Mobile battery swap station

Abstract

The utility model discloses a mobile battery swap station, including transport vehicle, box, battery support and battery swap dolly. The box is located on the transport vehicle, and the box includes the battery swap area and the storage area in its inside, and the side of the box can be controlledly open and expose the battery swap area and the storage area, and the battery support is installed in the battery swap area and is used for placing the battery pack, and the battery swap dolly is used for taking and placing the battery pack on the battery support, and the battery swap dolly can be controlledly moved from the storage area to the ground, and also can be controlledly moved from the ground to the storage area. The box of the utility model is integrated on the relatively flexible transport vehicle, and the box can directly follow the transport vehicle and move to any battery swap site, thereby saving the time and cost of hoisting and installing the box. Moreover, after the transport vehicle moves to the next battery swap site, the time and cost of deploying the battery swap station can also be saved. In addition, the battery swap dolly can autonomously move between the ground and the box, thereby saving the time of loading and unloading the battery swap dolly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of battery swapping station technology, and specifically relates to a mobile battery swapping station. Background Technology

[0002] Existing mobile battery swapping methods mainly include skid-mounted container methods. Skid-mounted container methods involve temporarily storing the container holding the battery pack and the battery swapping device at a battery swapping location. When it is necessary to move the battery swapping station to another location, the container and the battery swapping device need to be transported to the other location by a transfer vehicle. Compared with traditional fixed battery swapping stations, this method has the advantages of flexible construction and rapid deployment. However, each time the battery swapping station is moved, it requires large lifting and transportation equipment to assist, which is very troublesome and costly.

[0003] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the overall background of this utility model and should not be construed as an admission or in any way implying that the information constitutes prior art known to those skilled in the art. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a mobile battery swapping station that solves the problems of low efficiency and high cost of relocation of battery swapping stations.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a specific embodiment of this utility model provides a mobile battery swapping station, including a transport vehicle, a housing, a battery rack, and a battery swapping trolley. The housing is mounted on the transport vehicle and includes a battery swapping area and a storage area located inside it. The sides of the housing can be opened in a controllable manner to expose the battery swapping area and the storage area. The battery rack is installed in the battery swapping area and is used to place battery packs. The battery swapping trolley is used to retrieve and place battery packs from the battery rack. The battery swapping trolley can be moved in a controllable manner from the storage area to the ground, and can also be moved in a controllable manner from the ground to the storage area.

[0006] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery swapping trolley includes a moving device, a supporting device mounted on the moving device, a lifting device mounted on the supporting device, and a battery pack loading and unloading device mounted on the lifting device. The moving device and the battery pack loading and unloading device both extend along a first direction. The moving device can be moved in a controlled manner along the ground and can also be moved in a controlled manner relative to the supporting device along the first direction.

[0007] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, a positioning hole is provided on the battery bracket, and the battery swapping trolley includes a battery pack loading and unloading device, which includes a positioning pin for insertion into the positioning hole.

[0008] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery bracket includes a locking mechanism for preventing the battery pack from detaching from the battery bracket, and the battery swapping trolley includes a battery pack retrieval device, which includes an unlocking mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism.

[0009] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery swapping trolley includes a battery pack loading and unloading device, which includes an upper support and a lower support stacked together. The upper support can be rotated relative to the lower support in a controlled manner, and can be moved relative to the support device in a controlled manner along a first direction and a second direction.

[0010] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery swapping trolley includes a battery pack loading and unloading device, which includes a dragging mechanism that can move along a first direction and is used to drag the battery pack.

[0011] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery pack includes a handle capable of engaging with a dragging mechanism.

[0012] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the handle includes a locking opening facing a second direction, and the dragging mechanism includes a first moving part capable of moving along a first direction and a second moving part mounted on the first moving part, wherein the second moving part is at least partially controllably movable along the second direction into the locking opening.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of the present invention, the battery swapping trolley includes a battery pack loading and unloading device, which includes a guide rail extending along a first direction for supporting the battery pack.

[0014] In one or more embodiments of this utility model, the battery swapping area and the storage area are distributed along the horizontal direction.

