Battery swap station and cache device thereof

Abstract

The utility model discloses a battery swap station and a cache device thereof. The caching device comprises at least one caching frame; the temporary storage frame comprises two supporting mechanisms which are arranged in a spaced mode. The supporting mechanisms comprise first beams and lifting assemblies, the lifting assemblies are movably arranged on the first beams, and the lifting assemblies are configured to be capable of avoiding the batteries passing through the space between the two supporting mechanisms through movement or moving to the lower sides of the batteries and supporting the batteries. The lifting assembly is movably arranged, in the battery taking and placing process, the risks of interference and collision between the lifting assembly and the battery are reduced through movement of the lifting assembly, the battery replacing time is shortened, and the battery replacing efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery swapping, and in particular to a battery swapping station and a cache device thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the development of new energy technology, batteries are widely used in electrical equipment, such as mobile phones, laptops, electric vehicles, electric cars, electric airplanes, electric ships, electric toy cars, electric toy ships, electric toy airplanes and electric tools, etc.

[0003] Compared with charging, battery replacement can replenish electricity faster. How to improve the battery replacement efficiency of battery replacement stations is an important research direction in the field of battery replacement. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present application provides a battery swap station and a cache device thereof, which can improve the efficiency of battery swapping.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a cache device of a battery swap station, which includes at least one cache rack; the cache rack includes two support mechanisms arranged at intervals. The support mechanism includes a first beam and a lifting assembly, the lifting assembly is movably arranged on the first beam, and the lifting assembly is configured to move to avoid a battery passing between the two support mechanisms or to move to the lower side of the battery and support the battery.

[0006] The lifting component is movably arranged. During the process of taking and placing the battery, the lifting component moves to reduce the risk of interference and collision between the lifting component and the battery, thereby shortening the battery replacement time and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0007] In some embodiments, two support mechanisms are arranged along a first direction, and the lifting assembly is movably arranged on the first beam along the first direction. The lifting assembly can switch between a battery lifting state and a battery avoidance state by translation, thereby reducing the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly and the battery, shortening the battery replacement time, and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0008] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly is rotatably connected to the first beam. The lifting assembly can switch between a battery lifting state and a battery avoidance state by rotating, thereby reducing the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly and the battery, shortening the battery replacement time, and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0009] In some embodiments, the support mechanism further includes a driving member, which is disposed on the first beam and is used to drive the lifting assembly to move. By providing the driving member, active control of the lifting assembly can be achieved, the accuracy of the lifting assembly movement can be improved, and the risk of interference between the lifting assembly and the battery can be reduced.

[0010] In some embodiments, the support mechanism includes a plurality of lifting components. By providing a plurality of lifting components, the stability of the battery can be improved and the risk of the battery falling can be reduced.

[0011] In some embodiments, the cache rack further includes a second beam and a stopper disposed on the second beam, and the second beam connects the two first beams. In the vertical direction, at least a portion of the stopper is higher than the support assembly, and the vertical direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The second beam connects the two first beams, thereby improving the overall structural strength of the cache rack. When the battery is placed on the lifting assembly, the portion of the stopper that is higher than the support assembly can limit the battery, thereby reducing the risk of the battery falling from the cache rack and improving reliability.

[0012] In some embodiments, the cache device includes a plurality of cache racks arranged along the second direction. By providing a plurality of cache racks, the cache device can store low-power batteries and fully-charged batteries at the same time, shortening the time for the battery exchange device to take and place the batteries, and improving the battery exchange efficiency.

[0013] In some embodiments, the number of cache racks is N, and the cache device has 2×N-1 working positions arranged along the second direction, where N≥2. The N cache racks are arranged at adjacent N working positions, and each cache rack can move along the second direction.

[0014] The battery swap equipment only needs to move to the lower side of the middle workstation among the 2×N-1 workstations, and can pick up and place batteries on all the cache racks by moving the cache rack, which shortens the travel of the battery swap equipment and improves the efficiency of battery swapping. Two adjacent cache racks can receive low-power batteries from the battery swap equipment and provide fully charged batteries for the battery swap equipment, which can shorten the time the battery swap equipment waits for fully charged batteries and improve the efficiency of battery swapping.

