Battery exchange structure

Abstract

To provide a battery replacement structure which has a simple structure, yet can hold a battery pack so that it does not move while a vehicle is running, and can easily and smoothly carry out the battery pack when replacing it. [Solution] A battery replacement structure 10 comprising a replaceable battery pack 12, a foldable carrier 20 that movably supports the battery pack 12, and a battery storage case 30 that has a lid portion 40 and can store the battery pack 12 and the folded carrier 20, wherein the battery pack 12 has a guide roller 18 at the end facing the storage direction relative to the battery storage case 30, and the battery storage case 30 has a support base 44 that can support the underside of the battery pack 12, and a link mechanism 50 that lowers the guide roller 18 relative to the support base 44 in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid portion 40, and raises the guide roller 18 relative to the support base 44 in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid portion 40.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery replacement structure. [Background technology]

[0002] A vehicle battery exchange device has been known in the past (see, for example, Patent Document 1), in which a battery tray storage space is provided in a vehicle so that the battery tray can be inserted and removed, a horizontal guide device is provided in the battery tray storage space that extends horizontally from the front to the back of the battery tray storage space and can guide flanges formed on the sides of the battery tray, and wheel support legs that can protrude and be stored are provided at the four corners of the battery tray. An anti-malfunction plate is provided in this battery tray storage space to prevent the wheels from coming out while the vehicle is running. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-46527 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, there is still room for improvement in the structure, which, while being simple, can hold the battery pack so that it does not move while the vehicle is running, and can allow the battery pack to be easily and smoothly removed when it is replaced.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a battery replacement structure that has a simple structure, yet can hold a battery pack so that it does not move while a vehicle is running, and that allows the battery pack to be easily and smoothly removed when it is replaced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a first aspect of the battery replacement structure of the present invention comprises a replaceable battery pack, a foldable carrier that movably supports the battery pack, and a battery housing case that has a lid and can house the battery pack and the folded carrier, wherein the battery pack has a guide roller at the end facing the housing direction relative to the battery housing case, and the battery housing case has a support base that can support the underside of the battery pack, and a link mechanism that lowers the guide roller relative to the support base in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid, and raises the guide roller relative to the support base in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the invention, a replaceable battery pack is movably supported on a foldable carrier, and the battery pack and the folded carrier are housed in a battery housing case having a lid. A guide roller is provided at the end of the battery pack facing the battery housing case. The battery housing case has a support base capable of supporting the underside of the battery pack, and a link mechanism that lowers the guide roller of the battery pack relative to the support base in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid, and raises the guide roller of the battery pack relative to the support base in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid.

[0008] Therefore, when a battery pack is placed in the battery housing case and the lid is closed, the guide rollers of the battery pack descend relative to the support base, so that the underside of the battery pack is supported by the support base. In other words, the battery pack is held immovable within the battery housing case. On the other hand, when the lid is opened to replace the battery pack, the guide rollers of the battery pack ascend relative to the support base, so that the guide rollers can roll on the support base, making it easier to remove the battery pack.

[0009] Thus, according to the present invention, the battery pack can be held in place while the vehicle is running, despite its simple structure, and the battery pack can be easily and smoothly removed when it is time to replace it.

[0010] In addition, a second aspect of the battery replacement structure according to the present invention is a battery replacement structure of the first aspect, wherein the battery pack has a cover member that covers a connector provided on the battery pack, and the cover member is configured to move in conjunction with the folding action of the carrier to expose the connector.

[0011] According to the second aspect of the invention, the battery pack has a cover member that covers the connector provided on the battery pack, and the cover member moves in conjunction with the folding operation of the carrier to expose the connector. In other words, the connector of the battery pack is always covered by the cover member when not housed in the battery housing case. Therefore, the protection performance for the connector of the battery pack is improved. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] As described above, according to the present invention, despite its simple structure, the battery pack can be held so as not to move while the vehicle is running, and when the battery pack is replaced, the battery pack can be easily and smoothly removed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view showing a battery pack before being housed in a battery replacement structure according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic side view showing a state in which a battery pack is being accommodated in the battery replacement structure according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic side view showing the battery replacement structure according to the first embodiment after the battery pack is housed therein. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is an enlarged schematic side view showing the state of the link mechanism after the battery pack is housed in the battery replacement structure according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is a schematic side view showing, in enlarged form, the state of the link mechanism when the battery pack is removed from the battery replacement structure according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6](A) A schematic side view showing the battery pack before being accommodated in the battery replacement structure according to the second embodiment. (B) A schematic side view showing the battery pack in the middle of being accommodated in the battery replacement structure according to the second embodiment. (C) A schematic side view showing the battery pack in the middle of being accommodated in the battery replacement structure according to the second embodiment. (D) A schematic side view showing the battery pack after being accommodated in the battery replacement structure according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. For ease of explanation, the arrow UP shown in each drawing indicates the upward direction of the battery pack 12 (see FIG. 1), and the arrow RE indicates the rearward direction of the battery pack 12, which is the direction in which the battery pack 12 is removed from the battery housing case 30. In other words, the forward direction here indicates the direction in which the battery pack 12 is carried in and stored.

