Work table for safe handling of high-power batteries

Abstract

The invention relates to a work table for safe handling of high-power batteries, which comprises: an open-top hollow body (1) provided with a cover (2) forming a work surface for supporting the battery during handling, repair or charging. The body comprises closure elements (3) for securing the cover in the use position; a water container (4) disposed inside the body (1) below the cover (2); and a control, extinction and alert device (5) comprising a computer (51), power supply means, luminous or audible alerts (53), and smoke or heat detectors (52) which, when activated, trigger the alerts (53), release the closure elements (3) that secure the cover (2) and cause the battery to fall into the water container (4) and be flooded.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Work table for the safe handling of high-power batteries.

[0003] Technical sector.

[0004] The present invention relates to a work table intended primarily for workshops, warehouses or factories and which has technical characteristics intended to allow safe handling of high power batteries, especially when they are being charged, disassembled or repaired.

[0005] Prior art.

[0006] As is well known, the use of high-power batteries is increasing exponentially due to their incorporation in all types of electric vehicles and they carry with them a high risk of overheating and fire, especially when they are being charged or are handled for assembly, disassembly or repair.

[0007] Containers are available on the market specifically designed to contain these batteries, primarily when they are charging, quarantined after being removed from a damaged vehicle, or during transport. These are high-risk situations in which the battery can overheat and catch fire. This containment prevents the fire from spreading to nearby batteries or the facility where the battery is located, should it catch fire.

[0008] These high-power batteries are heavy and large, and for handling, assembly, disassembly or maintenance they are placed on conventional workshop tables; this poses a risk to the operators since in case of overheating or fire of the battery, the battery cannot be easily moved to a safe place and extinguishing it is also particularly complex.

[0009] Therefore, the technical problem that arises is the development of a work table that allows the safe handling of high-power batteries, minimizing the risk to operators and to batteries or equipment near said work table in case of overheating or fire of the battery.

[0010] Explanation of the invention.

[0011] The work table for the safe handling of high-power batteries, the subject of the invention, has technical characteristics aimed at solving the problem described above.

[0012] According to the invention, the table comprises a hollow body, open at the top and provided with a lid forming a work surface for supporting the battery during handling, repair or charging.

[0013] The hollow body comprises fasteners for securing the lid in a position of use; a water container arranged inside the hollow body, below the lid; and a control, extinguishing, and alarm device which, in case of detecting smoke or fire from the battery, automatically causes the battery to fall and flood inside the water container, thereby extinguishing the fire and eliminating risks to nearby operators or equipment.

[0014] The aforementioned control, extinguishing and alarm device is located within a protective structure against impacts during handling, transport or relocation of the work table; said device comprising: a computer; electrical power supply means; light or acoustic alarms and smoke or heat detectors which, when activated, cause the alarms to be triggered, the lid's retaining locks to be released and the battery to fall into the water container; eliminating the risk of damage to operators and facilities.

[0015] Immersing the entire battery in water in the seconds following the detection of smoke or fire causes it to cool down and prevents the spread of a possible fire to the rest of the room or workplace.

[0016] This work table has a suitable height for comfortable working and allows easy access to the entire battery, facilitating working conditions.

[0017] The container housed in the body of the table comprises a water supply tube, intended for filling the container, and a drain tube for removing the water contained in the container once used in flooding a battery, and transferring it to a recycling plant.

[0018] The water supply pipe for filling the container has a manually or automatically operated solenoid valve.

[0019] Advantageously, the water reservoir can include a fill level sensor, connected to the computer, to automatically close the solenoid valve when the water reaches a predetermined level. This level sensor allows for significant water savings compared to the amount that would be needed to extinguish the battery without the reservoir. In this way, only the amount of water necessary to completely submerge the battery and cool it safely is used.

[0020] The container drain tube has an opening and closing valve for discharging the water used for extinguishing or cooling the battery, once it has been verified that the battery is safe.

[0021] Normally, and except in exceptional cases, only a few minutes elapse from the moment the smoke is released until the flames ignite. Since the extinguishing system is activated by smoke or heat, and the battery falls into the lower water container instantaneously, the leak is controlled in its initial stages, preventing the spread of heat and fire to the remaining cells of the battery.

[0022] The closures may include computer-controlled lid locking and release electromagnets, and electric safety and lid locking pins in case of electromagnet failure.

[0023] The system can also have a double manual push button to ensure that the system is not activated accidentally.

[0024] Advantageously, the control, extinguishing, and alarm device includes both a mains power connection and a backup battery in case of a mains failure. This backup battery allows the device to continue operating even after a mains power failure, or when a mains power connection is unavailable, for example, during transport of the worktable.

