Vehicle tilting device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle tilting device which can stably tilt a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle tilting device comprises: a vehicle receiving frame 1 on which a vehicle Z is mounted; an arcuate front outer ring 2A which supports and fixes a front portion of the vehicle receiving frame 1 and can rotate in the arc direction; an arcuate front inner ring 3A which is incorporated in the front outer ring 2A in such a manner that the front inner ring 3A can advance / retreat along the front outer ring 2A and which forms a circular ring closed by being coupled to the front outer ring 2A in the time of advancing; an arcuate rear outer ring 2B which supports and fixes the rear portion of the vehicle receiving frame 1 and can rotate in the arc direction; an arcuate rear inner ring 3B which is incorporated in the rear outer ring 2B in such a manner that the inner ring 3B can advance / retreat along the rear outer ring 2B and forms a circular ring closed by being coupled to the rear outer ring 2B in the time of advancing; a front portion vehicle fixation mechanism 4A which fixes the front portion of a vehicle Z mounted on the vehicle receiving frame 1 with respect to the vehicle receiving frame 1; and a rear portion vehicle fixation mechanism 4B which fixes the rear portion of the vehicle Z mounted on the vehicle receiving frame 1 with respect to the vehicle receiving frame 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle tilting device that tilts an electric vehicle when removing a lithium-ion battery from the vehicle. In this invention, "tilting a vehicle" refers to rotating the vehicle around an axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, the use of lithium-ion batteries (hereinafter referred to as "LIBs") has been increasing due to the spread of electric vehicles. LIBs are generally installed in vehicles as a unit that combines a number of cells or modules with a control circuit. Reusing or recycling the materials that make up LIB units can significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and there is a demand for the creation of a system for recycling LIBs.

[0003] LIB units are often installed under the vehicle. Therefore, in the past, the work of removing a LIB unit from a vehicle typically required workers to climb under the vehicle, which had been lifted up on a lift. This work of removing a LIB unit from a vehicle requires workers to climb under the vehicle and remove numerous parts while facing upwards. This creates a poor working environment, with mud and other debris adhering to the parts and undercover falling, and also poses the risk of the LIB unit, which weighs 300 to 400 kg, falling. Therefore, there is a need for improvements in worker safety and work efficiency when removing a LIB unit from a vehicle.

[0004] Meanwhile, Patent Document 1 discloses an automobile dismantling device that lifts, lowers, and rotates (tilts) a vehicle to position it so that it is easy to dismantle it. Specifically, the device in Patent Document 1 has a rotatable arm protruding from a lifting body that is attached to a vertically long device body so that it can be raised and lowered, an automobile receiving stand and a clamp are attached to the arm, and the lifting body can be raised and lowered to raise or lower the automobile clamped between the receiving stand and the clamp to any height, and the arm can be rotated to rotate the automobile to any angle.

