Battery replacement system

Abstract

In this battery replacement system, a vehicle is provided with: a battery accommodation unit in which a battery is accommodated and which is open in a first direction; and a light emitter which is adjacent to the battery accommodation unit in a second direction and emits laser light in the first direction. A battery replacement device comprises: a removal / insertion mechanism for removing and inserting the battery in a third direction; two light receivers arranged in a fourth direction so as to be adjacent to the removal / insertion mechanism in the fourth direction; and a control device. The control device has: a first movement unit that, with respect to the vehicle that has approached the battery replacement device so that the first direction is along the third direction, moves the removal / insertion mechanism in the fourth direction until one of the light receivers detects the laser light; a second movement unit that moves the removal / insertion mechanism in the third direction after the movement by the first movement unit; and a switching unit that switches the movement by the second movement unit to the movement by the first movement unit when the other light receiver has detected the laser light.

Description

Battery Swap System

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-133464, filed on August 18, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a battery exchange device for exchanging a battery in an electric vehicle equipped with a detachable battery.

[0003] Patent No. 7215629

[0004] Depending on the position or orientation of the vehicle, it may not be possible to insert or remove the battery, and it may be necessary to repeatedly realign the vehicle and the battery device, which has resulted in the problem of poor efficiency in battery replacement.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a battery exchange system that can perform battery exchange efficiently.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a battery exchange system according to the present disclosure includes a vehicle equipped with a battery and movable in a horizontal direction, and a battery exchange device for exchanging the battery of the vehicle, the vehicle including a battery storage section that stores the battery and that is open in a first direction among horizontal directions, and a light emitter that is provided adjacent to the battery storage section in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction among horizontal directions and that emits laser light in the first direction, the battery exchange device including an insertion / extraction mechanism that inserts and removes the battery in a third direction among horizontal directions and is movable in the third direction and in a fourth direction that is orthogonal to the third direction among horizontal directions, and a light emitter that is attached adjacent to the insertion / extraction mechanism in the fourth direction and that is movable integrally with the insertion / extraction mechanism and that emits laser light from the light emitter. and a control device for controlling the operation of the insertion / removal mechanism, wherein the control device approaches the battery exchange device so that the first direction and the third direction are aligned, and the control device moves the insertion / removal mechanism in the fourth direction with respect to the vehicle with the battery storage section and the light emitter facing the battery exchange device until one of the two light receivers detects the laser light from the light emitter; a first moving unit that moves the insertion / removal mechanism in the third direction after the movement in the fourth direction by the first moving unit; and a switching unit that switches from movement in the third direction by the second moving unit to movement in the fourth direction by the first moving unit when the other of the two light receivers detects the laser light from the light emitter.

[0007] According to the battery exchange system of the present disclosure, battery exchange can be carried out efficiently.

[0008] 1 is a side view of a battery exchange system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a battery exchange system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed from above; FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operation of an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when a battery is removed; FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure when a battery is removed; FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for aligning an insertion / removal mechanism according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a procedure for adjusting the position of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for adjusting the position of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 1 is a hardware configuration diagram according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hand according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hand according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a hand according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a sensor unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a sensor unit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a battery exchange system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a battery exchange system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0009] First Embodiment (Battery Exchange System) A battery exchange system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 18. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the battery exchange system 1 includes a vehicle 2, a battery exchange device 4, a sensor unit 5, and a server 6.

[0010] (Vehicle) A battery 3 is mounted on the vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 is capable of moving horizontally on a floor surface F using the power of the battery 3. This embodiment will be described using an example in which the vehicle 2 is a forklift. Hereinafter, with respect to the vehicle 2, a horizontal direction perpendicular to the up-down direction Dv that coincides with the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 2 will be referred to as a first direction D1, and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 that coincides with the width direction of the vehicle 2 will be referred to as a second direction D2. The vehicle 2 includes a body 20, wheels 25, a mast 26, a loading device 30, and a light emitter 40.

[0011] (Vehicle Body) The vehicle body 20 has a vehicle body main body 21 , straddle legs 22 , a battery housing portion 23 , and a light emitter housing portion 24 .

[0012] (Vehicle Body) The vehicle body 21 extends in the up-down direction Dv. A rear surface 21a of the vehicle body 21 is curved in an arc shape so as to protrude rearward when viewed in the up-down direction Dv.

[0013] (Straddle Legs) Two straddle legs 22 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2 and forward of the vehicle body 21 in the first direction D1. The straddle legs 22 extend from the front surface of the vehicle body 21 in the first direction D1.

[0014] (Battery Container) The battery container 23 is formed in the lower part of the vehicle body 21. Two battery containers 23 are provided, one at the rear of each straddle leg 22. That is, the two battery containers 23 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2. The two battery containers 23 are formed symmetrically in the second direction D2. The battery container 23 is formed to extend in the first direction D1 and opens from the rear surface 21a of the vehicle body 21 to the rear side in the first direction D1. The battery container 23 also opens outward in the second direction D2. Note that, hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the opening of the battery container 23 refers to an opening facing rearward in the first direction D1. The battery 3 is accommodated in the battery container 23 so that it is inserted from the rear side in the first direction D1.

[0015] (Light emitter housing section) The light emitter housing section 24 is formed in the lower part of the vehicle body 21. Two light emitter housing sections 24 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2 between the two battery housing sections 23. The two light emitter housing sections 24 are formed symmetrically in the second direction D2. The light emitter housing section 24 is formed to extend in the first direction D1 and opens from the rear surface 21a of the vehicle body 21 to the rear side in the first direction D1. The light emitter housing section 24 houses a light emitter 40, which will be described later, so that it can be inserted from the rear side in the first direction D1.

[0016] (Wheels) The wheels 25 are attached to the lower part of the car body 20. The wheels 25 come into contact with the floor surface F and support the car body 20 from below. The wheels 25 roll on the floor surface F, allowing the vehicle 2 to move horizontally on the floor surface F. The wheels 25 include rear wheels 25a and front wheels 25b. The rear wheels 25a are attached to the lower part of the car body main body 21. The front wheels 25b are attached to the front ends of the straddle legs 22, one each.

