Power unit
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022145959
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-09-14
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-24
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present invention relates to electric power devices. [Background technology]
[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There are known electric power devices that house a plurality of power devices. In these electric power devices, a configuration is disclosed in which a lid can be opened to perform maintenance or the like on the power devices inside.
[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses the configuration of a power device capable of charging a battery. The lower section of the power device is provided with slots for detachably accommodating multiple batteries. The upper section of the power device accommodates a control device for controlling the charging and discharging of the batteries, etc. According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, each slot is provided with a door that rotates relative to the slot in response to the insertion and removal of the battery, located inside the insertion opening through which the battery is inserted. This is said to make it easy to insert and remove the battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2022 / 075430 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0005] In the above-mentioned electric power device, the upper stage in which the power supply devices such as the control device are housed is provided with a cover (upper cover) separate from the lower stage for maintenance of the power supply devices. In the upper cover, for example, a hinge is provided at one end of the top plate, and a fixing part such as a striker that engages with a latch is provided at the other end in order to improve user convenience. In the conventional upper cover, the striker and the latch are provided at the tip (front end) on the front side of the user, so that when the power supply devices are pulled out, there is a risk that the pulled out power supply devices and the latch may interfere with each other, which may reduce maintainability. Furthermore, the weight of the upper cover is increased in order to ensure the strength of the top plate, which may reduce user convenience.
[0006] In addition, the upper cover is usually provided with a switch for detecting whether the upper cover is open or closed. However, if the top plate is warped due to an external load or the like, a gap may be generated between the housing and the top plate, which may result in a false detection that the upper cover is open even though the upper cover is actually closed. Therefore, the conventional technology has room for improvement in terms of improving the convenience of users in the power device.
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric power device that can improve user convenience compared to the conventional technology. [Means for solving the problem]
[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the power device (e.g., the battery exchanger 1 in the embodiment) of the invention described in claim 1 comprises an external power supply connection unit (e.g., the external power supply connection unit 4 in the embodiment) electrically connected to an external power supply (e.g., the external power supply 500 in the embodiment), a housing (e.g., the housing 2 in the embodiment), an internal connection unit (e.g., the internal connection unit 5 in the embodiment) connected to a storage unit (e.g., the battery 3 in the embodiment) arranged inside the housing, and a power conversion unit (e.g., the power conversion unit 73 in the embodiment) provided on a power transmission path (e.g., the power transmission path 6 in the embodiment) electrically connecting the external power supply connection unit and the internal connection unit, characterized in that the internal connection unit is provided in a first region (e.g., the first region 31 in the embodiment) inside the housing, and the power conversion unit is provided in a second region (e.g., the second region 32 in the embodiment) located above the first region inside the housing.
[0009] In addition, the power device according to the invention recited in claim 2 is characterized in that the housing has an opening / closing portion (for example, upper cover 8 in the embodiment) that is provided so as to be able to open and close an upwardly facing surface of the housing.
[0010] In addition, the electric power device according to the invention recited in claim 3 is characterized in that the opening and closing part is provided rotatably about a rotation shaft (for example, rotation shaft 80 in the embodiment) extending in a horizontal direction.
[0011] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that the opening / closing portion has a main portion (e.g., main portion 53 in the embodiment) that is arranged on the upward-facing surface of the housing when the opening / closing portion is in a closed state with the opening / closing portion closed, and has a vertical direction as a direction perpendicular to the surface, and an extension portion (e.g., extension portion 54 in the embodiment) that is integrally formed with the main portion in the closed state, and has a horizontal direction as a direction perpendicular to the surface.
[0012] The electric power device according to the invention recited in claim 5 is characterized in that the rotation shaft is provided at a position on the main portion opposite to a position at which the extension portion is provided.
[0013] The electric power device according to the invention recited in claim 6 is characterized in that it further comprises a detector (for example, open / close detector 83 in the embodiment) capable of detecting whether the open / close unit is closed or not.
[0014] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that the opening / closing unit is rotatably arranged about a rotation axis extending horizontally, and the detection unit is arranged inside the housing and in the vicinity of the rotation axis.
[0015] Furthermore, the power device of the invention described in claim 8 is characterized in that it further comprises a framework portion (e.g., framework portion 88 in the embodiment) provided inside the housing near the opening / closing portion and extending horizontally.
[0016] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 9 is characterized in that the framework portion is provided at a position closer to the pivot axis than the tip portion of the opening / closing portion (e.g., tip portion 51 in the embodiment) when the opening / closing portion is closed.
[0017] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 10 is further provided with a pair of engaging members (e.g., a pair of engaging members 82 in the embodiment) that engage with the opening / closing portion when the opening / closing portion is closed, and one of the pair of engaging members (e.g., striker 86 in the embodiment) is provided on the opening / closing portion, and the other of the pair of engaging members (e.g., latch 87 in the embodiment) is provided on the framework portion.
[0018] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 11 is characterized in that the power conversion unit has a power conversion unit main body (e.g., a charging DC / DC converter 66 in an embodiment) and a storage section (e.g., a second storage pocket 42 in an embodiment) that removably stores the power conversion unit main body.
[0019] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 12 is characterized in that the power conversion unit has a main body side connection portion (e.g., terminal portion 45 in the embodiment) provided in the power conversion unit main body, and a storage portion side connection portion (e.g., case side terminal portion 43 in the embodiment) provided in the storage portion and detachably connected to the main body side connection portion.
[0020] In addition, the power device of the invention described in claim 13 is characterized in that the opening / closing portion is configured so that the power conversion unit main body can be inserted and removed from the accommodating portion when the opening / closing portion is open.
[0021] In addition, the electric power device according to the invention recited in claim 14 is characterized in that the opening / closing portion has a reinforcing member (for example, reinforcing member 84 in the embodiment) attached to the rear surface of the main portion. Effect of the Invention
[0022] According to the power device of claim 1 of the present invention, the power conversion unit is provided in a second area located above the first area where the internal connection unit is provided. By providing the power conversion unit that connects the external power supply connection unit and the internal connection unit separately from the area where the internal connection unit is provided, work related to the internal connection unit and work related to the power conversion unit can be performed separately. This can improve convenience for the worker (user) performing each work. Furthermore, by separating the areas, the work area for a user performing work related to the power conversion unit, for example, is narrowed, so that the effort of moving can be saved. In addition, by providing the power conversion units together in the second area located relatively above, maintenance work on the power conversion unit can be easily performed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a power device that can improve user convenience compared to the conventional technology.
[0023] According to the power device of claim 2 of the present invention, the opening / closing part is provided so that the surface facing upward of the housing can be opened or closed, and therefore the second area can be opened or closed by opening or closing the opening / closing part. This allows maintenance of the power conversion unit provided in the second area to be performed by opening the opening / closing part. Since the opening / closing part is provided so that only the top surface of the housing, i.e., only the second area, can be opened or closed, it cannot be opened by general users performing work on the internal connection parts, for example, and can be configured so that only users (maintenance workers) performing maintenance on the power conversion unit can open and close it. This enhances safety and improves the workability of maintenance workers.
