Electric vehicle battery replacing assembly and battery replacing station

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric vehicle battery replacing assembly and a battery replacing station, and belongs to the technical field of electric vehicle battery replacing. The electric vehicle battery replacing assembly comprises battery replacing equipment and a battery pack box body, the battery replacing equipment and the battery pack box body are both arranged at the bottom of an electric vehicle, the battery pack box body is detached from the bottom of the electric vehicle or installed at the bottom of the electric vehicle through the battery replacing equipment, and in the detaching or installing process, the height of the electric vehicle is not changed; and the battery replacing equipment bearing plane and the electric vehicle bearing plane are positioned on the same plane. The battery replacing station comprises a battery replacing platform for the electric vehicle to stop so as to disassemble and assemble a battery pack, and a battery replacing device for disassembling and assembling the battery pack of the electric vehicle on the battery replacing platform. According to the method, the vehicle does not need to be lifted, a pit does not need to be dug in the ground for arranging the battery replacing equipment, and the method is particularly suitable for the electric truck in consideration of the fact that the self weight and the load of the electric truck are high, so that the safety of a battery replacing station is improved, and the battery replacing efficiency can be improved.

Description

[0001] This application is a division of a Chinese invention patent with an application date of December 31, 2021, application number 202111668032.5, and name “Electric Vehicle Battery Replacement Components and Battery Replacement Stations”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to electric vehicle battery replacement technology, and in particular to an electric vehicle battery replacement component and a battery replacement station. Background Art

[0003] The battery swap station is used to replace the battery of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle drives into the battery swap platform in the battery swap station. The battery swap equipment of the battery swap station removes the depleted battery from the bottom of the battery swap vehicle and installs the fully charged battery on the electric vehicle. In the electric vehicles in the prior art, such as heavy trucks, the battery pack is placed on the top of the vehicle beam. When the battery is swapped, the battery is transferred and replaced by the top hoist. In this way, the center of the battery pack is higher than the vehicle beam, which poses a safety hazard. For the method of installing the battery pack at the bottom of the vehicle, it is generally necessary to lift the electric vehicle or dig a pit on the ground for the battery swap equipment to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle to disassemble and install the battery pack, resulting in high cost and difficulty in station construction, high requirements for station construction site, and low battery swap efficiency. Especially for heavy trucks, which weigh tens of tons, it is difficult for existing lifting equipment to meet the needs of lifting the vehicle body. When digging a pit on the ground, the required area is larger, and when the vehicle passes through the area near the pit, it is easy to cause collapse. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects in the prior art that when an electric vehicle chassis is replaced with a battery, the vehicle body needs to be lifted or a pit needs to be dug on the ground, which results in difficulty in building a station, high cost, long cycle and potential safety hazards, and to provide an electric vehicle battery replacement component and a battery replacement station that can be suitable for heavy electric vehicles and has low construction difficulty.

[0005] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An electric vehicle battery replacement assembly, the electric vehicle battery replacement assembly comprising a battery replacement device and a battery pack box, the battery replacement device and the battery pack box are both arranged at the bottom of the electric vehicle, the battery pack box is disassembled from the bottom of the electric vehicle or installed at the bottom of the electric vehicle by the battery replacement device, during the disassembly or installation process, the height of the electric vehicle remains unchanged, and the carrying plane of the battery replacement device and the carrying plane of the electric vehicle are in the same plane;

[0007] The electric vehicle comprises a vehicle beam, and the battery pack box is detachably mounted on the vehicle beam through a locking mechanism;

[0008] The battery pack box includes a lower box and an upper cover, and the battery pack box is provided with a lock shaft, and the lock shaft is detachably connected to the locking mechanism;

[0009] The locking shaft is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the locking shaft and the highest point of the upper cover is h1, the distance between the locking point and the bottom of the vehicle beam is h2, and h1 is smaller than h2.

[0010] In this solution, the battery pack box is used to house the battery pack body to provide power for the electric vehicle. The battery swapping equipment is set up in the battery swapping station. During the battery swapping process, the unloaded battery swapping equipment drives under the electric vehicle, removes the battery pack box with the depleted battery pack body on the electric vehicle, and transports it back to the station for storage. Then the battery swapping equipment transports the battery pack box with the fully charged battery pack body to the bottom of the electric vehicle and installs it on the electric vehicle.

[0011] During the battery swapping process, the battery swapping equipment bearing plane for the battery swapping equipment and the vehicle bearing plane for the electric vehicle are in the same plane, and the height of the electric vehicle remains unchanged. The unloaded battery swapping equipment can freely enter and exit under the electric vehicle with the battery pack box, and the fully loaded battery swapping equipment can freely enter and exit under the electric vehicle without the battery pack box. In other words, the electric vehicle battery swapping assembly in this scheme can be set on the ground, avoiding lifting the electric vehicle during the battery swapping process, avoiding digging pits for the battery swapping station, and making the battery swapping equipment sink relative to the ground. Accordingly, the battery swapping station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swapping assembly of this scheme has the effect of low construction cost due to the need to dig pits for the battery swapping equipment, and reduced construction difficulty due to the need to lift the electric vehicle.

[0012] From the above, it can be seen that the battery swap station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swap assembly of the present scheme does not need to lift the vehicle, nor does it need to dig a pit on the ground to set up the battery swap equipment. Taking into account that the weight and load capacity of electric trucks are relatively high, the above effect is particularly important for electric trucks. The electric vehicle battery swap assembly is used to realize the function of battery swapping for electric trucks on the ground, which improves the safety of the battery swap station, can improve the battery swap efficiency, and facilitates drainage.

[0013] The upper cover is covered on the lower box body to form a space for accommodating the battery pack body. The lock shaft is installed on the lower box body or the upper cover, and the connection between the lock shaft and the locking mechanism forms a locking point.

[0014] A connecting groove is provided at the upper end of the battery pack body, and a locking shaft is provided in the connecting groove. After the battery pack body is installed on the vehicle frame, the locking point is inserted into the connecting groove, and the highest position of the upper cover is lower than the vehicle frame.

[0015] By setting the height as mentioned above, interference between the battery pack body and the vehicle frame is avoided when the lock shaft enters the locking point of the locking mechanism, that is, when the lock shaft enters the locking mechanism in the vertical direction, the movement of the battery pack body will not collide with the vehicle frame.

[0016] Preferably, the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle and the battery pack box is set to meet the following conditions:

[0017] Condition 1: when the battery swap device disassembles the battery pack box, the height of the bottom of the battery pack box from the load plane of the battery swap device is greater than the height of the battery swap device when it is unloaded;

[0018] Condition two: when the battery exchange device is installed on the battery pack box, the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the supporting plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when it carries the battery pack box.

[0019] In this solution, the height relationship between the bottom of the electric vehicle, the battery-swapping equipment, and the battery pack case is set to achieve the effect of replacing the battery of the electric vehicle without lifting the electric vehicle or digging a pit. When the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the center of gravity of the entire vehicle sinks. When condition one is met, regardless of whether the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the unloaded battery-swapping equipment can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When the battery-swapping equipment carries a battery pack case, the overall height of the two is higher than the height of a single battery-swapping equipment. When condition two is met, regardless of whether the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the battery-swapping equipment carrying the battery pack case can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0020] The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly of this solution meets both conditions one and two, and realizes the battery replacement operation when the load plane of the battery replacement equipment and the load plane of the electric vehicle are on the same plane and the electric vehicle is not lifted. Accordingly, when developing products such as battery replacement equipment, battery pack box, and the connection structure between the battery pack box and the electric vehicle, the R&D personnel develop them based on conditions one and two.

[0021] Preferably, the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box.