[0017] (Masts) The masts 26 are attached to the front surface of the vehicle body 21. The masts 26 extend in the vertical direction Dv, and two masts 26 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2 between the straddle legs 22. The two masts 26 are movable forward and backward in the first direction D1 along the straddle legs 22.

[0018] (Load Handling Device) The load handling device 30 is provided in front of the mast 26. The load handling device 30 has a lift bracket 31 and a fork 32.

[0019] (Lift Bracket) The lift bracket 31 is attached so as to bridge the two masts 26 in the second direction D2. The lift bracket 31 is movable along the masts 26 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0020] (Fork) The fork 32 is attached to the front surface of the lift bracket 31. The fork 32 is L-shaped when viewed from the second direction D2, and two forks 32 are provided facing each other in the second direction D2. The fork 32 has 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.

[0021] When the vehicle 2 is transporting cargo (not shown), the fork prongs 32b are inserted into holes in the cargo. In this state, the cargo handling device 30 rises along the mast 26, lifting the cargo. By moving in this state, the vehicle 2 can transport the cargo to its destination.

[0022] (Light Emitting Device) Two light emitters 40 are provided, one housed in each of two light emitter housings 24 that open rearward in the first direction D1. These two light emitters 40 are arranged symmetrically in the second direction D2. In this embodiment, the two light emitters 40 are attached to the two battery housings 23 so as to be sandwiched between them in the second direction D2. That is, each light emitter 40 is arranged adjacent to its corresponding battery housing 23 in the second direction D2. In the following description, the light emitter housings 24, the light emitters 40 housed in the light emitter housings 24, the battery housings 23, and the batteries 3 housed in the battery housings 23 are assumed to be in a corresponding relationship and located on the same side in the second direction D2 with respect to a virtual central axis that passes through the center of the vehicle 2 in the second direction D2 and extends in the first direction D1. The light emitter 40 is a light source that irradiates laser light LA1 rearward in the first direction D1. In the following description, the trajectory of the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40 is referred to as an optical axis O. The optical axis O extends in a straight line in the first direction D1.

[0023] Here, a first central axis C1 is an imaginary central axis that passes through the center of the battery 3 housed in the battery housing 23 in the second direction D2 and extends in the first direction D1. Each light emitter 40 is disposed at a position where the distance L1 in the second direction D2 between the optical axis O and the first central axis C1 of the battery 3 corresponding to that light emitter 40 is equal.

[0024] (Battery Exchange Device) The battery exchange device 4 exchanges the battery 3 of the vehicle 2 parked in front of it with a charged battery 3. Hereinafter, with respect to the battery exchange device 4, the horizontal direction intersecting the up-down direction Dv that coincides with the front-to-rear direction of the battery exchange device 4 will be referred to as the third direction D3, and the horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the third direction D3 and coincides with the width direction of the battery exchange device 4 will be referred to as the fourth direction D4.

[0025] When the battery exchange device 4 exchanges the battery 3 of the vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 approaches the battery exchange device 4 so that the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 are aligned and so that the second direction D2 and the fourth direction D4 are aligned, and the vehicle 2 is parked with the battery storage section 23 and the light emitter 40 facing the battery exchange device 4. When exchanging the battery 3, it is preferable for the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 to coincide and the second direction D2 and the fourth direction D4 to coincide in order to smoothly exchange the battery 3. Note that the first direction D1 may be slightly inclined with respect to the third direction D3, and the second direction D2 may be slightly inclined with respect to the fourth direction D4. The battery exchange device 4 includes a casing 7, a slot 8, an insertion / removal mechanism 50, a light receiver 9, and a control device 10.

[0026] (Casing) The casing 7 is placed on the floor surface F. The casing 7 extends in the up-down direction Dv. In this embodiment, the casing 7 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. Note that the shape of the casing 7 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The shape of the casing 7 can be modified as appropriate. The dimension of the casing 7 in the fourth direction D4 is set to be larger than the dimension of the vehicle 2 in the second direction D2. The casing 7 accommodates a slot 8, an insertion / removal mechanism 50, a light receiver 9, a control device 10, and a sensor unit 5, which will be described later. An opening 7a is formed on the front surface of the casing 7. Two openings 7a are formed at the bottom of the casing 7 facing each other in the fourth direction D4. The two openings 7a are formed symmetrically in the fourth direction D4. In the following, the embodiment will be described assuming that the opening 7a, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 described later, the light receiver 9, the light emitter accommodating section 24, the light emitter 40 accommodated in the light emitter accommodating section 24, the battery accommodating section 23, and the battery 3 accommodated in the battery accommodating section 23 correspond to each other and are located on the same side in the fourth direction D4 with respect to a virtual central axis that passes through the center of the fourth direction D4 of the battery exchange device 4 and extends in the third direction D3.

[0027] (Slots) Two slots 8 are provided in the casing 7, facing each other in the fourth direction D4. The two slots 8 are provided symmetrically in the fourth direction D4. Each slot 8 extends in the up-down direction Dv. The slots 8 are designed to be able to accommodate multiple batteries 3. The batteries 3 can be charged in the slots 8.

[0028] (Insertion / Extraction Mechanism) The insertion / extraction mechanism 50 inserts and extracts the battery 3 in the third direction D3 with respect to a vehicle 2 parked in front of the battery exchange device 4 in the third direction D3. The insertion / extraction mechanism 50 is movable in the third direction D3 and the fourth direction D4. The insertion / extraction mechanism 50 is provided so as to be able to be inserted and removed in the third direction D3 through the opening 7a of the casing 7. The insertion / extraction mechanism 50 has a rail 51, a hand 52, a pad 53, and an attachment portion 54.

[0029] (Rail) The rail 51 is movable in the third direction D3 and the fourth direction D4 in response to a command from the control device 10, which will be described later. The rail 51 has a first rail portion 51a and a second rail portion 51b. The first rail portion 51a extends in the third direction D3. The second rail portion 51b extends forward in the third direction D3 from the front end of the first rail portion 51a. The second rail portion 51b is arranged to be able to move in and out of the first rail portion 51a in the third direction D3.

