Conveyance system

Abstract

To provide a conveyance system capable of suppressing an increase in battery replacement frequency and appropriate thermal insulation of a battery.SOLUTION: A conveyance system used in a low temperature warehouse includes: a vehicle which has a mounting part where a mounting chamber capable of housing a battery and provided with an opening through which the battery can be put in / out, and is driven by electric power of the battery in the mounting chamber; a charger in which a charging chamber capable of housing the battery and provided with an opening through which the battery can be put in / out is formed and which charges the battery in the charging chamber; an exchange device for exchanging the battery in the mounting chamber with a battery in the charging chamber; a vehicle side heat insulating material provided for the mounting part to encircle the battery in the mounting chamber; and a charger side heat insulating material which is provided for the charger to encircle the battery in the charging chamber and is larger in heat insularity than the vehicle side heat insulating material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transport system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a thermal insulation cover for a power storage system that does not inhibit charging and discharging of battery cells inside the power storage system even when the outside air temperature is below freezing. This thermal insulation cover is equipped with a heater that can maintain the internal temperature at a temperature higher than 0°C. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-103833 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires that the heater's power consumption be covered by a battery. This causes the battery's charge rate to decrease more quickly, shortening the battery's continuous operating time. Furthermore, a shorter battery's continuous operating time means that the battery needs to be replaced more frequently.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a transportation system that can suppress an increase in the number of battery replacements and can properly keep the battery warm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the conveying system of the present disclosure is a conveying system used in a low-temperature warehouse, and has a mounting section formed with a mounting chamber capable of accommodating a battery and having an opening through which the battery can be taken in and out, and is equipped with: a vehicle powered by the power of the battery in the mounting chamber; a charging chamber formed with a charging section capable of accommodating the battery and having an opening through which the battery can be taken in and out, a charger for charging the battery in the charging chamber; an exchange device for exchanging the battery in the mounting chamber with the battery in the charging chamber; vehicle-side insulation provided on the mounting section to surround the battery in the mounting chamber; and charger-side insulation provided on the charger to surround the battery in the charging chamber and having greater insulating properties than the vehicle-side insulation.

[0007] The transport system according to the present disclosure is a transport system used in a low-temperature warehouse, and includes a mounting section having a mounting chamber that can accommodate a battery and has an opening through which the battery can be inserted and removed, and a vehicle that is powered by the power of the battery in the mounting chamber, a charging chamber that can accommodate the battery and has an opening through which the battery can be inserted and removed, a charger that charges the battery in the charging chamber, an exchange device that exchanges the battery in the mounting chamber with the battery in the charging chamber, the battery, battery-side insulation provided on the outer surface of the battery to surround the battery, and charger-side insulation provided on the charger to surround the battery in the charging chamber. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the transport system of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of times the battery needs to be replaced and to keep the battery warm appropriately. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a low-temperature warehouse in which a conveying system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is installed. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a transport system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a conveyance system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the mounting portion according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a schematic diagram of a mounting section according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the rear side in the first direction. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram of an exchange device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a first direction. [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the charger according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure viewed from a second direction. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram of a charger according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the rear side in a first direction. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for battery replacement according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mounting portion according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram of a mounting section according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the rear side in the first direction. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a battery according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a charger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. [Figure 14] 10 is a schematic diagram of a charger according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from the rear side in the first direction. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mounting portion according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mounting portion according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a charger according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. [Figure 18] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a mounting portion according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. FIG. [Figure 19]FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a charger according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from a second direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a transport system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, the transport system 1 is used in a low-temperature warehouse 2. The low-temperature warehouse 2 in this embodiment is a freezer, and includes a freezing chamber 3 and an antechamber 4. The temperature of the freezer compartment 3 is set to, for example, about -25°C to -20°C. A plurality of shelves 5 are installed in the freezer compartment 3. A plurality of cargoes M are placed on the shelves 5. A vehicle 6 transports the cargoes M inside the freezer compartment 3. A battery 7 (see FIG. 2) is installed in the vehicle 6. The vehicle 6 is driven by power from the battery 7. The vehicle 6 in this embodiment is an autonomous forklift. In addition, the freezer compartment 3 is provided with an exchange device 8 that exchanges the battery 7 of the vehicle 6. The configuration of the vehicle 6 and the configuration of the exchange device 8 will be described in detail later.

[0011] A front room 4 is provided adjacent to the freezer room 3. An openable and closable compartment door 3a is provided between the freezer room 3 and the front room 4. When the compartment door 3a is open, vehicles 6 can move between the freezer room 3 and the front room 4. The temperature in the front room 4 is set to, for example, about +1°C to +2°C. A cargo storage area 4a is provided in the front room 4. Cargo M is temporarily stored in the cargo storage area 4a. In the front room 4, vehicles 6 and workers transport the cargo M. In addition, an exit door 4b is provided in the front room 4. Workers and vehicles 6 carry the cargo M out of the front room 4 through the exit door 4b.

