Battery replacement equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses battery replacing equipment which comprises a telescopic mechanism and a battery tray arranged on the telescopic mechanism in a floatable mode, an unlocking pin is arranged on the battery tray, and the battery tray stretches into the bottom of a battery replacing vehicle through telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism. And the unlocking pin realizes unlocking or locking of the battery pack along with the lifting of the battery tray and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism. According to the battery replacing equipment, the battery tray and the unlocking pin, battery replacing is conducted from the side face of the battery replacing vehicle through the telescopic mechanism, the situation that the whole battery replacing equipment enters the lower portion of the battery replacing vehicle to occupy the space below the vehicle is avoided, more operation space is provided for dismounting or mounting of a battery pack, arrangement of the power mechanism is optimized, and the battery replacing efficiency is improved. The battery replacing efficiency is improved, the battery replacing operation is simpler, more convenient and faster, the whole telescopic mechanism has the functions of battery dismounting, battery mounting and battery transferring, and it can be ensured that the battery pack is rapidly and safely replaced.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202410380046.4, filed on March 29, 2024. This application incorporates the entirety of the aforementioned patent application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of battery swap stations, and specifically to a battery swap device. Background Art

[0003] With the development and popularization of new energy vehicles, battery pack quick-swap technology has also developed rapidly. For large vehicles, such as heavy trucks and light trucks, the heavy weight of the body and cargo leads to higher battery pack capacity requirements, requiring a sufficiently large capacity of electricity to support the operation of large vehicles.

[0004] In traditional battery swapping, large new energy vehicles use a top-lift method to secure large battery containers to the vehicle's beams. These containers are located close to the cab, posing significant safety risks to both the driver and the vehicle during operation and during top-lift battery swapping. Furthermore, battery failures can directly harm the driver. Furthermore, the top-lift method places high demands on the site for battery swap stations, requiring sufficient space for lifting equipment to transport and store batteries, resulting in high construction costs.

[0005] Therefore, for large vehicles, there is an urgent need for a safer, more reliable and easy-to-popularize battery swap mode. For example, a chassis-type battery swap mode for passenger cars is adopted. In the chassis-type battery swap mode, it is necessary to control the battery swap equipment to move as a whole to the battery swap position under the battery swap vehicle, and then perform lifting operations and remove or install battery pack operations to complete the entire battery swap process. In this battery swap process, due to the limited space under the body of the battery swap vehicle, especially heavy-duty battery swap vehicles that are difficult to drive and park on platforms above the ground, the space under the body of the battery swap vehicle is even more limited. If a battery swap device is used for battery swapping, the battery swap device needs to carry the depleted battery or the fully charged battery back and forth and in and out of the bottom of the battery swap vehicle during the battery swap process. In order to meet the power requirements of heavy-duty battery swap vehicles, the battery packs are very large, which leads to a great restriction on the available space for the battery swap equipment. At this time, if you want to increase the available space for the battery swapping equipment, you can only move the battery swapping equipment in the space sunken from the ground. Due to the multiple driving of heavy-duty battery swapping vehicles before and after battery swapping, the ground structure under this method will inevitably become unreliable and difficult to bear the multiple loads of the battery swapping vehicles, reducing the life of the equipment structure and posing a safety hazard to the battery swapping vehicles.

[0006] This shows that the many drawbacks of the prior art need to be further improved and enhanced. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present application provides a battery swapping device, in which the battery tray is extended into the bottom of the battery swapping vehicle through the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism, and the unlocking pin unlocks or locks the battery pack as the battery tray rises and falls and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism, thereby realizing battery swapping from the side of the battery swapping vehicle, avoiding the battery swapping device as a whole entering under the vehicle and occupying the space under the vehicle, providing more operating space for the disassembly or installation of the battery pack, and solving at least one technical problem existing in the background technology.

[0008] The technical solutions adopted in this application are:

[0009] A battery swapping device includes a telescopic mechanism and a floating battery tray arranged on the telescopic mechanism. An unlocking pin is provided on the battery tray. The battery tray is extended into the bottom of the battery swapping vehicle through the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism. The unlocking pin unlocks or locks the battery pack as the battery tray rises and falls and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism.

[0010] In this technical solution, the battery tray is used to support the battery pack and realize the transfer of the battery pack in and out of the battery swap vehicle. For example, the battery pack can be interactive between the battery swap vehicle and the battery storage rack of the battery swap station. The battery tray is set on the telescopic mechanism. When installing a fully charged battery, the battery tray carrying the fully charged battery enters under the body of the battery swap vehicle from the side through the horizontal extension movement of the telescopic mechanism, and locks the fully charged battery on the battery swap vehicle. Then, the battery tray is pulled out from under the body of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal retraction movement of the telescopic mechanism, ready for the next battery swap, and avoids the battery swap vehicle so that the battery swap vehicle can drive away from the battery swap channel or battery swap platform; when removing the deflated battery, the battery tray with the battery pack supporting space enters under the body of the battery swap vehicle from the side through the horizontal extension movement of the telescopic mechanism, unlocks and supports the deflated battery locked in the battery swap vehicle, and then the battery tray carrying the deflated battery is pulled out from under the body of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal retraction movement of the telescopic mechanism. The unlocking pin matches the locking mechanism for locking the battery pack on the battery-swapping vehicle. The unlocking pin is set on the battery tray. When the battery tray rises and falls under the influence of external force, the unlocking pin unlocks or locks the battery pack with the rise and fall of the battery tray and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of the battery pack disassembly and assembly. The battery tray and the unlocking pin are exchanged from the side of the battery-swapping vehicle through the telescopic mechanism. It is only necessary to move the battery tray and the unlocking pin under the battery-swapping vehicle under the influence of the telescopic mechanism, thereby avoiding the battery-swapping equipment as a whole entering under the battery-swapping vehicle and occupying the space under the vehicle. Even if the battery-swapping vehicle is exchanging batteries on a battery-swapping platform flush with the ground, the underside of the vehicle body can provide more operating space for the removal or installation of the battery pack, making the battery-swapping operation simpler and faster. Moreover, it is friendly to some battery-swapping vehicles with relatively low chassis, thereby avoiding the reduction in life and safety hazards caused by digging a pit under the battery-swapping platform to create a sunken ground space for battery-swapping. In addition, the actions including the battery tray entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle body and unlocking the battery pack are all achieved through the telescopic mechanism, which optimizes the setting of the power mechanism, not only improving the efficiency of battery replacement, but also making the battery replacement operation simpler and faster. The entire telescopic mechanism combines the functions of battery removal, installation and battery transportation, ensuring the rapid and safe replacement of battery packs, which is crucial for improving the convenience of use and maintenance efficiency of electric vehicles. In addition, the battery tray has a floating feature on the telescopic mechanism, which allows the battery tray to adapt to the shape and state of different battery-swapping vehicle chassis and maintain contact with the bottom of the vehicle, thereby achieving stable support for the battery pack and further improving the stability and safety of the battery replacement process.

[0011] Preferably, the battery exchange device further includes a bracket, the battery tray is arranged higher than the bracket, and the bracket is provided with an elastic member for enabling the battery tray to float.

[0012] In this technical solution, a telescopic mechanism drives the battery tray and unlocking pin to swap batteries from the side of the battery-swapping vehicle. When the telescopic mechanism is extended, the battery tray needs to support the battery pack, which is relatively heavy and bulky. This places high demands on the stability of the structure supporting the battery tray below. Therefore, a bracket is provided to support the battery tray, allowing the bracket to support the battery tray over a large area and in multiple directions, thereby improving support stability. Furthermore, the bracket not only provides space for the battery tray to rotate, but also for other structures that assist in unlocking and unlocking the battery pack, optimizing the structural layout. The physical area available for supporting the battery tray is relatively small for the telescopic mechanism. Therefore, the bracket allows the battery tray to be placed entirely on the bracket, eliminating the need for connection to the telescopic mechanism, which would affect the layout of the telescopic mechanism and the smoothness of its telescopic movement. The elastic member on the bracket gives the battery tray a floating property. This elastic member allows the battery tray to adapt to different surfaces and pressures when contacting the bottom of the battery-swapping vehicle, ensuring that the battery pack can be smoothly unlocked or locked. This structural design not only improves the efficiency of battery replacement, but also ensures the simplicity of battery replacement operation and the safe replacement of battery packs.