[0030] (Hand) The hand 52 is placed on the rail 51. The hand 52 can move on the rail 51 in the third direction D3 in response to a command from the control device 10, which will be described later. The hand 52 grips the battery 3. The hand 52 has a hand base 52a, a magnetic catch 52b, and a flexible joint 52c.

[0031] The hand base 52a is attached to the rail 51 so as to be movable in the third direction D3. The magnetic catch 52b is provided at the front end of the hand base 52a. The magnetic catch 52b magnetically attracts the metal portion of the battery 3. In this embodiment, the battery 3 has, for example, an iron plate 11 at its rear end. The magnetic catch 52b grips the battery 3 by magnetically attracting the iron plate 11. The flexible joint 52c connects the hand base 52a and the magnetic catch 52b. The flexible joint 52c is a member that can easily deform in the vertical direction Dv, the third direction D3, and the fourth direction D4. Even if the battery 3 is slightly tilted relative to the hand base 52a, the flexible joint 52c can deform to bring the magnetic catch 52b into contact with the rear surface of the battery 3 from the front in the first direction D1. This allows the magnetic catch 52b to grip the battery 3 regardless of the tilt of the battery 3.

[0032] (Pad) The pad 53 is provided at the front end of the first rail portion 51a. The pad 53 is made of a material that is softer than the vehicle body 20, and prevents the vehicle body 20 from being damaged when it comes into contact with the vehicle body 20. In addition, a protrusion 53a that protrudes rearward is provided on the rear surface 21a of the pad 53.

[0033] (Mounting Portion) The mounting portion 54 is provided on the second rail portion 51b. The mounting portion 54 protrudes in the fourth direction D4 from the inner side surface of the second rail portion 51b in the fourth direction D4.

[0034] (Light receiver) The light receiver 9 is attached to the attachment portion 54 of each insertion / removal mechanism 50. Therefore, the light receiver 9 is attached so as to be adjacent to the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 and so as to be movable integrally with the insertion / removal mechanism 50. The light receiver 9 is capable of detecting the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0035] Two light receivers 9 are provided side by side in the fourth direction D4 for one insertion / removal mechanism 50. The two light receivers 9 are arranged with a predetermined distance between them in the fourth direction D4. The distance between the two light receivers 9 can be changed as appropriate depending on the situation, but it is desirable that the two light receivers 9 be arranged close to each other. For example, it is desirable that the distance between the two light receivers 9 in the fourth direction D4 be equal to or less than the width of the light receivers 9 in the fourth direction D4.

[0036] In the following description, a set of two light receivers 9 arranged side by side in the fourth direction D4 for one insertion / removal mechanism 50 will be simply referred to as a "set of light receivers 9." Two sets of light receivers 9 are provided facing each other in the fourth direction D4. Each set of light receivers 9 is disposed inside the corresponding insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4.

[0037] Here, a virtual central axis that passes through the center of the hand 52 in the fourth direction D4 and extends in the third direction D3 is defined as a second central axis C2. A virtual central axis that passes through the center of the region between two light receivers 9 constituting a pair of light receivers 9 in the fourth direction D4 and extends in the third direction D3 is defined as a third central axis C3. Each pair of light receivers 9 is disposed at a position where a distance L2 in the fourth direction D4 between the third central axis C3 and the second central axis C2 of the hand 52 corresponding to that pair of light receivers 9 is equal. Furthermore, the distance L2 in the fourth direction D4 between the third central axis C3 and the second central axis C2 is set to be approximately the same as the distance L1 in the second direction D2 between the optical axis O of the light emitter 40 and the first central axis C1.

[0038] (Control Device) The control device 10 is provided inside the casing 7. The control device 10 controls the operation of various devices constituting the battery exchange device 4, such as the insertion / removal mechanism 50 and the light receiver 9. As shown in Fig. 3 , the control device 10 has various functional units, such as a first movement unit 15, a second movement unit 16, and a switching unit 17.

[0039] The first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 relative to the vehicle 2 until one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. After the movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15, the second moving unit 16 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the third direction D3 in a state in which one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. When the other of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the switching unit 17 switches from the movement in the third direction D3 by the second moving unit 16 to the movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15.

[0040] (Sensor Unit) The sensor unit 5 is attached to the front end of the second rail portion 51b. The sensor unit 5 detects the completion of alignment of the insertion / removal mechanism 50. The sensor unit 5 of this embodiment is a proximity sensor that irradiates the protrusion 53a of the pad 53 with laser light LA2 to detect the approach or contact between the pad 53 and the first rail portion 51a.

[0041] (Server) The server 6 is placed outside the casing 7. The server 6 is provided to be able to communicate with the vehicle 2 and the battery exchange device 4, and is capable of controlling the position and orientation of the vehicle 2. The server 6 can also control the ON / OFF switching of the light emitter 40.

[0042] For example, when the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4, if the receiver 9 does not detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the server 6 returns the vehicle 2 to a position where the receiver 9 can detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0043] (Battery Replacement Procedure) Next, the battery replacement procedure will be described. During battery replacement, each insertion / removal mechanism 50 operates independently. First, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 is moved to a position facing the opening 7a of the casing 7 in the third direction D3, and the rail 51 is pushed forward in the third direction D3 from the opening 7a. Then, when the pad 53 contacts the rear surface 21a of the vehicle 2, the second rail portion 51b is gradually accommodated in the first rail portion 51a and shortened, and as shown in FIG. 4, the first rail portion 51a approaches the pad 53. Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the hand 52 moves forward in the third direction D3 and grips the rear portion of the battery 3 with the magnetic catch 52b. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the hand 52 pulls the battery 3 rearward in the third direction D3. Then, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 returns to the casing 7, and the pulled battery 3 is accommodated in the slot 8. Charging of the battery 3 accommodated in the slot 8 begins.

[0044] Thereafter, the charged battery 3 housed in the slot 8 is attached to the magnetic catch 52b. Then, the charged battery 3 is inserted into the battery housing portion 23 in the reverse order of the battery 3 removal described above. Battery replacement is performed in this manner.