[0022] In this solution, the vehicle frame is used to install the battery pack box, that is, the vehicle frame on the chassis of the electric vehicle is used as a carrier for installing the battery pack box, so that the battery pack can be installed without changing the structure of the vehicle itself. In actual application, the height of the vehicle frame from the load plane of the battery swapping equipment is used as one of the parameters to develop the battery swapping equipment and battery pack to ensure that the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame from the load plane of the battery swapping equipment is greater than the overall height of the battery pack box carrying the battery swapping equipment.

[0023] Preferably, the electric vehicle is an electric truck, and a battery pack box accommodating space is provided between two sets of wheels along the driving direction of the electric truck, and the height of the vehicle frame at the battery pack box accommodating space is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange equipment carrying the battery pack box.

[0024] In this solution, the battery pack box is set up by using the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction of the electric truck, which is convenient for controlling the center of gravity of the whole vehicle in the middle position of the electric truck to avoid the risk of top-heavy or top-light and heavy-footed; for existing electric trucks, the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction is relatively large in length and width compared to other positions, which can allow the battery pack box to occupy a larger space, thereby allowing the installation of a battery pack with a higher capacitance; the reasonable use of the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction also improves the compactness of the structure of the electric truck. The height of the vehicle beam at the battery pack box accommodating space is greater than the overall height of the battery pack box carried by the battery exchange device, so that the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box can freely enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam, so as to install the battery pack box on the vehicle beam from below.

[0025] Preferably, the battery pack box is arranged below the vehicle beam

[0026] In this solution, the battery pack box is arranged under the vehicle frame. On the one hand, the center of gravity of the battery pack box is lowered and the safety of the battery pack box being installed on the vehicle is improved. On the other hand, the battery pack box is installed by using the space under the vehicle frame, which not only ensures the integrity of the battery pack box, but also does not need to modify the structure of the vehicle frame itself to carry the large-sized battery pack box. When disassembling the battery pack box, the unloaded battery swapping equipment runs from the side of the electric truck to the bottom of the vehicle frame, the switch of the locking mechanism of the battery swapping equipment is lifted to unlock it from the battery pack box, and the battery pack is seated on the battery swapping equipment. When installing the battery pack box, the fully loaded battery swapping equipment runs from the side of the electric truck to the bottom of the vehicle frame, lifts the battery pack box, and connects it with the locking mechanism. During the entire disassembly and assembly process, the movement of the battery pack box is not interfered with by the vehicle frame and other components of the electric truck, thereby facilitating disassembly and assembly and improving the battery swapping efficiency.

[0027] Alternatively, the battery pack box at least partially overlaps with the vehicle frame in the vertical direction.

[0028] In this solution, the lower side of the vehicle frame is partially embedded in the upper end of the battery pack box, so that the battery pack box is at a higher height from the load-bearing plane of the battery swapping equipment, leaving more space for the unloaded battery swapping equipment, making it easier for the unloaded battery swapping equipment to freely enter and exit the space under the vehicle.

[0029] Preferably, the locking point of the locking mechanism is arranged below the vehicle frame.

[0030] In this solution, the locking point is the position on the locking mechanism that is directly connected to the battery pack case and is used to lock the battery pack case. When installing the battery pack case, the battery swapping equipment lifts the battery pack case and connects it to the locking mechanism at the locking point. When removing the battery pack case, the battery swapping equipment lifts the locking mechanism to unlock the connection between it and the battery pack case at the locking point, and the battery pack is seated on the battery swapping equipment. During the entire battery swapping process, since the locking point is located below the vehicle beam, interference between the battery pack case and the vehicle beam is not easy to occur, thus avoiding major changes to the vehicle beam, and the large-size battery pack case can be installed as a whole on the vehicle beam. The battery swapping equipment only needs to move the battery pack case downward a short distance to avoid the vehicle beam and the locking mechanism, so as to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam horizontally, reserving sufficient space for the battery swapping equipment to carry the battery in and out of the bottom of the vehicle beam, thereby avoiding interference between components on the vehicle and the battery swapping equipment entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle.

[0031] Or the locking point of the locking mechanism is arranged on the side of the vehicle beam,

[0032] That is, the locking point is higher than the lower surface of the vehicle frame at the battery pack box accommodation space. Accordingly, in the vertical direction, the vehicle frame and the battery pack box partially overlap. This solution is conducive to increasing the distance from the lower surface of the battery pack box to the bearing plane of the battery swapping equipment, reserving more space for the battery swapping equipment to improve the safety of the system.

[0033] Preferably, the lock axis is arranged higher than the upper cover surface, and the distance between the lock axis and the upper cover surface is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device and h3 is less than the height of the locking point from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device.

[0034] In this solution, the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after the battery exchange device is aligned, the battery pack box is lifted to connect it with the locking mechanism. In this solution, the lock shaft is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and correspondingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover, which facilitates the installation of the lock shaft in the locking mechanism or removal from the locking mechanism.

[0035] Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises a lock base, and the depth of the lock base entering the battery pack case is between 39 mm and 100 mm.

[0036] In this solution, a locking point is formed on the lock base, and the lock base and the lock shaft are detachably connected. When the two are connected, the battery pack box is locked on the vehicle frame. After the two are disengaged, the battery pack box and the vehicle frame are unlocked.

[0037] Preferably, the lock base is mounted on the side wall of the vehicle frame through a mounting bracket, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying a battery pack.

[0038] In this solution, the mounting bracket is connected to the vehicle frame through fasteners, and the lock base is connected to the vehicle frame through the mounting bracket, so that the existing vehicle can be converted into an electric vehicle by adding the mounting bracket without changing the structure of the existing vehicle. As long as the height of the mounting bracket from the load-bearing plane of the battery-swapping device is greater than the overall height of the battery-swapping device when it carries the battery, the battery-swapping device can be freely moved in and out from the bottom of the vehicle. The mounting bracket not only has the function of connecting the battery pack box and the vehicle frame, but also has the function of bearing part of the weight of the battery pack, thereby reducing the impact of the battery pack on the rigidity and strength of the vehicle frame.

[0039] Preferably, the lock shaft is arranged higher than the upper cover surface, and the distance between the lock shaft and the upper cover surface is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device.

[0040] In this solution, the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after the battery exchange device is aligned, the battery pack box is lifted to connect it with the locking mechanism. In this solution, the lock shaft is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and accordingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover.

[0041] Preferably, the battery pack case further includes an unlocking linkage mechanism, and the unlocking linkage mechanism penetrates the battery pack case in the vertical direction.

[0042] In this solution, the unlocking linkage device is arranged on the battery pack case, and is used to unlock the battery pack from the locking mechanism on the vehicle; the unlocking linkage device includes an input end and an output end, and the input end of the unlocking linkage device in the initial state is driven by an external device to drive the output end to act on the locking mechanism to unlock.

[0043] The unlocking process is as follows: the battery swapping equipment in the battery swapping station applies a load to the input end in a preset direction, and the input end pushes the output end to move to unlock the locking mechanism. After the force exerted by the battery swapping equipment on the input end disappears, the input end and the output end are reset to the initial state under the action of the elastic force.

[0044] Since the input end and the output end are elastically connected in a preset direction, when the output end contacts the locking mechanism, the elastic force between the input end and the output end buffers the collision force between the output end and the locking mechanism, avoiding hard impact on the locking mechanism, which is beneficial to the durability of the output end and the locking mechanism.

[0045] In this solution, the preset direction is the up and down direction, that is, the input end and the output end are arranged up and down, wherein the input end is located at the bottom and the output end is located at the top, and the battery replacement equipment pushes the input end to move from the bottom of the battery pack.

[0046] In this solution, the input end and the output end are arranged on different components, while in other solutions, the input end and the output end may be located on the same component.

