Battery swap station

Abstract

The invention discloses a battery swap station which comprises a base, a battery storage unit and a battery transfer module, a battery swap station is arranged on the base, a battery swap mechanism used for replacing batteries is arranged on the battery swap station, the battery storage unit is arranged on the base and comprises a plurality of independently arranged battery storage modules, and the battery storage modules are detachably arranged on the base. A storage space used for storing batteries is formed in the battery storage module, and the battery transfer module is arranged on the base and transfers the batteries between the battery replacement station and the storage space. According to the battery swap station, the number and layout of the battery storage modules can be adjusted to adapt to different sizes and shapes of installation sites of the battery swap station, so that the arrangement flexibility of the battery swap station is improved, meanwhile, the batteries in the battery storage modules can be charged in the battery swap station and can also be charged outside the battery swap station, and the battery swap station is convenient to use. And the battery storage module can be transferred to the outer side of the base for cleaning, maintenance and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of battery swapping equipment, and in particular to a battery swapping station. Background Art

[0002] In view of the increasing number of electric vehicles in the market, the waiting time for consumers to charge and replenish their batteries has become the biggest pain point affecting the use of electric vehicles. In order to solve the problem of long waiting time for charging, battery swap stations have emerged, greatly shortening the time for electric vehicles to replenish their batteries. Among them, in battery swap stations, batteries need to be stored in battery storage bins, which provide a safe and stable environment for batteries. However, the setting of battery storage bins is affected by factors such as site size and power supply. For example, battery swap stations of the same specifications cannot adapt to installation sites of different sizes and shapes. Secondly, the batteries in the battery swap station can only be charged in the station, which means that the battery swap station must be equipped with a high-power charger. In addition, if the layout of the battery swap station is too compact, it is not convenient to maintain and clean the battery storage bin. Therefore, there is room for improvement. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention provides a battery swap station, which has the advantages of flexibility in layout and high convenience in equipment maintenance and cleaning.

[0004] The battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a base, on which a battery swap station is provided, and on which a battery swap mechanism for replacing batteries is provided; a battery storage unit, which is provided on the base and includes a plurality of independently arranged battery storage modules, wherein the battery storage modules are detachably provided on the base, and wherein a storage space for storing batteries is formed in the battery storage modules; and a battery transfer module, which is provided on the base and transfers the batteries between the battery swap station and the storage space.

[0005] In the battery swap station according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the battery storage module is detachably arranged on the base, the flexibility of the layout of the battery swap station can be improved by adjusting the number and layout of the battery storage modules to adapt to installation sites of different sizes and shapes of the battery swap station. At the same time, the batteries in the battery storage module can be charged inside the battery swap station or outside the battery swap station, and the battery storage module can be transferred to the outside of the base for cleaning, maintenance and other operations, so as to improve the work efficiency of the operator and the convenience of equipment maintenance and cleaning.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a locking mechanism is provided on the base, and the locking mechanism has a locking position and an unlocking position. In the locking position, the battery storage unit is fixedly connected to the locking mechanism, and in the unlocking position, the battery storage unit is disengaged from the locking mechanism.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanism is located on one side of the battery storage unit in a horizontal direction.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanism includes a connecting plate and a locking member provided on the base, a first mating hole is formed on the connecting plate, a second mating hole opposite to the first mating hole is formed on the battery storage module, the locking member is sequentially inserted into the first mating hole and the second mating hole, in the locked position, the locking member is fixedly connected to the connecting plate and the battery storage module, and in the unlocked position, the locking member is movable along the extension direction of the first mating hole and the second mating hole.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery storage unit includes a box body, the storage space is formed in the box body, the connecting plate is located on one side of the box body in the horizontal direction, the box body includes a top plate, a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates connected between the top plate and the bottom plate, and the second mating hole is formed on the side plate.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of positioning columns are provided on the upper surface of the base, and a plurality of positioning grooves are formed at the bottom of the battery storage module, the plurality of positioning columns and the plurality of positioning grooves extend in the up-down direction, and the plurality of positioning columns are plugged in and matched with the plurality of positioning grooves in a one-to-one correspondence; and / or a transport matching structure is formed at the bottom of the battery storage module, and the transport matching structure is used to match with a transport device.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each of the battery storage modules includes a box body, the storage space is formed in the box body, a battery access port connected to the storage space is formed on the side wall of the box body, a battery storage rack is provided in the box body, a plurality of battery storage positions arranged in an up-and-down direction are formed on the battery storage rack, and the batteries are suitable for being placed in the battery storage positions.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each of the battery storage modules includes a charging device and a thermal management device, the charging device includes a connecting harness, one end of the connecting harness is suitable for being electrically connected to the battery, and the other end of the connecting harness is provided with a charging quick-plug connector, the thermal management device includes a connecting pipe, one end of the connecting pipe is suitable for being connected to the thermal management system of the battery, and the other end of the connecting pipe is provided with a thermal management quick-plug connector; and / or, each of the battery storage modules includes a monitoring device and a fire extinguishing device arranged in the storage space, and the monitoring device is used to monitor the status of the battery.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery swap station also includes: an emergency processing module, the battery transfer module is also used to transfer the battery between the storage space and the emergency processing module, the emergency processing module is used to process the abnormal battery, and the emergency processing module is independent of the battery storage module and is located outside the storage space.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery transfer module includes a transfer mechanism and a cache bin, the cache bin is formed with a plurality of battery cache positions for caching batteries, the transfer mechanism is used to transfer the batteries between the battery cache positions and the storage space, the battery exchange mechanism is suitable for rotating the batteries between the battery exchange vehicle and the battery cache positions, the battery exchange positions, the cache bin and the transfer mechanism are arranged along a first direction, and the transfer mechanism is provided with a plurality of battery storage units arranged along a second direction on both sides of the first direction, and the plurality of battery storage units located on a side of the transfer mechanism close to the cache bin are distributed on opposite sides of the cache bin in the second direction.