[0045] (Alignment Procedure) To perform the battery exchange described above smoothly and efficiently, it is necessary to align the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 with respect to the battery storage section 23. The procedure for aligning the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 will be described below with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 7 . The procedure for aligning the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 will be described below using the example of a case in which the vehicle body 20 is parked tilted relative to the battery exchange device 4 and the first direction D1 is slightly tilted to the right of the fourth direction D3, as shown in FIG. 8 . When aligning the insertion / extraction mechanisms 50, each insertion / extraction mechanism 50 operates independently. Note that FIGS. 8 to 13 illustrate various states of the battery exchange system 1 during the procedure for aligning the insertion / extraction mechanism 50. To clearly illustrate each state, FIGS. 8 to 13 illustrate the main parts of the battery exchange system 1 more simply and schematically, for example by omitting the casing 7.

[0046] First, as shown in FIG. 8 , the control device 10 places the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in an initial position (step S11). In the initial position, the second central axis C2 of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 is positioned further outward in the fourth direction D4 than the first central axis C1 of the corresponding battery 3. The light emitter 40 is then activated to emit a laser beam LA1 rearward in the third direction D3. After step S11, as shown in FIG. 9 , the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 inward in the fourth direction D4 until one of the light receivers 9 (in the illustrated example, the light receiver 9 on the left side in the fourth direction D4) detects the laser beam LA1 emitted from the light emitter 40 (step S12). When the light receiver 9 detects the laser beam LA1, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 stops moving in the fourth direction D4. Here, the two light receivers 9 that make up a pair of light receivers 9 will be described separately as one light receiver 9 on the left side in the fourth direction D4 and the other light receiver 9 on the right side in the fourth direction D4.

[0047] After step S12, while one of the photodetectors 9 detects the laser beam LA1, the second moving unit 16 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 forward in the third direction D3 (step S13). At this time, because the vehicle body 20 is parked at a slight angle relative to the battery exchange device 4, as the insertion / removal mechanism 50 approaches the vehicle body 20, the other photodetector 9 (in the illustrated example, the photodetector 9 on the right side in the fourth direction D4) gradually approaches the laser beam LA1 from the fourth direction D4. If, during step S13, the vehicle 2 moves, for example, the relative position of the light emitter 40 with respect to the photodetector 9 changes, causing the photodetector 9 to no longer detect the laser beam LA1, step S12 may be repeated. During step S13, the control device 10 determines whether the other photodetector 9 has detected the laser beam LA1 (step S14).

[0048] 10 , when the other light receiver 9 detects the laser beam LA1 (step S14; YES), the switching unit 17 switches from the movement in the third direction D3 by the second moving unit 16 to the movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15 (step S15). That is, after step S15, step S12 is executed again.

[0049] In the second execution of step S12, both of the insertion / extraction mechanisms 50 move to the same side in the fourth direction D4 (to the right in the fourth direction D4 in the illustrated example). Then, one of the photodetectors 9 gradually approaches the laser beam LA1 from the fourth direction D4, and eventually, as shown in FIG. 11 , the one of the photodetectors 9 detects the laser beam LA1 again. After step S12, step S13 is executed for the second time. In the second execution of step S13, similar to the first execution of step S13, the second moving unit 16 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 forward in the third direction D3. Thereafter, the other photodetector 9 gradually approaches the laser beam LA1 from the fourth direction D4, and when the other photodetector 9 detects the laser beam LA1 as shown in FIG. 12 (step S14; YES), step S15 is executed again, and the process proceeds to steps S12 and S13 for the third time.

[0050] If the other light receiver 9 detects the laser beam LA1 in the third step S13 (step S14; YES), step S15 is executed again, and the process proceeds to step S12 and step S13 for the fourth time. In this manner, steps S12 to S13 are repeatedly executed. In steps S12 to S13 from the third time onwards, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 operates in the same way as in steps S12 to S13 for the second time.

[0051] On the other hand, if the other light receiver 9 does not detect the laser light LA1 (step S14; NO), the second moving unit 16 continues to move the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 forward in the third direction D3 (step S16), as in step S13. The control device 10 then determines whether the sensor unit 5 has detected the completion of alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 (step S17). As shown in FIG. 13 , if the sensor unit 5 has detected the completion of alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 (step S17; YES), the flow ends. If the sensor unit 5 has not detected the completion of alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 (step S17; NO), the flow returns to step S13, where the second moving unit 16 continues to move the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 forward in the third direction D3.

[0052] Steps S12 to S17 are repeatedly executed until the sensor unit 5 detects that the alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 is complete (step S17; YES). By repeatedly executing steps S12 to S13, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 moves in a zigzag pattern, alternately moving in the fourth direction D4 and the third direction D3, and is ultimately positioned opposite the battery 3 in the third direction. Through the above procedure, the alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 is completed.

[0053] Note that, here, the alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 has been described using an example in which the first direction D1 of the vehicle 2 is slightly tilted to the right with respect to the third direction D3 of the battery exchange device 4, but this is not limiting. Even if the first direction D1 of the vehicle 2 is slightly tilted to the left with respect to the third direction D3, the alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 can be performed. In this case, the direction of movement in the fourth direction D4 by the second moving unit 16 from the second time onward (the direction of movement in the fourth direction D4 in step S12 from the second time onward) is opposite to that in the above-described case. Furthermore, which of the two optical receivers 9 serves as the criterion for determining whether to continue movement in the third direction D3 by the first moving unit 15, and which serves as the other optical receiver 9 for determining whether to switch from movement in the third direction D3 by the second moving unit 16 to movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15, is opposite to that in the above-described case. That is, in this case, the light receiver 9 on the right side in the fourth direction D4 becomes the one light receiver 9, and the light receiver 9 on the left side in the fourth direction D4 becomes the other light receiver 9.