[0013] Preferably, the battery exchange device further includes a support plate arranged on the bracket, a sinking groove is formed on the support plate, and the battery tray is arranged in the sinking groove.

[0014] In this technical solution, the battery tray is arranged in the sinking trough. The space in the sinking trough is utilized to reduce the overall height of the battery tray on the pallet, making it flatter. When the battery tray is extended under the battery-swapping vehicle, it occupies less space in height, which helps to increase the battery-swapping space and further improve the adaptability to battery-swapping vehicles with chassis of different heights. In addition, the battery tray is placed in the sinking trough on the pallet, which can ensure the stable position of the battery tray during the battery-swapping process and prevent displacement or tilting during the process of carrying the battery pack, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the battery-swapping.

[0015] Preferably, the telescopic mechanism includes two telescopic forks that are spaced apart and move telescopically synchronously, the bracket includes two cross beams that are spaced apart along the telescopic direction of the telescopic mechanism and whose ends are respectively connected to the top surfaces of the two telescopic forks, and a plurality of longitudinal beams connected between the two cross beams and spaced apart, the two edges of the support plate are respectively connected between two adjacent longitudinal beams so that the sinking groove is located in the area between the two longitudinal beams, and the battery tray can be floatingly connected to the support plate through the elastic member.

[0016] In this technical solution, the telescopic mechanism can achieve a long distance of telescopic extension through the telescopic fork, which improves the adaptability to battery swap positions at different distances and battery swaps of different models. The two telescopic forks can form a stable support for the bracket. The bracket is set as a frame structure composed of crossbeams and longitudinal beams. The structure is simple, which facilitates the installation of the pallet and battery tray. On the basis of ensuring structural strength and load-bearing capacity, it helps to reduce the lightweight of the bracket and reduce the overall weight, thereby helping to reduce the burden on the telescopic mechanism. Moreover, the space between the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam avoids the sinking of the pallet, so that the sinking groove can be located in the space enclosed by the crossbeam and the longitudinal beam, allowing the pallet to utilize the space below the bracket. Compared with the pallet being higher than the bracket as a whole, it also helps to reduce the height of the battery tray and improve the adaptability to battery swap vehicles with chassis of different heights.

[0017] Preferably, along the telescopic direction, the two pallets are movably connected between the two longitudinal beams located on the outer sides at both ends, and the two edges of each pallet are respectively provided with a hanging part, and the hanging part is provided with a slider facing the bottom surface of the longitudinal beam, and a slide rail is provided on the top surface of the longitudinal beam. The movement of the pallet is achieved by the cooperation of the slider and the slide rail, so as to drive the battery tray to move synchronously.

[0018] In this technical solution, the tray is mounted between the two longitudinal beams through the hanging parts at both ends, so that the tray provides reliable and stable support for the tray and the battery tray floating on the tray. The tray can move in the telescopic direction through the cooperation of the slider and the slide rail, and during the movement, it drives the battery tray floating on it to move synchronously. Therefore, in a feasible manner, the movement of the tray and the battery tray relative to the tray can be used to assist the locking and unlocking process of the battery pack on the battery swap vehicle. For example, during the unlocking process, the telescopic mechanism drives the battery tray to perform a large-scale movement under the body of the battery swap vehicle and drives the battery tray to a position that allows the unlocking pin set thereon to unlock the battery pack. At this time, the telescopic mechanism is controlled to be in a relatively static state, and then the tray is driven to drive the battery tray to move a small range to remove the lock shaft on the unlocked battery pack from the locking mechanism of the battery swap vehicle. Since fewer moving parts are involved, the more it helps to improve the accuracy of the movement, and it also helps to optimize the power structure, save energy, and make the unlocking process more stable and more accurate.

[0019] Preferably, the depth of the sinking groove is matched with the compression amount of the elastic member and the distance between the battery tray and the supporting plate.

[0020] In this technical solution, by matching the depth of the sinking groove with the compression amount of the elastic member and the distance between the battery tray and the support plate, within the weight range of the battery pack allowed to be supported by the battery tray, when the gravity of the battery pack fully acts on the battery tray, although the elastic member is compressed under the action of the gravity of the battery tray and the battery pack, it is necessary to have a certain amount of distance between the battery tray and the support plate to ensure that the battery tray still has a certain amount of up and down floating space to cope with emergencies such as collisions and emergency stops, and to form effective protection for the battery pack. Therefore, the compression amount of the elastic member should at least ensure that the elastic member is in the maximum compressed state. The height of the elastic member is still higher than the depth of the sinking groove, so as to avoid the top of the elastic member being hidden in the sinking groove and unable to elastically support the battery tray. On this basis, the compression amount of the elastic member determines the difference between the maximum and minimum spacing between the battery tray and the pallet. Therefore, when the elastic member is in the maximum compression state and the height of the elastic member is still higher than the depth of the sinking groove, the battery tray and the pallet are in the minimum spacing state. At this time, the height of the elastic member is still higher than the depth of the sinking groove. Under the support of the elastic member, the battery tray and the pallet maintain a spacing state, and the battery tray still has a certain up and down floating space to cope with emergencies.

[0021] Preferably, the top surface of the longitudinal beam is not higher than the top surface of the telescopic fork, and the bottom of the sinking groove is slightly lower than the top surface of the longitudinal beam; the battery tray is an integrated tray so that the battery tray does not contact the telescopic fork after carrying the battery pack.

[0022] In this technical solution, the top surface of the longitudinal beam is no higher than the top surface of the telescopic fork, causing the longitudinal beam to sink relative to the telescopic fork. The pallet is mounted on the longitudinal beam via a hooking portion, causing the battery tray on the pallet to sink relative to the longitudinal beam, thereby helping to lower the height of the battery tray on the pallet and flattening it. The bottom of the sinking trough is slightly lower than the top surface of the longitudinal beam. This ensures that the sinking trough is recessed to a sufficient depth and helps to reduce the distance between the bottom surface of the pallet and the mobile assembly located below the pallet for driving the pallet. This ensures a reliable connection between the mobile assembly and the bottom surface of the pallet, thereby improving the stability of the mobile assembly's drive of the pallet. The battery tray is an integrated tray with a sufficiently large load-bearing surface to support the battery pack. It is well-suited for both small and large battery packs. For small battery packs, the integrated tray can even easily carry two battery packs simultaneously. For large battery packs, the sufficiently large load-bearing surface can improve the stability of the battery pack on the battery tray and prevent it from shaking up and down. After carrying the battery pack, the battery tray does not contact the telescopic fork and will not interfere with the telescopic movement of the telescopic fork, ensuring that the telescopic fork can stably extend and retract and smoothly complete the battery replacement.

[0023] Preferably, the bottom of the sinking groove is not lower than the bottom of the telescopic fork, so that the sinking groove is recessed to a sufficient depth; the battery tray is a two-piece tray, each tray piece matches the size of the sinking groove and can be floated in the sinking groove through an elastic member.

[0024] In this technical solution, the bottom of the sinking trough is no lower than the bottom of the telescopic fork, which can prevent interference between the pallet and the structure connected to the lower part of the telescopic fork, ensuring that the telescopic fork can normally complete the telescopic movement. The sinking trough is recessed to a sufficient depth to effectively reduce the overall height of the floating battery tray above, while also further facilitating the connection between the mobile assembly located below the pallet and the pallet. Each pallet piece matches the size of the sinking trough and can be floated in the sinking trough by elastic members. The inner wall of the sinking trough limits the position of the pallet piece, ensuring the stability of the position of the pallet piece during the battery swap process, preventing displacement or tilting during the process of carrying the battery pack, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the battery swap.

[0025] Preferably, the telescopic mechanism includes three telescopic forks arranged at intervals, and the bracket includes three cross beams arranged at equal intervals. The three cross beams are respectively fixedly connected to the three telescopic forks to form four partition areas. Two longitudinal beams are respectively arranged at intervals along the telescopic direction in the four partition areas, and four support plates are respectively connected between every two longitudinal beams; along the telescopic direction, two parallel support plates are used to set a battery tray, so that the battery exchange equipment can carry two battery packs at the same time.

