Automatic replacement system for forklift power battery

Abstract

The application discloses a forklift power battery automatic replacement system, which comprises a forklift body, a battery pack and a working fork arranged on the forklift body, a battery replacement fork and a moving device, wherein the moving device is arranged on the forklift body, and the battery replacement fork is connected with the moving device. The battery replacement operation is automatically performed by the whole vehicle self-provided system, and the degree of automation is high, so that the battery replacement efficiency can be improved. The battery replacement operation is completed by the whole vehicle self-provided system, and the battery replacement mechanism is integrated on the whole forklift, so that no additional equipment and accessories are needed for assistance, and the battery replacement is not limited by external factors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electric forklift technology, and more specifically, to an automatic battery swapping system for forklifts. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing battery replacement devices for electric forklifts consist of a transport trolley, with the forklift configured for side-loading of the battery. Users manually pull the handle on the battery compartment onto the transport trolley, then move the new battery to the forklift via the trolley, and finally manually replace the battery onto the forklift. This process is cumbersome and lacks automation. For example, invention patent CN116039573A discloses an automatic battery replacement device, but it uses an additional battery replacement unit without an auxiliary power source. The unit must be manually moved to the designated location on the AGV before the automatic battery replacement operation can begin. Furthermore, it lacks protection against accidents during the process; if the battery replacement fails, manual intervention is required for subsequent steps. Therefore, it also suffers from cumbersome operation and low automation. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Replacing batteries in existing electric forklifts requires a significant amount of manpower and additional auxiliary equipment, resulting in substantial human and material costs. Furthermore, the process is cumbersome and lacks automation. To overcome these shortcomings, this invention provides an automatic battery replacement system for forklifts. This system can perform battery replacement operations using the vehicle's built-in system, eliminating the need for additional battery replacement auxiliary equipment. It is convenient to operate and highly automated.

[0004] The technical solution of this invention is: an automatic battery swapping system for forklifts. The forklift includes a forklift body, on which a battery pack and working forks are mounted. The system includes battery swapping forks and a moving device, with the moving device mounted on the forklift body and connected to the battery swapping forks. Based on the working characteristics of forklifts, this invention sets up battery swapping forks and a moving device, eliminating the need for manual intervention or external tools or equipment, and requiring no specially designed swapping area or supporting facilities. Utilizing the forklift's own configuration, the battery swapping forks and working forks exchange the old and new battery packs to complete the battery swapping operation, which can be performed in any scenario.

[0005] Preferably, the moving device includes a gear and a rack. The rack is fixed to the forklift body, and the gear meshes with the rack and is connected to the output end of a battery swapping motor fixed to the battery swapping forks. The gear is rotatably connected to one side of the battery swapping forks, and the two sides of the battery swapping forks are slidably connected to the forklift body. The battery swapping motor drives the gear to rotate, and the repulsive force generated between the gear and the meshing rack can push the battery swapping forks to slide, removing the old battery pack and loading the new battery pack, thereby completing the battery replacement operation.

[0006] Alternatively, the moving device includes a gear and a rack. The gear is rotatably connected to the forklift body, and the rack is slidably connected to the forklift body and fixedly connected to one side of the battery-swapping fork. The gear and rack mesh and are connected to the output end of a battery-swapping motor fixed to the forklift body. The battery-swapping fork is slidably connected to the forklift body on both sides. The battery-swapping motor drives the gear to rotate, and the repulsive force generated between the gear and the meshing rack can push the rack to slide, thereby causing the battery-swapping fork to slide, removing the old battery pack and loading the new battery pack, thus completing the battery replacement operation.

[0007] Preferably, this automatic battery replacement system for forklifts also includes a battery pack positioning and locking mechanism and a battery swapping controller, with the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism communicating with the battery swapping controller. After the battery pack replacement is complete and the new battery pack is in place, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism locks the battery pack, ensuring that the battery pack is safely and properly secured to the forklift body, preventing it from moving or being bumped during forklift movement.