[0015] Further, the direction perpendicular to the direction of insertion (storage direction) and removal from the battery housing case 30 in a plan view is the left-right direction of the battery pack 12. Therefore, in the following description, when the directions of up-down, front-rear, and left-right are mentioned without special mention, they refer to up-down in the up-down direction of the battery pack 12, front-rear in the front-rear direction of the battery pack 12, and left-right in the left-right direction of the battery pack 12.

[0016] First Embodiment First, a first embodiment will be described. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a battery replacement structure 10 according to the first embodiment includes a replaceable battery pack 12 mounted on a vehicle (not shown), such as an electrically driven electric vehicle, a foldable carrier 20 attached integrally to the heavy battery pack 12 and supporting the battery pack 12 from below so that it can move, and a battery housing case 30 capable of housing the battery pack 12 and the folded carrier 20.

[0017] The battery pack 12 has a battery case 14 in the shape of a substantially rectangular box with a predetermined height and a longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction, and a connector 16 is integrally provided at a predetermined position on the front wall 14F. In addition, guide rollers 18 with their axial direction extending in the left-to-right direction are rotatably attached to the lower front ends of both left and right side walls 14S of the battery case 14 (ends on the housing side relative to the battery housing case 30).

[0018] When unfolded, the carrier 20 has a pair of left and right first frames 22 extending from the upper front to the lower rear, a pair of left and right second frames 24 each having one end pivotally connected to approximately the longitudinal center of the first frame 22 and extending from approximately the longitudinal center to the lower front, and a pair of left and right third frames 26 each having one end pivotally connected to approximately the longitudinal center of the first frame 22 and extending from approximately the longitudinal center to the upper rear.

[0019] One end of each first frame 22 is pivotally connected to the front end of each of the left and right side walls 14S of the battery case 14 (slightly above the guide rollers 18), and a rear wheel 25 is attached to the other end of each first frame 22 so that it can rotate about its axis in the left-right direction. A front wheel 23 is attached to the other end of each second frame 24 so that it can rotate about its axis in the left-right direction. The other end of each third frame 26 is pivotally connected to the rear end of each of the left and right side walls 14S of the battery case 14 so that it can rotate.

[0020] Therefore, when the battery pack 12 is housed in the battery housing case 30, each second frame 24 rotates rearward with one end serving as a pivot point, causing each front wheel 23 to rise, each first frame 22 rotates with one end serving as a pivot point, causing each rear wheel 25 to rise, and one end of each third frame 26 also rises, thereby causing the carrier 20 to be folded.

[0021] The battery housing case 30 is provided in a vehicle, and the battery pack 12 is carried in and out from, for example, the rear side of the vehicle. The battery housing case 30 has a substantially rectangular flat bottom wall 32, a top wall 34, a front wall 36, and left and right side walls 38 that are large enough to house the battery pack 12, and is formed like a housing with an open rear side. The rear side of the battery housing case 30 is configured to be opened and closed by a lid 40 that is formed to be substantially the same size as the front wall 36.

[0022] That is, in the closed state, the lid 40 has its lower end (the lower end above the shaft 48 described below) pivotally connected to the lower rear ends of the left and right side walls 38 by shafts 42 (see also FIG. 4) whose axial direction is in the left-right direction. The front wall 36 is integrally provided with a connector 46 (see also FIG. 4) that is electrically connected by abutting the connector 16 of the battery pack 12 when the battery pack 12 is housed in the battery housing case 30.

[0023] Additionally, a support base 44 capable of supporting the bottom wall 14D of the battery case 14, which constitutes the underside of the battery pack 12, is provided on the inner surface of the bottom wall 32 of the battery housing case 30. The support base 44 is formed in a generally inverted U shape in a front view from the front-rear direction. That is, the support base 44 has a base main body 44A whose upper surface can come into contact with the bottom wall 14D of the battery case 14, and legs 44B that hang downward from both left and right ends of the base main body 44A.