[0005] Therefore, when removing the LIB unit from a vehicle, it is conceivable to tilt the vehicle using the device of Patent Document 1. However, in the device of Patent Document 1, the vehicle support base and clamp that clamp the vehicle are attached to an arm that protrudes from a lifting body that is attached to the vertically long device body so that it can be raised and lowered. In other words, in the device of Patent Document 1, the vehicle is clamped by the vehicle support base and clamp that are attached to a cantilever arm with one end fixed and the other end free. Therefore, when the vehicle is tilted, the weight of the vehicle may cause the arm to bend, which could compromise the stability of the vehicle while it is tilting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-122087 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle tilting device that can stably tilt a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided the following vehicle tilting device. a vehicle support frame on which a vehicle is placed; The front part of the vehicle support frame is supported and fixed, and can rotate in an arc direction. It is supported by the front support frame so that an arcuate front outer ring; an arc-shaped front inner ring that is housed in the front outer ring and can move forward and backward along the front outer ring, and that, when moved forward, is coupled with the front outer ring to form a closed circular ring; The rear part of the vehicle support frame is supported and fixed, and can rotate in an arc direction. It is supported on the rear support frame so that an arc-shaped rear outer ring; an arc-shaped rear inner ring that is housed in the rear outer ring and can move forward and backward along the rear outer ring, and that, when moving forward, is coupled with the rear outer ring to form a closed circular ring; a front vehicle fixing mechanism that fixes a front portion of a vehicle placed on the vehicle support frame to the vehicle support frame; a rear vehicle fixing mechanism that fixes the rear of the vehicle placed on the vehicle support frame to the vehicle support frame. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the vehicle is tilted with the front and rear portions of the vehicle support frame on which the vehicle is placed supported and fixed by the front outer ring and the rear outer ring, respectively, so that the vehicle can be tilted stably. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle tilting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vehicle is placed on a vehicle support frame of the vehicle tilting device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a lower portion of the vehicle tilting device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a lower portion of the vehicle position sensor. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the front side of the vehicle tilting device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the front side of the vehicle tilting device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part of the front side of the vehicle tilting device. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the overall configuration of the rear vehicle fixing mechanism. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11]This is a perspective view showing the state in which the vehicle is fixed to the vehicle support frame 1 and the front inner ring and rear inner ring 3B are advanced until they are connected to the front outer ring and rear outer ring, respectively, to form closed circular rings. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vehicle mounted and fixed on a vehicle support frame is tilted 90 degrees. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vehicle mounted and fixed on a vehicle support frame is tilted 180 degrees. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which the LIB unit is pressed and supported by the battery support portion of the battery support mechanism. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a side view showing the LIB unit removed from the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a vehicle tilting device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle tilting device X shown in the figure includes a vehicle support frame 1, a front outer ring 2A, a front inner ring 3A, a rear outer ring 2B, a rear inner ring 3B, a front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A, and a rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B. A robot Y is also installed adjacent to the vehicle tilting device X. The configuration of each part of the vehicle tilting device X will be described below.

[0012] First, we will explain the vehicle support frame 1. As shown in Fig. 2, a vehicle Z is placed on the vehicle support frame 1. In this embodiment, the vehicle Z is an electric vehicle, and a LIB unit is installed at the bottom of the vehicle Z as a battery unit. 3 is a perspective view showing essential parts of the lower part of the vehicle tilting device X, including the vehicle support frame 1. As clearly shown in the figure, the vehicle support frame 1 has wheel chocks 11 at four locations on which the front and rear wheels of the vehicle Z are placed to position the vehicle Z in the longitudinal direction, and also has guide portions 12 at four locations that hold the side sill flanges of the vehicle Z so as to sandwich them from both the left and right sides to position the vehicle Z in the lateral direction. In this embodiment, the vehicle Z is loaded onto the vehicle support frame 1 using a forklift, as will be described later. At this time, the vehicle support frame 1 is provided with positioning guides 13 at four locations on the front, rear, left, and right sides to position the vehicle Z in the lateral direction.

[0013] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vehicle support frame 1 is provided with vehicle position sensors 14 at two locations in the front-rear direction on one side of the vehicle support frame 1 in the left-right direction in order to confirm the left-right position of the vehicle Z. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the vehicle position sensor 14 has a sensor rod 141 that contacts the side of the vehicle Z, and this sensor rod 141 is attached to a sensor mounting portion 15 provided on the side of the vehicle support frame 1. Specifically, the lower portion of the sensor rod 141 is attached to a sensor mounting shaft 151 in the sensor mounting portion 15, and the sensor rod 141 is rotatable around the sensor mounting shaft 151. In addition, one end of a tension spring 16 provided above the sensor mounting portion 15 on the side of the vehicle support frame 1 is connected to the sensor rod 141. As a result, when the vehicle Z is not mounted on the vehicle support frame 1, the lower end of the sensor rod 141 is located outside the vehicle support frame 1, as shown in FIG. 5 . In addition, a first sensor portion 142 and a second sensor portion 143 are provided below the sensor mounting portion 15. The first sensor unit 142 is located outside the vehicle support frame 1 relative to the second sensor unit 143. Both the first sensor unit 142 and the second sensor unit 143 are optical sensors, and can detect the position of the lower end of the sensor rod 141 by blocking light when the lower end of the sensor rod 141 arrives. In this embodiment, when the vehicle Z is not placed on the vehicle support frame 1, the lower end of the sensor rod 141 is located outside the first sensor unit 142, as shown in Fig. 5. When the vehicle Z is placed on the vehicle support frame 1 and the left-right position of the vehicle Z is appropriate, the lower end of the sensor rod 141 is located at the first sensor unit 142. On the other hand, when the lower end of the sensor rod 141 is located at the second sensor unit 143, the left-right position of the vehicle Z is not appropriate. Thus, in this embodiment, when the first sensor unit 142 detects the lower end of the sensor rod 141, it is determined that the left-right position of the vehicle Z is appropriate.