[0012] (Transportation system) As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the transportation system 1 includes a vehicle 6, a battery 7, an exchange device 8, a charger 70, a vehicle-side insulation material 9 (see Figure 4), and a charger-side insulation material 10 (see Figure 7).

[0013] (vehicle) In the following, with respect to the vehicle 6, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction Dv that coincides with the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 6 will be referred to as the first direction D1, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 that coincides with the width direction of the vehicle 6 will be referred to as the second direction D2. The vehicle 6 includes a vehicle body 20, a traveling mechanism 25, a mast 26, a cargo handling device 30, and a control device 11.

[0014] (Body) The vehicle body 20 has a vehicle body main body 21, straddle legs 22, and a mounting portion 40.

[0015] (Vehicle body) The vehicle body 21 extends in the vertical direction Dv. The rear surface 21a of the vehicle body 21 is curved in an arc shape so as to protrude rearward in the first direction D1 when viewed from the vertical direction Dv. A plate 23 extending horizontally is provided inside the vehicle body 21. A plurality of plates 23 are provided at intervals in the vertical direction Dv. A control device 11 (described later) and the like are placed on the plate 23.

[0016] (Straddle leg) Two straddle legs 22 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2. The vehicle body 21 is placed on the two straddle legs 22. The straddle legs 22 extend in the first direction D1 and protrude further forward in the first direction D1 than the vehicle body 21.

[0017] (mounting part) Two mounting units 40 are provided, one at the rear end of each straddle leg 22. That is, the two mounting units 40 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the mounting unit 40 has a vehicle-side housing 41 and a vehicle-side terminal 42.

[0018] The vehicle-side housing 41 is provided inside the rear end of the straddle leg 22. The vehicle-side housing 41 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box extending in the first direction D1. The vehicle-side housing 41 is formed with a mounting chamber 41a capable of accommodating the battery 7. The mounting chamber 41a is provided with an opening 41b through which the battery 7 can be taken in and out. In this embodiment, the mounting chamber 41a extends in the first direction D1 and is open only on the rear side in the first direction D1. The vehicle-side terminal 42 is provided on the front end surface of the mounting chamber 41a.

[0019] (Traveling mechanism) As shown in Figure 2, the traveling mechanism 25 is provided at the bottom of the vehicle body 20. The traveling mechanism 25 supports the vehicle 6 from below and allows the vehicle 6 to travel in the horizontal direction. The traveling mechanism 25 has rear wheels 25a and front wheels 25b. The rear wheels 25a are provided at the bottom of the vehicle body 21. The front wheels 25b are provided at the front ends of the straddle legs 22.

[0020] (mast) The masts 26 are attached to the front of the vehicle body 21. The masts 26 extend in the vertical direction Dv, and two masts 26 are provided between the straddle legs 22 facing each other in the second direction D2. The two masts 26 are movable back and forth in the first direction D1 along the straddle legs 22. Each mast 26 has an outer mast 27 and an inner mast 28. The outer masts 27 are provided as a pair spaced apart in the second direction D2. The outer masts 27 extend in the vertical direction Dv. One inner mast 28 is provided inside each outer mast 27 in the second direction D2. The inner masts 28 are provided as a pair spaced apart in the second direction D2. The inner masts 28 are provided so as to be able to move up and down in the vertical direction Dv relative to the outer masts 27. The inner mast 28 can be tilted by a tilt mechanism (not shown) between a state in which it extends perpendicular to the horizontal plane along a vertical line and a state inclined relative to the vertical line.

[0021] (Load handling equipment) The cargo handling device 30 is provided on the front side of the inner mast 28. The cargo handling device 30 has a lift bracket 31 and a fork 32.

[0022] (Lift bracket) The lift bracket 31 is attached so as to bridge the two inner masts 28 in the second direction D2. The lift bracket 31 is movable along the inner masts 28 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0023] (fork) The forks 32 are attached to the front surface of the lift bracket 31 and supported by the mast 26. The forks 32 are L-shaped when viewed from the second direction D2, and two forks 32 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2. The forks 32 have a fork base 32a and fork claws 32b. The fork base 32a is fixed to the front surface of the lift bracket 31. The fork claws 32b extend forward in the first direction D1 from the lower end of the fork base 32a.

[0024] When the vehicle 6 transports the cargo M, the fork claws 32b are inserted into holes in a pallet (not shown) on which the cargo M is placed. In this state, when the cargo handling device 30 rises along the mast 26, the cargo M is lifted. By moving in this state, the vehicle 6 can transport the cargo M to the destination.