[0026] In this technical solution, the telescopic mechanism supports the bracket through three telescopic forks, which helps to improve the smoothness of the telescopic movement, thereby further improving the stability of the battery pack support. The three crossbeams are fixedly connected to the three telescopic forks to form four partitions. The four partitions correspond to the installation space of the four pallets. The two parallel pallets are used to set up a battery tray. Then, a total of two battery trays are set on the four pallets, so that the battery swap equipment can carry two battery packs at the same time, for example, a fully charged battery and a low-charged battery at the same time. During the battery swap process, a fully charged battery can be taken out from the battery rack in advance and placed on the battery tray on the inner side. Then, the telescopic mechanism is extended from the bottom of the battery swap vehicle to remove the low-charged battery while carrying the fully charged battery. The low-charged battery pack is placed on the empty battery tray on the outside. After the telescopic mechanism retracts, the telescopic mechanism can be controlled to rotate by an appropriate method (such as a rotating mechanism) so that the battery tray carrying the fully charged battery is located on the outside and aligned with the battery swap vehicle. Then the telescopic mechanism is extended again to extend the battery tray carrying the fully charged battery under the battery swap vehicle, and the fully charged battery is installed on the battery swap vehicle. Finally, after the telescopic mechanism retracts, it is rotated by the rotating mechanism to align with the battery rack, and then the low-charged battery is loaded into the battery rack for charging. Therefore, this battery replacement method effectively shortens the overall battery replacement time and further improves the battery replacement efficiency.

[0027] Preferably, the two battery trays are two-piece trays, each of which can be floated in the sinking groove. Along the direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, each battery tray has an extension portion extending outward from the tray piece to the outside of the telescopic fork, and the unlocking pin is provided in the end area of ​​the extension portion for locking and unlocking the battery pack.

[0028] In this technical solution, the two battery trays on the bracket are each two-piece trays. Because the crossbeam and telescopic fork enclose four partitions, the four partitions correspond one-to-one to the four tray pieces. Two parallel tray pieces are used to carry one battery pack. The tray pieces extend outward to form an extension. The end area of ​​the extension is provided with an unlocking pin for locking and unlocking the battery pack, assisting in locking and unlocking the battery pack on the battery-swap vehicle. For example, these unlocking pins can simultaneously drive multiple locking mechanisms on the battery-swap vehicle to achieve multi-stage locking and unlocking.

[0029] Preferably, the bracket includes a plurality of mounting plates connecting the two longitudinal beams along a direction parallel to the cross beam from the bottom, and a moving assembly is formed between the mounting plate and the support plate for driving the support plate to move along the telescopic direction; the moving assembly includes a screw-nut mechanism fixed on the mounting plate and a guide mechanism provided on the back side of the sinking trough, and the guide member of the guide mechanism is fixedly connected to the nut of the screw-nut mechanism.

[0030] In this technical solution, based on the fact that the pallet can be moved in the telescopic direction by cooperating with the slider and the slide rail, a moving assembly is formed between the mounting plate and the pallet, and the pallet can be driven to move back and forth relative to the bracket in the telescopic direction by the moving assembly, thereby synchronously driving the battery tray to move back and forth, thereby assisting the battery pack in the unlocking process on the battery swap vehicle. The moving assembly includes a screw-nut mechanism and a guide mechanism. The reliability of the screw-nut mechanism transmission can be used to improve the stability and accuracy of the moving assembly in the process of driving the pallet to move, optimize the unlocking process of the battery pack, and enable the battery pack to be unlocked smoothly. The guide member of the guide mechanism provides guidance for the movement of the nut on the screw, which helps to improve the smoothness of the pallet movement and reduce jamming.

[0031] Preferably, the unlocking pin is arranged through the battery tray and can be raised and lowered, and the battery exchange device also includes a lifting drive mechanism fixed on the bottom surface of the battery tray to enable the unlocking pin to be at different heights during the process of adding and unlocking the battery pack; and / or, the battery exchange device also includes at least one battery positioning pin provided on the battery tray, and the battery positioning pin is used to cooperate with the positioning hole on the battery pack to drive the battery pack to move synchronously when adding and unlocking the battery pack.

[0032] In this technical solution, the unlocking pin can be raised and lowered relative to the battery tray. This allows for improved compatibility with battery pack locking mechanisms of different models, sizes, and installation locations on battery swapping vehicles by adjusting the pin's height. For example, when the battery pack locking mechanism is positioned higher, the unlocking pin can be raised; when the battery pack locking mechanism is positioned lower, the unlocking pin can be lowered. The unlocking pin can be raised and lowered by a lift drive mechanism. The unlocking pin's lifting and lowering required for unlocking and unlocking the battery pack on the battery swapping vehicle can be achieved not only by the overall lifting of the battery tray but also by the lift drive mechanism. Therefore, the unlocking pin's lifting and lowering are largely independent of the battery tray's lifting and lowering. During the unlocking and unlocking process, the telescopic fork and battery tray remain relatively fixed. Fewer moving parts improve the accuracy of the unlocking pin's lifting and lowering, enhancing unlocking and unlocking reliability. This improves the safety and efficiency of the battery swapping process, increases the flexibility of the battery swapping equipment, and makes battery pack replacement more efficient and safe. Positioning pins on the battery tray ensure the battery pack's correct position during the swapping process, preventing it from shifting during transport and unlocking and unlocking, thereby improving the accuracy and safety of battery swapping. In addition, the battery positioning pin cooperates with the battery pack to produce a positioning and clamping effect on the battery pack, so that the battery tray drives the battery pack to move synchronously, and the battery pack can better withstand the unlocking force, thereby improving the stability of battery unlocking.

[0033] Preferably, two of the unlocking pins are arranged at two ends of the battery tray respectively, and the two unlocking pins are arranged at intervals along the telescopic direction. The lifting driving mechanism on the same side is used to drive the two unlocking pins on the same side to move synchronously. The lifting driving mechanism comprises an electric push rod, a connecting rod and a transmission rod corresponding to the two unlocking pins. The connecting rod is connected to the electric push rod. The two ends of the transmission rod are hingedly connected to the connecting rod and the unlocking pin respectively. The electric push rod drives the connecting rod to move along the telescopic direction, and the transmission rod drives the two unlocking pins to move up and down.

[0034] In the technical solution, the arrangement of the plurality of unlocking pins can match the arrangement of the plurality of battery pack locking mechanisms of the battery swap vehicle, so as to realize the synchronous action of the plurality of battery pack locking mechanisms to realize locking and unlocking. When the electric push rod drives the connecting rod to move, the connecting rod drives all the transmission rods to rotate relative to the connecting rod, so that the transmission rods drive the unlocking pins to move up and down, so that the unlocking pins move up and down stably and reliably, and the locking and unlocking efficiency is improved.

[0035] Preferably, the battery swap equipment further comprises a fixed support frame, a lifting and moving assembly which can move up and down along the support frame, and a compartment which can be rotatably connected to the lifting and moving assembly. The telescopic mechanism is movably arranged in the compartment. The moving direction of the telescopic mechanism is perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the telescopic mechanism. By rotating the compartment, the orientation of the telescopic mechanism can be adjusted to facilitate the telescopic movement to perform the battery dismounting operation and / or the battery transfer operation.