[0015] In some embodiments, N is 2 or 3.

[0016] In some embodiments, multiple cache racks are connected. The cache device further includes a transmission mechanism, which is connected to a cache rack, and the transmission mechanism is used to drive the multiple cache racks to move synchronously along the second direction. By connecting multiple cache racks, one transmission mechanism can be used to drive multiple cache racks to move, thereby simplifying the structure of the cache device.

[0017] In the second aspect, the present application provides a battery swap station, which includes a battery swap platform, a battery compartment, a battery swap device, and a cache device provided in any embodiment of the first aspect. The battery swap platform is used to support electrical equipment. The battery compartment is used to store batteries and charge the batteries. The cache device is arranged in the battery compartment. The battery swap device is used to disassemble and assemble the batteries of the electrical equipment, and the battery swap device can place the batteries in the cache device or remove the batteries on the cache device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The features, advantages and technical effects of exemplary embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of a battery swap station provided for some embodiments of the present application;

[0020] Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of a battery swap station provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cache device of a battery swap station provided in some embodiments of the present application;

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram at the circle A;

[0023] Figure 5 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram at the circle B;

[0024] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cache rack provided in some other embodiments of the present application;

[0025] Figures 7 to 10 They are respectively different schematic diagrams of the cache device provided in some embodiments of the present application during the battery removal and placement process;

[0026] Fig.11 A simplified schematic diagram of a cache device provided for some other embodiments of the present application.

[0027] The following are the descriptions of the reference numerals:

[0028] 1. Battery exchange platform; 2. Battery compartment; 2a. Battery rack; 3. Battery exchange equipment; 4. Power-consuming equipment; 5. Battery; 5a. Low-charged battery; 5b. Fully charged battery; 6. Cache device; 7. Palletizer;

[0029] 10. Cache rack; 10a. First cache rack; 10b. Second cache rack; 11. Support mechanism; 111. First beam; 112. Lifting assembly; 112a. Slider; 112b. Support block; 112c. Connecting block; 112d. Support plate; 113. First guide rail; 114. Driving member; 115. Sensor; 116. Pulley; 12. Second beam; 13. Limiting member;

[0030] 20. Second guide rail; 30. Transmission mechanism; 40. Connecting member;

[0031] P, working position; P1, first working position; P2, second working position; P3, third working position;

[0032] X, second direction; Y, first direction; Z, vertical direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solution in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meanings as those commonly understood by technicians in the technical field of this application; the terms used in the specification of this application are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application; the terms "including" and "having" in the specification and claims of this application and the above-mentioned drawings and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. The terms "first", "second", etc. in the specification and claims of this application or the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish different objects, rather than to describe a specific order or a primary and secondary relationship.

[0035] Reference to "embodiment" in this application means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in conjunction with the embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of the present application. The appearance of the phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", and "attached" 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 direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0037] The term "and / or" in this application is only a description of the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the character " / " in this application generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0038] In the embodiments of the present application, the same reference numerals represent the same components, and for the sake of brevity, detailed descriptions of the same components are omitted in different embodiments. It should be understood that the thickness, length, width and other dimensions of various components in the embodiments of the present application shown in the drawings, as well as the overall thickness, length, width and other dimensions of the integrated device are only exemplary descriptions and should not constitute any limitation to the present application.

[0039] The term "plurality" used in the present application refers to two or more (including two).

[0040] In the embodiments of the present application, "parallel" includes not only the absolutely parallel situation, but also the roughly parallel situation conventionally recognized in engineering; at the same time, "vertical" includes not only the absolutely vertical situation, but also the roughly vertical situation conventionally recognized in engineering.

[0041] With the development of new energy technology, more and more devices use batteries. When the power of electrical equipment runs out, it is often supplemented by connecting to charging equipment. For example, electric vehicles can be connected to charging piles for charging. Charging takes a long time and affects the user experience. Compared with charging, replacing batteries can replenish power faster.