[0014] Next, the front outer ring 2A, the front inner ring 3A, the rear outer ring 2B, and the rear inner ring 3B will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the front outer ring 2A is supported by a front support frame 5A, and the rear outer ring 2B is rear end In this embodiment, the front outer ring 2A, the front inner ring 3A, and the front support frame 5A on the front side are configured similarly to the rear outer ring 2B, the rear inner ring 3B, and the rear support frame 5B on the rear side. 5B Therefore, in the following explanation, the configuration of the front side will be explained, and the explanation of the configuration of the rear side will be omitted.

[0015] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the overall configuration of the front side, and FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the main parts of the front side. FIG. 8 shows a front view of the main parts of the front side. Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8 along with FIGS. 1 and 2 described above, the front outer ring 2A is arc-shaped and is supported by a front support frame 5A so as to support and fix the front part of the vehicle support frame 1 and be rotatable in the arc direction. A front outer ring drive motor 6A is provided on the front support frame 5A for rotating the front outer ring 2A in the arc direction. As clearly shown in FIG. 8, a pair of pinion gears 62A are fixed to a rotating shaft 61A of the front outer ring drive motor 6A. The pair of pinion gears 62A rotate while meshing with a pair of rack gears 21A formed on the front outer ring 2A, causing the front outer ring 2A to rotate in the arc direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the front support frame 5A is provided with guide rollers 51A at a plurality of locations to guide the rotation of the front outer ring 2A in the arc direction.

[0016] The front inner ring 3A, like the front outer ring 2A, is arc-shaped and is built into the front outer ring 2A so that it can move back and forth along the front outer ring 2A. When the front inner ring 3A moves forward, as shown in FIG. 6, it couples with the front outer ring 2A to form a closed circular ring. The front outer ring 2A is provided with a front inner ring drive motor 7A for moving the front inner ring 3A back and forth along the front outer ring 2A. As clearly shown in FIG. 8, a pinion gear 72A is fixed to a rotating shaft 71A of the front inner ring drive motor 7A. This pinion gear 72A rotates while meshing with a rack gear 31A formed on the front inner ring 3A, causing the front inner ring 3A to move back and forth along the front outer ring 2A. The front outer ring 2A is provided with guide rollers 22A at multiple locations to guide the front inner ring 3A as it moves back and forth along the front outer ring 2A.

[0017] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a proximity sensor 81A is provided as a front ring detection means for detecting when the front inner ring 3A and the front outer ring 2A have joined together to form a closed circular ring, as shown in FIG. 6. This proximity sensor 81A is attached to the front outer ring 2A so as to straddle the front inner ring 3A, and as shown in FIG. 8, it detects the approach of a dog 83A provided at the rear end of the front inner ring 3A. That is, in this embodiment, when the front inner ring 3A and the front outer ring 2A join together to form a closed circular ring, as shown in FIG. 6, the dog 83A approaches the proximity sensor 81A, as shown in FIG. 8. In other words, in this embodiment, the proximity sensor 81A detects the approach of the dog 83A, thereby detecting that the front inner ring 3A and the front outer ring 2A have joined together to form a closed circular ring. In addition, in this embodiment, another proximity sensor 82A is provided behind the proximity sensor 81A. In this embodiment, when the front inner ring 3A is advanced, the front inner ring drive motor 7A is controlled so that the advancement speed of the front inner ring 3A is reduced when the proximity sensor 82A detects the approach of the dog 83A, and then the advancement of the front inner ring 3A is stopped when the proximity sensor 81A detects the approach of the dog 83A. Also, although not shown in the drawings, in this embodiment a dog is provided at the front end of the front inner ring 3A, and when the front inner ring 3A is advanced backward, the front inner ring drive motor 7A is controlled so that the advancement speed of the front inner ring 3A is reduced when the proximity sensor 81A detects the approach of the dog, and then the advancement of the front inner ring 3A is stopped when the proximity sensor 82A detects the approach of the dog.

