Battery transfer system for battery swap station and battery swap station

Abstract

The invention discloses a transmission in-place detection system and method for battery transshipment of a battery swap station, and the system comprises a battery transshipment conveying line and a detection part disposed at a corresponding position of the battery transshipment conveying line, and the detection part is used for cooperating with a trigger part on a battery of a battery swap vehicle. When the detection part detects the triggering part, transmission in-place information is generated, and the battery transfer conveying line is used for transferring the batteries between the battery replacing area and the battery rack. The control complexity and precision of walking control, positioning control and the like of battery replacement equipment in an original battery replacement station are simplified, batteries are transferred through the battery transfer conveying line, the structure is simple, overall control is simple and reliable, positioning operation is easier to achieve, and the equipment cost is reduced; moreover, in the battery transferring and conveying process, when the detection part detects that the trigger part generates transmission in-place information, whether the battery is transmitted in place or not can be accurately detected, and the battery transmission accuracy is improved.

Description

[0001] This application is a division of a Chinese invention patent with an application date of March 4, 2021, application number 202110240788.3, ​​and name “Transmission arrival detection system and method for battery transportation at battery swap stations”. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention belongs to the technical field of battery transportation, and in particular relates to a battery transportation transmission arrival detection system and method for battery transportation in a battery swap station. Background Art

[0003] The existing battery installation methods of electric vehicles are generally divided into fixed and replaceable types. The fixed battery is generally fixed on the car, and the car is directly used as the charging object during charging. The replaceable battery is generally installed in a movable manner. The battery can be removed at any time and placed in the battery rack for replacement or charging. After replacement or charging, it can be installed on the car body.

[0004] For the replaceable battery installation method, since the battery is very heavy, the vehicle needs to drive to the battery swap station for automatic battery replacement. In the battery swap station, a dedicated battery swap device is moved to the bottom of the vehicle to remove and install the battery, and during the removal and installation process, the battery is transported by controlling the movement of the battery swap device. In the control process of the battery swap device, it is necessary to accurately control the battery swap device to drive into the bottom of the vehicle and prevent it from colliding with the vehicle; moreover, it is also necessary to control the battery swap device to accurately drive into the battery exchange area of ​​the battery rack to ensure accurate docking with the palletizer so that the palletizer can place the battery into the warehouse. Moreover, during the movement of the battery swap device, additional mechanisms are required to control the moving speed and stop. It can be seen that the battery swap device needs to have a mechanism with all the above functions, resulting in a complex structure and high cost; during the entire battery swap process, the control accuracy requirements for each action of the battery swap device are very high, which will inevitably increase the complexity of the control. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art in which the transportation control process of batteries transported by battery swapping equipment is complex, the cost is high, and the battery arrival control is inconvenient, and a transmission arrival detection system and method for battery transport in battery swapping stations is provided.

[0006] The present invention solves the above technical problems through the following technical solutions:

[0007] The present invention provides a transmission arrival detection system for battery transfer at a battery swap station. The battery swap station includes a battery swap area and a battery rack. The battery swap area is provided with battery swap equipment for disassembling and assembling batteries of battery swap vehicles. The transmission arrival detection system includes: a battery transfer conveyor line, and a detection unit arranged at a corresponding position of the battery transfer conveyor line. The detection unit is used to cooperate with a trigger unit on the battery of the battery swap vehicle, and generates transmission arrival information when the detection unit detects the trigger unit. The battery transfer conveyor line is used to transfer batteries between the battery swap area and the battery rack.

[0008] In this solution, batteries are transported through a battery transfer conveyor line, and the battery swapping equipment only needs to perform battery disassembly and installation operations in the battery swapping area, which simplifies the structure of the original battery swapping equipment in the battery swapping station and greatly reduces the equipment cost; and reduces the control complexity and accuracy of the corresponding walking control, positioning control, etc. The battery is transported through the battery transfer conveyor line, which has a simple structure, simple and reliable overall control, and easier positioning operation; and, in the battery transfer and transportation process, based on the detection unit and the trigger unit arranged in pairs on the battery transfer conveyor line and the battery, when the detection unit detects the trigger unit and generates the transmission in place information, it can accurately detect whether the battery is transmitted in place, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission.

[0009] Preferably, a battery transfer conveyor line is provided with a changing point and an exchange position, the changing point is arranged at a position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment, and the exchange position is arranged at a position corresponding to the battery rack.

[0010] In this solution, the batteries are disassembled and assembled at the corresponding position of the battery swapping equipment, and the batteries are exchanged at the corresponding position of the battery rack. By setting exchange positions corresponding to the battery swapping equipment and exchange positions corresponding to the battery rack on the battery transfer conveyor line, rapid and accurate control of the battery conveying position can be achieved, thereby improving the battery conveying efficiency and conveying stability.

[0011] Preferably, the battery transfer conveyor line passes through the battery exchange area and extends to one side or both sides, the battery exchange equipment or the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised or lowered, and the detection unit includes a first detection member arranged at the battery exchange point and at a position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment.

[0012] In this solution, the battery swapping equipment or the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised or lowered, which makes it easy to transfer the battery to the battery swapping equipment after the battery is transported, thus providing convenience for battery swapping; further, a first detection component is set at a position corresponding to the battery swapping equipment at the battery swapping point, so that during the process of transporting the battery toward the battery swapping point, it can accurately detect whether the battery has reached the battery swapping point and perform precise transmission control to the position.

[0013] Preferably, the detection unit further includes a second detection member disposed on the battery transfer conveyor line at the exchange position.

[0014] In this solution, a second detection member is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line at the exchange position, which can accurately detect whether the battery has reached the exchange position and perform precise transmission control during the battery conveyance process toward the exchange position.

[0015] Preferably, the battery is provided with a trigger member corresponding to the first detection member and the second detection member.

[0016] In this solution, a triggering member is provided on the battery, and corresponds to the first detection member and the second detection member, so as to accurately trigger the corresponding detection member to generate the transmission in place information, which is convenient for the transmission in place control during the battery transportation process.

[0017] Preferably, the first detection member and the second detection member are respectively arranged at corresponding positions of the switching position and the exchange position along the battery conveying direction.

[0018] In this solution, the first detection member and the second detection member are respectively arranged at corresponding positions of the potential change position and the exchange position along the battery conveying direction. In this way, only one trigger member is arranged on the battery to complete the detection of whether the battery has reached the exchange position and the potential change position, and the structure is simple.

[0019] Preferably, the battery transport conveyor line has a stopping mechanism arranged on at least one side of the potential change and / or exchange position along the conveying direction to limit the battery at the potential change and / or exchange position.

[0020] In this solution, a stopping mechanism is provided to further limit the position of the battery, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of the battery being transferred into place.

[0021] Preferably, the detection unit further includes a third detection member disposed on the stop mechanism, and the third detection member is used to sense the battery to generate status information for determining the status of the stop mechanism.

[0022] In this solution, a third detection member is provided on the stop mechanism, which can sense the battery to generate status information for determining the status of the stop mechanism, thereby performing targeted control on the stop mechanism and further ensuring that the battery is in the transmission position.

[0023] The battery transfer conveyor line is a conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line, a belt battery transfer conveyor line or a double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line.