[0036] In this technical solution, the lifting and moving component can be lifted and moved on the support frame, the car body is connected to the lifting and moving component, and the telescopic mechanism is movably arranged in the car body. Therefore, the lifting and moving of the telescopic mechanism is realized by the lifting and moving component relative to the support frame, thereby realizing the lifting and moving of the battery tray. Moreover, when it is necessary to remove a low-charged battery from the battery-swapping vehicle or install a fully charged battery on the battery-swapping vehicle, the battery tray is adjusted to a height position corresponding to the chassis of the battery-swapping vehicle by lifting the lifting and moving component relative to the support frame, and then the telescopic mechanism is extended, thereby realizing the battery disassembly and assembly operation of the battery-swapping vehicle. This application arranges the telescopic mechanism in the car body so that the telescopic mechanism extends from the car body to perform the operation of taking and placing the battery pack. When actually taking and placing the battery pack, it is only necessary to extend the telescopic mechanism from the car body to drive the electric tray into the bottom of the battery-swapping vehicle chassis, thereby avoiding the lifting and moving component and the support frame as a whole entering the bottom of the battery-swapping vehicle chassis and occupying the bottom space of the vehicle, providing more operating space for the removal or installation of the battery pack under the body of the battery-swapping vehicle, making the battery-swapping operation simpler and faster. The telescopic mechanism can move relative to the car body in a direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, and the moving direction is parallel to the body of the battery-swapping vehicle. When the driver parks the battery-swapping vehicle in front of or behind the battery-swapping position based on experience and visual observation and there is a deviation, the position of the battery tray can be adjusted by moving the telescopic mechanism, forming a way for the battery-swapping equipment to autonomously and faster find the battery pack on the battery-swapping vehicle, instead of the existing method in which the driver adjusts the position of the vehicle body multiple times to find the battery-swapping position. Moreover, it is easier to adjust the position of the telescopic mechanism in a direction parallel to the body of the battery-swapping vehicle, for example, it can be achieved through a sliding mechanism, and the structure is simple, which helps to reduce the difficulty of battery swapping, save the cost of battery swapping stations, and improve the efficiency of battery swapping. The car body is rotatably connected to the lifting and moving assembly, which facilitates adjustment of the car body's angle, thereby adjusting the extension angle of the telescopic mechanism. When the battery to be transported is located at a deflection angle, it can be precisely positioned and extended through rotational adjustment to effectively transport the battery. Moreover, through the rotation of the car body, the telescopic mechanism can be extended not only toward the battery swap vehicle, but also toward the battery racks arranged around the battery swap equipment. When extended toward the battery swap vehicle, depleted batteries can be removed from the battery swap vehicle or fully charged batteries can be installed, and when extended toward the battery rack, depleted batteries can be sent to the battery rack for charging or fully charged batteries can be taken out of the battery rack, thereby realizing the transfer interaction of battery packs between the battery rack and the battery swap vehicle. The rotatable car body makes the arrangement of the battery rack more flexible and more scalable. When the battery rack is arranged around the circumference of the battery swap equipment, the rotation of the car body enables the battery swap equipment to interact with battery racks at any position for battery packs, thereby improving battery transport efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0038] Figure 1 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 1 ;

[0039] Figure 2 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 2 ;

[0040] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a bracket provided in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0041] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a support plate provided in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0042] Figure 5 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 3 , which shows the state of the battery tray of the battery swap equipment after being removed from the pallet;

[0043] Figure 6 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 4 , which shows the state of the battery tray and the support plate of the battery swap equipment after being removed from the bracket;

[0044] Figure 7 A partial view of the battery swapping device provided in the first embodiment of the present application, showing a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the lifting drive mechanism, the unlocking pin and the battery tray;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the lifting drive mechanism provided in the first embodiment of the present application;

[0046] Figure 9 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 5 ;

[0047] Figure 10 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 6 ;

[0048] Figure 11 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the first embodiment of this application Figure 7 ;

[0049] Figure 12 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the second embodiment of this application Figure 1 ;

[0050] Figure 13 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the second embodiment of this application Figure 2 , which shows the state of the battery tray of the battery swap equipment after being removed from the pallet;

[0051] Figure 14 Assembly of the battery replacement device provided in the second embodiment of this application Figure 3 , which shows the state of the battery tray and the support plate of the battery swap equipment after being removed from the bracket;

[0052] Figure 15 A schematic structural diagram of a bracket provided in the second embodiment of the present application;

[0053] Figure 16 A schematic structural diagram of a support plate provided in the second embodiment of the present application;

[0054] Figure 17 This is a schematic structural diagram of the tray sheet provided in the second embodiment of the present application.

[0055] List of parts and reference numerals:

[0056] 1 Telescopic mechanism, 11 Telescopic fork, 2 Battery tray, 21 Tray piece, 22 Extension part, 3 Unlocking pin, 4 Bracket, 41 Crossbeam, 42 Longitudinal beam, 43 Slide rail, 44 Mounting plate, 5 Elastic member, 6 Tray, 61 Sinking groove, 62 Hanging part, 63 Slider, 7 Screw-nut mechanism, 71 Screw, 72 Nut, 8 Guide member, 9 Lifting drive mechanism, 91 Electric push rod, 92 Connecting rod, 93 Transmission rod, 100 Battery locating pin, 200 Support frame, 201 Battery compartment, 300 Lifting and moving assembly, 400 Carriage, 500 Rotary drive motor, 600 Sliding mechanism, 601 Sliding block, 602 Guide rail, 700 Electrical connector, 800 Mounting frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] like Figures 1 to 17 As shown, a battery swapping device provided in the present application includes a telescopic mechanism 1 and a floating battery tray 2 arranged on the telescopic mechanism 1. An unlocking pin 3 is provided on the battery tray 2. The battery tray 2 is extended into the bottom of the battery swapping vehicle through the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism 1. The unlocking pin 3 unlocks or locks the battery pack as the battery tray 2 rises and falls and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism 1.

[0058] In this technical solution, the battery tray 2 is used to support the battery pack and realize the transportation of the battery pack in and out of the battery swap vehicle. For example, the battery pack can be interactive between the battery swap vehicle and the battery storage rack of the battery swap station. The battery tray 2 is set on the telescopic mechanism 1. When installing a fully charged battery, the battery tray 2 carrying the fully charged battery enters the bottom of the vehicle body from the side of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal extension movement of the telescopic mechanism 1, and then locks the fully charged battery on the battery swap vehicle. Then, the battery tray 2 is pulled out from under the vehicle body of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal retraction movement of the telescopic mechanism 1, ready for the next battery swap, and avoids the battery swap vehicle so that the battery swap vehicle can drive away from the battery swap channel or battery swap platform; when removing the deficient battery, the battery tray 2 with the battery pack supporting space enters the bottom of the vehicle body from the side of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal extension movement of the telescopic mechanism 1, and then unlocks and supports the deficient battery locked in the battery swap vehicle. Then, the battery tray 2 carrying the deficient battery is pulled out from under the vehicle body of the battery swap vehicle through the horizontal retraction movement of the telescopic mechanism 1. The unlocking pin 3 matches the locking mechanism for locking the battery pack on the battery-swapping vehicle. The unlocking pin 3 is set on the battery tray 2. When the battery tray 2 rises or falls under the influence of external force, the unlocking pin 3 follows the rise and fall of the battery tray 2 and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism 1 to unlock or lock the battery pack, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of disassembly and assembly of the battery pack.

[0059] The battery tray 2 and the unlocking pin 3 are exchanged from the side of the battery-swapping vehicle through the telescopic mechanism 1. The battery tray 2 and the unlocking pin 3 only need to be driven by the telescopic mechanism 1 to enter the bottom of the battery-swapping vehicle, avoiding the battery-swapping equipment as a whole entering the bottom of the battery-swapping vehicle and occupying the space under the vehicle. Even if the battery-swapping vehicle is changing batteries on a battery-swapping platform flush with the ground, the bottom of its body can provide more operating space for the removal or installation of the battery pack, making the battery-swapping operation simpler and faster. Moreover, it is friendly to some battery-swapping vehicles with relatively low chassis, avoiding the reduction in life and safety hazards caused by digging a pit under the battery-swapping platform to create a sunken space under the ground for battery-swapping. In addition, the actions including the battery tray 2 entering and exiting the bottom of the vehicle body and unlocking the battery pack are all realized by the telescopic mechanism 1, which optimizes the setting of the power mechanism, not only improves the efficiency of battery-swapping, but also makes the battery-swapping operation simpler and faster. The entire telescopic mechanism 1 has the functions of battery removal, installation and battery transportation, which can ensure the rapid and safe replacement of the battery pack, which is crucial to improving the convenience of use and maintenance efficiency of electric vehicles. In a preferred embodiment, the battery swapping equipment can be used in conjunction with the battery swapping platform of the battery swapping station. Along the direction of travel of the battery swapping vehicle on the battery swapping platform, the battery swapping equipment is set on one or both sides of the battery swapping platform. The battery swapping vehicle can enter from one end of the battery swapping platform and then park at the corresponding battery swapping position. At this battery swapping position, the battery swapping equipment can perform battery pack replacement operations. Battery racks can also be set up around the battery swapping equipment. The battery swapping equipment can transfer the depleted batteries removed from the battery swapping vehicle to the battery rack for charging, and can remove the fully charged batteries on the battery rack and transfer them to the battery swapping vehicle.

