Battery swapping apparatus and battery swapping station

Abstract

Provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure are a battery swapping apparatus and a battery swapping station. The battery swapping apparatus comprises a support frame, a carrying platform, a locking and unlocking mechanism and an adjustment mechanism, wherein the locking and unlocking mechanism is arranged on the carrying platform. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position of a carrying surface of the carrying platform. The adjustment mechanism comprises a lifting assembly and a rotational adjustment assembly, wherein the lifting assembly is configured to lift and lower the carrying platform, and the rotational adjustment assembly is configured to rotate the carrying surface of the carrying platform relative to the support frame in a first direction.

Description

Battery swapping equipment and battery swapping stations

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This disclosure is based on and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202510304514.4, filed on March 14, 2025, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of battery replacement technology, and in particular to battery replacement equipment and battery swapping stations. Background Technology

[0004] New energy batteries are being used more and more widely in daily life and industry. For example, new energy vehicles equipped with batteries are already in widespread use.

[0005] With the development of electric vehicles, users have increasingly higher requirements for vehicle range and charging. Traditional charging methods via charging stations can no longer meet the needs of some electric vehicles. Therefore, battery swapping stations can be used to quickly replenish the power of electric vehicles by replacing the battery packs. Improving the success rate of battery swapping is one of the research topics in the industry. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present disclosure aims to provide a battery replacement device and battery swapping station with a high battery replacement success rate.

[0007] The first aspect of this disclosure provides a battery replacement device for replacing a battery device locked to a commercial vehicle chassis. The battery replacement device includes: a bracket; a support platform; an unlocking mechanism disposed on the support platform; and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the support surface of the support platform. The adjustment mechanism includes a lifting component and a rotation adjustment component. The lifting component is configured to enable the support platform to lift relative to the bracket, and the rotation adjustment component is configured to enable the support surface of the support platform to rotate relative to the bracket about a first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the lifting direction of the lifting component.

[0008] In the battery replacement device of this disclosure, the adjustment mechanism includes a lifting component and a rotation adjustment component, which enables the adjustment of the tilt angle of the support platform. The adjustment has a high degree of freedom and helps to improve the success rate of battery replacement.

[0009] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device includes a lifting platform, the lifting platform including a lifting top plate and a lifting bottom plate spaced apart, the rotation adjustment component being disposed between the lifting top plate and the lifting bottom plate for rotating the lifting top plate relative to the lifting bottom plate about a first direction, the carrying platform being connected to the lifting top plate, and the lifting component being connected to the lifting bottom plate.

[0010] In this embodiment, the rotation adjustment component is arranged between the lifting top plate and the lifting bottom plate of the lifting platform. This arrangement helps to simplify the structure of the rotation adjustment component and improve the rotation adjustment efficiency of the carrying platform (the lifting component does not need to rotate with the carrying platform).

[0011] In some embodiments, the rotation adjustment assembly includes a rotary bearing, the fixed side of which is connected to the lifting base plate, and the rotating side of which is connected to the lifting top plate. Under the action of an external force, the lifting top plate rotates relative to the lifting base plate around the first direction via the rotary bearing.

[0012] The rotation adjustment component in this embodiment is a passive adjustment component, meaning that the rotation adjustment component does not rotate under the drive of the drive device, but rather rotates due to the action of an external force. Specifically, when the battery device installed on the commercial vehicle rotates and tilts around the first direction, during the upward movement of the support platform, because the battery device is tilted, the support platform will first partially contact the bottom of the battery device. At this time, as the support platform continues to rise along the lifting direction, the part of the battery device in contact with the support platform will exert a certain force on the support platform. The force on the support platform will be transmitted to the lifting top plate connected to the support platform. Under the influence of this force, the lifting top plate can drive the rotating side of the rotating bearing to rotate, thereby causing the support platform to rotate around the first direction, adapting to the tilted bottom of the battery device, so that the bearing surface of the support platform contacts the bottom surface of the battery device.

[0013] This passive rotation method, where the device rotates under external force, helps to reduce the number of drive units and lower production costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for additional space to accommodate drive units, improving space utilization and thus reducing the height of the battery replacement equipment along the lifting direction.

[0014] In some embodiments, the lifting platform includes a plurality of limiting components, each limiting component including a limiting member and a limiting hole, the limiting member being disposed on the lifting base plate, the limiting hole being opened in the lifting top plate, at least a portion of the limiting member being located in the limiting hole, and a gap being formed between the outer contour of the limiting member and the inner contour of the limiting hole.

[0015] Therefore, when the lifting roof plate rotates and adjusts around the first direction, it can be limited by the limiting component, so that the lifting roof plate relative to the lifting base plate rotates only around the first direction as much as possible. This reduces the possibility of the lifting roof plate tilting or tipping over during rotation and improves the reliability of rotation.

[0016] In some embodiments, the lifting platform further includes a plurality of reset members disposed between the lifting top plate and the lifting bottom plate, and at least one reset member is disposed on each of the opposite sides of the rotating bearing along the second direction, wherein the first direction, the second direction and the lifting direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0017] Therefore, when the external force that caused the lifting platform to rotate disappears, the lifting platform can restore the balance position of the lifting platform under the action of the reset component, thereby restoring the bearing surface of the bearing platform to a state parallel to the bracket. This facilitates the stable bearing of the battery device by the bearing platform, reduces the possibility of the battery device falling off the bearing platform, and improves the reliability of the battery replacement equipment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the adjustment mechanism includes a translation component, and the lifting component is connected to the translation component and is capable of reciprocating along a second direction under the drive of the translation component, wherein the first direction, the second direction and the lifting direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0019] This allows for positional adjustments of the carrying platform in the second direction, further improving the battery swapping success rate.

[0020] In some embodiments, the translation component includes a translation drive and a translation transmission component, the bracket includes a support plate, the translation drive is disposed on the support plate, the lifting component slides with the support plate along the second direction, and the translation transmission component connects the translation drive and the lifting component, wherein, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the translation drive is located outside the projection range of the lifting component.

[0021] In this embodiment, the translation drive component and the lifting assembly are staggered in the lifting direction, thereby reducing the space occupied by the translation drive component in the lifting direction, further reducing the overall height of the battery swapping equipment along the lifting direction, reducing the demand on the chassis height space of commercial vehicles, and improving the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping equipment with different chassis heights of commercial vehicles. Furthermore, it helps to further reduce the pit depth and even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0022] In some embodiments, the translational transmission member includes a lead screw and a meshing member extending along the second direction. The driving end of the translational drive member is connected to the lead screw and is used to drive the lead screw to rotate. The meshing member is sleeved on the lead screw and can move along the second direction as the lead screw rotates. The lifting assembly is connected to the meshing member and can reciprocate along the second direction as the meshing member moves.

[0023] Therefore, the meshing component can reciprocate in the second direction through the rotation of the lead screw, thereby driving the lifting assembly connected to the meshing component to reciprocate in the second direction. Lead screw drives have high transmission efficiency and low energy consumption, making them more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

[0024] In some embodiments, the translation component includes a first translation slide rail and a second translation slide rail extending along the second direction, the engaging member is slidably engaged with the first translation slide rail, and the lifting component is slidably engaged with the second translation slide rail.

[0025] In this embodiment, on the one hand, setting the first translation slide rail and the second translation slide rail can reduce the friction and shaking when the lifting component moves along the second direction, thereby making the movement of the lifting component smoother and more stable, and more reliable, and thus making the movement of the bearing platform along the second direction more stable and reliable.

[0026] On the other hand, the first and second translation slide rails can play a certain guiding role, thereby constraining the lifting assembly so that the lifting assembly can move stably and reliably along the extension direction of the guide rail, improving the translation accuracy of the lifting assembly, reducing the possibility of the lifting assembly deviating or swaying during translation along the second direction, thereby improving the translation accuracy of the lifting platform along the second direction, and further improving the translation accuracy of the bearing platform connected to the lifting platform along the second direction.

[0027] On the other hand, independent slide rails are provided for the meshing parts and the lifting assembly, which can further improve the stability and reliability of the movement of the bearing platform along the second direction.

[0028] In some embodiments, the support plate includes a first support portion and a second support portion distributed along the first direction, the top surface of the second support portion is higher than the top surface of the first support portion, the translation drive member is disposed on the first support portion, and the lifting assembly is slidably engaged with the second support portion.

[0029] In this embodiment, this arrangement distributes the translation drive and the lifting assembly along the first direction, thereby helping to further reduce the height of the battery swapping equipment along the lifting direction. Furthermore, it can be understood that since the translation drive needs to drive the lifting assembly, the support platform, and the battery device supported on the support platform to move together, the translation drive needs to have a large output power. Correspondingly, the translation drive will also have a large volume. In this embodiment, the translation drive is located in the first support part with a relatively low top surface height. This helps to reduce the space occupied by the translation drive in the lifting direction, further reducing the overall height of the battery swapping equipment along the lifting direction, reducing the demand on the chassis height space of commercial vehicles, and improving the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping equipment with different commercial vehicle chassis heights. Moreover, it helps to further reduce the pit depth or even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0030] In some embodiments, the bracket further includes an auxiliary support member protruding from the top surface of the support plate, and the lifting assembly is slidably contacted with the auxiliary support member.

[0031] Therefore, the auxiliary support can provide additional support for the lifting assembly, which helps to distribute the weight and load of the lifting assembly, thereby reducing the burden on the translation assembly and bracket, and making the overall structure more stable.

[0032] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device includes a lifting platform connected to the side of the lifting assembly opposite to the bracket in the lifting direction, the lifting assembly being configured to lift the lifting platform, and the support platform being connected to the lifting platform.

[0033] In this embodiment, the lifting platform serves as a connector between the lifting assembly and the carrying platform, thereby further improving the stability of the lifting assembly when it drives the carrying platform to rise and fall.

[0034] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly includes a lifting support and a rigid chain assembly. The lifting support is connected to the bracket, and the rigid chain assembly is disposed on the lifting support. The rigid chain assembly includes a rigid chain drive and at least one rigid chain. One end of the rigid chain is connected to the rigid chain drive, and the other end is connected to the lifting platform, for driving the lifting platform to rise and fall under the drive of the rigid chain drive.

[0035] In this embodiment, the lifting assembly uses a rigid chain assembly to lift the lifting platform, thereby driving the support platform to lift along the lifting direction. The rigid chain assembly has strong load-bearing capacity and good stability, enabling it to withstand large loads during lifting and maintaining greater stability, which helps improve the stability and reliability of the battery replacement equipment carrying the battery device.

[0036] In addition, the rigid chain assembly has a stable structure and can maintain relatively precise displacement during the lifting process, thereby accurately raising or lowering the lifting platform to the designated position and improving the reliability of the battery replacement equipment during the battery replacement process.

[0037] Moreover, the rigid chain assembly has a compact structure, which helps to reduce the height of the lifting assembly along the lifting direction, thus enabling the battery replacement equipment to be adapted to more commercial vehicles without a pit, and thus has better compatibility.

[0038] Furthermore, the rigid chain assembly has a large lifting stroke, which enables the battery swapping equipment to perform battery swapping on various commercial vehicles with battery devices at different ground clearances, resulting in better compatibility.

[0039] In some embodiments, the lifting assembly further includes a guide assembly, one end of which is connected to the lifting support and the other end of which is connected to the lifting platform.

[0040] Therefore, the lifting assembly can guide the lifting platform to rise or fall stably along the lifting direction, reducing the possibility of the lifting platform deviating or swaying during the lifting process, and further improving the lifting reliability of the lifting assembly.

[0041] In some embodiments, the guide assembly includes at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies, the pair of scissor fork assemblies being spaced apart and the rigid chain assembly being located between the at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies.

[0042] The scissor fork assembly has a high load-bearing capacity and distributes force evenly, which helps improve the stability and reliability of the lifting assembly. Furthermore, the relatively compact structure of the scissor fork assembly helps reduce the height of the lifting platform in the lifting direction when it is in the first position, thus allowing the battery swapping equipment to smoothly enter and exit under commercial vehicles without needing a pit.

[0043] Moreover, the scissor fork assembly can achieve a large lifting stroke within a limited space, thus adapting to different lifting needs and improving the versatility and flexibility of the lifting assembly.

[0044] In some embodiments, along the lifting direction, the bearing surface is located on the side closer to the bracket relative to the lifting platform.

[0045] This allows the platform to be driven to rise and fall within a relatively low height range, thereby further reducing the need for battery swapping equipment to reach the chassis height of commercial vehicles.

[0046] In some embodiments, the number of lifting components is two, and the two ends of the carrying platform are respectively connected to the two lifting components along the first direction, and the two lifting components can lift independently.