[0024] According to the power device of claim 3 of the present invention, the opening / closing unit is provided rotatably about a rotation axis extending horizontally, so that the opening / closing unit can be easily opened and closed, thereby improving maintainability.
[0025] According to the electric power device of claim 4 of the present invention, the opening / closing part has a main part arranged on the surface facing upward of the housing in the closed state, and an extension part that is integral with the main part in the closed state and has a horizontal direction perpendicular to the surface. Since the opening / closing part has the main part and the extension part, when the opening / closing part is opened, not only the upper surface of the housing but also a part of the front surface of the housing can be opened at the same time. This makes it possible to increase the area of the opening of the housing. Therefore, a wide working space can be secured for the worker who opens the opening / closing part to perform maintenance, and maintainability can be improved. In addition, by providing the extension part continuously with the main part, the design of the opening / closing part can be improved.
[0026] According to the power device of claim 5 of the present invention, the rotating shaft is provided on the opposite side of the extension part with respect to the main part. For example, by providing the extension part on the front side as seen from the user and the rotating shaft on the rear side as seen from the user, the opening / closing part can be easily opened and closed, and the opening / closing part in the open state can be prevented from interfering with maintenance. In addition, since the extension part is located at the end on the opposite side to the rotating shaft, a large area can be secured for the opening part of the housing when the opening / closing part is opened. This improves user convenience including maintainability.
[0027] According to the power device of claim 6 of the present invention, the power device has a detection unit capable of detecting whether the opening / closing unit is closed or not, and therefore, it is possible to prevent the opening / closing unit from being left unattended. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of unintended dangerous situations, such as water damage due to rain or accidental touching of the power conversion unit by general users other than maintenance workers. In addition, for example, control can be performed such as switching between energizing and cutting off power to the internal power supply device depending on the detection result of the detection unit. This makes it possible to further improve user convenience.
[0028] According to the power device of claim 7 of the present invention, the detection unit is disposed near the rotating shaft. In the conventional technology in which the detection unit is provided at the tip or the like separated from the rotating shaft, there is a risk that the opening / closing unit may be erroneously detected as open even when it is locked due to, for example, the warping of the top plate or the lifting of the tip of the opening / closing unit caused by external factors such as rattling of the housing or the application of an external load. As a countermeasure against this, for example, a method of increasing the rigidity of the opening / closing unit to suppress rattling and warping may be considered, but in this case, there is a risk of problems such as an increase in the weight and cost of the opening / closing unit. In contrast, according to the electric power device of the present invention, since the detection unit is disposed near the rotating shaft, even if the above-mentioned external factors act, the floating amount of the opening / closing unit corresponding to the detection unit is suppressed to be small. This makes it possible to make the detection unit less susceptible to the influence of external factors. Therefore, compared to the conventional technology in which the detection unit is provided at the tip part separated from the rotating shaft, the occurrence of false detection in the detection unit can be suppressed. This improves user convenience. In addition, since there is no need to increase the rigidity of the opening / closing unit more than necessary, it is possible to suppress the weight and cost increase of the opening / closing unit. Furthermore, since the detection unit is less susceptible to external factors, even if a sensor with a narrower detection range than conventional sensors is used as the detection unit, the occurrence of false detection can be suppressed. Therefore, the versatility of the detection unit can be improved.
[0029] According to the electric power device of claim 8 of the present invention, a framework extending horizontally is provided near the opening / closing part, which increases the strength of the housing and suppresses bending and deformation of the opening / closing part in the closed state.
[0030] According to the electric power device of claim 9 of the present invention, the framework is provided at a position closer to the rotation axis than the tip of the opening / closing part when the opening / closing part is closed. As a result, when the opening / closing part is opened to perform maintenance, the framework is positioned relatively farther back as viewed from the worker, so that space is secured on the front side, making it easier to perform maintenance. This improves the efficiency of maintenance work.
[0031] According to the electric power device of claim 10 of the present invention, one of the pair of engaging members is provided on the opening / closing part, and the other of the pair of engaging members is provided on the framework part. By engaging one engaging member with the other engaging member, the opening / closing part can be fixed to the framework part. That is, the opening / closing part can be fixed in a closed state. At this time, one of the engaging members is provided at approximately the center of the opening / closing part in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the framework part located near the center in the front-rear direction, so that the load applied to the opening / closing part can be transmitted to the framework part via the engaging member. This allows the load applied to the opening / closing part to be distributed to the housing. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the rigidity of the opening / closing part more than necessary, and an increase in the weight and cost of the opening / closing part can be suppressed. By suppressing the weight of the opening / closing part, the effort involved in the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing part can be reduced, and the convenience of the user can be improved.
[0032] According to the power device of claim 11 of the present invention, the power conversion unit has a power conversion unit main body and a housing section that houses the power conversion unit main body in a removable manner. By configuring the power conversion unit main body to be housed in the housing section, the power conversion unit consisting of multiple devices can be housed together. In addition, since the power conversion unit main body can be arranged in an organized manner, the maintainability of the power conversion unit can be improved.
[0033] According to the power device of claim 12 of the present invention, the power conversion unit main body is provided with a main body side connection part, and the accommodation part is provided with a accommodation part side connection part. The accommodation part side connection part is detachably connected to the main body side connection part. As a result, by accommodating the power conversion unit main body in the accommodation part, the accommodation part side connection part and the main body side connection part can be electrically connected. Furthermore, in the case where the accommodation part side connection part is configured to be connected to the internal connection part and the external power supply connection part in advance, the power conversion unit can be connected to the internal connection part and the external power supply connection part by accommodating the power conversion unit main body in the accommodation part. Therefore, replacement and maintenance of the power conversion unit can be easily performed.
[0034] According to the electric power device of claim 13 of the present invention, the opening / closing unit is provided so that the power conversion unit main body can be inserted and removed from the storage unit when the opening / closing unit is open. As a result, when performing maintenance on the power conversion unit, the opening / closing unit is first opened. Then, the power conversion unit main body can be inserted or removed from the storage unit, thereby easily performing maintenance on the power conversion unit. In addition, since the power conversion unit can be accessed after the opening / closing unit is opened, it is possible to incorporate a control such as cutting off the power supply to a part of the power conversion unit depending on whether the opening / closing unit is opened or closed. This improves the ease of maintenance work and ensures the safety of the user.
[0035] According to the electric power device of claim 14 of the present invention, the opening / closing part has a reinforcing member attached to the back surface of the main part. This makes it possible to reinforce only the parts of the opening / closing part that require strength. This makes it possible to minimize the increase in weight of the opening / closing part and to prevent a decrease in user convenience due to the increase in weight. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0036] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a battery sharing service system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery exchange machine according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a battery exchange machine according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of the battery exchange machine according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the inside of the second area of the battery exchange machine. [Figure 6] Exploded view of the power supply unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an upper cover in an open state according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective view of the battery exchange machine in a closed state with the upper cover excluding the top plate. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of part IX in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front side as viewed from a user using the battery exchange machine 1 may be referred to as the front, the back side as the back, the right hand side as the right, and the left hand side as the left.