[0008] Preferably, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is mounted on the forklift body and includes a front end baffle and a drive device for moving the front end baffle. The drive device is mounted on the forklift body. The battery pack has a degree of freedom of movement in the forward direction. When the old battery pack is removed, it moves forward with the battery swapping forks; when the new battery pack is loaded, it returns along the same path. Therefore, after the new battery pack is installed in place, the drive device drives the front end baffle to move, blocking the front end of the battery pack and eliminating the degree of freedom of movement at the front end of the battery pack, thereby safely and properly securing the battery pack.

[0009] Alternatively, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is mounted on the battery swapping fork, including a lifting positioning column on the top surface of the battery swapping fork and a drive device for driving the lifting positioning column. The drive device is mounted on the battery swapping fork. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism can also be mounted on the battery swapping fork, so that the battery pack is positioned and locked on the battery swapping fork. After the new battery pack is installed in place, keeping the battery swapping fork stationary achieves battery pack positioning and locking.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom of the battery pack is equipped with a reinforcing plate, which has locking holes that correspond to and match the lifting positioning column. The locking holes cooperate with the lifting positioning column to lock the battery pack in place by the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism. Adding a reinforcing plate to the battery pack prevents the locking pin from directly acting on it, thus preventing damage to the battery pack.

[0011] Preferably, a battery positioning sensor is also included, which is communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller. Once the battery pack is installed in place, the battery positioning sensor is triggered, generating a signal that is input to the battery swapping controller. This accurately detects the completion of the battery pack installation, providing a basis for timing subsequent operations.

[0012] Preferably, the forklift body is equipped with a battery compartment that can accommodate the battery pack. The battery compartment maximizes the shielding area of ​​the battery pack, making it difficult for the battery pack to come into contact with the outside, thereby effectively protecting the battery pack.

[0013] Preferably, a battery swapping indicator instrument is also included, located on the forklift body in front of the driver's position. The real-time status of the battery swapping process is fed back to the driver by the battery swapping indicator instrument for monitoring or operation.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0015] High degree of automation. This invention automates battery replacement through a system integrated into the vehicle, resulting in a high degree of automation and improved battery replacement efficiency.

[0016] Improved battery replacement convenience. This invention completes battery replacement through a system integrated into the entire vehicle. The battery replacement mechanism is integrated into the forklift itself, requiring no additional equipment or accessories and is not limited by external factors. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electric forklift to which the present invention is applied.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a top cross-sectional view of an electric forklift to which the present invention is applied.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the mobile device in this invention.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the process for replacing the old and new battery packs in this invention.

[0021] In the diagram, 1-Forklift body, 2-Battery pack, 201-Old battery pack, 202-New battery pack, 3-Working forks, 4-Battery swapping forks, 401-Battery swapping fork arm, 402-Fork arm connecting frame, 5-Moving device, 501-Gear, 502-Rack, 6-Battery swapping controller, 7-Battery swapping indicator, 8-Quick battery swapping button, 9-Battery position sensor, 10-Guide rail, 11-Battery swapping working small battery, 12-Battery swapping motor. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0023] Example 1:

[0024] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, an automatic battery swapping system for a forklift includes a forklift body 1, on which a battery pack 2, a front mast, working forks 3, and a vehicle controller are mounted. The working forks 3 are raised and lowered on the front mast under the control of the vehicle controller, and the fork arm spacing of the working forks 3 can be automatically adjusted. A cavity is located at the bottom of the forklift body 1 below the forklift seat, and a battery compartment is located within the cavity. The size of the battery compartment matches the size of the battery pack 2, allowing the battery pack 2 to be placed inside. The battery compartment consists of two parallel, opposing flat panels located in a vertical plane. The rear ends of the panels are fixed to the rear wall of the cavity, and the tops of the panels are fixed to the top wall of the cavity. The panels and the inner wall of the cavity separate the space of the battery compartment, giving the battery compartment side walls, a top wall, and a rear wall. The front and bottom of the battery compartment are open. This forklift's automatic battery swapping system includes a battery-swapping fork 4, a moving device 5, a battery pack positioning and locking mechanism, a battery swapping controller 6, and a quick-swap button 8. The moving device 5 is mounted on the forklift body 1. The battery swapping fork 4 is slidably connected to the top of the side walls of the battery compartment and is also connected to the moving device 5, receiving its power for movement from the moving device 5. The battery swapping fork 4 includes two parallel battery swapping fork arms 401 and a fork arm connecting frame 402. The ends of the two fork arms are detachably connected to the fork arm connecting frame. The total width of the two fork arms of the battery swapping fork 4 is smaller than the distance between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. When extended, the battery swapping fork 4 is located between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. The quick-swap button 8 is located below the forklift's steering wheel. The battery swapping controller 6 is powered by a small battery swapping working battery 11. The small battery swapping working battery 11 is in a dormant state during normal forklift operation and only acts as a temporary power source during battery swapping.