[0025] (Control device) The control device 11 is provided inside the vehicle body 21 and placed on a plate 23. The control device 11 controls various devices of the vehicle 6 (such as the traveling mechanism 25 and the cargo handling device 30).

[0026] (battery) The battery 7 is housed in the loading compartment 41a so as to be inserted from the rear side in the first direction D1. The power of the battery 7 in the loading compartment 41a is used to drive the traveling mechanism 25, the cargo handling device 30, etc. The battery 7 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the first direction D1. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 7 has a battery terminal 7a on one end surface (front end surface) in the first direction D1. The battery terminal 7a is connected to the vehicle-side terminal 42.

[0027] The battery 7 of this embodiment is designed to be smaller and lighter than conventional batteries. Therefore, the battery 7 has a short lifespan and needs to be replaced frequently. When the remaining charge of the battery 7 is low, the vehicle 6 is parked in the parking area P located in front of the replacement device 8.

[0028] (exchange device) The exchange device 8 exchanges the battery 7 in the loading chamber 41a with the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a, which will be described later. The exchange device 8 can be placed in any space within the freezer chamber 3. As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the exchange device 8 includes a casing 12, a detection unit 13, an insertion / removal mechanism 50, a battery moving mechanism 60, and a control device 14. Figures 3 and 6 show the internal configuration of the casing 12.

[0029] (Casing) The casing 12 is disposed behind the parking area P. The casing 12 is, for example, a box-shaped container extending in the vertical direction Dv. The casing 12 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. An opening 12a that opens forward is formed on the front surface of the lower end of the casing 12. One opening 12a is formed on each side of the front surface of the casing 12 in the second direction D2. The opening 12a is used to insert and remove the battery 7. The casing 12 houses a detection unit 13, an insertion / removal mechanism 50, a battery moving mechanism 60, a control device 14, and a charger 70.

[0030] (Detection unit) The detection unit 13 is provided on the front side of the casing 12. The detection unit 13 detects the vehicle 6 parked in the parking area P.

[0031] (insertion / removal mechanism) The insertion / removal mechanism 50 is provided inside the casing 12. One insertion / removal mechanism 50 is provided for each opening 12a. The insertion / removal mechanism 50 has two actuators 51 aligned in the second direction D2.

[0032] (actuator) The two actuators 51 are provided so as to be movable in the second direction D2. One of the two actuators 51 is disposed opposite the opening 12a. The actuator 51 has a guide 52 and an arm 53. The guide 52 extends in the first direction D1. The arm 53 is provided on the guide 52. The arm 53 moves in the first direction D1 along the guide 52. The arm 53 extends in the first direction D1. A front end of the arm 53 can grip the battery 7.

[0033] The actuator 51 can project the arm 53 from the opening 12a and pull out the battery 7 from the mounting part 40. The actuator 51 can also mount a charged battery 7 on the front end of the arm 53 and insert it into the mounting part 40.

[0034] (Battery moving mechanism) The battery moving mechanism 60 moves the battery 7 between the insertion / removal mechanism 50 and the charger 70. One battery moving mechanism 60 is provided for each insertion / removal mechanism 50. The battery moving mechanism 60 has a rail 61 and a hand 62. The rail 61 extends in the vertical direction Dv. The hand 62 is attached to the rail 61. The hand 62 moves in the vertical direction Dv along the rail 61. The hand 62 is provided so that its position can be changed and it can be extended and retracted relative to the rail 61. The hand 62 can grasp the battery 7. The battery moving mechanism 60 can grasp the battery 7 held by the actuator 51 with the hand 62 and store it in a charging chamber 71a, which will be described later. The hand 62 can also grasp the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a with the hand 62 and attach it to the actuator 51.

[0035] (Control device) The control device 14 is housed in the casing 12. The control device 14 controls various devices of the exchange device 8 (such as the insertion / removal mechanism 50 and the battery movement mechanism 60).

[0036] (charger) A plurality of chargers 70 are provided inside the casing 12. The chargers 70 are arranged in the vertical direction Dv and the second direction D2. The chargers 70 are provided above the insertion / removal mechanism 50. The chargers 70 are also provided forward of the battery movement mechanism 60 in the first direction D1. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the charger 70 has a charger-side housing 71 and a charger-side terminal 72.

[0037] The charger side housing 71 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box extending in the vertical direction Dv. The charger side housing 71 is formed with a charging chamber 71a capable of accommodating the battery 7. The charging chamber 71a is provided with an opening 71b through which the battery 7 can be inserted and removed. In this embodiment, the charging chamber 71a extends in the first direction D1 and opens to the rear side in the first direction D1. The battery 7 is accommodated in the charging chamber 71a so that it can be inserted from the rear side in the first direction D1. The charger 70 charges the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a.

