System for side battery replacement

Abstract

System (1) for lateral battery exchange comprising a forklift truck (3) with a battery compartment into which a traction battery can be inserted laterally, wherein the traction battery or an additional exchange frame on which the traction battery is mounted has insertion openings for forks (14) for lifting, and with a pallet truck (11) with wheel arms (12, 13) and forks (14) which can be lifted to such an extent that the traction battery and / or the exchange frame can be lifted within the battery compartment, characterized in that the forks (14) are arranged between the wheel arms (12, 13) and the wheel arms (12, 13) have such a large distance between them that the traction battery and / or the exchange frame can be placed on the ground between the wheel arms (12, 13).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for lateral battery replacement in an industrial truck. In particular, the invention relates to a system for lateral battery replacement, comprising an industrial truck with a battery compartment into which a traction battery can be inserted from the side. The traction battery or an additional swap frame onto which the traction battery is mounted has insertion openings for fork tines for lifting. The system also comprises a pallet truck with wheel arms and forks that can be raised sufficiently to allow the traction battery and / or the swap frame to be lifted within the battery compartment.

[0002] Battery-powered industrial trucks, especially counterbalanced forklifts, often require the traction battery, which is located in a battery compartment, to be replaced via a side battery compartment opening. Since a commonly used traction battery is quite heavy, in order to provide sufficient energy to operate the industrial truck—in the case of a conventional lead-acid battery, this can be in the range of 2.2 to 2.8 tons—various devices are available for handling and side-mounted replacement of the traction battery.

[0003] One known approach involves arranging the traction battery on a swap frame in the industrial truck, and removing the frame and the traction battery from the truck when replacing the traction battery. The swap frame can have entry pockets or openings into which the forks of another industrial truck, particularly a forklift, can be inserted.

[0004] Alternatively, such a swap frame can also only have feet, so that the forks of another forklift or industrial truck can be inserted into the space left free by the feet between the swap frame and the chassis of the first industrial truck or forklift, in order to then lift the traction battery and remove it from the battery compartment.

[0005] The disadvantage of this state of the art is that a counterbalance forklift is relatively expensive. Ultimately, this means that a second counterbalance forklift would have to be kept on hand in order to replace the traction battery. However, if no such counterbalance forklift is available, but only a high-lift pallet truck, for example, which could also lift a battery from a level within a chassis of, say, 20 cm in order to remove it from the side of the battery compartment, the problem arises that after picking up a traction battery and removing it from the battery compartment, the traction battery cannot be placed on the ground because the wheel arms are located underneath the traction battery or the forks.A high-lift pallet truck derives its stability not from a counterweight, but from support arms positioned below the forks. However, an additional support frame on which the battery can be placed at a slightly elevated position requires additional effort and expense, and the traction battery cannot be moved further from this support frame, as this would again cause the problem of the battery settling on the ground.

[0006] The use of other, well-known and cost-effective warehouse technology equipment such as a hand pallet truck or low-lift truck together with a swap body is not possible if the battery compartment of the industrial truck is closed at the bottom.

[0007] From DE 10 2012 008 425 A1 a pallet truck with wheel arms and forks is known which are height-adjustable and with which a traction battery of a forklift truck can be removed from a battery compartment of the forklift truck at the side, wherein the forks are arranged vertically above the wheel arms.

[0008] From EP 2 298 691 B1, a battery removal device for a vehicle, in particular an electric industrial truck, is known, designed as a pallet truck having two load-carrying forks and a locking device on the load-carrying forks.

[0009] EP 2 123 526 B1 discloses a battery block exchange adapter for receiving a battery block that can be pulled out of a battery compartment of an industrial truck, a battery exchange system and a method for changing the battery.

[0010] EP 2 123 596 B1 discloses an arrangement and a method for controlling the fork position of an industrial truck.

[0011] From US 2004 / 0 265 113 A1 a pallet truck is known which has a foldable load-carrying platform above two forks.

[0012] EP 1 095 831 B1 discloses a battery changing system for an industrial truck comprising a pallet truck with an attached roller conveyor.

[0013] The present invention is based on the object of providing a system for the lateral replacement of a traction battery in an industrial truck with a lateral battery compartment, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and with which even traction batteries with a high weight can be handled cost-effectively.

[0014] This object is achieved by a system having the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0015] The object is achieved according to the invention in that in a system for lateral battery replacement consisting of an industrial truck with a battery compartment into which a traction battery can be inserted from the side, wherein the traction battery or an additional swap frame on which the traction battery is mounted has insertion openings for forks for lifting, and with a pallet truck with wheel arms and forks that can be raised so far that the traction battery and / or the swap frame can be lifted within the battery compartment, the forks are arranged between the wheel arms and the wheel arms are spaced apart from one another so that the traction battery and / or the swap frame can be placed on the ground between the wheel arms.