[0054] Furthermore, alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 can be performed even when the first direction D1 of the vehicle body 20 completely coincides with the third direction D3 of the battery exchange apparatus 4. In this case, after step S12, steps S13 to S17 are repeated without executing step S15, and the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 moves in a straight line in the third direction D3 until the sensor unit 5 detects completion of alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50. That is, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 moves in a straight line in the third direction D3 until the sensor unit 5 detects completion of alignment of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 without the other light receiver 9 detecting the laser light LA1. In this case, the one light receiver 9 that detects the laser light LA1 in step S12 may be the left light receiver 9 or the right light receiver 9.

[0055] After aligning the insertion / removal mechanism 50, the battery replacement operation described above is performed. However, depending on the parked position of the vehicle body 20, it may not be possible to perform the battery replacement or align the insertion / removal mechanism 50. To address this issue, the server 6 is provided with a function to adjust the position of the vehicle 2 before aligning the insertion / removal mechanism 50. The procedure for adjusting the position of the vehicle 2 will be described below.

[0056] (Vehicle Position Adjustment) Next, the procedure for adjusting the position of the vehicle 2 will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 14 . For example, as shown in FIG. 15 , when one light emitter 40 (the light emitter 40 on the right side of the page in the illustrated example) is positioned further inward in the fourth direction D4 than the opening 7a of the casing 7, the light receiver 9 cannot be aligned with the optical axis O of the light emitter 40 even if the insertion / removal mechanism 50 is moved inward in the fourth direction D4. In this case, it is necessary to adjust the position of the vehicle 2 in the fourth direction D4 and return the vehicle 2 to a position where the battery can be replaced. The procedure for adjusting the position of the vehicle 2 to return the vehicle 2 to a position where the battery can be replaced will be described below. When adjusting the position of the vehicle 2, each insertion / removal mechanism 50 operates independently.

[0057] 15 , the server 6 first receives a signal indicating that the vehicle 2 has stopped in front of the battery exchange machine 4 (step S31). After step S31, the control device 10 places the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in its initial position (step S32), similar to the alignment of the insertion / removal mechanism 50. Next, the control device 10 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 inward in the fourth direction D4 (step S33). In step S33, the light emitter 40 is activated to irradiate the laser light LA1 rearward in the third direction D3.

[0058] At this time, the control device 10 determines whether all pairs of receivers 9 detect the laser beam LA1 (step S34). If all pairs of receivers 9 detect the laser beam LA1 (step S34; YES), there is no need to return the vehicle 2, and the position adjustment of the vehicle 2 is terminated. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 16, for example, if the laser beam LA1 is blocked by the casing 7 for one pair of receivers 9 (on the right side of the drawing) and the pair of receivers 9 does not detect the laser (step S34; NO), the server 6 sends a command to the vehicle 2 to return the vehicle 2 to a position where the pair of receivers 9 can detect the laser beam LA1 from the light emitter 40 (step S35). In step S35, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, with each insertion / removal mechanism 50 stopped, the server 6 moves the vehicle 2 to the right side of the drawing in the fourth direction D4 until the pair of receivers 9 on the right side of the drawing detects the laser beam LA1 from the light emitter 40. 17 , all of the light emitters 40 move to the front of the opening 7a of the casing 7, and all sets of light receivers 9 become able to detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitters 40. Through the above procedure, the position adjustment of the vehicle 2 is completed. Even if the vehicle 2 is parked significantly misaligned with respect to the battery exchange device 4, by adjusting the position of the vehicle 2, it is possible to move on to aligning the insertion / extraction mechanism 50.

[0059] If necessary, the orientation adjustment and position adjustment of the vehicle 2 are performed as described above, and then the position of the insertion / removal mechanism 50 is aligned. By adjusting the orientation of the vehicle 2 and the position of the vehicle body 20 in advance, the alignment of the insertion / removal mechanism 50 and battery replacement can be performed smoothly.

[0060] (Effects) According to this embodiment, the following effects can be achieved.

[0061] The battery exchange system 1 of this embodiment includes a vehicle 2 and a battery exchange device 4. The vehicle 2 includes a battery storage section 23 that stores a battery 3 and is open in a first direction D1 in the horizontal direction, and a light emitter 40 that is disposed adjacent to the battery storage section 23 in a second direction D2 that is perpendicular to the first direction D1 in the horizontal direction and that emits laser light LA1 in the first direction D1. The battery exchange device 4 includes an insertion / extraction mechanism 50 that inserts and removes the battery 3 in a third direction D3 in the horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle 2 and is movable in the third direction D3 and a fourth direction D4 that is perpendicular to the third direction D3 in the horizontal direction, two light receivers 9 that are attached adjacent to the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 and that are attached so as to be movable integrally with the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 and are aligned in the fourth direction D4 and that can detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, and a control device 10 that controls the operation of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50. The control device 10 has a first moving unit 15 that moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 until one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, with respect to a vehicle 2 that approaches the battery exchange device 4 so that the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 are aligned and that has its battery storage section 23 and light emitter 40 facing the battery exchange device 4, a second moving unit 16 that moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the third direction D3 after the movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15, and a switching unit 17 that switches from movement in the third direction D3 by the second moving unit 16 to movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15 when the other of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0062] According to this embodiment, the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 until one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. Then, while the one light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1, the second moving unit 16 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the third direction D3 to bring it closer to the vehicle 2. Typically, the vehicle 2 is parked at a slight angle relative to the battery exchange machine 4, so the laser light LA1 is emitted at a slight angle in the third direction D3. Therefore, as the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 approaches the battery exchange machine 4, the other of the two light receivers 9 approaches the laser light LA1 from the fourth direction D4. Then, when the other light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the switching unit 17 switches the movement of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 from the third direction D3 to the fourth direction D4. At this time, by moving the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in a direction from the other light receiver 9 toward the one light receiver 9, the one light receiver 9 can again detect the laser light LA1. Thereafter, the second moving unit 16 again moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the third direction D3, bringing it closer to the vehicle 2. Then, when the other light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 moves in the fourth direction D4 and returns to the fourth direction D4 position where the one light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1. In this manner, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 approaches the battery housing 23 of the vehicle 2 while alternately repeating movements in the third direction D3 and the fourth direction D4, and stops moving by contacting the vehicle 2 at a position where the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 overlaps with the battery housing 23 in the third direction D3. Therefore, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 can be positioned to facilitate battery replacement, allowing for efficient battery replacement. Furthermore, since the photoreceiver 9 directly detects the laser light LA1 emitted from the light emitter 40, the amount of attenuation of the laser light LA1 can be reduced. This allows the battery exchange device 4 to exchange the battery 3 of the vehicle 2 at a longer distance from the vehicle 2. In other words, battery exchange can be performed even if the vehicle 2 is parked at a distance in the third direction D3 from the vehicle 2.