[0042] At present, the battery swapping equipment at the battery swapping station first removes the depleted battery from the power-consuming device, and then installs the fully charged battery in the battery swapping station to the power-consuming device. During the battery circulation process, the battery swapping equipment can store the depleted battery in the buffer device of the battery swapping station to facilitate the reception of the fully charged battery; by setting up the buffer device, the waiting time of the battery swapping equipment can be shortened and the battery swapping efficiency can be improved.

[0043] However, in the related art, the process of placing the battery into the cache device by the battery replacement equipment is complicated, and the battery is prone to collision with the cache device, causing the risk of battery damage.

[0044] In view of this, an embodiment of the present application provides a cache device for a battery swap station, which reduces the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly and the battery during the battery removal and placement process, thereby improving the reliability of battery swapping, shortening the battery swapping time, and improving the battery swapping efficiency.

[0045] The cache device and the battery swap station using the cache device disclosed in the embodiment of the present application can be used, but not limited to, for replacing the battery of a vehicle. The vehicle can be a fuel vehicle, a gas vehicle or a new energy vehicle, and the new energy vehicle can be a pure electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle or an extended-range vehicle.

[0046] Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of a battery swap station provided for some embodiments of the present application.

[0047] In some embodiments, the battery swap station includes a battery swap platform 1, a battery compartment 2, and a battery swap device 3. The battery swap platform 1 is used to support the power-consuming device 4. The battery compartment 2 is used to store and charge the battery 5. The battery swap device 3 is configured to be movable between the battery swap platform 1 and the battery compartment 2. The battery swap device 3 can be used to replace the battery 5 of the power-consuming device 4.

[0048] In some embodiments, a battery rack 2a is provided inside the battery compartment 2, and a plurality of batteries 5 are stored in the battery rack 2a. Optionally, a charging connector is installed on the battery rack 2a, and the charging connector can charge the batteries 5.

[0049] In some embodiments, the battery swap station further includes a cache device 6 , which can be used to store the battery 5 .

[0050] In some embodiments, the cache device 6 is disposed in the battery compartment 2. The battery exchange device 3 can move between the battery exchange platform 1 and the cache device 6 to place the battery 5 removed from the power-consuming device 4 into the cache device 6.

[0051] In some embodiments, a palletizer 7 is provided in the battery compartment 2, and the palletizer 7 can be used to transport the battery 5. For example, the palletizer 7 can be used to transfer the low-power batteries on the cache device 6 to the battery rack 2a for charging, and can also place the fully charged batteries stored in the battery compartment 2 on the battery replacement device 3 or the cache device 6.

[0052] As an example, the battery swap station can replace the battery 5 according to the following steps:

[0053] Ⅰ) When the power-consuming device 4 enters the power-swapping platform 1, the power-swapping device 3 can be moved to the lower side of the power-consuming device 4 and the depleted battery can be removed from the power-consuming device 4;

[0054] II) The battery replacement device 3 transfers the removed low-power battery to the cache device 6;

[0055] III) The battery replacement device 3 receives the fully charged battery stored in the battery compartment 2, and moves the fully charged battery to the lower side of the power-consuming device 4 to install the fully charged battery on the power-consuming device 4;

[0056] IV) The electrical equipment 4 leaves the battery exchange platform 1.

[0057] Figure 2 A partial schematic diagram of a battery swap station provided in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a cache device of a battery swap station provided in some embodiments of the present application; Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram at the circle A; Figure 5 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram at circle B.

[0058] Reference Figures 1 to 5 The cache device 6 of the embodiment of the present application includes at least one cache rack 10. Exemplarily, the cache rack 10 can be used to store the battery 5.

[0059] The cache device 6 may include one cache rack 10 or may include a plurality of cache racks 10 .

[0060] One cache rack 10 can store one battery 5 or multiple batteries 5 .

[0061] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 includes two support mechanisms 11 disposed at intervals. The support mechanism 11 includes a first beam 111 and a lifting assembly 112 , and the lifting assembly 112 is movably disposed on the first beam 111 .

[0062] The supporting mechanism 11 may include one lifting assembly 112 , or may include a plurality of lifting assemblies 112 .

[0063] Exemplarily, a channel for the battery 5 to pass through is formed between the first beams 111 of the two support mechanisms 11 .