[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 is a partial schematic diagram of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between a battery storage module and a substrate of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a box of a battery storage module of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 5 is a partial schematic diagram of a substrate of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a battery storage module of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a transfer mechanism of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a lifting arm, a lifting assembly, a first horizontal translation assembly and a second horizontal translation assembly of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a cache bin of a battery swap station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of a battery swapping station, a buffer bin, a transfer mechanism and an emergency processing module on a base of a battery swapping station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Reference numerals:

[0027] 100. Battery swap station;

[0028] 1. Base; 11. Power-changing station; 111. Power-changing mechanism; 12. Locking mechanism; 121. Connecting plate; 1211. First matching hole; 122. Locking member; 13. Positioning column;

[0029] 2. Battery storage module; 21. Box; 211. Storage space; 2111. Battery access port; 212. Second matching hole; 213. Carrying matching structure; 214. Top plate; 215. Bottom plate; 216. Side plate; 217. Heat dissipation window; 22. Battery storage rack; 221. Battery storage position; 23. Charging device; 24. Thermal management device; 25. Monitoring device; 26. Fire extinguishing device;

[0030] 3. Battery transfer module; 31. Transfer mechanism; 311. Lifting arm; 312. Lifting assembly; 313. First horizontal translation assembly; 314. Second horizontal translation assembly; 315. Outer box; 32. Cache compartment; 321. Battery cache position;

[0031] 4. Emergency processing module; e1, first direction; e2, second direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0033] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples to implement different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the parts and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are only examples, and the purpose is not to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention can repeat reference numbers and / or letters in different examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity, and does not itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides various specific processes and examples of materials, but those of ordinary skill in the art can be aware of the applicability of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0034] The following describes a battery swap station 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the battery swap station 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a base 1, a battery storage unit and a battery transfer module 3. The base 1 is provided with a battery swap station 11, and the battery swap station 11 is provided with a battery swap mechanism 111 for replacing batteries. The battery storage unit is arranged on the base 1 and includes a plurality of independently arranged battery storage modules 2. The battery storage module 2 is detachably arranged on the base 1, and a storage space 211 for storing batteries is formed in the battery storage module 2. The battery transfer module 3 is arranged on the base 1 and transfers batteries between the battery swap station 11 and the storage space 211.

[0036] That is to say, when the vehicle needs to be replaced with a battery, the user can drive the vehicle to the battery replacement station 11, where the low-power battery on the vehicle can be removed through the battery replacement mechanism 111. At the same time, the battery transfer module 3 can take out the fully charged battery from the storage space 211 and transfer it to the battery replacement station 11, so that the battery replacement mechanism 111 can pick up the fully charged battery at the battery replacement station 11 and install it on the vehicle, thereby realizing the battery replacement operation of the vehicle. In addition, the battery transfer module 3 can transfer the low-power battery replaced at the battery replacement station 11 to the storage space 211 for storage, so as to facilitate battery management and charging and other processing.