[0015] Compared to existing technologies, the container of this invention is integrated onto a relatively flexible transport vehicle, allowing it to move directly with the vehicle to any battery swapping location, saving time and costs associated with lifting and installing the container. Furthermore, once the transport vehicle moves to the next swapping location, it also saves time and costs associated with deploying the battery swapping station. Additionally, the battery swapping trolley can move autonomously between the ground and the container, saving time on loading and unloading the trolley. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a mobile battery swapping station according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a rear view of a mobile battery swapping station according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a side view of a mobile battery swapping station according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the battery swapping vehicle in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a perspective structural diagram of the battery pack loading and unloading device in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Key reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Transport vehicle; 2. Box body; 21. Battery swapping area; 22. Storage area; 23. First box door; 24. Second box door; 3. Battery bracket; 4. Battery swapping trolley; 41. Moving device; 42. Supporting device; 43. Lifting device; 44. Battery pack loading and unloading device; 441. Dragging mechanism; 4411. First moving part; 4412. Second moving part; 442. Upper support; 443. Lower support; 444. Positioning pin; 445. Guide rail; 446. Ball joint; 447. Unlocking mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this utility model, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0024] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "top", "bottom", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", "horizontal", "vertical", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0025] Secondly, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] Additionally, the term "first direction" is parallel to the horizontal direction; see the following for details. Figure 4 The X-axis direction is shown in section 4. The "second direction" is parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the "first direction," and can be found by referring to the Y-axis direction in section 4.

[0027] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figures 1 to 5 As shown, this embodiment provides a mobile battery swapping station, which includes a transport vehicle 1, a housing 2, a battery bracket 3, and a battery swapping trolley 4. The transport vehicle 1 can be any size truck available on the market, such as a mini-truck, light truck, medium truck, or heavy truck. The transport vehicle 1 can be an electric vehicle, a gasoline vehicle, or a hybrid vehicle. The size of the housing 2 is adapted to the size of the transport vehicle 1 and is correspondingly installed on the transport vehicle 1, specifically behind the driver's cab. The internal space of the housing 2 is divided into a battery swapping area 21 and a storage area 22. The battery bracket 3 is installed in the battery swapping area 21, and the storage area 22 is used to store the battery swapping trolley 4. The side of the housing 2 can be opened controllably to expose the battery swapping area 21 and the storage area 22. The battery swapping trolley 4 can be moved controllably from the storage area 22 to the ground, and can also be moved controllably from the ground to the storage area 22. After the battery swapping trolley 4 is moved to the ground, it can be moved controllably along the ground to retrieve and place battery packs on the battery bracket 3.

[0028] According to the above structural design, after the battery pack housing 2 is integrated onto the relatively flexible transport vehicle 1, when the mobile battery swapping station needs to be moved to the next swapping location, the housing 2 can directly follow the transport vehicle 1, saving time and cost for lifting and installing the housing 2. Furthermore, when the transport vehicle 1 moves to the next swapping location, it also saves time and cost for deploying the battery swapping station. In addition, the battery swapping trolley 4 can move autonomously between the ground and the housing 2, saving time for loading and unloading the trolley 4.

[0029] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 3 As shown, the battery swapping area 21 and the storage area 22 are distributed along the horizontal direction. The battery swapping area 21 is located on the side of the container 2 closer to the cab of the transport vehicle 1, and the storage area 22 is located on the side of the container 2 away from the cab of the transport vehicle 1.

[0030] Furthermore, the container 2 is a side-opening type, with a first door 23 that can be controlled to open and close on one side. In addition, a second door 24 that can be opened and closed can also be provided at the rear end of the container 2.

[0031] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figures 1 to 5 As shown, the battery swapping trolley 4 includes a moving device 41, a supporting device 42, a lifting device 43, and a battery pack loading / unloading device 44. The moving device 41 is in contact with the ground and can move controllably along the ground to move the battery pack from the battery bracket 3 to the electric vehicle to be swapped. The supporting device 42 is vertically mounted on the moving device 41. The lifting device 43 is mounted on the supporting device 42, and the battery pack loading / unloading device 44 is mounted on the lifting device 43. The lifting device 43 can drive the battery pack loading / unloading device 44 to move up and down.

[0032] Furthermore, both the moving device 41 and the battery pack taking and placing device 44 extend along the first direction, and both have a certain length in the first direction. The moving device 41 can be controlled to move relative to the supporting device 42 along the first direction. That is, when the moving device 41 moves along the first direction, the supporting device 42, the lifting device 43 and the battery pack taking and placing device 44 remain stationary in the horizontal direction.