[0064] In some examples, the lifting assembly 112 may perform translational motion relative to the first beam 111. In other examples, the lifting assembly 112 may perform rotational motion relative to the first beam 111. In yet other examples, the lifting assembly 112 may perform a combination of translational motion and rotational motion relative to the first beam 111.

[0065] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 112 is configured to move to avoid the battery 5 passing between the two supporting mechanisms 11 or to move to the lower side of the battery 5 and support the battery 5 .

[0066] Exemplarily, the lifting assembly 112 can be switched between the first position and the second position by movement. For example, when the lifting assembly 112 is in the first position, the lifting assembly 112 can support the battery 5; when the lifting assembly 112 is in the second position, the lifting assembly 112 and the battery 5 do not overlap in the vertical direction Z, and the lifting assembly 112 can avoid the battery 5 passing between the two supporting mechanisms 11.

[0067] In some examples, the battery swap device 3 needs to place the exhausted battery into the cache device 6. Specifically, the battery swap device 3 removes the exhausted battery from the power-consuming device 4, and moves the exhausted battery to the lower side of the cache rack 10 with the exhausted battery; then, the lifting assembly 112 is in the second position, and the battery swap device 3 lifts the exhausted battery so that the exhausted battery can be moved to the top of the lifting assembly 112; then, the lifting assembly 112 moves from the second position to the first position, and the battery swap device 3 moves the exhausted battery down so that the exhausted battery is supported by the lifting assembly 112. After the exhausted battery is supported by the lifting assembly 112, the battery swap device 3 can perform other tasks.

[0068] In some examples, the battery swap device 3 needs to take away the fully charged battery supported by the lifting assembly 112. Specifically, the battery swap device 3 moves to the lower side of the cache rack 10, moves upward to lift the fully charged battery, thereby separating the fully charged battery from the lifting assembly 112; then, the lifting assembly 112 moves from the first position to the second position; then, the battery swap device 3 drives the fully charged battery to descend and pass through between the two supporting mechanisms 11. After the fully charged battery moves to the lower side of the cache rack 10, the battery swap device 3 can install the fully charged battery to the power-consuming device 4.

[0069] In the embodiment of the present application, the lifting assembly 112 is movably arranged. During the process of taking and placing the battery 5, the lifting assembly 112 reduces the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly 112 and the battery 5 by moving, thereby shortening the battery replacement time and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0070] In some embodiments, the two support mechanisms 11 are arranged along a first direction Y. Optionally, the first direction Y is parallel to a horizontal plane.

[0071] In some embodiments, when the lifting assembly 112 is in the first position, at least a portion of the lifting assembly 112 protrudes inwardly from the first beam 111 along the first direction Y. The portion of the lifting assembly 112 protruding from the first beam 111 can support the battery 5 .

[0072] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly 112 is movably disposed on the first beam 111 along the first direction Y. The lifting assembly 112 can switch between the state of lifting the battery 5 and the state of avoiding the battery 5 by translation, thereby reducing the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly 112 and the battery 5, shortening the battery replacement time, and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0073] In addition, by translating the lifting assembly 112, various specifications of batteries 5 can be adapted. For example, when the size of the battery 5 along the first direction Y changes, by adjusting the amplitude of the lifting assembly 112 moving along the first direction Y, the battery 5 can be supported or avoided.

[0074] In some embodiments, the support mechanism 11 includes a first guide rail 113 disposed on the first beam 111, and the first guide rail 113 extends along the first direction Y. The lifting assembly 112 includes a slider 112a and a support block 112b, the slider 112a is slidably connected to the first guide rail 113 along the first direction Y, and the support block 112b is fixed to the slider 112a. Optionally, the lifting assembly 112 also includes a connecting block 112c, and the connecting block 112c connects the slider 112a and the support block 112b.

[0075] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a cache rack provided in some other embodiments of the present application.

