A locking mechanism, a battery structure, and an electric transport vehicle

Abstract

This invention relates to the technical field of battery pack locking mechanisms, and specifically discloses a locking mechanism, battery structure, and electric transport vehicle. The locking mechanism includes a locking seat, a latch, a connecting rod, and an elastic element. The locking seat and latch are arranged on two symmetrical sides of the housing. The locking seat includes a base and a connector hinged to the base. The latch has a locking groove. The first end of the locking rod is connected to a first mounting hole in the middle area of ​​the connector through a clearance fit. The second end of the locking rod is configured to be able to insert into or disengage from the locking groove. The elastic element is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod to drive the locking rod to maintain its alignment with the first mounting hole. The clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod to undergo lateral displacement perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that the locking rod can bypass the latch and enter or exit the locking groove, making the operation of the locking rod more convenient and reducing the fitting accuracy of the locking rod and locking groove, thus avoiding jamming due to dimensional errors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of battery pack locking mechanisms, specifically to a locking mechanism, battery structure, and electric transport vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of electric pallet trucks, logistics equipment and other fields, replaceable battery packs have become the mainstream power supply solution due to their convenience and efficiency. In order to ensure a stable power supply, the battery pack is generally fixed in the box of the vehicle body by a locking mechanism to ensure stability during transportation and reliability of electrical connections.

[0003] In existing technologies, common locking mechanisms include bolt locking mechanisms and snap-locking mechanisms. Among them, the screw locking mechanism uses bolts for detachable connection, but its installation and disassembly require repeated tightening of bolts, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. The snap-locking mechanism has high requirements for the machining and dimensional accuracy of the parts, because the locking rod and the latch are rigidly matched. If the dimensional and machining accuracy errors are large, the locking rod and the latch will be difficult to match, which can easily lead to jamming, wear, or even damage to the mechanism. In addition, some mechanisms that use rotating locking rods lack an effective unlocking state retention structure, which requires the operator to hold the locking rod with one hand and take the battery pack with the other, making the operation inconvenient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a locking mechanism, battery structure, and battery transport vehicle that facilitates both unlocking and locking of the battery pack, has low requirements for dimensional accuracy, and allows the locking rod to be elastically locked in the unlocked position for easy operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a locking mechanism for locking or unlocking a battery pack located inside a housing, the locking structure comprising: A locking seat is installed on the first side of the housing. The locking seat includes a base and an adapter. The first end of the adapter is rotatably connected to the base. A latch is fixedly disposed on the second side of the housing and corresponding to the locking seat, and the latch is provided with a locking groove. The locking rod has its first end connected to the first mounting hole in the middle area of ​​the adapter through a clearance fit, and its second end is configured to be able to be inserted into or disengaged from the locking groove. An elastic element, sleeved on the first end of the locking rod, is used to drive the locking rod to remain aligned with the first mounting hole; The clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod to undergo lateral displacement perpendicular to the insertion direction, enabling the locking rod to bypass the latch and enter or exit the locking groove.

[0006] According to the above-described locking mechanism, the elastic element is a spring, the locking rod is provided with a limiting plate protruding along its circumference, the spring is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod, and one end of the spring abuts against the limiting plate, and the other end of the spring abuts against the outer side of the adapter.

[0007] According to the locking mechanism described above, the opening of the locking groove faces downwards.

[0008] According to the above-described locking mechanism, the adapter is rotatable about a first axis, and the locking rod has a first position for locking the battery pack and a second position for unlocking the battery pack. The locking rod can rotate with the adapter about the first axis to switch between the first position and the second position.

[0009] According to the above-described locking mechanism, the locking seat further includes a rubber block, which is fixed on the seat body and located on one side of the first end of the adapter. The first end of the adapter is provided with a cam, which is rotatably connected to the seat body. The cam is provided with a protrusion, which can rotate with the cam and abut against the rubber block.

[0010] According to the locking mechanism described above, when the locking rod is in the second position, the protrusion abuts against the rubber block to elastically lock the adapter and the locking rod.

