unlocking drive motor 56 is started to make the torque mode of the locking and unlocking sleeve 54 start and execute the locking action, and finally complete the locking.

[0094] In step 6 of the unlocking process, when the output values of all pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack is tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly 5, and the control unit automatically starts the electromagnet according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the floating plate assembly 4 is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate 32 by adsorption;

[0095] In step 6 of the unlocking process, when the output values of one or more pressure sensors and pressure sensor rings do not reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack cannot be tightly fixed by the leveling plate assembly 5, and the control unit starts the rigid chain transmission assembly 37 according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the upper vertical lifting plate 32 moves up and down to make the conical positioning pin 51 completely enter the positioning pin sleeve.

[0096] The battery replacement process: after the vehicle stops in the battery replacement area, the protective door on the upper part of the battery replacement robot is opened, the visual camera captures the position of the vehicle chassis, and the information is fed back to the high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot. The high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot adjusts the position and angle according to the feedback, then rises to interact with the depleted battery pack, and performs the unlocking operation. After successful unlocking, the battery replacement robot lowers the battery to the original position and starts to move in the Y direction to the buffer position. After reaching, the robot rises and places the depleted battery on the lifting block of the buffer position, and then descends to the waiting position. Then, the telescopic fork places the full battery on the battery replacement robot. At this time, the camera takes another photo and feeds back the position and angle information of the vehicle chassis. The high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot adjusts the position and angle again, then lifts the full battery pack and interacts with the vehicle chassis, and starts to lock. Thus, the battery replacement process is completed.