[0076] like Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments, the lifting assembly 112 is rotatably connected to the first beam 111. The lifting assembly 112 can switch between the state of lifting the battery 5 and the state of avoiding the battery 5 by rotating, reducing the risk of interference and collision between the lifting assembly 112 and the battery 5, shortening the battery replacement time, and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0077] For example, the lifting assembly 112 includes a support plate 112d. When the lifting assembly 112 is in the first position, the support plate 112d is horizontally arranged to support the battery 5. When the lifting assembly 112 is in the second position, the support plate 112d is vertically arranged to avoid the battery 5.

[0078] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 In some embodiments, the supporting mechanism 11 further includes a driving member 114 , which is disposed on the first beam 111 and is used to drive the lifting assembly 112 to move.

[0079] As an example, the driving member 114 may include at least one of a motor, a pneumatic cylinder, and a hydraulic cylinder.

[0080] By providing the driving member 114 , active control of the lifting assembly 112 can be achieved, the accuracy of the movement of the lifting assembly 112 can be improved, and the risk of interference between the lifting assembly 112 and the battery 5 can be reduced.

[0081] In some embodiments, the support mechanism 11 includes a plurality of lifting components 112. By providing a plurality of lifting components 112, the stability of the battery 5 can be improved and the risk of the battery 5 falling can be reduced.

[0082] In some embodiments, the plurality of lifting assemblies 112 are spaced apart along a second direction X, and the second direction X is perpendicular to the first direction Y.

[0083] Exemplarily, the first direction Y, the second direction X, and the vertical direction Z are perpendicular to each other.

[0084] In some embodiments, the first beam 111 extends along the second direction X.

[0085] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 can store one or more batteries 5.

[0086] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 can store multiple batteries 5 at the same time. Optionally, the battery 5 is supported by at least two lifting assemblies 112 .

[0087] In some embodiments, the support mechanism 11 includes a sensor 115, which is disposed on the first beam 111, and the sensor 115 is used to detect whether the battery 5 is in place. For example, the sensor 115 can be used to detect whether the battery 5 is moved into place and supported by the lifting assembly 112.

[0088] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 further includes a second beam 12 , which connects the two first beams 111 , thereby improving the overall structural strength of the cache rack 10 .

[0089] In some embodiments, the second beam 12 extends along the first direction Y, and two ends of the second beam 12 along the first direction Y are respectively connected to the two first beams 111 .

[0090] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 includes two second beams 12, and the two second beams 12 are spaced apart along the second direction X.

[0091] Exemplarily, the two first beams 111 and the two second beams 12 are connected to form a rectangular frame. When the battery 5 is supported by the lifting assembly 112, when viewed along the vertical direction Z, the battery 5 is located in the frame.

[0092] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 further includes a stopper 13 disposed on the second beam 12. In the vertical direction Z, at least a portion of the stopper 13 is higher than the support assembly, and the vertical direction Z is perpendicular to the first direction Y.

[0093] When the battery 5 is placed on the lifting assembly 112, the portion of the limiting member 13 that is higher than the supporting assembly can limit the battery 5, thereby reducing the risk of the battery 5 falling from the cache rack 10 and improving reliability.

[0094] In some embodiments, each second beam 12 is provided with a limiting member 13. The limiting members 13 on the two second beams 12 can limit the battery 5 from both sides.

[0095] In some embodiments, the cache rack 10 is movable along the second direction X. The limiting member 13 can limit the battery 5 during the movement of the cache rack 10 along the second direction X, thereby reducing the risk of the battery 5 falling.

[0096] In some embodiments, a plurality of limit members 13 are disposed on the second beam 12 , and the plurality of limit members 13 are disposed at intervals along the extension direction of the second beam 12 .

[0097] In some embodiments, the cache device 6 includes a plurality of cache racks 10 arranged along the second direction X. By providing a plurality of cache racks 10, the cache device 6 can store low-power batteries and fully-charged batteries at the same time, shortening the time for the battery exchange device 3 to take and place the battery 5, and improving the battery exchange efficiency.

[0098] In some embodiments, the cache device 6 includes a second guide rail 20 extending along the second direction X, and the cache rack 10 is slidably disposed on the second guide rail 20 along the second direction X.

[0099] In some embodiments, there are two second guide rails 20. The support mechanism 11 includes a pulley 116 disposed on the first beam 111, and the pulleys 116 of the two support mechanisms 11 are disposed on the two second guide rails 20 respectively.