[0025] The aforementioned control, extinguishing and alarm device includes status indicators such as: activated, disconnected, fire alarm and network failure.

[0026] The invention provides that the control, extinguishing and alarm device may have wired or wireless means for sending the alarm signal to a customer control center.

[0027] Brief description of the content of the drawings.

[0028] To complement the description being made and in order to facilitate the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is included with this descriptive report in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

[0029] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example embodiment of the work table for the safe handling of high-power batteries, according to the invention.

[0030] Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the work table in the previous figure, sectioned by a horizontal plane, allowing the visualization of the water container housed inside, for flooding the battery in case of overheating or fire.

[0031] Figure 3 shows a schematic of the workbench control, extinguishing and alarm device.

[0032] Detailed exposition of modes of implementation of the invention.

[0033] In the embodiment shown, the work table for the safe handling of high-power batteries comprises: a hollow body (1), in the form of a drawer, open at the top and provided with a lid (2) forming a work surface for supporting the battery during handling.

[0034] The body (1) of the table comprises fasteners (3) for securing the lid (2) in a position of use shown in Figure 1, and inside it a container (4) for holding water, arranged inside the body (1) below the lid (2).

[0035] The table has a control, extinguishing and alarm device (5), located inside a cabinet or protective structure (6) against impacts, located either inside the body (1) or attached externally to it as shown in figures 1 and 2.

[0036] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the control, extinguishing, and alarm device (5) comprises: a computer (51); electrical power supply means consisting of a connection (54) to the electrical network and a battery (55) for power supply in case of network failure; visual or acoustic alarms (53) and smoke or heat detectors (52) which, when activated, cause: the triggering of the alarms (53), the release of the locks

[0037] (3) securing the lid, and the battery falling and flooding inside the container

[0038] (4) water container.

[0039] The water container (4) comprises a water supply tube (41) for filling and provided with a solenoid valve (56) which in this example is controlled by the computer (51), and a drain tube (42) provided with a valve (43) for draining or discharging the water contained in the container (4) once it has been used in flooding a battery.

[0040] Said container (4) comprises a water fill level sensor (57), which causes the solenoid valve (56) of the supply tube (41) to close when the water reaches a certain level suitable to ensure the immersion of the entire battery.

[0041] The control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) comprises status indicators (58): activated, disconnected, fire alarm and mains failure, and manual pushbuttons (59) provided for the release of the closures (3) and the flooding of the battery in case of failure of the automatic operation of the device (5).

[0042] Once the nature of the invention has been sufficiently described, as well as an example of a preferred embodiment, it is noted for the appropriate purposes that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements described may be modified, provided that this does not imply an alteration of the essential characteristics of the invention claimed below.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Work table for the safe handling of high-power batteries; characterized in that it comprises: a hollow body (1), open at the top and provided with a lid (2) forming a work surface for supporting the battery during handling, repair or charging, said body comprising fasteners (3) for securing the lid in a position of use; a water container (4), arranged inside the body (1) below the lid (2), and a control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) comprising: a computer (51); electrical power supply means; luminous or acoustic alarms (53), and smoke or heat detectors (52) which, when activated, cause the alarms (53) to be triggered, the lid fasteners (3) to be released, and the battery to fall and flood inside the water container (4).

2. Table, according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises: a water supply tube (41), provided for filling the container (4) and provided with a manually or automatically operated solenoid valve (56), and a drain tube (42) provided with an opening and closing valve (43), and provided for draining the water contained in the container (4) once used in flooding a battery.

3. Table, according to claim 1, wherein the container (4) comprises a water fill level sensor (57).

4. Table, according to any preceding claim, wherein the power supply means of the control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) comprise a connection (54) to the electrical network and a power supply battery (55) in case of network failure.

5. Table, according to any previous claim, wherein the closures (3) comprise locking and releasing electromagnets for the lid (2), controlled by the computer (51).

6. Table, according to claim 5, wherein the closures (3) comprise electric safety pins and lid locking pins (2) in case of failure of the electromagnets.

7. Table, according to any preceding claim, wherein the control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) comprises status indicators (58) thereof: activated, deactivated, fire alarm and mains failure, 8. Table, according to any preceding claim, wherein the control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) comprises manual pushbuttons (59) provided for the release of the closures (3) and the flooding of the battery.

9. Table, according to any preceding claim, wherein the control, extinguishing and alarm device (5) has wired or wireless means for sending the alarm signal to a control center.

Images