[0038] The charger side terminal 72 is provided on the front end surface of the charging chamber 71 a and is connected to the battery terminal 7 a of the battery 7 .

[0039] (Vehicle side insulation) As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is provided in the mounting section 40 so as to surround the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a. In this embodiment, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is provided without any gaps over the entire surface of the mounting chamber 41a. That is, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is provided on the front end surface of the mounting chamber 41a and on the four side surfaces of the mounting chamber 41a. The vehicle-side terminals 42 are provided so as to penetrate the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9. The thickness of the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is, for example, about several mm.

[0040] (Charger side insulation) As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the charger-side insulation material 10 is provided on the charger 70 so as to surround the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. In this embodiment, the charger-side insulation material 10 is provided without any gaps over the entire surface of the charging chamber 71a. That is, the charger-side insulation material 10 is provided on the front end surface of the charging chamber 71a and on all four side surfaces of the charging chamber 71a. The charger-side terminals 72 are provided so as to penetrate the charger-side insulation material 10. The thickness of the charger-side insulation material 10 is, for example, about several millimeters. In this embodiment, the charger-side insulation material 10 is designed to be slightly thicker than the vehicle-side insulation material 9.

[0041] (Combination of vehicle-side insulation and charger-side insulation) The vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 and the charger-side heat insulating material 10 are selected so as to satisfy the following conditions. The thermal insulation property of the vehicle-side insulation material 9 is lower than that of the charger-side insulation material 10. In other words, the thermal conductivity of the vehicle-side insulation material 9 is higher than that of the charger-side insulation material 10. For example, the following combinations are possible as combinations with the charger-side insulation material 10. In this embodiment, the vehicle-side insulation material 9 is a microporous insulation material, and the charger-side insulation material 10 is a vacuum insulation material. Another possible combination of the vehicle-side insulation material 9 and the charger-side insulation material 10 is a combination in which the vehicle-side insulation material 9 is a polyolefin foam insulation material, and the charger-side insulation material 10 is a heat-insulating double-pane glass. Another possible combination is a combination in which the vehicle-side insulation material 9 is a polypropylene insulation material, and the charger-side insulation material 10 is a phenolic foam insulation material.

[0042] (Battery replacement procedure) The procedure of the battery replacement method of this embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0043] First, the detection unit 13 detects the vehicle 6 that has arrived at the parking area P (step S1). After step S1, the battery moving mechanism 60 moves the charged battery 7 from the charger 70 to the insertion / removal mechanism 50 (step S2). In step S2, the battery moving mechanism 60 attaches the battery 7 to one of the two actuators 51.

[0044] After step S2, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 removes the empty battery 7 from the vehicle 6 (step S3). In step S3, the other of the two actuators 51, which does not have a charged battery 7 attached, removes the empty battery 7.

[0045] After step S3, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 inserts the charged battery 7 into the mounting compartment 41a of the vehicle 6 (step S4). The charged battery 7 is mounted on the vehicle 6 in step S4.

[0046] After step S4, the battery moving mechanism 60 moves the empty battery 7 removed from the vehicle 6 to an empty charging compartment 71a (step S5). In step S5, the empty battery 7 is attached to the charger 70, and charging of the battery 7 begins. The battery replacement is carried out through the above procedure.

[0047] (Action and effect) According to the transport system 1 of this embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0048] The transport system 1 of this embodiment is a transport system 1 used in a low-temperature warehouse 2. The transport system 1 includes a vehicle 6, a charger 70, an exchange device 8, a vehicle-side insulation material 9, and a charger-side insulation material 10. The vehicle 6 has a mounting section 40 formed with a mounting chamber 41a capable of accommodating a battery 7. The mounting chamber 41a is provided with an opening 41b through which the battery 7 can be inserted and removed. The vehicle 6 is driven by power from the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a. The charger 70 is formed with a charging chamber 71a capable of accommodating the battery 7. The charging chamber 71a is provided with an opening 71b through which the battery 7 can be inserted and removed. The charger 70 charges the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. The exchange device 8 exchanges the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a with the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. The vehicle-side insulation material 9 is provided in the mounting section 40 so as to surround the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a. The charger-side heat insulating material 10 is provided in the charger 70 so as to surround the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. The heat insulating property of the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is greater than the heat insulating property of the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9.

