Battery replacing robot and battery charging and replacing station

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of battery charging and replacing, in particular to a battery replacing robot and a battery charging and replacing station. The utility model aims to solve the problem of poor battery replacement compatibility of an existing battery replacement robot. In order to achieve the purpose, the battery replacement robot comprises a body; the battery bearing part is detachably connected to the body, and a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged on the battery bearing part; the control part is arranged on the body, and the control part is arranged to be capable of controlling the multiple locking and unlocking mechanisms to act; the transmission part comprises a transmission plug and a transmission socket which are matched with each other, one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the body and connected with the control part, the other one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the battery bearing part and connected with the locking and unlocking mechanisms, and the transmission part is arranged to be at least used for transmitting electric power. The battery bearing part is detachably connected with the body, so that the battery replacement robot can adapt to vehicles and batteries of different specifications by replacing the battery bearing part, and the battery replacement compatibility of the battery replacement robot is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of battery charging and battery swapping, and in particular to a battery swapping robot and a battery charging and battery swapping station. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of science and technology and the strong support of the country, the new energy vehicle industry is booming, and the visibility of new energy vehicles on the road is getting higher and higher. The ensuing energy replenishment problem has also deeply troubled manufacturers and car owners. As a feasible way to replenish energy, battery swapping is recognized by people for its advantages such as short replenishment time and good experience. However, due to the different development platforms of vehicles, the size and battery specifications of pure electric vehicles are very different, which makes it difficult for charging and swapping stations to be compatible with battery replacements of various specifications.

[0003] In order to solve the above technical problems, one solution in the prior art is to modify the battery swapping robot in the charging and swapping station and add a movable locking and unlocking mechanism to the battery swapping robot. For example, on the basis of the fixed locking and unlocking mechanism, a locking and unlocking mechanism that can be translated, a locking and unlocking mechanism that can be raised and lowered, and a locking and unlocking mechanism that can be translated and raised at the same time are added, so that the battery swapping robot can adapt to a variety of vehicles and batteries. Although the above technical solution increases the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping robot to a certain extent, it is limited by the small layout space of the battery swapping robot and the small movable range of the locking and unlocking mechanism. When the above technical solution is adopted, the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping robot is still insufficient.

[0004] Accordingly, the art needs a new technical solution to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to solve at least one of the above problems in the prior art, that is, to solve the problem of poor battery swapping compatibility of the existing battery swapping robots, the present application provides a battery swapping robot, the battery swapping robot comprising:

[0006] ontology;

[0007] A battery carrying part, the battery carrying part is detachably connected to the body through a docking mechanism, a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged on the battery carrying part, the battery carrying part is arranged to carry a power battery, and the locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged to lock and unlock the power battery of the vehicle to be replaced;

[0008] A control unit, the control unit is arranged on the main body, and the control unit is arranged to be able to control the actions of the plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms;

[0009] The transmission part includes a transmission plug and a transmission socket adapted to each other, one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the main body and connected to the control part, and the other of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the battery carrying part and connected to the plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms. The transmission part is configured so that when the battery carrying part is connected to the main body, the transmission plug and the transmission socket are plugged into each other and are at least used to transmit power.

[0010] The above technical solution, by detachably connecting the battery carrying part with the main body, allows the battery-swapping robot to adapt to vehicles and batteries of different specifications by replacing the battery carrying part, which can significantly improve the battery-swapping compatibility of the battery-swapping robot, allowing the battery-swapping robot to cover more types of vehicles and batteries, achieving full coverage of vehicle models. By setting a control unit on the main body, battery carrying parts of various specifications can be controlled by one control unit, reducing the cost of the battery-swapping robot and simplifying the structure of the transmission unit. By setting the transmission unit, power transmission can be achieved by docking the transmission plug with the transmission socket, simplifying the complexity of power distribution.

[0011] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-exchange robot, the main body includes a bottom frame, a lifting mechanism and a connecting frame, the lifting mechanism is arranged on the bottom frame, the connecting frame is connected to the lifting mechanism, the control unit is arranged on the bottom frame, and the one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket connected to the control unit is arranged on the connecting frame.

[0012] The control part is arranged on the bottom frame, which is beneficial to improving the connection stability of the control part.

[0013] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-exchange robot, the battery carrying part includes a fixed frame and a carrying plate, the carrying plate is connected to the fixed frame, the locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the carrying plate, and the one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket connected to the locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the fixed frame.

[0014] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-swapping robot, the supporting plate is floatingly connected to the fixed frame.

[0015] The above-mentioned setting method can realize the floating alignment of the locking and unlocking mechanism and improve the success rate of battery replacement.

[0016] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-swapping robot, the transmission plug is provided with a first probe for transmitting power and a second probe for transmitting signals, and the transmission socket is correspondingly provided with a first socket for transmitting power and a second socket for transmitting signals.