[0024] In this solution, the transmission arrival detection system for battery transfer in battery swap stations is suitable for scenarios where battery packs are transported by battery transfer conveyor lines. No matter what type of battery transfer conveyor line is used, specifically, it can be a conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line, a belt battery transfer conveyor line or a double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line to transport batteries, it can accurately detect the transmission arrival of the battery during the transportation process, which can improve the stability and transportation efficiency of the battery.

[0025] Preferably, the first detection member is arranged on the battery transfer conveyor line.

[0026] In this solution, the first detection member is arranged on the battery transfer conveyor line to ensure the accuracy of the installation position of the first detection member, which can effectively improve the accuracy of the detection.

[0027] The present invention also provides a transmission arrival detection method for battery transportation at a battery swap station. The transmission arrival detection method is applied to the battery swap process at the battery swap station. A battery transfer conveyor line is provided in the battery swap station. The battery transfer conveyor line is used to transfer batteries between a battery swap area and a battery rack at the battery swap station. The battery swap area is provided with battery swap equipment for disassembling and assembling batteries for battery swap vehicles. A detection unit is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line. A trigger unit is provided on the battery. When the detection unit detects the trigger unit, transmission arrival information is generated.

[0028] The transmission in place detection method comprises the following steps:

[0029] Based on the battery replacement instruction, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to start so as to transfer the battery;

[0030] Based on the transmitted arrival information, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to stop conveying batteries.

[0031] In this solution, batteries are transported through a battery transfer conveyor line, which has a simple structure and simple and reliable overall control. It simplifies the control complexity and accuracy of the walking control, positioning control, etc. of the original battery swap equipment in the battery swap station, reduces equipment costs, and makes positioning operations easier to achieve. Specifically, during the battery transportation process, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to stop transporting batteries based on the transmitted information, which can improve the accuracy of battery transportation.

[0032] Preferably, when the battery replacement instruction is to transport the low-power battery, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to transport the low-power battery in a direction away from the battery replacement area;

[0033] Or, when the battery replacement instruction is to transport fully charged batteries, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to transport the fully charged batteries toward the battery replacement area.

[0034] In this solution, the transportation direction is reasonably set according to the low-power or fully-charged attribute information of the battery and the specific operations of the battery replacement process, so as to achieve accurate transportation of the battery and improve the flexibility of control.

[0035] Preferably, when there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to transport the low-charged batteries toward the battery rack on the other side opposite to the battery rack where the selected fully-charged batteries are located.

[0036] In this solution, when there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery installation operation is facilitated by ensuring that fully charged batteries are transported in the direction of the battery exchange area. The battery exchange efficiency is improved while achieving accurate battery transportation.

[0037] Preferably, a change potential and an exchange position are provided on the battery transfer conveyor line, the change potential is provided at a position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment, and the exchange position is provided at a position corresponding to the battery rack;

[0038] During the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the replacement point or exchange point is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down.

[0039] In this solution, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the exchange point or the swap point is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down, which can improve the stability of battery transportation.

[0040] Preferably, the battery transport conveyor line runs through the battery exchange area and extends to one side or both sides, and the detection unit includes a first detection member arranged at a position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment at the exchange position and a second detection member arranged on the battery transport conveyor line at the exchange position; the battery transport conveyor line has a stop mechanism arranged on at least one side of the exchange position and / or the exchange position along the conveying direction to limit the battery at the exchange position and / or the exchange position;

[0041] The transmission in place detection method also includes:

[0042] Based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission position information generated by the first detection component or the second detection component, the stopping mechanism is controlled to start to position the battery.

[0043] In the present solution, a stopping mechanism is provided on at least one of the front and rear sides along the battery conveying direction, and the stopping mechanism is used to further ensure that the battery is transmitted in place. The stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission in place information generated by the first detection component or the second detection component to position the battery. The stopping mechanism can be started timely and effectively to position the battery, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission.

[0044] Preferably, the battery replacement equipment or battery transfer conveyor line can be raised or lowered;

[0045] The transmission in place detection method includes:

[0046] Control the battery swap equipment to lift or the battery transfer conveyor line to lower so that the battery swap equipment can obtain the battery on the exchange position to perform the battery installation operation; or control the palletizer to extend and obtain the deflated battery on the exchange position to place the deflated battery in the designated battery compartment.

[0047] In this solution, after the battery transfer conveyor line transports the fully charged battery to the exchange position and puts it in place, the battery exchange equipment can obtain the fully charged battery by controlling the battery exchange equipment to lift or the battery transfer conveyor line to descend. At this time, the fully charged battery is separated from the battery transfer conveyor line, and the battery is convenient for the battery exchange equipment to perform battery installation operations, simplifying the transportation process of the fully charged battery before installation, and improving the battery exchange efficiency. In addition, after the battery transfer conveyor line transports the battery to the exchange position and puts it in place, the low-charged battery located on the exchange position can be obtained by controlling the stacker to extend, so as to perform the operation of placing the low-charged battery into the designated battery storage position, simplifying the transportation process of the low-charged battery into the battery storage position, and improving the battery transportation efficiency.

[0048] Preferably, the battery transmission in place detection method further includes:

[0049] During the process of lifting the battery swapping equipment or lowering the battery transfer conveyor line to enable the battery swapping equipment to obtain the battery on the battery swapping point, the battery swapping equipment and the corresponding battery are controlled to perform positioning operations.

[0050] In this solution, in the process of transferring the battery from the battery transfer conveyor line to the battery swapping equipment, the positioning operation between the battery swapping equipment and the battery is synchronously controlled to further improve the battery swapping efficiency.

[0051] The positive progressive effect of the present invention is that the present invention realizes the transportation of batteries through a battery transfer conveyor line, and the battery exchange equipment only needs to perform battery disassembly and installation operations in the battery exchange area, which simplifies the structure of the original battery exchange equipment in the battery exchange station and greatly reduces the equipment cost; and reduces the control complexity and accuracy of the corresponding walking control, positioning control, etc., and performs battery transfer operations through a battery transfer conveyor line, with a simple structure, simple and reliable overall control, and easier positioning operations; and, during the battery transfer and transportation process, when the detection unit detects the trigger unit and generates transmission in place information, it can accurately detect whether the battery has been transferred in place, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery exchange equipment and the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 1 of the present invention, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in a state of extending and lifting the battery.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 1 of the present invention, which is located below the vehicle loading platform, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in an initial retracted state.

[0054] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 1 of the present invention, which is located below the vehicle loading platform, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in a lifted state.

[0055] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery exchange equipment and the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 1 of the present invention, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in a retracted state.

[0056] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the battery transfer conveyor line and the battery replacement area and exchange area in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 1 of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 7 This is a schematic structural diagram of the stopping mechanism of the battery transfer conveyor line in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the transmission arrival detection method for battery transportation at a battery swap station according to embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0060] Fig. 9 This is a schematic diagram of the partial structure of the double-speed chain battery conveyor line of Example 2 of the present invention.

[0061] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery transfer conveyor line located below the vehicle loading platform of Example 2 of the present invention, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in a retracted state.

[0062] Fig.11 This is a structural schematic diagram of the battery transfer conveyor line of Example 2 of the present invention, which is located below the vehicle loading platform, wherein the battery exchange equipment arranged below the battery transfer conveyor line is in a raised state.