[0049] As a result, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 keeps the battery 7 warm in the mounting chamber 41a, and the charger-side heat insulating material 10 keeps the battery 7 warm in the charging chamber 71a. Therefore, there is no need to separately provide a heater (not shown) or the like for keeping the battery warm, and the battery 7 can be kept warm without heating it with a heater. Therefore, the power of the battery 7 is not consumed by operating the heater. This prevents the continuous operating time of the battery 7 from being shortened, and prevents the frequency of battery 7 replacement from increasing. Furthermore, the heat insulating property of the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is greater than that of the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9. As a result, the battery 7 can be warmed more strongly in the charging chamber 71a than in the mounting chamber 41a, while the battery 7 can be warmed in the mounting chamber 41a while appropriately releasing heat generated by the operation of the battery 7. Therefore, the battery 7 can be appropriately warmed to a temperature suitable for the operation of the battery 7 in both the charging chamber 71a and the mounting chamber 41a.

[0050] Incidentally, when a heat insulating material is attached to the battery 7 to keep it warm, when the battery 7 reaches the end of its life and is discarded and a new battery 7 is installed, it is necessary to attach a heat insulating material to the new battery 7. In contrast, in this embodiment, the battery 7 is kept warm by attaching heat insulating material to both the mounting unit 40 and the charger 70, and no heat insulating material is attached to the battery 7. Therefore, it is not necessary to attach a heat insulating material to the new battery 7 every time a new battery 7 is installed, and the cost of keeping the battery 7 warm can be reduced.

[0051] In this embodiment, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is provided on the entire surface of the loading compartment 41a.

[0052] This improves the heat retention of the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a.

[0053] In this embodiment, the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is provided on the entire surface of the charging chamber 71a.

[0054] This improves the heat retention of the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a.

[0055] (Second embodiment) A transport system 1A according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 10 to 14. Among the configurations of the second embodiment, configurations common to the above-described embodiment will be given the same names and symbols, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate. Similar to the first embodiment, the transport system 1A of the second embodiment includes a vehicle 6, a battery 7, an exchange device 8, a charger 70, and a charger-side heat insulating material 10. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the transport system 1A includes a battery-side heat insulating material 15 instead of the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9.

[0056] (Battery side insulation) As shown in FIG. 12 , the battery-side heat insulating material 15 is provided on the outer surface of the battery 7 so as to surround the battery 7. In this embodiment, the battery-side heat insulating material 15 is provided without any gaps on the entire outer surface of the battery 7. That is, the battery-side heat insulating material 15 is provided on the front end surface of the battery 7 (the end surface on the battery terminal 7a side), the four side surfaces of the battery 7, and the rear end surface of the battery 7 (the end surface opposite the battery terminal 7a). The battery terminal 7a is provided so as to penetrate the battery-side heat insulating material 15. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the battery 7 is doubly covered by the battery-side heat insulating material 15 and the charger-side heat insulating material 10 in the charging chamber 71a.

[0057] (Combination of battery-side insulation and charger-side insulation) The battery-side heat insulating material 15 and the charger-side heat insulating material 10 are selected so as to satisfy the following conditions. The insulating property of the battery side insulating material 15 is lower than that of the charger side insulating material 10. In other words, the thermal conductivity of the battery side insulating material 15 is higher than that of the charger side insulating material 10. For example, the following combinations with the charger side insulating material 10 are possible. In this embodiment, the battery side insulating material 15 is a microporous insulating material, and the charger side insulating material 10 is a vacuum insulating material. Another possible combination of the battery side insulating material 15 and the charger side insulating material 10 is a combination in which the battery side insulating material 15 is a polyolefin foam insulating material, and the charger side insulating material 10 is a heat-insulating double-pane glass. Another possible combination is a combination in which the battery side insulating material 15 is a polypropylene insulating material, and the charger side insulating material 10 is a phenolic foam insulating material.

[0058] (Action and effect) According to the transport system 1A of this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. In this embodiment, the transport system 1A is also a transport system 1A used in a low-temperature warehouse 2. The transport system 1A includes a vehicle 6, a charger 70, an exchange device 8, a battery 7, a battery-side insulation material 15, and a charger-side insulation material 10. The vehicle 6 has a mounting section 40 formed with a mounting chamber 41a capable of accommodating the battery 7. The mounting chamber 41a is provided with an opening 41b through which the battery 7 can be inserted and removed. The vehicle 6 is driven by power from the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a. The charger 70 is formed with a charging chamber 71a capable of accommodating the battery 7. The charging chamber 71a is provided with an opening 71b through which the battery 7 can be inserted and removed. The charger 70 charges the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. The exchange device 8 exchanges the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a with the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. The battery-side insulation material 15 is provided on the outer surface of the battery 7 so as to surround the battery 7. The charger-side heat insulating material 10 is provided in the charger 70 so as to surround the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a.

[0059] As a result, the battery 7 is always kept warm by the battery-side heat insulating material 15. Therefore, the heat retention of the battery 7 can be improved.