[0047] In this embodiment, the lifting and lowering of the carrier platform is driven by two lifting components, which helps to improve the lifting stability and reliability of the carrier platform, reduce the possibility of the carrier platform overturning during the lifting and lowering process, and thus improve the battery swapping success rate of the battery replacement equipment.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lifting assembly and the supporting platform of the battery swapping equipment are arranged along the first direction. This reduces the overall height of the battery swapping equipment along the lifting direction, thereby reducing the need for chassis height space in commercial vehicles and improving the battery swapping compatibility with different commercial vehicle chassis heights. Additionally, there is no need to design a special pit or a lifting mechanism to raise the vehicle if the battery swapping equipment is too tall to access the underside of the vehicle chassis. This results in higher battery swapping reliability, better battery swapping efficiency, and also helps save production costs.

[0049] Furthermore, the reduced height of the battery swapping equipment allows it to move within shallower trenches to complete battery swaps, or even operate directly on the same surface as commercial vehicles without trenches. This reduces the time and complexity of site setup, lowering costs and increasing reliability. It also saves time on raising and lowering the equipment, improving swapping efficiency, resulting in faster swapping cycles and enhanced service capabilities.

[0050] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device further includes a suspension component, one end of which is connected to the lifting assembly and the other end of which is connected to the support platform.

[0051] In this embodiment, the support platform is connected to the lifting assembly via a suspension component. This removes the minimum height limitation of the lifting assembly along the lifting direction from the minimum height of the support platform, helping to reduce the overall height of the support platform. This, in turn, further reduces the overall height of the battery swapping equipment along the lifting direction, thereby reducing the chassis height requirements of commercial vehicles and improving the battery swapping equipment's compatibility with different commercial vehicle chassis heights. Furthermore, it helps to further reduce the pit depth and may even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0052] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device further includes a walking mechanism connected to the bracket and configured to move along the first direction; and / or the battery replacement device further includes a locking mechanism disposed on at least one of the bracket and the support platform, wherein the support platform is capable of moving up and down between a first position and a second position along the lifting direction, the first position being lower than the second position, and the locking mechanism locks the support platform relative to the bracket when the support platform is in the first position.

[0053] The traveling mechanism enables the battery swapping device to move along a first direction, thus allowing it to move to the battery swapping position in a simple structure and manner for battery replacement on the commercial vehicle. The locking mechanism locks the carrying platform to the bracket when it is in the first position, meaning it remains stationary relative to the bracket. This prevents the carrying platform from swaying during the movement of the battery swapping device, improving its load-bearing reliability.

[0054] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a battery swapping station, the battery swapping station including the battery swapping equipment described in the first aspect of this disclosure.

[0055] The battery swapping station of this disclosure has all the advantages of the battery swapping equipment described in any of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0056] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a commercial vehicle provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0057] Figure 2 is an exploded structural diagram of a battery device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0058] Figure 3 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a battery replacement device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0059] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a battery replacement device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure (wherein, the support platform is in the first position);

[0060] Figure 5 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lifting assembly and part of the lifting platform provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0061] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the guide assembly provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0062] Figure 7 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a portion of the bracket and the translation component provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0063] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a translation component provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0064] Figure 9 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a battery replacement device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure (the support platform is not shown);

[0065] Figure 10 is an enlarged view of part A in Figure 9;

[0066] Figure 11 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the bracket and walking mechanism provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0067] Figure 12 is a schematic plan view of the bracket and walking mechanism provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0068] Figure 13 is an enlarged view of part B in Figure 11;

[0069] Figure 14 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the support platform provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0070] Figure 15 is an exploded perspective view of the support platform provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0071] Figure 16 is another perspective structural diagram of the support platform provided in some embodiments of this disclosure (supporting components are not shown);

[0072] Figure 17 is an enlarged view of section C in Figure 14;

[0073] Figure 18 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a battery replacement device provided in some embodiments of this disclosure (wherein, the support platform is in the second position);

[0074] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of the layout of a battery swapping station provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0075] Figure 20 is a schematic flowchart of a battery replacement method provided in some embodiments of this disclosure;

[0076] Figure 21 is a schematic flowchart of a battery replacement method provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0077] Figure 22 is a schematic flowchart of a battery replacement method provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0078] Figure 23 is a schematic flowchart of a battery replacement method provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0079] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Bracket; 11. Bearing plate; 111. First bearing part; 112. Second bearing part; 12. Connecting beam; 13. Auxiliary support component; 2. Bearing platform; 21. Bearing surface; 22. Bearing support component; 221. First support component; 222. Second support component; 222a. Installation area; 23. Bearing component; 231. Arc-shaped part; 24. Rotation adjustment assembly; 241. Rotation drive component; 242. Rotation bearing; 243. Transmission gear; 244. Transmission rack; 25. Rotation support component; 3. Locking / unlocking mechanism; 31. Locking / unlocking drive component; 32. Locking / unlocking sleeve; 41. Walking mechanism; 411. Walking drive component; 412. Walking wheel; 413. Guide wheel assembly; 4131 4131. First guide wheel; 4132. Second guide wheel; 42. Adjustment mechanism; 421. Lifting assembly; 421a. First lifting assembly; 421b. Second lifting assembly; 4211. Lifting support; 4212. Rigid chain assembly; 4213. Guide assembly; 4214. Scissor fork assembly; 4215. Connecting seat; 4216. Scissor fork arm assembly; 4216a. First scissor fork arm; 4216b. Second scissor fork arm; 4216c. Third scissor fork arm; 4217. First toothed structure; 4218. Second toothed structure; 4219. Auxiliary groove; 4 22. Lifting platform; 422a. First lifting platform; 422b. Second lifting platform; 4221. Lifting top plate; 4222. Lifting bottom plate; 4223. Limiting component; 4224. Limiting hole; 4225. Reset component; 4226. Stop part; 43. Translation assembly; 431. Translation drive component; 432. Translation transmission component; 4321. Lead screw; 4322. Engaging component; 433. Support block; 434. First translation slide rail; 435. Second translation slide rail; 44. Rotation adjustment assembly; 441. Rotation bearing; 442. Fixed shaft; 5. Suspension component; 6. Fixed... 7. Positioning component; 10. Locking mechanism; 10. Battery replacement equipment; 10a. First battery replacement equipment; 10b. Second battery replacement equipment; 10c. Third battery replacement equipment; 20. Control box; 30. Travel guide rail assembly; 40. Battery buffer device; 50. Battery transfer equipment; 60. Battery storage system; 601. Battery storage rack; 100. Battery unit; 101. Battery cell assembly; 102. Housing; 102a. First housing; 102b. Second housing; 200. Controller; 300. Motor; 1000. Commercial vehicle; 2000. Battery swapping station. Detailed Implementation

[0080] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0081] The specific technical features described in the specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. For example, different combinations of specific technical features can form different embodiments and technical solutions. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the various possible combinations of the specific technical features in this disclosure will not be described separately.

[0082] In the following description, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used merely to distinguish different objects and do not indicate that the objects have the sameness or relationship. It should be understood that the directional descriptions "above," "below," "outside," and "inside" refer to the orientation under normal use conditions, while "left" and "right" refer to the left and right directions shown in the corresponding diagrams, which may or may not be the left and right directions under normal use conditions.

[0083] It should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. "A plurality of" means two or more.

[0084] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, the technical terms "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "circumferential," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this disclosure and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, operated, or used in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0085] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, technical terms such as "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0086] In the description of the embodiments of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical term "contact" should be interpreted broadly, and can be direct contact, contact through an intermediate medium layer, contact between two contacting parties with substantially no interaction force, or contact between two contacting parties with interaction force.

[0087] The following is a detailed description of this disclosure.

[0088] Currently, new energy batteries are being used more and more widely in daily life and industry. They are not only used in energy storage systems for hydropower, thermal power, wind power, and solar power plants, but also extensively in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars, and electric trucks, as well as in aerospace and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application areas of power batteries, the market demand for them is also constantly increasing.

[0089] When electrical equipment runs out of power, it can usually be recharged by connecting to charging equipment, such as charging stations for electric vehicles. However, with the development of electric vehicles, users have increasingly higher requirements for vehicle range and charging speed. Traditional charging stations can no longer meet the needs of some electric vehicles, especially for commercial vehicles such as heavy trucks, where long charging times severely impact operational efficiency and utilization. Therefore, replacing the battery at battery swapping stations can replenish the power of electric vehicles. Compared to connecting to charging stations, battery swapping provides a faster way to replenish power.

[0090] Battery-swapping commercial vehicles have their batteries replaced at battery swapping stations. For chassis-type battery swapping where the battery is mounted on the commercial vehicle chassis, the battery swapping equipment needs to access the space beneath the vehicle to install or remove the battery. Typically, the unlocking / unlocking mechanism of the battery swapping equipment is mounted on a support platform that carries the battery, occupying some vertical space. Furthermore, the support platform needs to meet certain thickness requirements to ensure sufficient rigidity. Additionally, the moving mechanism of the battery swapping equipment also occupies vertical space, resulting in a relatively high overall height for the equipment, making it unsuitable for commercial vehicles with insufficient chassis height.

[0091] In related technologies, battery swapping equipment is typically equipped with a pit in order to perform battery swapping on commercial vehicles with different chassis heights. That is, a certain recessed area is opened below the parking surface of the commercial vehicle, and the battery swapping equipment moves in the pit. In this way, the battery swapping equipment can perform battery swapping operations on commercial vehicles with different chassis heights.

[0092] In practical use, commercial vehicles may deviate when parked, meaning they may not be parked completely in the ideal battery replacement position, or the installation position of the battery unit on the commercial vehicle may also shift. The battery replacement equipment needs to adjust its posture according to the parking position of the commercial vehicle and / or the installation position of the battery unit. However, the posture adjustment efficiency and degree of freedom of related technologies for battery replacement equipment are relatively low, resulting in low battery replacement efficiency and success rate.

[0093] This disclosure addresses the problems existing in the aforementioned related technologies by proposing a battery replacement device for replacing a battery unit locked to a commercial vehicle chassis. The battery replacement device includes a bracket, a support platform, an unlocking mechanism, and an adjustment mechanism. The support platform supports the battery unit. The unlocking mechanism is located on the support platform. The adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the support surface of the support platform. The adjustment mechanism includes a lifting component and a rotation adjustment component. The lifting component is configured to raise and lower the support platform, and the rotation adjustment component is configured to allow the support surface of the support platform to rotate relative to the bracket around a first direction, perpendicular to the lifting direction of the lifting component.

[0094] In the battery replacement device of this disclosure, the adjustment mechanism includes a lifting component and a rotation adjustment component, which enables the adjustment of the tilt angle of the support platform. The adjustment has a high degree of freedom and helps to improve the success rate of battery replacement.

[0095] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a commercial vehicle 1000 provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0096] Commercial vehicle 1000 refers to a vehicle used for carrying passengers or transporting goods. Exemplarily, commercial vehicle 1000 may include commercial buses, commercial trucks, heavy-duty trucks, semi-trailer tractors, and special commercial vehicles such as concrete trucks, drilling trucks, and tank trucks. This disclosure does not impose any special limitations on the type of commercial vehicle 1000.

[0097] Commercial vehicle 1000 can be a fuel-powered vehicle, a natural gas-powered vehicle, or a new energy vehicle. New energy vehicles can be pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or range-extended vehicles, etc. This disclosure does not impose any special restrictions on the above-mentioned vehicles.

[0098] Referring to Figure 1, a battery device 100 is disposed inside the commercial vehicle 1000. In some embodiments, the battery device 100 may be disposed at the bottom, front, or rear of the commercial vehicle 1000. In this embodiment, the battery device 100 is disposed at the bottom chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. The battery device 100 can be used to power the commercial vehicle 1000; for example, the battery device 100 can serve as the operating power source for the commercial vehicle 1000. The commercial vehicle 1000 may also include a controller 200 and a motor 300. The controller 200 is used to control the battery device 100 to supply power to the motor 300, for example, to meet the power requirements of the commercial vehicle 1000 during startup, navigation, and driving.

[0099] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery device 100 can not only serve as the operating power source for the commercial vehicle 1000, but also as the driving power source for the commercial vehicle 1000, replacing or partially replacing fuel or natural gas to provide driving power for the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0100] In some embodiments of this disclosure, the battery replacement device 10 is used to replace the battery device 100 of a commercial vehicle 1000 in which the battery device 100 is mounted on the chassis.

[0101] Therefore, the battery swapping device 10 can perform chassis-type battery swapping on the battery device 100 installed at the bottom of the commercial vehicle 1000. The battery swapping device 10 has good compatibility and high battery swapping efficiency.

[0102] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a battery device 100 provided in some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0103] Referring to FIG2, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the battery device 100 may include one or more battery cell assemblies 101 for providing voltage and capacity. The battery cell assembly 101 may include multiple battery cells, which can be connected in series, parallel, or mixed connections via a busbar.