[0011] According to the locking mechanism described above, when the locking rod is in the first position, the locking rod is parallel to the top surface of the battery pack to close the opening of the housing; when the locking rod is in the second position, the locking rod is perpendicular to the top surface of the battery pack to open the opening of the housing.

[0012] According to the locking mechanism described above, a buffer block is provided on the side of the middle region of the adapter near the housing, and the buffer block is made of elastic material.

[0013] A battery structure, comprising: Compatible battery packs and housings; The locking mechanism described above is disposed at the opening of the housing and can be used to lock the battery pack inside the housing.

[0014] An electric pallet truck, comprising: The vehicle body has a drive wheel assembly at its bottom; As described above, the battery structure can be used to provide electrical energy to the drive wheel assembly.

[0015] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. The first end of the locking rod is fitted into the first mounting hole in the middle area of ​​the adapter through a clearance fit. This clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod to move laterally in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that the locking rod can bypass the latch itself and enter or exit the locking groove. Furthermore, the spring can provide a continuous centering force for the locking rod. The operator only needs to overcome the spring force to drive the locking rod to move laterally, so that it enters or leaves the locking groove, thereby achieving locking and unlocking. The operation is simple and greatly reduces the installation accuracy requirements of the battery pack and the box, avoiding jamming caused by manufacturing tolerances or deformation. 2. When the locking lever is rotated to the unlocked position, the protrusion on the cam abuts against the rubber block, forming deformation resistance, which effectively locks the locking lever elastically, allowing the battery pack to be operated with both hands; 3. A buffer block is added to the second end of the adapter to prevent direct impact between the adapter and the housing as the adapter moves from the unlocked position to the locked position with the locking rod, thus preventing damage to both the adapter and the housing. 4. The locking lever is easy to operate and can greatly improve the efficiency of battery pack replacement. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall battery structure of an embodiment; Figure 2 This is another perspective view of the battery structure in the embodiment; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the locking mechanism structure in an embodiment; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the first end of the locking rod and the first mounting hole in an embodiment; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the adapter structure in an embodiment.

[0017] In the picture: 100. Locking mechanism; 110. Locking seat; 111. Seat body; 112. Adapter; 112a. First mounting hole; 112b. Cam; 112c. Buffer block; 112d. Pin head; 113. Rubber block; 120. Locking buckle; 121. Locking groove; 130. Locking rod; 131. Limiting plate; 140. Spring; 200. Box body; 300. Battery pack; 310. Pin slot. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention, which are described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to further illustrate the technical solution of the present invention. However, the invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0019] like Figure 1-5As shown, a locking mechanism includes a locking seat 110, a latch 120, a locking rod 130, and an elastic element. It is used to lock or unlock a battery pack 300 located inside a housing 200. One end of the locking rod 130 is hinged to the locking seat 110. The locking rod 130 is engaged with and disengaged from the latch 120 by rotating, thereby locking and unlocking the battery pack 300.

[0020] Specifically, the locking seat 110 is installed on the first side of the housing 200. The locking seat 110 includes a base 111 and an adapter 112. The first end of the adapter 112 is rotatably connected to the base 111. The latch 120 is fixedly disposed on the second side of the housing 200 and is correspondingly disposed to the locking seat 110. The latch 120 is provided with a locking groove 121. Both the locking seat 110 and the latch 120 are disposed at the opening of the housing 200, and the locking seat 110 and the latch 120 are respectively disposed on symmetrical sides of the housing 200. The first end of the locking rod 130 is connected to the housing 200 through a clearance fit. Within the first mounting hole 112a in the middle region of the adapter 112, the second end of the locking rod 130 is configured to be inserted into or disengaged from the locking groove 121. That is, the locking rod 130 can switch its locking and unlocking states by rotating up and down through the adapter 112. When the second end of the locking rod 130 is inserted into the locking groove 121, the locking rod 130 can lock the battery pack 300. After the second end of the locking rod 130 is disengaged from the locking groove 121, the second end of the locking rod 130 can rotate upward to move away from the latch 120 and the battery pack 300, thereby unlocking the battery pack 300.