[0025] The moving device 5 includes a meshing gear 501 and a rack 502. The rack 502 is fixed to one side of the top wall of the battery compartment. Guide rails 10 are provided on the top of the side walls of the battery compartment. The two sides of the fork arm connecting frame are slidably connected to the two guide rails 10 one-to-one via sliders. A battery swapping motor 12 is fixed on the fork arm connecting frame. The gear 501 is located on the side of the fork arm connecting frame corresponding to the rack 502, and the gear 501 is keyed to the output end of the battery swapping motor 12. The transmission type of the battery swapping motor 12 is a worm gear type, which has a self-locking function when stopped. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is located on the forklift body 1 and includes a front baffle and a drive device. The drive device is installed on the forklift body 1 and is used to drive the front baffle to move up and down to close and open the front port of the battery compartment. In this embodiment, the driving device is a hydraulic cylinder, which is fixed to one side of the front port of the battery compartment. A lifting rail is provided on the other side of the front port of the battery compartment. The piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder is connected to the bottom of one end of the front baffle, and the other end of the front baffle is connected to the lifting rail via a slider. A battery position sensor 9 is provided at the front of the forklift body 1, corresponding to the extreme position where the battery swapping fork 4 pushes out the old battery pack, used for node monitoring during the process of the battery pack entering and leaving the battery compartment. Battery positioning sensors are provided at the rear end of the guide rail 10 and the top of the battery swapping fork 4, used to monitor whether the battery pack is placed in place on the battery swapping fork 4 and whether it is installed in the battery compartment. The battery position sensor 9 and the battery positioning sensor are communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. This automatic battery swapping system for forklifts also includes a battery swapping indicator 7 located in front of the driver's position on the forklift body 1. The battery swapping indicator 7 can indicate the real-time status of the battery swapping process and provide feedback to the driver for monitoring or operation.

[0026] The battery pack replacement process is as follows: A battery rack is pre-placed at the battery swapping area to provide new battery packs and collect old battery packs. Pressing the quick battery swap button 8 puts the forklift into battery swapping mode. The forklift automatically stops and locks to ensure the vehicle remains stationary. Then, the working forks 3 remain horizontal, and the battery position sensor 9 and battery positioning sensor detect the battery position and send feedback to the battery swapping controller 6 to confirm that the necessary conditions for starting the battery pack replacement process are met. The vehicle controller then controls the working forks 3 to rise and fall to a position slightly lower than the battery swapping forks 4. Finally, the battery swapping controller 6 controls the moving device 5 to extend the battery swapping forks 4, pushing the old battery pack 201 out along the guide rail 10. The completion of the push-out process is monitored by the battery position sensor 9 and fed back to the battery swapping controller 6. When the old battery pack 201 reaches the front mast end face of the vehicle, the battery position sensor 9 is triggered. At the same time, the battery swapping fork 4 reaches its extension limit. At this time, the vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to reduce the fork arm spacing to accommodate the length of the old battery pack 201, ensuring that the working fork 3 can support both ends of the old battery pack 201, while maintaining a certain distance from the outside of the battery swapping fork 4. The vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to rise, supporting the old battery pack 201. At both ends of the battery pack 201, the working forks 3 continuously rise until the old battery pack 201 is lifted off the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to rise to a height suitable for unloading the old battery pack 201. Then, the vehicle controller controls the vehicle to perform forward and backward movements to complete the process of the working forks 3 transferring the old battery pack 201 to the battery rack and loading the new battery pack 202 from the battery rack. The working forks 3, carrying the new battery pack 202, descend until they meet the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to descend to complete the transfer of the new battery pack 202 from the working forks 3 to the battery swapping fork 4. The controller controls the working forks 3 to increase the fork arm spacing to ensure that the working forks 3 will not obstruct the movement and installation of the new battery pack 202; the battery swapping forks 4 retract with the new battery pack 202 until the new battery pack 202 enters the position of the old battery pack 201 in the battery compartment; the working forks 3 descend to the bottom, completing the battery swapping operation. After the battery pack is replaced, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism locks the battery pack in place, ensuring that the battery pack is safely and properly fixed in the battery compartment, preventing it from moving or being bumped during forklift movement. The power supply of the whole vehicle is switched to the new battery pack 202. After the new battery pack 202 completes its self-test, it can supply power to the whole forklift and the battery swapping small battery 11. The driver can immediately stop the relevant battery swapping operation by pressing the quick battery swapping button 8 again.