[0104] In some embodiments, the battery cell assembly 101 is typically formed by arranging a plurality of battery cells.

[0105] A single battery cell can be a rechargeable battery. A rechargeable battery is a battery cell that can be recharged after it has been discharged, allowing the active materials to be activated and the cell to continue to be used.

[0106] The battery cell can be a lithium-ion battery, sodium-ion battery, sodium-lithium-ion battery, lithium metal battery, sodium metal battery, lithium-sulfur battery, magnesium-ion battery, nickel-metal hydride battery, nickel-cadmium battery, lead-acid battery, etc., and this disclosure does not specifically limit the types of batteries.

[0107] As an example, the battery cell assembly 101 can be a battery module, which is formed by arranging and fixing multiple battery cells into an independent module. As an example, the battery module can be formed by bundling multiple battery cells together with cable ties.

[0108] In some embodiments, the battery device 100 may be a battery pack, which may include a housing 102 and one or more battery cell assemblies 101, the battery cell assemblies 101 being housed in the housing 102.

[0109] As an example, the battery cell assembly 101 can be a battery module, and the battery cell assembly 101 can be housed in the housing 102 by fixing the battery module in the housing 102.

[0110] As an example, the battery cell assembly 101 can also be housed in the housing 102 by directly fixing multiple battery cells to the housing 102.

[0111] As an example, the housing 102 may include a first housing 102a and a second housing 102b. The first housing 102a and the second housing 102b are fastened together to form a closed space inside the housing 102 to house the battery cell assembly 101. Here, "closed" refers to covering or closing, which can be sealed or unsealed. The first housing 102a can be a top cover, and the second housing 102b can be a bottom plate, or the first housing 102a can be a bottom plate, and the second housing 102b can be a top cover.

[0112] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to Figures 3 to 18.

[0113] In some embodiments of this disclosure, for ease of explanation, a first direction, a second direction, and a lifting direction are defined, which are perpendicular to each other. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the case where these three directions are perpendicular to each other. For ease of explanation, as shown by the arrows in Figures 3 to 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 18, the direction where arrow X is located is the first direction, the direction where arrow Y is located is the second direction, and the direction where arrow Z is located is the lifting direction. Sometimes the lifting direction is also referred to as the height direction of the battery replacement device 10, and the direction in which arrow Z points along the lifting direction is called "above," and its opposite direction is called "below."

[0114] Referring to Figures 3 to 18, the battery replacement device 10 includes a bracket 1, a support platform 2, an unlocking mechanism 3, and an adjustment mechanism 42. The support platform 2 is used to support the battery device 100. The unlocking mechanism 3 is disposed on the support platform 2. The adjustment mechanism 42 is used to adjust the position of the support surface 21 of the support platform 2. The adjustment mechanism 42 includes a lifting component 421 and a rotation adjustment component 44. The lifting component 421 is configured to lift the support platform 2, and the rotation adjustment component 44 is configured to rotate the support surface 21 of the support platform 2 about a first direction relative to the bracket.

[0115] Battery swap equipment 10 is a device used for removing, transporting and installing battery devices 100.

[0116] The bracket 1 is the chassis support structure of the battery replacement device 10, used to support various structural components that enable the functions of the battery replacement device 10. Exemplarily, the bracket 1 can be a frame structure, a flat plate structure, or a tray structure. This embodiment does not specifically limit the shape of the bracket 1.

[0117] As an example, referring to Figures 9 and 11, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the bracket 1 includes two support plates 11 and a connecting beam 12. The two support plates 11 are located on opposite sides of the support platform 2, and the connecting beam 12 connects the two support plates 11. A portion of the adjustment mechanism 42 can be disposed on the support plates 11. The bracket 1 of this embodiment of the present disclosure has good structural stability and can reliably support some functional structural components of the battery replacement device 10. Moreover, compared with the overall flat plate bracket 1 structure, it is lighter in weight, which helps to reduce production costs.

[0118] In this embodiment, the support plate 11 can be generally rectangular. In some other embodiments, the support plate 11 can also be square, circular, or any other suitable shape. This embodiment does not specifically limit the shape of the support plate 11. Additionally, in this embodiment, the connecting beam 12 can be a hollow reinforcing beam, thus helping to further reduce the overall weight of the bracket 1.

[0119] For example, the connecting beam 12 and the bearing plate 11 can be connected by welding or other means, or by any other suitable means such as bonding, snap-fitting, fastener connection, etc.

[0120] The present invention does not impose a specific limit on the number of connecting beams 12, but can take into account factors such as actual load-bearing capacity and structural stability.

[0121] The support platform 2 is a structural component used to support the battery device 100. Specifically, the support platform 2 can be used to support either the first battery device or the second battery device.

[0122] In the relevant description of this disclosure, the first battery device refers to the battery device 100 to be removed from the commercial vehicle chassis, and the second battery device refers to the battery device 100 to be installed on the commercial vehicle chassis. As an example, the first battery device is a depleted battery device 100, and the second battery device is a fully charged battery device 100.

[0123] The support platform 2 includes a support surface 21 on which the battery device 100 is supported. As an example, the support surface 21 is generally flat, thereby providing stable support for the battery device 100.

[0124] The unlocking mechanism 3 is located on the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2. The unlocking mechanism 3 is used to unlock the battery device 100 relative to the commercial vehicle 1000 to remove the first battery device from the commercial vehicle 1000, or to lock the battery device 100 relative to the commercial vehicle 1000 to install the second battery device onto the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0125] This disclosure does not specifically limit the type and structure of the locking / unlocking mechanism 3, as long as it can lock and unlock the battery device 100 relative to the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0126] The adjustment mechanism 42 is a mechanism used to adjust the position and orientation of the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10 relative to the bracket 1.

[0127] The adjustment mechanism 42 includes a lifting assembly 421 and a rotation adjustment assembly 44. The lifting assembly 421 is a structural component capable of lifting and lowering along the lifting direction (height direction), and the rotation adjustment assembly 44 is a structural component capable of rotating the bearing surface 21 relative to the bracket 1 around a first direction. Both the first direction and the lifting direction are perpendicular.

[0128] Referring to Figures 4 and 18, the lifting assembly 421 is specifically configured to move the support platform 2 up and down between a first position and a second position, with the first position being lower than the second position. As an example, the first position refers to the position of the support platform 2 when the lifting assembly 421 is fully lowered; that is, the lowest position of the support platform 2 along the lifting direction can be called the first position. When the support platform 2 is in the first position, the battery replacement device 10 can smoothly enter and exit under the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. The second position refers to the position of the support platform 2 when the lifting assembly 421 is fully raised; that is, the highest position of the support platform 2 along the lifting direction can be called the second position. The ability of the support platform 2 to move up and down between the first and second positions means that, along the lifting direction, the support platform 2 can be in the first position, the second position, or any position between the first and second positions.

[0129] As an example, one end of the lifting assembly 421 is connected to the translation assembly 43, and the other end is connected to the support platform 2. Thus, the support platform 2 can rise and fall together in the lifting direction under the drive of the lifting assembly 421, thereby moving closer to or further away from the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 to replace the battery device 100 installed on the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. Furthermore, the lifting assembly 421 and the support platform 2 can reciprocate together in the second direction under the drive of the translation assembly 43, thereby adjusting the relative position of the support platform 2 and the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 in the second direction.

[0130] For example, the lifting assembly 421 may be a lifting cylinder. As another example, the lifting assembly 421 may include a rigid chain. Even more exemplarily, the lifting assembly 421 may be a ball screw 4321. Yet another exemplarily, the lifting assembly 421 may include a scissor fork. This disclosure does not specifically limit the type and structure of the lifting assembly 421, as long as it enables the lifting of the carrying platform 2 along the lifting direction.

[0131] For example, the rotation adjustment component 44 can be connected to the lifting component 421 and the support platform 2, and is configured to enable the support platform 2 to rotate relative to the lifting component 421 about a first direction, thereby realizing the rotation of the support platform 2 relative to the bracket 1 about the first direction. Alternatively, the rotation adjustment component 44 can be connected to the lifting component 421 and the bracket 1, and is configured to enable the lifting component 421 and the support platform 2 to rotate together about the first direction relative to the bracket 1.

[0132] In the battery replacement device 10 of this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 42 includes a lifting component 421 and a rotation adjustment component 44, which can adjust the tilt posture of the support platform 2. The adjustment has a high degree of freedom and helps to improve the success rate of battery device 100 replacement.

[0133] Specifically, in this embodiment, when the battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000 rotates and tilts around the first direction, the bearing platform 2 can also rotate through the rotation adjustment component 44, thereby cooperating well with the battery device 100, improving the success rate of the unlocking mechanism 3 in unlocking the battery device 100, and improving the reliability of battery device 100 replacement.

[0134] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device 10 includes a walking mechanism 41, which is connected to the bracket 1 and configured to move along a first direction.

[0135] As an example, the bracket 1 can travel along the working surface via the traveling mechanism 41.

[0136] Here, the working surface refers to the surface on which the battery swapping equipment 10 travels. In some cases, the commercial vehicle 1000 also travels on the working surface. For example, when the commercial vehicle 1000 travels on the ground of the battery swapping station 2000, the ground of the battery swapping station 2000 can be considered as the working surface, and the battery swapping equipment 10 can also travel on the ground of the battery swapping station 2000. In other cases, the commercial vehicle 1000 does not travel on the working surface. For example, when the distance between the battery device 100 of the commercial vehicle 100 chassis and the working surface is large along the lifting direction, the vehicle is still parked on the traveling surface, while the battery swapping equipment 10 enters under the vehicle chassis through a ramp, pit, etc. In this case, the bottom surface of the ramp or pit can be considered as the working surface.

[0137] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments disclosed herein do not specifically limit the shape of the working surface. The working surface can be a horizontal surface, a surface inclined relative to a horizontal surface (e.g., a slope), or a shallow trench, etc.

[0138] In some embodiments, the battery swapping device 10 has an improved structure (described in detail below) with a lower overall height along the lifting direction. Therefore, it can travel in shallower trenches or even directly on the same surface as the commercial vehicle 1000 (e.g., the ground of the battery swapping station 2000), thereby reducing the engineering time and difficulty of landing at the station and helping to reduce economic costs.

[0139] For example, the walking mechanism 41 may include a roller capable of walking, or a track wheel capable of walking on the walking guide assembly 30.

[0140] In some embodiments, the adjustment mechanism 42 includes a translation component 43, which is disposed on the bracket 1. The lifting component 421 is connected to the translation component 43 and can reciprocate along the second direction under the drive of the translation component 43.

[0141] For example, the translation component 43 can be a linear module. Also for example, the translation component 43 can drive the lifting component 421 to achieve a travel distance of less than or equal to 145 mm along the second direction.

[0142] By setting the translation component 43, the position of the carrying platform 2 in the second direction can be adjusted, thereby further improving the battery swapping success rate.

[0143] In some embodiments, the battery replacement device 10 includes a lifting platform 422, which is connected to the side of the lifting assembly 421 opposite to the bracket 1 along the lifting direction. The lifting assembly 421 is configured to enable the lifting platform 422 to be lifted and lowered, and the carrying platform 2 is connected to the lifting platform 422.

[0144] In this embodiment, the lifting platform 422 serves as a connector between the lifting assembly 421 and the carrying platform 2, thereby further improving the stability of the lifting assembly 421 when it drives the carrying platform 2 to rise and fall.

[0145] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 9 and 10, the lifting platform 422 includes a lifting top plate 4221 and a lifting bottom plate 4222 spaced apart. A rotation adjustment component 44 is disposed between the lifting top plate 4221 and the lifting bottom plate 4222 to allow the lifting top plate 4221 to rotate relative to the lifting bottom plate 4222 about a first direction. The carrying platform 2 is connected to the lifting top plate 4221.

[0146] Thus, the lifting top plate 4221 is movably connected to the lifting base plate 4222, and can rotate relative to the lifting base plate 4222 in a first direction by rotating the adjustment component 44, thereby driving the bearing platform 2 connected to the lifting top plate 4221 to rotate in the first direction.

[0147] In this embodiment, the rotation adjustment component 44 is disposed between the lifting top plate 4221 and the lifting bottom plate 4222 of the lifting platform 422. This arrangement helps to simplify the structure of the rotation adjustment component 44 and improve the rotation adjustment efficiency of the bearing platform 2 (the lifting component 421 does not need to rotate with the bearing platform 2).

[0148] In some embodiments, referring to FIG10, the rotation adjustment assembly 44 includes a rotation bearing 441. The fixed side of the rotation bearing 441 is connected to the lifting base plate 4222, and the rotating side of the rotation bearing 441 is connected to the lifting top plate 4221. Under the action of external force, the lifting top plate 4221 rotates relative to the lifting base plate 4222 about a first direction through the rotation bearing 441.