[0063] Fig.12 It is a partial enlarged view of the battery exchange equipment and the speed chain battery conveyor line of Example 2 of the present invention, wherein the battery exchange equipment is in a retracted state.

[0064] Fig.13 This is a schematic diagram of the structures of the battery exchange equipment and the speed chain battery conveyor line of Example 2 of the present invention, wherein the battery exchange equipment is in a raised state.

[0065] Fig.14 This is a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the battery transfer conveyor line and the battery replacement area and exchange area in Example 3 of the present invention.

[0066] Fig.15 This is a cross-sectional view of a battery transfer conveyor line according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0067] Fig.16 for Fig.15 A partial enlarged view of . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] The present invention is further described below by way of examples, but the present invention is not limited to the scope of the examples.

[0069] Example 1

[0070] This embodiment provides a transmission arrival detection system for battery transfer at a battery swap station. Figure 1-Figure 6 The battery swap station includes a battery swap area 880 and a battery rack 881. The battery swap area is provided with a battery swap device 60 for disassembling and assembling batteries of a battery swap vehicle. The transmission arrival detection system includes: a battery transfer conveyor line 10, and a detection unit arranged at a corresponding position of the battery transfer conveyor line. The detection unit is used to cooperate with a trigger unit on the battery 70 of the battery swap vehicle. When the detection unit detects the trigger unit, transmission arrival information is generated. The battery transfer conveyor line is used to transfer batteries between the battery swap area and the battery rack.

[0071] The battery rack 881 is used to store the battery 70 and charge the battery 70 in a depleted state. The specific process is: when the battery swap vehicle enters the battery swap area 880, the battery swap equipment 60 performs a battery disassembly operation, removes the depleted battery on the battery swap vehicle, and transfers it to the battery transfer conveyor line 10. The depleted battery is transported to the corresponding position of the battery rack at the end through the battery transfer conveyor line 10, and finally the palletizer in the battery rack transfers the depleted battery to the battery compartment for charging. Similarly, after the fully charged battery is taken out of the battery compartment, it is also transported to the position corresponding to the battery swap equipment 60 through the battery transfer conveyor line 10, so that the battery swap equipment 60 can install the fully charged battery on the battery swap vehicle.

[0072] Based on the above battery replacement process, in order to achieve accurate and efficient transportation of the battery 70 (i.e. the above low-power battery or fully-charged battery), during the transportation of the battery 70, when the detection unit detects the trigger unit, the transmission arrival information is generated. The generated transmission arrival information is used to control the delivery arrival of the battery 70 to ensure that the battery 70 is transported to the correct position.

[0073] Based on the transmission arrival detection system, the batteries are transported through the battery transfer conveyor line, and the battery swapping equipment is fixed in the battery swapping area. It only needs to perform battery disassembly or installation operations, and the transmission arrival is sensed by the detection unit and the trigger unit to facilitate arrival control. The overall structure is simple and the equipment cost is effectively reduced. In addition, through independent control of the battery transfer conveyor line and the battery swapping equipment, the control complexity and accuracy of the walking control, positioning control, etc. of the original battery swapping equipment in the battery swapping station are simplified, and the control is simple and reliable. Moreover, in the battery transfer and transportation process, based on the detection unit and the trigger unit arranged in pairs at the corresponding positions of the battery transfer conveyor line and on the battery, when the detection unit detects the trigger unit, the transmission arrival information is generated, which can realize accurate detection and control of whether the battery is transmitted to the right place, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission and the transportation efficiency.

[0074] The battery transfer conveyor line 10 is provided with a change point 8801 and an exchange point 8811. The change point 8801 is provided at a position corresponding to the battery exchange device 60, and the exchange point 8811 is provided at a position corresponding to the battery rack 881. Figure 2 , the battery transport conveyor line 10 runs through the battery exchange area 880 and extends to both sides. In another optional embodiment, the battery transport conveyor line 10 runs through the battery exchange area 880 and extends to one side.

[0075] The battery is disassembled and assembled at the position corresponding to the battery exchange device 60, and the battery is exchanged at the corresponding position of the battery rack. By setting the exchange position corresponding to the battery exchange device 60 and the exchange position corresponding to the battery rack on the battery transfer conveyor line 10, the battery transportation position can be quickly and accurately controlled, thereby improving the battery transportation efficiency and transportation stability.

[0076] Reference Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , the battery exchange equipment can be raised and lowered. In another optional embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line can also be raised and lowered.

[0077] The detection unit includes a first detection member 91 arranged at a position corresponding to the battery exchange device 60 at the exchange position 8801. The detection unit also includes a second detection member 94 arranged on the battery transfer conveyor line 10 at the exchange position 8811. The first detection member 91 and the second detection member 94 are respectively arranged at corresponding positions of the exchange position and the exchange position along the battery conveying direction. The trigger unit includes a trigger member 92 corresponding to the first detection member 91 and the second detection member 94. The first detection member 91 can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor. The second detection member 94 can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor.

[0078] By setting the trigger member 92 on the battery 70 and corresponding to the first detection member 91 and the second detection member 94, the corresponding detection member is accurately triggered to generate the transmission in place information, which is convenient for transmission in place control during the battery transportation process.

[0079] The first detection member and the second detection member are respectively arranged at corresponding positions of the potential change position and the exchange position along the battery conveying direction. In this way, only one trigger member is arranged on the battery to complete the detection of whether the battery reaches the exchange position and the potential change position, making the battery structure simple.

[0080] The battery swapping device 60 or the battery transfer conveyor line 10 can be raised or lowered, which makes it easy to transfer the battery to the battery swapping device 60 after the battery is transported, providing convenience for battery swapping; further, a first detection component is set at a position corresponding to the battery swapping device at the battery swapping point, so that during the process of transporting the battery toward the battery swapping point, it can accurately detect whether the battery has reached the battery swapping point and perform precise transmission control to the position.

[0081] As an optional embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line is a conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line. The conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line includes: a roller 100, and the roller 100 is rotatably arranged along the transmission direction of the battery 70.

[0082] The conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line also has an avoidance area, so as to avoid the space for the battery exchange equipment 60 to rise and fall and move; when the battery exchange equipment 60 is extended relative to the transmission surface of the drum 100, the battery 70 can be removed or installed according to working conditions; when the battery exchange equipment 60 is located below the transmission surface of the drum 100, the battery 70 can be transferred to the specified position under the action of the drum 100.

[0083] In a specific implementation, a battery transfer conveyor line may have a plurality of rollers 100, and the rollers 100 are parallel to each other to form a transmission surface, and the battery 70 may be arranged on the rollers 100; the rollers 100 may rotate around their own axes, and the battery 70 may move under the rotation of the rollers 100; and, by controlling the rotation direction of the rollers 100, the movement of the battery 70 may be controlled, thereby realizing the transmission of the battery 70 between the battery rack and the battery exchange area.

[0084] When the conveyor roller battery transfer conveyor line transfers the battery from the battery rack to the battery replacement area, when the first detection member 91 detects the trigger member 92, a transfer arrival information is generated. The main control unit controls the battery transfer conveyor line to stop conveying the battery according to the transfer arrival information.

[0085] The battery transport conveyor line has a stop mechanism arranged on at least one side of the potential change and / or exchange position along the conveying direction to limit the battery at the potential change and / or exchange position.