[0027] Example 2:

[0028] An automatic battery swapping system for a forklift includes a forklift body 1, on which a battery pack 2, a front mast, working forks 3, and a vehicle controller are mounted. The working forks 3 are raised and lowered on the front mast under the control of the vehicle controller, and the fork arm spacing of the working forks 3 can be automatically adjusted. A cavity is located at the bottom of the forklift body 1 below the forklift seat, and a battery compartment is housed within the cavity. The dimensions of the battery compartment match the dimensions of the battery pack 2, allowing the battery pack 2 to be placed within it. The battery compartment consists of two parallel, opposing flat panels located in a vertical plane. The rear ends of the panels are fixed to the rear wall of the cavity, and the tops of the panels are fixed to the top wall of the cavity. The panels and the inner wall of the cavity separate the space of the battery compartment, giving the battery compartment side walls, a top wall, and a rear wall. The front and bottom of the battery compartment are open. This forklift's automatic battery swapping system includes a battery-swapping fork 4, a moving device 5, a battery pack positioning and locking mechanism, a battery swapping controller 6, and a quick-swap button 8. The moving device 5 is mounted on the forklift body 1. The battery-swapping fork 4 is slidably connected to the top of the side walls of the battery compartment and is also connected to the moving device 5, receiving its power for movement from the moving device 5. The battery-swapping fork 4 includes two parallel battery-swapping fork arms and a fork arm connecting frame. The ends of the two fork arms are detachably connected to the fork arm connecting frame. The total width of the two fork arms of the battery-swapping fork 4 is smaller than the distance between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. When the battery-swapping fork 4 is extended, it is located between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. The quick-swap button 8 is located below the forklift's steering wheel. The battery swapping controller 6 is powered by a small battery swapping working battery 11. The small battery swapping working battery 11 is in a dormant state during normal forklift operation and only acts as a temporary power source during battery swapping.