[0149] Therefore, the lifting top plate 4221 can rotate around the first direction through the rotating bearing 441 under the action of external force, thereby improving flexibility, adapting to battery devices 100 in different postures, and thus enabling better replacement of battery devices 100.

[0150] As an example, the rotation adjustment assembly 44 further includes a fixed shaft 442 extending along a first direction and fixedly connected to the lifting base plate 4222. The lifting top plate 4221 is supported on the fixed shaft 442 and is spaced apart from the lifting base plate 4222 via the fixed shaft 442. In some embodiments, the surface of the fixed shaft 442 facing the lifting top plate 4221 is a flat surface, and the lifting top plate 4221 is supported on the flat surface.

[0151] There are two rotating bearings 441, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the fixed shaft 442 along the first direction. Specifically, the axial direction of the rotating bearings 441 is consistent with the first direction. The inner ring (fixed side) of the rotating bearing 441 is fixedly connected to the fixed shaft 442, and the outer ring (rotating side) of the rotating bearing 441 is connected to the lifting top plate 4221. The outer ring can rotate relative to the inner ring, so that the lifting top plate 4221 can rotate relative to the lifting bottom plate 4222 around the first direction under the action of external force through the rotating bearings 441.

[0152] The rotation adjustment component 44 in this embodiment is a passive adjustment component, meaning that the rotation adjustment component 44 does not rotate under the drive of the drive device, but rather rotates due to the action of an external force. Specifically, when the battery device 100 installed on the commercial vehicle 1000 rotates and tilts around the first direction, during the upward movement of the support platform 2, because the battery device 100 is tilted, the support platform 2 will first partially contact the bottom of the battery device 100. At this time, as the support platform 2 continues to rise along the lifting direction, the part of the battery device 100 in contact with the support platform 2 will exert a certain force on the support platform 2. The force on the support platform 2 will be transmitted to the lifting top plate 4221 connected to the support platform 2. Under the influence of this force, the lifting top plate 4221 can drive the rotation side of the rotating bearing 441 to rotate, thereby causing the support platform 2 to rotate around the first direction, adapting to the tilted bottom of the battery device 100, so that the bearing surface 21 of the support platform 2 contacts the bottom surface of the battery device 100.

[0153] This passive rotation method, where the device rotates under external force, helps to reduce the number of drive units and lower production costs. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for additional space to accommodate drive units, improving space utilization and thus reducing the height of the battery replacement equipment 10 along the lifting direction.

[0154] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the lifting top plate 4221 may also rotate relative to the lifting bottom plate 4222 in a first direction under the drive of the driving device, thereby adapting to the inclined bottom of the battery device 100 in an active rotation manner.

[0155] In some embodiments, referring to FIG10, the lifting platform 422 includes a plurality of limiting components, each limiting component including a limiting member 4223 and a limiting hole 4224. The limiting member 4223 is disposed on the lifting base plate 4222, and the limiting hole 4224 is opened in the lifting top plate 4221. At least a portion of the limiting member 4223 is located in the limiting hole 4224, and there is a gap between the outer contour of the limiting member 4223 and the inner contour of the limiting hole 4224.

[0156] At least one limiting component is provided on each of the opposite sides of the rotating bearing 441 along the second direction. Therefore, when the lifting top plate 4221 rotates and adjusts around the first direction, it can be limited by the limiting components, ensuring that the lifting top plate 4221 rotates only around the first direction relative to the lifting base plate 4222 as much as possible. This reduces the possibility of the lifting top plate 4221 tilting or tipping over during rotation, improving rotational reliability.

[0157] For example, the limiting member 4223 can be a locating pin, which is generally cylindrical. The diameter of the limiting hole 4224 is larger than the outer diameter of the locating pin, and the locating pin extends at least partially into the limiting hole 4224. Thus, the lifting top plate 4221 can be limited to a certain extent without affecting the rotation of the lifting top plate 4221 relative to the lifting base plate 4222.

[0158] In this embodiment, four limiting components are provided on both sides of the rotating bearing 441 along the second direction. In some other embodiments, more or fewer limiting components may be provided. This disclosure does not specifically limit the number of limiting components.

[0159] In some embodiments, the lifting platform 422 further includes a plurality of reset members 4225, which are disposed between the lifting top plate 4221 and the lifting bottom plate 4222, and at least one reset member 4225 is provided on each of the opposite sides of the rotating bearing 441 along the second direction. The second direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the lifting direction.

[0160] Therefore, when the external force that causes the lifting top plate 4221 to rotate disappears, the lifting platform 4222 can restore the balance position of the lifting top plate 4221 under the action of the reset member 4225, thereby restoring the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 to a state parallel to the bracket 1, which facilitates the stable bearing of the battery device 100 by the bearing platform 2, reduces the possibility of the battery device 100 falling off the bearing platform 2, and improves the reliability of the battery replacement equipment 10.

[0161] The present invention does not specifically limit the number of reset pieces 4225. One, two, three or more reset pieces 4225 may be provided on opposite sides of the rotating bearing 441 along the second direction, which can be set according to the actual size of the lifting platform 422.

[0162] In some embodiments, the reset member 4225 includes a compression spring.

[0163] Compression springs have a simple structure, are easy to manufacture, have good elastic properties, and possess good strength and stiffness, enabling them to withstand greater pressure.

[0164] Moreover, compression springs have good fatigue resistance and a long service life, which helps reduce replacement costs.

[0165] In some embodiments, the lifting platform 422 further includes a stop portion 4226, which is disposed on the lifting base plate 4222 and protrudes toward the lifting top plate 4221 in the lifting direction. The stop portion 4226 is used to support the lifting top plate 4221 in the event of failure of the reset member 4225. At least one stop portion 4226 is provided on each of the opposite sides of the rotating bearing 441 in the second direction.

[0166] Therefore, the stop part 4226 can reduce the possibility of the lifting top plate 4221 overturning due to excessive rotation in the event of failure of the reset part 4225, reduce the possibility of damage to the lifting platform 422, and improve the reliability of the battery replacement equipment 10.

[0167] In some embodiments, along the lifting direction, the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 is located on the side closer to the bracket 1 relative to the lifting platform 422; that is, along the lifting direction, the bearing surface 21 is set lower than the lifting platform 422. This allows the bearing platform 2 to be driven to lift within a lower height range, thereby further reducing the battery swapping equipment 10's requirement for the chassis height space of the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0168] In this embodiment, specifically, the support platform 2 is arranged on one side of the lifting platform 422 in a direction perpendicular to the lifting direction. For example, the support platform 2 can be arranged on one side of the lifting platform 422 along the first direction, so that the support surface 21 of the support platform 2 is located on the side closer to the bracket 1 relative to the lifting platform 422.

[0169] This embodiment does not specifically limit the height difference between the support platform 2 and the lifting platform 422 along the lifting direction. Preferably, the height difference between the support platform 2 and the lifting platform 422 along the lifting direction is set such that when the battery swapping device 10 and the commercial vehicle 1000 travel on the same surface and the support platform 2 carries the battery device 100, the battery device 100 does not interfere with the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000, and the battery swapping device 10 can smoothly enter and exit under the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. This achieves pitless battery swapping, further reducing the engineering time and difficulty of site placement, lowering economic costs, and also allows the support platform 2 to be driven and lifted within a lower height range, thereby further reducing the height space requirement of the battery swapping device 10 on the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 and improving battery swapping efficiency.

[0170] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, along the lifting direction, the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 may also be approximately flush with or even higher than the top surface of the lifting platform 422.

[0171] In some embodiments, the lifting platform 422 and the supporting platform 2 can move together between a first position and a second position along the lifting direction, with the first position being lower than the second position. When the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface (the surface on which the battery replacement device 10 travels) along the lifting direction is in the range of 345mm to 400mm. When the lifting platform 422 is in the second position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction is in the range of 1045mm to 1100mm.

[0172] In this embodiment, when the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction is in the range of 345mm to 400mm. That is, when the lifting platform 422 is in the lowest position along the lifting direction, the distance between the highest position of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface is in the range of 345mm to 400mm.

[0173] For example, when the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction can be 345mm, 350mm, 355mm, 360mm, 365mm, 370mm, 375mm, 380mm, 385mm, 390mm, 395mm or 400mm, etc.

[0174] When the battery replacement device 10 is not carrying the battery unit 100, the top surface of the lifting platform 422 is usually the highest position of the battery replacement device 10. In this embodiment, when the lifting platform 422 of the battery replacement device 10 is in the first position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface is small enough. Therefore, the battery replacement device 10 can smoothly enter and exit under the chassis of most commercial vehicles 1000, even when the commercial vehicle 1000 is also moving on the working surface. It is less likely to interfere with the chassis support and other structures of the commercial vehicle 1000, resulting in better compatibility.

[0175] In addition, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface is small enough, so the height of the support platform 2, which is lower than the lifting platform 422 and connected to the lifting platform 422, along the lifting direction is also low enough. In this way, when the support platform 2 carries the battery device 100, the top height of the battery device 100 can also be lower than the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. This allows the battery replacement equipment 10 carrying the battery device 100 to smoothly enter and exit under the chassis of most commercial vehicles 1000 when it travels on the same surface as the commercial vehicle 1000. Furthermore, the battery device 100 is less likely to interfere with the chassis support or other structures of the commercial vehicle 1000, thus improving the reliability of the battery replacement equipment 10.

[0176] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 18, the top surface of the lifting platform 422 may be equipped with an electrical control box 20. The electrical control box 20 is used to house electrical components such as the controller 200, power supply, servo driver, and PLC of the battery replacement device 10. In this case, the top surface of the electrical control box 20 is the highest position of the battery replacement device 10 along the lifting direction. Even if the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the height of the electrical control box 20 may still be higher than the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. Therefore, the side of the battery replacement device 10 equipped with the electrical control box 20 will not enter under the commercial vehicle 1000. In this case, when there are multiple lifting platforms 422, the lifting platform 422 without the electrical control box 20 can enter and exit under the commercial vehicle 1000, thereby driving the carrying platform 2 to enter under the commercial vehicle 1000. When there is only one lifting platform 422, the lifting platform 422 with the electrical control box 20 does not enter under the commercial vehicle 1000, but only the carrying platform 2 enters under the vehicle.

[0177] In this embodiment, the effective lifting stroke of the lifting component 421 can reach approximately 700mm, which can meet the battery swapping needs of most commercial vehicles 1000.

[0178] Specifically, when the lifting platform 422 is in the second position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction is in the range of 1045mm to 1100mm. That is, when the lifting platform 422 is in the highest position along the lifting direction, the distance between the highest position of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface is in the range of 1045mm to 1100mm.

[0179] For example, when the lifting platform 422 is in the second position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction can be 1045mm, 1050mm, 1055mm, 1060mm, 1065mm, 1070mm, 1075mm, 1080mm, 1085mm, 1090mm, 1095mm or 1100mm, etc.

[0180] Therefore, the lifting platform 422 can be raised to a sufficient height along the lifting direction, so as to meet the replacement needs of the battery replacement equipment 10 for battery devices 100 with different setting heights, and thus have better compatibility.

[0181] The following describes the movement process of the battery replacement device 10 disassembling and installing the first battery device in the commercial vehicle 1000, taking as an example that there are two lifting components 421 and two lifting platforms 422, and the two lifting components 421 and lifting platforms 422 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the bearing platform 2 along the first direction.

[0182] When the battery replacement device 10 needs to replace the battery device 100 of the commercial vehicle 1000, the battery replacement device 10 moves along the first direction to the battery replacement position. At this time, both lifting platforms 422 are in the first position. The lifting platform 422 without the electronic control box 20 passes under the commercial vehicle 1000 from the first side along the first direction to the second side along the first direction. The lifting platform 422 with the electronic control box 20 stays on the first side of the commercial vehicle 1000. The carrying platform 2 connected between the two lifting platforms 422 stays under the commercial vehicle 1000. That is, when the battery replacement device 10 reaches the battery replacement position, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projections of the two lifting platforms 422 of the battery replacement device 10 are outside the projection range of the commercial vehicle 1000, while the projection of the carrying platform 2 is within the projection range of the commercial vehicle 1000. After the battery replacement device 10 moves to the battery replacement position, the lifting platforms 422 on both sides rise along the lifting direction under the action of the lifting components 421, thereby moving the carrying platform 2 closer to the first battery device installed on the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 along the lifting direction. After the unlocking mechanism 3 unlocks the battery device 100, the first battery device is supported on the bearing surface 21 of the carrying platform 2. Subsequently, the lifting platform 422 descends to the first position along the lifting direction under the action of the lifting components 421, thereby moving the carrying platform 2 carrying the first battery device away from the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 along the lifting direction. Then, the battery replacement device 10 leaves the battery replacement position along the first direction and performs subsequent operations such as handing over the first battery device and the second battery device to the battery buffer device 40.