[0037] Among them, since the battery storage module 2 is detachably arranged on the base 1, the number and layout of the battery storage modules 2 can be adjusted to adapt to installation sites of different sizes and shapes of the battery swap station 100 to improve the flexibility of the layout of the battery swap station 100. If the installation area is large, the number of battery storage modules 2 can be increased to improve the battery swap capacity of the battery swap station 100; if the installation area is small, the number of battery storage modules 2 can be reduced to avoid the layout being too crowded to affect the work efficiency of operators and the convenience of equipment maintenance.

[0038] In addition, the battery storage module 2 can be removed as a whole and transferred to an area with charging capabilities to charge the batteries in the battery storage module 2. That is, the batteries in the battery storage module 2 can be charged inside the battery swap station 100 or outside the battery swap station 100, so that the battery swap station 100 does not need to be equipped with a charger; the battery storage module 2 can also be removed as a whole and transferred to the outside of the base 1 for cleaning, maintenance and other operations to improve the work efficiency of the operator and the convenience of equipment maintenance and cleaning.

[0039] According to the battery swap station 100 of the embodiment of the present invention, since the battery storage module 2 is detachably arranged on the base 1, the number and layout of the battery storage modules 2 can be adjusted to adapt to installation sites of different sizes and shapes of the battery swap station 100 to enhance the flexibility of the layout of the battery swap station 100. At the same time, the batteries in the battery storage module 2 can be charged inside the battery swap station 100 or outside the battery swap station 100, and the battery storage module 2 can be transferred to the outside of the base 1 for cleaning, maintenance and other operations to enhance the work efficiency of the operator and the convenience of equipment maintenance and cleaning.

[0040] In a specific example, the base 1 is a foundation, such as a concrete floor, etc., which can ensure the flatness of the base 1 and save material input for the battery swap station 100 to reduce the construction cost of the battery swap station 100 .

[0041] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a locking mechanism 12 is provided on the base 1, and the locking mechanism 12 has a locking position and an unlocking position. In the locking position, the battery storage unit is fixedly connected to the locking mechanism 12, and in the unlocking position, the battery storage unit is disengaged from the locking mechanism 12. In other words, by controlling the locking mechanism 12 to switch between the locking position and the unlocking position, the locking mechanism 12 can lock and unlock the battery storage unit. In the locked state, the locking mechanism 12 can firmly fix the battery storage unit on the base 1 to prevent the battery storage unit from shaking and affecting the stability of the battery swap station 100. After the locking mechanism 12 is switched to the unlocking position, the locking mechanism 12 can release the lock on the battery storage unit, so that the battery storage unit can move freely relative to the base 1, so as to remove the battery storage module 2 from the base 1.

[0042] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanism 12 is located on one side of the battery storage unit in the horizontal direction. That is, the locking mechanism 12 and the battery storage unit are arranged in the horizontal direction on the base 1. As a result, the battery storage unit can be prevented from blocking the locking mechanism 12, and the locking mechanism 12 can be made more intuitive and have a larger operating space, thereby reducing the difficulty of the operator operating the locking mechanism 12, so as to improve the efficiency of controlling the locking mechanism 12 to switch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

[0043] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the locking mechanism 12 includes a connecting plate 121 and a locking member 122 provided on the base 1, a first matching hole 1211 is formed on the connecting plate 121, a second matching hole 212 opposite to the first matching hole 1211 is formed on the battery storage module 2, and the locking member 122 is sequentially inserted into the first matching hole 1211 and the second matching hole 212. In the locked position, the locking member 122 fixes the connecting plate 121 and the battery storage module 2 together, and in the unlocked position, the locking member 122 is movable along the extension direction of the first matching hole 1211 and the second matching hole 212.

[0044] That is to say, in the locked position, one end of the locking member 122 inserted into the second matching hole 212 is restricted by the second matching hole 212, so that the locking member 122 cannot escape from the second matching hole 212, so that the connecting plate 121 can be fixedly connected to the battery storage module 2 through the locking member 122 to fix the battery storage module 2 on the base 1; in the unlocked position, the locking member 122 is movable along the extension direction of the first matching hole 1211 and the second matching hole 212, and the part of the locking member 122 inserted into the second matching hole 212 can be pulled out through the second matching hole 212 and the first matching hole 1211 in turn, so that the locking member 122 is disengaged from the battery storage module 2, so that the battery storage module 2 can move freely relative to the base 1.