[0047] A battery swap station, comprising:

[0048] A battery swap platform, where electric vehicles can dock to remove and install battery packs;

[0049] Battery exchange equipment, used for disassembling and installing a battery pack of the electric vehicle on the battery exchange platform;

[0050] Wherein, the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform is greater than the height of the battery exchange device when it is unloaded;

[0051] When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the overall height is less than the height from the bottom of the electric vehicle to the battery exchange platform.

[0052] In this solution, when the disassembly process begins, the unloaded battery swap equipment drives directly into the battery swap station through the flat surface of the battery swap platform to remove the battery pack of the vehicle body; and after replacing the new battery, the battery swap equipment carrying the new battery still drives directly into the battery swap station through the flat surface of the battery swap platform to load the new battery to the bottom of the vehicle body.

[0053] In the present solution, the height of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform is greater than the height of the battery swap equipment, so that the unloaded battery swap equipment can drive into the battery swap station under the vehicle to remove the battery; when the battery swap equipment carries the battery pack, the overall height is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform, so that the battery swap equipment carrying the battery pack can freely enter and exit from under the electric vehicle. Through the above-mentioned height restriction, the electric vehicle is avoided from being lifted during the battery swap process, and the digging of the battery swap station is also avoided, and the battery swap equipment is sunk relative to the ground. Accordingly, the battery swap station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swap assembly of the present solution has the effect of low construction cost due to the need to dig a pit for the battery swap equipment, and the effect of reducing the construction difficulty due to the need to lift the electric vehicle, and it is also convenient for drainage. The battery swap station of the present solution is suitable for situations where the vehicle body is heavy and it is difficult to lift the vehicle for the battery swap equipment to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle.

[0054] Preferably, the electric vehicle includes a vehicle frame, and the battery pack is installed under the vehicle frame through a locking mechanism. The height of the bottom of the vehicle frame from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when it carries the battery pack.

[0055] In this solution, the vehicle beam is used to install the battery pack, that is, the vehicle beam on the chassis of the electric vehicle is used as a carrier for installing the battery pack, so that the battery pack can be installed without changing the structure of the vehicle itself. In actual application, the height of the vehicle beam from the battery swap platform is used as one of the parameters to develop the battery swap equipment and battery pack to ensure that the height of the bottom of the vehicle beam from the battery swap platform is greater than the overall height of the battery swap equipment carrying the battery pack.

[0056] Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises a lock base, in which a locking groove for accommodating the battery pack locking member is provided, and when the locking member is located in a locking position in the locking groove, the battery pack is locked on the electric vehicle.

[0057] In this solution, a locking point is formed on the lock base, the battery pack locking member is a lock shaft, the lock base and the lock shaft are detachably connected, when the lock shaft is located at the locking point, the battery pack is locked to the vehicle frame, and after the two are disengaged, the battery pack and the vehicle frame are unlocked.

[0058] Preferably, the lock base is installed on the vehicle frame, and the locking groove is located below the vehicle frame, and the overall height of the battery exchange equipment when carrying the battery pack is lower than the height of the locking groove from the battery exchange platform.

[0059] In this solution, the locking groove is directly connected to the battery pack case on the locking mechanism and is used to lock the position of the battery pack case. When installing the battery pack, the battery swapping equipment lifts the battery pack and connects it to the locking mechanism at the locking groove. When removing the battery pack, the battery swapping equipment lifts the locking mechanism to unlock the connection between it and the battery pack in the locking groove. The battery pack is seated on the battery swapping equipment. During the entire battery swapping process, since the locking groove is located below the vehicle beam, it is not easy for the battery pack to interfere with the vehicle beam. It is only necessary to ensure that the movement of the battery pack case will not collide with the vehicle beam, and there is no need to involve too many movement paths for the battery pack case to avoid the vehicle beam. The battery swapping equipment only needs to move the battery pack downward a short distance to avoid the vehicle beam and the locking mechanism, so as to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam in a horizontal direction, and reserve sufficient space for the battery swapping equipment to carry the battery in and out of the bottom of the vehicle beam, so as to avoid the interference of the components on the vehicle with the battery swapping equipment entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle. In other schemes, as an alternative means, the locking groove of the locking mechanism is arranged on the side of the vehicle frame, that is, the locking groove is higher than the lower surface of the vehicle frame at the battery pack box accommodating space. Accordingly, in the vertical direction, the vehicle frame and the battery pack box partially overlap. This scheme is conducive to increasing the distance from the lower surface of the battery pack box to the bearing plane of the battery swapping equipment, reserving more space for the battery swapping equipment, so as to improve the safety of the system.

[0060] Preferably, the height of the lowest position of the lock base from the surface of the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying the battery pack.

[0061] In this solution, the battery exchange equipment carrying the battery pack can freely enter and exit from under the electric vehicle.

[0062] Preferably, the battery pack comprises a lower box body and an upper cover, and the locking member is a locking shaft.

[0063] In this solution, the upper cover is covered on the lower box body to form a space for accommodating the battery pack body, and the lock shaft is installed on the upper cover, and the lock shaft is used to cooperate with the locking groove.

[0064] Preferably, the locking shaft is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the locking shaft and the highest point of the upper cover is h1, the distance between the locking groove and the bottom of the vehicle beam is h2, and h1 is smaller than h2.

[0065] In this solution, a connection slot is provided at the upper end of the battery pack case, and a lock shaft is provided in the connection slot. After the battery pack case is installed on the vehicle frame, the locking point is inserted into the connection slot, and the highest position of the upper cover is lower than the vehicle frame. By setting the above height, when the lock shaft enters the locking slot of the locking mechanism, interference between the battery pack case and the vehicle frame is avoided, that is, when the lock shaft enters the locking mechanism in the vertical direction, the movement of the battery pack case will not collide with the vehicle frame.

[0066] Preferably, the lock shaft is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft and the surface of the upper cover is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the lock base from the battery exchange platform.

[0067] In this solution, the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after the battery exchange device is aligned, the battery pack box is lifted to connect it with the locking mechanism. In this solution, the lock shaft is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and correspondingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover, which facilitates the installation of the lock shaft in the locking mechanism or removal from the locking mechanism.

[0068] Preferably, the depth of the lock base entering the battery pack is between 39 mm and 100 mm.

[0069] Preferably, the lock base is mounted on the side wall of the vehicle frame through a mounting bracket, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying a battery pack.

[0070] In this solution, the mounting bracket is connected to the vehicle frame through fasteners, and the lock base is connected to the vehicle frame through the mounting bracket, so that the existing vehicle can be converted into an electric vehicle by adding the mounting bracket without changing the structure of the existing vehicle. As long as the height of the mounting bracket from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when it carries the battery, the battery exchange device can be guaranteed to freely enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle. The mounting bracket not only has the function of connecting the battery pack and the vehicle frame, but also has the function of bearing part of the weight of the battery pack, thereby reducing the impact of the battery pack on the rigidity and strength of the vehicle frame.

[0071] Preferably, the lock shaft is arranged higher than the upper cover surface, and the distance between the lock shaft and the upper cover surface is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the battery exchange platform.

[0072] In this solution, the battery swap device carrying the battery pack can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after the battery swap device is aligned, lift the battery pack to connect it with the locking mechanism. In this solution, the lock shaft is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and accordingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover.

[0073] Preferably, the battery exchange platform is provided with a track for the battery exchange equipment to travel on, and the sum of the height of the track protruding from the battery exchange platform and the height of the battery exchange equipment when unloaded is less than the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform.

[0074] In this solution, the battery exchange equipment is a rail shuttle, and the battery exchange equipment installed with a battery pack can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0075] Preferably, the sum of the height of the rail protruding from the battery exchange platform and the overall height of the battery exchange equipment when carrying the battery pack is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle's frame from the battery exchange platform.

[0076] Preferably, the battery exchange device is at least partially lower than the upper surface of the track.