[0060] Furthermore, the battery 7 in the loading chamber 41a is kept warm by the battery-side insulating material 15, and the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a is kept warm by the battery-side insulating material 15 and the charger-side insulating material 10. This eliminates the need to separately provide a heater (not shown) or the like for keeping the battery warm, and the battery 7 can be kept warm without heating it with a heater. This eliminates the need to consume power from the battery 7 by operating the heater. This prevents the continuous operating time of the battery 7 from becoming shorter, and prevents the battery 7 from having to be replaced more frequently. Furthermore, in the charging chamber 71a, the battery 7 is kept warm by both the battery-side insulating material 15 and the charger-side insulating material 10, while in the mounting chamber 41a, the battery 7 is kept warm only by the battery-side insulating material 15. As a result, the battery 7 is kept warmer in the charging chamber 71a than in the mounting chamber 41a, while the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a can be kept warm while appropriately dissipating heat generated by the operation of the battery 7. Therefore, the battery 7 can be kept warm appropriately in both the charging chamber 71a and the mounting chamber 41a, to a temperature suitable for the operation of the battery 7.

[0061] In this embodiment, the heat insulating property of the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is greater than the heat insulating property of the battery-side heat insulating material 15 .

[0062] This allows the heat dissipation to be improved in the mounting chamber 41a where the battery 7 generates heat during operation, while the battery 7 can be more effectively kept warm in the charging chamber 71a. Therefore, the battery 7 can be kept warm more appropriately.

[0063] In the second embodiment, the insulating property of the charger-side insulating material 10 is greater than that of the battery-side insulating material 15, but this is not limited to this. The charger-side insulating material 10 may have the same level of insulating property as the battery-side insulating material 15. For example, the charger-side insulating material 10 and the battery-side insulating material 15 may both be the same microporous insulating material.

[0064] (Other embodiments) The above describes in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like are also included within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure. In the above embodiment, the low-temperature warehouse 2 is a freezer, but the low-temperature warehouse 2 may be a refrigerator. That is, the transport system 1 may be used in a refrigerator.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the vehicle 6 is an autonomous forklift, but this is not limiting. The vehicle 6 may be, for example, a manned forklift.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the replacement device 8 is arranged inside the freezer compartment 3, but this is not limiting. The replacement device 8 may be arranged in the front compartment 4. However, if the replacement device 8 is arranged inside the freezer compartment 3, the battery can be replaced without having to move the vehicle 6 out of the freezer compartment 3, thereby reducing the time required for battery replacement.

[0067] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which different insulating materials are used for the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10, thereby creating a difference between the insulating properties of the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the same insulating material may be used for the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10, and the thicknesses of the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10 may be different, thereby creating a difference between the insulating properties of the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 is provided in the mounting chamber 41a, but this is not limiting. The vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting portion 40.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is provided in the charging chamber 71a, but this is not limiting. The charger-side heat insulating material 10 may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the charger 70.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 15, the transportation system 1 may include three insulating materials: a vehicle-side insulating material 9, a charger-side insulating material 10, and a battery-side insulating material 15. As in the second embodiment, the battery-side insulating material 15 is provided on the entire outer surface of the battery 7. In this case, the battery 7 is doubly covered by the battery-side insulating material 15 and the vehicle-side insulating material 9 in the loading chamber 41a. In this case, the heat retention of the battery 7 can be further improved in the loading chamber 41a.

[0071] 16, the transportation system 1 includes three insulating materials: a vehicle-side insulating material 9, a charger-side insulating material 10, and a battery-side insulating material 15. The battery-side insulating material 15 may be provided only on one end surface of the battery 7 (the end surface opposite the battery terminal 7a). In this case, the battery 7 is disposed in the mounting chamber 41a so that the battery-side insulating material 15 faces the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. As shown in FIG. 17, the battery 7 is disposed in the charging chamber 71a so that the battery-side insulating material 15 faces the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a. As a result, when the battery 7 is housed in the mounting chamber 41a, the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a is blocked by the battery-side insulating material 15. This prevents the battery 7 from radiating heat through the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. When the battery 7 is housed in the charging chamber 71a, the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a is blocked by the battery-side insulating material 15. This prevents heat from being released from the battery 7 through the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a. In addition, there is no need to provide separate covers or the like for the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a and the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a to keep the battery 7 warm, so the battery 7 can be easily taken in and out. In this case, the battery-side insulating material 15 can be selected appropriately and may be a microporous insulating material as in the second embodiment. The battery-side insulating material 15 may be, for example, an insulating material having insulating properties intermediate between those of the vehicle-side insulating material 9 and the charger-side insulating material 10.