[0045] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery storage unit includes a box body 21, a storage space 211 is formed in the box body 21, the connecting plate 121 is located on one side of the box body 21 in the horizontal direction, the box body 21 includes a top plate 214, a bottom plate 215 and a plurality of side plates 216 connected between the top plate 214 and the bottom plate 215, and a second mating hole 212 is formed on the side plate 216. Among them, the connecting plate 121 is arranged opposite to one of the side panels 216 of the box body 21 in the horizontal direction, and the connecting plate 121 is located on the side of the corresponding side panel 216 away from the storage space 211, that is, the outside, and the first matching hole 1211 and the second matching hole 212 both extend in the horizontal direction. The locking member 122 can be inserted into the first matching hole 1211 and the second matching hole 212 in sequence through the side of the connecting plate 121 away from the side panel 216. Since the side of the connecting plate 121 away from the side panel 216 has a larger space, the operation difficulty of the locking member 122 can be reduced, so as to improve the efficiency of controlling the locking mechanism 12 to switch between the locked position and the unlocked position.

[0046] In a specific example, a heat dissipation window 217 is formed on the box body 21 and communicates with the storage space 211, so that the heat in the storage space 211 can be dissipated through the heat dissipation window 217 to avoid heat accumulation in the storage space 211 and ensure the safety of the stored battery. The heat dissipation window 217 is formed on the side plate 216, which can ensure the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation window 217.

[0047] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a plurality of positioning posts 13 are provided on the upper surface of the base 1, and a plurality of positioning grooves are formed on the bottom of the battery storage module 2. The plurality of positioning posts 13 and the plurality of positioning grooves extend in the up-down direction, and the plurality of positioning posts 13 are plugged and matched with the plurality of positioning grooves in a one-to-one correspondence. In other words, in the process of installing the battery storage module 2 to the designated position on the base 1, the positioning posts 13 can be aligned with the positioning grooves and inserted to achieve the positioning of the battery storage module 2 on the base 1. In this way, the difficulty of positioning the installation position of the battery storage module 2 on the base 1 can be reduced. At the same time, through the cooperation of the positioning grooves and the positioning protrusions, the freedom of movement of the battery storage unit in the horizontal direction relative to the base 1 can be better limited, thereby improving the stability of the battery storage unit fixed on the base 1.

[0048] In a specific example, a positioning groove is formed on the bottom surface of the bottom plate 215 of the box body 21, and four positioning grooves are provided at four corners of the bottom plate 215, which can improve the positioning accuracy of the battery storage unit and the connection stability with the base 1.

[0049] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a transport matching structure 213 is formed at the bottom of the battery storage module 2, and the transport matching structure 213 is used to cooperate with the transport device. In other words, the transport device can use the transport matching structure 213 as a fulcrum or fixed point to transport the battery storage module 2, which can reduce the difficulty of the transport device in transporting the battery storage module 2 and improve the stability of the transport device in transporting the battery storage module 2, so as to improve the transport efficiency and safety of the battery storage module 2.

[0050] In a specific example, the transport device is a forklift, and two mating grooves are formed on the bottom surface of the battery storage module 2, specifically on the bottom surface of the bottom plate 215 of the box body 21, which are penetrated in the horizontal direction. The two mating grooves together constitute the above-mentioned transport mating structure 213. When the battery storage module 2 is transported by a forklift, the two fork arms of the forklift are aligned and inserted into the open openings on one side of the two mating grooves in the horizontal direction, and the battery storage module 2 is lifted off the ground by lifting the fork arms, so that the battery storage module 2 can be transported.

[0051] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each battery storage module 2 includes a box body 21, a storage space 211 is formed in the box body 21, a battery access port 2111 connected to the storage space 211 is formed on the side wall of the box body 21, a battery storage rack 22 is provided in the box body 21, a plurality of battery storage positions 221 arranged in the up-down direction are formed on the battery storage rack 22, and the batteries are suitable for being placed in the battery storage positions 221. In other words, each battery storage module 2 can store a plurality of batteries at the same time through the plurality of battery storage positions 221 on the battery storage rack 22, and the battery storage port facilitates the removal and insertion of the batteries, so as to increase the battery capacity of the battery storage module 2. In addition, multiple batteries in the same storage space 211 can be separated by the battery storage rack 22, and the box 21 can separate the batteries in two adjacent storage spaces 211, thereby reducing interference between batteries, especially the batteries between two adjacent battery storage modules 2, to avoid a chain reaction caused by the impact on the batteries in the adjacent battery storage module 2 when the battery of one of the battery storage modules 2 has thermal runaway, so as to improve the reliability of the battery swap station 100.

