Gripping apparatus suitable for battery replacement of ceiling type battery box and battery replacement method

Abstract

The invention provides a gripping apparatus suitable for battery replacement of a ceiling type battery box and a battery replacement method. The gripping apparatus comprises a steel wire rope seat, a main support, a telescopic support, a left-right telescopic oil cylinder, a front-back telescopic oil cylinder, a lifting hook support and a lifting hook assembly. The steel wire rope base is fixedly arranged on the upper portion of the main support and used for being connected with a lifting steel wire rope. An inner hole in the first direction is formed in the main support; the telescopic support is connected into the inner hole in a nested mode and hinged to the end of the left-right telescopic oil cylinder. The end part of the front-back telescopic oil cylinder is hinged with the lifting hook support; the lifting hook support can be driven by the front-back telescopic oil cylinder to move in the second direction. The lifting hook assembly is connected to the lower portion of the lifting hook support and used for clamping a top lifting rod of the battery box. According to the invention, the lifting hook support can freely move in the plane along the direction of two degrees of freedom, so that battery boxes with different sizes can be clamped, and the battery replacement of various ceiling type battery replacement battery boxes can be met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of battery box hoisting, and specifically relates to a gripper and a battery replacement method suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box. Background Art

[0002] Driven by the national "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" goals, the research and development and application of new energy equipment for engineering machinery driven by new energy media such as electricity will become an important way to promote new energy technology changes.

[0003] At present, the development of new energy equipment has been restricted by the battery capacity and insufficient endurance of construction machinery electric equipment (hereinafter referred to as equipment), such as electric excavators, electric loaders, electric dump trucks, electric concrete mixers, etc., and battery swap technology is the key to solving this problem. However, due to the lack of unified and complete technical standards and specifications in the battery swap industry, the battery swap equipment produced by different companies has poor compatibility and interchangeability, which seriously restricts the development of new energy technology. In battery swap technology, the battery swap gripper is a key part, but the grippers of all current battery swap equipment can only replace one type of battery box, which has poor versatility, seriously restricting the development of battery swap technology.

[0004] like Figure 1 As shown, the invention patent of Chinese patent application No. 202211677724.0 provides a lifting device suitable for roof-mounted battery replacement of new energy vehicles, including a support assembly, a locking assembly and a trigger assembly, wherein the support assembly includes a support frame, the locking assembly includes a mounting seat and a locking block, and the trigger assembly includes a handle and a trigger rod. However, this technical solution has the following disadvantages: poor adaptability, only a type of battery box with fixed size can be replaced, and battery boxes with variable size cannot be realized; the mechanism is complex and the degree of automation is poor, and the handle needs to be manually moved when the hook is locked to lock it.

[0005] In summary, it is very necessary to design a gripper with simple structure, simple operation, and suitable for battery replacement in ceiling-mounted battery boxes. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art and to provide a gripper and a battery replacement method suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box to meet the battery replacement needs of a variety of ceiling-mounted battery replacement boxes.

[0007] To achieve the above object, the present invention is implemented by adopting the following technical solutions:

[0008] The present invention provides a gripper suitable for battery replacement of a ceiling-mounted battery box, comprising a wire rope seat, a main support, a telescopic support, left and right telescopic oil cylinders, front and rear telescopic oil cylinders, a hook support and a hook assembly;

[0009] The wire rope seat is fixedly arranged on the upper part of the main support and is used for connecting the lifting wire rope;

[0010] The main support is provided with an inner hole along a first direction;

[0011] The telescopic support is nested and connected in the inner hole, and is hinged to the ends of the left and right telescopic oil cylinders, and can be driven by the left and right telescopic oil cylinders to move closer to or away from the main support along a first direction;

[0012] The front and rear telescopic cylinders are arranged on the telescopic support in a manner that the length is along a second direction, and the second direction is not parallel to the first direction; the ends of the front and rear telescopic cylinders are hinged to the hook support; the hook support can move along the second direction driven by the front and rear telescopic cylinders;

[0013] The hook assembly is connected below the hook support and is used to clamp the top suspension rod of the battery box.

[0014] The effect achieved by the above-mentioned setting is: when lifting, connect the lifting wire rope to the wire rope seat, then lift, and when it is suspended at a certain distance from the top of the battery box, start the left and right telescopic cylinders, and adjust the hook support to a suitable position along the first direction, and then start the front and rear telescopic cylinders, and adjust the hook support to a suitable position along the second direction. Since the second direction is not parallel to the first direction, the hook support can move freely in the plane along two degrees of freedom, thereby clamping battery boxes of different sizes to meet the battery replacement needs of various ceiling-mounted battery replacement boxes.