[0086] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down. In specific implementation, the preset distance range can be reasonably set according to the length of the battery transfer conveyor line. A corresponding sensor is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line. When the sensor senses the sensing part on the battery, it indicates that the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range. When the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within the preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down to ensure the stability and accuracy of battery transportation. The sensor can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor.

[0087] In this solution, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the exchange point or the swap point is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down, which can improve the stability of battery transportation.

[0088] As a preferred embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line also includes a stopping mechanism, which is arranged relative to the battery exchange area 880 and is used to limit the movement of the battery 70 along the transmission direction so that the battery 70 is located on the battery exchange area 880.

[0089] In specific implementation, the stopping mechanism can be implemented in a variety of ways, such as using a device with a stopper to limit the position, or by detecting the position of the battery 70 and controlling the rotation of the drum 100 to limit the position; or by using a stopper and controlling the rotation speed of the drum 100 to limit the position at the same time.

[0090] As a preferred implementation method, Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the stopping mechanism is a stopper 510, and the stopper 510 is arranged on at least one side of the battery exchange area 880 along the transmission direction. In a specific implementation, a stopper 510 can be provided at both ends of the battery exchange area 880. In addition, the stopper 510 can also be provided on the side of the battery exchange area 880 away from the battery rack, or can be provided at the end of the battery rack. It can be specifically fixed on the battery transfer conveyor line, or a separate rack can be provided, and the position of the stopper 510 can achieve the stopping of the battery 70.

[0091] When the battery transfer conveyor line is in the working condition of installing the battery 70, after the battery 70 is transferred to the battery replacement area 880, the stopper 510 rises to limit the battery 70 from continuing to move;

[0092] When the battery transfer conveyor line is in the state of disassembling the battery 70, the stopper 510 descends to allow the battery 70 to be transported and moved.

[0093] As a preferred implementation, the stopping mechanism further includes a stopping connection piece, which is connected to the stopping device 510 and is used to fix the stopping device 510 relative to the battery exchange area 880 .

[0094] like Figure 7 As shown, the stopper 510 includes a lifting drive mechanism, a third detection member and a blocking unit 511, and the third detection member is used to sense the battery 70 to generate status information for judging the status of the stopper mechanism. The first detection member 91 transmits the detected transmission in place information to the lifting drive mechanism; the blocking unit 511 is connected to the lifting drive mechanism, and the lifting drive mechanism is used to drive the blocking unit 511 to move up and down according to the status information. If the first detection member 91 does not detect the battery 70, the first detection member 91 sends out the first status information, and the lifting drive mechanism drives the blocking unit to be in a lower position according to the first status information, and does not block the battery; if the first detection member 91 detects the battery 70, the first detection member 91 sends out the transmission in place information, and the lifting drive mechanism drives the blocking unit to rise according to the transmission in place information to block the battery. The third detection member can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor. Among them, the lifting direction of the blocking unit 511 can be a direction perpendicular to the transmission direction of the battery 70. When the third detection component senses the trigger component 92 on the battery 70, indicating that the battery has reached the position corresponding to the stop mechanism, the third detection component generates second state information, indicating that the stop mechanism is in a state of rising gear to stop the battery; when the third detection component does not sense the trigger component 92 on the battery 70, indicating that the battery has not reached the position corresponding to the stop mechanism, the third detection component generates third state information, indicating that the stop mechanism is in a state of retracting and not stopping the battery.

[0095] As another preferred embodiment, the stop mechanism is a first sensor and a limit detection element disposed on the battery 70. In a specific implementation, the first sensor may be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor, and a visual sensor.

[0096] When the first sensor detects the limit detection element, the first sensor sends a signal to the driving unit of the drum 100 , and the driving unit controls the drum 100 to stop rotating, thereby enabling the battery 70 to stay on the battery exchange area 880 .

[0097] As a preferred embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line includes a plurality of roller transmission components 110, each roller transmission component 110 is extended along the transmission direction, and the plurality of roller transmission components 110 are spaced apart perpendicular to the transmission direction.

[0098] like Figure 6As shown, the battery transfer conveyor line includes two sets of roller transmission assemblies 110, which are arranged at intervals and together form a transmission surface for the battery 70. When the battery 70 is transmitted, the battery 70 is arranged above the two sets of roller transmission assemblies 110 and moves under the action of the two sets of roller transmission assemblies 110.

[0099] In a specific implementation, the battery transfer conveyor line may also use a group of roller 100 transmission units, and the two ends of the battery 70 extend beyond the two ends of the roller 100 in the roller 100 transmission unit.

[0100] As a preferred implementation method, Figure 6 As shown, a first avoidance area 210 is formed between multiple groups of roller transmission assemblies 110 arranged at intervals; and / or, a second avoidance area 220 is provided between the rollers 100 in the roller transmission assembly 110. The first avoidance area 210 and the second avoidance area 220 enable the corresponding disassembly and assembly structure on the battery exchange device 60 to move relative to the transmission surface of the battery 70, and provide a disassembly and assembly space for the battery 70.

[0101] Rollers are provided in the transmission direction of the battery, and the battery can be transmitted between the battery rack and the battery exchange area through the rollers. In addition, the transmission device also has an avoidance area to avoid the lifting and moving space of the battery exchange equipment; when the battery exchange equipment is extended relative to the transmission surface of the roller, the battery can be removed or installed according to the working conditions; when the battery exchange equipment is located below the transmission surface of the roller, the battery can be transmitted to the specified position under the action of the roller.

[0102] In a specific implementation, the battery exchange device 60 has a disassembly structure corresponding to the battery 70 mounting frame of the electric vehicle, through which the battery 70 can be removed from the electric vehicle or installed on the electric vehicle. A corresponding avoidance area can be set according to the disassembly structure, so that the disassembly structure on the battery exchange device 60 can pass through the avoidance area to disassemble and assemble the battery 70.

[0103] As a preferred implementation method, Figure 6 As shown,

[0104] The roller transmission assembly 110 includes a first roller transmission unit 111 and a second roller transmission unit 112 arranged along the transmission direction; the first roller transmission unit 111 and the second roller transmission unit 112 are driven by a first roller driving unit and a second roller driving unit respectively; the first roller transmission unit 111 and the second roller transmission unit 112 are respectively arranged on both sides of the battery exchange area along the transmission direction.

[0105] The roller transmission assembly 110 also includes a third roller transmission unit 114 disposed on the battery exchange area, and the third roller transmission unit 114 is driven by a third roller driving unit.

[0106] The above-mentioned first roller transfer unit 111, second roller transfer unit 112 and second roller transfer unit 112 can be driven respectively by corresponding driving mechanisms, so that the disassembled old batteries can be transferred to the battery rack on one side of the battery exchange area, and the new batteries in the battery rack on the other side of the battery exchange area can be transferred to the battery exchange area at the same time, and the transmission speeds of the new and old batteries can be controlled separately to avoid interference in the movement of the two batteries and improve the battery replacement efficiency; they can also be driven by the same driving mechanism.