[0017] The above configuration can transmit power and control signals simultaneously.

[0018] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-swapping robot, the transmission plug is arranged on the battery carrying part, and the transmission socket is arranged on the main body.

[0019] The above arrangement can ensure the service life of the main body.

[0020] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-exchange robot, the docking mechanism includes a docking male end and a docking female end, one of the docking male end and the docking female end is arranged on the main body, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part, the docking male end and the docking female end can be docked and locked in the vertical direction, and one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the docking male end, and the other is arranged on the docking female end.

[0021] The above arrangement can improve the docking accuracy between the transmission plug and the transmission socket.

[0022] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-exchange robot, the docking mechanism includes a plug end and a socket end, one of the plug end and the socket end is arranged on the main body, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part, and the plug end has an extended state and a retracted state along the horizontal direction. The plug end is arranged to cooperate with the socket end when in the extended state and thereby lock the battery carrying part with the main body, and to be separated from the socket end when in the retracted state and thereby allow the battery carrying part to be detached from the main body.

[0023] In the preferred technical solution of the above-mentioned battery-swapping robot, the control unit includes a servo controller and / or an encoder; and / or

[0024] Among the multiple locking and unlocking mechanisms, at least some of the locking and unlocking mechanisms are movably arranged.

[0025] The above arrangement method is conducive to improving the compatibility of the battery carrying part.

[0026] The present application also provides a charging and swapping station, which includes a battery swapping robot described in any one of the above-mentioned preferred technical solutions.

[0027] The charging and swapping station of the present application, by setting up the above-mentioned battery swapping robot, allows the battery swapping robot to adapt to vehicles and batteries of different specifications by replacing the battery carrying part, which can significantly improve the battery swapping compatibility of the charging and swapping station, allowing the charging and swapping station to swap batteries for more types of vehicles and achieve full coverage of vehicle models. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The present application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings:

[0029] Figure 1This is an assembly diagram of the battery-swapping robot according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a main body structure diagram of the battery-swapping robot according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the battery carrying part of the battery swap robot according to the first embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the docking mechanism of the battery-swapping robot according to the first embodiment of the present application (I);

[0033] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the docking mechanism of the battery-swapping robot according to the first embodiment of the present application (II);

[0034] Figure 6 This is a main body structure diagram of the battery-swapping robot in the second embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A partial enlarged view of the middle A;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a bottom structural diagram of the battery carrying part of the battery-swapping robot in the second embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Reference numerals list

[0038] 1. Main body; 11. Bottom frame; 12. Lifting mechanism; 13. Connecting frame; 2. Battery carrying part; 21. Fixed frame; 22. Carrying plate; 3. Control part; 4. Locking and unlocking mechanism; 6. Docking mechanism; 61. Docking male end; 62. Docking female end; 63. Plug end; 631. Driving mechanism; 632. Plug connector; 64. Socket end; 65. First guide member; 81. Second guide member; 82. Third guide member; 9. Transmission part; 91. Transmission plug; 911. First probe; 912. Second probe; 92. Transmission socket; 921. First socket; 922. Second socket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The preferred embodiments of the present application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are only used to explain the technical principles of the present application and are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0040] It should be noted that, in the description of the present application, the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside" and the like indicating directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, which are merely for the convenience of description and do not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance. In addition, in the description of the present application, "multiple" refers to at least two.

[0041] In addition, it should be noted that in the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0042] First, a brief introduction to the battery-swapping robot of the present application is given.

[0043] In order to solve the problem of poor battery swapping compatibility in existing battery swapping robots, the battery swapping robot of the present application includes a main body, a battery carrying part, a control part and a transmission part. The battery carrying part is detachably connected to the main body through a docking mechanism, and a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged on the battery carrying part. The battery carrying part is configured to carry a power battery, and the locking and unlocking mechanism is configured to lock and unlock the power battery of the vehicle to be battery swapped. The control part is arranged in the main body, and the control part is configured to control the actions of a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms. The transmission part includes a transmission plug and a transmission socket adapted to each other, one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged in the main body and connected to the control part, and the other of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged in the battery carrying part and connected to a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms. The transmission part is configured so that when the battery carrying part is connected to the main body, the transmission plug and the transmission socket are plugged into each other and at least used to transmit power.

[0044] In a possible battery replacement process, the battery replacement robot is located below the vehicle to be replaced, the battery carrier is locked to the body through a docking mechanism, the transmission plug and the transmission socket are plugged into each other for at least transmitting power, the battery carrier is first docked with the vehicle chassis, and then the control unit controls the locking and unlocking mechanism to lock or unlock the battery, thereby achieving the replacement of the power battery. If the locking and unlocking mechanism on the battery carrier does not match the vehicle to be replaced or the battery at the bottom of the vehicle, the current battery carrier is removed, at which time the transmission plug and the transmission socket are disengaged from each other, and then the battery carrier that matches the vehicle to be replaced is replaced on the body, the transmission plug and the transmission socket are plugged into each other, and then the above-mentioned battery replacement operation is repeated, at which time the control unit on the body controls the locking and unlocking mechanism on the new battery carrier to lock or unlock the battery.