[0060] In addition, the battery tray 2 has a floating feature on the telescopic mechanism 1, which allows the battery tray 2 to adapt to the shape and state of different battery-swapping vehicle chassis and maintain contact with the bottom of the vehicle, thereby achieving stable support for the battery pack and further improving stability and safety during the battery swap process. For example, when the battery-swapping vehicle chassis is horizontal, the battery tray 2 as a whole can be in a horizontal posture to achieve battery swapping. When the vehicle chassis is tilted, the battery tray 2 as a whole can be in an inclined posture to achieve battery swapping. When removing a low-charged battery, when the low-charged battery is transferred from the vehicle to the battery tray 2, the battery tray 2 moves downward under the action of the battery pack's gravity, and the floating battery tray 2 can achieve a buffering effect, effectively preventing the battery pack and the battery tray 2 from colliding and being damaged.

[0061] As a preferred embodiment, Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, the battery swapping device also includes a bracket 4, and the battery tray 2 is arranged higher than the bracket 4. The bracket 4 is provided with an elastic member 5 for making the battery tray 2 floatable. It can be understood by those skilled in the art that the telescopic mechanism 1 drives the battery tray 2 and the unlocking pin 3 to swap batteries from the side of the battery swapping vehicle. When the telescopic mechanism 1 is extended, since the battery tray 2 needs to carry the battery pack, and the battery pack is a relatively large object in weight and size, it requires a high stability of the structure below the battery tray 2 for supporting the battery tray 2. Therefore, in this technical solution, by providing a bracket 4, the bracket 4 is used to carry the battery tray 2. The large-area and multi-directional support of the battery tray 2 by the bracket 4 helps to improve the support stability. The battery tray 2 is arranged higher than the bracket 4, and can effectively carry the battery pack through the battery tray 2 to prevent the battery pack from contacting the bracket 4. Moreover, in addition to providing a rotation space for the battery tray 2, the bracket 4 can also provide installation space for other structures that assist in unlocking the battery pack, thereby optimizing the structural layout. For the telescopic mechanism 1, the physical area that can be used to carry the battery tray 2 is relatively small. Therefore, by providing a bracket 4, the battery tray 2 can be arranged as a whole on the bracket 4, without being connected to the telescopic mechanism 1 to affect the arrangement of the telescopic mechanism 1 and the smoothness of its telescopic movement. The elastic member 5 on the bracket 4 makes the battery tray 2 have a floating characteristic. The elastic member 5 can enable the battery tray 2 to adapt to different surfaces and pressures when contacting the bottom of the battery swap vehicle, ensuring that the battery pack can be smoothly unlocked or locked. This structural design not only improves the efficiency of battery swapping, but also ensures the simplicity of the battery swapping operation and the safe replacement of the battery pack. Preferably, the elastic member 5 can be a spring, and the battery tray 2 can be supported by a plurality of evenly distributed springs to improve the stability of the battery tray 2 floating up and down.

[0062] Furthermore, if Figure 3 、 Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the battery exchange equipment also includes a support plate 6 arranged on the bracket 4, and a sinking groove 61 is formed on the support plate 6, and the battery tray 2 is arranged in the sinking groove 61. In this technical solution, the battery tray 2 is arranged in the sinking groove 61, and the space in the sinking groove 61 is used to reduce the overall height of the battery tray 2 on the support plate 6, making it flatter. When the battery tray 2 is extended under the battery exchange vehicle, it occupies less space in height, which helps to increase the battery exchange space and further improve the adaptability to battery exchange vehicles with chassis of different heights. In addition, the battery tray 2 is placed in the sinking groove 61 on the support plate 6, which can ensure the stable position of the battery tray 2 during the battery exchange process and prevent displacement or tilting during the process of carrying the battery pack, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the battery exchange.

[0063] Furthermore, if Figure 3 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 6 as well as Figures 13 to 15 As shown, the telescopic mechanism 1 includes two telescopic forks 11 that are spaced apart and telescopically move synchronously. The bracket 4 includes two crossbeams 41 that are spaced apart along the telescopic direction of the telescopic mechanism 1 and whose ends are respectively connected to the top surfaces of the two telescopic forks 11, and a plurality of longitudinal beams 42 that are connected between the two crossbeams 41 and spaced apart. The two edges of the support plate 6 are respectively connected between two adjacent longitudinal beams 42 so that the sinking groove 61 is located in the area between the two longitudinal beams 42. The battery tray 2 is floatingly connected to the support plate 6 through the elastic member 5. In this technical solution, the telescopic mechanism 1 can achieve telescopic extension over a longer distance through the telescopic forks 11, which improves the adaptability to battery replacement positions at different distances and battery replacement of different models. The two telescopic forks 11 can form a stable support for the bracket 4. Those skilled in the art can understand that the battery pack itself is a heavy structure, and coupled with the weight of the bracket 4, the load-bearing stability requirements of the telescopic mechanism 1 are extremely high. It is necessary to meet the stability of the battery pack load and reduce the load on the telescopic mechanism 1 as much as possible. The bracket 4 is not suitable to be made into a whole solid structure. The bracket 4 is set as a frame structure composed of a crossbeam 41 and a longitudinal beam 42. The structure is simple, which facilitates the installation of the pallet 6 and the battery tray 2. On the basis of ensuring structural strength and load-bearing capacity, it helps to reduce the lightweight of the bracket 4 and reduce the overall weight, thereby helping to reduce the load on the telescopic mechanism 1. Moreover, the space between the crossbeam 41 and the longitudinal beam 42 avoids the sinking of the pallet 6, so that the sinking groove 61 can be located in the space enclosed by the crossbeam 41 and the longitudinal beam 42, so that the pallet 6 uses the space below the bracket 4. Compared with the pallet 6 being higher than the bracket 4 as a whole, it also helps to reduce the height of the battery tray 2 and improve the adaptability to battery-swap vehicles with chassis of different heights. Specifically, the crossbeam 41 and the longitudinal beam 42 can be preferably fastened together by welding and / or bolting to ensure the structural strength of the bracket 4. The crossbeam 41 is also preferably connected to the telescopic fork 11 by welding and / or bolting to ensure the connection strength.

[0064] Furthermore, if Figure 4 、 Figure 5 、 Figure 13 、 Figure 14 and Figure 16As shown, along the telescopic direction, the two pallets 6 are movably connected between the two longitudinal beams 42 located on the outer sides of the two ends. The two edges of each pallet 6 are respectively provided with a hanging portion 62, and the hanging portion 62 is provided with a slider 63 on the bottom surface facing the longitudinal beam 42. The top surface of the longitudinal beam 42 is provided with a slide rail 43. The movement of the pallet 6 is achieved by the cooperation of the slider 63 and the slide rail 43, so as to drive the battery tray 2 to move synchronously. Specifically, based on the fact that a hanging portion 62 is provided on both sides of the pallet 6, a slide rail 43 and a slider 63 are provided between the hanging portions 62 on both sides and the longitudinal beam 42 to ensure the stability of movement. In this technical solution, the pallet 6 is mounted between the two longitudinal beams 42 through the hanging portions 62 at both ends, so that the bracket 4 forms a reliable and stable support for the pallet 6 and the battery tray 2 floating on the pallet 6. The support plate 6 can move in the telescopic direction through the cooperation of the slider 63 and the slide rail 43, and drive the battery tray 2 floating on it to move synchronously during the movement. Therefore, in a feasible manner, the movement of the support plate 6 and the battery tray 2 relative to the bracket 4 can be used to assist the locking and unlocking process of the battery pack on the battery swap vehicle. For example, during the unlocking process, the telescopic mechanism 1 drives the battery tray 2 to perform a large-scale movement under the body of the battery swap vehicle, and drives the battery tray 2 to a position allowing the unlocking pin 3 set thereon to unlock the battery pack. At this time, the telescopic mechanism 1 is controlled to be in a relatively static state, and then the support plate 6 is driven to drive the battery tray 2 to move in a small range to remove the lock shaft on the unlocked battery pack from the locking mechanism of the battery swap vehicle. Since fewer moving parts are involved, the more helpful it is to improve the accuracy of the movement, and it also helps to optimize the power structure, save energy, and make the unlocking process more stable and more accurate.