[0107] In a specific implementation, a single roller transmission assembly 110 may include a first roller transmission unit 111, a second roller transmission unit 112 and a third roller transmission unit 114 with the same basic structure, wherein the third roller transmission unit 114 may be located in the battery exchange area, and the first roller transmission unit 111 and the second roller transmission unit 112 may be located on both sides of the battery exchange area, so that the battery 70 may be transferred to the third roller transmission unit 114 under the action of the first roller transmission unit 111 or the second roller transmission unit 112, so as to provide the battery exchange equipment 60 with corresponding disassembly and assembly operations; when the corresponding operation is completed, for example, when the battery 70 on the electric vehicle is disassembled from the third roller transmission unit 114, the third roller transmission unit 114 may also transfer the battery 70 to the first roller transmission unit 111 or the second roller transmission unit 112 and then to the battery rack.

[0108] There is a second avoidance area 220 between the first roller transfer unit 111 and the third roller transfer unit 114, and / or there is a third avoidance area 230 between the second roller transfer unit 112 and the third roller transfer unit 114. The second avoidance area 220 and the third avoidance area 230 are both used for the battery exchange equipment 60 to be raised and lowered to support the battery 70.

[0109] As a preferred embodiment, the roller transmission assembly 110 includes a mounting bracket 113 and a roller 100 , both ends of the roller 100 are respectively mounted on corresponding mounting brackets 113 , and the surface of the roller 100 protrudes from the top surface of the mounting bracket 113 .

[0110] In a specific implementation, the top surface of the outer mounting bracket 113 is higher than the surface of the drum 100, and the top surface of the inner mounting bracket 113 is lower than the surface of the drum 100, so that the drum 100 protrudes from the top surface of the mounting bracket 113. Alternatively, the top surfaces of the inner and outer mounting brackets 113 are lower than the surface of the drum 100, so that the drum 100 protrudes from the top surface of the mounting bracket 113. Among them, the outer mounting bracket 113 refers to the mounting bracket 113 close to the end surface of the battery 70, and the inner mounting bracket 113 refers to the mounting bracket 113 covered by the battery 70.

[0111] As a preferred embodiment, the plurality of rollers 100 are evenly spaced, and the distance between two adjacent rollers 100 is less than half of the width of the battery 70 .

[0112] This embodiment also provides a method for detecting the arrival of a battery during transport. Figure 8 The battery transport transmission arrival detection method comprises the following steps:

[0113] Step S441, based on the battery replacement instruction, control the battery transfer conveyor line to start and perform battery transfer.

[0114] Step S442, based on the transmitted arrival information, control the battery transfer conveyor line to stop conveying batteries.

[0115] The batteries are transferred through a battery transfer conveyor line, which has a simple structure and simple and reliable overall control. It simplifies the control complexity and accuracy of the travel control, positioning control, etc. of the original battery swap equipment in the battery swap station, reduces the equipment cost, and makes the positioning operation easier to achieve. Specifically, during the battery transportation process, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to stop transporting batteries based on the transmitted information, which can improve the accuracy of battery transportation.

[0116] In specific implementation, when a battery swap instruction is received, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to start and the battery is transferred. When the battery swap instruction is to transfer a low-power battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move away from the battery swap area; when the battery swap instruction is to transfer a fully charged battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move toward the battery swap area.

[0117] By properly setting the transport direction according to the low-power or fully-charged property information of the battery and the specific operations of the battery replacement process, accurate transport of the battery can be achieved and the flexibility of control can be improved.

[0118] In an optional embodiment, when there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to transport the low-charged batteries toward the battery rack on the other side opposite to the battery rack where the selected fully-charged batteries are located.

[0119] When there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery installation operation is facilitated based on ensuring that fully charged batteries are transported in the direction of the battery exchange area. The battery exchange efficiency is improved while achieving accurate battery transportation.

[0120] Furthermore, in order to improve the stability of battery transportation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down. For example, when the distance between the battery and the potential change is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation. When the distance between the battery and the exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation.

[0121] During the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the replacement potential or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down, which can improve the stability of battery transportation.

[0122] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, the stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission arrival information generated by the first detection member or the second detection member to position the battery.

[0123] For example, when the battery is transported to the exchange position, the first detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery. When the battery is transported to the exchange position, the second detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery.

[0124] A stopping mechanism is provided on at least one of the front and rear sides along the battery conveying direction, and the stopping mechanism is used to further ensure that the battery is transmitted in place. The stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission in place information generated by the first detection component or the second detection component to position the battery. The stopping mechanism can be started timely and effectively to position the battery, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission.

[0125] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the battery exchange point, the battery exchange equipment is controlled to lift and obtain the battery on the battery exchange point to perform the battery installation operation.

[0126] In another optional embodiment, when the battery is transported to the battery replacement point, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to descend and the battery on the battery replacement point is obtained to perform the battery installation operation.

[0127] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the exchange position, the palletizer is controlled to extend and obtain the low-power battery located at the exchange position so as to place the low-power battery into a designated battery storage position.

[0128] After the battery transfer conveyor line transports the fully charged battery to the battery swapping point and it is in place, the battery swapping equipment can obtain the fully charged battery by controlling the battery swapping equipment to lift or the battery transfer conveyor line to lower. At this time, the fully charged battery is separated from the battery transfer conveyor line, which makes it easier for the battery swapping equipment to perform battery installation operations, simplifying the transfer process of the fully charged battery before installation and improving the battery swapping efficiency.

[0129] Example 2

[0130] This embodiment provides a battery transfer delivery detection system. The difference between the battery transfer delivery detection system of this embodiment and the battery transfer delivery detection system of embodiment 1 is that in this embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line is a double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line.

[0131] Reference Figure 9-13 The double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 is based on the double-speed chain structure. The double-speed chain can refer to a material conveying machine that uses a chain as a traction and carrier. It is a type of conveyor that can transport bulky items at one time. In this embodiment, by setting the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11, fully charged batteries or low-charged batteries can be directly transported between the battery rack and the battery exchange area 880 on the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11. This solution reduces the number of electronic control components, greatly reduces costs, and also simplifies the control process. In addition, the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line can select the running speed of the chain, and use the speed-increasing function of the double-speed chain to enable the battery 70 supported thereon to run quickly; the conveying capacity is large and can carry large load batteries; the conveying speed is accurate and stable, which can ensure the precise synchronous conveying of the batteries.

[0132] The battery transfer conveyor line 11 of the double-speed chain is provided with a change potential and an exchange position. The change potential is provided at the position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment, and the exchange position is provided at the position corresponding to the battery rack 881. A detection unit is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line 11 of the double-speed chain, and a trigger unit is provided on the battery accordingly. As an optional embodiment, the detection unit includes a first detection member 91 and a second detection member 94, and the first detection member and the second detection member are respectively provided at corresponding positions of the change potential and the exchange position along the battery conveying direction. The trigger unit includes a trigger member 92 provided on the battery. The first detection member can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor. The second detection member can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor.

[0133] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down. In specific implementation, the preset distance range can be reasonably set according to the length of the battery transfer conveyor line. A corresponding sensor is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line. When the sensor senses the sensing part on the battery, it indicates that the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range. When the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within the preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down to ensure the stability and accuracy of battery transportation. The sensor can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor.

[0134] In an optional embodiment, the battery exchange equipment can be raised and lowered. In another optional embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised and lowered.

[0135] The double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 may include a stop mechanism 12, which is arranged on the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 and is used to limit the movement of the battery 70. The stop mechanism 12 is arranged on the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 and can limit the movement of the battery 70 in the conveying direction along the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11.