[0038] (Battery sharing service system) FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a battery sharing service system 100 according to an embodiment. The battery sharing service system 100 includes one or more (eg, a plurality of) battery exchange stations 200 (four battery exchange stations 200-1 to 200-4 are illustrated in FIG. 1) and a management server device 300.
[0039] The battery exchange station 200 includes, for example, one or more battery exchangers 1 (power devices in the claims) (three battery exchangers 1a, 1b, and 1c are shown in FIG. 1). At least one of the multiple battery exchangers 1 (battery exchanger 1c in FIG. 1) also functions as a station control device 210. The station control device 210 and the battery exchanger 1 can communicate with each other by wire or wirelessly. The station control device 210 and the battery exchanger 1 may be configured as a single device, rather than as separate devices.
[0040] The station control device 210 manages the charging and discharging of the battery 3 in the battery exchange machine 1 and the receipt and provision of the battery 3 (hereinafter referred to as "exchange of the battery 3"). The battery 3 is a removable battery that can be attached to and detached from the battery exchange machine 1. When the user of the electric vehicle 400 uses the battery exchange station 200, the station control device 210 provides the user with information for the exchange of the battery 3. For example, the station control device 210 provides the user with information indicating the battery slot 27 that receives the battery 3 that has been used in the electric vehicle 400 and has low remaining capacity, information indicating the battery slot 27 that accommodates another battery 3 to be provided in place of the received battery 3, and the like. The battery slot 27 accommodates at least a portion of the battery 3.
[0041] The battery exchange machine 1 stores the batteries 3 by accommodating the batteries 3 in the battery slots 27. The battery exchange machine 1 is a device for charging, discharging, and exchanging the batteries 3. The battery exchange machine 1 has one or more (e.g., a plurality of) battery slots 27. The battery slot 27 is an accommodating section that can accommodate the battery 3 and charge and discharge it. The battery slot 27 holds the battery 3 in a detachable manner. In the example shown in FIG. 1, one battery exchange machine 1 has 12 battery slots 27 and can accommodate 12 batteries 3 simultaneously.
[0042] The battery exchange machine 1 can simultaneously charge multiple batteries 3 (up to 12 batteries 3 in the example shown in FIG. 1) housed in multiple battery slots 27. In this specification, "charging simultaneously" or "simultaneous charging" is not limited to cases where charging of multiple batteries 3 starts at the same time, but also includes cases where part of the charging time of one battery 3 and part of the charging time of another battery 3 are simultaneous.
[0043] The battery exchange machine 1 is supplied with power from an external power source 500. The external power source 500 is, for example, a 100V AC commercial power source. The battery exchange machine 1 charges the battery 3 received from the user of the electric vehicle 400 under the control of the station control device 210. When charging of the battery 3 is completed, the battery exchange machine 1 transmits a notification indicating that charging is completed to the station control device 210. In this way, the station control device 210 recognizes the battery 3 that can be provided to the user of the electric vehicle 400. The battery exchange machine 1 may discharge any power remaining in the battery 3.
[0044] The management server device 300 is connected to a network NW. The network NW includes, for example, one or more of the Internet, a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), and the like. In this embodiment, the management server device 300 communicates with a plurality of battery exchange stations 200 via the network NW and manages the plurality of battery exchange stations 200. For example, the management server device 300 receives information indicating the state of the battery exchange station 200 (hereinafter referred to as "state information") from each battery exchange station 200, and determines the state of each battery exchange station 200 based on the state information.
[0045] The management server device 300 communicates, directly or via a network NW, with a terminal device T1 used by an administrator P1 who manages the battery sharing service system 100, and outputs a predetermined notification regarding the status of the battery exchange station 200 to the terminal device T1. The terminal device T1 is a stationary or notebook personal computer, or the like. The management server device 300 communicates, via the network NW, with a terminal device T2 used by a security personnel P2 in charge of maintaining the battery exchange station 200, and outputs a predetermined notification regarding the status of the battery exchange station 200 to the terminal device T2. The terminal device T2 is, for example, a portable terminal device, such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal.
[0046] The electric vehicle 400 runs on the driving force of an electric motor driven by power supplied from the battery 3. However, the electric vehicle 400 may be a hybrid electric vehicle that runs on the driving force of a combination of the battery 3 and an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine. The electric vehicle 400 includes, for example, a battery connection unit (not shown) to which the battery 3 is connected. In the present embodiment, the electric vehicle 400 is used as an example of the use of the charged battery 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. The battery exchange machine 1 may be capable of charging a portable mobile battery that is used for various purposes.
[0047] (Battery exchanger) (Housing) Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the battery exchange machine 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the battery exchange machine 1 according to the embodiment. The battery exchange machine 1 includes a housing 2, a battery 3 (power storage unit in claims), an external power supply connection unit 4, an internal connection unit 5, a power transmission path 6, a power supply device unit 7, and an upper cover 8. The housing 2 is formed, for example, in a vertically long rectangular parallelepiped shape. Specifically, the housing 2 has a lower wall 21, a front wall 22 (front panel), a rear wall 23, a left side wall 24, and a right side wall 25. The lower wall 21 is installed on the floor. The front wall 22, the rear wall 23, the left side wall 24, and the right side wall 25 stand up from the front end, the rear end, the left end, and the right end of the lower wall 21, respectively, and extend in the vertical direction. The upper surface of the housing 2 is open, and the upper surface of the housing 2 is closed or opened by the upper cover 8, which will be described in detail later.
[0048] More specifically, the rear wall 23, the right side wall 25, and the left side wall 24 are at the same height from the floor. The front wall 22 is lower in height from the floor than the rear wall 23, the right side wall 25, and the left side wall 24. Corners 26 located above and in front of the right side wall 25 and the left side wall 24 are formed in an arc shape that curves downward toward the front when viewed from the side of the battery exchange machine 1. This makes it easier for a user standing in front of the front wall 22 to view the inside of the housing 2 and to perform maintenance of the power supply device 72.
[0049] The front wall 22 is provided with an opening (battery replacement opening 28) that exposes the battery slots 27 provided inside the housing 2 to the outside of the housing 2. In this embodiment, twelve battery slots 27 are arranged in a matrix of three columns in the horizontal direction and four rows in the vertical direction. The battery 3 is placed inside the housing 2 by being inserted into the battery slot 27 through the battery replacement opening 28.
[0050] The battery 3 inserted into the battery slot 27 generates heat when charged by the battery exchange machine 1. The front wall 22 and the rear wall 23 are provided with a plurality of air intakes and exhaust ports (neither shown) for ventilating air that rises due to the heat. The air intakes and exhaust ports connect the inside and outside of the housing 2. A fan (not shown) may be provided near the air intakes and exhaust ports. The housing 2 may also have a separate cooling device that exhausts cooled air into the housing 2.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the battery slot 27 opens on the front surface of the battery exchange machine 1. The battery slot 27 is inclined downward from the front side to the back side. In other words, the battery replacement opening 28 of the battery slot 27 opens obliquely upward. This allows the user to take a forward-leaning posture when inserting the battery 3 into the battery slot 27. This makes it easier to insert the battery 3 into the battery slot 27.