[0183] Those skilled in the art should understand that the process of installing the second battery device on the commercial vehicle 1000 by the battery replacement device 10 is basically the same as the disassembly process. The only difference is that after the battery replacement device 10 moves into place, the battery device 100 is locked by the locking and unlocking mechanism 3, thereby installing the second battery device, which is carried on the support platform 2, onto the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000. Therefore, other basically the same steps will not be described in detail here.

[0184] In some embodiments, when the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the distance between the top surface of the lifting platform 422 and the working surface along the lifting direction is in the range of 350mm to 375mm.

[0185] This makes the structure of the battery replacement device 10 more compact along the lifting direction, thus enabling the battery replacement device 10 to smoothly enter and exit under the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0186] In some embodiments, when the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the carrying platform 2 abuts against the bracket 1.

[0187] This maximizes the height difference between the support platform 2 and the lifting platform 422 along the lifting direction, enabling the battery replacement equipment 10 to support battery devices 100 with larger height dimensions. This further improves the compatibility of the battery replacement equipment 10 and allows it to perform battery device 100 replacement operations for commercial vehicles 1000 equipped with battery devices 100 of different sizes and heights.

[0188] In some embodiments, the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10 is configured to support a battery device 100 with a weight not exceeding 1.5t (ton).

[0189] In some embodiments, a battery device 100 has a length (dimension along a first direction) of 2420 mm, a width (dimension along a second direction) of 776 mm, a height (dimension along a lifting direction) of 540 mm, and a weight of 1.3 t. In some other embodiments, the battery device 100 can also be any other size or weight.

[0190] In this embodiment, the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10 is configured to support a battery device 100 with a weight not exceeding 1.5t (ton). Therefore, the battery replacement device 10 can support most types of battery devices 100, thereby allowing for the replacement of different models and weights of battery devices 100 carried by different commercial vehicles 1000, further improving the compatibility of the battery replacement device 10.

[0191] In addition, the larger the load-bearing range of the battery replacement device 10's support platform 2, the lower the risk of structural deformation and damage to the support platform 2 due to the excessive weight of the battery device 100, which helps to further improve the stability and reliability of the battery replacement device 10 when replacing the battery device 100.

[0192] In some embodiments, referring to FIG4, there are two lifting components 421, and the two ends of the carrying platform 2 are respectively connected to the two lifting components 421 along the first direction.

[0193] Specifically, the two lifting components 421 include a first lifting component 421a and a second lifting component 421b. The first lifting component 421a is located on one side of the support platform 2 along the first direction, and the second lifting component 421b is located on the other side of the support platform 2 along the first direction.

[0194] As an example, in this embodiment, within the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the lifting component 421 and the projection of the supporting platform 2 are offset from each other along the first direction; in other words, the projection of the lifting component 421 and the projection of the supporting platform 2 do not overlap. Of course, as another example, within the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the lifting component 421 and the projection of the supporting platform 2 may at least partially overlap.

[0195] As mentioned above, in some embodiments, the battery replacement device 10 includes a lifting platform 422. In this embodiment, there are two lifting platforms 422, including a first lifting platform 422a and a second lifting platform 422b. A first lifting component 421a causes the first lifting platform 422a to move up and down in the lifting direction, and a second lifting component 421b causes the second lifting platform 422b to move up and down in the lifting direction. The first lifting component 421a and the first lifting platform 422a are located on one side of the support platform 2 along the first direction, and the second lifting component 421b and the second lifting platform 422b are located on the other side of the support platform 2 along the first direction.

[0196] Furthermore, as mentioned above, along the lifting direction, the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 can be lower than the top surface of the lifting platform 422.

[0197] In this embodiment, the lifting and lowering of the support platform 2 is driven by two lifting components 421, which helps to improve the lifting stability and reliability of the support platform 2, reduce the possibility of the support platform 2 flipping during the lifting and lowering process, and thus improve the battery replacement success rate of the battery replacement device 10.

[0198] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lifting component 421 of the battery swapping device 10 and the supporting platform 2 are arranged along the first direction. This reduces the overall height of the battery swapping device 10 along the lifting direction, thereby reducing the need for chassis height space in the commercial vehicle 1000 and improving the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping device 10 with different chassis heights of the commercial vehicle 1000. Additionally, there is no need to design a special pit or a lifting mechanism to raise the vehicle if the battery swapping device 10 is too tall to access the underside of the vehicle chassis. This results in higher battery swapping reliability, better battery swapping efficiency, and also helps save production costs.

[0199] Furthermore, due to the reduced height of the battery swapping device 10, it can complete battery swapping by moving within shallower trenches, or even move directly on the same surface as the commercial vehicle 1000 without requiring trenches. This reduces the engineering time and difficulty of setting up the swapping station, thereby lowering economic costs and increasing the reliability of battery swapping. It also saves time on raising and lowering the device, thus improving the battery swapping efficiency, resulting in a faster swapping cycle and stronger service capabilities.

[0200] Of course, those skilled in the art will understand that in some other embodiments, the battery replacement device 10 may also include only a lifting assembly 421.

[0201] In some embodiments, the two lifting components 421 can lift and lower independently.

[0202] After the commercial vehicle 1000 is parked, the battery unit 100 installed on the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 may tilt, rotate, or shift position due to various reasons. For example, the commercial vehicle 1000 may be parked at an angle, the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 may be partially deformed, the battery unit 100 may be installed at an angle, or other reasons may cause the battery unit 100 to shift or tilt relative to the battery replacement position. When the battery unit 100 shifts or tilts relative to the battery replacement position, the alignment between the battery replacement equipment 10 and the battery unit 100 becomes more difficult, thus increasing the difficulty of disassembling and assembling the battery unit 100 and reducing the success rate of disassembly and assembly.

[0203] Those skilled in the art should understand that the battery replacement position refers to the ideal position where the battery replacement device 10 replaces the battery unit 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000. The ideal state means that after the battery replacement device 10 moves to its designated position, no additional position or attitude adjustments are required; the battery unit 100 can be installed or removed directly by lifting the device via the lifting assembly 421.

[0204] In this embodiment, the two lifting components 421 can lift independently, so the first lifting component 421 and the second lifting component 421b can lift and lower by the same height along the lifting direction, thereby making the carrying platform 2 rise or fall stably and synchronously. The first lifting component 421a and the second lifting component 421b can also lift and lower by different heights, thereby making the carrying platform 2 tilt around the second direction. Different lifting height differences can make the tilt angle of the carrying platform 2 different, thus adapting to the situation where the battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000 tilts around the second direction relative to the battery replacement position due to factors such as the installation accuracy of the battery device 100 and the position deviation of the commercial vehicle 1000. This allows the bearing surface 21 of the carrying platform 2 to make good surface contact with the tilted battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000, so that the unlocking mechanism 3 of the battery replacement device 10 can smoothly install and remove the tilted battery device 100, improving the success rate of battery device 100 replacement.

[0205] In some embodiments, the translation component 43 can drive the two lifting components 421 to reciprocate independently along the second direction.

[0206] As an example, there are two translation components 43, including a first translation component 43 and a second translation component 43. The first translation component 43 can independently drive the first lifting component 421a to reciprocate along the second direction, and the second translation component 43 can independently drive the second lifting component 421b to reciprocate along the second direction.

[0207] Taking bracket 1 including bearing plate 11 as an example, there are two bearing plates 11, and two translation components 43 are respectively set on the two bearing plates 11.

[0208] In this embodiment, the first translation component 43 and the second translation component 43 can drive the two lifting components 421 to move the same distance along the second direction, thereby causing the carrying platform 2 to translate along the second direction. The first translation component 43 and the second translation component 43 can also drive the two lifting components 421 to move different distances along the second direction, thereby causing the carrying platform 2 to rotate around the lifting direction. The different distance differences can cause the carrying platform 2 to rotate at different angles, thus adapting to situations where the battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000 rotates around the lifting direction relative to the battery replacement position due to factors such as the installation accuracy of the battery device 100 and the position deviation of the commercial vehicle 1000. This allows the unlocking mechanism 3 of the battery replacement device 10 to smoothly install and remove the rotating battery device 100, improving the success rate of battery device 100 replacement.

[0209] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the translation component 43 may also be configured to drive only the two lifting components 421 to reciprocate synchronously along the second direction. For example, there may be one translation component 43, configured to drive both lifting components 421 to reciprocate simultaneously along the second direction; or there may be two translation components 43, configured to move synchronously only.

[0210] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 3 and 4, the battery replacement device 10 further includes a suspension member 5, the top end of which is connected to a lifting assembly 421, and the bottom end of which is connected to a support platform 2. The number of suspension members 5 is at least two, which are respectively connected to two lifting assemblies 421 and support platforms 2.

[0211] As an example, there are four suspension components 5, and the support platform 2 is roughly rectangular, with a suspension component 5 connected to each of the four corners of the rectangle. Therefore, when the support platform 2 is raised and lowered by the lifting assembly 421, the risk of tilting or overturning of the support platform 2 is reduced, resulting in better reliability.

[0212] Those skilled in the art should understand that the present disclosure does not specifically limit the number of suspension components 5, as long as the bearing platform 2 can be stably suspended between the lifting platforms 422.

[0213] In this embodiment, the support platform 2 is connected to the lifting assembly 421 via the suspension component 5. This removes the minimum height limitation of the lifting assembly 421 along the lifting direction from the minimum height limitation of the support platform 2, helping to reduce the overall height of the battery swapping device 10. This, in turn, reduces the overall height requirement of the commercial vehicle 1000 chassis, improving the battery swapping compatibility of the device with different chassis heights. Furthermore, it helps to further reduce the pit depth and even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0214] In some embodiments, the suspension element 5 includes a flexible structure.

[0215] Therefore, the flexible structure can dissipate the lateral force as much as possible when the unlocking mechanism 3 matches the locking head of the battery device 100, thereby reducing the possibility of damage to the unlocking structure or the battery device 100 due to force, reducing the probability of the unlocking mechanism 3 failing to unlock the battery device 100, and improving the reliability of the battery replacement device 10.

[0216] For example, the flexible structure includes any one of chains or ropes.

[0217] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5, the lifting assembly 421 includes a lifting support 4211 and a rigid chain assembly 4212. The lifting support 4211 is connected to the bracket 1, and the rigid chain assembly 4212 is disposed on the lifting support 4211. The rigid chain assembly 4212 includes a rigid chain drive and at least one rigid chain. One end of the rigid chain is connected to the rigid chain drive, and the other end is connected to the lifting platform 422, for driving the lifting platform 422 to rise and fall under the drive of the rigid chain drive.

[0218] The lifting support 4211 is the supporting structure of the lifting assembly 421, providing good support for various structural components that realize the function of the lifting assembly 421. The lifting support 4211 is generally flat and plate-shaped, thus providing stable support for various functional structural components. This embodiment does not specifically limit the shape of the lifting support 4211; any suitable shape can be used.

[0219] In this embodiment, the lifting assembly 421 achieves the lifting of the lifting platform 422 via the rigid chain assembly 4212, thereby driving the supporting platform 2 to lift along the lifting direction. The rigid chain assembly 4212 has strong load-bearing capacity and good stability, thus it can withstand a large load during the lifting process and its posture is more stable during the lifting process, which is beneficial to improving the stability and reliability of the battery replacement device 10 supporting the battery device 100.

[0220] In addition, the rigid chain assembly 4212 has a stable structure and can maintain a relatively accurate displacement during the lifting process, thereby accurately raising or lowering the lifting platform 422 to the designated position and improving the reliability of the battery replacement device 10 during the battery replacement device 100 process.

[0221] Moreover, the rigid chain assembly 4212 has a compact structure, which helps to reduce the height of the lifting assembly 421 along the lifting direction, thereby enabling the battery replacement equipment 10 to be adapted to more commercial vehicles 1000 without a pit, and thus has better compatibility.

[0222] Furthermore, the rigid chain assembly 4212 has a large lifting stroke, which enables the battery replacement equipment 10 to replace batteries in various commercial vehicles 1000 with battery devices 100 at different ground heights, thus improving compatibility.

[0223] It should be noted that in some other embodiments, the lifting assembly 421 may not include the rigid chain assembly 4212, but may include other mechanisms with lifting functions such as a scissor lift mechanism.

[0224] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5, the lifting assembly 421 further includes a guide assembly 4213, one end of which is connected to the lifting support 4211 and the other end of which is connected to the lifting platform 422.

[0225] Therefore, the lifting assembly 421 can enable the lifting platform 422 to rise or fall stably along the lifting direction through the guide assembly 4213, reducing the possibility of the lifting platform 422 deviating or shaking during the lifting process, and further improving the lifting reliability of the lifting assembly 421.

