Industrial truck and traction battery and use thereof

Abstract

Industrial truck (10), in particular a reach truck, with a battery receiving compartment, wherein the battery receiving compartment has a base area and is designed and configured to receive more than one traction battery (12) simultaneously, wherein the base area has a base area width and a base area depth, wherein at least one traction battery (12) is received in the battery receiving compartment in an upright or lying position, wherein the traction battery (12) has a height which is greater than the width, wherein n traction batteries (12) standing next to one another or m traction batteries (12) lying next to one another can be or are received in the battery receiving compartment, which fill the base area width of the battery receiving compartment, wherein n and m are natural numbers which are greater than 1, wherein n is greater than m and the traction batteries (12) have the same heights, the same widths and in particular the same depths.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an industrial truck, in particular a reach truck, with a battery compartment, wherein the battery compartment has a base area and is designed and configured to accommodate more than one traction battery simultaneously.

[0002] The invention further relates to a traction battery with a predeterminable height, width, and depth. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of a corresponding traction battery in an industrial truck.

[0003] In battery-powered industrial trucks, especially reach trucks, an increase in battery capacity is usually accompanied by a change in vehicle weight. Furthermore, the vehicle weight and center of gravity are important parameters for the load capacity of the industrial truck, especially the reach truck. The requirement for a higher residual load capacity is accompanied by the requirement for a higher battery weight. A higher battery weight usually results in a higher capacity or a battery geometry that corresponds to a higher capacity. This can change the center of gravity of the battery and thus the industrial truck, as well as the overall vehicle weight, which would result in higher energy consumption and higher costs.

[0004] Therefore, efforts should be made to optimize the residual load capacity and operating time of an industrial truck, as well as its weight. A modular design of battery technology in industrial trucks would be useful for this purpose.

[0005] DE 100 12 162 A1 discloses a battery system for an industrial truck, in particular for a forklift truck, wherein the battery system includes several individual batteries that are electrically connected to one another and can be mounted spatially separated from one another in the industrial truck. The use of individual batteries makes it possible to configure the battery compartment variably.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide an industrial truck and a traction battery by means of which a needs-based adaptation of the industrial truck to the required battery capacity and in particular an optimization of geometric properties of the industrial truck is possible.

[0007] This object is achieved by an industrial truck, in particular a reach truck, with a battery receiving compartment, wherein the battery receiving compartment has a base area and is designed and configured to receive more than one traction battery simultaneously, wherein the base area has a base area width and a base area depth, wherein at least one traction battery is received in the battery receiving compartment in an upright or lying position, wherein the traction battery has a height which is greater than the width, wherein n traction batteries standing next to one another or m traction batteries lying next to one another can be or are received in the battery receiving compartment, which fill the base area width of the battery receiving compartment, wherein n and m are natural numbers which are greater than 1, wherein n is greater than m and the traction batteries have the same heights, the same widths and in particular the same depths.

[0008] The industrial truck according to the invention enables highly variable adaptation of the industrial truck to the user's needs. In particular, a modularly designed industrial truck can be used, which optimizes the combination of battery capacity and battery weight. By providing traction batteries that can be accommodated or are accommodated in the battery compartment both vertically and horizontally, whereby the base width of the battery compartment is filled, a very high degree of modularity is possible. If, for example and preferably, n = 3 and m = 2, one, two, or three vertical traction batteries and one horizontal or two horizontal traction batteries can be used. This makes it possible to enable up to three different operating times for the industrial truck. Furthermore, the weight and center of gravity of the industrial truck can also be optimized by adding additional weights.

[0009] The traction batteries are preferably designed with high energy density, for example lithium-ion batteries or comparable batteries. The various types of batteries with high energy density are known to those skilled in the art. Because these are dry batteries, unlike lead-acid traction batteries, they can be used both vertically and horizontally. Within the scope of the invention, a battery is also understood to mean an accumulator. Traction batteries with high energy density preferably comprise metal-ion accumulators or metal-ion batteries such as lithium-ion accumulators, sodium-ion accumulators, aluminum-ion accumulators, magnesium ion accumulators, or zinc-ion accumulators. Redox flow batteries, nickel batteries, metal-sulfur batteries, or metal-air batteries can also be used.