[0052] As shown in FIG. 2, a front panel 29 and an operation panel 30 formed integrally with the front panel 29 are provided above the battery slot 27 of the front wall 22. The front panel 29 is formed, for example, in a mesh shape. The front panel 29 is provided at a position in the up-down direction corresponding to a fan 34 (see FIG. 3) of the power supply unit 7, which will be described later, and releases heat generated from the power supply unit 7 to the outside. The operation panel 30 is provided integrally with the right end portion of the front panel 29. The operation panel 30 is a device operated by a user. A user operates the operation panel 30 to, for example, pay a fee.
[0053] (Battery) The battery 3 inserted into the battery slot 27 includes, for example, an assembled battery in which a plurality of single cells are connected in series. The single cells constituting the assembled battery are, for example, secondary batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), nickel-metal hydride batteries, and all-solid-state batteries. Possible secondary batteries constituting the assembled battery include, for example, lead-acid batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and other types of batteries, as well as capacitors such as electric double-layer capacitors, and composite batteries that combine secondary batteries and capacitors. There is no particular limitation on the configuration of the secondary batteries constituting the assembled battery.
[0054] In addition to the battery pack, the battery 3 includes a BMU, a connection unit, etc. The BMU controls charging and discharging of the battery 3, performs cell balancing, detects abnormalities in the battery 3, and estimates the SOC of the battery 3. The BMU includes a non-volatile storage device that stores the state of the battery 3 as state information, which is grasped based on the measurement results of various sensors.
[0055] (External power supply connection) (Internal connection) 3, the external power supply connection unit 4 is electrically connected to an external power supply 500 of the battery exchange machine 1. Power is supplied from the external power supply 500 to the battery exchange machine 1 via the external power supply connection unit 4. The internal connection part 5 is provided, for example, at the rear end of the battery slot 27. The internal connection part 5 is electrically connected to the battery 3 arranged inside the housing 2. The internal connection part 5 is, for example, a plug (e.g., a male connector) not shown. A female connector of the battery 3 fits into the male connector. As a result, by inserting the battery 3 into the battery slot 27, the battery 3 is electrically connected to a circuit inside the housing 2 (the power transmission path 6, which will be described in detail later).
[0056] (Power transmission path) Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration (power transmission path 6) of the battery exchange machine 1 according to the embodiment. Solid lines in Fig. 4 indicate power lines (such as power cables). Broken lines in Fig. 4 indicate signal lines (such as communication cables). 3 and 4 is an electric circuit provided inside the housing 2, and electrically connects the external power supply 500 and the internal connection unit 5 via the external power supply connection unit 4. As shown in FIG. 4, the power transmission path 6 has an AC / DC converter 61, a DC / DC converter group 62, a plurality of interface boards (IF boards 63), and a control board 64.
[0057] The AC / DC converter 61 is supplied with AC power from the external power supply 500. The AC / DC converter 61 converts the AC power supplied from the external power supply 500 into DC power and supplies the converted DC power to the DC / DC converter group 62. The AC / DC converter 61 is electrically connected to the battery 3. One AC / DC converter 61 is provided for the multiple battery slots 27 (multiple batteries 3). The AC / DC converter 61 is arranged so as to be able to simultaneously supply charging power to the multiple batteries 3 accommodated in the multiple battery slots 27. That is, multiple battery slots 27 are connected to one AC / DC converter 61.
[0058] The DC / DC converter group 62 has a plurality of DC / DC converters 66 for charging, a DC / DC converter 67 for cooling, and a DC / DC converter 68 for control. The charging DC / DC converters 66 are provided in a one-to-one relationship with the plurality of battery slots 27. The plurality of charging DC / DC converters 66 are electrically connected in parallel to the AC / DC converter 61. The batteries 3 electrically connected to the charging DC / DC converters 66 are discharged to and charged by each charging DC / DC converter 66. The charging DC / DC converters 66 are connected to the batteries 3 accommodated in the battery slots 27 via the internal connection parts 5 of the battery slots 27. The charging DC / DC converters 66 convert DC power supplied from the AC / DC converter 61 into DC power having a voltage suitable for charging the batteries 3, and supply the converted DC power to the batteries 3.
[0059] The cooling DC / DC converter 67 is connected to a fan for heat exchange (for example, the fan 34 provided in the second area shown in FIG. 3), a capacitor, etc. The cooling DC / DC converter 67 converts the DC power supplied from the AC / DC converter 61 into DC power having a voltage suitable for a cooling system such as a fan and a capacitor, and supplies the converted DC power to the fan via the IF board 63. A power detector is connected to the wiring between the IF board 63 and the fan.
[0060] The control DC / DC converter 68 is connected to the control board 64 which is the main control unit of the power transmission path 6. The control DC / DC converter 68 converts the DC power supplied from the AC / DC converter 61 into DC power having a voltage suitable for the control board 64, and supplies the converted DC power to the control board 64 via the IF board 63.
[0061] The multiple IF boards 63 are provided in a one-to-one relationship with the multiple battery slots 27. In this embodiment, the IF board 63 is provided at the rear end of the battery slot 27. The IF board 63 is connected to the battery 3 accommodated in the battery slot 27 via the internal connection part 5 of the battery slot 27. The IF board 63 communicates with the battery 3, and acquires information stored in the memory part of the BMU of the battery 3 from the battery 3 (e.g., status information of the battery 3, the ID of the battery 3, etc.). The IF board 63 outputs the information acquired from the battery 3 to the control board 64.
[0062] The control board 64 (controller) controls the AC / DC converter 61, each DC / DC converter in the DC / DC converter group 62, and the multiple IF boards 63. For example, the control board 64 controls the magnitude of power converted by the AC / DC converter 61 by controlling a field effect transistor (FET) included in the AC / DC converter 61 according to the number of batteries 3 to be charged simultaneously. Note that the term "board" in this specification refers to a base on which components are mounted, and is not limited to a printed wiring board, and may be a metal plate or the like.
[0063] (Power supply unit) As shown in FIG. 3, the power supply device unit 7 is disposed above the battery slot 27 inside the housing 2. In this embodiment, a partition wall 33 is provided inside the housing 2. The partition wall 33 is disposed above the battery slots 27 (the batteries 3). The power supply device unit 7 is placed on the partition wall 33 and disposed above the battery slots 27. In other words, the partition wall 33 divides the space inside the housing 2 into a first area 31 in which the battery slots 27 and the internal connection parts 5 of the batteries 3 are provided, and a second area 32 in which the power supply device unit 7 is provided. The above-mentioned intake and exhaust ports are provided at positions corresponding to the first area 31, and communicate the first area 31 with the external space. The second area 32 is also provided with intake and exhaust ports that communicate the second area 32 with the external space.
[0064] 5 is a configuration diagram of the inside of the second area 32 of the battery exchange machine 1. FIG. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the power supply device unit 7 has a storage case 71, a power supply device 72, and a power conversion section 73.
[0065] The storage case 71 stores a power supply device 72. The storage case 71 integrally stores at least the AC / DC converter 61 and the DC / DC converter group 62 described above. The storage case 71 stores the AC / DC converter 61 and the DC / DC converter group 62 in a detachable manner. The storage case 71 has a plurality of storage pockets 41, 42 in which the power supply devices 72 are stored, and a case side terminal portion 43 (the storage portion side connection portion in the claims). As shown in FIG. 6, the plurality of storage pockets specifically include a first storage pocket 41 and a second storage pocket .