[0015] Further, the main support includes a rectangular tube support, a crossbeam and a reinforcing plate;

[0016] The rectangular tube supports are two and are fixedly connected in a square shape by a crossbeam;

[0017] The rectangular tube support is provided with a through inner hole;

[0018] The reinforcing plate is arranged at the end of the rectangular tube support to improve the strength of the rectangular tube support.

[0019] The above arrangement achieves the following effects: the main support adopts a rectangular support, which has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and provides firm support.

[0020] Further, the telescopic bracket includes a telescopic seat and a crossbeam;

[0021] The telescopic bracket is a T-shaped structure as a whole;

[0022] The telescopic seat is two rectangular frames, which are used to be nested and connected in the inner hole of the rectangular tube support and can slide along the inside thereof;

[0023] The ends of the two rectangular frames are fixedly connected to the cross beam, and reinforcing ribs are provided between the ends of the rectangular frames and the cross beam;

[0024] A sliding block is installed on the telescopic seat, and the telescopic seat is slidably connected to the inner hole surface through the sliding block;

[0025] The crossbeam is provided with a cylinder mounting seat; the cylinder mounting seat is used for being hinged with the ends of the left and right telescopic cylinders.

[0026] The above arrangement achieves the following effects: the telescopic bracket is firmly fixed and can achieve relatively firm and reliable sliding.

[0027] Furthermore, two wire rope seats are evenly distributed on each rectangular frame.

[0028] Furthermore, the telescopic support is slidably connected to the hook support via a guide rail and a slider;

[0029] A guide rail mounting seat is arranged on the crossbeam; the guide rail mounting seat is used for fixedly mounting the guide rail; the slider is slidably connected to the guide rail, and the hook support is fixedly connected to the slider.

[0030] The effect achieved by the above arrangement is that the movement of the hook support can be better regulated through the guide rail and the slider.

[0031] Furthermore, two of the hook supports are arranged on one of the telescopic supports;

[0032] The front and rear telescopic cylinders are double-headed telescopic cylinders, and the two hook supports are respectively connected to the piston rods of the front and rear telescopic cylinders. When the front and rear telescopic cylinders are extended or retracted, the two hook supports are respectively pushed to slide along the second direction.

[0033] Furthermore, there are two telescopic supports, and two ends of the main support along the first direction are respectively connected to a telescopic support;

[0034] The left and right telescopic cylinders are double-headed telescopic cylinders, and the cylinder mounting seats of the two telescopic supports are respectively connected to the piston rods at both ends of the left and right telescopic cylinders. When the left and right telescopic cylinders are extended or retracted, the two telescopic supports are respectively pushed to slide along the first direction.

[0035] The effect achieved by the above setting is: double-headed cylinders are installed in the left and right directions and the front and back directions respectively, which can control the hook to operate within a certain range of left and right, front and back. The motor on the hook can control the rotation of the hook, thereby realizing three degrees of freedom operation in the horizontal plane of the hoist, and can lift battery boxes of all shapes within a certain range of the ceiling-mounted battery box.

[0036] The left and right movement of the gripper is controlled by a double-headed oil cylinder that drives the left and right telescopic brackets to extend and retract. The supporting part of the telescopic bracket is a rectangular structure. Each bracket has two rectangular supporting structures. Sliding blocks are also installed on the rectangular structure. While ensuring the strength and safety of the sling, it can also reduce friction, noise and wear during sliding, thereby improving the stability of the left and right movement of the gripper.

[0037] The main function of the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 is to control the hook support and the hook as a whole to slide forward and backward along the guide rail. The front and rear telescopic cylinders use double-headed telescopic cylinders, and the telescopic movement of both sides is independently controlled, and both can achieve different degrees of telescopic movement. When the hook needs to move forward and backward, the front and rear telescopic cylinders can be controlled to achieve telescopic movement.

[0038] Furthermore, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

[0039] Furthermore, the hook support includes a bottom plate, a side plate, a cylinder connecting plate, a reinforcing plate, a motor seat and a hook support;

[0040] The bottom plate is vertically fixedly connected to the side plate, and a reinforcing plate is arranged between the bottom plate and the side plate;

[0041] The hook support is fixedly mounted on the bottom plate, and the hook support is used to support the hook assembly and bear the load during lifting.

[0042] The hook support is connected to the motor seat via bolts, a rotating motor is mounted on the motor seat, and the rotating motor is connected to the hook assembly for controlling the rotation of the hook assembly.