[0097] The above describes the present application by way of example with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the implementation of the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned manner, and various improvements using the method concept and technical solution of the present application, or direct application of the concept and technical solution of the present application to other occasions without improvement, are all within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A high-precision self-adaptive battery changing robot capable of automatically disassembling or automatically assembling a battery pack on a vehicle chassis; wherein, The battery pack is locked on the quick-change support, the quick-change support is connected with the vehicle chassis support, characterized in that: The high-precision self-adaptive battery changing robot comprises, from top to bottom, a leveling plate assembly (5), a floating plate assembly (4), a moving lifting plate assembly (3), a rotating plate assembly (2) and a bottom frame assembly (1). The moving lifting plate assembly (3) comprises a lower horizontal moving plate (31) and an upper vertical lifting plate (32). Two sets of scissor fork assemblies (33) are connected between the lower horizontal moving plate (31) and the upper vertical lifting plate (32). A scissor fork cross beam (34) is connected between the two sets of scissor fork assemblies (33). The lifting of the upper vertical lifting plate (32) is realized through a rigid chain transmission assembly (37). One end of the rigid chain of the rigid chain transmission assembly (37) is connected with the upper vertical lifting plate (32). A motor drives a speed reducer, and the speed reducer drives the rigid chain to move vertically through a chain wheel. The leveling plate assembly (5) can be adjusted to be inclined and tightly attached to the bottom surface of the battery pack. The positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly (5) is connected with the positioning mechanism of the battery pack. An unlocking mechanism on the leveling plate assembly (5) unlocks or locks the locking mechanism between the battery pack and the quick-change support. The floating plate assembly (4) is hinged to the adjusting plate assembly (5), and the floating plate assembly (4) can swing horizontally to ensure that the positioning mechanism of the adjusting plate assembly (5) is smoothly connected to the positioning mechanism of the battery pack; the floating chain assembly (7) includes an L-shaped bracket (71) and a chain (72). The vertical side of the L-shaped bracket (71) is connected to the floating plate assembly (4), one end of the chain (72) is connected to the horizontal side of the L-shaped bracket (71), and the other end of the chain (72) is fixedly connected to the upper vertical lifting plate (32); an electromagnet (36) is provided on the upper vertical lifting plate (32), and an electromagnet adsorption plate (43) is provided on the floating plate assembly (4); the control unit does not activate the electromagnet (36) before the positioning mechanism of the adjusting plate assembly (5) and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are connected, so that the floating plate assembly (4) is not activated. It can float left and right; after the positioning mechanism of the adjusting plate assembly (5) and the positioning mechanism of the battery pack are docked, the control unit starts the electromagnet (36) so that the floating plate assembly (4) and the upper vertical lifting plate (32) are attracted and fixedly connected, so as to prevent the floating plate assembly (4) from being bumped during the movement of the battery pack due to the left and right floating; the floating plate assembly (4) and the adjusting plate assembly (5) are hinged by the Hooke hinge (42). The floating plate assembly (4) is provided with multiple leveling cylinders (41). The drive rods of the multiple leveling cylinders (41) cooperate with each other to make the adjusting plate assembly (5) tilt and press tightly against the bottom surface of the battery pack; it also includes an tilt sensor and an encoder (53). The tilt sensor can detect the tilt angle of the adjusting plate assembly (5); the encoder (53) can re-check the effect and error value of the leveling of the adjusting plate assembly (5) for the second time; The movable lifting plate assembly (3) is connected to the floating plate assembly (4) via the floating chain assembly (7). The movable lifting plate assembly (3) causes the adjusting plate assembly (5) and the floating plate assembly (4) to move vertically in the Z direction via the Z-direction drive mechanism. The rotating plate assembly (2) enables the adjusting plate assembly (5), floating plate assembly (4) and moving lifting plate assembly (3) above it to rotate to adapt to the position of the battery pack; the moving lifting plate assembly (3) can move horizontally in the X direction relative to the rotating plate assembly (2) through the X-direction drive mechanism; the X-direction drive mechanism includes an X-axis rack (21), an X-axis moving motor (39) and a third gear (391); a long slot is provided on the lower horizontal moving plate (31), and the X-axis rack (21) is "I" shaped and passes through the long slot; The top of the "I" shape is the rack body, the lower horizontal moving plate (31) and the bottom of the "I" shape are fixed on the rotating plate assembly (2), the X-axis moving motor (39) is fixed on the lower horizontal moving plate (31), the rotor of the X-axis moving motor (39) is connected to the third gear (391), the third gear (391) meshes with the X-axis rack (21); when the third gear (391) rotates, the X-axis moving motor (39), the lower horizontal moving plate (31) and all the components on it move horizontally in the X direction; The rotating plate assembly (2) comprises an inner ring (22), an outer ring (23), a second gear (24), a rotating motor (25) and a rotating plate (26), the inner ring (22) is coaxially connected with the outer ring (23), the inner ring (22) can rotate, the outer ring (23) is provided with a tooth on the outer side and is fixed on the bottom frame assembly (1), the rotating plate (26) is fixedly connected with the inner ring (22) and can rotate around the axis of the inner ring (22), the rotor of the rotating motor (25) is connected with the second gear (24), the second gear (24) is engaged with the tooth, the rotating motor (25) is installed on the rotating plate (26), and the rotating motor (25) rotates around the axis of the inner ring (22) when working; The bottom frame assembly (1) can drive all the components thereon to move horizontally in the Y direction through the Y-direction driving mechanism; The positioning mechanism of the leveling plate assembly (5) is a tapered positioning pin (51), the positioning mechanism of the battery pack is a positioning pin sleeve, and the horizontal swinging of the floating plate assembly (4) can make the tapered positioning pin (51) easily enter the positioning pin sleeve; a plurality of battery pack lifting blocks (52) are arranged on the leveling plate assembly (5), a pressure sensor (55) is arranged on each battery pack lifting block (52), when the battery pack contacts the battery pack lifting block (52), the pressure sensor (55) can output a corresponding pressure value to the control module; a plurality of locking and unlocking sleeves (54) are arranged on the leveling plate assembly (5), the lower end of each locking and unlocking sleeve (54) is connected with the rotor of a locking and unlocking driving motor (56), the gear ring at the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve (54) is matched with the gear ring at the lower end of the screw shaft of the locking mechanism, and the upper end of the screw shaft is provided with a horizontal locking portion; the locking and unlocking driving motor (56) rotates the locking and unlocking sleeve (54), the locking and unlocking sleeve (54) drives the screw shaft to rotate, so that the horizontal locking portion rotates from the locking state to the unlocking state or from the unlocking state to the locking state; a pressure sensor ring is arranged at the root of each tapered positioning pin (51), and when the tapered positioning pin (51) completely enters the positioning pin sleeve, the quick-change support extrudes and activates the pressure sensor ring; when the output values of all the pressure sensors and the pressure sensor rings reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack is fixedly attached to the leveling plate assembly (5), the control unit automatically starts the electromagnet according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the floating plate assembly (4) is fixedly connected with the upper vertical lifting plate (32) in a magnetically adsorbed manner; when the output value of one pressure sensor and one pressure sensor ring does not reach the preset value, it indicates that the battery pack cannot be fixedly attached to the leveling plate assembly (5), and the control unit starts the rigid chain transmission assembly (37) according to the pressure sensor signal and the pressure sensor ring signal, so that the upper vertical lifting plate (32) moves up and down to finely adjust the tapered positioning pin (51) to completely enter the positioning pin sleeve.