[0066] The first storage pocket 41 is provided on the left side as viewed from the user. A plurality of first storage pockets 41 (two in this embodiment) are provided lined up in the vertical direction. The second storage pocket 42 is provided on the right side of the first storage pocket 41. The second storage pockets 42 are arranged in a matrix of 15 in total, with three rows in the horizontal direction and five rows in the vertical direction. In the following description, the one located at the bottom leftmost position when viewed from the front of the 15 second storage pockets 42 may be referred to as the No. 1 storage pocket 42a, the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 2 storage pocket 42b, and the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 3 storage pocket 42c. Similarly, the one at the left end of the second row from the bottom may be referred to as the No. 4 storage pocket 42d, the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 5 storage pocket 42e, and the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 6 storage pocket 42f. The one at the left end of the third row from the bottom may be referred to as the No. 7 storage pocket 42g, the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 8 storage pocket 42h, and the one to the right of it may be referred to as the No. 9 storage pocket 42i. The one on the left end of the fourth row from the bottom is sometimes called storage pocket 42j No. 10, the one to its right is called storage pocket 42k No. 11, and the one to its right is called storage pocket 42l No. 12. The one on the left end of the top row is called storage pocket 42m No. 13, the one to its right is called storage pocket 42n No. 14, and the one to its right is called storage pocket 42p No. 15. In this way, second storage pocket 42 has a total of 15 storage pockets 42a to 42p, numbered 1 to 15.
[0067] The case side terminal parts 43 are provided at the rear end parts of the first storage pocket 41 and the second storage pocket 42, respectively. The case side terminal parts 43 are provided in the same number as the number of storage pockets, for example. In this embodiment, a total of 17 case side terminal parts 43 are provided corresponding to the two first storage pockets 41 and the 15 second storage pockets 42. Note that FIG. 6 illustrates a part of the case side terminal parts 43. The case side terminal parts 43 are connected to the power transmission path 6. The terminals of the power supply devices 72 stored in each storage pocket of the storage case 71 are connected to the case side terminal parts 43. Therefore, by storing the power supply devices 72 in the storage case 71, the power supply devices 72 and the power transmission path 6 inside the housing 2 are electrically connected.
[0068] The power supply device 72 includes the above-mentioned AC / DC converter 61 and DC / DC converter group 62. The AC / DC converter 61 has a box-shaped outer shape. In this embodiment, the AC / DC converter 61 is configured by, for example, arranging two box-shaped devices one above the other. These two AC / DC converters 61 are stored in the first storage pocket 41 of the storage case 71. A terminal portion 45 is provided at the rear end of each AC / DC converter 61. By storing the AC / DC converter 61 in the first storage pocket 41, the terminal portion 45 of the AC / DC converter 61 and the case side terminal portion 43 provided at the rear end of the first storage pocket 41 are connected to each other.
[0069] The DC / DC converter group 62 is formed in a box shape with an external shape that is one size smaller than the AC / DC converter 61. In this embodiment, the DC / DC converter group 62 has twelve charging DC / DC converters 66, one control DC / DC converter 68, and two cooling DC / DC converters 67. Each DC / DC converter (the charging DC / DC converter 66, the control DC / DC converter 68, and the cooling DC / DC converter 67) is formed in a box shape with the same external shape.
[0070] All twelve charging DC / DC converters 66 have the same configuration. The twelve charging DC / DC converters 66 are housed in the first to twelfth storage pockets 42a to 42l of the second storage pocket 42, respectively. The twelve charging DC / DC converters 66 are housed in the storage pockets while being partitioned from one another. One control DC / DC converter 68 is stored in the thirteenth storage pocket 42 m of the second storage pockets 42 . The two cooling DC / DC converters 67 are respectively stored in the fourteenth and fifteenth storage pockets 42n, 42p of the second storage pockets 42. The two cooling DC / DC converters 67 are stored in the storage pockets while being partitioned from each other.
[0071] Note that the power supply device 72 may have an IF board 63, a control board 64 (control unit), and the like in addition to the above-mentioned AC / DC converter 61 and DC / DC converter group 62. In this case, for example, the IF board 63 and the control board 64 may be placed on the upper part of the storage case 71, as shown in Fig. 5. Also, for example, a third storage pocket (not shown) for storing the IF board 63 and the control board 64 may be formed in the storage case 71, and the IF board 63 and the control board 64 may be stored in the third storage pocket.
[0072] The power conversion unit 73 is provided on the power transmission path 6, is provided in the second area 32 of the housing 2, and corresponds to each battery 3 inserted into the battery slot 27. As shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the power conversion unit 73 of this embodiment has the above-mentioned second storage pocket 42 (more specifically, the 1st to 12th storage pockets 42a-42l of the second storage pocket 42) (accommodation section in claims) and a charging DC / DC converter 66 of the DC / DC converter group 62 (power conversion unit main body in claims). The 1st to 12th storage pockets 42a-42l of the second storage pocket 42 detachably accommodate the charging DC / DC converter 66.
[0073] Furthermore, the power conversion unit 73 has terminals 45 (main body side connection parts in claims) provided on each charging DC / DC converter 66 which is the power conversion unit main body, and case side terminals 43 (accommodation section side connection parts in claims) provided on the storage case 71. The case side terminals 43 of the power conversion unit 73 are provided on the rear end parts of the first to twelfth storage pockets 42a to 42l (accommodation section in claims) of the second storage pocket 42. The case side terminals 43 of the power conversion unit 73 are detachably connected to the terminals 45 of the charging DC / DC converter 66.
[0074] (Upper cover) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the upper cover 8 according to the embodiment in an open state. The upper cover 8 (opening / closing section in claims) is provided so as to be able to open and close the top surface of the housing 2 by rotating a base end portion 52 (rear end portion) located at the rear relative to the housing 2. In the following description, a state in which the upper cover 8 closes the top surface of the housing 2 may be referred to as a closed state of the upper cover 8, and a state in which the upper cover 8 opens the top surface of the housing 2 may be referred to as an open state of the upper cover 8. The upper cover 8 has a top plate 81, a pair of engaging members 82, an opening / closing detection section 83 (detection section in claims), and a reinforcing member 84.
[0075] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the battery exchange machine 1 in a closed state of the upper cover 8 with the top plate 81 removed. In Fig. 8, the top plate 81 is omitted for ease of explanation. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the top plate 81 is formed in a plate shape covering the upper surface of the housing 2. A hinge 50 (see FIG. 8) is provided at the base end 52 of the top plate 81. A pair of hinges 50 are provided at left and right positions. One end of the hinge 50 is fixed to the back surface of the base end 52 of the top plate 81. The other end of the hinge 50 is fixed to the rear wall 23 of the housing 2. By connecting the rear wall 23 of the housing 2 and the top plate 81 via the hinge 50, the top plate 81 can be rotated around a rotation shaft 80 extending in the horizontal direction relative to the housing 2. In other words, the rotation shaft 80 is provided along the base end 52 of the top plate 81, and the top plate 81 opens and closes relative to the housing 2 by rotating the tip end (front end) 51 of the top plate 81 up and down around the rotation shaft 80.