[0077] In this solution, the upper end of the track goes deep into the battery swapping equipment and guides the battery swapping equipment. The track is used to maintain a gap between the battery swapping equipment and the battery swapping platform, and the height of the gap is greater than 20 mm to ensure that the battery swapping equipment can operate safely and smoothly.

[0078] Preferably, the battery swapping equipment is installed on the battery swapping station of the battery swapping platform. When the electric vehicle drives into the battery swapping platform along a first direction, the width of the battery swapping equipment along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than the distance between the left and right wheels of the electric vehicle.

[0079] In this solution, electric vehicles can enter and exit the battery exchange platform without hindrance.

[0080] Preferably, the battery exchange device includes a mounting platform and an elastic mechanism arranged on the mounting platform, the elastic mechanism is used to elastically support the battery pack, when the battery pack is carried on the elastic mechanism, the compression deformation of the elastic mechanism is s, and the sum of the height of the battery exchange device and the height of the battery pack is less than the sum of the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle's frame from the battery exchange platform and s.

[0081] In this solution, after the battery pack is placed on the mounting platform, the elastic mechanism can buffer the impact between the battery pack and the mounting platform, thereby reducing the hard collision between the two and the noise generated. This solution reserves the deformation of the elastic mechanism on the vertical square. During the process of disassembling the battery pack, when the battery pack falls on the mounting platform, the two will float up and down or even tilt relative to the main part of the battery exchange device. This solution has reserved the displacement caused by floating and tilting in the height direction, ensuring that the floating and tilting of the battery pack will not interfere with other components, thereby improving the safety of the system.

[0082] Preferably, the lifting height range of the battery exchange equipment is 120 mm to 200 mm.

[0083] Preferably, the battery swapping device lifts the battery pack through a cam lifting mechanism.

[0084] Preferably, the floor of the battery exchange station is formed as the battery exchange platform.

[0085] Preferably, when fully loaded, the distance from the vehicle frame of the electric vehicle to the ground is between 460 mm and 580 mm;

[0086] The height difference between the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle and the ground and the battery exchange equipment is between 30 mm and 80 mm.

[0087] Preferably, the height difference between the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying a battery pack and the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform is between 10 mm and 150 mm.

[0088] On the basis of being in accordance with the common sense in the art, the above-mentioned preferred conditions can be arbitrarily combined to obtain the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

[0089] The positive and progressive effects of the present invention are:

[0090] In the present invention, the electric vehicle battery replacement assembly can replace the battery of the electric vehicle on the ground, avoiding the lifting of the electric vehicle during the battery replacement process, and also avoiding the digging of a pit for the battery replacement station, and the battery replacement equipment is sunk relative to the ground. Accordingly, the battery replacement station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery replacement assembly of the present invention has the effect of low construction cost due to the absence of the need to dig a pit for the battery replacement equipment, and the effect of reduced construction difficulty due to the absence of the need to lift the electric vehicle.

[0091] The present invention does not require lifting the vehicle, nor does it require digging a hole on the ground to set up the battery exchange equipment. Considering that the weight and load capacity of electric trucks are relatively high, the present invention is particularly suitable for electric trucks, which improves the safety of the battery exchange station and can improve the battery exchange efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0092] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a battery pack being locked on an electric vehicle.

[0093] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the battery swap device located under the electric vehicle.

[0094] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the connection structure between the vehicle frame and the mounting bracket.

[0095] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism.

[0096] Figure 5 It is a structural schematic diagram of the unlocking linkage mechanism.

[0097] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which the locking shaft is lower than the surface of the battery pack.

[0098] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of an embodiment in which the locking shaft is higher than the surface of the battery pack.

[0099] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the battery pack being locked on the electric vehicle and the battery swapping equipment being located under the battery pack.

[0100] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of an electric vehicle equipped with a battery pack.

[0101] Description of reference numerals:

[0102] Battery replacement equipment 1

[0103] Battery pack box 2

[0104] Car beam 3

[0105] Mounting bracket 4

[0106] Locking mechanism 5

[0107] Lock base 51

[0108] Lock shaft 6

[0109] Unlock linkage mechanism 7 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0110] The present invention is further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. Figure 8 To give a brief explanation, Figure 8 The figure is a schematic diagram of a battery pack locked on an electric vehicle with a battery swapping device located below the battery pack. To more clearly reflect the solution of the present invention, a indicates the height of the battery pack case 2, b indicates the depth of the lock base 51 entering the battery pack case 2, c indicates the height from the battery swapping device 1 to the load-bearing plane of the battery swapping device, d indicates the height from the battery pack (or battery pack case 2) installed on the electric vehicle to the load-bearing plane of the battery swapping device, and e indicates the height from the mounting bracket to the vehicle-carrying plane of the battery swapping device. The above diagrams are used to assist in explaining the present invention. Although the following text mentions the characters "a, b, c, d, e", those skilled in the art should be able to correspond to the above description based on the content of the following text.

[0111] Example 1

[0112] See also Figure 1-Figure 9 It is understood that an embodiment of the present invention provides an electric vehicle battery replacement assembly, which is used in a battery replacement station for replacing battery packs for electric vehicles. The battery pack includes a battery pack case 2 and a battery pack body, and the battery pack body is built into the battery pack case 2.

[0113] The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly includes a battery replacement device 1 and a battery pack box 2. The battery replacement device 1 and the battery pack box 2 are both arranged at the bottom of the electric vehicle. The battery pack box 2 is removed from the bottom of the electric vehicle or installed at the bottom of the vehicle through the battery replacement device 1. During the disassembly or installation process, the height of the electric vehicle remains unchanged, and the bearing plane of the battery replacement device 1 is in the same plane as the bearing plane of the electric vehicle.

[0114] Among them, the battery pack box 2 is used to house the battery pack body to provide power for the electric vehicle. The battery swapping equipment 1 is arranged in the battery swapping station. During the battery swapping process, the unloaded battery swapping equipment 1 drives under the electric vehicle, removes the battery pack box 2 with the low-charged battery pack body on the electric vehicle, and transports it back to the station for storage. Then the battery swapping equipment 1 transports the battery pack box 2 with the fully-charged battery pack body to the bottom of the electric vehicle and installs it on the electric vehicle. During the battery swapping process, the bearing plane of the battery swapping equipment 1 for the operation of the battery swapping equipment and the bearing plane of the vehicle for the operation of the electric vehicle are in the same plane, and the height of the electric vehicle remains unchanged. The unloaded battery swapping equipment 1 can freely enter and exit under the electric vehicle with the battery pack box 2, and the fully loaded battery swapping equipment 1 can freely enter and exit under the electric vehicle without the battery pack box 2. In other words, the electric vehicle battery swapping assembly of this embodiment can be set on the ground, avoiding lifting the electric vehicle during the battery swapping process, and avoiding digging a pit for the battery swapping station, and the battery swapping equipment 1 is sunk relative to the ground. Accordingly, the battery swapping station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swapping assembly of this embodiment has the effect of low construction cost due to the need to dig a pit for the battery swapping equipment 1, and the effect of reduced construction difficulty due to the need to lift the electric vehicle.

[0115] From the above, it can be seen that the battery swap station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swap assembly of this embodiment does not need to lift the vehicle, nor does it need to dig a hole on the ground to set up the battery swap equipment 1. Taking into account that the weight and load capacity of electric trucks are relatively high, the above effect is particularly important for electric trucks. The electric vehicle battery swap assembly is used to realize the function of battery swapping for electric trucks on the ground, which improves the safety of the battery swap station and can improve the battery swap efficiency.