[0045] The above technical solution, by detachably connecting the battery carrying part with the main body, allows the battery-swapping robot to adapt to vehicles and batteries of different specifications by replacing the battery carrying part, which can significantly improve the battery-swapping compatibility of the battery-swapping robot, allowing the battery-swapping robot to cover more types of vehicles and batteries, achieving full coverage of vehicle models. By setting a control unit on the main body, battery carrying parts of various specifications can be controlled by one control unit, reducing the cost of the battery-swapping robot and simplifying the structure of the transmission unit. By setting the transmission unit, power transmission can be achieved by docking the transmission plug with the transmission socket, simplifying the complexity of power distribution.

[0046] Combine the following Figures 1 to 5 , the first possible implementation method of the battery-swapping robot of the present application is introduced in detail.

[0047] like Figures 1 to 5 As shown, in a first possible implementation, the battery-exchanging robot includes a main body 1, a battery carrying part 2, a control part 3, a transmission part 9 and a docking mechanism 6.

[0048] like Figure 2As shown, the body 1 includes a bottom frame 11, a lifting mechanism 12 and a connecting frame 13. A walking part is provided on the bottom frame 11, and the bottom frame 11 can realize reciprocating movement between predetermined positions through the walking part. For example, the walking part includes a walking wheel and a walking mechanism, and the walking wheel is installed on the lower side of the bottom frame 11. A track is set between the battery rack and the battery exchange platform of the charging and swapping station, and the walking wheel is located on the track. The walking mechanism includes a driving motor and a gear rack assembly, the rack is installed between the tracks, the driving motor is installed on the lower side of the bottom frame 11, the output shaft of the driving motor is connected to the gear, and the gear is meshed with the rack. In this way, when the driving motor is running, the reciprocating movement of the body 1 along the track can be realized by the coordinated movement of the gear and the rack. The lifting mechanism 12 is a scissor-type lifting mechanism 12 in this application, and one side of the scissor-type lifting mechanism 12 is connected to the bottom frame 11, and the other side is connected to the connecting frame 13. When the scissor-type lifting mechanism 12 is in motion, the vertical lifting of the connecting frame 13 relative to the bottom frame 11 can be realized.

[0049] See also Figure 1 and Figure 3 The battery carrying part 2 includes a fixed frame 21 and a carrying plate 22. The fixed frame 21 is a frame formed by welding rectangular steel pipes, and the carrying plate 22 is formed by processing steel plates. The carrying plate 22 is connected to the upper side of the fixed frame 21, and the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 is arranged on the carrying plate 22. Furthermore, the carrying plate 22 is floatingly connected to the fixed frame 21. The floating connection between the carrying plate 22 and the fixed frame 21 is a conventional means in the field, and this application will not repeat it. Preferably, among the multiple locking and unlocking mechanisms 4, at least part of the locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 are movably arranged. For example, the locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 shown in the present embodiment are arranged in a total of twelve, of which the two locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 located in the middle part of the carrying plate 22 are translatably movable locking and unlocking mechanisms, and among the ten locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 located on the peripheral side of the carrying plate 22, the four locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 ( Figure 1 The upper left side of the middle part is a lock and unlock mechanism that can be lifted, and the other six lock and unlock mechanisms 4 are fixedly arranged on the carrier plate 22. The specific structures and connection methods of the lock and unlock mechanism that can be translated and the lock and unlock mechanism that can be lifted are conventional means in the art, and this application will not repeat them.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the carrier plate 22 is connected to the fixed frame 21 in a floating manner, so that the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 can be aligned in a floating manner, thereby improving the success rate of battery replacement. At least part of the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 can be movably arranged, which is conducive to improving the compatibility of the battery carrier 2, so that the same battery carrier 2 can correspond to and match batteries of various specifications.

[0051] See also Figure 2 The control unit 3 is disposed on the bottom frame 11. More specifically, the control unit 3 is fixedly connected to one side of the bottom frame 11 ( Figure 1The lower right side as shown) is provided to improve the connection stability of the control unit 3. Preferably, the control unit 3 includes a servo controller and an encoder, and the number of the servo controller and the encoder is less than the number of the locking and unlocking mechanisms 4. For example, two servo controllers and two encoders are provided, and among the twelve locking and unlocking mechanisms 4, every six locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 are connected to a servo controller and an encoder. Among them, the servo controller realizes the locking and unlocking action by controlling the rotation speed and position of the motor of the locking and unlocking mechanism 4, and the encoder realizes high-precision position control by measuring the rotation angle of the motor of the locking and unlocking mechanism 4. The specific structure and model of the servo controller and the encoder in this application are not limited, and any servo controller and encoder that can realize the above functions can be applied to this application.

