A battery replacing device and a battery replacing method for a new energy heavy truck

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of new energy trucks, providing a battery swapping device and method for new energy heavy-duty trucks. The device includes a charging container, a parking lane on the charging container for the heavy-duty truck to pass through, and several battery packs stored inside the charging container. The top of the charging container is equipped with a lifting unit for replacing the battery packs on the heavy-duty truck, and a locking frame for locking the battery packs is installed on the truck's crossbeam. Functional areas are provided on both sides of the parking lane, each containing a lifting assembly and a preheating assembly connected to the telescopic part of the lifting assembly. The preheating assembly includes a horizontal base placed on top of the lifting assembly and two rotatable and adjustable-gap outer gap rods located on top of the horizontal base. In use, the outer gap rods precisely align with the gaps, and the heat flow plate directionally outputs preheating air, quickly alleviating the low-temperature contraction of the locking structure, eliminating excessive tightness, and avoiding stress, thus laying the foundation for smooth unlocking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of new energy truck technology, and more specifically, to a battery swapping device and method for new energy heavy trucks. Background Technology

[0002] With the global energy structure transformation and increasingly stringent environmental policies, new energy heavy trucks (including electric tractors, dump trucks, and mixer trucks) are ushering in significant development opportunities in specific operating scenarios such as long-distance trunk transportation, ports and terminals, and mining areas, thanks to their zero-emission advantages.

[0003] As a core guarantee for the range of new energy vehicles, battery swapping equipment effectively solves key bottlenecks such as long charging time and limited operational efficiency faced by the electrification of heavy trucks by quickly replacing standardized battery packs, ensuring that vehicles can operate efficiently and uninterruptedly in target scenarios.

[0004] However, in the harsh environments of high-altitude permafrost areas and polar freight corridors, the locking mechanism used to secure the battery pack on new energy trucks may experience locking and shrinkage due to prolonged low temperatures, resulting in an overly tight fit with the battery pack interface. In this case, when the vehicle arrives at a battery swapping station to replace the battery pack using the swapping equipment, the shrinking locking mechanism will significantly increase the difficulty of disassembly, making it very easy for the battery to undergo structural deformation or electrical interface damage during lifting and insertion / removal.

[0005] Therefore, this application proposes a battery swapping device and method for new energy heavy trucks to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Technical problem to be solved: In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a battery swapping device and battery swapping method for new energy heavy trucks, which solves the problem that the locking mechanism for fixing the battery pack of new energy trucks is too tight due to low temperature shrinkage, causing structural deformation or electrical interface damage to the battery during disassembly, lifting, insertion and removal.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks, comprising a charging container, a parking channel opened on the charging container for the heavy-duty truck to pass through, and several battery packs stored in the charging container. The top of the charging container is provided with a hoisting unit for replacing the battery packs on the heavy-duty truck; a locking frame for locking the battery packs is installed on the crossbeam of the heavy-duty truck; functional areas are provided on both sides of the parking channel, and a lifting component and a preheating component connected to the telescopic part of the lifting component are provided in the functional areas; the preheating component includes: a horizontal base placed on top of the lifting component and two rotatable and adjustable gap rods set on top of the horizontal base. During the battery pack replacement process, when the battery pack on the heavy-duty truck is slightly lifted by the hoisting unit to form a gap, the outer gap rods are placed at both ends of the gap between the locking frame and the battery pack; a decooling component is provided inside the outer gap rods, and the decooling component is configured to simultaneously provide preheating air to the gap and a layer of drying air to prevent the preheating air from contacting the external cold air, thereby optimizing the battery pack swapping operation environment.

[0008] In a new embodiment, the horizontal base is provided with a control assembly for providing steering and distance adjustment for the outer clearance rod. The control assembly includes a steering shaft and a fixed frame. The steering shaft is rotatably mounted in the middle of the horizontal base, and a drive motor is mounted on one side of the horizontal base. The output end of the drive motor is fixedly connected to one end of the steering shaft. The fixed frame is fixedly mounted on the steering shaft. A groove is opened in the bottom wall of the fixed frame, and two symmetrically arranged parallel sliders slide in the groove. The two parallel sliders also slide on the steering shaft. A bidirectional cylinder is installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the fixed frame. The two telescopic ends of the bidirectional cylinder are respectively connected to the inner sidewalls of the corresponding parallel sliders.

[0009] In a new embodiment, the lifting assembly includes: a fitting box installed in the functional area; and a hydraulic rod installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the fitting box, with the telescopic end of the hydraulic rod fixedly connected to the bottom of the horizontal base.

