Battery swapping locking mechanism

Abstract

This invention provides a battery swapping locking mechanism, belonging to the field of battery swapping technology. It solves the problem that existing technologies, when the drive system is out of power or damaged, pose a risk of unlocking the locking mechanism, and that the battery pack is prone to significant vibration during the operation of battery swapping heavy trucks, leading to damage to the battery pack and related electrical components. The mechanism includes a support mounted on the bottom of a base, a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the support, and a cam fixedly mounted on the shaft. A hook is fitted onto the cam. When the operator uses a tool in conjunction with the drive structure to drive the rotating shaft, the cam rotates with the shaft. The protruding part of the cam can push the hook upwards to avoid the battery frame. As the cam continues to rotate, it pulls the hook downwards, causing the pressing part of the hook to press firmly against the upper surface of the battery frame, thus locking the battery frame. This application uses a purely mechanical mechanism for locking and unlocking, eliminating the risk of losing the unlocking function due to power loss, and improving the reliability of locking and unlocking.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of battery swapping technology, specifically to a battery swapping locking mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] A battery-swapping heavy-duty truck is a type of heavy-duty truck powered by a quickly removable and replaceable battery. The truck has a base mounted on the vehicle body, with a battery frame on the outside of the battery pack. The replacement battery pack is positioned on the base via the battery frame, and finally, a locking mechanism on the base secures the battery frame to the base, thus completing the battery swapping operation.

[0003] Existing locking mechanisms use electric or hydraulic drives for locking operations. When the drive system loses power or is damaged, the locking mechanism may unlock. During the operation of battery-swapping heavy trucks, the battery pack is prone to significant vibration, which can damage the battery pack and related electrical components. Therefore, it is necessary to design a locking mechanism that does not require electricity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a battery swapping locking mechanism. When an operator uses a tool in conjunction with the drive structure to drive the rotating shaft, the cam rotates with the shaft. The protruding part of the cam can lift the hook upwards, at which point the pressing part of the hook can avoid the battery frame. As the cam continues to rotate, it pulls the hook downwards, causing the pressing part of the hook to press firmly against the upper surface of the battery frame, thereby locking the battery frame. This application uses a purely mechanical mechanism for locking and unlocking, eliminating the risk of losing the unlocking function due to power loss, improving the reliability of locking and unlocking, and also eliminating the need for an electric drive mechanism, thus reducing operating costs.

[0005] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A battery swapping locking mechanism includes a support mounted on the bottom of a base, a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on the support, a cam fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft, a hook for pressing the battery frame onto the base, and a drive structure for driving the rotating shaft to rotate.

[0006] Preferably, the cam is fitted with a turntable that rotates synchronously with the cam. The turntable has several limiting holes along its circumference. The hook is provided with a first mounting hole on the side near the turntable. An elastic element is provided in the first mounting hole. The elastic element abuts against a first limiting ball that cooperates with the limiting hole. The diameter of the first limiting ball is larger than the diameter of the limiting hole.

[0007] Preferably, when the hook is in the unlocked state, the diameter of the limiting hole that abuts against the first limiting ball is larger than the diameter of the other limiting holes.

[0008] Preferably, the outer edge of the turntable is provided with a protrusion, and a limiting rod for blocking the protrusion is installed on the hook.

[0009] Preferably, the cam has a positioning groove that communicates with the end face of the cam, and the turntable has a positioning protrusion that cooperates with the positioning groove.

[0010] Preferably, at least two supports are provided, and the hook is located between the two supports.

[0011] Preferably, at least one of the supports is detachably connected to the base.

[0012] Preferably, a first wear-resistant plate and a second wear-resistant plate are movably sleeved on the rotating shaft. The first wear-resistant plate is located on the side of the turntable away from the hook, and the second wear-resistant plate is located on the side of the hook away from the turntable, and the second wear-resistant plate is fixedly connected to the support.

[0013] Preferably, the second wear-resistant plate has a positioning hole, the first mounting hole is a through hole, and the end of the elastic element away from the first limiting ball abuts against a second limiting ball that cooperates with the positioning hole, and the diameter of the second limiting ball is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole.