[0043] The cylinder connecting plate is fixedly connected to the side plate and is used for being hinged to the piston rod of the front and rear telescopic cylinders;

[0044] The side plate is fixedly connected to the sliding block via bolts.

[0045] The effect achieved by the above setting is: a motor is installed on the hook assembly, and the motor can directly control the rotation of the hook assembly, thereby realizing a 360° rotation of the hook assembly. The four hooks are each individually equipped with a control motor, which can be controlled simultaneously or individually, so that the rotation of the hook can be realized under special circumstances, and the lifting of special battery boxes can be realized.

[0046] Furthermore, the hook assembly includes a gland, a key, a bearing, a rotation pin and a towing box plate;

[0047] The top of the rotating pin is fixedly connected to the top of the bearing through a pressure cover and a key, and the bottom of the bearing is connected to the hook support; the rotating pin is rotatably connected to the hook support through the bearing;

[0048] The top end of the rotating pin is provided with an interface for connecting with the output shaft of the rotating motor, and can be driven to rotate by the rotating motor;

[0049] A box-drawing plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the rotating pin, and the box-drawing plate can realize locking and unlocking of the gripper as the rotating pin rotates.

[0050] The effect achieved by the above arrangement is as follows: the bearing is installed on the hook support, and the motor installed on the hook support controls the rotation of the rotating pin, the key and the pressure cover together, thereby realizing a 360° rotation of the grabber hook and realizing the locking and unlocking of the battery box.

[0051] Furthermore, the hook assembly further comprises a detection device bracket arranged on the side of the rotation pin;

[0052] The detection device bracket is provided with a detection device; the detection device includes a proximity switch;

[0053] The proximity switch is used to detect whether the gripper is in place and the hook is locked and unlocked.

[0054] The above settings achieve the following effects: The hook assembly is equipped with a device to detect hook lock, and no matter how the hook rotates, the hook lock can be detected in the end. Other positions of the hook are also equipped with box detection, reset unlock detection, etc., which can realize the automatic and intelligent locking and unlocking of the gripper, and have a high protective effect, making the battery replacement process safer and more reliable.

[0055] The detection device includes proximity switches and sensors. A proximity switch is installed on the hook assembly, which mainly detects whether the gripper is in contact with the box and the hook is locked in place and unlocked. After the box detection prompt is in place, the battery box can be lifted only after the box is in contact. After the unlocking is detected, the gripper can be unhooked and returned to its original position. Proximity switches and other protective measures are installed at each extreme position of the gripper, and sensors and position detection are installed between each moving part to realize the automation of gripper lifting.

[0056] Further, the gripper also includes a plurality of 3D vision cameras mounted on the bottom of the main support;

[0057] The 3D vision cameras are symmetrically distributed at the symmetrical angles of the bottom of the main support, and are used to scan the surface contour of the battery box through 3D rapid imaging technology to obtain three-dimensional point cloud data of the battery box.

[0058] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for replacing a battery in a ceiling-mounted battery box, based on the gripper described in the first aspect, comprising the following steps:

[0059] Connect the wire rope to the grabber through the wire rope seat;

[0060] Move the gripper to the vicinity of the top of the battery box being hoisted, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders according to the size of the battery box being hoisted so that the hook assembly matches the size of the battery box being hoisted;

[0061] Lower the gripper to the grabbing position through the wire rope, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders to lock the hook assembly with the suspension rod of the battery box being lifted;

[0062] After lifting the battery box to the target position, adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders to unlock the hook assembly and the lifting rod of the battery box, and then use the lifting gripper to separate it from the battery box.

[0063] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0064] The present invention proposes a gripper suitable for battery replacement of ceiling-mounted battery boxes. The gripper is simple to operate, has a high degree of automation, and has strong adaptability to meet the requirements of battery replacement of different shapes and models of ceiling-mounted battery boxes of construction machinery, and has the following advantages:

[0065] 1. Convenient and flexible operation: By controlling the left and right, front and rear double-head cylinders and the motors on the grab hook, the grab can be moved with three arbitrary degrees of freedom within the battery box lifting plane, and all battery boxes within a certain size range within the battery box plane can be lifted.

[0066] 2. Save space: The hook can be retracted in the left, right, front and back directions. When lifting is required in a narrow position, it can save lifting space and can be used in most complex working conditions.

[0067] 3. The structure is simple and the production is simple. The main frame is welded by profiles and plates. The production cost is low, the weight is light, the structure is reasonable, and the strength meets the use requirements.