[0052] In a specific example, the box body 21 has three side panels 216, and a battery access port 2111 open to the transfer mechanism 31 is defined where the side panels 216 are not provided, thereby ensuring that the battery can be taken out or put in through the battery access port 2111 while improving the protective effect of the box body 21 on the battery.

[0053] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each battery storage module 2 includes a charging device 23 and a thermal management device 24. The charging device 23 includes a connecting wire harness, one end of which is suitable for electrical connection with the battery, and the other end of which is provided with a charging quick-plug connector. The thermal management device 24 includes a connecting pipe, one end of which is suitable for connection with the thermal management system of the battery, and the other end of which is provided with a thermal management quick-plug connector. That is to say, when the battery is placed in the storage space 211, it can be connected to the connecting wire harness and one end of the connecting pipe, and the other end of the connecting wire harness is connected to a charging device such as a charger through a charging quick-plug connector to charge the battery, and the other end of the connecting pipe is connected to an external thermal management pipe through a thermal management quick-plug connector to perform thermal management on the battery. Among them, by setting a charging quick-plug connector, the connection efficiency between the charging device 23 and the charging equipment can be improved, and by setting a thermal management quick-plug connector, the connection efficiency between the thermal management device 24 and the external thermal management pipeline can be improved. In addition, since the batteries in the battery storage module 2 can be charged inside the battery swap station 100 and outside the battery swap station 100, the charging quick-plug connector and the thermal management quick-plug connector are convenient for connecting with the charging equipment outside the battery swap station 100 and the external thermal management pipeline when the battery storage unit is charged outside the battery swap station 100, so as to reduce the difficulty of charging the battery storage unit outside the battery swap station 100.

[0054] According to some embodiments of the present invention, each battery storage module 2 includes a monitoring device 25 and a fire extinguishing device 26 disposed in the storage space 211, and the monitoring device 25 is used to monitor the status of the battery. Thus, the battery status in the storage space 211 can be obtained in real time and accurately through the monitoring device 25, so as to facilitate battery management, and when the battery in the storage space 211 catches fire, the fire location can be found in time, and the fire can be extinguished in time through the fire extinguishing device 26, so as to avoid the spread of the fire and cause greater losses such as causing an explosion, etc., and the safety of the use of the battery swap station 100 can be improved.

[0055] In a specific example, the monitoring device 25 is a camera that can obtain images of the battery in real time, so that the fire point of the battery can be determined through the images obtained by the camera, and the real-time acquisition of the battery status can be ensured. In addition, the fire extinguishing device 26 includes a water tank and a sprinkler head connected to the water tank, wherein the water tank is located on the back side of the battery storage rack 22, that is, the side away from the battery access port 2111, and water is stored in the water tank. The sprinkler head is located above the battery storage rack 22, so that the batteries in the storage space 211 can be covered in a larger range through the sprinkler head to ensure the efficiency of fire extinguishing.

[0056] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery swap station 100 further includes: an emergency processing module 4, the battery transfer module 3 is also used to transfer batteries between the storage space 211 and the emergency processing module 4, the emergency processing module 4 is used to process abnormal batteries, and the emergency processing module 4 is independent of the battery storage module 2 and is located outside the storage space 211. In other words, the emergency processing module 4 is separated from the battery storage module 2, so that the emergency processing module 4 can be prevented from being adversely affected by a fire in the battery in the storage space 211, so as to ensure the safety of the emergency processing module 4.

[0057] In a specific example, the battery swap station 100 has an abnormal battery detection and processing system. When the abnormal battery detection and processing system detects the presence of an abnormal battery, such as an abnormal temperature increase, etc., the abnormal battery detection and processing system can control the battery transfer module 3 to transfer the abnormal battery to the emergency processing module 4. A processing chamber is formed in the emergency processing module 4 for placing abnormal batteries. The emergency processing module 4 includes an abnormality detection device and an explosion-proof box. The abnormality detection device is used to detect and determine whether the abnormal battery has a fire risk. The explosion-proof box can store fire extinguishing materials such as water. Therefore, when the abnormal battery has a fire risk, the battery can be placed in the explosion-proof box to avoid abnormal battery fire protection, thereby improving the safety of the battery swap station 100.