[0021] The elastic element is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod 130, which is used to drive the locking rod 130 to maintain its alignment with the first mounting hole 112a. This clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod 130 to undergo lateral displacement perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that the locking rod 130 can bypass the latch 120 and enter or exit the locking groove 121. In this embodiment, the locking groove 121 cannot be located above the latch 120 because the upward movement of the second end of the locking rod 130 unlocks it. If the locking groove 121 were located above the latch 120, the locking rod 130 could not remain in the locked state. Therefore, during the downward movement of the second end of the locking rod 130, it needs to bypass the latch 120 body to enter the locking groove 121. The clearance fit between the first end of the locking rod 130 and the first mounting hole 112a allows the locking rod 130 to move laterally, thereby bypassing the latch 120. After bypassing, the second end of the locking rod 130 is placed into the locking groove 121. During the lateral movement, the movement of the locking rod 130 will compress the elastic element. After the lateral movement is completed, the elastic element can reset with the driving locking rod 130, thereby keeping the second end of the locking rod 130 always in the locking groove 121, achieving elastic locking. Since the locking rod 130 and the locking groove 121 do not require high-precision fit, the dimensional accuracy requirements of each component are low, which can avoid jamming caused by dimensional errors. It is also convenient to operate and has a good locking effect.

[0022] The elastic element is a spring 140. The locking rod 130 is provided with a limiting plate 131 protruding along its circumference. The spring 140 is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod 130, and one end of the spring 140 abuts against the limiting plate 131. The other end of the spring 140 abuts against the outer side of the adapter 112. The spring 140 provides a centering elastic force for the locking rod 130.

[0023] In this embodiment, the first mounting hole 112a is required to correspond to the middle of the locking groove 121, so that when the elastic element drives the locking rod 130 to reset, the first end of the locking rod 130 is aligned with the first mounting hole 112a, and the second end of the locking rod 130 is in the middle of the locking groove 121.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first end of the locking rod 130 and the cross-section of the first mounting hole 112a are both elliptical, and the size of the first mounting hole 112a is larger than the size of the first end of the locking rod 130. That is, the first end of the locking rod 130 can move in multiple directions relative to the first mounting hole 112a along its circumference. The locking rod 130 is allowed to move in multiple directions, which only requires overcoming the elastic force of the elastic element.

[0025] Specifically, the adapter 112 can rotate around the first axis, and the locking rod 130 has a first position for locking the battery pack 300 and a second position for unlocking the battery pack 300. The locking rod 130 can rotate around the first axis with the adapter 112 to switch between the first and second positions. During operation, the operator can hold the locking rod 130 with their hand, and the locking rod 130 drives the adapter 112 to rotate around the first axis, thereby realizing the lifting and lowering action of the second end of the locking rod 130. When the locking rod 130 moves from the first position to the second position, the locking rod 130 rotates upward and the second end of the locking rod 130 moves upward to move away from the latch 120 and the battery pack 300. When the locking rod 130 moves from the second position to the first position, the locking rod 130 rotates downward and the second end of the locking rod 130 moves downward to move closer to the latch 120 and the battery pack 300.

[0026] Furthermore, when the locking lever 130 is in the first position, the locking lever 130 is parallel to the top surface of the battery pack 300 to close the opening of the housing 200. When the locking lever 130 is in the second position, the locking lever 130 is perpendicular to the top surface of the battery pack 300 to open the opening of the housing 200. When the opening of the housing 200 is opened, the battery pack 300 can be inserted or removed from the opening of the housing 200. After the battery pack 300 is inserted into the housing 200, the opening of the housing 200 can be closed to lock the battery pack 300.

[0027] In this embodiment, the locking seat 110, the latch 120, and the locking rod 130 are all located inside the housing 200, which can prevent the locking mechanism 100 from interfering with other components.