[0100] In some embodiments, the cache device 6 further includes a transmission mechanism 30 , which is connected to the cache rack 10 and is used to drive the cache rack 10 to move along the second direction X.

[0101] Exemplarily, the transmission mechanism 30 includes a motor, a gear and a rack, the motor is fixed to the cache rack 10, the rack extends along the second direction X, the gear is connected to the motor and meshes with the rack. When the motor rotates, the gear moves along the rack, and then drives the cache rack 10 to move through the motor.

[0102] In some embodiments, the motor is fixed to the second beam 12 .

[0103] In some embodiments, a plurality of cache racks 10 are connected. The transmission mechanism 30 is connected to one cache rack 10, and the transmission mechanism 30 is used to drive the plurality of cache racks 10 to move synchronously along the second direction X.

[0104] By connecting a plurality of cache racks 10 , a transmission mechanism 30 can be used to drive the plurality of cache racks 10 to move, thereby simplifying the structure of the cache device 6 .

[0105] In some embodiments, two adjacent cache racks 10 are connected by a connector 40. Exemplarily, the connector 40 includes a hinge bracket. The hinge bracket can rigidly connect the two adjacent cache racks 10.

[0106] Figures 7 to 10 They are different schematic diagrams of the cache device during the battery removal and placement process provided by some embodiments of the present application.

[0107] Reference Figure 1-2 as well as Figure 7-10 In some embodiments, the number of cache racks 10 is N, and the cache device 6 has 2×N-1 workstations P arranged along the second direction X, where N≥2. The N cache racks 10 are arranged at the adjacent N workstations P, and each cache rack 10 can move along the second direction X.

[0108] Exemplarily, each cache rack 10 can move between N adjacent workstations P. Exemplarily, N is 2, 3, 4 or 5.

[0109] In the embodiment of the present application, the battery exchange device 3 only needs to move to the lower side of the middlemost working position P among the 2×N-1 working positions P, and can take and place the battery 5 on all the cache racks 10 by moving the cache rack 10, thereby shortening the travel of the battery exchange device 3 and improving the battery exchange efficiency. Two adjacent cache racks 10 can respectively receive the low-power battery 5a of the battery exchange device 3 and provide the battery exchange device 3 with a fully charged battery 5b, thereby shortening the time for the battery exchange device 3 to wait for the fully charged battery 5b and improving the battery exchange efficiency.

[0110] In some embodiments, the cache device 6 includes two cache racks 10 , and the cache device 6 is provided with three working positions P.

[0111] The two cache racks 10 are respectively a first cache rack 10a and a second cache rack 10b, and the three working positions P are respectively a first working position P1, a second working position P2 and a third working position P3.

[0112] In some embodiments, the battery replacement method of the battery replacement station includes:

[0113] S1: The vehicle enters the battery swap station and arrives at the battery swap platform 1;

[0114] S2: The battery replacement device 3 removes the low-power battery 5a of the vehicle;

[0115] S3: The battery replacement device 3 carries the low-power battery 5a and moves to the lower side of the second working position P2;

[0116] S4: the palletizer 7 transports the fully charged battery 5b to the first cache rack 10a, which is located at the first working position P1;

[0117] S5: The battery replacement device 3 places the low-power battery 5a into the second cache rack 10b located at the second working position P2;

[0118] S6: The first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b move as a whole along the second direction X. The first cache rack 10a carries the fully-charged battery 5b to the second working position P2, and the second cache rack 10b carries the depleted battery 5a to the third working position P3.

[0119] S7: The battery replacement device 3 removes the fully charged battery 5b from the first cache rack 10a and installs the fully charged battery 5b into the vehicle;

[0120] S8: The palletizer 7 takes away the low-power battery 5a and transports the low-power battery 5a to the battery compartment 2 for charging;

[0121] S9: The vehicle leaves the battery swap station.