[0018] As described above, in this embodiment, when the front inner ring 3A is advanced, the proximity sensor 81A detects the proximity of the dog 83A, thereby detecting that the front inner ring 3A has joined with the front outer ring 2A to form a closed circular ring. This embodiment also includes a front ring locking mechanism 9A that receives a detection signal from the proximity sensor 81A and mechanically locks the front inner ring 3A so that it cannot advance or retreat relative to the front outer ring 2A. As shown in FIG. 7 , the front ring locking mechanism 9A in this embodiment includes a cylinder 91A, a lock pin 92A, and a link arm 93A that connects the cylinder 91A and the lock pin 92A. The lock pin 92A is inserted into a through hole 23A provided in the front outer ring 2A and advances or retreats along the central axis of the through hole 23A as the rod 911A of the cylinder 91A advances or retreats. Specifically, when the rod 911A of the cylinder 91A is advanced, the arm body 931A of the link arm 93A rotates counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 932A, causing the lock pin 92A to retract. On the other hand, when the rod 911A of the cylinder 91A is retracted, the arm body 931A of the link arm 93A rotates clockwise around the rotation shaft 932A, causing the lock pin 92A to advance. When the front inner ring 3A and the front outer ring 2A are coupled to form a closed circular ring, a recess (not shown in the drawing) in the front inner ring 3A is positioned to align with the through-hole 23A in the front outer ring 2A. Therefore, upon receiving a detection signal from the proximity sensor 81A, the rod 911A of the cylinder 91A is retracted, causing the lock pin 92A to advance, and its tip engages with the recess (not shown) in the front inner ring 3A. This mechanically locks the front inner ring 3A so that it cannot move forward or backward relative to the front outer ring 2A. By mechanically locking them in this way, the state in which the front inner ring 3A is coupled with the front outer ring 2A to form a closed circular ring can be reliably maintained, improving safety.

[0019] Next, we will explain the front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A and the rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B. In this embodiment, the front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A and the rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B have substantially the same configuration, so in the following explanation, we will explain the configuration of the rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B and will omit the explanation of the configuration of the front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A.

[0020] Fig. 9 shows a rear view of the overall configuration of the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B. Fig. 10 shows an enlarged side view of the main parts of the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B. In this embodiment, the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B includes a rear belt sling 41B that wraps around the rear of the vehicle Z, a pair of rear cylinders 42B connected to both ends of the rear belt sling, and a rear lift-up mechanism 43B that lifts up the center portion of the rear belt sling 41B.

[0021] The center of the rear belt sling 41B is sewn to a rubber band 432B that spans the upper ends of a pair of support posts 431B that are swingably mounted on both sides of the rear of the vehicle support frame 1. This lifts up the center of the rear belt sling 41B. One end of a wire 433B is connected to each end of the center of the rear belt sling 41B, and a balance weight 434B is connected to the other end of the wire 433B. The wire 433B is attached so as to ride over the upper ends of the support posts 431B. With this configuration, both ends of the center of the belt sling 41B are lifted up by gravity acting on the balance weight 434B. In this embodiment, the pair of support posts 431B, the rubber band 432B, the wire 433B, and the balance weight 434B constitute the rear lift-up mechanism 43B.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 10, the lower end of the support pillar 431B can rotate around a pin 44B fixed to the rear side of the vehicle support frame 1, allowing the support pillar 431B to swing in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle support frame 1. The rear cylinder 42B is fixed to the support pillar 431B and swings together with the support pillar 431B. In this embodiment, a cylinder 45B is provided on the vehicle support frame 1 to swing the support pillar 431B. The tip of a rod 451B of the cylinder 45B is connected to the lower end of the support pillar 431B. In the state shown in FIG. 10, the support pillar 431B stands upright in the vertical direction, and as shown in FIG. 9, the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B is in a lashing position where the rear belt sling 41B is wrapped around and secured to the rear of the vehicle Z. When the rod 451B of the cylinder 45B is advanced from the state shown in FIG. 10, the support pillar 431B swings rearward. As a result, the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B is placed in a retracted position where the rear belt sling 41B is retracted behind the rear of the vehicle Z, as shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, when the rod 451B of the cylinder 45B is retracted from the retracted position, the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B swings to the lashing position. In this manner, in this embodiment, the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B swings between the lashing position and the retracted position by advancing and retracting the rod 451B of the cylinder 45B.