[0014] Preferably, the cam is cylindrical.

[0015] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: When the operator uses tools in conjunction with the drive structure to drive the rotating shaft, the cam rotates with the shaft. The protruding part of the cam can lift the hook upwards, at which point the pressing part of the hook can avoid the battery frame. As the cam continues to rotate, it pulls the hook downwards, pressing the pressing part of the hook onto the upper surface of the battery frame, thus locking the battery frame. This application uses a purely mechanical mechanism for locking and unlocking, eliminating the risk of losing the unlocking function due to power loss, improving the reliability of locking and unlocking, and also eliminating the need for an electric drive mechanism, thus reducing operating costs. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation on the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an installation diagram provided for an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the unlocked state provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the locking state provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the locked state from another perspective provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure from another perspective, provided for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Reference numerals: 100-base support; 200-shock-absorbing pad; 300-battery frame; 1-hook; 2-support; 3-rotating shaft; 4-first wear-resistant plate; 5-turntable; 6-limiting hole; 7-limiting rod; 8-protrusion; 9-second wear-resistant plate; 10-positioning hole; 11-drive structure; 12-positioning protrusion; 13-first mounting hole; 14-second mounting hole; 15-first limiting ball; 16-elastic element; 17-second limiting ball; 18-cam; 19-positioning groove. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0020] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that if terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," or "outer" are used to indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use, they are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0022] The following is combined Figures 1-6 The present invention will be described in detail below.

[0023] Example: A battery swapping locking mechanism, such as Figure 1-6As shown, it includes a support 2 installed at the bottom of the base 100, a rotating shaft 3 rotatably mounted on the support 2, a cam 18 fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft 3, a hook 1 sleeved on the cam 18 for pressing the battery frame 300 onto the base 100, and a drive structure 11 for driving the rotating shaft 3 to rotate.

[0024] When the operator uses tools in conjunction with the drive structure 11 to drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate, the cam 18 rotates with the rotating shaft 3. The protruding part of the cam 18 can push the hook 1 upward. At this time, the pressing part of the hook 1 can avoid the battery frame 300. The cam 18 continues to rotate and pulls the hook 1 downward, so that the pressing part of the hook 1 presses against the upper surface of the battery frame 300, thereby locking the battery frame 300. This application uses a purely mechanical mechanism for locking and unlocking, which eliminates the risk of losing the unlocking function due to power loss, improves the reliability of locking and unlocking, and also eliminates the need for an electric drive mechanism, reducing the cost of use.

[0025] Installing the support 2 at the bottom of the base 100 allows the pressing part of the hook 1 to be in a vertical plane with the rotating shaft 3. When the battery frame 300 has an upward jumping tendency, the hook 1 will not open easily. If the support 2 is set in other positions, causing the pressing part of the hook 1 to not be in a vertical plane with the rotating shaft 3, it will affect the locking effect of the hook 1.

[0026] Both the base 100 and the battery frame 300 are provided with shock-absorbing pads 200 on their upper surfaces. After the hook 1 is pressed and locked, the impact force on the base 100 and the battery frame 300 can be reduced by the elastic deformation of the shock-absorbing pads 200.

[0027] like Figure 4 and 6 As shown, a drive structure 11 for driving the rotation of the shaft 3 is provided on the shaft 3. The drive structure 11 can be as follows: Figure 4 The slot shown is located on the side wall of the rotating shaft 3 and communicates with the end face of the rotating shaft 3. When it is necessary to drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate, a collar is used to fit on the rotating shaft 3. The inner side of the collar is provided with a locking block that matches the slot. The collar is connected to an extension handle. Operating the extension handle can drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate. The drive structure 11 can also use a polygonal locking surface, for example, a hexagonal locking surface is provided on the circumference of the rotating shaft 3, and then a wrench is used to lock and drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate. The drive structure 11 can also use a polygonal limiting groove provided on the end face of the rotating shaft 3. Using a matching polygonal L-shaped plug, the L-shaped plug is inserted into the limiting groove to drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate. The drive structure 11 can also use several holes opened along the circumference of the rotating shaft 3. Using a plug inserted into the holes can drive the rotating shaft 3 to rotate. However, it is obvious that the rotating shaft 3 conforming to this application can also be associated with an external drive device (not shown), and is not limited to manual function.