[0052] See also Figures 2 to 5 The docking mechanism 6 includes a docking male end 61 and a docking female end 62, one of which is disposed on the body 1 and the other is disposed on the battery carrying portion 2, so that the battery carrying portion 2 is detachably connected to the body 1 through the docking mechanism 6. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the docking mechanism 6 is preferably a robot tool quick-change device, which includes a docking male end 61 and a docking female end 62, wherein the docking male end 61 is arranged on the body 1, and the docking female end 62 is arranged on the battery carrying part 2. More specifically, the docking male end 61 is arranged in the middle of the upper side of the connecting frame 13, and the docking female end 62 is arranged in the middle of the lower side of the fixed frame 21. A locking mechanism and a guide column are arranged on the docking male end 61, and a locking hole and a guide hole are arranged on the docking female end 62. In the present application, three locking mechanisms and three guide columns are arranged on the docking male end 61, and three locking holes and three guide holes are arranged on the docking female end 62 accordingly. During the docking process, the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 are plugged into each other in the vertical direction through the guide column and the guide hole. After plugging, the locking mechanism and the locking hole are used to achieve electrical locking. After electrical locking, the battery carrying part 2 is fixed on the body 1 and can be moved and lifted with the body 1.

[0053] By providing a docking mechanism 6, the docking between the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2 can be achieved, and the docking accuracy and connection stability of the two can be improved. By plugging and locking the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 in the vertical direction, the guidance and locking between the battery carrying part 2 and the main body 1 can be achieved at the same time. The docking male end 61 is arranged in the middle of the main body 1, and the docking female end 62 is arranged in the middle of the battery carrying part 2, which can improve the connection stability between the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2. By using a robot tool quick-change device as the docking mechanism 6, the electric locking between the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2 can be achieved, and the locking effect is good. Usually, the robot tool quick-change device is applied to the end of the manipulator, and the present application innovatively applies the robot tool quick-change device to the battery carrying part 2 and the main body 1 of the battery-changing robot, realizing the detachable connection and stable locking between the battery carrying part 2 and the main body 1.

[0054] It should be noted that the vertical direction mentioned above in the present application is not limited to an absolute vertical direction. In fact, due to the limitations of manufacturing technology and precision, an absolute vertical direction is difficult to achieve. Therefore, as long as the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 are in a roughly vertical direction during the docking process, for example, the docking direction of the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 has a certain angle with the vertical direction, and the angle is controlled within 3°.

[0055] Continue to see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The transmission part 9 includes a transmission plug 91 and a transmission socket 92, one of which is arranged on the body 1 and connected to the control part 3, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part 2 and connected to the plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms 4. Specifically, in the present application, the transmission plug 91 is arranged on the battery carrying part 2, and the transmission socket 92 is arranged on the body 1. More specifically, the transmission plug 91 is arranged on the docking female end 62 on the battery carrying part 2 and is located on the peripheral side of the docking female end 62, and the transmission socket 92 is arranged on the docking male end 61 on the body 1 and is located on the peripheral side of the docking male end 61. Preferably, a power line interface, a signal line interface, a first probe 911 for transmitting power, and a second probe 912 for transmitting signals are arranged in the transmission plug 91, wherein the power line interface is connected to the control part 3 through a cable, and the signal line interface is connected to the control part 3 through a signal line. The transmission socket 92 is correspondingly provided with a power line interface, a signal line interface, a first jack 921 for transmitting power, and a second jack 922 for transmitting signals, wherein the power line interface is connected to the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 through a cable, and the signal line interface is connected to the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 through a signal line. When the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 are plugged into each other, the first probe 911 and the second probe 912 on the transmission plug 91 are respectively inserted into the first jack 921 and the second jack 922 on the transmission socket 92, so as to realize dual conduction of power and signal.

[0056] By simultaneously providing the first probe 911 and the second probe 912 in the transmission plug 91 and simultaneously providing the first jack 921 and the second jack 922 in the transmission socket 92, power and control signals can be transmitted simultaneously through one component. By providing the transmission plug 91 at the docking female end 62 and the transmission socket 92 at the docking male end 61, the docking accuracy between the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 can be improved. By providing the transmission plug 91 at the battery carrying portion 2 and the transmission socket 92 at the body 1, the service life of the body 1 can be guaranteed, and frequent maintenance of the body 1 due to probe damage can be avoided.

[0057] It should be noted that the above implementation is only used to illustrate the principle of the present application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present application. Without departing from the principle of the present application, those skilled in the art may adjust the above configuration so that the present application can be applied to more specific application scenarios.