[0033] According to the above structural design, when the battery swapping cart 4 needs to be stored inside the housing 2, the cart 4 moves towards the storage area 22 of the housing 2, allowing the battery pack loading / unloading device 44 to enter the storage area 22. Then, the lifting device 43 lowers the height of the battery pack loading / unloading device 44 until it contacts the bottom plate of the storage area 22. Next, the moving device 41 moves away from the storage area 22, and the lifting device 43 raises the support device 42 and the moving device 41. When the height of the moving device 41 is slightly higher than the bottom plate of the storage area 22, the moving device 41 moves away from the storage area 22, thus moving the entire battery swapping cart 4 into the storage area 22 for storage. When the battery swapping cart 4 needs to be moved from inside the housing 2 to the ground, the above steps are performed in reverse order.

[0034] It should be noted that the battery pack loading and unloading device 44 can enter the storage area 22 from the first door 23 or the second door 24.

[0035] In one embodiment, the battery pack loading / unloading device 44 includes a dragging mechanism 441, an upper support 442, a lower support 443, a positioning pin 444, a guide rail 445, a ball joint 446, and an unlocking mechanism 447. The lower support 443 is mounted on the lifting device 43, and the upper support 442 is stacked on the lower support 443, and the two are connected by the ball joint 446. The dragging mechanism 441 and the guide rail 445 are both mounted on the upper support 442. The guide rail 445 extends along a first direction and is used to support the battery pack. The dragging mechanism 441 is used to drag and push the battery pack on the guide rail 445. The positioning pin 444 and the unlocking mechanism 447 are both mounted on the upper support 442 and are both located on the front side of the upper support 442 and extend towards the first direction. That is, when loading / unloading the battery pack, the positioning pin 444 and the unlocking mechanism 447 are located on the side of the upper support 442 closer to the battery compartment 3.

[0036] In one embodiment, the battery holder 3 is provided with a positioning hole, and the positioning pin 444 and the positioning hole together constitute a positioning mechanism. When the battery pack taking and placing device 44 takes and places the battery pack, the positioning pin 444 is aligned with the positioning hole. Then the battery pack taking and placing device 44 moves toward the battery holder 3. When the positioning pin 444 is inserted into the positioning hole, it indicates that the battery pack taking and placing device 44 has been aligned with the battery holder 3, and the battery pack can be removed from the battery holder 3 or placed on the battery holder 3.

[0037] Furthermore, the battery holder 3 has two positioning holes arranged along the second direction, and the battery pack loading and unloading device 44 includes two positioning pins 444 arranged along the second direction. During the process of loading and unloading the battery pack, the two positioning pins 444 are inserted into the two positioning holes one-to-one.

[0038] Furthermore, rollers are provided on both sides of the battery pack, and the rollers can roll along the battery bracket 3. The battery bracket 3 includes a locking mechanism for preventing the battery pack from detaching from the battery bracket 3. The locking mechanism is constructed as a rotatable stop structure, which is disposed on the battery bracket 3 and located on the rolling path of the rollers.

[0039] When the unlocking mechanism 447 contacts the stop structure, the unlocking mechanism 447 can controllably drive the stop structure to rotate directly or indirectly, so that the stop structure moves out of the rolling path of the roller, thereby opening the locking mechanism, and the battery pack can be detached from the battery bracket 3 under the drive of the battery pack taking and putting device 44.

[0040] In addition, during the process of picking up and placing the battery pack, the transport vehicle 1 and the battery swapping trolley 4 can be moved slightly to adjust the relative position between the battery pack picking and placing device 44 and the battery bracket 3 so that the positioning pin 444 can be aligned with the positioning hole.

[0041] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 5As shown, the battery pack loading and unloading device 44 includes a dragging mechanism 441 that can move along a first direction and is used to drag the battery pack. The dragging mechanism 441 is used to drag the battery pack on the battery holder 3 out of the battery holder 3, or to push the battery pack on the battery pack loading and unloading device 44 to the battery holder 3.

[0042] Furthermore, the battery pack includes a handle that can engage with the drag mechanism 441. When the drag mechanism 441 engages with the handle, it can temporarily connect the drag mechanism 441 and the battery pack together, making it easier for the drag mechanism 441 to apply force to the battery pack.