[0010] In a new embodiment, a laser positioning camera is installed at the bottom of each of the outer gap rods. When the outer gap rods are vertical, the laser emission lines of the laser positioning cameras on the front and rear sides are flush with the planes on the front and rear sides of the battery pack on the heavy truck.

[0011] In a new embodiment, the cooling assembly includes: two outer gap rods, each fixed to the end of a corresponding parallel slider, with an outer guide section on the inner end face of the outer gap rod; an inner sleeve, coaxially nested inside the outer gap rod, with an inner guide section on the inner end face of the inner sleeve, and a heat flow plate installed within the inner guide section; a middle partition, vertically installed in the middle of the inner sleeve; and a drainage guide section on the outer end face of the inner sleeve, with a conical guide block installed within the drainage guide section, forming an annular exhaust channel between the inner wall of the outer gap rod and the outer wall of the inner sleeve.

[0012] In a new embodiment, the hot airflow discharged from the heat flow plate is discharged through the outer guide section of the inner sleeve and focuses on the central area of ​​the gap between the locking frame and the battery pack; the outlet of the annular exhaust channel extends to the outer guide section of the outer gap rod, forming a dry air curtain flow that is symmetrically distributed vertically; wherein, the airflow output by the dry air curtain flow wraps around the upper and lower sides of the hot airflow discharged from the heat flow plate.

[0013] In a new embodiment, an air supply assembly for supplying airflow to the outer gap rod is installed on the horizontal base. The air supply assembly includes an air compressor and a three-way air supply pipe. The three-way air supply pipe is installed on the horizontal base, the air compressor is located in the assembly box, the exhaust ports at both ends of the three-way air supply pipe are respectively connected to one end of the inner sleeve of the corresponding outer gap rod, and the air inlet at one end of the three-way air supply pipe is connected to the air compressor.

[0014] In a new embodiment, the hoisting unit uses a combination of rails and a crane to retrieve several battery packs stored in the charging container and to replace battery packs on the heavy truck.

[0015] A battery swapping method for new energy heavy-duty trucks includes the following steps:

[0016] S1. The new energy heavy truck drives into the battery swapping position along the parking lane. The hoisting unit moves to the top of the corresponding working area of ​​the battery pack. The heavy truck wheel hub lock automatically locks the tires to complete the positioning. The hoisting unit grabs the battery pack on the heavy truck and lifts it a preset distance to form a working gap between the locking frame and the battery pack.

[0017] S2. The lifting component drives the horizontal base to adjust to the appropriate height. The control component controls the two outer gap rods to first adjust the spacing and then rotate and align them so that the outer gap rods are located at the front and rear positions of the gap between the locking frame and the battery pack.

[0018] S3. The air supply component is started. The preheated air is simultaneously output through the decooling component in the outer gap rod and sprayed directionally into the locking structure in the gap for decooling. At the same time, the decooling component generates a layer of dry air on the upper and lower sides of the preheated air, forming an air curtain to block the external cold air from contacting the preheated air.

[0019] S4. After preheating, the hoisting unit continues to pick up the battery pack, the locking frame disengages from the battery pack, and the old battery pack is smoothly lifted and moved into the charging container. Then, the fully charged battery pack in the charging container is hoisted to the locking frame of the heavy truck for docking, and the locking action is performed in reverse. After locking is completed, the hoisting unit releases and exits the work area, the heavy truck wheel hub lock is unlocked, the heavy truck drives out of the parking lane, and the battery swapping process ends.

[0020] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are:

[0021] 1. By precisely aligning the outer gap rod of the preheating component with the front and rear sides of the working gap between the locking frame and the lifted battery pack, the preheating air is directionally output through the heat flow plate of the cooling component on the outer gap rod, covering the locking structure in the working gap. This directly increases the temperature of the locking mechanism in low-temperature environments, quickly alleviating the shrinkage of metal parts caused by low temperatures, eliminating the problem of excessively tight locking fit from the root, and avoiding the instantaneous stress caused by hard pulling, laying the foundation for smooth unlocking in the future.

[0022] 2. Two chambers separated by a partition plate inside the inner sleeve: one chamber provides drying air to the heat flow plate, and the other chamber discharges through a conical guide block, forming a drying air curtain in the annular exhaust channel. This creates a sealed barrier above and below the preheating air, preventing the intrusion of cold air from the frigid environment, reducing heat loss from the preheating air, and ensuring uniform heating of the locking structure. On the other hand, it avoids the contact between hot and cold air to prevent condensation, preventing moisture from corroding the locking mechanism or electrical interfaces, further ensuring the stability of the locking structure after preheating, and providing a dry and constant-temperature working environment for unlocking operations.