[0116] In this embodiment, the height relationship between the bottom of the electric vehicle, the battery replacement device 1 and the battery pack box 2 is set to achieve the effect of replacing the battery of the electric vehicle without lifting the electric vehicle or digging a pit. The height of the bottom of the electric vehicle and the battery pack box 2 is set to meet the following two conditions:

[0117] Condition one: when the battery swap device 1 disassembles the battery pack box 2, the height of the bottom of the battery pack box 2 from the load-bearing plane of the battery swap device 1 is greater than the height of the battery swap device 1 when it is unloaded; when the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the center of gravity of the entire vehicle sinks. When condition one is met, regardless of whether the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the unloaded battery swap device 1 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0118] Condition two: when the battery swap device 1 installs the battery pack box 2, the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the carrying plane of the battery swap device 1 is greater than the overall height of the battery swap device 1 when it carries the battery pack box 2; when the battery swap device 1 carries the battery pack box 2, the overall height of the two is higher than the height of a single battery swap device 1. When condition two is met, regardless of whether the electric vehicle carries a battery pack, the battery swap device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0119] The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly of this embodiment satisfies both conditions one and two, and realizes the battery replacement operation when the load plane of the battery replacement device 1 and the load plane of the electric vehicle are on the same plane and the electric vehicle is not lifted. Accordingly, when developing the battery replacement device 1, the battery pack box 2, and the connection structure between the battery pack box 2 and the electric vehicle, the R&D personnel develop the products based on conditions one and two.

[0120] In this embodiment, the electric vehicle includes a vehicle beam 3, and the battery pack box 2 is detachably mounted on the vehicle beam 3 by a locking mechanism 5. The height of the bottom of the vehicle beam 3 from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device 1 is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2. The battery pack box 2 is installed using the vehicle beam 3, and the vehicle beam 3 can be implemented using existing technology, so that the battery pack can be installed without changing the structure of the vehicle itself. In actual application, the height of the vehicle beam 3 from the ground is used as one of the parameters to develop the battery exchange device 1 and the battery pack to ensure that the height of the bottom of the vehicle beam 3 from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device 1 is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2.

[0121] In this embodiment, the electric vehicle is an electric truck, and a battery pack box 2 accommodating space is provided between two sets of wheels along the driving direction. The height of the vehicle frame 3 at the battery pack box 2 accommodating space is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange equipment 1 carrying the battery pack box 2.

[0122] The battery pack box 2 is set by using the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction of the electric truck, which is convenient for controlling the center of gravity of the whole vehicle in the middle position of the electric truck to avoid the risk of top-heavy or top-light and heavy-footed; for existing electric trucks, the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction is relatively large in length and width compared to other positions, which can allow the battery pack box 2 to occupy a larger space, thereby allowing a battery pack with a higher capacitance to be set; the reasonable use of the space between the two sets of wheels in the driving direction also improves the compactness of the structure of the electric truck. The height of the vehicle beam 3 at the storage space of the battery pack box 2 is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2, so that the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam 3, so as to install the battery pack box 2 on the vehicle beam 3 from below.

[0123] In this embodiment, the battery pack box 2 is arranged below the vehicle beam 3. The battery pack box 2 is arranged below the vehicle beam 3. On the one hand, the center of gravity of the battery pack box is lowered and the safety of the battery pack box 2 being installed on the vehicle is improved. On the other hand, the battery pack box 2 is installed by using the space below the vehicle beam 3, which not only ensures the integrity of the battery pack box 2, but also does not need to modify the structure of the vehicle beam itself to carry a large-sized battery pack box. When disassembling the battery pack box 2, the unloaded battery exchange device 1 runs from the side of the electric truck to the bottom of the vehicle beam 3, and the battery exchange device 1 lifts the switch of the locking mechanism 5 to unlock it from the battery pack box 2, and the battery pack is seated on the battery exchange device 1. When installing the battery pack box 2, the fully loaded battery exchange device 1 runs from the side of the electric truck to the bottom of the vehicle beam 3, lifts the battery pack box 2, and connects it with the locking mechanism 5. During the entire disassembly and assembly process, the movement of the battery pack box 2 is not interfered with by the vehicle beam 3 and other components of the electric truck, thereby facilitating disassembly and assembly and improving the battery exchange efficiency. In other embodiments, as an alternative, the battery pack box 2 at least partially overlaps with the vehicle frame 3 in the vertical direction, that is, the lower side of the vehicle frame 3 is partially embedded in the upper end of the battery pack box 2, so that the battery pack box 2 is at a higher height from the load-bearing plane of the battery swapping device 1, and more space is reserved for the unloaded battery swapping device 1, which facilitates the unloaded battery swapping device to freely enter and exit the space under the vehicle.

[0124] In this embodiment, the locking point of the locking mechanism 5 is arranged under the vehicle frame 3. The locking point is the position on the locking mechanism 5 that is directly connected with the battery pack case 2 and is used to lock the battery pack case 2. When installing the battery pack case 2, the battery exchange device 1 lifts the battery pack case 2 and connects it with the locking mechanism 5 at the locking point. When removing the battery pack case 2, the battery exchange device 1 lifts the locking mechanism 5 to unlock the connection between it and the battery pack case 2 at the locking point. The battery pack is seated on the battery exchange device 1. During the entire battery exchange process, due to the locking The point is located below the vehicle beam 3, and the battery pack box 2 and the vehicle beam 3 are not easy to interfere with each other, which avoids major changes to the vehicle beam 3. The large-sized battery pack box 2 can be installed on the vehicle beam 3 as a whole. The battery exchange device 1 only needs to move the battery pack box 2 downward for a short distance to avoid the vehicle beam 3 and the locking mechanism 5, so as to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam 3 in the horizontal direction, and reserve sufficient space for the battery exchange device 1 to carry the battery in and out of the bottom of the vehicle beam 3, so as to avoid the interference of the components on the vehicle with the battery exchange device 1 entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle. In other embodiments, as an alternative, the locking point of the locking mechanism 5 is set on the side of the vehicle beam 3, that is, the locking point is higher than the lower surface of the vehicle beam 3 at the storage space of the battery pack box 2. Accordingly, in the vertical direction, the vehicle beam 3 and the battery pack box 2 partially overlap. This solution is conducive to increasing the distance from the lower surface of the battery pack box 2 to the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device 1, reserving more space for the battery exchange device 1, so as to improve the safety of the system.

[0125] In this embodiment, the battery pack case 2 includes a lower case and an upper cover. The upper cover is covered on the lower case to form a space for accommodating the battery pack body. The battery pack case 2 is provided with a locking shaft 6. The locking shaft 6 is installed on the lower case or the upper cover. The locking shaft 6 is detachably connected to the locking mechanism 5, and the connection between the locking shaft 6 and the locking mechanism 5 forms a locking point.

[0126] In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the highest point of the upper cover is h1, the distance between the locking point and the bottom of the vehicle beam 3 is h2, and h1 is smaller than h2. In other words, a connection groove is arranged at the upper end of the battery pack case 2, and a lock shaft 6 is arranged in the connection groove. After the battery pack case 2 is installed on the vehicle beam 3, the locking point is inserted into the connection groove, and the highest position of the upper cover is lower than the vehicle beam 3. In this embodiment, the battery pack case 2 is located below the vehicle beam 3, and it is not easy for the battery pack case 2 to interfere with the vehicle beam 3. It is sufficient to ensure that the movement of the battery pack case 2 does not collide with the vehicle beam 3, and there is no need to involve too many movement paths for the battery pack case 2 in order to avoid the vehicle beam 3.

[0127] In another embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the surface of the upper cover is h3. When the battery exchange device 1 carries the battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the locking point from the battery exchange platform, so that the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after aligning the battery exchange device 1, lift the battery pack box 2 to connect it to the locking mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and correspondingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover.

[0128] In this embodiment, the locking mechanism 5 includes a lock base 51, and the depth of the lock base 51 entering the battery pack box 2 is between 39 mm and 100 mm. A locking point is formed on the lock base 51, and the lock base 51 is detachably connected to the lock shaft 6. When the two are connected, the battery pack box 2 is locked on the vehicle frame 3. After the two are separated, the battery pack box 2 and the vehicle frame 3 are unlocked.