[0058] For example, in an alternative embodiment, although the above embodiment is introduced in combination with the main body 1 including the bottom frame 11, the lifting mechanism 12 and the connecting frame 13 as an example, this is only a possible embodiment, and those skilled in the art can select the specific structure of the main body 1 based on the specific application scenario. For example, the walking part may not be provided on the bottom frame 11, and the main body 1 is fixedly arranged under the battery exchange platform; for another example, the lifting mechanism 12 may not be provided, but the main body 1 may be fixedly arranged or the bottom frame 11 and the connecting frame 13 may be lifted as a whole by a lifting device. For another example, the specific structure and composition form of the walking part are not unique. On the premise that the walking of the main body 1 can be realized, those skilled in the art may also adjust the walking part, such as replacing the walking wheel with the driving wheel, thereby eliminating the driving motor and the rack and pinion assembly. For another example, the scissor-type lifting mechanism 12 is only a preferred embodiment, and the lifting mechanism 12 may also be provided in other ways, such as using a chain mechanism or a rigid chain lifting mechanism 12 to achieve lifting.

[0059] For another example, in another replaceable embodiment, the specific setting mode of the battery carrying part 2 is not fixed, and those skilled in the art can make adjustments based on specific application scenarios. For example, the battery carrying part 2 can only include a fixed frame 21 or a carrying plate 22, or other plates or frames can be added between the two, as long as the battery carrying part 2 can effectively carry the battery and dock with the body 1. For another example, in addition to being floatingly arranged on the fixed frame 21, the carrying plate 22 can also be fixedly connected to the fixed frame 21. For another example, among the multiple locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 arranged on the carrying plate 22, all can be set as fixed locking and unlocking mechanisms, or all can be set as movable locking and unlocking mechanisms. When there is a movable locking and unlocking mechanism, at least one of a lifting locking and unlocking mechanism, a translational locking and unlocking mechanism, and a locking and unlocking mechanism that can be translated and lifted at the same time can be included. The number of locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 is also not fixed, and those skilled in the art can adjust the number based on the specific battery specifications and the number of battery specifications that the battery carrying part 2 can be compatible with.

[0060] For another example, in another replaceable embodiment, although the control unit 3 is described in this application in combination with a servo controller and an encoder as an example, the specific composition form of the control unit 3 is not unique. For example, the control unit 3 may also include only one of the servo controller and the encoder. It is only exemplary that the number of servo controllers and encoders are both set to two. Those skilled in the art can adjust it based on the specific application scenario. At the same time, the number of locking and unlocking mechanisms 4 connected to each servo controller and encoder can also be adjusted. This adjustment does not deviate from the principle of the present application. For another example, in addition to being fixedly connected to one side of the bottom frame 11, the control unit 3 can also be set at the bottom or inside of the bottom frame 11, as long as there is enough space at the location to install the control unit 3 and the control unit 3 does not interfere with other mechanisms during the battery replacement process.

[0061] For another example, in another replaceable embodiment, the specific structural form of the docking mechanism 6 is not unique, and those skilled in the art can make adjustments as long as the effective docking between the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2 can be achieved. For example, the docking mechanism 6 can also be implemented by using an electromagnetic suction device, that is, an electromagnet is set on the main body 1, and a magnetic metal is set on the battery carrying part 2. When the electromagnet is energized, it is magnetically attracted to the magnetic metal to generate suction to achieve the docking between the battery carrying part 2 and the main body 1. For another example, the docking mechanism 6 can also adopt a mechanical telescopic mechanism, that is, a driving motor is set on the main body 1 to drive the rod body or slider to telescope (such as horizontal telescope, etc.), and a socket is set on the battery carrying part 2. When the battery carrying part 2 is placed on the main body 1, the rod body or slider is extended and inserted into the socket to achieve the docking between the battery carrying part 2 and the main body 1; the mechanical telescopic mechanism will be described in detail in the following embodiments. In addition, although the present application is introduced in combination with the example that the docking male end 61 is set on the main body 1 and the docking female end 62 is set on the battery carrying part 2, it is obvious that the positions of the two can be swapped. When the docking mechanism 6 uses a robot tool quick change device, the specific structure of the device is not fixed, and technicians in this field can choose other models to replace it, as long as the replaced quick change device effectively meets the load requirements and locking force requirements. Furthermore, the location and number of the docking male end 61 and the docking female end 62 can also be adjusted by technicians in this field, as long as the docking and locking between the body 1 and the battery carrier 2 can be achieved.