[0023] 3. The spacing of the outer gap rods is adjusted by the bidirectional cylinder of the control component. The drive motor, steering shaft, fixed frame and parallel slider adjust the steering angle of the outer gap rods to ensure that the outer gap rods on both sides are accurately located on the front and rear sides of the working gap between the locking frame and the raised battery pack. Combined with the up and down movement of the lifting component, a coordinated mechanism of spacing adjustment, steering and positioning is formed, which can adapt to battery packs of different widths within a certain range and ensure the accurate position of the preheating air.

[0024] 4. When the external gap rod is in a vertical position, it can also be used as an external cooling and heating device when the external environment is in a high or low temperature condition and the external gap rod is not used for cooling. It can be used to externally cool the battery pack entering the area or to locally heat up the parking passage, thereby optimizing the external ambient temperature of the battery swapping station. The functional area setting is to ensure that the cooling structure can operate stably in the harsh environment of long-distance routes in cold regions, and to solve the problem of damage to the battery pack after disassembly caused by the low temperature contraction of the locking mechanism. This provides reliable battery swapping support for the long-distance operation of new energy heavy trucks across regions. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the charging container structure of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the functional area location structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the locking frame position structure of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the disassembled locking frame and battery pack structure of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the functional area of ​​the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal base structure of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the packaging box of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the control component structure of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the external clearance rod of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow direction inside the outer clearance rod of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the position structure of the laser positioning camera of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the parallel state structure of the outer clearance rod of the present invention.

[0037] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Charging container; 2. Parking lane; 3. Battery pack; 4. Lifting unit; 5. Locking frame; 6. Functional area;

[0038] 7. Lifting assembly; 71. Assembly box; 72. Hydraulic rod;

[0039] 8. Preheating assembly; 81. Horizontal base; 82. External clearance rod; 821. Laser positioning camera;

[0040] 9. Control assembly; 91. Steering shaft; 92. Fixed frame; 921. Slide groove; 922. Parallel slider; 923. Double-acting cylinder;

[0041] 10. Cooling assembly; 101. Inner sleeve; 102. Heat flow plate; 103. Middle partition; 104. Conical guide block; 105. Annular exhaust duct;

[0042] 11. Air supply components; 111. Air compressor; 112. Three-way air supply pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0043] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] This application provides a battery swapping device and method for new energy heavy trucks, solving the problem that the locking mechanism of the battery pack fixing device on new energy trucks becomes too tight due to low-temperature contraction on long-distance routes in cold weather, causing structural deformation or damage to electrical interfaces during battery disassembly, lifting, insertion, and removal. In use, the outer gap rod is precisely aligned with the gap, and the heat flow plate outputs preheating air in a directional manner, which quickly relieves the low-temperature contraction of the locking structure, eliminates the tight fit, avoids hard tensile stress, and lays the foundation for smooth unlocking.

[0045] The technical solutions in this application are intended to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, and the overall approach is as follows.

[0046] Example 1, please refer to Figures 1-12 This application provides a battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks, including a charging container 1, a parking lane 2 opened on the charging container 1 for the heavy-duty truck to pass through, and a plurality of battery packs 3 stored in the charging container 1. The top of the charging container 1 is equipped with a hoisting unit 4 for replacing the battery packs 3 on the heavy-duty truck; a locking frame 5 for locking the battery packs 3 is installed on the crossbeam of the heavy-duty truck; functional areas 6 are provided on both sides of the parking lane 2, and lifting components 7 and preheating components 8 connected to the telescopic parts of the lifting components 7 are provided in the functional areas 6; the preheating components... 8 includes: a horizontal base 81 placed on top of the lifting assembly 7 and two rotatable and adjustable gap rods 82 set on top of the horizontal base 81. During the battery pack 3 replacement process, when the battery pack 3 on the heavy truck is slightly lifted by the hoisting unit 4 to form a gap, the outer gap rods 82 are placed at both ends of the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3. The outer gap rods 82 are equipped with a cooling assembly 10, which is configured to simultaneously provide preheating air to the gap and a layer of drying air to prevent the preheating air from contacting the external cold air, thereby optimizing the battery pack 3 battery replacement operation environment.

[0047] Furthermore, the hoisting unit 4 uses a combination of rails and a crane to retrieve several battery packs 3 stored in the charging container 1 and to replace the battery packs 3 on the heavy truck.