2. The high-precision self-adaptive battery changing robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom frame assembly (1) cooperates with the ground rail assembly (6), the bottom frame assembly (1) is provided with a first gear (13) and a driving motor (12), and the corresponding ground rail assembly (6) comprises a Y-axis rack (61), and the driving motor (12) drives the first gear (13) to move on the Y-axis rack (61).

3. The control method of the high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot of claim 2, comprising the following steps: The unlocking process is as follows: Step 1: After the vehicle stops at the battery replacement area, the visual camera captures the position of the vehicle chassis, and feeds back the information of the discharged battery pack and the quick replacement support to the control unit; Step 2: After receiving the feedback information from the visual camera, the control unit adjusts the leveling plate assembly (5) to the position indicated by the visual feedback along the X-axis and Y-axis through the X-direction driving mechanism and Y-direction driving mechanism respectively, and controls the Hooke joint (42) to make the inclination angle of the leveling plate assembly (5) the same as that of the discharged battery pack; Step 3: The rotating plate assembly (2) is rotated along the R-axis to a corresponding angle, so that the horizontal projection shape of the discharged battery pack and the quick replacement support coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly (2); Step 4: Control the rigid chain transmission assembly (37) to make the upper vertical lifting plate (32) of the moving lifting plate assembly (3) rise along the Z-axis; Step 5: The control unit turns off the electromagnet (36), and the floating plate assembly (4) is released; Step 6: When the positioning pin approaches the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, the X-axis and Y-axis will make corresponding position information compensation; At this time, the encoder starts to contact the discharged battery pack to recheck the angle; Then, the discharged battery pack contacts the battery pack lifting block (52) and the pressure sensor (55), and is also detected by the proximity switch; The inclination sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling assembly in real time and feeds back, and the control unit corrects the position according to the feedback information to realize accurate positioning; When the positioning pin completely enters the positioning pin sleeve of the battery pack, start the unlocking and locking driving motor (56) to make the torque mode of the unlocking and locking sleeve (54) start and execute the unlocking action, and finally complete the unlocking; Or, The locking process is as follows: Step 1: The high-precision adaptive battery replacement robot carries the full battery pack and moves to the bottom of the vehicle chassis through the Y-axis direction; Step 2: After receiving the feedback information from the visual camera, the control unit adjusts the leveling plate assembly (5) to the position indicated by the visual feedback along the X-axis and Y-axis through the X-direction driving mechanism and Y-direction driving mechanism respectively, and controls the Hooke joint (42) to make the inclination angle of the leveling plate assembly (5) the same as that of the vehicle chassis support; Step 3: The rotating plate assembly (2) is rotated along the R-axis to a corresponding angle, so that the horizontal projection shape of the discharged battery pack and the quick replacement support coincides with the placement shape of the rotating plate assembly (2); Step 4: Control the rigid chain transmission assembly (37) to make the upper vertical lifting plate (32) of the moving lifting plate assembly (3) rise along the Z-axis; Step 5: The control unit turns off the electromagnet (36), and the floating plate assembly (4) is released; Step 6, when the locking and unlocking sleeve (54) approaches the lower end of the screw gear, the X-axis and Y-axis will make corresponding position information compensation; the tilt angle sensor monitors the angle information of the leveling assembly in real time and feeds back, and the control unit corrects the position according to the feedback information, realizes accurate positioning; when the upper end of the locking and unlocking sleeve (54) is sleeved on the lower end of the screw gear, start the locking and unlocking drive motor (56) to make the torque mode of the locking and unlocking sleeve (54) start and execute the locking action, and finally complete the locking.

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