[0010] Preferably, the traction batteries are of identical design. Thus, identical traction batteries can be accommodated in the battery compartment either horizontally or vertically.

[0011] It is particularly preferred if n is a maximum of 10. N is particularly preferably, as already described, 3 or 4 or 5. When n = 3, m can be 2; when n = 4, m can be 2 or 3; and when n = 5, m can be 2, 3, or 4.

[0012] It is particularly preferred if the height h of the traction battery is as follows: h = GFb − m − 1 × AB / m , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries placed side by side in the battery compartment. In the formula, x is a multiplier (times).

[0013] The distance AB between two traction batteries accommodated side by side in the battery compartment is preferably predeterminable. In particular, it is preferred if the distance is 0 or essentially 0.

[0014] Preferably, the width b of the traction battery is as follows: b = GFb − n − 1 × AB / n , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries placed side by side in the battery compartment. In the formula, x is a multiplier (times).

[0015] Here, too, the distance between two traction batteries arranged side by side in the battery compartment is preferably predeterminable. It is particularly preferred if this distance is 0 or approximately 0.

[0016] Preferably, an additional weight, in particular one that can be releasably attached, is provided in the industrial truck.

[0017] It is particularly preferred if the additional weight has the same dimensions or substantially the same dimensions as a traction battery, as described above, and is accommodated in the battery receiving compartment. Substantially the same dimensions in the context of this application means that the height, width, and depth of the additional weight are in a range of 90% to 110%, in particular 92% to 108%, in particular 94% to 106%, of the height, width, and depth of the traction battery. The depth is preferably in a range of 98% to 102%, and the width is preferably in a range of 95% to 105%, in particular 98% to 102%. Due to any possible electrical connections on the traction battery, the height of the additional weight may be somewhat less than the height of the traction battery, particularly with the electrical connections.

[0018] Additional supplementary weights or only one supplementary weight may also be provided, which are arranged outside the battery compartment, for example between the battery compartment and a load handling area, in particular a lifting mast, of the industrial truck, below the battery compartment, in one or two wheel arms of a reach truck, below a floor plate of the industrial truck and / or in the area of ​​an operator area of ​​the industrial truck.

[0019] It is particularly preferred if an additional weight is interface-compatible with the traction batteries. For example, the additional weights can provide mounting options for cranes in the same locations as the traction batteries. In this case, both the additional weights and the traction batteries can be easily replaced in the same way.

[0020] Preferably, in the case of accommodating at least one traction battery located in the battery compartment, the industrial truck is provided or can be provided with an entry height, seat height and / or passage height that is between 5 cm and 30 cm lower than with a traction battery located in the battery compartment.

[0021] In this case, the fact that the height of a horizontal traction battery is lower than the height of a vertical traction battery is exploited, so that the industrial truck can be built lower overall, so that the entry height for the user, any seat arranged for a user and also the clearance height can be reduced without changing the size of the truck's cab.

[0022] Preferably, the battery compartment extends over 70% to 100%, in particular 80% to 95%, of the width of the industrial truck.

[0023] Preferably, the battery compartment is located between an operator area and a load handling area or a lift mast of the industrial truck. This allows for optimal weight distribution of the traction batteries and any additional weights in the battery compartment for the industrial truck.

[0024] The object is further achieved by a traction battery with a predeterminable height, width and depth, which is adapted and prepared to be or have been introduced into an industrial truck as described above.

[0025] Preferably, the height h of the traction battery is as follows: h = GFb − m − 1 × AB / m , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries placed side by side in the battery compartment.

[0026] Preferably, the width b of the traction battery is as follows: b = GFb − n − 1 × AB / n , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries placed next to each other in the battery compartment.