[0122] In step S4, the palletizer 7 may transport the fully-charged battery 5b to the first cache rack 10a after the first cache rack 10a moves to the first working position P1, or the palletizer 7 may first transport the fully-charged battery 5b to the first cache rack 10a and then move the first cache rack 10a to the first working position P1. In step S8, the palletizer 7 may remove the depleted battery 5a when the second cache rack 10b is located at the third working position P3, or may remove the depleted battery 5a when the second cache rack 10b is located at the second working position P2.

[0123] There is no particular order in which step S1 and step S4 are to be executed, and both can be executed simultaneously. There is no particular order in which step S2 and step S4 are to be executed, and both can be executed simultaneously. There is no particular order in which step S3 and step S4 are to be executed, and both can be executed simultaneously. There is no particular order in which step S7 and step S8 are to be executed, and both can be executed simultaneously.

[0124] In some embodiments, the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b move back and forth in the second direction X, presenting two working states. In the next battery swap process, the initial positions of the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b are the end positions of the previous battery swap process, that is, the first vehicle leaves the battery swap station after the battery swap is completed, and the second vehicle enters the battery swap station to swap batteries; at this time, the first cache rack 10a is in the second working position P2, and the second cache rack 10b is in the third working position P3.

[0125] Specifically, the palletizer 7 carries the fully-charged battery 5b to the third working position P3, and places the fully-charged battery 5b on the second cache rack 10b; the battery exchange device 3 carries the depleted battery 5a to the second working position P2, and places the depleted battery 5a on the first cache rack 10a; the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b move as a whole along the second direction X, the first cache rack 10a moves to the first working position P1, and the second cache rack 10b moves to the second working position P2; the palletizer 7 takes away the depleted battery 5a on the first cache rack 10a; the battery exchange device 3 takes away the fully-charged battery 5b on the second cache rack 10b.

[0126] When the second vehicle leaves the battery swap station after the battery swap is completed, and the third vehicle enters the battery swap station to swap batteries, the initial positions of the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b are the end positions of the previous battery swap process. At this time, the positions of the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b are the same as the positions when the first vehicle swapped batteries. Both working conditions of the cache device 6 can complete the battery swap process of the vehicle. Therefore, after completing the battery swap of the vehicle, the cache device 6 does not need to perform the battery 5 restoration operation, which reduces unnecessary actions and improves efficiency.

[0127] In other embodiments, the palletizer 7 only takes and places the battery 5 at the second working position P2. For example, in step S4, the palletizer 7 can place the fully charged battery 5b on the first cache rack 10a when the first cache rack 10a is at the second working position P2, and then the first cache rack 10a moves to the first working position P1.

[0128] For example, in step S8, the palletizer 7 may remove the depleted battery 5a after the second buffer rack 10b moves to the second working position P2.

[0129] For example, refer to Fig.10 When the battery exchange device 3 takes away the fully charged battery 5b, the palletizer 7 carries the fully charged battery 5b to the second working position P2, and places the fully charged battery 5b on the first cache rack 10a located at the second working position P2; then, the first cache rack 10a and the second cache rack 10b move as a whole, the first cache rack 10a moves to the first working position P1, and the second cache rack 10b moves to the second working position P2; the palletizer 7 takes away the low-charged battery 5a on the second cache rack 10b.

[0130] In this embodiment, the palletizer 7 can complete the circulation of fully-charged batteries 5 b and depleted batteries 5 a with only one round trip, which can improve efficiency and simplify the control of the palletizer 7 .

[0131] Fig.11 A simplified schematic diagram of a cache device provided for some other embodiments of the present application.

[0132] like Fig.11 As shown, in some embodiments, the number of cache racks 10 is 3 and the number of workstations P is 5.

[0133] Three cache racks 10 can simultaneously hold three batteries 5. When the battery swap station is idle, the palletizer 7 can place two fully charged batteries 5b on two cache racks 10; when two vehicles are swapping batteries in succession, the cache rack 10 can be moved twice to achieve battery swapping for the two vehicles; when swapping batteries, there is no need to wait for the palletizer 7 to pick up and place the batteries 5, thereby shortening the battery swap time.

[0134] In other embodiments, the number of cache racks 10 is 4 and the number of workstations P is 7.