[0024] The left-right width of the support base 44 (base main body 44A) is approximately the same as the left-right width of the inner surface of the bottom wall 32 of the battery housing case 30, and the front-rear length of the support base 44 (base main body 44A) is shorter than the front-rear length of the inner surface of the bottom wall 32. This allows the guide rollers 18 of the battery pack 12 and the front and rear wheels 23 and 25 of the carrier 20 to be positioned on the front and rear sides of the support base 44 (base main body 44A), respectively, when the battery pack 12 is housed in the battery housing case 30.

[0025] Furthermore, the leg portion 44B is formed in a generally parallelogram shape in a side view seen from the left-right direction. That is, the front end surface of the leg portion 44B is an inclined surface 44C that slopes upward and forward, and the rear end surface of the leg portion 44B is an inclined surface 44D that slopes downward and rearward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, when the cover portion 40 is closed, the upper end of the inclined surface 44C can abut against the outer peripheral surface of the guide roller 18 from the upper rear side, i.e., the guide roller 18 can be locked so that it cannot move in the front-to-rear direction, and the front wheel 23 and the rear wheel 25 can be supported from below by the inclined surface 44D.

[0026] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a link mechanism 50 is provided in the space between the base body 44A of the support base 44 and the bottom wall 32, which lowers the guide rollers 18 of the battery pack 12 and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44 in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid portion 40, and raises the guide rollers 18 of the battery pack 12 and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44 in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid portion 40.

[0027] Specifically, the link mechanism 50 has a pair of left and right link rods 52 that extend in the front-to-rear direction and are located below the guide rollers 18, the front wheels 23, and the rear wheels 25 so as to overlap them in a plan view. When the cover 40 is in the closed state, the rear end (one end) of the link rod 52 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the cover 40 below the shaft 42 by a shaft 48 whose axial direction is in the left-to-right direction. A plurality of link plates 54 are provided at a longitudinal midpoint of the link rod 52 at predetermined intervals in the front-to-rear direction.

[0028] Each link plate 54 is formed in a generally elliptical shape when viewed from the left and right side, and one end thereof is rotatably pivotally connected to a longitudinally intermediate portion of the link rod 52. The other end of each link plate 54 is rotatably pivotally connected to a leg portion 44B of the support base 44. When the lid portion 40 is closed, each link plate 54 rotates clockwise in FIG. 4 and is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the link rod 52, and when the lid portion 40 is open, it rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 5 and supports a longitudinally intermediate portion of the link rod 52.

[0029] In addition, in a side view seen from the left-right direction, the front end 52F and the rear end 52B (slightly forward of the shaft 48) of the link rod 52 are configured to protrude a predetermined length forward and rearward, respectively, from the leg 44B of the support base 44. The front end 52F of the link rod 52 has an inclined surface 52A that is inclined downward and forward in a side view seen from the left-right direction so that it can support the guide roller 18 from below when the lid 40 is in the open state.

[0030] When the lid portion 40 is closed, the link rod 52 configured in this manner is configured to move (be positioned in a lower position) so as to be pulled rearward relative to the support base 44 in conjunction with the closing movement of the lid portion 40, as shown in Figure 4, and is therefore supported in contact with the inner surface of the bottom wall 32 of the battery housing case 30.

[0031] On the other hand, when the lid portion 40 is opened, as shown in Figure 5, the link rod 52 is configured to move in such a way that it is pushed forward and upward relative to the support base 44 (held in an upper position) in conjunction with the opening movement of the lid portion 40, so that the guide roller 18 comes into contact with the inclined surface 52A of the front end portion 52F and is raised, and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 can be raised at the rear portion 52B.

[0032] Next, the operation of the battery replacement structure 10 in the first embodiment configured as above will be described.

[0033] As described above, the battery storage case 30 has a support base 44 that can support the bottom wall 14D of the battery case 14 (the underside of the battery pack 12), and a link mechanism 50 that lowers the guide rollers 18 of the battery case 14 and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44 in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid portion 40, and raises the guide rollers 18 of the battery case 14 and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44 in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid portion 40.

[0034] Therefore, the battery pack 12 and the foldable carrier 20 that movably supports the battery pack 12 are carried in and out of the battery housing case 30 as follows: That is, as shown in Fig. 1, the battery pack 12 supported by the carrier 20 is carried in (pushed in) together with the carrier 20 into the battery housing case 30 with the lid 40 open.