[0129] In this embodiment, the lock base 51 is installed on the side wall of the vehicle beam 3 through the mounting bracket 4, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket 4 from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 when it carries the battery pack. The mounting bracket 4 is connected to the vehicle beam 3 through fasteners, and the lock base 51 is connected to the vehicle beam 3 through the mounting bracket 4, so that the existing vehicle can be converted into an electric vehicle by adding the mounting bracket 4 without changing the structure of the existing vehicle. As long as the height of the mounting bracket 4 from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 when it carries the battery, it can be ensured that the battery exchange device can freely enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle. The mounting bracket 4 not only has the function of connecting the battery pack box 2 and the vehicle beam 3, but also has the function of bearing part of the weight of the battery pack, thereby reducing the influence of the battery pack on the rigidity and strength of the vehicle beam 3.

[0130] In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged below the surface of the upper cover. Figure 6 A cross section of the battery pack box 2 is shown in FIG. 1 to indicate that the lock shaft 6 is lower than the surface of the upper cover. Considering that the lock shaft 6 is relatively small, it is not shown in FIG. Figure 6 In another embodiment, Figure 7 As shown, the lock shaft 6 is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the surface of the upper cover is h3. When the battery exchange device 1 carries the battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket 4 from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device, so that the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after aligning the battery exchange device 1, lift the battery pack box 2 to connect it with the locking mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and correspondingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover.

[0131] In this embodiment, Figure 5 As shown, the battery pack case 2 further includes an unlocking linkage mechanism 7 , and the unlocking linkage mechanism 7 penetrates the battery pack case 2 in the vertical direction.

[0132] The unlocking linkage device is arranged on the battery pack case 2, and is used to unlock the battery pack from the locking mechanism 5 on the vehicle; the unlocking linkage device includes an input end and an output end, and the input end of the unlocking linkage device in the initial state is driven by an external device to drive the output end to act on the locking mechanism 5 to unlock.

[0133] The unlocking process is as follows: the battery swapping device 1 in the battery swapping station applies a load to the input end in a preset direction, and the input end pushes the output end to move to unlock the locking mechanism 5. After the force exerted by the battery swapping device 1 on the input end disappears, the input end and the output end are reset to the initial state under the action of the elastic force.

[0134] Since the input end and the output end are elastically connected in a preset direction, when the output end contacts the locking mechanism 5, the elastic force between the input end and the output end buffers the collision force between the output end and the locking mechanism 5, avoiding a hard impact on the locking mechanism 5, which is beneficial to the durability of the output end and the locking mechanism 5.

[0135] In this embodiment, the preset direction is the up and down direction, that is, the input end and the output end are arranged up and down, wherein the input end is located at the bottom and the output end is located at the top, and the battery replacement device 1 pushes the input end to move from the bottom of the battery pack.

[0136] In this embodiment, the input end and the output end are arranged on different components, while in other embodiments, the input end and the output end may be located on the same component.

[0137] Example 2

[0138] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 9 Understanding this embodiment. This embodiment provides a battery swap station, which includes a battery swap platform and a battery swap device 1. The above-mentioned battery swap device carrying plane and vehicle carrying plane are formed on the battery swap platform, and the battery swap platform provides a place for electric vehicles to dock for disassembly and assembly of battery packs. A battery swap device 1 carrying plane for the battery swap device 1 to travel and a carrying plane for electric vehicles are formed on the battery swap platform. The battery swap device 1 is used to disassemble and assemble battery packs for electric vehicles on the battery swap platform; wherein, the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform is greater than the height of the battery swap device 1 when it is unloaded; when the battery swap device 1 carries a battery pack, the overall height is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform.

[0139] In this embodiment, when the disassembly process begins, the unloaded battery swapping device 1 drives directly into the battery swapping station through the plane of the battery swapping platform to remove the battery pack of the vehicle body; and after replacing the new battery, the battery swapping device 1 carrying the new battery still drives directly into the battery swapping station through the plane of the battery swapping platform to load the new battery to the bottom of the vehicle body.

[0140] The height of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery swapping platform is greater than the height of the battery swapping equipment 1, so that the unloaded battery swapping equipment 1 can drive into the battery swapping station under the vehicle to remove the battery; when the battery swapping equipment 1 carries the battery pack, the overall height is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the battery swapping platform, so that the battery swapping equipment 1 carrying the battery pack can freely enter and exit from under the electric vehicle. Through the above-mentioned height restriction, the electric vehicle is avoided from lifting during the battery swapping process, and the digging of the battery swapping station is avoided, and the battery swapping equipment 1 is sunk relative to the ground. Accordingly, the battery swapping station corresponding to the electric vehicle battery swapping assembly of this embodiment has the effect of low construction cost due to the need to dig a pit for the battery swapping equipment 1, and the effect of reduced construction difficulty due to the need to lift the electric vehicle. The battery swapping station of this embodiment is suitable for situations where the vehicle body is heavy and it is difficult to lift the vehicle for the battery swapping equipment 1 to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle.

[0141] In this embodiment, the height difference between the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle and the ground and the battery exchange device 1 is between 30 mm and 80 mm.

[0142] When the battery swap device 1 carries a battery, the height difference between the overall height and the height of the bottom of the vehicle from the battery swap platform is between 10 mm and 150 mm.

[0143] In this embodiment, the electric vehicle includes a vehicle frame 3, and the battery pack is installed under the vehicle frame 3 through a locking mechanism. The height of the bottom of the vehicle frame 3 from the battery swap platform is greater than the overall height of the battery swap device 1 when it carries the battery pack.

[0144] The battery pack box 2 is installed using the vehicle frame 3, that is, the vehicle frame 3 on the chassis of the electric vehicle is used as a carrier for installing the battery pack box, so that the battery pack can be installed without changing the structure of the vehicle itself. In actual application, the height of the vehicle frame 3 from the load plane of the battery swapping device is used as one of the parameters to develop the battery swapping device 1 and the battery pack, so as to ensure that the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame 3 from the battery swapping platform is greater than the overall height of the battery swapping device 1 carrying the battery pack.

[0145] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 5 includes a lock base 51, and a locking groove for accommodating a battery pack locking member is provided in the lock base 51. When the locking member is located in the locking position in the locking groove, the battery pack is locked on the electric vehicle. A locking point is formed on the lock base 51, and the battery pack locking member is a locking shaft 6. The lock base 51 and the locking shaft 6 are detachably connected. When the locking shaft 6 is located at the locking point, the battery pack is locked on the vehicle frame 3. After the two are separated, the battery pack and the vehicle frame 3 are unlocked.

[0146] In this embodiment, the lock base 51 is installed on the vehicle beam 3, and the locking groove is located below the vehicle beam 3. The overall height of the battery swap device 1 when carrying the battery pack is lower than the height of the locking groove from the battery swap platform. The locking groove is a direct connection between the locking mechanism 5 and the battery pack case 2 and is used to lock the position of the battery pack. When installing the battery pack, the battery swap device 1 lifts the battery pack and connects it to the locking mechanism 5 at the locking groove. When removing the battery pack, the battery swap device 1 lifts the locking mechanism 5 to unlock the connection between it and the battery pack in the locking groove, and the battery pack is seated on the battery swap device 1. During the entire battery swap process, since the locking groove is located below the vehicle beam 3, it is not easy to cause interference between the battery pack case 2 and the vehicle beam 3. It is sufficient to ensure that the movement of the battery pack will not collide with the vehicle beam 3, and there is no need to involve too many movement paths for the battery pack in order to avoid the vehicle beam 3. The battery exchange device 1 only needs to move the battery pack downward a short distance to avoid the vehicle beam 3 and the locking mechanism 5, so as to enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle beam in the horizontal direction, and reserve sufficient space for the battery exchange device 1 to carry the battery in and out of the bottom of the vehicle beam 3, so as to avoid the interference of the components on the vehicle with the battery exchange device 1 entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle. In other embodiments, as an alternative, the locking groove of the locking mechanism 5 is provided on the side of the vehicle beam 3, that is, the locking groove is higher than the lower surface of the vehicle beam 3 at the accommodation space of the battery pack case 2. Accordingly, in the vertical direction, the vehicle beam 3 and the battery pack case 2 partially overlap. This solution is conducive to increasing the distance from the lower surface of the battery pack case 2 to the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device 1, and reserving more space for the battery exchange device 1 to improve the safety of the system.