[0068] 4. Efficient operation: After the gripper locates the lifting position of the battery box through the 3D vision camera, it automatically finds the position of the battery box through artificial intelligence analysis, and can quickly lock and unlock the hook through the box detection equipment.

[0069] 5. Good safety: The mechanism moves left and right with a rectangular frame support, and a moving slider is installed at the support position. The front and rear positions use a mature guide rail slider structure. The left and right, front and rear movements meet the requirements of the sling operation, and detection elements such as proximity switches are installed at the extreme positions of the moving components to ensure the safety of the gripper during operation.

[0070] The gripper device for the battery replacement battery box of the present invention has the advantages of compact structure, easy operation, safety and efficiency, strong adaptability, high degree of battery replacement automation, etc., which improves the efficiency of battery replacement by the gripper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0071] Figure 1 This is the layout diagram of the invention patent with application number CN 202211677724.0;

[0072] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a gripper for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0073] Figure 3 A bottom view of a gripper for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0074] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a main support for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0075] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a telescopic bracket for replacing power in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0076] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a hook support for ceiling-mounted battery box replacement;

[0077] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a front and rear telescopic guide rail for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0078] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a hook assembly for replacing power in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0079] Fig. 9 It is an overall battery replacement flow chart for replacing power in a ceiling-mounted battery box;

[0080] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 Flowchart of the specific steps of the 00 battery replacement process;

[0081] Fig.11 for Fig. 9 01 Flowchart of the specific steps of the battery replacement process;

[0082] Fig.12 for Fig. 9 Flowchart of the specific steps of the battery replacement process in 11.

[0083] In the figure: 1. Main support; 2. Lifting wire rope; 3. Left and right telescopic cylinders; 4. Telescopic support; 5. Hook support; 6. Front and rear telescopic cylinders; 7. Front and rear telescopic guide rails; 8. Hook assembly; 9. Rotating motor; 10. Detection device; 101. Battery box; 102. 3D vision camera;

[0084] 11. Rectangular tube support; 12. Wire rope seat; 13. Crossbeam; 14. Reinforcement plate;

[0085] 41. Telescopic seat; 42. Reinforcement rib; 43. Crossbeam; 44. Guide rail mounting seat; 45. Cylinder mounting seat; 46. Sliding block;

[0086] 51. Bottom plate; 52. Side plate; 53. Cylinder connecting plate; 54. Reinforcement plate; 55. Motor seat; 56. Hook support;

[0087] 71. Guide rail; 72. Slider;

[0088] 81. Pressure cover; 82. Key; 83. Bearing; 84. Testing equipment bracket; 85. Turn pin; 86. Drag box board. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0089] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The following examples are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for people familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the limiting conditions that the present invention can be implemented, so they have no technical substantive significance. Any structural modification, change in proportional relationship or adjustment of size, without affecting the effects that the present invention can produce and the purposes that can be achieved, should still fall within the scope that the technical content disclosed by the present invention can cover.

[0090] In the description of this embodiment, it should be noted that if the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this embodiment and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this embodiment.

[0091] Embodiment 1:

[0092] This embodiment provides a gripper suitable for replacing batteries in a ceiling-mounted battery box, such as Figure 2 , 3 As shown, it includes a main support 1, a lifting wire rope 2, left and right telescopic cylinders 3, a telescopic support 4, a hook support 5, front and rear telescopic cylinders 6, 3D front and rear telescopic guide rails 7, a hook assembly 8, a rotating motor 9, a detection device 10, a lifting battery box 101, and a 3D visual camera 102.

[0093] Main support 1 Figure 4As shown, it mainly consists of a rectangular tube support 11, a wire rope seat 12, a crossbeam 4313, and a reinforcing plate 5414. The rectangular tube support 11 mainly supports the telescopic use when the left and right telescopic seats 41 are telescopic, and at the same time ensures the lifting safety of the hoist. The crossbeam 4313 and the reinforcing plate 5414 both play the role of strengthening the main support strength, and the wire rope seat 12 plays the role of connecting the wire rope.

[0094] The lifting wire rope 2 is mainly composed of a group of wire ropes. The purpose of using the wire ropes is to make the gripper have a flexible connection. When the gripper is lowered to the box, certain adjustments are made to enable the box to be quickly landed.