[0028] like Figure 5 As shown, a turntable 5 that rotates synchronously with the cam 18 is fitted on the cam 18. Several limiting holes 6 are provided on the turntable 5 along the circumferential direction. A first mounting hole 13 is provided on the side of the hook 1 near the turntable 5. An elastic element 16 is provided in the first mounting hole 13. The elastic element 16 abuts against a first limiting ball 15 that cooperates with the limiting hole 6. The diameter of the first limiting ball 15 is larger than the diameter of the limiting hole 6.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, when the hook 1 is in the unlocked state, part of the first limiting ball 15 is located in the first mounting hole 13, and part of the first limiting ball 15 abuts against the limiting hole 6. During the rotation of the shaft 3, the turntable 5 also rotates. The turntable 5, through the limiting hole 6 and the first limiting ball 15, drives the hook 1 to rotate. During the rotation, the highest point of the cam 18 rotates to the upward position. At this time, the hook 1 is pushed upward by the cam 18, which facilitates the pressing part of the hook 1 to move above the battery frame 300 and avoid the battery frame 300. Then, the vertical part of the hook 1 abuts against the bottom support 100 and the battery frame 300. The turntable 5 rotates further. The driving force of the turntable 5 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic element 16 and the friction between the first limiting ball 15 and the limiting hole 6, causing the first limiting ball 15 to reciprocate and pop out, thus passing over the limiting hole 6 in sequence. During this process, a "clicking" sound will occur. This can keep the hook 1 in a vertical state and prevent the hook 1 from deflecting outward due to gravity. Finally, when the highest point of the cam 18 rotates to the downward position, it pulls the hook 1 downward, thereby pressing the pressing part of the hook 1 against the battery frame 300.

[0030] When the hook 1 is in the unlocked state, the diameter of the limiting hole 6 that abuts against the first limiting ball 15 is larger than the diameter of the other limiting holes 6. The larger diameter limiting hole 6 can accommodate more of the first limiting ball 15, resulting in a greater locking force between the limiting hole 6 and the first limiting ball 15. Therefore, the larger diameter limiting hole 6 can better drive the hook 1 to rotate. As the diameter of the subsequent limiting holes 6 decreases, the locking force on the first limiting ball 15 is reduced, thus reducing the driving force of the rotating disk 5 and achieving the purpose of saving effort. There is a certain friction between the hook 1 and the cam 18 (the magnitude of the friction is between the hook 1 and the cam 18 being able to rotate freely and being unable to rotate). The locking force when the larger diameter limiting hole 6 engages with the first limiting ball 15, together with the aforementioned friction, causes the hook 1 to rotate with the rotation of the cam 18. The cam 18 is preferably cylindrical and eccentrically positioned with respect to the central axis of the rotating shaft 3. The maximum radius of the cam 18 is greater than the radius of the rotating shaft 3. The cylindrical cam 18 can better contact the hook 1, thereby providing greater friction.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, the outer edge of the turntable 5 has a protrusion 8, and a limiting rod 7 is installed on the hook 1 to block the protrusion 8. When the turntable 5 continues to rotate until the protrusion 8 abuts against the limiting rod 7, the operator can no longer rotate the shaft 3. At this point, it indicates that the turntable 5 has rotated to the correct position and the highest point of the cam 18 has rotated to the downward position. A second mounting hole 14 is provided on the side wall of the hook 1, and the limiting rod 7 is either interference-fitted into the second mounting hole 14 or threaded into it.

[0032] The cam 18 has a positioning groove 19, which is connected to the end face of the cam 18. The turntable 5 has a positioning protrusion 12 that cooperates with the positioning groove 19. The turntable 5 rotates synchronously with the cam 18 by engaging the positioning protrusion 12 into the positioning groove 19.