[0063] In this embodiment, the battery exchange system 1 further includes a server 6 that can control the position and orientation of the vehicle 2 .

[0064] This allows the position and orientation of the vehicle 2 to be controlled and adjusted to a state that facilitates battery replacement, thereby enabling more efficient battery replacement.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4, if the receiver 9 does not detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the server 6 returns the vehicle 2 to a position where the receiver 9 can detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0066] As a result, for example, if the vehicle 2 is parked significantly deviated in the fourth direction D4 from the battery exchange device 4 and the light receiver 9 is unable to detect the laser light LA1, the server 6 can detect this state. Then, the server 6 can return the vehicle 2 to a position where the light receiver 9 can detect the laser light LA1.

[0067] In this embodiment, the insertion / removal mechanism 50 has a hand 52 that grips the battery 3. The hand 52 has a magnetic catch 52b that attracts the battery 3 by magnetic force.

[0068] The hand 52 magnetically attracts and grips the iron plate 11 of the battery 3. This allows the hand 52 to firmly grip the battery 3. Therefore, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 can stably perform battery replacement.

[0069] (Hardware Configuration) The control device 10 and server 6 of the above embodiments are implemented in a computer 1100 as shown in Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is an example of a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the computer 1100 on which the control device 10 and server 6 according to each embodiment are implemented. The computer 1100 includes a processor 1110, a main memory 1120, a storage 1130, and an interface 1140.

[0070] The operations of the control device 10 and each functional unit of the server 6 are stored in the form of a program in the storage 1130. The processor 1110 reads the program from the storage 1130, loads it into the main memory 1120, and executes the above-mentioned processing in accordance with the program. The processor 1110 also allocates a storage area in the main memory 1120 in accordance with the program.

[0071] The program may be for realizing some of the functions to be performed by the computer 1100. For example, the program may be combined with other programs already stored in the storage 1130 or other programs implemented in other devices to perform the functions. Furthermore, the computer 1100 may include a custom large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) such as a programmable logic device (PLD) in addition to or instead of the above configuration. Examples of PLDs include programmable array logic (PAL), generic array logic (GAL), complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and field programmable gate array (FPGA). In this case, some or all of the functions realized by the processor 1110 may be realized by the integrated circuit.

[0072] Examples of storage 1130 include a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a semiconductor memory. Storage 1130 may be an internal medium directly connected to the bus of computer 1100, or an external medium connected to computer 1100 via interface 1140 or a communication line. Furthermore, when this program is distributed to computer 1100 via a communication line, computer 1100 that receives the program may load the program into main memory 1120 and execute the above-mentioned processing. Storage 1130 may also be a non-transitory tangible storage medium.

[0073] The program may also be a program for realizing part of the above-described functions. Furthermore, the program may be a so-called differential file (differential program) that realizes the above-described functions in combination with another program already stored in storage 1130.

[0074] (Other Embodiments) While the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and design changes and the like are also included within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. Note that, although the vehicle 2 is a forklift in the above embodiment, this is not limiting. For example, the vehicle 2 may be an electric cart.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 19 , the hand 60 may grip the battery 3 using air pressure. The hand 60 has a suction cup 61 instead of the magnetic catch 52b of the hand 52. The suction cup 61 is connected to the hand base 52a by a flexible joint 52c. The suction cup 61 is formed in a cylindrical (bowl-shaped) shape with a bottom that opens toward the front side in the third direction D3. The hand 60 adheres the battery 3 by air pressure by creating a negative pressure inside the suction cup 61 while the opening of the suction cup 61 is in close contact with the battery 3 from the rear side in the third direction D3. An acrylic plate 11A is provided at the rear end of the battery 3 in the third direction D3. The acrylic plate 11A is formed in a flat plate shape. This acrylic plate 11A allows the suction cup 61 to closely contact the battery 3 without any gaps.

[0076] In this manner, in this embodiment, the hand 60 grips the battery 3 by air pressure. Therefore, the hand 60 can grip the battery 3 regardless of the material of the exterior of the battery 3.

[0077] 20 to 22, the hand 70 may grip the battery 3 by using a hook structure that engages with the battery 3.

[0078] In this embodiment, the battery 3 has, for example, an engagement portion 11B at its rear end. The engagement portion 11B has an engagement base 12 and a protrusion 13. The engagement base 12 is provided at the rear end of the battery 3 in the third direction D3. The protrusion 13 protrudes rearward in the first direction D1 from the engagement base 12. The protrusion 13 has an engagement groove 14 formed therein, penetrating the protrusion 13 in the up-down direction Dv.

[0079] The hand 70 has a hand base 52a, an actuator 71, and a hook 72. The hook 72 is a member that can engage with the engagement groove 14 of the battery 3. The actuator 71 changes the state of the hook 72 between an engaged state with the engagement groove 14 of the battery 3 and a disengaged state from the engagement groove 14. The configuration of the hand 70 will be described in detail below.

[0080] The actuator 71 is placed on the hand base 52a. The actuator 71 has an actuator base 73 and an expandable / contractable portion 74. The actuator base 73 is fixed to the hand base 52a. The expandable / contractable portion 74 extends forward in the third direction D3 from the actuator base 73. The expandable / contractable portion 74 is provided so as to be expandable and contractible in the third direction D3.