[0095] The main function of the left and right telescopic cylinders 3 is to control the telescopic bracket to telescope left and right, so as to adjust the left and right positions of the hook. The telescopic cylinders use double-headed telescopic cylinders, and the telescopic movement of both sides is independently controlled, so that different degrees of telescopic movement can be achieved. When the telescopic brackets 4 on the left and right sides need to be telescoped, the telescopic cylinders can be controlled to telescope left and right. The left and right directions are asynchronously controlled, so that when the gripper is not at the center of the battery box, the left and right positions can be adjusted to achieve the lifting of the battery box.

[0096] Telescopic bracket Figure 5 As shown, it mainly includes a telescopic seat 41, a reinforcing rib 42, a crossbeam 4313, a guide rail 71 mounting seat 44, a cylinder mounting seat 45, and a sliding block 46. The telescopic bracket as a whole is a T-shaped structure, and the telescopic seat 41 is a common root of a rectangular frame. Its main function is to penetrate into the interior of the rectangular tube support 11 and slide along the interior thereof. The sliding block 46 is made of high-strength nylon and is installed on the telescopic seat 41 to reduce friction, noise and wear during sliding. The reinforcing rib 42 and the crossbeam 4313 play a supporting and reinforcing role. A guide rail 71 that moves forward and backward is installed on the guide rail 71 mounting seat 44 to ensure that the gripper can move forward and backward. The cylinder mounting seat 45 is connected to the double-headed cylinder piston rod. When the double-headed cylinder piston rod is extended and retracted, the above-mentioned whole is pushed to slide along the axis of the rectangular tube, thereby pushing the hook to move left and right, so as to adjust the left and right lifting positions of the hook.

[0097] like Figure 6 As shown, the hook support 5 mainly includes a base plate 51, a side plate 52, a cylinder connecting plate 53, a reinforcing plate 5414, a motor seat 55 and a hook support 56. A hook support 56 is installed on the base plate 51. The hook support 56 mainly supports the hook assembly 8 and bears the load during lifting. The motor seat 55 is bolted to the hook support 56. A rotating motor 9 is installed on the motor seat 55, and the main purpose is to control the rotation of the hook. The base is connected to the guide rail 71 by bolts to ensure that the hook support 5 can slide along the guide rail 71 as a whole. The main function of the cylinder connecting plate 53 is to connect the hook support 5 with the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6, so that the cylinder can control the hook support 5 to slide forward and backward along the guide rail 71.

[0098] The main function of the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 is to control the hook support 5 and the hook as a whole to slide forward and backward along the guide rail 71. The front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 use double-head telescopic cylinders, and the telescopic movement of both sides is independently controlled, and both can achieve different degrees of telescopic movement. When the hook needs to move forward and backward, the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 can be controlled to achieve telescopic movement in the front and rear positions.

[0099] The front and rear telescopic guide rails 7 are shown in the figure, and include a guide rail 71 and a slider 72. A group of sliders 72 are installed on the guide rail 71, and each group of sliders 72 is installed with a hook support 5. The guide rail 71 is installed on the guide rail 71 mounting seat 44 with bolts.

[0100] Hook assembly 8 Figure 8 As shown, it includes a pressure cover 81, a key 82, a bearing 83, a detection equipment bracket 84, a rotating pin 85, and a box drag plate 86. The bearing 83 is installed on the hook support 5, and the rotating pin 85, the key 82 and the pressure cover 81 are controlled to rotate together through the rotating motor 9 installed thereon, so as to realize the rotation of the gripper hook °, and realize the locking and unlocking of the battery box.

[0101] A detection device bracket 84 is installed on the rotating pin 85 for installing the detection device 10. The detection device 10 can also rotate with the rotating arm to detect the situation of the gripper in different shapes and positions when the box is in place.

[0102] There are a total of 4 sets of rotating motors 9 installed, which are installed with the hook assembly 8 through flat keys. The main function is to control the hook assembly 8 to rotate by degrees, thereby realizing the locking and unlocking of the gripper.

[0103] The detection device 10 includes a proximity switch and a sensor. A proximity switch is installed on the hook assembly 8, which mainly detects whether the gripper is in contact with the box and the hook is locked in place and unlocked. After the box detection prompt is in place, the battery box 101 can be lifted. After the unlocking is detected, the gripper can be unhooked and returned to its original position. Proximity switches and other protective measures are installed at each extreme position of the gripper, and sensors and position detection are installed between each moving part to realize the automation of gripper lifting.

[0104] like Figure 3 As shown, the 3D vision camera 102 is mainly installed at the symmetrical angles of the gripper, with a total of 2 sets installed. Through 3D fast imaging technology, the surface contour of the battery box is scanned to obtain the three-dimensional point cloud data of the battery box, and then the point cloud data is processed and analyzed by artificial intelligence to calculate the relative spatial posture of the current battery box and the spreader, and send instructions to the spreader to guide the spreader to grab the battery box. The specific artificial intelligence analysis method here can use the existing AI model.