[0028] Furthermore, a buffer block 112c is provided on the side of the middle area of ​​the adapter 112 near the housing 200. The buffer block 112c is made of elastic material. The buffer block 112c can provide a pre-tightening force to the adapter 112. That is, after the adapter 112 and the locking rod 130 are rotated to the position of locking the battery pack 300, the buffer block 112c can provide a pre-tightening force to the adapter 112. Therefore, there will be no loosening or shaking, which increases the reliability of locking the battery pack 300 and will not produce shaking noise.

[0029] Of course, a pin head 112d is provided on the second end of the adapter 112 near the housing 200, and a pin groove 310 is provided on the side wall of the battery pack 300. When the adapter 112 moves to the locking position with the locking rod 130, the pin head 112d is inserted into the pin groove 310 to limit the horizontal movement of the battery pack 300 and improve its locking stability.

[0030] In this embodiment, the locking groove 121 is located below the latch 120, that is, the opening of the locking groove 121 faces downward. During the movement of the second end of the locking rod 130 from the unlocked position to the locked position, the second end of the locking rod 130 first moves to the top of the latch 120, then moves laterally, and then continues to move downward to the bottom of the latch 120. Then, the second end of the locking rod 130 is driven to move laterally to the bottom of the locking groove 121. Under the drive of the elastic element, it resets upward and remains in the locking groove 121.

[0031] The locking groove 121 has positioning plates on both sides, and locking planes are provided on both sides of the second end of the locking rod 130. The locking planes can fit against the inner side of the positioning plates to limit the lateral movement of the locking rod 130 and prevent automatic unlocking.

[0032] Of course, in this embodiment, in order to ensure the stability of the locking and prevent the locking rod 130 from falling in the locked state due to the combined action of the adapter 112 and gravity, and to prevent it from automatically unlocking, a limiting block is provided on the side of the adapter 112 and the side near the seat 111. When the locking rod 130 moves to the first position, the limiting block abuts against the seat 111 to limit the adapter 112 from continuing to rotate in the clockwise direction. Of course, in addition to this method, a torsion spring can also be provided at the hinge between the first end of the adapter 112 and the seat 111. The torsion spring provides a counterclockwise elastic force on the adapter 112, which can drive the locking rod 130 to remain in the locked state.

[0033] Furthermore, the locking seat 110 also includes a rubber block 113, which is fixed on the seat body 111 and located on one side of the first end of the adapter 112. The first end of the adapter 112 is provided with a cam 112b, which is rotatably connected to the seat body 111. The cam 112b is provided with a protrusion, which can rotate with the cam 112b and abut against the rubber block 113. When the protrusion abuts against the rubber block 113, the rubber block 113 provides a deformation resistance to the cam 112b, limiting the cam 112b from continuing to rotate, thereby keeping the adapter 112 in this position and keeping the locking lever 130 in the corresponding position. During the installation and removal of the battery pack 300, there is no need to be distracted by operating the locking lever 130.

[0034] Furthermore, when the locking lever 130 is in the second position, the protrusion abuts against the rubber block 113 to elastically lock the adapter 112 and the locking lever 130. At this time, the locking lever 130 is in the unlocked state, and the battery pack 300 can be installed and removed. Since there is no need to hold the locking lever 130, the battery pack 300 can be operated with both hands, which greatly improves the convenience of operation.

[0035] In this embodiment, a total of two locking mechanisms 100 are provided. The two locking mechanisms 100 are arranged at intervals within the housing 200, which can improve locking stability and prevent the battery pack 300 from shaking.

[0036] In this embodiment, the base 111 is detachably fixed to the housing 200 by bolts, which facilitates the disassembly and maintenance of the locking base 110 as a whole.

[0037] Specifically, a battery structure includes a battery pack 300, a housing 200, and a locking mechanism 100 as described above. The battery pack 300 and the housing 200 are adapted to each other. An opening is provided at the top of the housing 200, through which the battery pack 300 can be inserted or removed. The locking mechanism 100 is located at the opening of the housing 200 and can be used to lock the battery pack 300 inside the housing 200, thereby preventing the battery pack 300 from shaking inside the housing 200 and improving the stability of the battery pack 300.