[0065] Further, the depth of the sunken groove 61 is set to match the compression amount of the elastic member 5 and the spacing between the battery tray 2 and the support plate 6. Specifically, within the weight range of the battery pack allowed to be supported by the battery tray 2, when the gravity of the battery pack fully acts on the battery tray 2, although the elastic member 5 is compressed under the gravity of the battery tray 2 and the battery pack, a certain amount of spacing between the battery tray 2 and the support plate 6 is required to ensure that the battery tray 2 still has a certain amount of floating space up and down to cope with sudden conditions such as collision, sudden stop, etc., to effectively protect the battery pack. Therefore, the compression amount of the elastic member 5 should at least ensure that in the maximum compression state, the height of the elastic member 5 is still higher than the depth of the sunken groove 61, avoiding the top end of the elastic member 5 from being hidden in the sunken groove 61 and unable to elastically support the battery tray 2. On this basis, the compression amount of the elastic member 5 determines the difference between the maximum spacing and the minimum spacing between the battery tray 2 and the support plate 6. Therefore, when the elastic member 5 is in the maximum compression state, the height of the elastic member 5 is still higher than the depth of the sunken groove 61, the battery tray 2 and the support plate 6 are in the minimum spacing state. At this time, the height of the elastic member 5 is still higher than the depth of the sunken groove 61, and under the support of the elastic member 5, the battery tray 2 and the support plate 6 are kept in a spaced state, and the battery tray 2 still has a certain amount of floating space up and down to cope with emergency conditions.

[0066] Regarding the structure of the battery tray 2, the present application is not limited, and any one of the following embodiments can be adopted:

[0067] Embodiment one: as Figures 1 to 5As shown, the top surface of the longitudinal beam 42 is not higher than the top surface of the telescopic fork 11, and the bottom of the sinking groove 61 is slightly lower than the top surface of the longitudinal beam 42; the battery tray 2 is an integrated tray so that the battery tray 2 does not contact the telescopic fork 11 after carrying the battery pack. In this technical solution, the top surface of the longitudinal beam 42 is not higher than the top surface of the telescopic fork 11, so that the longitudinal beam 42 sinks relative to the telescopic fork 11, and the pallet 6 is mounted on the longitudinal beam 42 through the hanging portion 62. Therefore, the battery tray 2 on the pallet 6 sinks relative to the longitudinal beam 42, which helps to reduce the height of the battery tray 2 on the pallet 6 and tends to be flat. The bottom of the sinking groove 61 is slightly lower than the top surface of the longitudinal beam 42, which can not only ensure that the sinking groove 61 is recessed to a sufficient depth, but also help to reduce the distance between the bottom surface of the pallet 6 and the moving component located below the pallet 6 for driving the pallet 6 to move, so that the moving component and the bottom surface of the pallet 6 are reliably connected, thereby improving the stability of the moving component driving the pallet 6. Battery tray 2 is a one-piece tray with a sufficiently large load surface to accommodate both small and large battery packs. For small battery packs, the one-piece tray can even easily support two battery packs simultaneously. For large battery packs, the sufficiently large load surface ensures stability on the tray, preventing them from shaking. After loading the battery packs, the tray 2 does not contact the telescopic fork 11, preventing interference with its telescopic movement. This ensures stable telescopic fork 11 expansion and contraction, allowing for smooth battery replacement.

[0068] In a preferred solution of the first embodiment, Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 6As shown, the bracket 4 includes multiple mounting plates 44 connected to two longitudinal beams 42 at the bottom along a direction parallel to the crossbeam 41. A moving assembly is formed between the mounting plates 44 and the support plate 6, which is used to drive the support plate 6 to move in the telescopic direction. The moving assembly includes a screw-nut mechanism 7 fixed to the mounting plates 44 and a guide mechanism provided on the back of the sink 61. The guide member 8 of the guide mechanism is fixedly connected to the nut 72 of the screw-nut mechanism 7. In this technical solution, based on the fact that the support plate 6 can move in the telescopic direction through the cooperation of the slider 63 and the slide rail 43, a moving assembly is formed between the mounting plates 44 and the support plate 6. The moving assembly can drive the support plate 6 to move back and forth relative to the bracket 4 in the telescopic direction, thereby synchronously driving the battery tray 2 to move back and forth, assisting the battery pack in the battery swap vehicle. The moving assembly includes the screw-nut mechanism 7 and the guide mechanism. The reliability of the screw-nut mechanism transmission can be used to improve the stability and accuracy of the moving assembly in the process of driving the support plate 6, optimize the battery pack in the initiation and unlocking process, and ensure smooth initiation and unlocking of the battery pack. The guide member 8 of the guide mechanism provides a guide for the movement of the nut 72 on the screw 71, which helps to improve the smoothness of the movement of the support plate 6 and reduce the jamming phenomenon. Specifically, the rotation of the screw 71 of the screw nut mechanism 7 can be achieved by a rotary drive motor 500 fixed to the mounting plate 44.

[0069] In a preferred solution of the first embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 7As shown, the unlocking pin 3 is set through the battery tray 2 and can be raised and lowered. The battery swapping equipment also includes a lifting drive mechanism 9 fixed to the bottom surface of the battery tray 2 to keep the unlocking pin 3 at different heights during the unlocking and unlocking of the battery pack. In this technical solution, the unlocking pin 3 can be raised and lowered relative to the battery tray. The height of the unlocking pin 3 can be adjusted to improve the adaptability of the battery pack locking mechanism of different models, sizes, and installation positions on the battery swapping vehicle. For example, when the position of the battery pack locking mechanism is higher, the position of the unlocking pin can be raised, and when the position of the battery pack locking mechanism is lower, the position of the unlocking pin can be lowered. The unlocking pin 3 can be driven to rise and fall by the lifting drive mechanism 9. The lifting and lowering of the unlocking pin 3 required for the unlocking and locking process of the battery pack on the battery swapping vehicle can be achieved not only by the overall lifting of the battery tray 2, but also by the lifting drive mechanism 9. Therefore, the lifting and lowering of the unlocking pin 3 can be as independent of the lifting and lowering of the battery tray 2 as possible. During the unlocking and locking process, the telescopic fork 11 and the battery tray 2 are in a relatively fixed state. The fewer parts that are lifted and moved, the more helpful it is to improve the accuracy of the lifting of the unlocking pin 3 and the reliability of unlocking and locking, thereby improving the safety and efficiency of the battery swapping process, and increasing the flexibility of the battery swapping equipment, making the battery pack replacement process more efficient and safe. For example, the liftable unlocking pin 3 can be adapted to the battery locking mechanism of the following battery-swap vehicle: the battery locking mechanism includes multiple lock bases with lock slots, lock tongues movably arranged inside, and lock links connecting the multiple lock tongues. The lock tongues are used to open or close the lock slots. When the battery pack is locked, since the lock shaft on the battery pack needs to enter the lock slot, the unlocking pin 3 can be raised to push the lock link, so that the lock link drives all the lock tongues to move upward to open the lock slot, so that the lock shaft can enter the lock slot, and then the unlocking pin 3 is lowered to cancel the lock. When the lock shaft is out of the lock slot, the unlocking pin 3 is lowered to cancel the pushing of the lock link, and the lock link drives the lock tongue to move downward to reclose the lock slot.