[0105] The present embodiment is a gripper for replacing a battery in a ceiling-mounted battery box, which can realize the replacement of batteries in ceiling-mounted battery boxes of different specifications and forms for construction machinery. The replacement process of the battery replacement device is as follows: Fig. 9 , 10 , 11, and 12, the process is as follows (the following control processes can be integrated into the controller, which is controlled by the controller according to the signals of the 3D vision camera 102, the proximity switch, and the sensor):

[0106] During the battery box lifting process, the gripper is first moved to the vicinity of the top of the battery box 101 to be lifted, and the 3D vision camera 102 is started to scan the external contour of the battery box to determine the external shape and relative position of the battery box. According to the external shape, the relative position of the gripper is adjusted so that the relative position of the gripper and the battery box coincide.

[0107] The gripper continues to be lowered, and the 3D vision camera 102 works synchronously to continue adjusting the position of the hook. When it is adjusted to a certain height from the battery box, the gripper and the center of the battery box are also adjusted at the same time. At this time, the gripping method of the gripper can be determined, and different movement sequences can be performed according to the shape of the battery box.

[0108] At this time, the gripper has three degrees of freedom to adjust the lifting position on the top of the battery box. The gripper can adjust the lifting method of the hook according to the grabbing point of the battery box. There are three sequences:

[0109] 00 Battery replacement process: adjust the left and right front and rear double-head cylinders, and rotate the hook hook angle when locking;

[0110] 01 Battery replacement process: adjust the rotation angle position of the left and right double-headed cylinders and the hook, and adjust the position of the front and rear double-headed cylinders when locking;

[0111] 11. Battery replacement process: adjust the rotation angle position of the front and rear double-headed cylinders and the hook, and adjust the position of the left and right double-headed cylinders of the hook when locking.

[0112] After the hook lifting mode is determined, continue to descend until the gripper contacts the top of the battery box. The detection device 10 detects that the gripper contacts the top of the battery box and stops descending. At this time, the gripper can be locked according to the relative position of the battery box. There are also 3 corresponding locking modes:

[0113] 00 During the battery replacement process, the rotating hook is locked by 90° rotation;

[0114] 01 During the battery replacement process, the left and right double-headed cylinders move to push the hook to move left and right and lock;

[0115] 11 During the battery replacement process, the front and rear double-head cylinders move, pushing the hook forward and backward to lock.

[0116] The locking detection mechanism is installed on the hook. When the detection mechanism detects that the hook is locked in place, the battery box 101 starts to be lifted.

[0117] After the lifting is completed, the operation is reversed according to the sequence of lifting the battery box 101. When the detection device 10 detects that the hook and the battery box are unlocked, the wire rope is raised to separate the gripper from the battery box position, and then the recovery program is started to restore the gripper to the original position of the lifting point, and the battery box lifting operation is completed.

[0118] Embodiment 2:

[0119] This embodiment provides a battery replacement method for a ceiling-mounted battery box, based on the gripper described in Embodiment 1, comprising the following steps:

[0120] Connect the wire rope to the gripper through the wire rope seat 12;

[0121] Move the gripper to the vicinity of the top of the battery box 101 to be suspended, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders 3 and the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 according to the size of the battery box 101 to make the hook assembly 8 match the size of the battery box 101 to be suspended;

[0122] Lower the gripper to the grabbing position through the wire rope, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders 3 and the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 to lock the hook assembly 8 with the suspension rod of the suspended battery box 101;

[0123] After lifting the battery box 101 to the target position, adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders 3 and the front and rear telescopic cylinders 6 to unlock the hook assembly 8 from the lifting rod of the battery box 101, and then separate it from the battery box 101 by the lifting gripper.

[0124] like Fig. 9 As shown, the specific methods include:

[0125] The 3D vision camera 102 is started to scan the external contour of the battery box to determine the external shape and relative position of the battery box, and the relative position of the gripper is adjusted according to the external shape so that the relative positions of the gripper and the battery box coincide.

[0126] The gripper continues to be lowered, and the 3D vision camera 102 works synchronously to continue adjusting the position of the gripper hook. When the gripper hook is adjusted to a certain height from the battery box, the gripper and the center of the battery box are also adjusted at the same time. At this time, the gripping method of the gripper is determined, and different movement sequences can be performed according to the shape of the battery box.