[0035] Here, even if the battery pack 12 is heavy, the worker can easily move the battery pack 12 because the battery pack 12 is supported by the carrier 20 having the front wheels 23 and the rear wheels 25. In addition, the worker can replace the battery pack 12 anywhere without having to choose a specific location.

[0036] Furthermore, because the lid 40 is in the open state, the link rod 52 of the link mechanism 50 is held in an upper position. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the guide roller 18 can smoothly roll from above the open lid 40, through the rear portion 52B of the link rod 52, to the upper surface of the base body 44A of the support base 44. Furthermore, the carrier 20 is automatically folded as the battery pack 12 is carried into the battery housing case 30. Therefore, the battery pack 12 can be carried into the battery housing case 30 smoothly (the carrying load can be reduced).

[0037] After the battery pack 12 has been brought into the battery housing case 30 to a predetermined position (until the connector 16 abuts and connects to the connector 46), the lid 40 is closed as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and the link rod 52 of the link mechanism 50 moves to a downward position, so that the guide roller 18 of the battery case 14 (battery pack 12) and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 descend relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44.

[0038] As a result, the bottom wall 14D of the battery case 14 (the lower surface of the battery pack 12) comes into contact with the upper surface of the base body 44A and is supported by the base body 44A. Then, the upper ends of the inclined surfaces 44C, which are the front end surfaces of the legs 44B of the support base 44, come into contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the guide rollers 18 from above and behind, locking the guide rollers 18 so that they cannot move in the front-to-rear direction.

[0039] That is, the battery pack 12 is held so as not to move in the front-to-rear direction within the battery housing case 30 by connecting the connector 16 to the connector 46 and by having the inclined surfaces 44C of the legs 44B of the support base 44 abut from above and behind the outer circumferential surfaces of the guide rollers 18. This allows the battery pack 12 to be protected from vibrations that occur while the vehicle is running.

[0040] On the other hand, when replacing the battery pack 12, i.e., when removing the battery pack 12 from the battery housing case 30, the lid 40 is opened as shown in Fig. 5. Then, the link rod 52 of the link mechanism 50 moves to the upper position (is pushed forward and upward), so that the guide roller 18 of the battery case 14 (battery pack 12) and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 rise relative to the base body 44A of the support base 44.

[0041] This releases the battery case 14 (battery pack 12) from the guide rollers 18, allowing the guide rollers 18 to roll on the upper surface of the base body 44A, and the front wheels 23 and rear wheels 25 of the carrier 20 to roll on the upper surface of the rear portion 52B of the link rod 52. Therefore, the battery pack 12 can be easily removed from the battery housing case 30 (easily carried out with little force).

[0042] Thus, according to the first embodiment, the guide rollers 18 can be locked and unlocked by opening and closing the lid 40, and yet the battery pack 12 can be held stationary while the vehicle is running, and the battery pack 12 can be easily and smoothly removed when replacing the battery pack 12. Therefore, according to this first embodiment, the battery pack 12 can be replaced in a short time.

[0043] Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment will be described. Note that the same reference numerals are used to designate parts equivalent to those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions (including common functions) will be omitted as appropriate.

[0044] As shown in Fig. 6(A), the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the battery pack 12 has a cover member 56 that covers the connector 16 provided on the front wall 14F of the battery case 14, and in that the configuration of the carrier 20 has been changed due to the provision of the cover member 56. Note that the guide rollers 18 are not shown in Fig. 6.

[0045] In the second embodiment, the carrier 20, when unfolded, has a pair of left and right first frames 27 extending downward and forward, a pair of left and right second frames 28 extending downward and rearward, and a pair of left and right third frames 29 whose one end is pivotally connected to approximately the center of the length of the second frames 28 and which extend upward and rearward from approximately the center of the length of the second frames 28.

[0046] One end of each first frame 27 is pivotally connected to the lower end of the left and right side walls 14S of the battery case 14, respectively, which is forward of the center of the front-to-rear direction, and the other end of each first frame 27 is attached with a front wheel 23 as a wheel, which is rotatable with the left-to-right direction as the axial direction.

[0047] One end of each second frame 28 is pivotally connected to the rear lower end of each of the left and right side walls 14S of the battery case 14, respectively, which is located behind the center of the front-to-rear direction, and the other end of each second frame 28 is attached with a rear wheel 25 as a wheel, which is rotatable with the left-to-right direction as its axial direction.

[0048] The other end of each third frame 29 is connected to a portion of each left and right sidewall 14S of the battery case 14 that is rearward of one end of each second frame 28 so as to be slidable further rearward from that rear portion. That is, grooves 14A that slidably support the other end of each third frame 29 are formed in the rear lower portions of each left and right sidewall 14S of the battery case 14.