[0062] For another example, the setting mode of the transmission unit 9 is not fixed, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting mode of the transmission unit 9 based on the specific application scenario. For example, although the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 are described in conjunction with the simultaneous transmission of power and signals, this is only preferred. In other embodiments, the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 can also be used only to transmit power. For another example, although the above embodiment is described in conjunction with the first probe 911 and the second probe 912 being simultaneously arranged in the transmission plug 91, and the first jack 921 and the second jack 922 being simultaneously arranged in the transmission socket 92, this is only exemplary. In other embodiments, the power and signal functions can also be split into two plugs and two sockets, so that power and signals are transmitted separately. For another example, the setting positions of the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 can be swapped. For another example, the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 may not be arranged on the docking mechanism 6, but may be respectively arranged on the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2 (such as respectively arranged on the upper side of the connecting frame 13 and the lower side of the fixing frame 21). As long as the main body 1 and the battery carrying part 2 are docked through the docking mechanism 6, the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 can be plugged into each other.

[0063] Of course, the above-mentioned replaceable implementations, as well as the replaceable implementations and the preferred implementations, can be used in a cross-coordinated manner to combine new implementations to suit more specific application scenarios.

[0064] Combine the following Figures 6 to 8 , a second possible implementation of the present application is introduced.

[0065] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the second embodiment of the present application is adjusted in the form of the docking mechanism 6 compared to the first embodiment. Specifically, the docking mechanism 6 includes a plug end 63 and a socket end 64, one of which is provided at the body 1, and the other is provided at the battery carrying part 2, the plug end 63 has an extended state and a retracted state along the horizontal direction, the plug end 63 is configured to be plugged with the socket end 64 when in the extended state and thus the battery carrying part 2 is locked with the body 1, and to be separated from the socket end 64 when in the retracted state and thus the battery carrying part 2 can be separated from the body 1.

[0066] It should be noted that the above-mentioned horizontal direction in the present application is not limited to an absolute horizontal direction. In fact, due to the limitations of manufacturing technology and precision, an absolute horizontal direction is difficult to achieve. Therefore, as long as the extension direction of the plug end 63 is in a roughly horizontal direction, for example, the extension direction has a certain angle with the horizontal direction, and the angle is controlled within 3°.

[0067] See also Figures 6 to 8In a specific embodiment, one of the plug end 63 and the socket end 64 is arranged on the body 1, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part 2. Specifically, in the present application, the plug end 63 is arranged on the body 1, and the socket end 64 is arranged on the battery carrying part 2. More specifically, the plug end 63 is arranged on the connection frame 13 of the body 1, and the socket end 64 is arranged on the fixed frame 21 of the battery carrying part 2. Among them, the plug end 63 includes a driving mechanism 631 and a plug connector 632, the driving mechanism 631 is fixedly connected to the upper side of the connection frame 13, the plug connector 632 is connected to the driving mechanism 631, and the driving mechanism 631 is configured to drive the plug connector 632 to extend and retract. Preferably, the driving mechanism 631 is an electric cylinder, the plug connector 632 is a rectangular block, the output end of the electric cylinder is connected to the rectangular block, and when the electric cylinder is actuated, it can drive the rectangular block to extend and retract. The docking mechanism 6 further includes a first guide member 65, which is disposed on one side of the plug connector 632, more specifically, on the front side of the extension direction of the plug connector 632, and is configured to guide the plug connector 632 when the plug connector 632 is extended or retracted. Preferably, the first guide member 65 is a guide block, which is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the connection frame 13, and a rectangular guide hole is provided on the guide block. When the electric cylinder drives the rectangular block to extend or retract, the rectangular hole guides the rectangular block, wherein the plug connector 632 is partially in the guide hole when in the extended state, and the plug connector 632 is completely in the guide hole when in the retracted state.

[0068] See also Figure 8 , the socket end 64 is a plug-in block, which is fixedly connected to the lower side of the fixed frame 21. A plug-in hole is provided on the plug-in block, which is a rectangular hole, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug-in hole is slightly larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the guide hole. When the battery carrier 2 falls on the body 1, the plug-in block is located on the side of the guide block away from the plug connector 632. During the extension of the plug connector 632, it is inserted into the rectangular hole of the plug-in block under the guidance of the guide block. When the battery carrier 2 needs to be replaced, the plug connector 632 retracts, and exits the rectangular hole of the plug-in block under the guidance of the guide block, and is completely retracted into the rectangular hole of the guide block.

[0069] Further references Figure 6 and Figure 8 In the present application, there are two plug ends 63 and two socket ends 64, and the two plug ends 63 extend in different directions. Furthermore, the two plug ends 63 are arranged diagonally, and the extending directions of the two plug ends 63 are opposite to each other. Figure 6 As shown, the two plug ends 63 are respectively arranged at the upper right corner and the lower left corner of the upper side of the connection frame 13, and the extension directions of the two plugs are opposite to each other and both face the vertical direction of the moving direction of the body 1. Correspondingly, the two socket ends 64 are arranged corresponding to the two plug ends 63.