[0076] As shown in FIG. 7, the top plate 81 is formed in a shape that conforms to the shape of the upper surface of the housing 2 so as to cover the upper surface of the housing 2 without any gaps. Specifically, the top plate 81 has a main portion 53, an extension portion 54, and an end plate portion 55. The main portion 53 is formed in a flat plate shape that covers the upper surface of the housing 2 and has a vertical direction perpendicular to the surface when the upper cover 8 is in a closed state. The main portion 53 is provided over the entire area between the right side wall 25 and the left side wall 24 in the left-right direction. Moreover, the main portion 53 is provided over the entire area between the rear wall 23 and the right side wall 25 and the left side wall 24 in the front-rear direction to the point where the curvature of the arc-shaped corner portion 26 of the left side wall 24 begins when the upper cover 8 is in a closed state.
[0077] The extension portion 54 is connected to the front end of the main portion 53. The extension portion 54 is provided integrally with the main portion 53. The extension portion 54 is formed so that the horizontal direction is perpendicular to the surface when the upper cover 8 is closed. The portion between the main portion 53 and the extension portion 54 is curved so as to be positioned downward as it moves forward along the arc shape of the corners 26 of the right side wall 25 and the left side wall 24 when the upper cover 8 is closed. When the upper cover 8 is closed, the lower end of the extension portion 54 is located at the same height as the upper end of the front wall 22. That is, the main portion 53 and the extension portion 54 of the top plate 81 are formed along the upper edge of the left side wall 24 (or the right side wall 25) when viewed from the side of the battery exchange machine 1. This makes it possible to cover the opening on the top surface of the housing 2 that opens upward and forward with the top plate 81 without any gaps. The lower end of the extension portion 54 may extend to a position lower than the upper end of the front wall 22. In other words, a part of the top plate 81 (the lower end of the extension portion 54) may be formed to overlap the front wall 22 to some extent.
[0078] In the upper cover 8 thus formed, the rotation shaft 80 of the upper cover 8 is provided at a position opposite to the position at which the extension portion 54 is provided with respect to the main portion 53 described above.
[0079] Even if the extension 54 and the front panel 29 are configured to rotate around a rotation axis along the vertical direction (for example, a side-opening configuration), the AC / DC converter 61 and the power conversion unit 73 (the charging DC / DC converter 66) can be inserted and removed and their maintenance and repair (including cleaning) is possible. However, according to the configuration of this embodiment in which the upper cover 8 is rotatable around the rotation axis 80 extending in the horizontal direction and the rotation axis 80 is disposed at the rearmost part (rearmost part), the upper space which is the opening when the upper cover 8 is opened becomes large, so that it is possible to improve the ease of insertion and removal and the maintenance and repair of parts such as the AC / DC converter 61 and the power conversion unit 73 (the charging DC / DC converter 66) disposed in the second region 32 inside the housing 2.
[0080] The end plate portion 55 is connected to the left and right ends of the main portion 53 and the extension portion 54, respectively. The end plate portion 55 extends from the left and right ends of the main portion 53 and the extension portion 54 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of each of the main portion 53 and the extension portion 54 and toward the inside of the housing 2. When the upper cover 8 is in a closed state, the end plate portion 55 is formed so as to cover the upper ends of the right side wall 25 and the left side wall 24 from the outside in the left-right direction. This makes it possible for the end plate portion 55 to more reliably cover the gaps between the left and right side walls and the top plate 81 when the upper cover 8 is in a closed state. The end plate portion 55 is provided over the entire main portion 53 and the extension portion 54 in the front-rear direction.
[0081] The pair of engaging members 82 are configured to be capable of fixing the top plate 81 to the housing 2. The pair of engaging members 82 have a striker 86 (one of the engaging members in the claims) and a latch 87 (the other of the engaging members in the claims). The striker 86 is attached to the rear surface of the top plate 81. The striker 86 is provided at approximately the center of the top plate 81 in a plan view of the top plate 81. Specifically, the striker 86 is provided at the center of the top plate 81 in the left-right direction. The striker 86 is provided in the main portion 53 slightly forward of the center in the front-rear direction.
[0082] As shown in FIG. 8, a latch 87 is provided on the housing 2 at a position corresponding to the striker 86. The latch 87 is attached to a framework 88 provided on the housing 2. The framework 88 is provided inside the housing 2 near the upper cover 8. The framework 88 extends horizontally (left-right) to bridge between the left and right side walls. Both left and right ends of the framework 88 are connected to a frame or the like that constitutes the housing 2. This increases the attachment strength of the framework 88 and the latch 87 attached thereto. The framework 88 is provided at a position corresponding to the striker 86 in the front-rear direction. That is, the framework 88 is provided at a position closer to the pivot shaft 80 than the tip 51 of the upper cover 8 when the upper cover 8 is in a closed state.
[0083] The upper cover 8 (top plate 81) is fixed in a closed state to the housing 2 by the above-mentioned latch 87 and striker 86 engaging with each other. Since the upper cover 8 of this embodiment is a cover with a key, when opening the upper cover 8 from a state in which the latch 87 and the striker 86 are engaged with each other, a key is first inserted into a keyhole (not shown) provided in the housing 2 or the upper cover 8 to release the engagement between the latch 87 and the striker 86. After the engagement is released, the upper cover 8 can be opened by lifting the tip portion 51 of the upper cover 8 upward and rotating it, thereby making it possible to access the power supply device 72 arranged in the second area 32. In other words, the upper cover 8 is provided so that the power supply device 72 including the charging DC / DC converter 66 can be inserted and removed from the storage case 71 when the upper cover 8 is in an open state.
[0084] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a portion IX in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the open / close detection unit 83 detects whether the upper cover 8 is closed (i.e., the open / close state of the upper cover 8). The open / close detection unit 83 is, for example, a contact-type sensor. The open / close detection unit 83 has a switch body 57 and a switch abutment portion 58 (see FIG. 7). The switch body 57 is attached to the housing 2. The switch body 57 has a switch portion that moves, for example, in the vertical direction, and is capable of detecting the amount of movement of the switch portion. As shown in FIG. 7, the switch abutment portion 58 is provided at a position of the upper cover 8 that overlaps with the switch body 57. The switch abutment portion 58 abuts against the switch portion of the switch body 57 while the upper cover 8 is transitioning from the open state to the closed state, and presses the switch portion by a predetermined amount. When the switch portion is pressed by more than the predetermined amount, the open / close detection unit 83 detects that the upper cover 8 is closed. The open / close detection unit 83 is electrically connected to the control unit (control board 64) of the power supply device 72, and may perform desired control depending on whether the upper cover 8 is open or closed. The rear surface of the upper cover 8 may serve as the switch contact portion 58. In other words, the upper cover 8 may be configured to directly press the switch portion of the switch main body 57.