[0058] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the battery transport module 3 includes a transport mechanism 31 and a cache bin 32, the cache bin 32 is formed with a plurality of battery cache positions 321 for caching batteries, the transport mechanism 31 is used to transport batteries between the battery cache position 321 and the storage space 211, the battery swap mechanism 111 is suitable for rotating batteries between the battery swap vehicle and the battery cache position 321, the battery swap station 11, the cache bin 32 and the transport mechanism 31 are arranged along the first direction e1, and the transport mechanism 31 is provided with a plurality of battery storage units arranged along the second direction e2 on both sides of the first direction e1, and the plurality of battery storage units located on the side of the transport mechanism 31 close to the cache bin 32 are distributed on opposite sides of the cache bin 32 in the second direction e2. Wherein, the first direction e1 and the second direction e2 are both perpendicular to the up and down direction, and the first direction e1 is perpendicular to the second direction e2.

[0059] That is to say, when the vehicle needs to have its battery replaced, the user can drive the vehicle to the battery replacement station 11. The battery replacement mechanism 111 can remove the low-battery battery on the vehicle and place it on one of the battery cache positions 321 in the cache bin 32. The transfer mechanism 31 can take out the fully charged battery from the storage space 211 and transfer it to one of the battery cache positions 321 in the cache bin 32, so that the battery replacement mechanism 111 can directly pick up the fully charged battery and install it on the vehicle after putting down the low-battery battery, thereby realizing the battery replacement operation of the vehicle. The transfer mechanism 31 can transfer the low-battery battery in the cache bin 32 to the storage space 211 for storage, so as to facilitate battery management for charging and other processing. Therefore, by setting up multiple battery cache positions 321, after the battery model is determined after the vehicle enters the station, the battery that needs to be replaced can be first placed in one of the battery cache positions 321 through the transfer mechanism 31. Therefore, after the battery is removed by the battery exchange mechanism 111, the fully charged battery can be directly picked up for replacement, eliminating the time of waiting for the fully charged battery to be transferred to the cache bin 32, thereby improving the battery exchange efficiency of the battery exchange station 100.

[0060] In addition, the multiple battery storage modules 2 located on one side of the transfer mechanism 31 are distributed on the opposite sides of the cache bin 32 in the second direction e2, which can effectively shorten the distance between each battery storage module 2 and the cache bin 32 and the battery exchange station 11, thereby shortening the efficiency of the transfer mechanism 31 in transferring batteries between the cache bin 32 and the battery storage module 2, thereby improving the battery exchange efficiency of the battery exchange station 100.

[0061] In a specific example, the transfer mechanism 31 is provided with two battery storage modules 2 on one side close to the cache bin 32 in the first direction e1, and the two battery storage modules 2 are respectively located on both sides of the cache bin 32 in the second direction e2, and the battery storage module 2 on the same side of the battery swap station 11 is located away from the transfer mechanism 31, thereby ensuring that the battery swap station 11 has an open space for entering or exiting the vehicle. The transfer mechanism 31 is provided with three battery storage modules 2 on one side close to the cache bin 32 in the first direction e1, and the emergency processing module 4 is located on the lower side of the middle battery storage module 2, thereby shortening the average distance between multiple battery storage modules 2 and the emergency processing module 4, and at the same time, making the overall layout of the battery swap station 100 a symmetrical structure.

[0062] Among them, the transfer mechanism 31 includes a lifting arm 311, a lifting component 312, a first horizontal translation component 313, a second horizontal translation component 314 and an outer box 315. The lifting component 312, the first horizontal translation component 313 and the second horizontal translation component 314 are all arranged in the outer box 315. The second horizontal translation component 314 is fixed in the outer box 315 and is connected to the lifting component 312, and is used to drive the lifting component 312 to move along the second direction e2. The lifting component 312 is connected to the first horizontal translation component 313 and is used to drive the first horizontal translation component 313 to move up and down. The first horizontal translation component 313 is connected to the lifting arm 311 and is used to drive the lifting arm 311 to move along the first direction e1. Therefore, through the cooperation of the lifting component 312, the first horizontal translation component 313 and the second horizontal translation component 314, the flexibility of the movement of the lifting arm 311 can be better improved, so that the battery can be lifted by the lifting arm 311 for transfer. In addition, the transfer mechanism 31 , the battery storage module 2 and the emergency processing module 4 are relatively independent, and the transfer mechanism 31 , the battery storage module 2 and the emergency processing module 4 are all detachably connected to the base 1 , which can enhance the flexibility of the layout of the battery swap station 100 .