[0136] In one embodiment, a stop mechanism 12 is provided on the side of the battery exchange area 880 away from the battery rack. The stop mechanism 12 is provided on the side of the battery exchange area 880 away from the battery rack, and enables the battery 70 to be docked on the battery exchange area 880, thereby facilitating the subsequent replacement of the battery 70 on the battery exchange area 880.

[0137] In one embodiment, the end of the battery rack may also be provided with a stop mechanism 12. The stop mechanism 12 is provided at the end of the battery rack, and can allow the battery 70 to rest on the battery rack, thereby facilitating the subsequent movement of the battery 70 to the battery rack.

[0138] In one embodiment, the stopping mechanism 12 has a driving part and a stopping part, and the driving part is used to drive the stopping part to rise and fall in a direction perpendicular to the plane where the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 is located. Among them, by setting the stopping part to be liftable, on the one hand, it is possible to stop the fully charged battery, and on the other hand, it is possible to avoid the low-charged battery (or other components such as the battery tray) that needs to continue to move forward. For example, when the battery 70 is being installed, that is, the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 carries a fully charged battery to be replaced with the low-charged battery of the vehicle, the battery 70 is transferred to the preset position of the battery replacement area 880, and the driving part drives the stopping part to rise to allow the battery 70 to dock and complete the installation process; when the battery 70 is being removed from the vehicle, that is, the battery 70 removed from the vehicle is located on the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11, the driving part drives the stopping part to descend to avoid the low-charged battery and allow the low-charged battery to continue to be transported to the battery rack.

[0139] It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the stopping part stops the battery 70 by lifting and lowering, and in other alternative embodiments, the stopping part may adopt other stopping methods. For example, the driving part is used to drive the stopping part to flip onto the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11 or flip out of the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11. Accordingly, the stopping part is set to be flippable, and when the stopping part flips to a position higher than the contact surface between the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11 and the battery 70, the battery 70 can be limited so that the battery 70 stops moving forward, and when the stopping part flips to a position not higher than (flips out of) the contact surface between the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11 and the battery 70, the battery can be avoided so that the battery 70 continues to move forward. For example, flipping from a conveying direction perpendicular to the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11 to a conveying direction parallel to the double-speed chain battery conveyor line 11 can stop fully charged batteries and avoid low-power batteries that need to continue to move forward.

[0140] In one embodiment, the speed chain battery transport conveyor line 11 is provided with a first detection member 91 adjacent to the battery exchange area 880. The first detection member 91 may be one or more of a weight sensor, a limit sensor, a contact sensor, and the like. The first detection member 91 is communicatively connected to the control unit of the stop mechanism 12, and the first detection member 91 is used to send a signal to the control unit after detecting that the battery 70 is approaching, so that the control unit controls the drive unit to drive the stop unit to lift or flip. By providing the first detection member 91 and the control unit, when a battery 70 approaches or enters the battery exchange area 880, it can be ensured that the drive unit can promptly control the lifting or flipping of the stop unit.

[0141] In one embodiment, the double-speed chain battery transport conveyor line 11 is provided with a second detection member 94 adjacent to the battery rack. The second detection member 94 is connected to the control unit of the stop mechanism 12 for communication. The second detection member 94 is used to send a signal to the control unit after detecting the approach of the battery 70, so that the control unit controls the drive unit to drive the stop unit to rise, fall or flip. By providing the second detection member 94 and the control unit, when a battery 70 approaches or enters the battery rack, it can be ensured that the drive unit controls the rise, fall or flip of the stop unit in time.

[0142] As an optional embodiment, the stop mechanism is provided with a third detection member, which is used to sense the battery 70 to generate status information for determining the state of the stop mechanism. When the third detection member senses the trigger member 92 on the battery 70, indicating that the battery has reached the position corresponding to the stop mechanism, the third detection member generates the second status information, indicating that the stop mechanism is in the state of the battery being stopped at the rising gear; when the third detection member does not sense the trigger member 92 on the battery 70, indicating that the battery has not reached the position corresponding to the stop mechanism, the third detection member generates the third status information, indicating that the stop mechanism is in the state of being retracted and not stopping the battery.

[0143] The double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 may include a guide positioning mechanism, which is arranged on both sides of the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11. The guide positioning mechanism is used to guide and position the battery 70 so that the battery 70 moves along a preset path on the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11. By setting the guide positioning mechanism, the movement of the battery 70 can be guided. The guide positioning mechanism is arranged on both sides of the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11, which avoids the battery 70 from tilting relative to the conveying direction and improves the stability during the movement.

[0144] Specifically, the guiding and positioning mechanism includes two mutually parallel positioning plates 13, and the two positioning plates 13 are respectively located on both sides of the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11; the positioning plate 13 includes a main body 131 and a guiding part 132, and the two ends of the main body 131 are respectively provided with guiding parts 132, and the side of the guiding part 132 close to the battery 70 forms an angle with the extension direction of the main body 131, and the spacing between the two opposite guiding parts 132 gradually increases in the direction away from the main body 131 to guide the battery 70. Among them, by providing the guiding part 132, even if a certain amount of offset occurs between the battery 70 and the main body 131 during the transmission process, it can still enter the guiding and positioning mechanism through the guiding effect of the guiding part 132, thereby effectively avoiding the problem that the battery 70 cannot smoothly enter the guiding and positioning mechanism due to the inability to accurately align the battery 70 with the main body 131.

[0145] The guiding and positioning mechanism may include a first guiding and positioning mechanism, which is arranged at a position of the battery transfer conveying line 11 of the double-speed chain close to the battery exchange area 880. The first guiding and positioning mechanism is arranged at a position of the battery transfer conveying line 11 of the double-speed chain close to the battery exchange area 880, and can guide the battery 70 when it enters the battery exchange area 880, so as to ensure that the battery 70 enters the battery exchange area 880 smoothly.

[0146] The first guide positioning mechanism may also be provided in the battery replacement area 880, and is used to make the battery 70 correspond to the position of the vehicle corresponding to the replacement of the battery 70 in the driving direction of the vehicle. The first guide positioning mechanism is provided in the battery replacement area 880, and is used to accurately position the battery 70, so that the battery 70 accurately enters the preset position corresponding to the replacement of the battery 70 of the vehicle, thereby facilitating the subsequent replacement thereof.

[0147] The guiding and positioning mechanism may also include a second guiding and positioning mechanism, which is arranged along the path of the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11. The second guiding and positioning mechanism can guide the battery 70 during the transmission between the battery exchange area 880 and the battery rack to avoid the battery 70 from being offset and ensure the accuracy of its transportation path.

[0148] The double-speed chain battery transport conveyor line 11 may also include a driving mechanism 14 and a transmission mechanism 15, wherein the input end of the transmission mechanism 15 is connected to the driving mechanism 14, and the output end of the transmission mechanism 15 is connected to the double-speed chain battery transport conveyor line 11. The driving mechanism 14 provides a stable driving force to the transmission mechanism 15, so that the output of the transmission mechanism 15 is more stable, thereby making the movement of the double-speed chain more stable, and improving the stability of the entire system. The driving mechanism 14 can flexibly select one of a motor, a cylinder, a screw rod, and an electric push rod according to actual needs.