[0049] 6(B) to 6(D), when the battery pack 12 is housed in the battery housing case 30, each first frame 27 rotates rearward around one end thereof as a pivot point, causing the front wheels 23 to rise, and each second frame 28 rotates rearward around one end thereof as a pivot point, causing the rear wheels 25 to rise. The other end of each third frame then slides rearward. This allows the carrier 20 to be folded.

[0050] Furthermore, the cover member 56 is configured to move rearward in conjunction with the folding operation of the carrier 20, exposing the connector 16. More specifically, a rotation shaft 58 having an axial direction in the left-right direction is provided at the lower end of the cover member 56, and a biasing member (not shown), such as a torsion spring, provided on the rotation shaft 58 constantly biases the cover member 56 in a direction that covers the connector 16 (clockwise in FIG. 6).

[0051] A slide mechanism 60 for sliding the cover member 56 is provided on the rotating shaft 58. The slide mechanism 60 has a first slide rod 62 whose front end (one end) is pivotally connected to both axial ends of the rotating shaft 58, and the first slide rod 62 is supported by the battery case 14 so as to be slidable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0052] Additionally, the upper end (one end) of the second slide rod 64 is rotatably pivotally connected to the rear end (other end) of the first slide rod 62, and the lower end (other end) of the second slide rod 64 is rotatably pivotally connected to approximately the center in the longitudinal direction of the first frame 27. Therefore, when the first frame 27 is rotated rearward, the second slide rod 64 is pulled rearward, and the first slide rod 62 slides rearward.

[0053] 6(B) to 6(D), the cover member 56 rotates forward (counterclockwise in FIG. 6) around the rotation shaft 58 as a fulcrum, thereby opening the connector 16. When the connector 16 is thus opened, as the battery pack 12 is carried into the battery housing case 30 to a predetermined position, the connector 16 comes into contact with the connector 46 provided on the front wall 36 and is electrically connected thereto.

[0054] When the battery pack 12 is removed from the battery housing case 30, the first frames 27 rotate forward, pushing the second slide rod 64 forward and causing the first slide rod 62 to slide forward. When the rotation shaft 58 passes the lower front end of the battery case 14, the biasing force of the biasing member causes the cover member 56 to rotate rearward (clockwise in FIG. 6 ) and cover the connector 16.

[0055] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the cover member 56 is configured to move in conjunction with the folding operation of the carrier 20 to expose the connector 16, so that the connector 16 of the battery pack 12 is always covered by the cover member 56 when the battery pack 12 is not housed in the battery housing case 30. Therefore, the protection performance for the connector 16 of the battery pack 12 can be improved.

[0056] The battery replacement structure 10 according to this embodiment has been described above with reference to the drawings. However, the battery replacement structure 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to the illustrated structure, and the design can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the battery pack 12 may be configured to be loaded and unloaded from the right or left side of the vehicle. Furthermore, the link rod 52 of the link mechanism 50 is not limited to being supported by multiple link plates 54.

[0057] Furthermore, it is also acceptable for only the guide roller 18 to be raised and lowered by the link mechanism 50. In other words, the link mechanism 50 may be configured to lower at least the guide roller 18, among the guide roller 18, the front wheels 23, and the rear wheels 25, relative to the support base 44 in conjunction with the closing operation of the lid part 40, and to raise at least the guide roller 18, among the guide roller 18, the front wheels 23, and the rear wheels 25, relative to the support base 44 in conjunction with the opening operation of the lid part 40. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10 Battery replacement structure 12 Battery pack 16 connectors 18 Guide roller 20 Career 30 Battery case 40 Lid 44 Support base 50 Link mechanism 56 Cover member

Claims

1. A replaceable battery pack and a foldable carrier that movably supports the battery pack; a battery housing case having a lid portion and capable of housing the battery pack and the folded carrier; Equipped with The battery pack a guide roller at an end portion on the housing direction side relative to the battery housing case; The battery housing case includes: a support base capable of supporting a lower surface of the battery pack; a link mechanism that lowers the guide roller relative to the support base in conjunction with a closing operation of the lid portion and raises the guide roller relative to the support base in conjunction with an opening operation of the lid portion; A battery replacement structure having:

2. the battery pack has a cover member that covers a connector provided in the battery pack, 2. The battery replacement structure according to claim 1, wherein the cover member moves in conjunction with the folding operation of the carrier to expose the connector.

Images