[0043] Specifically, the handle has a locking and dragging mechanism 441 with an opening facing the second direction. The mechanism includes a first moving part 4411 that can move along the first direction and a second moving part 4412 mounted on the first moving part 4411. The second moving part 4412 can be at least partially controlled to move along the second direction into the locking opening, thereby enabling the dragging mechanism 441 to engage with the handle.

[0044] The first moving part 4411 may be a slide rail and a slider, and the second moving part 4412 may be a locking block and an electric cylinder.

[0045] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 5 As shown, the guide rails 445 are L-shaped and there are two of them, which are used to support the battery pack from both sides of the bottom of the battery pack, restrict the movement of the battery pack in the second direction from the side of the battery pack, and provide a stable movement path for the battery pack.

[0046] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 5 As shown, since the upper support 442 and the lower support 443 are connected by a ball joint 446, the upper support 442 can rotate relative to the lower support 443 in a controlled manner, so that the upper support 442 can adjust its own angle in a controlled manner to adapt to the battery pack position deviation error caused by factors such as uneven load of the transport vehicle 1 and inconsistent tire pressure.

[0047] Furthermore, the upper support 442 and the lower support 443 can be elastically connected by an elastic support structure, and the upper support 442 can move in a controlled manner relative to the support device 42 along the first and second directions. During the movement of the upper support 442, the elastic support structure can undergo a certain degree of deformation to ensure that the upper support 442 can still maintain a stable connection with the lower support 443 when it moves.

[0048] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of this invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within this invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0049] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style of the specification is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A mobile battery swap station, characterized in that, include: Transport vehicle (1); The container (2) is mounted on the transport vehicle (1). The container (2) includes a battery swapping area (21) and a storage area (22) located inside it. The side of the container (2) can be opened in a controlled manner to expose the battery swapping area (21) and the storage area (22). A battery bracket (3) is installed in the battery swapping area (21) and is used to hold the battery pack; A battery swapping trolley (4) is used to pick up and put down the battery pack on the battery bracket (3). The battery swapping trolley (4) can be moved from the storage area (22) to the ground in a controlled manner, and can also be moved from the ground to the storage area (22) in a controlled manner.

2. The mobile battery swap station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The battery swapping trolley (4) includes a moving device (41), a support device (42) mounted on the moving device (41), a lifting device (43) mounted on the support device (42), and a battery pack loading and unloading device (44) mounted on the lifting device (43). The moving device (41) and the battery pack loading and unloading device (44) both extend along a first direction. The moving device (41) can move controllably along the ground and can also move controllably relative to the support device (42) along the first direction.

3. The mobile battery swap station of claim 1, wherein, The battery bracket (3) has a positioning hole, and the battery swapping trolley (4) includes a battery pack taking and placing device (44), which includes a positioning pin (444) for inserting into the positioning hole.

4. The mobile battery swap station of claim 1, wherein, The battery bracket (3) includes a locking mechanism for preventing the battery pack from detaching from the battery bracket (3), and the battery swapping trolley (4) includes a battery pack loading and unloading device (44), which includes an unlocking mechanism (447) for unlocking the locking mechanism.

5. The mobile battery swap station of claim 1, wherein, The battery swapping trolley (4) includes a battery pack loading and unloading device (44), which includes an upper support (442) and a lower support (443) stacked together. The upper support (442) can be rotated relative to the lower support (443) in a controlled manner, and can be moved relative to the support device (42) in a first direction and a second direction in a controlled manner.

6. The mobile battery swapping station of claim 1, wherein, The battery swapping trolley (4) includes a battery pack loading and unloading device (44), which includes a dragging mechanism (441) that can move along a first direction and is used to drag the battery pack.

7. The mobile battery swap station according to claim 6, characterized in that, The battery pack includes a handle that engages with a drag mechanism (441).

8. The mobile battery swap station according to claim 7, characterized in that, The handle includes a locking opening facing a second direction, and the dragging mechanism (441) includes a first moving part (4411) capable of moving along a first direction and a second moving part (4412) mounted on the first moving part (4411), wherein the second moving part (4412) is at least partially controllably movable along the second direction into the locking opening.

9. The mobile battery swapping station of claim 1, wherein, The battery swapping trolley (4) includes a battery pack loading and unloading device (44), which includes a guide rail (445) extending in a first direction for supporting the battery pack.

10. The mobile battery swapping station of claim 1, wherein, The battery swapping area (21) and the storage area (22) are distributed along the horizontal direction.

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