[0048] The specific operating procedures for battery swapping equipment on new energy heavy-duty trucks are as follows:

[0049] First, the new energy heavy truck drives into the battery swapping position along the parking lane 2. The parking lane 2 guides the heavy truck to park precisely in the preset work area. At this time, the hoisting unit 4 on the top of the charging container 1 is activated. Its track and crane work together to move along the track to the corresponding work area directly above the heavy truck's battery pack 3. The heavy truck's own wheel hub lock automatically locks the tires, completing the vehicle body fixation and positioning, and preventing the vehicle body from shifting during the battery swapping process. Subsequently, the crane hook of the hoisting unit 4 descends, accurately grabs the battery pack 3 on the heavy truck, and lifts it upwards by a preset distance, usually 5-10mm. This lifting action creates a uniform working gap between the locking frame 5 on the heavy truck's crossbeam and the battery pack 3 (it should be noted that at this time, the locking structure on the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3 is in the unlocked state), providing space for the subsequent intervention of the preheating component 8.

[0050] Second, the lifting component 7 is activated, and the mounting box 71 located in the functional area 6 provides the mounting base. The extension end of the hydraulic rod 72 inside extends, pushing the top horizontal base 81 to rise to the appropriate height flush with the working gap (according to the preset height parameters of the heavy truck model). After the rise is completed, the adjustment component 9 on the horizontal base 81 starts to move. First, the bidirectional cylinder 923 on the fixed frame 92 extends and retracts, pushing the two parallel sliders 922 to slide along the slide groove 921 and the steering shaft 91 (synchronously inward or synchronously outward), thereby adjusting the distance between the two outer gap rods 82 to match the positions of the two ends of the working gap (at the same time, adjusting the distance between the two outer gap rods 82 to match the width of the battery pack 3). Then, the drive motor is started to drive the steering shaft 91 to rotate, causing the fixed frame 92 fixed on the steering shaft 91 to rotate, thereby adjusting the angle of the two outer gap rods 82 (rotating ninety degrees) so that they are at the front and rear ends of the working gap.

[0051] It is worth noting that the laser positioning camera 821 at the bottom of the outer gap rod 82 can be positioned and aligned with the outer edge of the battery pack 3 when the distance between the two outer gap rods 82 is adjusted. The laser emission line is flush with the plane of the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3, which makes it easier for the outer gap rod 82 to rotate better and so that it is finally positioned at the front and rear ends of the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3. In addition, the laser positioning camera 821 on the vertical outer gap rod 82 also serves as a positioning reference for the position of the battery pack 3 when the heavy truck is parked in the parking channel 2, which facilitates better positioning for battery replacement and decooling operation of this solution.

[0052] Third, the air supply assembly 11 is activated, and the air compressor 111 inside the assembly box 71 generates a high-pressure dry airflow, which is delivered in two paths through the three-way air supply pipe 112 to the inner sleeves 101 of the two outer gap rods 82. The cooling assembly 10 inside the outer gap rods 82 works synchronously. The inner sleeve 101 is divided into two independent channels by the middle partition 103. One airflow is heated by the heat flow plate 102 on the inner side of the inner sleeve 101 to form preheated air, which is then directionally sprayed through the inner guide section of the inner sleeve 101 to the locking structure (lock head of the locking frame 5, lock hole of the battery pack 3, and other core contact parts) in the aligned working gap, quickly relieving low temperature contraction; the other airflow enters the inner wall of the outer gap rod 82 and the outer side of the inner sleeve 101. The annular exhaust channel 105 between the walls, after being guided by the exhaust guide section and the conical guide block 104 on the outside of the inner sleeve 101, forms a symmetrically distributed dry air curtain flow on the upper and lower sides of the preheating air. The air curtain tightly wraps the preheating air, preventing the external cold air from directly contacting the preheating air and generating air moisture (it should be noted that the external environment is a long-distance route in a cold climate, and the alternation of hot and cold will generate moisture, just like a person breathing in the air in winter). In addition, the dry air curtain flow will flow along the top of the locking frame 5 and the bottom of the battery pack 3 (the "thickness" of the dry air curtain flow will not be thick, but only a single layer of parallel air curtain), which will not affect the operation of the central preheating flow, reduce the heat loss of the preheating air, and maintain a stable temperature in the locking structure area.

[0053] Fourth, after preheating, once the temperature sensor (not shown in the figure) indicates that the locking structure temperature has reached the standard, the crane of the hoisting unit 4 continues to lift the battery pack 3 upwards. The locking structure inside the heavy truck locking frame 5 unlocks and completely disengages from the battery pack 3. The crane then lifts the old battery pack 3 along the track to the charging container 1 to complete the storage of the old battery. Subsequently, the hoisting unit 4 grabs the fully charged battery pack 3 from the charging container 1 and lifts it directly below the heavy truck locking frame 5. It slowly lowers the battery pack 3 to align with the locking frame 5. At this point, the locking structure of the locking frame 5 reverses its movement to complete the locking. After the locking is confirmed, the crane of the hoisting unit 4 releases the hook and exits the work area along the track. The wheel hub lock of the heavy truck is unlocked, and the vehicle drives out along the parking lane 2, thus ending the battery swapping process.