[0149] In one embodiment, the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 may include two double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181, which are arranged opposite to each other and arranged on both sides of the battery exchange area 880 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel. Among them, by providing two double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181, the contact area between the battery 70 and the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 is increased, and the battery 70 is prevented from tilting relative to the double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181, thereby improving the stability during movement. Setting the double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181 perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel can reduce the interference between the conveying path and the vehicle travel path, and simplify the structure of the entire system.

[0150] In another embodiment, the double-speed chain battery transfer conveyor line 11 may include four double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181 arranged in parallel, and pass through the battery exchange area 880 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel. By providing four double-speed chain battery conveyor rails 181, the stability of the battery 70 during movement is further improved.

[0151] This embodiment also provides a method for detecting the arrival of battery transfer. In specific implementation, after receiving a battery replacement instruction, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to start so as to perform battery transfer. When the battery replacement instruction is to transfer a low-power battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move in a direction away from the battery replacement area; when the battery replacement instruction is to transfer a fully charged battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move toward the battery replacement area.

[0152] By properly setting the transport direction according to the low-power or fully-charged property information of the battery and the specific operations of the battery replacement process, accurate transport of the battery can be achieved and the flexibility of control can be improved.

[0153] In an optional embodiment, when there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to transport the low-charged batteries toward the battery rack on the other side opposite to the battery rack where the selected fully-charged batteries are located.

[0154] When there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery installation operation is facilitated based on ensuring that fully charged batteries are transported in the direction of the battery exchange area. The battery exchange efficiency is improved while achieving accurate battery transportation.

[0155] Furthermore, in order to improve the stability of battery transportation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down. For example, when the distance between the battery and the potential change is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation. When the distance between the battery and the exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation.

[0156] During the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the replacement potential or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down, which can improve the stability of battery transportation.

[0157] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, the stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission arrival information generated by the first detection member or the second detection member to position the battery.

[0158] For example, when the battery is transported to the exchange position, the first detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery. When the battery is transported to the exchange position, the second detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery.

[0159] A stopping mechanism is provided on at least one of the front and rear sides along the battery conveying direction, and the stopping mechanism is used to further ensure that the battery is transmitted in place. The stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission in place information generated by the first detection component or the second detection component to position the battery. The stopping mechanism can be started timely and effectively to position the battery, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission.

[0160] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the battery exchange point, the battery exchange equipment is controlled to lift and obtain the battery on the battery exchange point to perform the battery installation operation.

[0161] In another optional embodiment, when the battery is transported to the battery exchange point, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to descend and the battery exchange equipment is enabled to obtain the battery on the battery exchange point to perform the battery installation operation.

[0162] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the exchange position, the palletizer is controlled to extend and obtain the low-power battery located at the exchange position so as to place the low-power battery into a designated battery storage position.

[0163] After the battery transfer conveyor line transports the fully charged battery to the battery swapping point and it is in place, the battery swapping equipment can obtain the fully charged battery by controlling the battery swapping equipment to lift or the battery transfer conveyor line to lower. At this time, the fully charged battery is separated from the battery transfer conveyor line, which makes it easier for the battery swapping equipment to perform battery installation operations, simplifying the transfer process of the fully charged battery before installation and improving the battery swapping efficiency.

[0164] Example 3

[0165] This embodiment provides a battery transfer delivery detection system. The difference between the battery transfer delivery detection system of this embodiment and the battery transfer delivery detection system of embodiment 1 is that in this embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line is a belt battery transfer conveyor line 1.

[0166] Reference Fig.14 , Fig.15 , Fig.16, the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 at least partially extends between the battery rack 881 and the battery exchange area 880, that is, the entire belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 extends between the battery rack 881 and the battery exchange area 880, or the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 partially extends between the battery rack 881 and the battery exchange area 880. The belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 is used to carry and drive the battery 70 to move between the battery rack 881 and the battery exchange area 880. The battery exchange area 880 is used to perform battery exchange operations on battery exchange vehicles, and the battery rack 881 is used to carry the battery 70 and / or charge the battery 70.

[0167] When in use, the battery swapping vehicle is positioned on the battery swapping area 880, the depleted batteries on the battery swapping vehicle are removed and placed on the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1, and the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 transports the depleted batteries to the battery rack 881 for storage; the fully charged batteries on the battery rack 881 are placed on the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 and transported to the battery swapping area 880 via the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1, so that the fully charged batteries can be installed in the battery swapping vehicle. This embodiment sets up the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 to transport batteries, which can transport batteries accurately and at low cost.

[0168] The belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 is provided with a first detection member 91 for detecting whether the battery 70 moves along the battery rack 881 toward the battery exchange area 880 on the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 and reaches the first arrival point P ( Figure 1 The dotted line indicates the situation when the battery 70 is at the first arrival point P); the first arrival point P refers to the position where the battery 70 moves to the battery exchange area 880 and is suitable for battery exchange. This position is below the battery exchange area 880. After the fully charged battery reaches this position, the fully charged battery can be installed on the battery exchange vehicle. Alternatively, the first arrival point P refers to the position where the battery 70 moves to a suitable waiting position. This position is below or to the side of the battery exchange area 880. After the fully charged battery reaches this position, its position can be further adjusted for positioning and then installed on the battery exchange vehicle. When the first detection component 91 detects the trigger component 92 provided on the battery 70, it indicates that the battery 70 has arrived at the first arrival point P, and the first detection component 91 generates transmission in place information to stop battery transmission.

[0169] When in use, the detection result of the first detection component 91 can be used as a start / stop signal for related equipment in the battery swap station, and can also be used as reference data for maintenance and repair by maintenance personnel of the battery swap station.

[0170] As an optional embodiment, a second detection member 94 is provided at the exchange position of the battery rack 881. When the second detection member 94 detects the trigger member 92 provided on the battery 70, it indicates that the battery 70 has reached the exchange position, and the first detection member 91 generates transmission arrival information to stop the battery transmission.

[0171] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down. In specific implementation, the preset distance range can be reasonably set according to the length of the battery transfer conveyor line. A corresponding sensor is provided on the battery transfer conveyor line. When the sensor senses the sensing part on the battery, it indicates that the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range. When the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within the preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down to ensure the stability and accuracy of battery transportation. The sensor can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a contact sensor, a proximity sensor and a visual sensor.

[0172] In an optional embodiment, the battery exchange equipment can be raised and lowered. In another optional embodiment, the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised and lowered.

[0173] The belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 also includes a stop mechanism 3, which is used to stop the battery 70 at the first arrival point P on the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1. The stop mechanism 3 can be set on the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 or on the battery replacement area 880. The stop mechanism 3 realizes the positioning of the battery 70 and improves the positioning accuracy of the battery 70.

[0174] The stop mechanism 3 can be raised or lowered or turned over. When in use, the stop mechanism 3 can be raised or turned over to block the battery 70, and the stop mechanism 3 can be reset to accommodate and leave space for other components.

[0175] The third detection member is arranged on the stop mechanism 3, which can improve the accuracy of the detection structure of the third detection member. If the third detection member does not detect the battery 70, the third detection member sends out a first state information, and drives the stop mechanism 3 to be in a lower position according to the first state information, and does not stop the battery; if the third detection member detects the battery 70, the third detection member sends out a second state information, and drives the stop mechanism 3 to rise according to the second state information to stop the battery. The third detection member can be at least one of an infrared sensor, a proximity sensor, and a visual sensor.