[0135] The embodiment of the present application also provides a battery swap station, which includes a battery swap platform 1, a battery compartment 2, a cache device 6 and a battery swap device 3. The battery swap platform 1 is used to support the power-consuming device 4. The battery compartment 2 is used to store the battery 5 and charge the battery 5. The cache device 6 is arranged in the battery compartment 2. The battery swap device 3 is used to disassemble and assemble the battery 5 of the power-consuming device 4, and the battery swap device 3 can place the battery 5 in the cache device 6 or remove the battery 5 on the cache device 6.

[0136] Reference Figures 1 to 5 The embodiment of the present application provides a cache device 6, which includes two cache racks 10, a second guide rail 20 and a transmission mechanism 30. The two cache racks 10 are arranged along the second direction X and are fixedly connected by a connecting member 40. The second guide rail 20 extends along the second direction X, and the two cache racks 10 are slidably arranged on the second guide rail 20. The transmission mechanism 30 is connected to one cache rack 10, and the transmission mechanism 30 is used to drive the multiple cache racks 10 to move synchronously along the second direction X.

[0137] The cache device 6 has three working positions P arranged along the second direction X. Two cache racks 10 are disposed at two adjacent working positions P, and each cache rack 10 can move between two adjacent working positions P.

[0138] The cache rack 10 includes two support mechanisms 11, two second beams 12 and a plurality of stoppers 13. The support mechanism 11 includes a first beam 111, a lifting assembly 112 and a driving member 114. The driving member 114 is disposed on the first beam 111 and is used to drive the lifting assembly 112 to move along the first direction Y.

[0139] The two first beams 111 are arranged at intervals along the first direction Y, and each first beam 111 extends along the second direction X. The two second beams 12 are arranged at intervals along the second direction X, and each second beam 12 extends along the first direction Y. The two first beams 111 and the two second beams 12 are connected to form a frame structure.

[0140] The lifting assembly 112 can be switched between the first position and the second position by movement. When the lifting assembly 112 is in the first position, the lifting assembly 112 can support the battery 5; when the lifting assembly 112 is in the second position, the lifting assembly 112 can avoid the battery 5 passing between the two supporting mechanisms 11.

[0141] Although the present application has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, various modifications may be made thereto and parts thereof may be replaced with equivalents without departing from the scope of the present application. In particular, the various technical features mentioned in the various embodiments may be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict. The present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A cache device for a battery swap station, characterized in that: It comprises at least one cache rack; the cache rack comprises two support mechanisms arranged at intervals; The support mechanism includes a first beam and a lifting assembly, wherein the lifting assembly is movably disposed on the first beam, and the lifting assembly is configured to move to avoid a battery passing between two support mechanisms or to move to the lower side of the battery and support the battery.

2. The cache device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The two support mechanisms are arranged along a first direction, and the lifting assembly is movably arranged on the first beam along the first direction; or The lifting assembly is rotatably connected to the first beam.

3. The cache device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting mechanism further comprises a driving member, which is arranged on the first beam and is used for driving the lifting assembly to move.

4. The cache device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The supporting mechanism includes a plurality of the lifting components.

5. The cache device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cache rack further includes a second beam and a stopper disposed on the second beam, wherein the second beam connects two of the first beams; In the vertical direction, at least a portion of the limiting member is higher than the supporting mechanism.

6. The cache device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The cache device includes a plurality of cache racks arranged along the second direction.

7. The cache device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The number of the cache racks is N, and the cache device has 2×N-1 working positions arranged along the second direction, N≥2; The N cache racks are arranged at the adjacent N working positions, and each of the cache racks can move along the second direction.

8. The cache device according to claim 7, characterized in that: N is 2 or 3.

9. The cache device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The plurality of cache racks are connected; The cache device further includes a transmission mechanism, which is connected to one of the cache racks and is used to drive a plurality of the cache racks to move synchronously along the second direction.

10. A battery swap station, characterized in that: include: Power exchange platform, used to support power-consuming equipment; A battery compartment, used for storing and charging batteries; The cache device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, arranged in the battery compartment; A battery replacement device is used to remove and install batteries of electrical equipment. The battery replacement device can place batteries into the cache device or remove batteries from the cache device.

Images