[0054] Please see Figures 6-8A control assembly 9 is provided on the horizontal base 81 to provide steering and pitch adjustment for the outer clearance rod 82. The control assembly 9 includes a steering shaft 91 and a fixed frame 92. The steering shaft 91 is rotatably installed in the middle of the horizontal base 81. A drive motor is installed on one side of the horizontal base 81, and the output end of the drive motor is fixedly connected to one end of the steering shaft 91. The fixed frame 92 is fixedly installed on the steering shaft 91. A groove 921 is opened on the bottom wall of the fixed frame 92. Two symmetrically arranged parallel sliders 922 slide in the groove 921. The two parallel sliders 922 also slide on the steering shaft 91. A two-way cylinder 923 is installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the fixed frame 92. The two telescopic ends of the two-way cylinder 923 are respectively connected to the inner side wall of the corresponding parallel slider 922.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of this scheme, the bidirectional cylinder 923 located in the middle of the bottom wall of the fixed frame 92 is activated, and its two telescopic ends extend or retract synchronously, pushing two parallel sliders 922 to slide along the slide groove 921 of the bottom wall of the fixed frame 92 while simultaneously sliding along the steering shaft 91; when the telescopic ends of the bidirectional cylinder 923 extend, the two parallel sliders 922 move away from each other, causing the distance between the outer clearance rods 82 to increase; when the telescopic ends retract, the two parallel sliders 922 move closer to each other, causing the distance between the outer clearance rods 82 to decrease, ultimately making the distance between the outer clearance rods 82 match the width of the battery pack 3;

[0056] Subsequently, the drive motor on one side of the horizontal base 81 starts, and its output end drives the steering shaft 91 to rotate, which in turn drives the fixed frame 92 fixed on the steering shaft 91 to rotate synchronously. By controlling the rotation angle of the drive motor, the outer clearance rods 82 at both ends of the fixed frame 92 can be adjusted in direction as a whole until they are parallel to the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3, so as to achieve the angle adaptation of the outer clearance rods 82.

[0057] Through the coordinated action of spacing adjustment and steering adjustment, the outer gap rod 82 can be precisely aligned with the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3, providing a precise positional basis for the subsequent cooling component 10 to act on the gap, directional output of preheating air and drying air curtain, ensuring that the preheating operation can directly act on the core area of ​​the locking structure.

[0058] Please see Figure 7 The lifting assembly 7 includes: a mounting box 71, installed in the functional area 6; and a hydraulic rod 72, installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the mounting box 71, with the telescopic end of the hydraulic rod 72 fixedly connected to the bottom of the horizontal base 81.

[0059] In the preferred embodiment of this solution, the mounting box 71 serves as the mounting base for the lifting assembly 7, and is securely installed within the functional area 6, providing a load-bearing foundation for the entire assembly and ensuring structural stability during the lifting process. When it is necessary to adjust the height of the horizontal base 81 to accommodate the working gap between the battery pack 3 and the locking frame 5, the hydraulic rod 72 in the middle of the bottom wall of the mounting box 71 is activated: its telescopic end extends or retracts according to preset height parameters to accommodate different installation positions of the heavy truck battery pack 3 within a certain range, directly driving the horizontal base 81, which is fixedly connected to it, to rise or fall synchronously, ultimately adjusting the outer clearance rod 82 on the horizontal base 81 to the same height as the working gap, and then rotating it to be parallel to the working gap.

[0060] Please see Figure 11 Each outer gap rod 82 is equipped with a laser positioning camera 821 at its bottom. When the outer gap rod 82 is vertical, the laser emission lines of the front and rear laser positioning cameras 821 are flush with the plane of the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3 on the heavy truck.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of this solution, when the outer gap rod 82 is in a vertical state, the laser positioning camera 821 installed at its bottom is activated and emits a laser line. The laser emission lines of the front and rear laser positioning cameras 821 are calibrated to be flush with the plane of the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3 on the heavy truck, forming a laser reference line aligned with the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3. Simultaneously, during the adjustment of the preheating component 8, the outer gap rod 82 is also in a vertical state. Adjusting the distance between the two outer gap rods 82, the laser positioning camera 821 monitors the relative position of the outer gap rod 82 and the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3 by emitting laser lines in real time. If the laser line aligns with the front and rear sides of the battery pack 3... The fact that the side planes remain flush indicates that the distance between the two outer gap rods 82 is consistent with the width of the battery pack 3. If a deviation occurs, the laser signal is fed back to the control system, and the bidirectional cylinder 923 in the control component 9 can further fine-tune the distance between the two outer gap rods 82 until the laser line is completely flush with the front and rear side planes of the battery pack 3. Through this mechanism, the laser positioning camera 821 provides a visual positioning reference for the outer gap rods 82, ensuring that they are located at the front and rear positions of the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3, avoiding collisions between the outer gap rods 82 and the battery pack 3 or the locking frame 5 due to mechanical alignment errors, and improving the accuracy and safety of the intervention of the preheating component 8.