[0063] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0064] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In addition, those skilled in the art may combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of the different embodiments or examples, without contradiction.

[0065] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A battery swap station, characterized in that: include: A base, wherein a battery replacement station is provided on the base, and a battery replacement mechanism for replacing batteries is provided on the battery replacement station; A battery storage unit, disposed on the base and comprising a plurality of independently arranged battery storage modules, wherein the battery storage modules are detachably disposed on the base, and a storage space for storing batteries is formed in the battery storage modules; A battery transfer module is disposed on the base and transfers the battery between the battery replacement station and the storage space.

2. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base is provided with a locking mechanism, which has a locking position and an unlocking position. In the locking position, the battery storage unit is fixedly connected to the locking mechanism, and in the unlocking position, the battery storage unit is disengaged from the locking mechanism.

3. The battery swap station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking mechanism is located at one side of the battery storage unit in a horizontal direction.

4. The battery swap station according to claim 2, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a connecting plate and a locking piece arranged on the base, a first matching hole is formed on the connecting plate, a second matching hole opposite to the first matching hole is formed on the battery storage module, and the locking piece is sequentially inserted into the first matching hole and the second matching hole. In the locked position, the locking piece is fixedly connected to the connecting plate and the battery storage module, and in the unlocked position, the locking piece is movable along the extension direction of the first matching hole and the second matching hole.

5. The battery swap station according to claim 4, characterized in that: The battery storage unit includes a box body, the storage space is formed in the box body, the connecting plate is located on one side of the box body in the horizontal direction, the box body includes a top plate, a bottom plate and a plurality of side plates connected between the top plate and the bottom plate, and the second mating hole is formed on the side plate.

6. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of positioning posts are provided on the upper surface of the base, and a plurality of positioning grooves are formed at the bottom of the battery storage module. The plurality of positioning posts and the plurality of positioning grooves extend in the up-down direction, and the plurality of positioning posts are plugged in and matched with the plurality of positioning grooves in a one-to-one correspondence; and / or a transport matching structure is formed at the bottom of the battery storage module, and the transport matching structure is used to match with a transport device.

7. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the battery storage modules includes a box body, the storage space is formed in the box body, a battery access port connected to the storage space is formed on the side wall of the box body, a battery storage rack is provided in the box body, a plurality of battery storage positions arranged in the up and down directions are formed on the battery storage rack, and the batteries are suitable for being placed in the battery storage positions.

8. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the battery storage modules comprises a charging device and a thermal management device, the charging device comprises a connecting harness, one end of the connecting harness is suitable for being electrically connected to the battery, and the other end of the connecting harness is provided with a charging quick-plug connector, the thermal management device comprises a connecting pipe, one end of the connecting pipe is suitable for being connected to the thermal management system of the battery, and the other end of the connecting pipe is provided with a thermal management quick-plug connector; and / or, each of the battery storage modules comprises a monitoring device and a fire extinguishing device arranged in the storage space, and the monitoring device is used to monitor the status of the battery.

9. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: An emergency processing module, the battery transport module is also used to transport the battery between the storage space and the emergency processing module, the emergency processing module is used to process the abnormal battery, the emergency processing module is independent of the battery storage module and is located outside the storage space.

10. The battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery transfer module includes a transfer mechanism and a cache bin, the cache bin is formed with a plurality of battery cache positions for caching batteries, the transfer mechanism is used to transfer the batteries between the battery cache positions and the storage space, the battery exchange mechanism is suitable for rotating the batteries between the battery exchange vehicle and the battery cache positions, the battery exchange positions, the cache bin and the transfer mechanism are arranged along a first direction, and the transfer mechanism is provided with a plurality of battery storage units arranged along a second direction on both sides of the first direction, and the plurality of battery storage units located on a side of the transfer mechanism close to the cache bin are distributed on opposite sides of the cache bin in the second direction.

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