[0072] 18, instead of the battery-side insulating material 15 on the rear end surface of the battery 7, a vehicle-side door 43 may be provided at the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. That is, the mounting unit 40 may further include a vehicle-side door 43. The vehicle-side door 43 is provided so as to be able to open and close the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. In this case, the vehicle-side insulating material 9 is provided on the inner surface 43a of the vehicle-side door 43 that faces the mounting chamber 41a. When the vehicle-side door 43 closes the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a, the vehicle-side insulating material 9 of the vehicle-side door 43 is in close contact with the vehicle-side insulating material 9 of the mounting chamber 41a without any gaps. This configuration can suppress heat radiation from the battery 7 through the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. In addition, in the illustrated example, the battery 7 can be covered from all directions within the mounting compartment 41a by the vehicle-side insulating material 9 provided on the entire surface of the mounting compartment 41a and the vehicle-side insulating material 9 provided on the inner surface 43a of the vehicle-side door 43, thereby further improving the heat retention of the battery 7.

[0073] 19, a charger-side door 73 may be provided at the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a. That is, the charger 70 may further include a charger-side door 73. The charger-side door 73 is provided so that the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a can be opened and closed. In this case, a charger-side insulating material 10 is provided on the inner surface 73a of the charger-side door 73 that faces the charging chamber 71a. When the charger-side door 73 closes the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a, the charger-side insulating material 10 of the charger-side door 73 is in close contact with the charger-side insulating material 10 of the charging chamber 71a without any gaps. This configuration can prevent the battery 7 from radiating heat through the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a. In addition, in the illustrated example, the battery 7 can be covered from all directions within the charging chamber 71a by the charger side insulation material 10 provided on the entire surface of the charging chamber 71a and the charger side insulation material 10 provided on the inner surface 73a of the charger side door 73, thereby further improving the heat retention of the battery 7.

[0074] <Additional Notes> The conveyance system 1 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0075] (1) The conveying system 1 according to the first aspect is a conveying system 1 used within a low-temperature warehouse 2, and includes a mounting section 40 having a mounting chamber 41a formed therein that can accommodate a battery 7 and has an opening 41b through which the battery 7 can be taken in and out, a vehicle 6 that is powered by the power of the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a, a charger 70 that has a charging chamber 71a formed therein that can accommodate the battery 7 and has an opening 71b through which the battery 7 can be taken in and out and that charges the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a, an exchange device 8 that exchanges the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a with the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a, a vehicle-side insulation material 9 provided in the mounting section 40 so as to surround the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a, and a charger-side insulation material 10 that is provided in the charger 70 so as to surround the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a and has greater insulation properties than the vehicle-side insulation material 9.

[0076] As a result, the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 keeps the battery 7 warm in the mounting chamber 41a, and the charger-side heat insulating material 10 keeps the battery 7 warm in the charging chamber 71a. Therefore, there is no need to separately provide a heater or the like for keeping the battery 7 warm, and the battery 7 can be kept warm without heating it with a heater. Therefore, the power of the battery 7 is not consumed by operating the heater. This prevents the continuous operating time of the battery 7 from being shortened, and prevents the frequency of battery 7 replacement from increasing. Furthermore, the heat insulating property of the charger-side heat insulating material 10 is greater than that of the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9. As a result, the battery 7 can be warmed more strongly in the charging chamber 71a than in the mounting chamber 41a, while the battery 7 can be warmed in the mounting chamber 41a while appropriately releasing heat generated by the operation of the battery 7. Therefore, the battery 7 can be appropriately warmed to a temperature suitable for the operation of the battery 7 in both the charging chamber 71a and the mounting chamber 41a.

[0077] (2) The transport system 1 of a second aspect is the transport system 1 of (1), in which the vehicle-side heat insulating material 9 may be provided on the entire surface of the loading chamber 41a.

[0078] This improves the heat retention of the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a.

[0079] (3) The transport system 1 of a third aspect is the transport system 1 of (1) or (2), in which the charger-side heat insulating material 10 may be provided on the entire surface of the charging chamber 71a.

[0080] This improves the heat retention of the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a.

[0081] (4) A fourth aspect of the transport system 1 is any one of the transport systems 1 of (1) to (3), further comprising the battery 7 and a battery side insulating material 15 provided on one end surface of the outer surface of the battery 7, and the battery 7 may be arranged in the mounting chamber 41a so that the battery side insulating material 15 faces the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a, and the battery 7 may be arranged in the charging chamber 71a so that the battery side insulating material 15 faces the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a.

[0082] As a result, when the battery 7 is housed in the mounting chamber 41a, the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a is closed by the battery-side heat insulating material 15. This makes it possible to suppress heat radiation from the battery 7 through the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a. Furthermore, when the battery 7 is housed in the charging chamber 71a, the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a is closed by the battery-side heat insulating material 15. This makes it possible to suppress heat radiation from the battery 7 through the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a. Furthermore, since there is no need to provide separate covers or the like for the opening 41b of the mounting chamber 41a and the opening 71b of the charging chamber 71a to keep the battery 7 warm, the battery 7 can be easily inserted and removed.