[0062] Secondly, when the outer gap rod 82 is in a vertical state, and the external environment is in a high or low temperature condition, it can also be used as an external cooling and heating device when no gap cooling is performed. It can be used to externally cool the battery pack 3 entering the area or to locally heat up the battery swapping station, thereby optimizing the external ambient temperature of the battery swapping station.

[0063] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 9 and Figure 10The cooling assembly 10 includes: two outer gap rods 82, each fixed to the end of a corresponding parallel slider 922, with an outer guide section on the inner end face of the outer gap rod 82; an inner sleeve 101, coaxially nested inside the outer gap rods 82, with an inner guide section on the inner end face of the inner sleeve 101, and a heat flow plate 102 installed inside the inner guide section; a middle partition 103, vertically installed in the middle of the inner sleeve 101; a drain guide section on the outer end face of the inner sleeve 101, with a conical guide block 104 installed inside the drain guide section, and an annular exhaust channel 105 formed between the inner wall of the outer gap rods 82 and the outer wall of the inner sleeve 101.

[0064] Furthermore, the hot airflow discharged from the heat flow plate 102 is discharged through the outer guide section of the inner sleeve 101 and focuses on the middle area of ​​the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3; the outlet of the annular exhaust channel 105 extends to the outer guide section of the outer gap rod 82, forming a dry air curtain flow that is symmetrically distributed vertically; wherein, the airflow output by the dry air curtain flow wraps around the upper and lower sides of the hot airflow discharged from the heat flow plate 102.

[0065] In the preferred embodiment of this solution, since the two outer gap rods 82 are respectively fixed to the ends of the corresponding parallel sliders 922, after the control component 9 completes the spacing adjustment and angle rotation, the outer guide section of the inner end face of the outer gap rod 82 is aligned with the working gap exposed between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3, providing a directional reference for airflow output.

[0066] The inner sleeve 101 is coaxially nested inside the outer gap rod 82. Its interior is divided into independent channels by a vertically installed partition 103 to ensure that different airflows do not interfere with each other. A heat flow plate 102 is installed on the inner guide section of the inner end face of the inner sleeve 101, which serves as the generation and output channel for preheated air. A conical guide block 104 is installed on the exhaust guide section of the outer end face, which, together with the annular exhaust channel 105 between the inner wall of the outer gap rod 82 and the outer wall of the inner sleeve 101, forms the output path of the drying air curtain.

[0067] Specifically, the preheating air path is as follows: After the air supply component 11 delivers air into the inner sleeve 101, it enters the pipe cavity separated by the middle partition 103. After being heated by the heat flow plate 102 on one side, it forms preheating air. Guided by the inner guide section, it is directionally sprayed into the locking structure in the working gap, covering the entire locking structure in the gap, thus achieving the purpose of decooling. The drying air curtain path is as follows: After the air supply component 11 delivers air into the inner sleeve 101, it enters the pipe cavity separated by the middle partition 103. After being guided by the exhaust guide section and the conical guide block 104 on the other side, it is discharged into the annular exhaust channel 105. Along the outer guide section of the outer gap rod 82, it forms a symmetrical air curtain on the upper and lower sides of the preheating air, blocking the intrusion of external cold air and maintaining the temperature stability of the preheating area. Through the double-layer structure design of the inner sleeve 101 and the outer gap rod 82, the decooling component 10 realizes the independent generation, precise guidance and coordinated output of preheating air and drying air curtain, effectively solving the problem of low temperature shrinkage of the locking structure in cold environments.

[0068] Please see Figure 6 and Figure 7 An air supply assembly 11 for supplying airflow to the outer gap rod 82 is installed on the horizontal base 81. The air supply assembly 11 includes an air compressor 111 and a three-way air supply pipe 112. The three-way air supply pipe 112 is installed on the horizontal base 81, and the air compressor 111 is located in the assembly box 71. The exhaust ports at both ends of the three-way air supply pipe 112 are respectively connected to one end of the inner sleeve 101 of the corresponding outer gap rod 82, and the air inlet at one end of the three-way air supply pipe 112 is connected to the air compressor 111.