[0127] At this time, the gripper has three degrees of freedom to adjust the lifting position on the top of the battery box. The gripper can adjust the lifting method of the hook according to the grabbing point of the battery box. There are three sequences:

[0128] like Fig.10As shown, the 00 battery replacement process: adjust the left and right front and rear double-headed oil cylinders, and rotate the hook angle when locked; the 3D visual camera 102 detects the shape and relative position of the battery box. If the 00 battery replacement process is selected, the left and right front and rear double-headed oil cylinder positions are adjusted according to the detection results of the 3D visual camera 102 to determine whether the position is appropriate. If yes, continue to lower the gripper, otherwise re-detect;

[0129] If the gripper continues to be lowered, determine whether the box detection device detects the gripper box landing signal. If so, start the hook rotation motor 9 and adjust the hook rotation angle until the gripper detects the hook locking signal. Otherwise, continue to lower the gripper. If the judgment process exceeds 10 cycles (that is, exceeds the preset box landing time), stop and inspect the equipment.

[0130] Similarly, after the box is placed, it is determined whether the gripper detects the hook locking signal (obtained through the proximity switch and sensor of the detection device 10). If so, the equipment lifting begins and the battery box is lifted to the specified position. Otherwise, the hook locking signal continues to be detected. If the judgment process exceeds 10 cycles (that is, exceeds the preset locking time), the equipment maintenance is stopped.

[0131] After the battery box is lifted to the designated position, the hook is unlocked, and the hook rotation motor 9 is started to rotate the hook to the original angle.

[0132] Determine whether the hook detection device receives the unlocking signal (obtained through the proximity switch and sensor of the detection device 10). If so, confirm that the hook has been detached from the battery box. Otherwise, continue to detect the hook unlocking signal. If the judgment process exceeds 10 cycles (that is, exceeds the preset unlocking time), stop repairing the equipment.

[0133] After the hook is separated from the battery box, lift the gripper and detach it from the battery box.

[0134] 01Battery replacement process: The specific process is as follows Fig.11 As shown, its main features are: adjusting the rotation angle position of the left and right double-headed oil cylinders and the hook, and adjusting the position of the front and rear double-headed oil cylinders when locking;

[0135] 11Battery replacement process: The specific process is as follows Fig.12 As shown, its main features are: adjusting the rotation angle position of the front and rear double-headed cylinders and the hook, and adjusting the position of the left and right double-headed cylinders of the hook when locking.

[0136] After the hook lifting mode is determined, continue to descend until the gripper contacts the top of the battery box. The detection device 10 detects that the gripper contacts the top of the battery box and stops descending. At this time, the gripper can be locked according to the relative position of the battery box. There are also 3 corresponding locking modes:

[0137] 00 During the battery replacement process, the rotating hook is locked by 90° rotation;

[0138] 01 During the battery replacement process, the left and right double-headed cylinders move to push the hook to move left and right and lock;

[0139] 11 During the battery replacement process, the front and rear double-head cylinders move, pushing the hook forward and backward to lock.

[0140] The locking detection mechanism is installed on the hook. When the detection mechanism detects that the hook is locked in place, the battery box 101 starts to be lifted.

[0141] After the lifting is completed, the operation is reversed according to the sequence of lifting the battery box 101. When the detection device 10 detects that the hook and the battery box are unlocked, the wire rope is raised to separate the gripper from the battery box position, and then the recovery program is started to restore the gripper to the original position of the lifting point, and the battery box lifting operation is completed.

[0142] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features, and in the description of the present invention, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0143] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0144] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0145] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0146] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is to be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and are not to be construed as limitations on the present invention. A person skilled in the art may change, modify, replace and modify the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and intent of the present invention.

Claims

1. A gripper suitable for replacing batteries in a ceiling-mounted battery box, characterized in that: It includes a wire rope seat, a main support, a telescopic support, left and right telescopic cylinders, front and rear telescopic cylinders, a hook support and a hook assembly; The wire rope seat is fixedly arranged on the upper part of the main support and is used for connecting the lifting wire rope; The main support is provided with an inner hole along a first direction; The telescopic support is nested and connected in the inner hole, and is hinged to the ends of the left and right telescopic oil cylinders, and can be driven by the left and right telescopic oil cylinders to move closer to or away from the main support along a first direction; The front and rear telescopic cylinders are arranged on the telescopic support in a manner that the length is along a second direction, and the second direction is not parallel to the first direction; the ends of the front and rear telescopic cylinders are hinged to the hook support; the hook support can move along the second direction driven by the front and rear telescopic cylinders; The hook assembly is connected below the hook support and is used to clamp the top suspension rod of the battery box.

2. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The main support includes a rectangular tube support, a crossbeam and a reinforcing plate; The rectangular tube supports are two and are fixedly connected to each other through a crossbeam; The rectangular tube support is provided with a through inner hole; The reinforcing plate is arranged at the end of the rectangular tube support to improve the strength of the rectangular tube support.

3. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The telescopic bracket includes a telescopic seat and a crossbeam; The telescopic bracket is a T-shaped structure as a whole; The telescopic seat is a rectangular frame, which is used to be nested and connected in the inner hole of the rectangular tube support and can slide along the inside thereof; The ends of the rectangular frame are fixedly connected to the cross beam, and reinforcing ribs are arranged between the ends of the rectangular frame and the cross beam; A sliding block is installed on the telescopic seat, and the telescopic seat is slidably connected to the inner hole surface through the sliding block; The crossbeam is provided with a cylinder mounting seat; the cylinder mounting seat is used for being hinged with the ends of the left and right telescopic cylinders.

4. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The telescopic support is slidably connected to the hook support via a guide rail and a slider; A guide rail mounting seat is arranged on the crossbeam; the guide rail mounting seat is used for fixedly mounting the guide rail; the slider is slidably connected to the guide rail, and the hook support is fixedly connected to the slider.

5. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 4 is characterized in that: Two of the hook supports are arranged on one of the telescopic supports; The front and rear telescopic oil cylinders are double-headed telescopic oil cylinders, and the two hook supports are respectively connected to the piston rods of the front and rear telescopic oil cylinders. When the front and rear telescopic oil cylinders are extended or retracted, the two hook supports are respectively pushed to slide along the second direction; There are two telescopic supports, and two ends of the main support along the first direction are respectively connected to a telescopic support; The left and right telescopic cylinders are double-headed telescopic cylinders, and the cylinder mounting seats of the two telescopic supports are respectively connected to the piston rods at both ends of the left and right telescopic cylinders. When the left and right telescopic cylinders are extended or retracted, the two telescopic supports are respectively pushed to slide along the first direction.

6. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

7. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The hook support comprises a bottom plate, a side plate, a cylinder connecting plate, a reinforcement plate, a motor seat and a hook support; The bottom plate is fixedly connected to the side plate, and a reinforcing plate is arranged between the bottom plate and the side plate; The hook support is fixedly mounted on the bottom plate, and the hook support is used to support the hook assembly and bear the load during lifting; The hook support is connected to the motor seat by bolts, a rotating motor is installed on the motor seat, and the rotating motor is connected to the hook assembly to control the rotation of the hook assembly; The cylinder connecting plate is fixedly connected to the side plate and is used for being hinged to the piston rod of the front and rear telescopic cylinders; The side plate can be fixedly connected to the slide block by bolts.

8. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 7 is characterized in that: The hook assembly includes a gland, a key, a bearing, a rotation pin and a towing box plate; The top of the rotating pin is fixedly mounted with a bearing through a gland and a key, and the rotating pin is rotatably connected to the hook support through the bearing; The top end of the rotating pin is provided with an interface for connecting with the output shaft of the rotating motor, and can be driven to rotate by the rotating motor; A box-dragging plate is fixedly connected to the bottom of the rotating pin, and the box-dragging plate can lock and unlock the gripper and the top suspension rod of the battery box as the rotating pin rotates.

9. The gripper suitable for battery replacement in a ceiling-mounted battery box according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hook assembly also includes a detection device bracket disposed on the side of the rotation pin; The detection device bracket is provided with a detection device; the detection device includes a proximity switch; The proximity switch is used to detect whether the gripper is in place and the hook is locked.

10. A battery replacement method suitable for a ceiling-mounted battery box, characterized in that: The gripper according to any one of claims 1 to 9 comprises the following steps: Connect the wire rope to the grabber through the wire rope seat; Lift the gripper, move the gripper to the vicinity of the top of the battery box being lifted, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders in the first direction and the second direction respectively according to the size of the battery box being lifted so that the hook assembly matches the size of the battery box being lifted; Lower the gripper to the grabbing position through the wire rope, and adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders to lock the hook assembly with the suspension rod of the battery box being lifted; After lifting the battery box to the target position, adjust the left and right telescopic cylinders and the front and rear telescopic cylinders to unlock the hook assembly and the lifting rod of the battery box, and then use the lifting gripper to separate it from the battery box.

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