[0081] The hook 72 is formed in a V-shape that protrudes upward when viewed from the fourth direction D4. The rear end of the hook 72 is attached to the front end of the hand base 52a via a shaft 75. The shaft 75 extends in the fourth direction D4. The hook 72 is rotatable around the shaft 75. The bent portion 72a of the hook 72 is attached to the front end of the extension / contraction portion 74 of the actuator 71.

[0082] When the hand 70 grasps the battery 3, first, as shown in Fig. 21 , before the pad 53 contacts the vehicle body 20, the expandable portion 74 of the actuator 71 contracts to retract the hook 72 rearward in the third direction D3. Then, the rail 51 is moved forward in the third direction D3, and after the pad 53 contacts the vehicle body 20, the expandable portion 74 of the actuator 71 extends to insert the hook 72 into the engagement groove 14 of the battery 3 from above, as shown in Fig. 22 . In this state, the hand 70 engages with the battery 3. In this state, the hand 70 can be moved rearward in the third direction D3 to remove the battery 3 from the battery housing portion 23.

[0083] In this way, in this embodiment, the hand 70 can grasp the battery 3 by engaging the hook with the engagement groove 14 of the battery 3. This allows the hand 70 to grasp the battery 3 with a simple configuration, regardless of the material of the exterior of the battery 3.

[0084] 23, the sensor unit 5A may be a contact sensor having a plunger 5a. As the rail 51 approaches the vehicle body 20, the second rail portion 51b contracts in the third direction D3, and the tip of the first rail portion 51a approaches the pad 53. When the plunger 5a is pushed from the front side in the third direction D3 by the protrusion 53a of the pad 53, the sensor unit 5A detects that the insertion / removal mechanism 50 has been aligned. As shown in FIG. 24, the sensor unit 5B may be a proximity sensor attached to the vehicle body 20.

[0085] The number of insertion / extraction mechanisms 50 mounted on the battery exchange device 4 can be changed as appropriate. For example, as shown in FIG. 25 , a total of four insertion / extraction mechanisms 50 may be provided lined up in the fourth direction D4. In the example of FIG. 25 , two batteries 3 are accommodated in each battery housing 23 lined up in the second direction D2. Two sets of two insertion / extraction mechanisms 50 are provided, each set being adjacent to the other in the fourth direction D4, corresponding to the batteries 3. The two insertion / extraction mechanisms 50 adjacent to each other that form one set operate together. By providing four insertion / extraction mechanisms 50, the battery exchange device 4 can replace four batteries 3 at once.

[0086] 26 , only one insertion / removal mechanism 50 may be provided. In the example of FIG. 26 , only one battery housing section 23 is provided in the vehicle 2, and only one battery 3 is housed in the battery housing section 23.

[0087] <Additional Notes> The battery exchange system 1 described in each embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0088] (1) A battery exchange system 1 according to a first aspect includes a vehicle 2 equipped with a battery 3 and movable in a horizontal direction, and a battery exchange device 4 for exchanging the battery 3 of the vehicle 2. The vehicle 2 includes a battery storage section 23 for storing the battery 3 and opening in a first direction D1 in the horizontal direction, and a light emitter 40 provided adjacent to the battery storage section 23 in a second direction D2 that is perpendicular to the first direction D1 in the horizontal direction and for irradiating laser light LA1 in the first direction D1. The battery exchange device 4 includes an insertion / extraction mechanism 50 that inserts and removes the battery 3 in a third direction D3 in the horizontal direction and is movable in the third direction D3 and a fourth direction D4 that is perpendicular to the third direction D3 in the horizontal direction with respect to the vehicle 2, and a light emitter 40 that is attached adjacent to the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 and is movable integrally with the insertion / extraction mechanism 50, and is capable of detecting the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. and a control device 10 that controls the operation of the insertion / removal mechanism 50, and the control device 10 approaches the battery exchange device 4 so that the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 are aligned, and controls the vehicle 2 that has the battery storage section 23 and the light emitter 40 facing the battery exchange device 4, until one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. The device includes a first moving unit 15 that moves the insertion mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4, a second moving unit 16 that moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the third direction D3 after the first moving unit 15 moves it in the fourth direction D4, and a switching unit 17 that switches from movement in the third direction D3 by the second moving unit 16 to movement in the fourth direction D4 by the first moving unit 15 when the other of the two light receivers 9 detects laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0089] According to this aspect, the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4 until one of the two light receivers 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40. Then, while the one light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1, the second moving unit 16 moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the third direction D3 to bring it closer to the vehicle 2. Typically, the vehicle 2 is parked at a slight angle relative to the battery exchange apparatus 4, so the laser light LA1 is emitted at a slight angle in the third direction D3. Therefore, as the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 approaches the battery exchange apparatus 4, the other of the two light receivers 9 approaches the laser light LA1 from the fourth direction D4. Then, when the other light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the switching unit 17 switches the movement of the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 from the third direction D3 to the fourth direction D4. At this time, by moving the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in a direction from the other light receiver 9 toward the one light receiver 9, the one light receiver 9 can again detect the laser light LA1. Thereafter, the second moving unit 16 again moves the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 in the third direction D3, bringing it closer to the vehicle 2. Then, when the other light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 moves in the fourth direction D4 and returns to the fourth direction D4 position where the one light receiver 9 detects the laser light LA1. In this way, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 approaches the battery storage unit 23 of the vehicle 2 while alternately repeating movements in the third direction D3 and the fourth direction D4, and stops moving by contacting the vehicle 2 at a position where the battery storage unit 23 overlaps with the third direction D3. Therefore, the insertion / extraction mechanism 50 can be positioned to facilitate battery replacement.

[0090] (2) The battery exchange system 1 of the second aspect may be the battery exchange system 1 of the first or second aspect, further including a server 6 that can control the position and orientation of the vehicle 2 .

[0091] This allows the position and orientation of the vehicle 2 to be controlled, and the vehicle 2 to be adjusted to a state that makes battery replacement easy.

[0092] (3) A third aspect of the battery exchange system 1 is a battery exchange system 1 of the first or second aspect, and when the first moving unit 15 moves the insertion / removal mechanism 50 in the fourth direction D4, if the receiver 9 does not detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40, the server 6 may return the vehicle 2 to a position where the receiver 9 can detect the laser light LA1 from the light emitter 40.