[0027] In particular, the depth of the traction battery corresponds to the depth of the battery compartment so that the traction battery can be optimally inserted into the battery compartment.

[0028] The object is further achieved by using a traction battery according to the invention in an industrial truck according to the invention.

[0029] Through clever structural geometric dimensioning of the traction batteries or traction battery modules, whereby the width of the upright modules is an integer fraction of the width of the battery compartment or the battery compartment in the industrial truck and the height of the upright modules is another integer fraction of the width of the battery compartment or the battery compartment in the industrial truck, different numbers of upright or horizontal modules can be accommodated in the width of the industrial truck or in the battery compartment.

[0030] Preferably, the width of a traction battery is 1 / 3 of the width of the battery compartment in the industrial truck and the height is half the width of the battery compartment in the industrial truck, so that two horizontal traction batteries can be accommodated in the battery compartment and three vertical modules or traction batteries.

[0031] In the context of the invention, a battery module is a traction battery. Furthermore, the battery compartment corresponds to the battery compartment.

[0032] For example, the width of the battery compartment is 1,200 mm, resulting in a traction battery width of 400 mm and a height of 600 mm. The ratio of 1 / 2 to 1 / 3 of the height to the width of the traction battery (relative to the width of the battery compartment) results in a reduced height of the top of the traction battery when installed horizontally. This allows the operator's height, which is derived from the positioning of the upper arm above the battery compartment or the battery compartment, to be lowered. With the aforementioned dimensions of the traction batteries, the lowering can preferably be up to 200 mm. An operator is defined as an operator for the purposes of the application.

[0033] Due to the reduced height of the operator, the height position of the foot plate or the entry height is reduced even with the given body dimensions and, with the same headroom, the height position of the overhead guard and thus the minimum clearance height of the industrial truck is reduced.

[0034] The space in the battery compartment can also be used to accommodate optional additional weights, for example, if the space is not fully occupied by traction batteries. The additional weights can have the same dimensions as the traction battery or traction batteries that are preferably the same size. The additional weights can also be installed vertically or horizontally in the battery compartment.

[0035] Furthermore, the additional weights can be designed to be interface-compatible with the traction batteries, as mentioned above. Furthermore, space or installation space is available for additional devices underneath the traction batteries. However, it is preferred that the additional weight be the same size as the traction battery and be insertable into the battery compartment.

[0036] In addition, space for additional weights can be provided between the battery compartment and a mast or lift frame, i.e., between the battery compartment and a load handling area or a lift mast of the industrial truck. In addition, additional weight can be attached to or under the floor plate of the industrial truck and / or to the frame and / or in the support arms, for example, of a reach truck.

[0037] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments of the invention together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention may incorporate individual features or a combination of several features.

[0038] Within the scope of the invention, features marked with "in particular" or "preferably" are to be understood as optional features.

[0039] The invention is described below, without limiting the general inventive concept, using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, whereby express reference is made to the drawings for all details of the invention not explained in more detail in the text. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of an industrial truck according to the invention, Fig. 2 a schematic view from the rear of the industrial truck Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a schematic side view of another industrial truck according to the invention from the side, Fig. 4 a schematic view of the industrial truck from Fig. 3 from behind, Fig. 5 a schematic side view of a further embodiment of an industrial truck, Fig. 6 a schematic view of the industrial truck from Fig. 5 from behind, Fig. 7a schematic side view of another industrial truck, Fig. 8the industrial truck from Fig. 7 schematically from behind, Fig. 9a schematic side view of another industrial truck, Fig. 10the industrial truck from Fig. 9 schematically from behind, Fig. 11a schematic side view of another industrial truck, Fig. 12the industrial truck from Fig. 11 schematic from behind.