[0070] In the above-mentioned arrangement, the automatic control of the plug end 63 can be realized by arranging the driving mechanism 631 to drive the plug connector 632 to extend and retract. By arranging the plug end 63 on the body 1 and the socket end 64 on the battery carrier 2, it is possible to avoid arranging a plug end 63 for each battery carrier 2, thereby saving the arrangement cost. The arrangement of the two plug ends 63 in different extension directions can improve the locking effect between the body 1 and the battery carrier 2 and avoid the loose movement of the battery carrier 2. By arranging the first guide member 65, it is beneficial to improve the plug-in accuracy of the docking mechanism 6.

[0071] Still refer to Figure 6 and Figure 8 The battery-exchanging robot also includes a second guide member 81 and a third guide member 82, wherein the second guide member 81 is arranged on the main body 1, and the third guide member 82 is arranged on the battery carrying part 2, and the second guide member 81 can be connected with the third guide member 82. Preferably, the second guide member 81 is a guide hole seat, which is fixedly mounted on the upper side of the connecting frame 13, and the guide hole seat is annular. The third guide member 82 is a guide pin, which is fixedly mounted on the lower side of the fixed frame 21, and the guide pin is a cylindrical pin, which can be inserted into the annular guide hole seat. Preferably, two second guide members 81 and two third guide members 82 are each provided, and the two second guide members 81 are diagonally arranged, and the two third guide members 82 are diagonally arranged. Figure 6 As shown, the two second guide members 81 are respectively arranged at the upper left corner and the lower right corner of the upper side of the connection frame 13. Correspondingly, the two third guide members 82 are arranged corresponding to the two second guide members 81.

[0072] By providing the second guide member 81 and the third guide member 82 , guidance can be provided during the docking process between the battery carrying part 2 and the body 1 , thereby improving the docking accuracy.

[0073] Of course, the docking mechanism 6 in the second embodiment is only preferred, and those skilled in the art can adjust the docking mechanism 6 based on needs so that the present application is suitable for more specific application scenarios.

[0074] For example, the setting positions of the plug end 63 and the socket end 64 can be swapped, but of course the swapping will inevitably lead to an increase in cost. For another example, in addition to the above-mentioned setting method of the electric cylinder and the plug connector 632, the plug end 63 can also use a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc. to drive the plug connector 632 to move. In other embodiments, similar electromagnetic methods can also be used to achieve the movement of the plug connector 632, and the plug connector 632 needs to use magnetic metal. For another example, in addition to using a rectangular block, the plug connector 632 can also use a rod-shaped member or a block of other shapes. For another example, in addition to the plug block, the socket end 64 can also be a perforated plate, a U-shaped screw, etc. For another example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug hole of the socket end 63 is not necessarily greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the guide hole, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the plug hole can also be equal to or less than the cross-sectional area of ​​the guide hole. For another example, the setting of the first guide member 65 is not necessary, and in some embodiments, the first guide member 65 can be omitted. For another example, in addition to the guide block, the first guide member 65 can also be an open or semi-open structure such as a guide rib and a guide groove. In the case where the first guide member 65 has a guide hole, the guide hole can play a guiding role as long as the plug connector 632 can play a guiding role during the extension and retraction process. As for whether the plug connector 632 is in the guide hole in the extended and retracted state, this is not restrictive. For another example, the number of plug terminals 63 and socket terminals 64 is not fixed. Setting two is a more preferred implementation method, and those skilled in the art can adjust the number. For another example, the extension directions of the two plug terminals 63 can also be the same. When the extension directions are different, the two do not necessarily have to extend in opposite directions from each other, and the extension directions of the two can also have a certain angle. For another example, the setting positions of the two plug terminals 63 and the two socket terminals 64 do not have to be strictly set according to the diagonal line. Those skilled in the art can make choices based on specific application scenarios.

[0075] For another example, in another replaceable embodiment, the second guide member 81 and the third guide member 82 are not necessarily provided, and those skilled in the art may selectively omit them. The setting positions of the second guide member 81 and the third guide member 82 are not fixed, and the setting positions of the two can be swapped. The number of the second guide member 81 and the third guide member 82 is not restrictive, and those skilled in the art may adjust them based on specific application scenarios. The provision of two second guide members 81 and two third guide members 82 is only a more preferred embodiment. In the case where two second guide members 81 and two third guide members 82 are provided, the two second guide members 81 and the two third guide members 82 may not be provided along the diagonal line, but may be provided at any position. For another example, the second guide member 81 may not be provided, but a hole may be opened on the connecting frame 13 or the fixed frame 21 to facilitate plugging with the guide pin.

[0076] The present application also provides a charging and swapping station, which includes a battery swapping robot in any of the above-mentioned embodiments.

[0077] The charging and swapping station of the present application, by setting up the above-mentioned battery swapping robot, allows the battery swapping robot to adapt to vehicles and batteries of different specifications by replacing the battery carrying part 2, which can significantly improve the battery swapping compatibility of the charging and swapping station, so that the charging and swapping station can swap batteries for more types of vehicles to achieve full coverage of vehicle models.