[0070] Furthermore, if Figure 1 and Figure 8As shown, two unlocking pins 3 are provided at each end of the battery tray 2, spaced apart along the extension and retraction direction. A lifting drive mechanism 9 on the same side is used to drive the two unlocking pins 3 on that side to move synchronously up and down. The lifting drive mechanism 9 includes an electric push rod 91, a connecting rod 92, and a transmission rod 93 corresponding to each of the two unlocking pins 3. The connecting rod 92 is connected to the electric push rod 91, and the transmission rod 93 is hinged to the connecting rod 92 and the unlocking pin 3 at both ends. The electric push rod 91 drives the connecting rod 92 to translate along the extension and retraction direction, and the transmission rod 93 drives the two unlocking pins 3 up and down. In this technical solution, the unlocking pins 3 at each end of the battery tray 2 can correspond to different levels of locking and unlocking. For example, the unlocking pin 3 at one end corresponds to the first level of locking and unlocking, while the unlocking pin 3 at the other end corresponds to the second level of locking and unlocking. The first and second levels of locking and unlocking can be completed simultaneously. The two unlocking pins 3 at the same end of the battery tray 2 are driven to rise and fall synchronously by a single lifting drive mechanism 9, simplifying the drive structure and improving the synchronization of locking and unlocking. When the electric push rod 91 drives the connecting rod 92 to move horizontally, the connecting rod 92 drives all the transmission rods 93 to rotate relative to the connecting rod 92, so that the transmission rods 93 drive the unlocking pin 3 to move up and down, making the unlocking pin 3 move up and down stably and reliably, thereby improving the locking and unlocking efficiency. Figure 7 As shown, a mounting frame 800 corresponding to the lifting drive mechanism 9 can be fixed at the bottom of the battery tray 2 , and the lifting drive mechanism 9 can be installed in the mounting frame 600 .

[0071] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 As shown, the battery exchange device also includes at least one battery positioning pin 100 provided on the battery tray 2. The battery positioning pin 100 is used to cooperate with the positioning hole on the battery pack to drive the battery pack to move synchronously when the battery pack is locked and unlocked. The positioning pins provided on the battery tray 2 can ensure the correct position of the battery pack during the battery exchange process, prevent the battery pack from shifting during the transportation process and the locking and unlocking process, thereby improving the accuracy and safety of the battery exchange. In addition, through the cooperation between the battery positioning pin 100 and the battery pack, a positioning and clamping effect is generated on the battery pack, so that the battery tray 2 can drive the battery pack to move synchronously, and can also make the battery pack more able to withstand the unlocking force, thereby improving the stability of the battery unlocking.

[0072] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, Figure 9 、 Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, the battery replacement device further comprises a fixed support frame 200, a lifting moving assembly 300 movable along the support frame 200, and a compartment 400 rotatably connected to the lifting moving assembly 300. The telescopic mechanism 1 is movably arranged in the compartment 400, and the moving direction of the telescopic mechanism 1 is perpendicular to the telescoping direction of the telescopic mechanism 1. By rotating the compartment 400, the orientation of the telescopic mechanism 1 is adjusted to facilitate the telescopic movement to perform the battery dismounting and / or transferring operation. In this technical solution, the lifting moving assembly 300 is movable along the support frame 200, the compartment 400 is connected to the lifting moving assembly 300, and the telescopic mechanism 1 is movably arranged in the compartment 400. Therefore, by the lifting movement of the lifting moving assembly 300 relative to the support frame 200, the lifting movement of the telescopic mechanism 1 is realized, and then the lifting movement of the battery tray 2 is realized. Moreover, when it is necessary to dismount the discharged battery from the battery replacement vehicle or install the fully charged battery to the battery replacement vehicle, the battery tray 2 is adjusted to the height position corresponding to the chassis of the battery replacement vehicle by the lifting movement of the lifting moving assembly 300 relative to the support frame 200, and then the telescopic mechanism 1 is extended, so that the battery dismounting operation on the battery replacement vehicle is realized. In this application, the telescopic mechanism 1 is arranged in the compartment 400, so that the telescopic mechanism 1 is extended from the compartment 400 to perform the battery pack taking and placing operation. When the battery pack is actually taken and placed, only the telescopic mechanism 1 needs to be extended out of the compartment 400 to drive the electric tray into the space below the chassis of the battery replacement vehicle, avoiding the whole lifting moving assembly 300 and support frame 200 entering the space below the chassis of the battery replacement vehicle to occupy the space at the bottom of the vehicle, providing more operation space below the body of the battery replacement vehicle for the dismounting or installation of the battery pack, so that the battery replacement operation is more convenient and fast. The telescopic mechanism 1 is movable relative to the compartment 400 along a direction perpendicular to the telescoping direction, which is parallel to the body of the battery replacement vehicle. When the driver adjusts the position of the body of the battery replacement vehicle in front of or behind the battery replacement position by experience and visual observation, the position of the battery tray 2 can be adjusted by the movement of the telescopic mechanism 1, forming a way for the battery replacement device to automatically and quickly find the battery pack on the battery replacement vehicle, instead of the way for the driver to repeatedly adjust the position of the body of the battery replacement vehicle to find the battery replacement position. Moreover, it is easier to adjust the position of the telescopic mechanism 1 in the direction parallel to the body of the battery replacement vehicle, for example, by the sliding mechanism 600 of the sliding block 601 and the guide rail 602, which has a simple structure and helps to reduce the difficulty of battery replacement, save the cost of the battery replacement station, and improve the efficiency of battery replacement. Figure 9As shown, a portion of the support frame 200 can be used to form a battery rack with a battery compartment 201. Multiple battery compartments 201 are distributed vertically along the battery rack. The battery compartment 201 contains an electrical connector 700 for charging the battery pack. When extended toward the battery swap vehicle, the low-charged battery can be removed from the battery swap vehicle or a fully charged battery can be installed. When extended toward the battery rack, the low-charged battery can be sent to the battery rack for charging or the fully charged battery can be taken out of the battery rack, thereby realizing the transfer interaction of the battery pack between the battery rack and the battery swap vehicle. The rotatable compartment 400 makes the arrangement of the battery rack more flexible and more scalable. When the battery rack is arranged around the periphery of the battery swap device, the rotation of the compartment 400 enables the battery swap device to interact with the battery rack at any position for battery packs, thereby improving the battery transfer efficiency. In a preferred embodiment, the carriage 400 can be rotatably connected to the lifting and moving assembly 300 through a drive motor and a gear mechanism, the gear mechanism includes a driving gear and a driven gear, the drive motor is fixed to the lifting and moving assembly 300, the driving gear is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor, the driving gear and the driven gear are meshed, and the driven gear is fixed to the carriage 400.

[0073] Example 2: Figures 12 to 17 As shown, the bottom of the sinking groove 61 is no lower than the bottom of the telescopic fork 11, so that the sinking groove 61 is recessed to a sufficient depth. The battery tray 2 is a two-piece tray, and each tray piece 21 matches the size of the sinking groove 61 and can be floated in the sinking groove 61 via the elastic member 5. In this technical solution, the bottom of the sinking groove 61 is no lower than the bottom of the telescopic fork 11, which can prevent interference between the support plate 6 and the structure connected below the telescopic fork 11, ensuring that the telescopic fork 11 can normally complete the telescopic movement. The sinking groove 61 is recessed to a sufficient depth to effectively reduce the overall height of the floating battery tray 2 above, while also further facilitating the connection between the movable assembly located below the support plate 6 and the support plate 6. Each tray piece 21 matches the size of the sinking groove 61 and can be floated in the sinking groove 61 via the elastic member 5. The inner wall of the sinking groove 61 limits the position of the tray piece 21, ensuring the stability of the position of the tray piece 21 during the battery replacement process, preventing displacement or tilting during the process of carrying the battery pack, thereby improving the safety and reliability of battery replacement.