[0038] Specifically, an electric transport vehicle includes a vehicle body and a battery structure. The vehicle body is equipped with multiple electrical components and a drive wheel assembly at its bottom. The battery structure is located on the front side of the vehicle body and is used to supply power to the multiple electrical components and the drive wheel assembly to achieve electric drive. The battery pack 300 can be quickly recharged by replacing it, thereby improving the recharging efficiency and increasing the working time of the transport vehicle.

[0039] In this embodiment, a locking mechanism 100, a battery structure, and an electric transport vehicle are disclosed. The locking mechanism 100 includes a locking seat 110, a latch 120, a connecting rod, and an elastic element. The locking seat 110 and the latch 120 are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the housing 200. The locking seat 110 includes a base 111 and a connector 112 hinged to the base 111. The latch 120 is provided with a locking groove 121. The first end of the locking rod 130 is connected to the first mounting hole 112a in the middle area of ​​the connector 112 through a clearance fit, and its second end... The locking rod 130 is designed to be inserted into or detached from the locking groove 121. An elastic element is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod 130 to drive the locking rod 130 to maintain its alignment with the first mounting hole 112a. This clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod 130 to undergo lateral displacement perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that the locking rod 130 can bypass the latch 120 to enter or exit the locking groove 121. This makes the operation of the locking rod 130 more convenient and can reduce the fitting accuracy of the locking rod 130 and the locking groove 121, thus avoiding jamming caused by dimensional errors.

[0040] The technical solution of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are used to help understand the concept of the present invention. The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples of the spirit of the present invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to replace them, but without departing from the spirit of the present invention or exceeding the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0041] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0042] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving terms such as "first," "second," and "a" are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0043] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A locking mechanism for locking or unlocking a battery pack located in a box, characterized by, The locking mechanism includes: A locking seat is installed on the first side of the housing. The locking seat includes a base and an adapter. The first end of the adapter is rotatably connected to the base. A latch is fixedly disposed on the second side of the housing and corresponding to the locking seat, and the latch is provided with a locking groove. The locking rod has its first end connected to the first mounting hole in the middle area of ​​the adapter through a clearance fit, and its second end is configured to be able to be inserted into or disengaged from the locking groove. An elastic element, sleeved on the first end of the locking rod, is used to drive the locking rod to remain aligned with the first mounting hole; The clearance fit allows the second end of the locking rod to undergo lateral displacement perpendicular to the insertion direction, enabling the locking rod to bypass the latch and enter or exit the locking groove.

2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic element is a spring, and the locking rod is provided with a limiting plate protruding along its circumference. The spring is sleeved on the first end of the locking rod, and one end of the spring abuts against the limiting plate, while the other end of the spring abuts against the outer side of the adapter.

3. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The locking groove opens downwards.

4. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter is rotatable about a first axis, and the locking lever has a first position for locking the battery pack and a second position for unlocking the battery pack. The locking lever is rotatable with the adapter about the first axis to switch between the first position and the second position.

5. A locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, The locking seat also includes a rubber block, which is fixed on the seat body and located on one side of the first end of the adapter. The first end of the adapter is provided with a cam, which is rotatably connected to the seat body. The cam is provided with a protrusion, which can rotate with the cam and abut against the rubber block.

6. A locking mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the locking rod is in the second position, the protrusion abuts against the rubber block to elastically lock the adapter and the locking rod.

7. A locking mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the locking lever is in the first position, the locking lever is parallel to the top surface of the battery pack to close the opening of the housing. When the locking lever is in the second position, the locking lever is perpendicular to the top surface of the battery pack to open the opening of the housing.

8. A locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adapter has a buffer block on the side of the middle area near the housing, and the buffer block is made of elastic material.

9. A battery structure, characterized in that, include: Compatible battery packs and housings; The locking mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-8 is disposed at the opening of the housing and can be used to lock the battery pack inside the housing.

10. An electric pallet truck, characterized in that, include: The vehicle body has a drive wheel assembly at its bottom; A battery structure as described in claim 9, wherein the battery structure can be used to provide electrical energy to the drive wheel assembly.

Images