[0023] The rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B is not limited to the above-described configuration. In short, it is sufficient that it fixes the rear of the vehicle Z to the vehicle support frame 1. Similarly, the front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A is sufficient that it fixes the front of the vehicle Z to the vehicle support frame 1.

[0024] The vehicle tilting device X of this embodiment is used when removing a LIB unit installed at the bottom of a vehicle Z, which is an electric vehicle. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a battery support mechanism 10 that supports the LIB unit when the LIB unit is removed is provided on the vehicle support frame 1. Specifically, the battery support mechanism 10 is attached so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle support frame 1 by driving a drive belt 111 with a drive motor 110. The battery support mechanism 10 also has a battery support part 101 that can press and support the LIB unit. This battery support part 101 can move forward and backward relative to the LIB unit.

[0025] The procedure for removing the LIB unit from vehicle Z will be described below. First, as shown in Fig. 1, the front inner ring 3A and the rear inner ring 3B are each moved backward to their respective backward limits, and the front vehicle fixing mechanism 4A and the rear vehicle fixing mechanism 4B are each swung to their respective retracted positions. This ensures that the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B have openings through which the front and rear of the vehicle can pass.

[0026] Next, a forklift (not shown) is used to load vehicle Z onto vehicle support frame 1 as shown in Figure 2. At this time, the front of vehicle Z passes through the opening of the front outer ring 2A, and the rear of vehicle Z passes through the opening of the rear outer ring 2B. Thereafter, the front and rear wheels of vehicle Z are placed on wheel chocks 11, and the side sill flanges of vehicle Z are inserted into guide portions 12, thereby positioning vehicle Z in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. At the same time, the vehicle position sensor 14 is used to confirm that the left-to-right position of vehicle Z is appropriate.

[0027] 11, the front vehicle securing mechanism 4A and the rear vehicle securing mechanism 4B are each swung to the securing position, and then the pair of front cylinders and the pair of rear cylinders are driven, respectively, to wrap the front belt sling around and secure the front of the vehicle Z, and wrap the rear belt sling around and secure the rear of the vehicle Z. As a result, the front and rear of the vehicle Z are each fixed to the vehicle support frame 1.

[0028] 11, the front inner ring 3A and the rear inner ring 3B are advanced until they are coupled with the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B, respectively, to form closed circular rings. At this time, as explained above, the front ring detection means and the rear ring detection means detect that closed circular rings have been formed, and upon receiving the detection signals, the front ring locking means and the rear ring locking means mechanically lock the front inner ring 3A and the rear inner ring 3B so that they cannot move forward or backward relative to the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B, respectively.

[0029] Next, the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B are rotated in one direction of the arc (hereinafter referred to as the "forward direction") to tilt the vehicle Z mounted and fixed on the vehicle support frame 1. In this embodiment, the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B can rotate until the vehicle Z mounted and fixed on the vehicle support frame 1 is tilted 180 degrees, and can stop rotation at a position tilted 90 degrees as shown in FIG. 12. Furthermore, this embodiment includes a locking mechanism that mechanically locks at least one of the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B to at least one of the front support frame 5A and the rear support frame 5B so that at least one of the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B cannot rotate when the vehicle Z is in a position tilted 90 degrees.