[0016] This advantageously avoids the cost of a second forklift truck, which would otherwise be required just to replace the traction battery. Problems can also be avoided if additional forklift trucks are available but are equipped with attachments, such as a paper roll clamp, and therefore do not have a load fork mounted that could be driven into the insertion openings. Complex reassembly work or the need to have another forklift truck on hand can be avoided. The system described and the pallet truck it contains make it possible to place a traction battery together with the swap frame, or even a traction battery alone, which has insertion openings for the forks, on the ground after removing it from the battery compartment. In particular, no special deposit frame is required.Insertion openings for a swap body or a traction battery can also be formed by placing the traction battery or swap body on support feet in the battery compartment, thereby keeping a cavity free for inserting the forks.

[0017] Advantageously, the maximum lifting height of the forks is limited to the height of the insertion openings when the traction battery is raised within the battery compartment.

[0018] Such a design is considerably cheaper to implement than a high lift pallet truck with a greater lifting height.

[0019] The industrial truck can be a counterbalance forklift.

[0020] The distance between the forks can be adjusted to the distances required for standardized pallets, especially for Euro pallets.

[0021] In a further development of the system, the distance between the wheel arms is greater than one side length of standardized pallets, in particular a Euro pallet.

[0022] It is possible to use the pallet truck for transporting pallets, such as standardized Euro pallets, instead of handling the traction battery or the swap frame as a battery pallet. This multiple use eliminates the need for an additional low-lift truck, which would otherwise be necessary, and results in corresponding cost savings through the dual use of the system for lateral battery swapping. For this purpose, the distance between the wheel arms can be greater than at least one shorter side length of such standardized pallets, such as a Euro pallet. This also allows a pallet to be placed on the floor and picked up from it.

[0023] The pallet truck has an advantageous load capacity of up to 3.2 t.

[0024] For example, traction batteries commonly used on the market weigh between 2.2 and 2.8 t. In the range of traction batteries of interest here, with a nominal weight of 2.8 t, the actual weights are in the range of just over 3,000 kg. When a swap frame weighing just under 200 kg is also taken into account, this results in a favorable total load capacity of 3.2 t or 3,200 kg for handling. With an appropriately designed system, such traction batteries can be handled and lifted during a lateral battery change.

[0025] The pallet truck can have a battery-electric drive for lifting and / or travel drives.

[0026] Further advantages and details of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figure. The figure shows a system 1 consisting of a counterbalanced forklift truck 2 as an industrial truck 3, which has a battery compartment that opens sideways behind a battery compartment door 4. The battery compartment is arranged between a counterweight 5, beneath which is a rear axle 6 with a rear wheel 7, and a front axle 8 with the front wheels 9. A lifting mast 10 of the counterbalanced forklift truck 2 is located above the front axle 8.

[0027] The system includes a pallet truck 11, which has a left support arm 12 and a right support arm 13. Two forks 14 are arranged between the support arms 12, 13, forming a load fork 15. The distance between the left support arm 12 and the right support arm 13 is sufficiently large that a traction battery held by the forks 14, or a swap body with a traction battery mounted thereon, can be placed on the ground between the support arms 12, 13. The battery compartment of the counterbalance forklift 2 (not shown in detail) can have a closed floor.

Claims

[1] System (1) for lateral battery replacement, comprising an industrial truck (3) with a battery compartment into which a traction battery can be inserted from the side, the traction battery or an additional interchangeable frame onto which the traction battery is mounted having insertion openings for forks (14) for lifting, and a forklift truck (11) with wheel arms (12, 13) and forks (14) which can be raised so far that the traction battery and / or the interchangeable frame can be lifted within the battery compartment, characterized by that the forks (14) are arranged between the wheel arms (12, 13) and the wheel arms (12, 13) are spaced apart from one another so that the traction battery and / or the swap body can be placed on the ground between the wheel arms (12, 13). [2] System (1) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the maximum lifting height of the forks (14) is limited to the height of the insertion openings when the traction battery is raised within the battery compartment. [3] System (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the industrial truck (3) is a counterbalance forklift truck (2). [4] System (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the distance between the forks (14) can be adjusted to the distances required for standardized pallets, in particular for Euro pallets. [5] System (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the distance between the wheel arms (12,13) ​​is greater than one side length of standard pallets, in particular a Euro pallet. [6] System (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the pallet truck (11) has a load capacity of up to 3.2 t. [7] System (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bythat the pallet truck (11) has a battery-electric drive for lifting and / or travel drives.

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