[0226] For example, the guide assembly 4213 may include a guide rail slider guide assembly 4213. For another example, the guide assembly 4213 may include a scissor fork assembly 4214. For yet another example, the guide assembly 4213 may include a gear and rack guide assembly 4213. This disclosure does not specifically limit the type and structure of the guide assembly 4213, as long as it can provide good guidance for the lifting assembly 421.

[0227] In some embodiments, referring to FIG5, the guide assembly 4213 includes at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214, the pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214 being spaced apart and the rigid chain assembly 4212 being located between the at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214.

[0228] The scissor fork assembly 4214 has a high load-bearing capacity and distributes force evenly, which helps improve the stability and reliability of the lifting assembly 421. In addition, the relatively compact structure of the scissor fork assembly 4214 helps to reduce the height of the lifting platform 422 in the lifting direction when it is in the first position, thereby enabling the battery replacement equipment 10 to smoothly enter and exit under the commercial vehicle 1000 without a pit.

[0229] Moreover, the scissor fork assembly 4214 can achieve a large lifting stroke within a limited space, thereby adapting to lifting needs at different heights and improving the versatility and flexibility of the lifting assembly 421.

[0230] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the guide component 4213 may also be any other suitable guide component 4213 such as a guide rod bearing or a telescopic rod.

[0231] For example, the scissor fork assembly 4214 can be an "X"-shaped scissor fork assembly 4214, that is, it includes two scissor fork arms, the two scissor fork arms are hinged to each other, and one end of the two scissor fork arms is slidably connected to the lifting platform 422 and the other end is slidably connected to the lifting support member 4211, or one end of the two scissor fork arms is rotatably connected to the lifting platform 422 and the other end is rotatably connected to the lifting support member 4211.

[0232] As another example, the scissor fork assembly 4214 may include more scissor fork arms.

[0233] This disclosure does not specifically limit the type and structure of the scissor fork assembly 4214; any suitable scissor fork assembly 4214 can be used.

[0234] As an example, the number of scissor fork assemblies 4214 is four, that is, two pairs of scissor fork assemblies 4214. The rigid chain assembly 4212 is generally located in the central area of ​​the lifting support 4211. The four scissor fork assemblies 4214 can be arranged around the rigid chain assembly 4212, thereby providing good guidance and further reducing the possibility of the lifting platform 422 overturning or deviating during the lifting process, thus improving the reliability of the lifting assembly 421.

[0235] In some other embodiments, the number of scissor fork assemblies 4214 may also be two, that is, a pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214. The pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214 are spaced apart, and the rigid chain assembly 4212 is located between at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies 4214. This disclosure does not specifically limit the number of scissor fork assemblies 4214, as long as the lifting platform 422 can achieve stable and reliable lifting under the drive of the lifting assembly 421.

[0236] In some embodiments, referring to FIG6, the scissor fork assembly 4214 includes two connecting seats 4215 and two sets of scissor fork arm assemblies 4216. One connecting seat 4215 is connected to the lifting support member 4211, and the other connecting seat 4215 is connected to the lifting platform 422. Both sets of scissor fork arm assemblies 4216 are hinged to the two connecting seats 4215, and the two sets of scissor fork arm assemblies 4216 are hinged to each other.

[0237] Therefore, a simple structure allows for a more uniform load distribution on the scissor fork assembly 4214, resulting in higher structural strength. When the load-bearing platform 2 carries the battery device 100, the weight of the lifting platform 422 can be transferred to the connecting seat 4215 during lifting, and then shared by the two sets of scissor fork arm assemblies 4216. This reduces the possibility of excessive stress at a single point and improves the overall stability of the scissor fork assembly 4214.

[0238] As an example, referring to FIG6, each scissor arm assembly 4216 includes a first scissor arm 4216a, a second scissor arm 4216b, and a third scissor arm 4216c. One end of the first scissor arm 4216a is hinged to a connecting seat 4215, and the other end of the first scissor arm 4216a is hinged to one end of the third scissor arm 4216c. One end of the second scissor arm 4216b is hinged to another connecting seat 4215, and the other end of the second scissor arm 4216b is hinged to the other end of the third scissor arm 4216c. Furthermore, the central regions of the third scissor arms 4216c of the two scissor arm assemblies 4216 are hinged to each other.

[0239] The articulated design reduces friction between the individual scissor arms, resulting in smoother movement, which in turn reduces resistance and energy loss, lowers noise, and extends the service life of the 4216 scissor arm assembly.

[0240] In addition, the hinged design allows for better synchronization of the movement of each scissor arm, enabling coordinated movement and reducing the possibility of deviation of a single scissor arm. This improves the guiding accuracy of the guide assembly 4213, and consequently enhances the reliability and stability of the lifting assembly 421.

[0241] Furthermore, by setting multiple scissor fork arms, the space occupied by the scissor fork assembly 4214 can be effectively reduced, so that when the bearing platform 2 is in the first position, that is, when the scissor fork assembly 4214 is in the retracted state, the height along the lifting direction is lower, which helps to reduce the height of the battery replacement device 10 along the lifting direction.

[0242] In some embodiments, the first scissor arms 4216a of both sets of scissor arm assemblies 4216 are hinged to a connecting seat 4215, and the second scissor arms 4216b of both sets of scissor arm assemblies 4216 are hinged to another connecting seat 4215. A first toothed structure 4217 is formed at the end of each of the two first scissor arms 4216a that is hinged to the connecting seat 4215, and the first toothed structures 4217 of the two first scissor arms 4216a engage with each other. And / or a second toothed structure 4218 is formed at the end of each of the two second scissor arms 4216b that is hinged to the connecting seat 4215, and the second toothed structures 4218 of the two second scissor arms 4216b engage with each other.

[0243] Therefore, the synchronous rotation of the two sets of scissor fork arms 4216 can be achieved through the meshing of the first tooth structure 4217 and / or the second tooth structure 4218, thereby reducing the risk of twisting or tilting of the scissor fork assembly 4214 due to the uncoordinated movement of the two sets of scissor fork arms 4216 and improving the overall stability of the scissor fork assembly 4214.

[0244] In addition, when the scissor fork assembly 4214 is in a stationary state, the meshing toothed structure can also provide a certain degree of self-locking performance, thereby reducing the possibility of the scissor fork assembly 4214 slipping unexpectedly and improving the positional accuracy of the lifting platform 422.

[0245] In this embodiment, the ends of the two first scissor arms 4216a that are hinged to the connecting seat 4215 are formed with a first tooth structure 4217, and the two first tooth structures 4217 mesh with each other. The ends of the two second scissor arms 4216b that are hinged to the connecting seat 4215 are formed with a second tooth structure 4218, and the two second tooth structures 4218 mesh with each other.

[0246] In some embodiments, only the ends of the two first scissor arms 4216a that are hinged to the connecting seat 4215 may have a first tooth structure 4217, and the two first tooth structures 4217 may mesh with each other; or only the ends of the two second scissor arms 4216b that are hinged to the connecting seat 4215 may have a second tooth structure 4218, and the two second tooth structures 4218 may mesh with each other.

[0247] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 and 8, the translation component 43 includes a translation drive 431 and a translation transmission component 432, the bracket 1 includes a support plate 11, the translation drive 431 is disposed on the support plate 11, the lifting component 421 is slidably engaged with the support plate 11 along a second direction, and the translation transmission component 432 connects the translation drive 431 and the lifting component 421. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the translation drive 431 is located outside the projection range of the lifting component 421.

[0248] The specific structural form of the translation drive component 431 and the translation transmission component 432 is not limited. As an example, the translation drive component 431 includes a motor, hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, etc. The translation transmission component 432 connects the drive end of the translation drive component 431 to the lifting assembly 421.

[0249] As an example, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the translation drive 431 is located on one side of the projection of the lifting assembly 421 along the first direction.

[0250] In this embodiment, the translation drive 431 and the lifting assembly 421 are offset from each other in the lifting direction. This reduces the space occupied by the translation drive 431 in the lifting direction, further reducing the overall height of the battery swapping device 10 along the lifting direction. This reduces the need for chassis height space in the commercial vehicle 1000 and improves the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping device 10 with different chassis heights of the commercial vehicle 1000. Furthermore, it helps to further reduce the pit depth and even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0251] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 and 8, the translational transmission member 432 includes a lead screw 4321 extending along a second direction and a meshing member 4322. The driving end of the translational drive member 431 is connected to the lead screw 4321 and is used to drive the lead screw 4321 to rotate. The meshing member 4322 is sleeved on the lead screw 4321 and can move along the second direction as the lead screw 4321 rotates. The lifting assembly 421 is connected to the meshing member 4322 and can reciprocate along the second direction as the meshing member 4322 moves.

[0252] Therefore, the engaging member 4322 can reciprocate along the second direction through the rotation of the lead screw 4321, thereby driving the lifting assembly 421 connected to the engaging member 4322 to reciprocate along the second direction. The lead screw 4321 transmission has high transmission efficiency and low energy consumption, which is more conducive to energy conservation and environmental protection.

[0253] Specifically, the lead screw 4321 has an external thread, and the engaging member 4322 has an internal thread. The engaging member 4322 can be, for example, a nut that engages with the lead screw 4321. Thus, the lifting assembly 421 can reciprocate in a second direction by the engagement of the nut with the lead screw 4321 and by changing the rotation direction of the lead screw 4321.

[0254] For example, the lead screw 4321 and the engagement member 4322 may have a mutual self-locking function, thereby reducing the risk of accidental movement of the lifting assembly 421 in the second direction.

[0255] For example, referring to Figure 7, a support block 433 may be provided on the support plate 11. Two support blocks 433 are arranged at a distance from each other along the second direction. A lead screw 4321 is rotatably mounted on the support block 433, thus providing some support for the lead screw 4321. A guide rail is disposed between the two support blocks 433. Along the second direction, the structure of the support block 433 facing the guide rail can constitute a stop. Therefore, there is no need to provide an additional stop structure, which helps to reduce the number of parts and lower production costs.

[0256] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that the translational transmission component 432 is not limited to the kinematic pair of the lead screw 4321 and the nut. As long as it can realize the movement of the lifting component 421 along the second direction, the translational transmission component 432 can also be, for example, a gear and rack drive, a chain drive, a belt drive, etc.

[0257] In some instances, referring to Figures 11 and 12, the translation component 43 includes a first translation slide rail 434 and a second translation slide rail 435 extending along a second direction, with the engaging member 4322 slidingly engaged with the first translation slide rail 434 and the lifting component 421 slidingly engaged with the second translation slide rail 435.

[0258] Here, the first translational slide rail 434 and the second translational slide rail 435 are typically grooves or ridges made of metal or other suitable materials, mainly used for linear reciprocating motion. The guide rails can support, fix, guide, and reduce friction during their movement of moving parts or mechanisms.

[0259] As an example, the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435 are ridge-shaped protrusions. The engaging member 4322 and / or the lifting assembly 421 can slide and engage with the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435 through the slider. The slider is provided with a groove. The slider moves back and forth along the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435 through the engagement of the groove and the protrusion. This causes the lifting assembly 421, which is directly or indirectly connected to the slider, to move back and forth along the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435.

[0260] As an example, there are two second translation slide rails 435, which are spaced apart along the first direction. Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that the specific number of the first translation slide rails 434 and the second translation slide rails 435 is not limited in this embodiment.

[0261] In this embodiment, on the one hand, setting the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435 can reduce the friction and shaking when the lifting component 421 moves along the second direction, thereby making the movement of the lifting component 421 smoother and more stable, with higher reliability, and thus making the movement of the bearing platform 2 along the second direction more stable and reliable.

[0262] On the other hand, the first translation slide rail 434 and the second translation slide rail 435 can play a certain guiding role, thereby constraining the lifting component 421 so that the lifting component 421 can move stably and reliably along the extension direction of the guide rail, improving the translation accuracy of the lifting component 421, reducing the possibility of the lifting component 421 deviating or swaying during the translation along the second direction, thereby improving the translation accuracy of the lifting platform 422 along the second direction, and further improving the translation accuracy of the bearing platform 2 connected to the lifting platform 422 along the second direction.

[0263] On the other hand, independent slide rails are provided for the meshing component 4322 and the lifting component 421 respectively, which can further improve the stability and reliability of the movement of the bearing platform 2 along the second direction.

[0264] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 and 12, the support plate 11 includes a first support portion 111 and a second support portion 112 distributed along a first direction. The top surface of the second support portion 112 is higher than the top surface of the first support portion 111. A translation drive member 431 is disposed on the first support portion 111, and a lifting assembly 421 is slidably engaged with the second support portion 112.

[0265] In this embodiment, specifically, the first support portion 111 is located on the side of the second support portion 112 that is away from the support platform 2 along the first direction. The specific height difference between the top surface of the first support portion 111 and the top surface of the second support portion 112 is not limited.

[0266] In this embodiment, this arrangement causes the translation drive 431 and the lifting assembly 421 to be distributed along the first direction, thereby helping to further reduce the height of the battery replacement device 10 along the lifting direction.