[0069] In the preferred embodiment of this solution, the air compressor 111, as the core air source, is installed inside the assembly box 71. It operates stably within the protective space of the assembly box 71, avoiding the impact of external environmental factors such as low temperature and dust on the equipment. A three-way air supply pipe 112 (a flexible telescopic pipe 112) is mounted on the horizontal base 81, and its height is adjusted synchronously with the horizontal base 81 to ensure that the connection pipe with the outer clearance rod 82 always maintains a suitable length. Subsequently, after the air compressor 111 starts, it generates a high-pressure airflow, which enters the air supply pipe through the inlet of the three-way air supply pipe 112. The three-way structure divides the airflow into two paths, which are delivered to the inner sleeves 101 of the two outer gap rods 82 through the exhaust ports at both ends, so as to realize the synchronous air supply to the two outer gap rods 82. The airflow delivered to the inner sleeves 101 is distributed into two paths. One path flows through the heat flow plate 102 to be heated to form preheated air, and the other path enters the annular exhaust channel 105 to form a dry air curtain flow. Through the diversion design of the three-way air supply pipe 112, the output effect of the preheated air and the air curtain on both sides is ensured to be symmetrical, which improves the uniform preheating efficiency of the locking structure and the airflow protection to block the external cold air.

[0070] Example 2, please refer to Figures 1-12This application provides a battery swapping method for new energy heavy-duty trucks, including the following steps:

[0071] S1. The new energy heavy truck drives into the battery swapping position along the parking lane 2. The hoisting unit 4 moves to the top of the corresponding working area of ​​the battery pack 3. The heavy truck wheel hub lock automatically locks the tire to complete the positioning. The hoisting unit 4 grabs the battery pack 3 on the heavy truck and lifts it a preset distance so that the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3 form a working gap.

[0072] S2. The lifting component 7 drives the horizontal base 81 to adjust to the appropriate height. The control component 9 controls the two outer gap rods 82 to first adjust the spacing and then rotate and align them so that the outer gap rods 82 are located at the front and rear positions of the gap between the locking frame 5 and the battery pack 3.

[0073] S3. The air supply component 11 is started, and the preheated air is simultaneously output through the cooling component 10 in the outer gap rod 82. The air is directionally sprayed into the locking structure in the gap for cooling. At the same time, the cooling component 10 generates a layer of dry air on the upper and lower sides of the preheated air, forming an air curtain to block the external cold air from contacting the preheated air.

[0074] S4. After preheating, the hoisting unit 4 continues to take the battery pack 3, the locking frame 5 disengages from the battery pack 3, and the old battery pack 3 is smoothly lifted and moved into the charging container 1. Then, the fully charged battery pack 3 in the charging container 1 is hoisted to the locking frame 5 of the heavy truck for docking, and the locking action is performed in reverse. After locking is completed, the hoisting unit 4 releases and exits the work area, the heavy truck wheel hub lock is unlocked, the heavy truck drives out of the parking lane 2, and the battery swapping process ends.

[0075] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks, comprising a charging container (1), a parking lane (2) opened on the charging container (1) for heavy-duty trucks to pass through, and a plurality of battery packs (3) stored in the charging container (1), wherein the top of the charging container (1) is provided with a hoisting unit (4) for replacing the battery packs (3) on the heavy-duty trucks; characterized in that: The heavy truck crossbeam is equipped with a locking bracket (5) for locking the battery pack (3); The parking lane (2) is provided with functional areas (6) on both sides. The functional areas (6) are provided with lifting components (7) and preheating components (8) connected to the extension and retraction parts of the lifting components (7). The preheating component (8) includes: The horizontal base (81) on top of the lifting assembly (7) and the two external gap rods (82) on top of the horizontal base (81) are rotatable and adjustable. During the battery pack (3) replacement process, when the battery pack (3) on the heavy truck is slightly lifted by the hoisting unit (4) to form a gap, the external gap rods (82) are placed at both ends of the gap between the locking frame (5) and the battery pack (3). The outer gap rod (82) is provided with a cooling component (10). The cooling component (10) is configured to simultaneously provide preheating air to the gap and a layer of drying air to prevent the preheating air from contacting the external cold air, thereby optimizing the battery pack (3) battery swapping operation environment.