[0093] As a result, for example, if the vehicle 2 is parked significantly deviated in the fourth direction D4 from the battery exchange device 4 and the light receiver 9 is unable to detect the laser light LA1, the server 6 can detect this state. Then, the server 6 can return the vehicle 2 to a position where the light receiver 9 can detect the laser light LA1.

[0094] (4) A fourth aspect of the battery exchange system 1 is a battery exchange system 1 of any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism 50 has a hand 52 that grasps the battery 3, and the hand 52 may have a magnetic catch 52b that magnetically attracts the battery 3.

[0095] In this embodiment, the hand 52 uses magnetic force to grip the battery 3. Therefore, for example, if the exterior of the battery 3 is made of metal, the hand 52 can grip the battery 3 with great force.

[0096] (5) A fifth aspect of the battery exchange system 1 is a battery exchange system 1 of any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism 50 has a hand 60 that grasps the battery 3, and the hand 60 may have a suction cup 61 that opens forward in the third direction D3 and creates a negative pressure inside while in close contact with the battery 3, thereby adsorbing the battery 3 by air pressure.

[0097] In this embodiment, the hand 60 grips the battery 3 by air pressure. Therefore, the hand 60 can grip the battery 3 regardless of the material of the exterior of the battery 3.

[0098] (6) A sixth aspect of the battery exchange system 1 is a battery exchange system 1 of any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism 50 has a hand 70 that grasps the battery 3, the battery 3 has an engagement groove 14 formed on the rear side in the first direction D1, and the hand 70 has a hook 72 that can engage with the engagement groove 14 of the battery 3, and an actuator 71 that changes the hook 72 between a state in which it engages with the engagement groove 14 and a state in which it is disengaged from the engagement groove 14.

[0099] In this embodiment, the hand 70 can grasp the battery 3 by engaging the hook with the engaging groove 14 of the battery 3. This allows the hand 70 to grasp the battery 3 with a simple configuration, regardless of the material of the exterior of the battery 3.

[0100] According to the battery exchange system of the present disclosure, battery exchange can be carried out efficiently.

[0101] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Battery exchange system 2...Vehicle 3...Battery 4...Battery exchange device 5...Sensor unit 6...Server 7...Casing 7a...Opening 8...Slot 9...Light receiver 10...Control device 11...Iron plate 15...First moving unit 16...Second moving unit 17...Switching unit 20...Vehicle body 21...Vehicle body main body 21a...Rear surface 22...Straddle leg 23...Battery storage unit 24...Light emitter storage unit 25...Wheels 25a...Rear wheels 25b...Front wheels 26...Mast 30...Load handling device 31...Lift bracket 32...Fork 32a...Fork base 32b...Fork claw portion 40...Light emitter 50...Insertion / removal mechanism 51...Rail 51a...First rail portion 51b...Second rail portion 52...Hand 52a...Hand base 52b...Magnetic catch 52c...flexible joint 53...pad 53a...projection 54...mounting portion C1...first central axis C2...second central axis C3...third central axis D1...first direction D2...second direction D3...third direction D4...fourth direction Dv...up and down direction F...floor surface L1...separation distance L2...separation distance L3...separation distance L4...separation distance LA1...laser light LA2...laser light O...optical axis 1100...computer 1110...processor 1120...main memory 1130...storage 1140...interface 11A...acrylic plate 60...hand 61...suction cup 11B...engagement portion 12...engagement base 13...projection 14...engagement groove 70...hand 71...actuator 72...hook 72a...bending portion 73: Actuator base portion 74: Expandable portion 75: Shaft portion 5A: Sensor portion 5a: Plunger 5B: Sensor portion

Claims

1. A vehicle equipped with a battery and movable in a horizontal direction; and a battery exchange device for exchanging the battery of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises: a battery storage section in which the battery is stored and which is open in a first horizontal direction; and a light emitter which is provided adjacent to the battery storage section in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction and which irradiates laser light in the first direction; the battery exchange device comprises: an insertion / removal mechanism which inserts and removes the battery in a third horizontal direction and is movable in the third direction and a fourth horizontal direction perpendicular to the third direction; two light receivers which are attached adjacent to the insertion / removal mechanism in the fourth direction and which are movable integrally with the insertion / removal mechanism and which are aligned in the fourth direction and capable of detecting laser light from the light emitter; and a control device which controls the operation of the insertion / removal mechanism, wherein the control device a first moving unit that moves the insertion / removal mechanism in the fourth direction with respect to the vehicle approaching the battery exchange device so that the first direction and the third direction are aligned and with the battery storage unit and the light emitter facing the battery exchange device until one of the two light receivers detects laser light from the light emitter; a second moving unit that moves the insertion / removal mechanism in the third direction after movement in the fourth direction by the first moving unit; and a switching unit that switches from movement in the third direction by the second moving unit to movement in the fourth direction by the first moving unit when the other of the two light receivers detects laser light from the light emitter.

2. The battery exchange system of claim 1, further comprising a server capable of controlling the position and orientation of the vehicle.

3. A battery exchange system as described in claim 2, wherein if the receiver does not detect laser light from the light emitter when the first moving unit moves the insertion / removal mechanism in the fourth direction, the server returns the vehicle to a position where the receiver can detect laser light from the light emitter.

4. A battery exchange system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism has a hand for gripping the battery, and the hand has a magnetic catch for magnetically attracting the battery.

5. A battery exchange system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism has a hand for gripping the battery, the hand having an opening on the front side in the third direction and a suction cup for air-pressure-adsorbing the battery by creating negative pressure inside the hand while in close contact with the battery.

6. A battery exchange system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insertion / removal mechanism has a hand that grasps the battery, the battery has an engagement groove formed on the rear side in the first direction, the hand has: a hook that can engage with the engagement groove of the battery; and an actuator that changes the hook between a state in which it engages with the engagement groove and a state in which it is disengaged from the engagement groove.

Images