[0267] Furthermore, it can be understood that since the translation drive component 431 needs to drive the lifting assembly 421, the support platform 2, and the battery device 100 supported on the support platform 2 to move together, the translation drive component 431 needs to have a large output power. Correspondingly, the translation drive component 431 will also have a large volume. In this embodiment, the translation drive component 431 is set in the first support part 111 with a relatively low top surface height. This helps to reduce the space occupied by the translation drive component 431 in the lifting direction, further reducing the overall height of the battery swapping device 10 in the lifting direction, reducing the demand on the chassis height space of the commercial vehicle 1000, and improving the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping device 10 with different chassis heights of the commercial vehicle 1000. In addition, it helps to further reduce the pit depth or even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0268] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 7 and 11, the bracket 1 includes at least one auxiliary support member 13, which protrudes from the top surface of the support plate 11, and the lifting assembly 421 is slidably contacted with the auxiliary support member 13.

[0269] Therefore, the auxiliary support 13 can provide additional support for the lifting assembly 421, which helps to distribute the weight and load of the lifting assembly 421, thereby reducing the burden on the translation assembly 43 and the bracket 1, making the overall structure more stable.

[0270] In addition, the sliding contact method can reduce the shaking of the lifting component 421 during the translation process, making the translation of the lifting component 421 more stable, thereby making the bearing platform 2 more stable during the translation process.

[0271] For example, the number of auxiliary support members 13 can be multiple (two or more), and the multiple auxiliary support members 13 are disposed separately and spaced apart on the support plate 11 of the bracket 1. This embodiment of the disclosure does not impose a specific limitation on the number of auxiliary support members 13, and can set it according to the size of the support plate 11.

[0272] In this embodiment, referring to FIG5, an auxiliary groove 4219 is formed on the side of the lifting support member 4211 of the lifting assembly 421 facing the bracket 1. The auxiliary groove 4219 extends along the second direction, and the auxiliary support member 13 contacts the bottom wall of the groove 4219. Therefore, the contact area between the auxiliary support member 13 and the lifting support member 4211 can be increased through the auxiliary groove 4219, thereby reducing the possibility of local stress concentration and enhancing the supporting effect of the auxiliary support member 13 on the lifting assembly 421.

[0273] In addition, forming an auxiliary groove 4219 on the lifting support 4211 can also reduce the weight of the lifting assembly 421 to a certain extent.

[0274] In some embodiments, the auxiliary support 13 includes rollers and / or balls.

[0275] Rollers and / or balls are rotatably mounted on the support plate 11, thereby providing additional support for the lifting assembly 421. The rollers or balls have a simple structure and low cost, which helps to reduce the overall manufacturing cost of the battery replacement device 10.

[0276] Of course, those skilled in the art should understand that in some other embodiments, the auxiliary support 13 may also be fixedly connected to the support plate 11, and the surface of the auxiliary support 13 that is in contact with the lifting assembly 421 may be a smooth surface, so that the lifting assembly 421 and the auxiliary support 13 are slidably contacted. This disclosure does not specifically limit the type of the auxiliary support 13; it can be any suitable auxiliary support structure.

[0277] In some embodiments, referring to FIG11, the walking mechanism 41 includes a walking drive member 411 and a walking wheel 412, wherein the driving end of the walking drive member 411 is connected to the walking wheel 412.

[0278] Thus, the battery replacement device 10 can be moved along the first direction, thereby moving the battery replacement device 10 to the battery replacement position in a simple structure and in a simple manner, thereby replacing the battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0279] The specific structural forms of the driving component 411 and the driving wheel 412 are not limited. As an example, the driving wheel 412 includes a first gear for meshing with a first rack disposed on the driving guide assembly 30. Thus, fine-tuning of translation along the first direction can be achieved through the meshing of the first gear with the first rack of the driving guide assembly 30. This allows for compensation adjustment along the first direction when the commercial vehicle 1000 is parked at an angle in the first direction, ensuring that the battery replacement device 10 aligns with the battery device 100 along the first direction. This facilitates the unlocking mechanism 3's installation and removal of the battery device 100, thereby improving the reliability of the battery replacement device 10.

[0280] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 11 and 13, the walking mechanism 41 includes a guide wheel assembly 413, which is rotatably disposed on the bracket 1 and is used to rotatably contact the walking guide rail assembly 30.

[0281] Therefore, the guide wheel assembly 413 can guide the walking mechanism 41 to a certain extent, so that the walking mechanism 41 can reciprocate stably along the walking guide rail assembly 30, reducing the possibility of deviation or tilting between the walking mechanism 41 and the walking guide rail assembly 30, and improving the reliability and stability of the battery replacement device 10 moving in the first direction.

[0282] In some embodiments, referring to FIG13, the guide wheel assembly 413 includes a first guide wheel 4131 and a second guide wheel 4132. The rotation axis of the first guide wheel 4131 is aligned with the second direction, and the circumferential surface of the first guide wheel 4131 is used to contact the top surface of the travel guide rail assembly 30. The rotation axis of the second guide wheel 4132 is aligned with the lifting direction, and the circumferential surface of the second guide wheel 4132 is used to contact the side surface of the travel guide rail assembly 30. The second direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the lifting direction.

[0283] The travel guide assembly 30 includes two travel guide rails. The battery replacement device 10 is supported on the two travel guide rails and can move along the two travel guide rails under the drive of the travel mechanism 41.

[0284] For example, the cross-section of the travel guide rail of the travel guide rail assembly 30 can be generally "I" shaped, that is, the opposite two side surfaces of the travel guide rail along the second direction are recessed towards each other to form recesses, and the second guide wheel 4132 is disposed in the recess. The second guide wheel 4132 can be disposed in only one of the two recesses, or the second guide wheel 4132 can be disposed in both recesses.

[0285] As another example, the cross-section of the travel guide rail can also be rectangular.

[0286] The embodiments disclosed herein do not specifically limit the cross-sectional shape of the travel guide rail.

[0287] The guide wheel assembly 413 can constrain the walking mechanism 41 in multiple directions through the first guide wheel 4131 and the second guide wheel 4132, thereby enabling the battery replacement device 10 to move more stably and reliably along the extension direction of the walking guide assembly 30, reducing the possibility of the battery replacement device 10 deviating or shaking during walking.

[0288] In addition, by setting multiple guide wheels, the load can be distributed, the structural strength can be improved, and the load-bearing capacity of the battery replacement device 10 can be increased.

[0289] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 4 and 18, the battery replacement device 10 further includes a locking mechanism 7, which is disposed on at least one of the bracket 1 and the support platform 2. The support platform 2 is movable between a first position and a second position in the lifting direction, the first position being lower than the second position. When the support platform 2 is in the first position, the locking mechanism 7 locks the support platform 2 relative to the bracket 1.

[0290] Therefore, when the carrying platform 2 is in the first position, the carrying platform 2 can be locked to the bracket 1 by the locking mechanism 7, that is, it is stationary relative to the bracket 1, so that the carrying platform 2 is not easy to shake when the battery replacement equipment 10 moves or is in motion, thereby improving the carrying reliability of the carrying platform 2.

[0291] For example, the locking mechanism 7 may include a magnetic locking mechanism 7, a snap-locking structure, etc. This disclosure does not specifically limit the type of locking mechanism 7, as long as it can lock the relative position of the carrying platform 2 and the bracket 1 when the lifting platform 422 is in the first position.

[0292] In some embodiments, the locking mechanism 7 includes an electromagnet and a magnetic adsorption element. The electromagnet is disposed on the bracket 1, and the magnetic adsorption element is disposed on the support platform 2, or the electromagnet is disposed on the support platform 2, and the magnetic adsorption element is disposed on the bracket 1.

[0293] When energized, the electromagnet can quickly generate magnetism, thereby attracting the magnetic adsorption component to achieve rapid locking. When the power is turned off, the magnetism disappears, quickly releasing the magnetic adsorption component, which helps to improve the locking and releasing efficiency of the locking mechanism 7.

[0294] Moreover, electromagnets can be integrated into automated control systems, allowing for remote control of their locking and releasing via electrical signals. This enables automated equipment operation, reduces manual intervention, and improves efficiency and reliability.

[0295] In this embodiment, referring to FIG18, the electromagnet is disposed on the bracket 1, and the magnetic adsorption component is disposed on the support platform 2. The magnetic adsorption component can be integrated with the support platform 2, or it can be a separate structure and then assembled together.

[0296] In some other embodiments, the electromagnet is disposed on the support platform 2, and the magnetic adsorption component is disposed on the bracket 1. The magnetic adsorption component can be formed as an integral structure with the bracket 1, or it can be a separate structure and then assembled together.

[0297] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 14-16, the support platform 2 includes a support member 22, a support member 23, and a rotation adjustment assembly 24. The support member 22 and the support member 23 are distributed along the lifting direction and are movably connected. The side of the support member 23 away from the support member 22 along the lifting direction is configured as a support surface 21. The rotation adjustment assembly 24 is configured to enable the support member 23 to rotate relative to the support member 22 around the lifting direction.

[0298] Here, the support member 23 is generally a flat plate structure. The specific shape of the support member 23 can be determined according to the specific battery device 100 that needs to be adapted, and there is no limitation on it.

[0299] The support member 22 provides a fulcrum for the rotation of the support member 23, and its specific structural form is not limited. As an example, the rotation adjustment assembly 24 includes a rotation drive member 241 and a rotation bearing 242.

[0300] A rotary drive 241 is disposed on the support member 22. The output end of the rotary drive 241 is connected to the support member 23, thereby driving the support member 23 to rotate relative to the support member 22 in the lifting direction. The rotary drive 241 may include, for example, a motor, a cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder, and there are no restrictions on this.

[0301] The fixed side of the rotary bearing 242 is connected to the bearing support 22, and the rotating side of the rotary bearing 242 is connected to the bearing 23. The bearing 23 is rotatably connected to the bearing support 22 through the rotary bearing 242. As an example, the axial direction of the rotary bearing 242 is consistent with the lifting direction. The outer ring (fixed side) of the rotary bearing 242 is fixedly connected to the bearing support 22, and the inner ring (rotating side) of the rotary bearing 242 is fixedly connected to the bearing 23. The inner ring can rotate relative to the outer ring. The axis of the rotary bearing 242 passes through the geometric center of the bearing 23.

[0302] In this embodiment, the carrier 23 can rotate around the lifting direction via the rotation adjustment component 24. If there is a deviation in the parking position of the commercial vehicle 1000, or a deviation in the installation position of the battery device 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000, the rotation adjustment component 24 can adjust the rotation angle of the carrier surface 21 around the lifting direction, so that the rotation angle of the carrier surface 21 around the lifting direction is consistent with the rotation angle of the battery device 100 around the lifting direction. This allows the carrier surface 21 to better align with the battery device 100, enabling the locking / unlocking mechanism 3 on the carrier platform 2 to better lock or unlock the battery device 100, thereby improving the battery replacement success rate of the battery replacement device 10.

[0303] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rotation adjustment component 24 is integrated into the support platform 2, which helps to reduce the space occupied by the rotation adjustment component 24 in the lifting direction of the battery swapping device 10, further reducing the overall height of the battery swapping device 10 in the lifting direction, reducing the need for chassis height space of the commercial vehicle 1000, and improving the battery swapping compatibility of the battery swapping device 10 with different chassis heights of the commercial vehicle 1000. Moreover, it helps to reduce the pit depth and even achieve pitless battery swapping.

[0304] In some embodiments, the rotation adjustment assembly 24 includes a rotation drive 241, which is disposed on the support member 22. The output end of the rotation drive 241 is connected to the support member 23. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the rotation drive 241 is located outside the projection range of the support member 23.

[0305] Therefore, the rotary drive 241 and the carrier 23 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, so that the rotary drive 241 is less likely to interfere with the rotation of the carrier 23, and thus less likely to affect the rotation of the carrier surface 21 around the lifting direction.

[0306] In addition, since the rotary drive component 241 and the support component 23 do not overlap in the lifting direction, the rotary drive component 241 will not occupy the space of the support platform 2 in the lifting direction. This helps to reduce the height of the support platform 2 in the lifting direction. When the lifting platform 422 is in the first position, the height difference between the top surface of the support platform 2 and the top surface of the lifting platform 422 is greater. This allows the battery replacement device 10 to support battery devices 100 with larger height dimensions, which helps to further improve the compatibility of the battery replacement device 10.

[0307] In some embodiments, specifically, the support member 22 includes a first support member 221 and a second support member 222 disposed at at least one end of the first support member 221 along a first direction. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the first support member 221 and the projection of the support member 23 are offset from each other. The rotation drive member 241 is disposed on the second support member 222, and the first direction is perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0308] Here, the supporting member 22 may include only one second supporting member 222, or it may include two second supporting members 222 respectively disposed at opposite ends of the first supporting member 221 along the first direction. In this embodiment, the rotation drive member 241 is disposed on one of the second supporting members 222. Of course, two rotation drive members 241 may also be disposed on the two second supporting members 222 respectively.