[0029] Unlike Embodiment 1, in this embodiment, the moving device 5 includes a meshing gear 501 and a rack 502. The gear 501 is rotatably connected to a compartment plate via a drive shaft. A battery swapping motor is mounted on the outer side of the compartment plate, and the output end of the battery swapping motor is keyed to the drive shaft. Guide rails 10 are provided on the top of the side walls of the battery compartment. One side of the fork arm connecting frame is fixed to the rack 502, and the rack 502 is slidably connected to one side guide rail 10 via a slider. The other side of the fork arm connecting frame is slidably connected to the other side guide rail 10 via a slider. The transmission type of the battery swapping motor is a worm gear type, which has a self-locking function when stopped. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is located on the forklift body 1 and includes a front baffle and a drive device. The drive device is mounted on the forklift body 1 and is used to drive the front baffle to move up and down to close and open the front port of the battery compartment. Unlike Embodiment 1, in this embodiment, the driving device is an electric cylinder, which is fixed to one side of the front port of the battery compartment. A lifting rail is provided on the other side of the front port of the battery compartment. The piston rod of the cylinder is connected to the bottom of one end of the front baffle, and the other end of the front baffle is connected to the lifting rail via a slider. A battery position sensor 9 is provided at the front of the forklift body 1, corresponding to the extreme position where the battery swapping fork 4 pushes out the old battery pack, used for node monitoring during the process of the battery pack entering and leaving the battery compartment. Battery positioning sensors are provided at the rear end of the guide rail 10 and the top of the battery swapping fork 4, used to monitor whether the battery pack is placed in place on the battery swapping fork 4 and whether it is installed in the battery compartment. The battery position sensor 9 and the battery positioning sensor are communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. This automatic battery swapping system for forklifts also includes a battery swapping indicator 7 located in front of the driver's position on the forklift body 1. The battery swapping indicator 7 can indicate the real-time status of the battery swapping process and provide feedback to the driver for monitoring or operation. The rest is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0030] The battery pack replacement process is as follows: A battery rack is pre-placed at the battery swapping area to provide new battery packs and collect old battery packs. Pressing the quick battery swap button 8 puts the forklift into battery swapping mode. The forklift automatically stops and locks to ensure the vehicle remains stationary. Then, the working forks 3 remain horizontal, and the battery position sensor 9 and battery positioning sensor detect the battery position and send feedback to the battery swapping controller 6 to confirm that the necessary conditions for starting the battery pack replacement process are met. The vehicle controller then controls the working forks 3 to rise and fall to a position slightly lower than the battery swapping forks 4. Finally, the battery swapping controller 6 controls the moving device 5 to extend the battery swapping forks 4, pushing the old battery pack 201 out along the guide rail 10. The completion of the push-out process is monitored by the battery position sensor 9 and fed back to the battery swapping controller 6. When the old battery pack 201 reaches the front mast end face of the vehicle, the battery position sensor 9 is triggered. At the same time, the battery swapping fork 4 reaches its extension limit. At this time, the vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to reduce the fork arm spacing to accommodate the length of the old battery pack 201, ensuring that the working fork 3 can support both ends of the old battery pack 201, while maintaining a certain distance from the outside of the battery swapping fork 4. The vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to rise, supporting the old battery pack 201. At both ends of the battery pack 201, the working forks 3 continuously rise until the old battery pack 201 is lifted off the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to rise to a height suitable for unloading the old battery pack 201. Then, the vehicle controller controls the vehicle to perform forward and backward movements to complete the process of the working forks 3 transferring the old battery pack 201 to the battery rack and loading the new battery pack 202 from the battery rack. The working forks 3, carrying the new battery pack 202, descend until they meet the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to descend to complete the transfer of the new battery pack 202 from the working forks 3 to the battery swapping fork 4. The controller controls the working forks 3 to increase the fork arm spacing to ensure that the working forks 3 will not obstruct the movement and installation of the new battery pack 202; the battery swapping forks 4 retract with the new battery pack 202 until the new battery pack 202 enters the position of the old battery pack 201 in the battery compartment; the working forks 3 descend to the bottom, completing the battery swapping operation. After the battery pack is replaced, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism locks the battery pack in place, ensuring that the battery pack is safely and properly fixed in the battery compartment, preventing it from moving or being bumped during forklift movement. The power supply of the whole vehicle is switched to the new battery pack 202. After the new battery pack 202 completes its self-test, it can supply power to the whole forklift and the battery swapping small battery 11. The driver can immediately stop the relevant battery swapping operation by pressing the quick battery swapping button 8 again.

[0031] Example 3:

[0032] An automatic battery swapping system for a forklift includes a forklift body 1, on which a battery pack 2, a front mast, working forks 3, and a vehicle controller are mounted. The working forks 3 are raised and lowered on the front mast under the control of the vehicle controller, and the fork arm spacing of the working forks 3 can be automatically adjusted. A cavity is located at the bottom of the forklift body 1 below the forklift seat, and a battery compartment is housed within the cavity. The dimensions of the battery compartment match the dimensions of the battery pack 2, allowing the battery pack 2 to be placed within it. The battery compartment consists of two parallel, opposing flat panels located in a vertical plane. The rear ends of the panels are fixed to the rear wall of the cavity, and the tops of the panels are fixed to the top wall of the cavity. The panels and the inner wall of the cavity separate the space of the battery compartment, giving the battery compartment side walls, a top wall, and a rear wall. The front and bottom of the battery compartment are open. This forklift's automatic battery swapping system includes a battery-swapping fork 4, a moving device 5, a battery pack positioning and locking mechanism, a battery swapping controller 6, and a quick-swap button 8. The moving device 5 is mounted on the forklift body 1. The battery-swapping fork 4 is slidably connected to the top of the side walls of the battery compartment and is also connected to the moving device 5, receiving its power for movement from the moving device 5. The battery-swapping fork 4 includes two parallel battery-swapping fork arms and a fork arm connecting frame. The ends of the two fork arms are detachably connected to the fork arm connecting frame. The total width of the two fork arms of the battery-swapping fork 4 is smaller than the distance between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. When extended, the battery-swapping fork 4 is located between the two fork arms of the working fork 3. The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. The quick-swap button 8 is located below the forklift's steering wheel. The battery swapping controller 6 is powered by a small battery swapping working battery 11. The small battery swapping working battery 11 is in a dormant state during normal forklift operation and only acts as a temporary power source during battery swapping.

[0033] The mobile device 5 includes a meshing gear 501 and a rack 502. The rack 502 is fixed to one side of the top wall of the battery compartment. The top of the two side walls of the battery compartment are provided with guide rails 10. The two sides of the fork arm connecting frame are slidably connected to the two guide rails 10 one-to-one by sliders. A battery swapping motor is fixed on the fork arm connecting frame. The gear 501 is set on the side of the fork arm connecting frame corresponding to the rack 502, and the gear 501 is keyed to the output end of the battery swapping motor. The transmission type of the battery swapping motor is worm gear type, which has a self-locking function when stopped. Unlike Embodiment 1, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism in this embodiment is located on the battery swapping fork 4, including a lifting positioning column and a drive device. The drive device is mounted on the battery swapping fork 4 to drive the lifting positioning column to move. The lifting positioning column is located on the top surface of the battery swapping fork 4 and has a conical column head at its top. The drive device is a positioning column lifting cylinder, which is fixed to the bottom of the battery swapping fork 4. The lifting positioning column passes through the battery swapping fork 4 and is fixed to the piston rod of the positioning column lifting cylinder. The bottom of the battery pack 2 is provided with a reinforcing plate, and the reinforcing plate has locking holes that correspond to and match the lifting positioning column. The front end of the forklift body 1 is provided with a battery position sensor 9, which corresponds to the extreme position where the battery swapping fork 4 pushes out the old battery pack, and is used for node monitoring of the battery pack entering and leaving the battery compartment. The rear end of the guide rail 10 and the top of the battery swapping fork 4 are provided with battery positioning sensors, which are used to monitor whether the battery pack is placed in place on the battery swapping fork 4 and whether it is installed in place in the battery compartment. The battery position sensor 9 and the battery positioning sensor are communicatively connected to the battery swapping controller 6. This forklift power battery automatic swapping system also includes a battery swapping indicator 7 installed on the forklift body 1 in front of the driver's position. The battery swapping indicator 7 can indicate the real-time status of the battery swapping process and provide feedback to the driver for monitoring or operation. The rest is the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0034] The battery pack replacement process is as follows: A battery rack is pre-placed at the battery swapping area to provide new battery packs and collect old battery packs. Pressing the quick battery swap button 8 puts the forklift into battery swapping mode. The forklift automatically stops and locks to ensure the vehicle remains stationary. Then, the working forks 3 remain horizontal, and the battery position sensor 9 and battery positioning sensor detect the battery position and send feedback to the battery swapping controller 6 to confirm that the necessary conditions for starting the battery pack replacement process are met. The vehicle controller then controls the working forks 3 to rise and fall to a position slightly lower than the battery swapping forks 4. Finally, the battery swapping controller 6 controls the moving device 5 to extend the battery swapping forks 4, pushing the old battery pack 201 out along the guide rail 10. The completion of the push-out process is monitored by the battery position sensor 9 and fed back to the battery swapping controller 6. When the old battery pack 201 reaches the front mast end face of the vehicle, the battery position sensor 9 is triggered. At the same time, the battery swapping fork 4 reaches its extension limit. At this time, the vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to reduce the fork arm spacing to accommodate the length of the old battery pack 201, ensuring that the working fork 3 can support both ends of the old battery pack 201, while maintaining a certain distance from the outside of the battery swapping fork 4. The vehicle controller controls the working fork 3 to rise, supporting the old battery pack 201. At both ends of the battery pack 201, the working forks 3 continuously rise until the old battery pack 201 is lifted off the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to rise to a height suitable for unloading the old battery pack 201. Then, the vehicle controller controls the vehicle to perform forward and backward movements to complete the process of the working forks 3 transferring the old battery pack 201 to the battery rack and loading the new battery pack 202 from the battery rack. The working forks 3, carrying the new battery pack 202, descend until they meet the battery swapping fork 4, and continue to descend to complete the transfer of the new battery pack 202 from the working forks 3 to the battery swapping fork 4. The controller controls the working forks 3 to increase the fork arm spacing to ensure that the working forks 3 will not obstruct the movement and installation of the new battery pack 202; the battery swapping forks 4 retract with the new battery pack 202 until the new battery pack 202 enters the position of the old battery pack 201 in the battery compartment; the working forks 3 descend to the bottom, completing the battery swapping operation. After the battery pack is replaced, the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism locks the battery pack in place, ensuring that the battery pack is safely and properly fixed in the battery compartment, preventing it from moving or being bumped during forklift movement. The power supply of the whole vehicle is switched to the new battery pack 202. After the new battery pack 202 completes its self-test, it can supply power to the whole forklift and the battery swapping small battery 11. The driver can immediately stop the relevant battery swapping operation by pressing the quick battery swapping button 8 again.