[0033] There are at least two supports 2, and the hook 1 is located between two supports 2. This arrangement ensures the stability of the hook 1 after it is pressed and locked.

[0034] At least one support 2 is detachably connected to the base 100. Two supports 2 can be welded to the base 100 simultaneously, but this makes subsequent disassembly and replacement inconvenient. Therefore, the two supports 2 can be connected to the base 100 with screws, or one support 2 can be welded in place while the other is connected with screws. The screws connecting the supports 2 extend downwards from the top of the base 100, pass through the base 100, and then are threaded into the support 2.

[0035] A first wear-resistant plate 4 and a second wear-resistant plate 9 are movably sleeved on the rotating shaft 3. The first wear-resistant plate 4 is located on the side of the turntable 5 away from the hook 1, and the second wear-resistant plate 9 is located on the side of the hook 1 away from the turntable 5 and is fixedly connected to the support 2. The first wear-resistant plate 4 and the second wear-resistant plate 9 can slide and block the rotating turntable 5 and the hook 1 to reduce wear between the support 2 and the turntable 5 and the hook 1.

[0036] The second wear-resistant plate 9 has a positioning hole 10, and the first mounting hole 13 is a through hole. The end of the elastic element 16 away from the first limiting ball 15 abuts against a second limiting ball 17 that mates with the positioning hole 10, and the diameter of the second limiting ball 17 is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole 10. When the hook 1 is in such a position... Figure 2 In the unlocked state shown, the second limiting ball 17 will engage with the positioning hole 10, thereby maintaining the deflection angle of the hook 1 and preventing the hook 1 from deflecting too much and affecting the positioning of the battery pack. Both the first limiting ball 15 and the second limiting ball 17 are steel balls.

[0037] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A battery swapping locking mechanism, characterized in that, Includes a support (2) installed at the bottom of the base (100), on which a rotating shaft (3) is rotatably mounted, and a cam (18) is fixedly mounted on the rotating shaft (3). A hook (1) for pressing the battery frame (300) onto the base (100) is sleeved on the cam (18), and a drive structure (11) for driving the rotating shaft (3) to rotate is provided on the rotating shaft (3).

2. The battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cam (18) is fitted with a turntable (5) that rotates synchronously with the cam (18). Several limiting holes (6) are provided on the turntable (5) along the circumferential direction. The hook (1) is provided with a first mounting hole (13) on the side near the turntable (5). An elastic element (16) is provided in the first mounting hole (13). The elastic element (16) abuts against a first limiting ball (15) that cooperates with the limiting hole (6). The diameter of the first limiting ball (15) is larger than the diameter of the limiting hole (6).

3. The battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the hook (1) is in the unlocked state, the diameter of the limiting hole (6) that abuts against the first limiting ball (15) is larger than the diameter of the other limiting holes (6).

4. The battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer edge of the turntable (5) is provided with a protrusion (8), and a limiting rod (7) for blocking the protrusion (8) is installed on the hook (1).

5. A battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cam (18) is provided with a positioning groove (19), which is connected to the end face of the cam (18). The turntable (5) is provided with a positioning protrusion (12) that cooperates with the positioning groove (19).

6. The battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support (2) is provided in at least two parts, and the hook (1) is located between the two supports (2).

7. A battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, At least one of the supports (2) is detachably connected to the base (100).

8. A battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rotating shaft (3) is movably fitted with a first wear-resistant plate (4) and a second wear-resistant plate (9). The first wear-resistant plate (4) is located on the side of the turntable (5) away from the hook (1), and the second wear-resistant plate (9) is located on the side of the hook (1) away from the turntable (5) and is fixedly connected to the support (2).

9. A battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second wear-resistant plate (9) has a positioning hole (10), the first mounting hole (13) is a through hole, and the end of the elastic element (16) away from the first limiting ball (15) abuts against the second limiting ball (17) that cooperates with the positioning hole (10), and the diameter of the second limiting ball (17) is larger than the diameter of the positioning hole (10).

10. A battery swapping locking mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cam (18) is cylindrical.

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