[0078] In combination with the first embodiment, a possible battery replacement process of the battery replacement robot of the present application is introduced below.

[0079] In one possible implementation, a tool warehouse is provided in the charging and swapping station, and a plurality of battery carriers 2 of different specifications are stored in the tool warehouse. When the battery carrier 2 currently installed on the body 1 of the battery swapping robot does not match the model of the vehicle to be swapped, the battery carrier 2 replacement program is started. At this time, the locking mechanism of the docking male end 61 disconnects the connection between the locking holes of the docking female end 62, and the battery carrier 2 is separated from the body 1 in the vertical direction. During the separation process, the transmission plug 91 and the transmission socket 92 are separated from each other, and the replaced battery carrier 2 is recovered into the tool library. Then, a new battery carrier 2 matching the vehicle to be swapped is docked with the body 1 in the vertical direction. After docking, the locking mechanism of the docking male end 61 of the new battery carrier 2 is electrically locked with the locking hole of the docking female end 62 on the body 1, and the transmission plug 91 of the new battery carrier 2 is plugged into the transmission socket 92 of the body 1. Driven by the walking mechanism and the walking wheels, the battery swap robot moves along the track to the bottom of the vehicle to be replaced. The lifting mechanism 12 is operated to lift the battery carrying part 2 to the chassis of the vehicle, and the control unit 3 controls the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 to unlock the low-charged battery of the vehicle to be replaced. After the unlocking is completed, the lifting mechanism 12 descends, and the battery carrying part 2 drives the low-charged battery to descend. Subsequently, the battery swap robot transports the low-charged battery to the battery rack, receives the fully charged battery from the battery rack, and moves again to the bottom of the vehicle to be replaced. The lifting mechanism 12 is operated to lift the battery carrying part 2 together with the fully charged battery to the chassis of the vehicle. The control unit 3 controls the locking and unlocking mechanism 4 to lock the fully charged battery, and after the locking is completed, the lifting mechanism 12 descends again. At this time, the battery swap is completed.

[0080] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that, although some embodiments described herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not other features, the combination of features of different embodiments is meant to be within the scope of the present application and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims of the present application, any one of the claimed embodiments may be used in any combination.

[0081] So far, the technical solutions of the present application have been described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the protection scope of the present application is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present application, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery-swapping robot, characterized in that: The battery-swapping robot comprises: ontology; A battery carrying part, the battery carrying part is detachably connected to the body through a docking mechanism, a plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged on the battery carrying part, the battery carrying part is arranged to carry a power battery, and the locking and unlocking mechanisms are arranged to lock and unlock the power battery of the vehicle to be replaced; A control unit, the control unit is arranged on the main body, and the control unit is arranged to be able to control the actions of the plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms; The transmission part includes a transmission plug and a transmission socket adapted to each other, one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the main body and connected to the control part, and the other of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the battery carrying part and connected to the plurality of locking and unlocking mechanisms. The transmission part is configured so that when the battery carrying part is connected to the main body, the transmission plug and the transmission socket are plugged into each other and are at least used to transmit power.

2. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body includes a bottom frame, a lifting mechanism and a connecting frame, the lifting mechanism is arranged on the bottom frame, the connecting frame is connected to the lifting mechanism, the control unit is arranged on the bottom frame, and the one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket connected to the control unit is arranged on the connecting frame.

3. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The battery carrying part includes a fixed frame and a carrying plate, the carrying plate is connected to the fixed frame, the locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the carrying plate, and the one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket connected to the locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the fixed frame.

4. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The carrying plate is floatingly connected to the fixing frame.

5. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission plug is provided with a first probe for transmitting power and a second probe for transmitting signals, and the transmission socket is correspondingly provided with a first jack for transmitting power and a second jack for transmitting signals.

6. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The transmission plug is arranged on the battery carrying part, and the transmission socket is arranged on the body.

7. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The docking mechanism includes a docking male end and a docking female end, one of the docking male end and the docking female end is arranged on the main body, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part, the docking male end and the docking female end can be docked and locked in the vertical direction, and one of the transmission plug and the transmission socket is arranged on the docking male end, and the other is arranged on the docking female end.

8. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The docking mechanism includes a plug end and a socket end, one of the plug end and the socket end is arranged on the body, and the other is arranged on the battery carrying part, the plug end has an extended state and a retracted state along the horizontal direction, and the plug end is arranged to be plugged with the socket end when in the extended state so that the battery carrying part is locked with the body, and to be separated from the socket end when in the retracted state so that the battery carrying part can be separated from the body.

9. The battery-swapping robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit includes a servo controller and / or an encoder; and / or Among the multiple locking and unlocking mechanisms, at least some of the locking and unlocking mechanisms are movably arranged.

10. A charging and swapping station, characterized in that: The charging and swapping station includes the battery swapping robot described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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