Claims

1. An automatic battery swapping system for a forklift, the forklift including a forklift body, a battery pack and working forks mounted on the forklift body, characterized in that, The system includes a battery-swapping fork and a moving device. The moving device is mounted on the forklift body, and the battery-swapping fork is connected to the moving device. The forklift body has a battery compartment that can accommodate battery packs. The front of the battery compartment is open. This automatic battery swapping system for forklifts exchanges old and new battery packs through the battery-swapping fork and the working fork. The battery pack has a degree of freedom of movement in the forward direction. When the old battery pack is removed, it moves forward with the battery-swapping fork; when the new battery pack is loaded, it returns along the same path.

2. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The moving device includes a gear and a rack. The rack is fixed to the forklift body. The gear meshes with the rack and is connected to the output end of a battery-swapping motor fixed to the battery-swapping forks. The gear is rotatably connected to one side of the battery-swapping forks, and the two sides of the battery-swapping forks are slidably connected to the forklift body.

3. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mobile device includes a gear and a rack. The gear is rotatably connected to the forklift body, and the rack is slidably connected to the forklift body and fixedly connected to one side of the battery-swapping fork. The gear and rack mesh and are connected to the output end of a battery-swapping motor fixed to the forklift body. The two sides of the battery-swapping fork are slidably connected to the forklift body.

4. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a battery pack positioning and locking mechanism and a battery swapping controller, with the battery pack positioning and locking mechanism communicating with the battery swapping controller.

5. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is located on the forklift body and includes a front end baffle and a drive device for driving the front end baffle to move. The drive device is installed on the forklift body.

6. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 4, characterized in that, The battery pack positioning and locking mechanism is located on the battery swapping fork and includes a lifting positioning column located on the top surface of the battery swapping fork and a drive device for driving the lifting positioning column to move. The drive device is installed on the battery swapping fork.

7. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 6, characterized in that, The bottom of the battery pack is equipped with a reinforcing plate, which has locking holes that match the lifting positioning column.

8. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a battery positioning sensor, which is connected in communication with the battery swapping controller.

9. The automatic battery replacement system for forklifts according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, It also includes a battery swapping indicator instrument located on the forklift body in front of the driver's seat.

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