2. The battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal base (81) is provided with a control assembly (9) for providing steering and pitch adjustment for the outer clearance rod (82). The control assembly (9) includes a steering shaft (91) and a fixed frame (92). The steering shaft (91) is rotatably mounted in the middle of the horizontal base (81), and a drive motor is mounted on one side of the horizontal base (81). The output end of the drive motor is fixedly connected to one end of the steering shaft (91). A fixed frame (92) is fixedly installed on the steering shaft (91). A groove (921) is provided on the bottom wall of the fixed frame (92). Two parallel sliders (922) are symmetrically arranged in the groove (921). The two parallel sliders (922) also slide on the steering shaft (91). A two-way cylinder (923) is installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the fixed frame (92). The two ends of the two-way cylinder (923) are connected to the inner side wall of the corresponding parallel slider (922).

3. The battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting component (7) includes: The loading box (71) is installed in the functional area (6); The hydraulic rod (72) is installed in the middle of the bottom wall of the assembly box (71), and the telescopic end of the hydraulic rod (72) is fixedly connected to the bottom of the horizontal base (81).

4. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the outer gap rods (82) is equipped with a laser positioning camera (821) at its bottom. When the outer gap rod (82) is vertical, the laser emission lines of the laser positioning cameras (821) on the front and rear sides are flush with the planes on the front and rear sides of the battery pack (3) on the heavy truck.

5. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The decooling component (10) includes: Both of the outer gap rods (82) are fixed to the ends of the corresponding parallel sliders (922), and the inner end face of the outer gap rods (82) is provided with an outer guide section; The inner sleeve (101) is coaxially nested inside the outer clearance rod (82), and the inner end face of the inner sleeve (101) is provided with an inner guide section, and a heat flow plate (102) is installed in the inner guide section. The middle partition (103) is vertically installed in the middle of the inner sleeve (101); The outer end face of the inner sleeve (101) is provided with a drainage guide section, and a conical guide block (104) is installed in the drainage guide section. An annular exhaust channel (105) is formed between the inner wall of the outer gap rod (82) and the outer wall of the inner sleeve (101).

6. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The hot air discharged from the heat flow plate (102) is discharged through the outer guide section of the inner sleeve (101) and focuses on the middle area of ​​the gap between the locking frame (5) and the battery pack (3); The outlet of the annular exhaust channel (105) extends to the outer guide section of the outer gap rod (82), forming a dry air curtain flow that is symmetrically distributed vertically. Among them, the airflow output by the drying air curtain wraps around the hot flow plate (102) and is discharged from the upper and lower sides of the hot airflow.

7. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, An air supply assembly (11) for supplying airflow to the outer clearance rod (82) is installed on the horizontal base (81). The air supply assembly (11) includes an air compressor (111) and a three-way air supply pipe (112). The three-way air supply pipe (112) is installed on the horizontal base (81), and the air compressor (111) is located in the assembly box (71). The exhaust ports at both ends of the three-way air supply pipe (112) are respectively connected to one end of the inner sleeve (101) of the corresponding outer gap rod (82), and the air inlet at one end of the three-way air supply pipe (112) is connected to the air compressor (111).

8. A battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hoisting unit (4) uses a combination of rails and a crane to retrieve several battery packs (3) stored in the charging container (1) and to replace the battery packs (3) on the heavy truck.

9. A battery swapping method for new energy heavy-duty trucks, characterized in that, The battery swapping device for new energy heavy-duty trucks according to any one of claims 1-8 includes the following steps: S1. The new energy heavy truck drives into the battery swapping position along the parking lane (2). The hoisting unit (4) moves to the top of the corresponding work area of ​​the battery pack (3). The heavy truck wheel hub lock automatically locks the tire to complete the positioning. The hoisting unit (4) grabs the battery pack (3) on the heavy truck and lifts it a preset distance so that the locking frame (5) and the battery pack (3) form a working gap. S2. The lifting component (7) drives the horizontal base (81) to adjust to the appropriate height. The control component (9) controls the two outer gap rods (82) to adjust the spacing first and then rotate to align, so that the outer gap rods (82) are located at the front and rear positions of the gap between the locking frame (5) and the battery pack (3). S3. The air supply component (11) is started, and the preheated air is simultaneously output through the decooling component (10) in the outer gap rod (82), and is directed to the locking structure in the gap for decooling. At the same time, the decooling component (10) generates a layer of dry air on the upper and lower sides of the preheated air, forming an air curtain to block the external cold air from contacting the preheated air. S4. After preheating, the hoisting unit (4) continues to take the battery pack (3), the locking frame (5) separates from the battery pack (3), and the old battery pack (3) is lifted and moved into the charging container (1). Then, the fully charged battery pack (3) in the charging container (1) is hoisted to the locking frame (5) of the heavy truck and docked. The locking action is performed in reverse. After locking is completed, the hoisting unit (4) releases and exits the work area, the wheel hub lock of the heavy truck is unlocked, the heavy truck drives out of the parking lane (2), and the battery swapping process ends.

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