[0147] In this embodiment, the lowest position of the lock base 51 is at a height greater than the overall height of the battery swap device 1 when carrying a battery pack, so that the battery swap device 1 carrying a battery pack can freely enter and exit from the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0148] In this embodiment, the battery pack includes a lower box body and an upper cover. The upper cover is covered on the lower box body to form a space for accommodating the battery pack body. The locking member is a lock shaft 6, which is installed on the upper cover or the lower box body. The lock shaft 6 is used to cooperate with the locking groove.

[0149] In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the highest point of the upper cover is h1, the distance between the locking groove and the bottom of the vehicle beam 3 is h2, and h1 is smaller than h2. In other words, a connection groove is arranged at the upper end of the battery pack case 2, and a lock shaft 6 is arranged in the connection groove. After the battery pack case 2 is installed on the vehicle beam 3, the locking point is inserted into the connection groove, and the highest position of the upper cover is lower than the vehicle beam 3. In this embodiment, the battery pack case 2 is located below the vehicle beam 3. Through the above-mentioned height setting, when the lock shaft 6 enters the locking groove of the locking mechanism 5, the interference between the battery pack case 2 and the vehicle beam 3 is avoided, that is, when the lock shaft 6 enters the locking mechanism 5 in the vertical direction, the movement of the battery pack case will not collide with the vehicle beam.

[0150] In another embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the surface of the upper cover is h3. When the battery exchange device 1 carries the battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the lock base 51 from the battery exchange platform, so that the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack box 2 can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after aligning the battery exchange device 1, lift the battery pack box 2 to connect it to the locking mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and correspondingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover, which facilitates the installation of the lock shaft 6 in the locking mechanism 5 or removal from the locking mechanism 5.

[0151] In this embodiment, the depth of the lock base 51 entering the battery pack is between 39 mm and 100 mm.

[0152] In this embodiment, the lock base 51 is installed on the side wall of the vehicle beam 3 through the mounting bracket 4, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket 4 from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 when carrying the battery pack. The mounting bracket 4 is connected to the vehicle beam 3 through fasteners, and the lock base 51 is connected to the vehicle beam 3 through the mounting bracket 4, so that the existing vehicle can be converted into an electric vehicle by adding the mounting bracket 4 without changing the structure of the existing vehicle. As long as the height of the mounting bracket 4 from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 when carrying the battery, it can be ensured that the battery exchange device can freely enter and exit the bottom of the vehicle. The mounting bracket 4 not only has the function of connecting the battery pack and the vehicle beam 3, but also has the function of bearing part of the weight of the battery pack, thereby reducing the influence of the battery pack on the rigidity and strength of the vehicle beam 3.

[0153] In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, while in another embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is arranged above the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft 6 and the surface of the upper cover is h3. When the battery exchange device 1 carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket 4 from the battery exchange platform, so that the battery exchange device 1 carrying the battery pack can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle. When installing the battery pack, after aligning the battery exchange device 1, lift the battery pack to connect it to the locking mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the lock shaft 6 is higher than the surface of the upper cover, and accordingly, the locking point is also higher than the surface of the upper cover.

[0154] In this embodiment, the battery swapping device 1 is a rail shuttle, and a track for the battery swapping device 1 to travel is provided on the battery swapping platform. The sum of the height of the track protruding from the battery swapping platform and the height of the battery swapping device 1 when unloaded is less than the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery swapping platform, so that the battery swapping device 1 installed with the battery pack can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0155] In this embodiment, the sum of the height of the track protruding from the battery exchange platform and the overall height of the battery exchange device 1 when carrying the battery pack is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle's frame 3 from the battery exchange platform, so that the battery exchange device 1 installed with the battery pack can freely enter and exit the bottom of the electric vehicle.

[0156] In this embodiment, the battery swap device 1 is at least partially lower than the upper surface of the track. In other words, the upper end of the track goes deep into the battery swap device 1 and guides the battery swap device 1. The track is used to maintain a gap between the battery swap device 1 and the battery swap platform, and the height of the gap is greater than 20 mm to ensure that the battery swap device 1 can operate safely and smoothly.

[0157] The battery swapping device 1 in this embodiment adopts a track-based system, but in another embodiment, the battery swapping device 1 adopts a trackless system. The battery swapping device 1 is fixedly arranged and installed on a battery swapping station of a battery swapping platform. When an electric vehicle enters the battery swapping platform along a first direction, the width of the battery swapping device 1 along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than the distance between the left and right wheels of the electric vehicle, so that the electric vehicle can enter and exit the battery swapping platform unimpeded.

[0158] In this embodiment, the battery exchange device 1 includes a mounting platform and an elastic mechanism disposed on the mounting platform. The elastic mechanism is used to elastically support the battery pack. When the battery pack is carried on the elastic mechanism, the compression deformation of the elastic mechanism is s. The sum of the height of the battery exchange device 1 and the height of the battery pack is less than the sum of the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame 3 of the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform and s. After the battery pack is placed on the mounting platform, the elastic mechanism can buffer the impact between the battery pack and the mounting platform, thereby reducing the hard collision and noise generated between the two. This embodiment reserves the deformation of the elastic mechanism on the vertical square. During the process of disassembling the battery pack, when the battery pack falls on the mounting platform, the two will float up and down relative to the main part of the battery exchange device 1 or even tilt. This embodiment has reserved the displacement caused by floating and tilting in the height direction, ensuring that the floating and tilting of the battery pack will not interfere with other components, thereby improving the safety of the system.

[0159] The lifting height range of the battery swap device 1 is 120 mm to 200 mm. In this embodiment, the height of the battery swap device 1 is 120 mm.

[0160] In this embodiment, the battery exchange device 1 lifts the battery pack through a cam lifting mechanism.

[0161] In this embodiment, the floor of the battery swap station is formed as a battery swap platform.

[0162] In this embodiment, when fully loaded, the distance between the vehicle frame 3 of the electric vehicle and the ground is between 460 mm and 580 mm;

[0163] Example 3

[0164] The present embodiment provides a battery swap station for electric light trucks. The battery swap station of the present embodiment is similar in structure to that of Embodiment 2. Embodiment 2 focuses on the working principle. The present embodiment further describes the battery swap station for electric light trucks in combination with specific data.

[0165] In this embodiment, the battery swap station is compatible with the battery swap of the following vehicles: the vehicle's wheelbase is not less than 3300 mm, the outer spacing of the vehicle frame is between 760 mm and 800 mm, the vehicle width is not more than 2500 mm, the vehicle height is less than 3500 mm, the vehicle weight when fully loaded is not more than 6 tons, and the distance from the center of the vehicle's front wheel to the end of the battery pack is not less than 800 mm.

[0166] The height of the vehicle frame 3 from the surface of the battery swap platform is 527 mm, the battery thickness is 220 mm, and the height of the lock base 51 from the surface of the battery swap platform is 481. After the battery is installed on the chassis assembly, the height of the battery from the battery swap platform is 300 mm, and the height of the battery swap device 1 itself is 264 mm. After the battery is installed on the chassis assembly, the lower surface of the battery is 120 mm away from the upper surface of the tray of the battery swap device 1 for carrying the battery. The length of the battery pack is 1650 mm, the width is 1850 mm, the height is 220 mm, and the power is between 80kwh and 9280kwh.