[0085] In this embodiment, the open / close detection unit 83 is provided closer to the base end 52 than the center in the front-rear direction of the top plate 81. More specifically, the open / close detection unit 83 is provided inside the housing 2 and adjacent (near) the rotation shaft 80 of the upper cover 8. The open / close detection unit 83 in this embodiment is provided at the right rear corner 26. For example, the distance between the open / close detection unit 83 and the striker 86 in the front-rear direction is greater than half the total length of the top plate 81 in the front-rear direction.
[0086] As shown in FIG. 7, the reinforcing member 84 is attached to the rear surface of the main portion 53 of the top plate 81. The reinforcing member 84 is formed as a separate body from the top plate 81. The reinforcing member 84 is formed, for example, from a sheet metal material, and is fixed to the top plate 81 by welding, fusion, or the like. The reinforcing member 84 is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction when the top plate 81 is viewed from above. The reinforcing member 84 is provided over almost the entire top plate 81 in the left-right direction. The reinforcing member 84 is provided behind the striker 86 in the front-rear direction. The reinforcing member 84 is also provided forward of the open / close detection unit 83 in the front-rear direction.
[0087] (Action, effect) Next, the operation and effects of the above-mentioned power device will be described. According to the power device of this embodiment, the power conversion unit 73 is provided in the second area 32 located above the first area 31 in which the internal connection unit 5 of the battery slot 27 is provided. By providing the power conversion unit 73, which connects the external power supply connection unit 4 and the internal connection unit 5, separately from the area in which the internal connection unit 5 is provided, work related to the internal connection unit 5 and work related to the power conversion unit 73 can be performed separately. This can improve convenience for the worker (user) who performs each work. Furthermore, by separating the areas, for example, the work area for a user who performs work related to the power conversion unit 73 is narrowed, so that the effort of moving, etc. can be saved. In addition, by providing the power conversion units 73 together in the second area 32 located relatively above, maintenance work on the power conversion units 73 can be easily performed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a power device that can improve user convenience compared to the conventional technology.
[0088] The opening / closing section (upper cover 8) is provided so that the surface facing upward of the housing 2 (the upper surface in this embodiment) can be opened or closed, so that the second area 32 can be opened or closed by opening or closing the upper cover 8. This allows maintenance of the power conversion unit 73 provided in the second area 32 to be performed by opening the upper cover 8. Since the upper cover 8 is provided so that only the upper surface of the housing 2, i.e., only the second area 32, can be opened and closed, it can be configured so that it cannot be opened by general users performing work on the internal connection unit 5, for example, and can be opened and closed only by users (maintenance workers) performing maintenance on the power conversion unit 73. This can enhance safety and improve the workability of maintenance workers.
[0089] Since the upper cover 8 is provided rotatably about the rotation shaft 80 extending in the horizontal direction, the upper cover 8 can be easily opened and closed, thereby improving maintainability.
[0090] The upper cover 8 has a main part 53 arranged on the surface (top surface) of the housing 2 facing upward in the closed state, and an extension part 54 that is integral with the main part 53 in the closed state and has a horizontal direction perpendicular to the surface. Since the upper cover 8 has the main part 53 and the extension part 54, when the upper cover 8 is opened, not only the top surface of the housing 2 but also a part of the front surface of the housing 2 can be opened at the same time. This makes it possible to increase the area of the opening of the housing 2. Therefore, a wide working space can be secured for an operator who opens the upper cover 8 to perform maintenance, and maintainability can be improved. In addition, by providing the extension part 54 continuously with the main part 53, the design of the upper cover 8 can be improved.
[0091] The pivot shaft 80 is provided on the opposite side of the extension portion 54 with respect to the main portion 53. For example, by providing the extension portion 54 on the front side as seen from the user and the pivot shaft 80 on the rear side as seen from the user, the upper cover 8 can be easily opened and closed, and the open upper cover 8 can be prevented from interfering with maintenance. In addition, since the extension portion 54 is located at the end on the opposite side to the pivot shaft 80, a large area can be secured for the opening of the housing 2 when the upper cover 8 is opened. This improves user convenience, including ease of maintenance.
[0092] Since the power device has an open / close detection unit 83 that can detect whether the upper cover 8 is closed or not, it is possible to prevent the opening / closing unit from being forgotten to be closed. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of unintended dangerous situations, such as water damage due to rain or accidental touching of the power conversion unit 73 by general users other than maintenance workers. In addition, for example, control can be performed such as switching between energizing and cutting off the power to the internal power supply device 72 depending on the detection result of the open / close detection unit 83. This makes it possible to further improve user convenience.
[0093] The open / close detection unit 83 is disposed near the rotating shaft 80. In the conventional technology in which the open / close detection unit 83 is provided at the tip or the like separated from the rotating shaft 80, there is a risk that the upper cover 8 may be erroneously detected as open even though it is locked, due to the top plate warping or the tip of the upper cover 8 floating due to external factors such as rattling of the housing 2 or the application of an external load. As a countermeasure against this, for example, a method of suppressing rattling and warping by increasing the rigidity of the upper cover 8 may be considered, but in this case, there is a risk of problems such as an increase in the weight of the upper cover 8 and an increase in costs. In contrast, according to the electric power device of the present invention, since the open / close detection unit 83 is disposed near the rotating shaft 80, even if the above-mentioned external factors act, the amount of lift of the open / close detection unit 83 and the corresponding upper cover 8 is suppressed to be small. This makes it possible to make the open / close detection unit 83 less susceptible to external factors. Therefore, compared to the conventional technology in which the open / close detection unit 83 is provided at the tip part separated from the rotating shaft 80, the occurrence of erroneous detection in the open / close detection unit 83 can be suppressed. This improves user convenience. In addition, since there is no need to increase the rigidity of the upper cover 8 more than necessary, it is possible to suppress an increase in weight and cost of the open / close unit. Furthermore, since the open / close detection unit 83 is not easily affected by external factors, the occurrence of erroneous detection can be suppressed even when a sensor with a narrower detection range than the conventional sensor is used as the open / close detection unit 83. Therefore, the versatility of the open / close detection unit 83 can be improved.
[0094] A framework portion 88 extending horizontally is provided near the upper cover 8. This increases the strength of the housing 2 and suppresses bending and deformation of the upper cover 8 in the closed state.
[0095] When the upper cover 8 is closed, the framework 88 is located at a position closer to the rotating shaft 80 than the tip 51 of the upper cover 8. As a result, when the opening and closing part is opened to perform maintenance, the framework 88 is located relatively farther back as viewed from the operator, so that space is secured on the front side, making maintenance easier. This improves the ease of maintenance work.
[0096] One of the pair of engaging members 82 (striker 86) is provided on the upper cover 8, and the other of the pair of engaging members 82 (latch 87) is provided on the framework 88. The striker 86 and the latch 87 are engaged with each other to fix the upper cover 8 to the framework 88. That is, the upper cover 8 can be fixed in a closed state. At this time, the striker 86 is provided in the approximate center of the upper cover 8 in the front-rear direction in correspondence with the framework 88 located near the center in the front-rear direction, so that the load applied to the upper cover 8 can be transmitted to the framework 88 via the engaging member 82. This allows the load applied to the upper cover 8 to be distributed to the housing 2. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the rigidity of the upper cover 8 more than necessary, and an increase in the weight and cost of the upper cover 8 can be suppressed. By suppressing the weight of the upper cover 8 to a small value, the effort required for opening and closing the upper cover 8 can be reduced, and the convenience of the user can be improved.