[0040] In the drawings, identical or similar elements and / or parts are provided with the same reference numbers, so that a repeated presentation is omitted.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of an industrial truck 10 according to the invention. An operator 11 is depicted in an operator area 15, preferably seated or semi-seated. A lifting frame or mast 37 is provided in a load-handling area 16, to which a load arm 30 is attached, which can be moved upwards and downwards. The load arm 30 has a load capacity 31, which can vary depending on the weight of the industrial truck 10 and the weight distribution within the industrial truck 10.

[0042] In Fig. 1 The wheels of the industrial truck 10, which in this embodiment is a reach truck, are also indicated. A traction battery 12 is arranged between the load handling area 16 and the operator area 15. Fig. 2 the industrial truck 10 is made of Fig. 1shown schematically from the rear. The traction battery 12 is located on the left in this embodiment. To the right of it, two further locations 13 for traction batteries 12 and additional weights 14 are shown in dashed lines. The traction battery 12 in Fig. 1 and 2 is shown standing. This results in a construction height of 32. Due to the construction height of 32 and the possibility of handling by the operator 11 through this construction height 32, there is an entry height of 33, a seat height of 34, and a clearance height of 35, which is determined by the height of the overhead guard 36.

[0043] Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of another industrial truck and Fig. 4 schematic view of the industrial truck Fig. 3from the rear. In this industrial truck, a traction battery 12 is installed horizontally in a battery compartment (not shown). As can be seen, an additional space 13 is provided for the traction battery 12 or an additional weight 14. Arranging the traction battery 12 horizontally results in a lower overall height 32, which reduces or can reduce the entry height 33, the seat height 34, and the clearance height 35.

[0044] An entry height 33 of an industrial truck 10 with stationary traction batteries 12 can be determined according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 for example, be 540 mm. An entry height of 33 with the traction battery 12 lying down as per the Fig. 3 and 4 For example, it can be 440 mm. However, the lowering of the entry height 33 can preferably be in the range of 5 cm to 30 cm, preferably 10 cm to 20 cm.

[0045] Depending on whether, as in the Fig. 1 and 2the traction batteries 12 are standing or as in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 lying, results in a different number of maximum possible installed traction batteries 12. The highest electrical capacity then results according to the Fig. 1 and 2 and a slightly lower possible capacity results according to the Figs. 3 and 4 . Overall, this results in a very high variability in the possible battery capacity and weight, especially the weight that must be taken into account for the load capacity 31.

[0046] Due to the equally large driver's cab, the lowered entry height 33 also results in a possible lowered clearance height 35 due to the lowered driver's overhead guard 36. However, the driver's overhead guard 36 is expediently only lowered if the lifting mast to which the load arm 30 is attached is lower than the lowered clearance height.

[0047] Fig. 5shows schematically in a side view a further variant of an industrial truck 10 according to the invention. Fig. 6 shows the same embodiment in a schematic view from the rear. In this embodiment, two traction batteries 12 are provided in a vertical position in the battery compartment (not shown). Additionally, an additional weight 14, which has the same geometric dimensions as the traction batteries 12, is accommodated in the battery compartment (not shown).

[0048] Additionally, additional weights 22 and 23 are arranged between the traction batteries 12 and the battery compartment (not shown) and the lifting mast 37. Furthermore, another additional weight 21 is provided below the traction batteries 12 and the additional weight 14, particularly below the battery compartment (not shown). The additional weights 14, 21, 22, and 23 allow the load capacity 31 to be adjusted as desired.

[0049] Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 schematically show an industrial truck 10 in which a traction battery 12 and an additional weight 14 are accommodated horizontally in the battery compartment (not shown). This again results in a lower overall height 32 compared to the embodiments according to Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 and thus also a lower entry height 33, a lower seat height 34 and a lower passage height 35. Here too, further additional weights 21, 22 and 23 are required, corresponding to those from the Figs. 5 and 6 provided.