[0167] Example 4

[0168] The present embodiment provides a battery swap station for electric heavy trucks. The battery swap station of the present embodiment is similar in structure to that of Embodiment 2. Embodiment 2 focuses on the working principle. The present embodiment further describes the battery swap station for electric heavy trucks in combination with specific data.

[0169] In this embodiment, the distance from the bottom of the battery pack to the surface of the battery swap platform is 441 mm; the distance from the vehicle frame 3 to the battery swap station platform is 800 mm; the height of the battery pack installed on the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform is 405 mm; the maximum height of the battery swap device 1 from the battery swap platform is 390 mm; the distance from the lowest point of the vehicle frame 3 to the highest point of the battery swap device 1 is 31 mm.

[0170] Although the specific embodiments of the present invention are described above, those skilled in the art should understand that this is only an example, and the protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art may make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, but these changes and modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle battery replacement component, characterized in that: The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly includes a battery replacement device and a battery pack box, the battery replacement device and the battery pack box are both arranged at the bottom of the electric vehicle, the battery pack box is removed from the bottom of the electric vehicle or installed at the bottom of the electric vehicle by the battery replacement device, during the removal or installation process, the height of the electric vehicle remains unchanged, and the carrying plane of the battery replacement device is in the same plane as the carrying plane of the electric vehicle; The electric vehicle comprises a vehicle beam, and the battery pack box is detachably mounted on the vehicle beam through a locking mechanism; The battery pack box includes a lower box and an upper cover, and the battery pack box is provided with a lock shaft, and the lock shaft is detachably connected to the locking mechanism; The locking shaft is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the locking shaft and the highest point of the upper cover is h1, the distance between the locking point and the bottom of the vehicle beam is h2, and h1 is smaller than h2.

2. The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The height of the bottom of the electric vehicle and the battery pack box is set to: When the battery swap device disassembles the battery pack box, the height of the bottom of the battery pack box from the load plane of the battery swap device is greater than the height of the battery swap device when it is unloaded; When the battery exchange device is installed on the battery pack box, the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when it carries the battery pack box; And / or, the lock axis is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the lock axis and the surface of the upper cover is h3, and when the battery swap device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the carrying plane of the battery swap device and h3 is less than the height of the locking point from the carrying plane of the battery swap device; And / or, the locking mechanism includes a lock base, and the depth of the lock base entering the battery pack box is between 39 mm and 100 mm; And / or, the battery pack case further includes an unlocking linkage mechanism, and the unlocking linkage mechanism penetrates the battery pack case in a vertical direction.

3. The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The height of the bottom of the vehicle frame from the load-bearing plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device carrying the battery pack box; And / or, the lock base is installed on the side wall of the vehicle frame through a mounting bracket, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying the battery pack.

4. The electric vehicle battery replacement assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: The electric vehicle is an electric truck, and a battery pack box accommodating space is provided between two sets of wheels along the driving direction of the electric truck, and the height of the vehicle frame at the battery pack box accommodating space is greater than the overall height of the battery replacement device carrying the battery pack box; And / or, the battery pack box is arranged below the vehicle beam or at least partially overlaps with the vehicle beam in the vertical direction; And / or, the locking point of the locking mechanism is arranged below or on the side of the vehicle beam; And / or, the lock axis is arranged higher than the upper cover surface, and the distance between the lock axis and the upper cover surface is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the carrying plane of the battery exchange device.

5. A battery swap station, characterized in that: The battery swap station comprises: A battery swap platform, where electric vehicles can dock to remove and install battery packs; Battery exchange equipment, used for disassembling and installing a battery pack of the electric vehicle on the battery exchange platform; Wherein, the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform is greater than the height of the battery exchange device when it is unloaded; When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the overall height is less than the height from the bottom of the electric vehicle to the battery exchange platform.

6. The battery swap station according to claim 5, characterized in that: The electric vehicle includes a vehicle frame, the battery pack is installed below the vehicle frame through a locking mechanism, and the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame from the battery exchange platform is greater than the overall height of the battery exchange device when it carries the battery pack; Preferably, the locking mechanism comprises a lock base, the lock base is provided with a locking groove for accommodating the battery pack locking member, and when the locking member is located at a locking position in the locking groove, the battery pack is locked on the electric vehicle; And / or, the battery swap platform is provided with a track for the battery swap equipment to travel, and the sum of the height of the track protruding from the battery swap platform and the height of the battery swap equipment when unloaded is less than the height of the bottom of the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle from the battery swap platform; And / or, the battery swapping device is installed on a battery swapping station of a battery swapping platform, and when an electric vehicle drives into the battery swapping platform along a first direction, the width of the battery swapping device along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is smaller than the distance between the left and right wheels of the electric vehicle; And / or, the battery exchange device includes a mounting platform and an elastic mechanism disposed on the mounting platform, the elastic mechanism is used to elastically support the battery pack, when the battery pack is carried on the elastic mechanism, the compression deformation of the elastic mechanism is s, and the sum of the height of the battery exchange device and the height of the battery pack is less than the sum of the height of the bottom of the vehicle frame of the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform and s; And / or, the lifting height range of the battery swapping equipment is 120 mm to 200 mm And / or, the battery swap station floor is formed as the battery swap platform.

7. The battery swap station according to claim 6, characterized in that: The lock base is installed on the vehicle frame, and the locking groove is located below the vehicle frame, and the overall height of the battery swapping device when carrying the battery pack is lower than the height of the locking groove from the battery swapping platform; And / or, the height of the lowest position of the lock base from the surface of the battery swap platform is greater than the overall height of the battery swap device when carrying the battery pack; And / or, the battery pack comprises a lower box body and an upper cover, and the locking member is a lock shaft; And / or, the sum of the height of the rail protruding from the battery swap platform and the overall height of the battery swap device when carrying the battery pack is less than the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle's frame from the battery swap platform; and / or, the battery exchange equipment is at least partially below the upper surface of the track; And / or, the battery swapping equipment lifts the battery pack via a cam lifting mechanism.

8. The battery swap station according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lock shaft is arranged below the surface of the upper cover, and the distance between the lock shaft and the highest point of the upper cover is h1. When the lock shaft is located in the locking groove, the distance between the lock shaft and the bottom of the vehicle beam is h2, and h1 is less than h2. And / or, the lock shaft is arranged higher than the surface of the upper cover, the distance between the lock shaft and the surface of the upper cover is h3, and when the battery swapping device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover from the battery swapping platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the lock base from the battery swapping platform; Preferably, the depth of the lock base entering the battery pack is between 39 mm and 100 mm; And / or, the lock base is mounted on the side wall of the vehicle frame through a mounting bracket, and the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the battery swap platform is greater than the overall height of the battery swap device when carrying the battery pack; Preferably, the lock shaft is arranged higher than the upper cover surface, and the distance between the lock shaft and the upper cover surface is h3. When the battery exchange device carries a battery pack, the sum of the height of the upper cover surface from the battery exchange platform and h3 is less than the height of the bottom of the mounting bracket from the battery exchange platform.

9. The battery swap station according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The distance between the vehicle frame of the electric vehicle and the battery exchange platform is between 460 mm and 580 mm; The height difference between the battery pack loaded on the electric vehicle and the battery exchange platform and the battery exchange equipment is between 30 mm and 80 mm.

10. The battery swap station according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The difference between the overall height of the battery exchange device when carrying a battery pack and the height of the bottom of the electric vehicle from the battery exchange platform is between 10 mm and 150 mm.

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