[0097] The power conversion unit 73 has a power conversion unit main body (charging DC / DC converter 66) and a storage section (storage pockets 42a-42l numbered 1 to 12 of the second storage pocket 42) that detachably stores the power conversion unit main body. By configuring the second storage pocket 42 to store the charging DC / DC converter 66, the power conversion unit 73 made up of a plurality of devices can be stored collectively. Furthermore, since the charging DC / DC converters 66 can be arranged in an organized manner, the maintainability of the power conversion unit 73 can be improved.
[0098] The charging DC / DC converter 66 is provided with a main body side connection part (terminal part 45), and the second storage pocket 42 is provided with a storage part side connection part (case side terminal part 43). The case side terminal part 43 is detachably connected to the terminal part 45 of the charging DC / DC converter 66. Thus, by storing the charging DC / DC converter 66 in the second storage pocket 42, the case side terminal part 43 and the terminal part 45 of the charging DC / DC converter 66 can be electrically connected. Furthermore, in a configuration in which the case side terminal part 43 is connected in advance to the internal connection part 5 and the external power supply connection part 4, the power conversion part 73 can be connected to the internal connection part 5 and the external power supply connection part 4 by storing the charging DC / DC converter 66 in the second storage pocket 42. Therefore, replacement and maintenance of the power conversion part 73 can be easily performed.
[0099] The upper cover 8 is provided so that the charging DC / DC converter 66 of the power conversion unit 73 can be inserted into or removed from the second storage pocket 42 when the upper cover 8 is open. Thus, when performing maintenance on the power conversion unit 73, the upper cover 8 is first opened. Then, the charging DC / DC converter 66 can be inserted into or removed from the second storage pocket 42, thereby easily performing maintenance on the power conversion unit 73. In addition, since the power conversion unit 73 can be accessed after the upper cover 8 is opened, it is possible to incorporate a control such as cutting off the power supply to a part of the power conversion unit 73 depending on whether the upper cover 8 is opened or closed. This improves the ease of maintenance work and ensures the safety of the user.
[0100] The upper cover 8 has a reinforcing member 84 attached to the back surface of the main portion 53. This makes it possible to reinforce only the portions of the upper cover 8 that require strength. This makes it possible to minimize the increase in weight of the upper cover 8 and to prevent a decrease in user convenience due to the increase in weight.
[0101] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the battery exchanger 1 that charges the mobile battery 3 has been described as an example, but the present invention may be applied to other power devices. The external power supply connection unit 4 may be any part that connects the power supply (battery exchanger 1) to the system power, and may be provided outside the housing 2.
[0102] The shape of the upper cover 8 is not limited to the shape in the above-described embodiment. The switch body 57 of the open / close detection unit 83 may be provided on the upper cover 8, and the switch abutment portion 58 may be provided on the housing 2. The open / close detection unit 83 may be, for example, a non-contact sensor. Although the open / close detection unit 83 is configured to be capable of detecting whether the upper cover 8 is closed or not, the open / close detection unit 83 may be configured to be capable of detecting whether the upper cover 8 is open or not. The rotation shaft 80 may be provided to extend along the front-rear direction, for example.
[0103] A configuration other than the striker 86 and the latch 87 may be applied as the engaging member 82. The striker 86 may be provided on the housing 2 side, and the latch 87 may be provided on the upper cover 8 side.
[0104] The storage case 71 may house power supply devices 72 other than the AC / DC converter 61 and the DC / DC converter group 62. In this case, the storage case 71 may have a plurality of storage pockets in addition to the first storage pocket 41 and the second storage pocket 42.
[0105] In addition, within the scope of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components, and the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]
[0106] 1 Battery exchanger (power device) 2. Chassis 3 Battery (power storage unit) 4 External power supply connection 5 Internal Connections 6 Power transmission path 8 Upper cover (opening / closing part) 31 The First Region 32 The Second Region 42 Second storage pocket (storage section) 43 Case side terminal part (accommodation side connection part) 45 Terminal part (connection part on main body side) 52 (Upper cover) tip 53 Main part 54 Extension 66 DC / DC converter for charging (power conversion unit) 73 Power conversion section 80 Rotating Axis 82 Pair of engaging members 83 Open / close detection unit (detection unit) 84 Reinforcement member 86 Striker (one of a pair of engaging members) 87 Latch (the other of the pair of engaging members) 88 Frame 500 external power supply
Claims
1. an external power supply connection portion electrically connected to an external power supply; The housing and an internal connection portion connected to a power storage portion disposed inside the housing; a power conversion unit provided on a power transmission path electrically connecting the external power supply connection unit and the internal connection unit; Equipped with the internal connection portion is provided in a first region inside the housing, The power device is characterized in that the power conversion unit is provided in a second region located above the first region inside the housing.
2. The power device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has an opening / closing portion that is provided so as to be able to open and close an upwardly facing surface of the housing.
3. The electric power device according to claim 2, wherein the opening / closing unit is provided rotatably about a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction.
4. The opening and closing section is a main portion that is disposed on the upward surface of the housing in a closed state in which the opening / closing portion is closed, and has a vertical direction as a surface perpendicular direction; an extension portion that is integral with the main portion in the closed state and has a horizontal direction as a surface perpendicular direction; 4. The power device according to claim 3, further comprising:
5. The electric power device according to claim 4 , wherein the rotation shaft is provided at a position opposite to a position at which the extension portion is provided with respect to the main portion.
6. The power device according to claim 2 , further comprising a detector capable of detecting whether the opening / closing unit is closed or not.
7. the opening / closing unit is provided rotatably about a rotation axis extending in a horizontal direction, The power device according to claim 6 , wherein the detection unit is disposed inside the housing and in the vicinity of the rotation shaft.
8. The power device according to claim 3 , further comprising a framework portion provided inside the housing near the opening / closing portion and extending along a horizontal direction.
9. The electric power device according to claim 8, wherein the framework portion is provided at a position closer to the rotation axis than a tip end of the opening / closing portion when the opening / closing portion is in a closed state.
10. The locking mechanism further includes a pair of engaging members that are engaged with the opening and closing part when the opening and closing part is closed, and one of the pair of engaging members is provided on the opening and closing part, The electric power device according to claim 9, wherein the other of the pair of engaging members is provided on the framework portion.
11. The power conversion unit a power conversion unit main body; a housing portion that detachably houses the power conversion unit main body; The power device according to any one of claims 2 to 10, further comprising:
12. The power conversion unit a main body side connection portion provided on the power conversion unit main body; a housing-side connection portion provided in the housing portion and detachably connected to the main body-side connection portion; 12. The power device according to claim 11, further comprising:
13. The electric power device according to claim 11, wherein the opening / closing unit is provided so that the power conversion unit main body can be inserted into and removed from the accommodating unit when the opening / closing unit is in an open state.
14. 6. The electric power device according to claim 4, wherein the opening / closing portion has a reinforcing member attached to a rear surface of the main portion.