[0050] Additional weights may also be provided, as shown in the Figs. 9, 10 , 11 and 12 is shown. In the Figs. 9 and 10A schematic illustration of an industrial truck 10 with a traction battery 12 and an additional weight 14 is shown horizontally, with the additional weights 21, 22, and 23 as in the two previous embodiments. Additional weights 24 are also provided in the frame of the industrial truck 10, an additional weight 25 beneath the floor plate of the industrial truck 10, and an additional weight 26 in the two wheel arms.

[0051] Figs. 11 and 12 essentially shows the industrial truck 10 from Figs. 9 and 10 However, with vertical traction batteries 12 and a vertical additional weight 14 and thus compared to Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 different construction heights 32, entry heights 33, seat heights 34 and passage heights 35.

[0052] In the exemplary embodiments, the traction batteries 12 and the additional weights 14 are shown in a standing or lying position, each with a certain distance between them. The distance can be predefined, for example, between 5 mm and 50 mm. It can also be provided that the distance between the traction batteries 12 and, if an additional weight is used, also between the additional weight, is 0, i.e., the traction batteries 12 and / or the additional weights 14 are installed adjacent to one another.

[0053] All mentioned features, including those revealed solely in the drawings as well as individual features disclosed in combination with other features, are considered essential to the invention, both individually and in combination. Embodiments according to the invention may be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of several features. List of reference symbols

[0054] 10Industrial truck 11Operator 12Traction battery 13Space for traction battery or additional weight 14Additional weight 15Operator area 16Load handling area 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26Additional weight 30Load arm 31Load capacity 32Overhead height 33Entry height 34Seat height 35Clearance height 36Overhead guard 37Lift mast

Claims

1. Industrial truck (10), in particular a reach truck, with a battery receiving compartment, wherein the battery receiving compartment has a base area and is designed and configured to accommodate more than one traction battery (12) simultaneously, wherein the base area has a base area width and a base area depth, wherein at least one traction battery (12) is accommodated in the battery receiving compartment in an upright or lying position, wherein the traction battery (12) has a height which is greater than the width, wherein n traction batteries (12) standing next to one another or m traction batteries (12) lying next to one another can be or are accommodated in the battery receiving compartment, which fill the base area width of the battery receiving compartment, wherein n and m are natural numbers which are greater than 1, wherein n is greater than m and the traction batteries (12) have the same heights, the same widths and in particular the same depths.

2. Industrial truck (10) according to claim 1,characterized in that n is a maximum of 10.

3. Industrial truck (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height h of the traction battery (12) is as follows: h = GFb − m − 1 × AB / m , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries (12) placed side by side in the battery compartment.

4. Industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the width b of the traction battery (12) is as follows: b = GFb − n − 1 × AB / n , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries (12) placed next to each other in the battery compartment.

5. Industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an additional weight is provided in the industrial truck (10).

6. Industrial truck (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the additional weight has the same dimensions or substantially the same dimensions as a traction battery (12) and is accommodated in the battery compartment.

7. Industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in the case of accommodating at least one traction battery (12) located in the battery receiving compartment, the industrial truck (10) is provided or can be provided with an entry height (33), seat height (34) and / or passage height (35) that is between 5 cm and 30 cm lower than a traction battery (12) located in the battery receiving compartment.

8. Industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the battery compartment extends over 70% to 100%, in particular 80% to 95%, of the width of the industrial truck (10).

9. Industrial truck (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the battery compartment is arranged between an operator area and a load handling area, in particular a lifting mast, of the industrial truck (10).

10. Traction battery (12) with a predeterminable height, width and depth, which is designed and prepared to be or have been introduced into an industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Traction battery (12) according to claim 10, characterized in that the height h of the traction battery (12) is as follows: h = GFb − m − 1 × AB / m , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries (12) placed side by side in the battery compartment.

12. Traction battery (12) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the width b of the traction battery (12) is as follows: b = GFb − n − 1 × AB / n , where GFb is the base width and AB is the distance between two traction batteries (12) placed next to each other in the battery compartment.

13. Use of a traction battery (12) according to one of claims 10 to 12 in an industrial truck (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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