[0074] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the battery tray 2 is adapted to be a two-piece tray structure, such as Figure 12 and Figure 13As shown, the telescopic mechanism 1 includes three telescopic forks 11 arranged at intervals, and the bracket 4 includes three crossbeams 41 arranged at equal intervals. The three crossbeams 41 are respectively fixedly connected to the three telescopic forks 11 to form four partitions. Two longitudinal beams 42 are respectively arranged in the four partitions along the telescopic direction, and four support plates 6 are respectively connected between each two longitudinal beams 42; along the telescopic direction, two parallel support plates 6 are used to set a battery tray 2, so that the battery exchange device can carry two battery packs at the same time. In this technical solution, the telescopic mechanism 1 supports the bracket 4 through the three telescopic forks 11, which helps to improve the smoothness of the telescopic movement, thereby further improving the stability of the battery pack. The three crossbeams 41 are respectively fixedly connected to the three telescopic forks 11 to form four partitions. The four partitions correspond to the installation space of the four pallets 6. The two parallel pallets 6 are used to set a battery tray 2. Then, a total of two battery trays 2 are set on the four pallets 6, so that the battery exchange equipment can carry two battery packs at the same time, for example, a fully charged battery and a low-charged battery at the same time. During the battery exchange process, a fully charged battery can be taken out from the battery rack in advance and placed on the battery tray 2 located on the inner side (it should be noted that when the telescopic mechanism 1 is relatively extended, the side close to the compartment 400 is the inner side), and then the telescopic mechanism 1 While carrying the fully charged battery, extend the battery tray 2 under the battery swap vehicle to remove the depleted battery. Place the depleted battery on the unloaded battery tray 2 on the outside. After the telescopic mechanism 1 retracts, it can be controlled to rotate by an appropriate method (such as a rotating mechanism) so that the battery tray 2 carrying the fully charged battery is located on the outside and aligned with the battery swap vehicle. The telescopic mechanism 1 then extends again to extend the battery tray 2 carrying the fully charged battery under the battery swap vehicle and install the fully charged battery on the battery swap vehicle. Finally, after the telescopic mechanism 1 retracts, it rotates through the rotating mechanism to align with the battery rack, and then the depleted battery is loaded into the battery rack for charging. Therefore, this battery swap method effectively shortens the overall battery swap time and further improves the battery swap efficiency. The specific battery replacement method can be referred to as follows: the battery replacement equipment immediately takes the appropriate fully charged battery from the battery rack after obtaining the battery replacement vehicle information. After the battery replacement vehicle is parked in place, the low-charged battery removal operation is directly performed - the low-charged battery is retracted - the rotation switch position is made so that the fully charged battery is aligned with the battery replacement vehicle - the fully charged battery is installed on the battery replacement vehicle - the low-charged battery is retracted and transferred to the battery compartment to make full use of the parking time of the battery replacement vehicle, and the low-charged battery transfer operation is performed after the battery replacement vehicle is fully charged for installation, which effectively shortens the overall battery replacement time and further improves the battery replacement efficiency.

[0075] Furthermore, if Figure 12 、 Figure 13 and Figure 17As shown, the two battery trays 2 are two-piece trays, each tray piece 21 can be floated in the sinking groove 61. In the direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, each battery tray 2 has an extension portion 22 extending outward from the tray piece 21 to the outside of the telescopic fork 11. The end area of ​​the extension portion 22 is also provided with an unlocking pin 3 for locking and unlocking the battery pack. In this technical solution, the two battery trays 2 on the bracket 4 are two-piece trays. Because the crossbeam 41 and the telescopic fork 11 form four partitions, the four partitions correspond one-to-one to the four tray pieces 21. The two parallel tray pieces 21 are used to carry one battery pack. The tray piece 21 extends outward to form an extension portion 22. The end area of ​​the extension portion 22 is provided with an unlocking pin 3 for locking and unlocking the battery pack, which assists the battery pack in being locked and unlocked in the battery swap vehicle. For example, these unlocking pins 3 can simultaneously drive multiple locking mechanisms on the battery swap vehicle to achieve multi-level locking and unlocking synchronously.

[0076] Anything not described in this application can be achieved by adopting or drawing on existing technologies.

[0077] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0078] The foregoing is merely an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should all be included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery replacement device, characterized in that: It includes a telescopic mechanism and a floating battery tray arranged on the telescopic mechanism. An unlocking pin is provided on the battery tray. The battery tray is extended into the bottom of the battery swap vehicle through the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism. The unlocking pin unlocks or locks the battery pack as the battery tray rises and falls and the telescopic movement of the telescopic mechanism.

2. The battery replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery exchange device also includes a bracket, the battery tray is arranged higher than the bracket, and the bracket is provided with an elastic member for enabling the battery tray to float.

3. The battery replacement device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The battery exchange device also includes a support plate arranged on the bracket, a sinking groove is formed on the support plate, and the battery tray is arranged in the sinking groove.

4. The battery replacement device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The telescopic mechanism includes two telescopic forks that are spaced apart and move telescopically synchronously. The bracket includes two cross beams that are spaced apart along the telescopic direction of the telescopic mechanism and whose ends are respectively connected to the top surfaces of the two telescopic forks, and a plurality of longitudinal beams connected between the two cross beams and spaced apart. The two edges of the support plate are respectively connected between two adjacent longitudinal beams so that the sinking groove is located in the area between the two longitudinal beams. The battery tray can be floatingly connected to the support plate through the elastic member.

5. The battery replacement device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Along the telescopic direction, the two support plates are movably connected between the two longitudinal beams located on the outer sides at both ends. The two edges of each support plate are respectively provided with a hanging portion. The hanging portion is provided with a slider facing the bottom surface of the longitudinal beam. The top surface of the longitudinal beam is provided with a slide rail. The movement of the support plate is achieved by the cooperation between the slider and the slide rail, thereby driving the synchronous movement of the battery tray. Preferably, the depth of the sinking groove is matched with the compression amount of the elastic member and the distance between the battery tray and the supporting plate.

6. The battery replacement device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The top surface of the longitudinal beam is not higher than the top surface of the telescopic fork, and the bottom of the sinking groove is slightly lower than the top surface of the longitudinal beam; the battery tray is an integrated tray so that the battery tray does not contact the telescopic fork after carrying the battery pack.

7. The battery replacement device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom of the sinking groove is not lower than the bottom of the telescopic fork, so that the sinking groove is recessed to a sufficient depth; the battery tray is a two-piece tray, each tray piece matches the size of the sinking groove and can be floated in the sinking groove through an elastic member.

8. The battery replacement device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The telescopic mechanism includes three telescopic forks arranged at intervals, and the bracket includes three crossbeams arranged at equal intervals. The three crossbeams are respectively fixedly connected to the three telescopic forks to form four partitions. Two longitudinal beams are respectively arranged at intervals along the telescopic direction in the four partitions, and four support plates are respectively connected between every two longitudinal beams; along the telescopic direction, two parallel support plates are used to set a battery tray, so that the battery exchange device can carry two battery packs at the same time; Preferably, the two battery trays are two-piece trays, each of which can be floated in the sinking groove. Along the direction perpendicular to the telescopic direction, each battery tray has an extension portion extending outward from the tray piece to the outside of the telescopic fork, and the unlocking pin is provided in the end area of ​​the extension portion for locking and unlocking the battery pack.

9. The battery replacement device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bracket includes a plurality of mounting plates connected to the two longitudinal beams along a direction parallel to the cross beam at the bottom, and a moving assembly is formed between the mounting plates and the supporting plates for driving the supporting plates to move along the telescopic direction; the moving assembly includes a screw-nut mechanism fixed to the mounting plates and a guide mechanism provided on the back side of the sinking groove, and the guide member of the guide mechanism is fixedly connected to the nut of the screw-nut mechanism; and / or, The unlocking pin is arranged through the battery tray and can be lifted and lowered. The battery replacement device further includes a lifting drive mechanism fixed to the bottom surface of the battery tray to enable the unlocking pin to be at different heights during the battery pack unlocking process; and / or, The battery exchange device also includes at least one battery positioning pin provided on the battery tray, and the battery positioning pin is used to cooperate with the positioning hole on the battery pack to drive the battery pack to move synchronously when locking and unlocking the battery pack.

10. The battery replacement device according to claim 9, characterized in that: Two unlocking pins are respectively provided at both ends of the battery tray, and the two unlocking pins are spaced apart along the telescopic direction. The lifting drive mechanism on the same side is used to drive the two unlocking pins on that side to move up and down synchronously; the lifting drive mechanism includes an electric push rod, a connecting rod, and a transmission rod corresponding to the two unlocking pins one by one, the connecting rod is connected to the electric push rod, and the two ends of the transmission rod are respectively hinged to the connecting rod and the unlocking pin. The electric push rod drives the connecting rod to translate along the telescopic direction and the transmission of the transmission rod drives the two unlocking pins to move up and down; and / or, The battery exchange equipment also includes a fixed support frame, a lifting and moving component that can be lifted and moved along the support frame, and a compartment that can be rotatably connected to the lifting and moving component. The telescopic mechanism is movably arranged in the compartment, and the moving direction of the telescopic mechanism is perpendicular to the telescopic direction of the telescopic mechanism. The direction of the telescopic mechanism can be adjusted by rotating the compartment to facilitate telescopic movement to perform battery disassembly and assembly operations and / or battery transfer operations.

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