[0083] (5) The fifth aspect of the conveying system 1 may be any one of the conveying systems 1 (1) to (3) and further include the battery 7 and a battery side insulating material 15 arranged on the outer surface of the battery 7 so as to surround the battery 7.

[0084] As a result, the battery 7 is always kept warm by the battery-side heat insulating material 15. Therefore, the heat retention of the battery 7 can be improved.

[0085] (6) The conveying system 1A according to the sixth aspect is a conveying system 1A used within a low-temperature warehouse 2, and includes a mounting section 40 having a mounting chamber 41a formed therein that can accommodate a battery 7 and has an opening 41b through which the battery 7 can be taken in and out, and a vehicle 6 that is driven by the power of the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a, a charger 70 that has a charging chamber 71a formed therein that can accommodate the battery 7 and has an opening 71b through which the battery 7 can be taken in and out and that charges the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a, an exchange device 8 that exchanges the battery 7 in the mounting chamber 41a with the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a, the battery 7, a battery-side insulating material 15 that is provided on the outer surface of the battery 7 to surround the battery 7, and a charger-side insulating material 10 that is provided on the charger 70 to surround the battery 7 in the charging chamber 71a. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1, 1A...transport system, 2...low-temperature warehouse, 3...freezer, 3a...compartment door, 4...front room, 4a...cargo storage area, 4b...exit door, 5...shelf, 6...vehicle, 7...battery, 7a...battery terminal, 8...replacement device, 9...vehicle-side insulation, 10...charger-side insulation, 11...control device, 12...casing, 12a...opening, 13...detection unit, 14...control device, 15...battery-side insulation, 20...vehicle body, 21...vehicle body main body, 21a...rear, 22...straddle leg, 23...plate, 25...traveling mechanism, 25a...rear wheel, 25b...front wheel, 26...mast, 27...outer mast, 28...inner mast, 30...load-handling device, 31...lift bracket, 32...fork, 32a... Fork base, 32b...fork claw portion, 40...mounting portion, 41...vehicle side housing, 41a...mounting chamber, 42...vehicle side terminal, 43...vehicle side door, 43a...inner surface, 50...insertion / removal mechanism, 51...actuator, 52...guide, 53...arm, 60...battery movement mechanism, 61...rail, 62...hand, 70...charger, 71...charger side housing, 71a...charging chamber, 71b...opening, 72...charger side terminal, 73...charger side door, 73a...inner surface, D1...first direction, D2...second direction, Dv...up and down direction, M...cargo, P...parking area

Claims

1. A conveying system for use in a cold storage facility, comprising: a vehicle having a mounting section formed with a mounting chamber capable of accommodating a battery and having an opening through which the battery can be inserted and removed, the vehicle being driven by the power of the battery in the mounting chamber; a charger that is formed with a charging chamber that can accommodate the battery and has an opening that allows the battery to be inserted and removed, and that charges the battery in the charging chamber; an exchange device that exchanges the battery in the loading compartment with the battery in the charging compartment; a vehicle-side heat insulating material provided on the mounting portion so as to surround the battery in the mounting compartment; a charger-side heat insulating material provided in the charger so as to surround the battery in the charging compartment, the charger-side heat insulating material having a higher heat insulating property than the vehicle-side heat insulating material; Equipped with Conveying system.

2. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-side heat insulating material is provided on the entire surface of the loading compartment.

3. The transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the charger-side heat insulating material is provided on the entire surface of the charging chamber.

4. the battery; a battery-side heat insulating material provided on one end surface of the outer surface of the battery; Furthermore, The battery is disposed in the loading compartment such that the battery-side heat insulating material faces an opening of the loading compartment, The transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the battery is arranged in the charging chamber so that the battery-side insulating material faces an opening of the charging chamber.

5. the battery; a battery-side heat insulating material provided on an outer surface of the battery so as to surround the battery; Further provided with The transport system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. A conveying system for use in a cold storage facility, comprising: a vehicle having a mounting section formed with a mounting chamber capable of accommodating a battery and having an opening through which the battery can be inserted and removed, the vehicle being driven by the power of the battery in the mounting chamber; a charger that charges the battery in the charging chamber, the charger having a charging chamber that can accommodate the battery and has an opening through which the battery can be taken in and out; an exchange device that exchanges the battery in the loading compartment with the battery in the charging compartment; the battery; a battery-side heat insulating material provided on an outer surface of the battery so as to surround the battery; a charger-side heat insulating material provided in the charger so as to surround the battery in the charging chamber; Equipped with Conveying system.

Images