[0176] When the first detection member 91 detects that the battery 70 has arrived at the first arrival position P, a first signal is generated to control the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 to stop. In other words, the first signal is used as a signal to stop the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1, ensuring the accurate position of the battery 70.

[0177] A guide bar 5 is also provided on the outside of the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1. The upper surface of the guide bar 5 is higher than the surface of the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 for supporting the battery 70. The guide bar 5 is used to guide or support the battery 70 so that the battery 70 moves with the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1. In other words, the guide bar 5 can guide the moving battery 70 to position it in one direction, and the guide bar 5 can withstand the gravity of the battery 70 transmitted via the belt.

[0178] The belt battery transfer conveyor line 1 includes a belt body 151 and at least two pulleys 152. A plurality of connected L-shaped holders 153 are provided on the surface of the belt body 151 in contact with the battery 70. The L-shaped holder 153 includes a mounting surface 1031 and a card guide surface 1032 which are perpendicular to each other. The mounting surface 1031 is arranged on the surface of the belt body 151 and is used to connect other equipment for fixation. The card guide surfaces 1032 of the plurality of connected L-shaped holders 153 are fixedly connected to the belt body 151. It should be noted that the card guide surface 1032 can be a structure with a card groove to realize the positioning of the belt body 151 in a direction perpendicular to the transportation direction of the belt battery transfer conveyor line 1.

[0179] This embodiment also provides a method for detecting the arrival of battery transfer. In specific implementation, after receiving a battery replacement instruction, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to start so as to perform battery transfer. When the battery replacement instruction is to transfer a low-power battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move in a direction away from the battery replacement area; when the battery replacement instruction is to transfer a fully charged battery, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to move toward the battery replacement area.

[0180] By properly setting the transport direction according to the low-power or fully-charged property information of the battery and the specific operations of the battery replacement process, accurate transport of the battery can be achieved and the flexibility of control can be improved.

[0181] In an optional embodiment, when there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to transport the low-charged batteries toward the battery rack on the other side opposite to the battery rack where the selected fully-charged batteries are located.

[0182] When there are battery racks on both sides of the battery transfer conveyor line, the battery installation operation is facilitated based on ensuring that fully charged batteries are transported in the direction of the battery exchange area. The battery exchange efficiency is improved while achieving accurate battery transportation.

[0183] Furthermore, in order to improve the stability of battery transportation, during the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the potential change or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down. For example, when the distance between the battery and the potential change is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation. When the distance between the battery and the exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transport conveyor line is controlled to slow down to improve the accuracy of battery transportation.

[0184] During the battery transportation process, when the distance between the battery and the replacement potential or exchange position is within a preset distance range, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to slow down, which can improve the stability of battery transportation.

[0185] As an optional implementation, during the battery transportation process, the stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission arrival information generated by the first detection member or the second detection member to position the battery.

[0186] For example, when the battery is transported to the exchange position, the first detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery. When the battery is transported to the exchange position, the second detection member detects the trigger member, and generates transmission in place information. According to the transmission in place information, the stop mechanism is activated to stop the battery, restricting the battery from moving further, and positioning the battery.

[0187] A stopping mechanism is provided on at least one of the front and rear sides along the battery conveying direction, and the stopping mechanism is used to further ensure that the battery is transmitted in place. The stopping mechanism is controlled to start based on the battery replacement instruction and the transmission in place information generated by the first detection component or the second detection component to position the battery. The stopping mechanism can be started timely and effectively to position the battery, thereby improving the accuracy of battery transmission.

[0188] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the battery exchange point, the battery exchange equipment is controlled to lift and obtain the battery on the battery exchange point to perform the battery installation operation.

[0189] In another optional embodiment, when the battery is transported to the battery exchange point, the battery transfer conveyor line is controlled to descend and the battery exchange equipment is enabled to obtain the battery on the battery exchange point to perform the battery installation operation.

[0190] In an optional embodiment, when the battery is delivered to the exchange position, the palletizer is controlled to extend and obtain the low-power battery located at the exchange position so as to place the low-power battery into a designated battery storage position.

[0191] After the battery transfer conveyor line transports the fully charged battery to the battery swapping point and it is in place, the battery swapping equipment can obtain the fully charged battery by controlling the battery swapping equipment to lift or the battery transfer conveyor line to lower. At this time, the fully charged battery is separated from the battery transfer conveyor line, which makes it easier for the battery swapping equipment to perform battery installation operations, simplifying the transfer process of the fully charged battery before installation and improving the battery swapping efficiency.

[0192] Although the specific embodiments of the present invention are described above, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that this is only for illustration 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. A battery transfer system for a battery swap station, the battery swap station comprising a battery swap area and a battery rack, the battery swap area being provided with a battery swap device for disassembling and assembling batteries of a battery swap vehicle, characterized in that: The battery transfer system includes: a battery transfer conveyor line, on which a battery change point and an exchange position are provided, the battery change point is arranged at a position corresponding to the battery change equipment, and the exchange position is arranged at a position corresponding to the battery rack to transfer batteries between the battery change area and the battery rack.

2. The battery transport system for a battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery transfer conveyor line passes through the battery exchange area and extends to one side or both sides, and / or the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised or lowered.

3. The battery transport system for a battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery transfer system also includes a detection unit arranged at a corresponding position of the battery transfer conveyor line, and the detection unit is used to cooperate with a trigger unit on the battery of the battery replacement vehicle, and generate transmission arrival information when the detection unit detects the trigger unit.

4. The battery transport system for a battery swap station according to claim 3, characterized in that: The detection unit includes a first detection element arranged at the exchange position and at a position corresponding to the battery exchange equipment, and / or a second detection element arranged on the battery transfer conveyor line at the exchange position.

5. A battery swap station, characterized in that: It comprises a battery exchange device, a battery rack and a battery transfer system for a battery exchange station as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the battery exchange device and / or the battery transfer conveyor line can be raised or lowered so that at least part of the battery exchange device can extend out of the battery transfer conveyor line to contact the battery to remove or install the battery.

6. The battery swap station according to claim 5, characterized in that: The battery transfer conveyor line is provided with an avoidance area, and / or the battery exchange equipment is provided with an avoidance space, so that the battery exchange equipment and / or the battery transfer conveyor line can avoid each other after being raised or lowered.

7. The battery swap station according to claim 6, characterized in that: The battery transfer conveyor line includes at least two transmission components, at least two of which are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the battery conveying direction and together form a battery transmission surface, and the interval between two adjacent transmission components forms the avoidance area for at least part of the battery exchange equipment to pass through.

8. The battery swap station according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The battery transfer conveyor line is provided with at least one avoidance area along the battery conveying direction for at least part of the battery exchange equipment to pass through.

9. The battery swap station according to claim 6, characterized in that: The battery exchange equipment is provided with a disassembly and assembly structure for removing or installing batteries, and the disassembly and assembly structure can extend out of the avoidance area when the battery exchange equipment rises or the battery transfer conveyor line descends.

10. The battery swap station according to claim 6, characterized in that: The battery exchange equipment has a plurality of split units arranged at intervals along a direction perpendicular to the battery conveying direction. The interval between two adjacent split units forms the avoidance space to avoid the battery transfer conveying line. At least one of the split units is provided with a disassembly and assembly structure for disassembling or installing the battery.

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