[0030] FIG. 13 shows the front-side locking mechanism 120A. As shown in the figure, when the vehicle Z is tilted 90 degrees, the lock pin insertion hole 121A provided in the front outer ring 2A is positioned to align with the lock pin insertion hole 123A provided in the lock pin holder 122A fixed to the front support frame 5A. By inserting a lock pin 124A into the lock pin insertion hole 123A and the lock pin insertion hole 121A, the front outer ring 2A is mechanically locked to the front support frame 5A. In this embodiment, a locking mechanism having the same configuration as the front side is also provided on the rear side, but it is sufficient to provide a locking mechanism on at least one of the front and rear sides.

[0031] In this embodiment, with the vehicle Z tilted 90 degrees as shown in Fig. 12, an operator (not shown) removes the undercover Z1 that covers the underside of the LIB unit installed at the bottom of the vehicle Z, and also removes the electrical connector connected to the LIB unit. In this embodiment, with the vehicle Z tilted 90 degrees, the operator performs the work of removing the undercover Z1, etc., but the presence of the locking mechanism 120A as shown in Fig. 13 prevents the vehicle Z from tilting from the 90-degree tilted state, thereby improving the safety of the operator.

[0032] After the removal of the undercover Z1 and other components is complete, the locking mechanism 120A is released by removing the locking pin 124A from the locking pin insertion holes 123A and 121A. The front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B are then further rotated forward to tilt the vehicle Z 180 degrees as shown in FIG. 14. A locking mechanism such as that shown in FIG. 13 can also be provided at this 180-degree tilted position of the vehicle Z. After the vehicle Z has been tilted 180 degrees, the robot arm Y1 of the robot Y removes the screws (not shown) that secure the LIB unit Z2 to the vehicle Z, as shown in FIG. 14. After all the screws have been removed, the battery support mechanism 10 is moved to a position above the LIB unit Z2, and the battery support part 101 is advanced toward the LIB unit Z2 to press and support the LIB unit Z2, as shown in FIG. 15.

[0033] From the state shown in Figure 15, the front outer ring 2A and the rear outer ring 2B are rotated in the reverse direction opposite to the forward direction described above to return the vehicle Z to its original position before tilting. Next, the battery support part 101 of the battery support mechanism 10 is moved backward. Then, by moving the battery support mechanism 10 to the front or rear side of the vehicle support frame 1 as necessary, the fore-and-aft position of the LIB unit Z2 is adjusted to a position that makes it easy to remove the LIB unit Z2 using a forklift. In this way, the LIB unit Z2 is removed while placed on the battery support part 101, as shown in Figure 16.

[0034] Thereafter, the front inner ring 3A and the rear inner ring 3B are each moved backward to their respective backward limits, and the front vehicle fixing mechanisms 4A and the rear vehicle fixing mechanisms 4B are released from their locking positions, allowing them to swing to their respective retreated positions. Then, using a forklift (not shown), the vehicle Z mounted on the vehicle support frame 1 is removed, and the LIB unit Z2 mounted on the battery support part 101 is also removed. This completes the removal of the LIB unit Z2.

[0035] In this embodiment, the vehicle tilting device X is used to remove the LIB unit Z2 from the vehicle Z, but the vehicle tilting device X of this embodiment can also be used to tilt the vehicle Z for other purposes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] X Vehicle tilting device Y Robot Y1 Robot Arm Z vehicle Z1 Undercover Z2 LIB unit 1 Vehicle support frame 11 Wheel chock 12 Guide section 13 Positioning guide 14 Vehicle position sensor 141 Sensor rod 142 First sensor section 143 Second sensor section 15 Sensor mounting part 151 Sensor mounting shaft 16 Tension spring 2A Front outer ring 21A rack gear 22A Guide Roller 23A through hole 2B Rear outer ring 3A Front inner ring 31A Rack gear 3B Rear inner ring 4A Front vehicle fixing mechanism 4B Rear vehicle fixing mechanism 41B Rear Belt Sling 42B rear cylinder 43B rear lift-up mechanism 431B Post 432B Rubber Band 433B Wire 434B Balance Weight 44B pin 45B cylinder 451B Rod 5A Front Support Platform 51A Guide Roller 5B Front support stand 6A front outer ring drive motor 61A Rotating shaft 62A Pinion Gear 7A front inner ring drive motor 71A Rotating shaft 72A Pinion Gear 81A, 82A proximity sensor 83A Dog 9A Front ring locking device 91A Cylinder 911A Rod 92A Lock Pin 93A Link Arm 931A arm body 932A Rotating Shaft 10 Battery support mechanism 101 Battery support 110 drive motor 111 Drive belt 120A locking mechanism 121A Lock pin insertion hole 122A Lock pin holder 123A Lock pin insertion hole

Claims

1. a vehicle support frame on which a vehicle is placed; an arc-shaped front outer ring supported by a front support frame so as to support and fix the front portion of the vehicle support frame and be rotatable in an arc direction; an arc-shaped front inner ring that is housed in the front outer ring and can move forward and backward along the front outer ring, and that, when moved forward, is coupled with the front outer ring to form a closed circular ring; an arc-shaped rear outer ring supported by a rear support frame so as to support and fix the rear portion of the vehicle support frame and be rotatable in an arc direction; an arc-shaped rear inner ring that is housed in the rear outer ring and can move forward and backward along the rear outer ring, and that, when moving forward, is coupled with the rear outer ring to form a closed circular ring; a front vehicle fixing mechanism that fixes a front portion of a vehicle placed on the vehicle support frame to the vehicle support frame; a rear vehicle fixing mechanism that fixes the rear of the vehicle placed on the vehicle support frame to the vehicle support frame.

2. a front ring detection means for detecting that the front inner ring has been coupled with the front outer ring to form a closed circular ring; and a front ring lock means for receiving a detection signal from the front ring detection means and mechanically locking the front inner ring so that it cannot move forward or backward relative to the front outer ring.

2. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a rear ring detection means for detecting that the rear inner ring has been coupled with the rear outer ring to form a closed circular ring; and a rear ring lock means for receiving a detection signal from the rear ring detection means and mechanically locking the rear inner ring so that it cannot move forward or backward relative to the rear outer ring.

3. the front outer ring has an opening at a position through which a front portion of a vehicle passes when the vehicle is placed on the vehicle support frame; 3. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, wherein the rear outer ring has an opening at a position through which a rear portion of a vehicle passes when the vehicle is placed on the vehicle support frame.

4. The front vehicle fixing mechanism includes a front belt sling that wraps around the front of the vehicle, a pair of front cylinders connected to both ends of the front belt sling, and a front lift-up mechanism that lifts up a central portion of the front belt sling, and is capable of swinging between a fastening position where the front belt sling is wrapped around the front of the vehicle and fastened, and a retracted position where the front belt sling is retracted forward of the front of the vehicle, 4. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, wherein the rear vehicle securing mechanism includes a rear belt sling that wraps around the rear of the vehicle, a pair of rear cylinders connected to both ends of the rear belt sling, and a rear lift-up mechanism that lifts up a central portion of the rear belt sling, and is capable of swinging between a fastening position where the rear belt sling is wrapped around the rear of the vehicle and fastened thereto, and a retracted position where the rear belt sling is retracted behind the rear of the vehicle.

5. 5. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle support frame has wheel chocks that support front and rear wheels of the vehicle and position the vehicle in the fore-and-aft direction, and guide portions that hold the vehicle's side sill flanges so as to sandwich them from both the left and right sides and position the vehicle in the left and right direction.

6. 6. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, wherein a battery support mechanism including a battery support portion capable of pressing and supporting a battery unit installed on the bottom of the vehicle is attached to the vehicle support frame so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle support frame, and the battery support portion is capable of advancing and retreating relative to the battery unit.

7. 7. The vehicle tilting device according to claim 1, wherein the front outer ring and the rear outer ring are rotatable until the vehicle mounted and fixed on the vehicle support frame is tilted 180 degrees and can stop rotating at a position tilted 90 degrees, and further includes a locking mechanism that mechanically locks at least one of the front outer ring and the rear outer ring to at least one of the front support frame and the rear support frame so that at least one of the front outer ring and the rear outer ring cannot rotate at the position tilted 90 degrees.

Images