[0309] In this embodiment, the rotary drive 241 and the carrier 23 are arranged side by side in the first direction, so that the rotary drive 241 is less likely to interfere with the rotation of the carrier 23, and thus less likely to affect the rotation of the carrier surface 21 around the lifting direction. At the same time, it can also reduce the space occupied by the rotary drive 241 on the battery replacement device 10 in the second direction, so that multiple battery replacement devices 10 can move side by side in the second direction during actual use, and realize the simultaneous replacement of multiple battery devices 100.

[0310] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 14-17, the support member 23 extends in an arc shape along one side of the first direction to form an arc-shaped portion 231. The rotation adjustment assembly 24 further includes a transmission rack 244 and a transmission gear 243. The driving end of the rotation drive member 241 is connected to the transmission gear 243. The transmission rack 244 is disposed in the arc-shaped portion 231 and meshes with the transmission gear 243.

[0311] In this embodiment, the carrier 23 can rotate around the lifting direction by meshing the transmission gear 243 with the transmission rack 244 provided on the arc-shaped part 231, and cooperate with the rotation drive 241, thereby achieving higher rotation accuracy.

[0312] Rotary drive component 241 includes, but is not limited to, a servo motor.

[0313] In some embodiments, the rotary drive 241 includes a rotary drive motor, the axial direction of the output shaft of the rotary drive motor intersects with the first direction and is perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0314] As an example, the axial direction of the output shaft of the rotary drive motor is parallel to the second direction. As an example, although not shown in the figure, the rotary drive 241 may also include a reversing gear or other reversing structure, the reversing gear connecting the output shaft of the rotary drive motor and the rotary gear, thereby enabling the connection between the output shaft rotating about a direction perpendicular to the lifting direction and the rotary gear rotating about the lifting direction via the reversing gear.

[0315] In this embodiment, by setting the axial direction of the output shaft of the rotary drive motor to intersect with the first direction and be perpendicular to the lifting direction, it helps to further reduce the space occupied by the rotary drive motor in the first direction and the height direction, reserving more space for the battery device 100, making it easier to adapt to more battery devices 100 of different sizes, and improving compatibility.

[0316] In some embodiments, referring to FIG15, the support platform 2 includes at least one rotating support member 25, the rotating support member 25 protruding from the side surface of the support member 22 facing the support member 23 in the lifting direction, and the support member 23 and the rotating support member 25 are slidably contacted.

[0317] The specific structural form of the rotating support 25 is not limited. As an example, the rotating support 25 includes rollers and / or balls.

[0318] Rollers and / or balls are rotatably mounted on the support member 22, thereby providing additional support for the lifting assembly 421. The rollers or balls have a simple structure and low cost, which helps to reduce the overall manufacturing cost of the battery replacement device 10.

[0319] Therefore, the rotating support 25 can provide additional support for the carrier 23, which helps to distribute the weight and load borne by the carrier 23. Furthermore, since the carrier 23 is slidably contacted with the rotating support frame, it helps to reduce the frictional force received by the carrier 23 when it rotates, thereby improving the rotational stability and reliability of the carrier 23.

[0320] In some embodiments, referring to FIG15, the support platform 2 includes at least one rotating support group, the rotating support group including a plurality of rotating support members 25 distributed along an arc.

[0321] Here, "arc-shaped distribution" refers to multiple rotating support members 25 being sequentially distributed along the arc edge path of a certain arc, the radius of curvature of which is the same as the radius of curvature of the arc portion 231. Alternatively, it can be assumed that the arc portion 231 is a partial arc of a certain circle, and the arc edge is a partial arc of another circle with the same diameter as the first circle, and the arc lengths of the two arcs are the same. Multiple rotating support members 25 are distributed at intervals along the arc of another circle. Taking a roller as an example, the intersection of the rotation axes of each rotating support member 25 is concentrated at the center of the other circle.

[0322] Here, the bearing platform 2 may include only one rotating support group or multiple rotating support groups. For example, the bearing platform 2 includes two rotating support groups, which are respectively located at opposite ends of the bearing support member 22 along the first direction.

[0323] In this embodiment, the multiple rotating support members 25 in the rotating support group are arranged in an arc shape, which makes the rotation of the bearing member 23 smoother when rotating around the lifting direction, which is beneficial to improving the rotation reliability.

[0324] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 14, 15 and 16, the unlocking mechanism 3 includes an unlocking drive 31 and an unlocking sleeve 32. The unlocking sleeve 32 protrudes from the bearing surface 21. The unlocking drive 31 is disposed on the side of the bearing member 23 facing away from the bearing surface 21 along the lifting direction, and the driving end of the unlocking drive 31 is connected to the unlocking sleeve 32 to drive the unlocking sleeve 32 to rotate.

[0325] Therefore, the locking / unlocking drive component 31 can drive the rotation of the locking / unlocking sleeve 32, thereby locking or unlocking the battery device 100. This improves the accuracy of the locking / unlocking operation and reduces the risk of operation failure. Furthermore, the locking / unlocking drive component 31 is located on the side of the support component 23 facing away from the support surface 21 along the lifting direction. This improves the integration of the locking / unlocking mechanism 3 with the support platform 2, making the battery replacement device 10 more compact and reducing its space occupation.

[0326] In this embodiment, there are multiple unlocking mechanisms 3, which are arranged at intervals and located on opposite sides of the support member 23 along the second direction. This minimizes interference with the battery device 100 supported on the support surface 21. This embodiment does not specifically limit the number and arrangement of the unlocking mechanisms 3; the number and position can be determined based on the number and location of the locks on the battery device 100 actually installed on the commercial vehicle 100.

[0327] In some embodiments, the unlocking / unlocking drive 31 includes an unlocking / unlocking motor, the axis of which is perpendicular to the lifting / unlocking direction.

[0328] Therefore, the unlocking motor is generally laid flat on the side of the support member 23 facing away from the support surface 21 along the lifting direction, which helps to reduce the height of the unlocking drive member 31 along the lifting direction, making the overall thickness of the support platform 2 smaller, which helps to reserve more height space for the battery device 100, so that the battery replacement equipment 10 can adapt to more battery devices 100 of different heights and sizes, and has better compatibility.

[0329] For example, the unlocking motor includes, but is not limited to, a servo motor. Using a servo motor to drive the unlocking sleeve 32 can improve the accuracy of the unlocking operation and reduce the risk of unlocking operation failure.

[0330] For example, although not shown in the figure, the unlocking mechanism 3 may also include a right-angle reversing reducer. The drive end of the unlocking motor is connected to the right-angle reversing reducer, and the unlocking sleeve 32 is also connected to the right-angle reducer. Thus, the horizontally arranged unlocking motor and the vertically output unlocking sleeve 32 can be connected via the right-angle reducer. While saving the thickness of the support platform 2 along the lifting direction, the unlocking sleeve 32 can be matched with the lock of the battery device 100, and the battery device 100 can be locked or unlocked via the right-angle reversing reducer under the drive of the unlocking motor.

[0331] In some embodiments, referring to FIG16, the axial direction of the output shaft of the unlocking motor intersects both the length direction and the width direction of the support platform 2. As an example, the length direction of the support platform 2 is parallel to the first direction, and the width direction is parallel to the second direction.

[0332] In this embodiment, the output shaft of the unlocking motor is inclined relative to both the length direction (e.g., the first direction) and the width direction (e.g., the second direction) of the support platform 2. In other words, the unlocking motor is positioned approximately at an angle on the side of the support member 23 facing away from the support surface 21. This reduces the likelihood of interference between the unlocking motors positioned on opposite sides of the support member 23 along the second direction, or the likelihood of interference between the unlocking motors and the support member 22. The inclination directions of the various unlocking motors can be the same or different; this embodiment does not impose a specific limitation on this.

[0333] In some embodiments, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the unlocking drive 31 falls at least partially within the projection range of the carrier 23.

[0334] Specifically, the first support member 221 of the support member 22 can be configured such that the opposite two sides of the support member 23 are located inside the support member 23 along the second direction, thereby forming an installation space. At least a part of the unlocking and unlocking drive member 31 can be installed in the above-mentioned installation space, so that at least a part of the projection of the unlocking and unlocking drive member 31 falls within the projection range of the support member 23 in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0335] In this embodiment, this configuration reduces the space occupied by the unlocking / unlocking drive unit 31 in the direction perpendicular to the lifting direction, thereby helping multiple battery replacement devices 10 to move side by side to complete the simultaneous replacement of multiple battery devices 100.

[0336] In some embodiments, the support member 22 extends along a first direction, and in the same projection plane perpendicular to the second direction, the projection portion of the unlocking drive member 31 falls into the projection range of the support member 22. The first direction intersects the second direction, and both the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0337] Taking the support member 22, which includes a first support member 221 and a second support member 222 disposed on at least one side of the first support member 221 along the first direction, as an example, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the second direction, the projection portion of the unlocking and disengaging drive member 31 falls into the projection range of the first support member 221 of the support member 22.

[0338] Therefore, along the lifting direction, the unlocking drive 31 can reuse at least a portion of the space in the height direction (lifting direction) with the support member 22, which helps to further reduce the size of the support platform 2 in the height direction, so that the battery replacement device 10 can further adapt to more battery devices 100 with different heights and sizes, and further improve the compatibility of the battery replacement device 10.

[0339] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 15 and 16, the support member 22 includes a first support member 221 and two second support members 222 disposed at opposite ends of the first support member 221 along a first direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the lifting direction. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projections of the second support members 222 and the projections of the support member 23 are offset from each other. The second support member 222 has a mounting area 222a for mounting the suspension member 5.

[0340] The specific structural form and function of the suspension component 5 can be found in the descriptions of the relevant sections above, and will not be repeated here.

[0341] In this embodiment, this structural form helps to improve the installation stability of the support platform 2.

[0342] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 14-16, the battery replacement device 10 further includes a positioning member 6, which protrudes from the bearing surface 21 and is used to position and cooperate with the positioning hole of the battery device 100.

[0343] Therefore, before the unlocking mechanism 3 unlocks the battery device 100, the positioning member 6 can cooperate with the positioning hole of the battery device 100 to ensure that the carrying platform 2 is aligned with the battery device 100. This allows the unlocking mechanism 3 to be aligned with the locking head of the battery device 100, reducing the possibility of unlocking failure due to misalignment and improving the reliability of battery replacement in the battery replacement device 10.

[0344] In this embodiment, there are multiple positioning elements 6, which are arranged at intervals and located on the opposite sides of the support member 23 along the second direction. This prevents interference with the battery device 100 supported on the support surface 21. This embodiment does not specifically limit the number and arrangement of the positioning elements 6; they can be set according to the number and position of the positioning holes of the battery device 100 actually installed on the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0345] In some embodiments, referring to FIG14, the carrier 23 has at least one protrusion on at least one side along a second direction and at least one clearance notch on at least the other side, the clearance notch being used to accommodate the protrusion of the carrier 23 of another battery replacement device 10, the second direction intersecting the first direction and perpendicular to the lifting direction.

[0346] Here, the support member 23 may have a protrusion on only one side and an avoidance notch on the other side. Alternatively, both sides of the support member 23 may have protrusions and avoidance notches. In this embodiment, the avoidance notch may be specifically formed by the protrusions surrounding it.

[0347] In this embodiment, by providing the support member 23 with a protrusion and a clearance notch for accommodating the protrusion of another support member 23, it helps to improve the synchronization of multiple battery replacement devices 10 when they walk side by side in the first direction, and also helps to improve the spacing of the support members 23 of multiple battery replacement devices 10 in the second direction, thereby helping to reduce the spacing between the battery devices 100 carried on each battery replacement device 10 and improve the adaptability to different vehicle models.

[0348] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a battery replacement system. Referring to FIG19, the battery replacement system includes at least one travel guide assembly 30 and at least one battery replacement device 10 as described in the first aspect of this disclosure. The travel guide assembly 30 extends along a first direction, and the travel mechanism 41 of the battery replacement device 10 is movable along the travel guide assembly 30.

[0349] The battery replacement system of this disclosure has all the advantages of the battery replacement device 10 described in any of the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0350] In some embodiments, referring to FIG19, the battery replacement system further includes at least one battery buffer device 40 and a battery transfer device 50.

[0351] Battery temporary storage equipment 40 is used to temporarily store battery devices 100 during the battery swapping process. Since the battery swapping system includes battery temporary storage equipment 40, after the vehicle-station interaction system of the battery swapping station 2000 detects the commercial vehicle 1000 entering the station, the battery transfer equipment 50 can pre-transfer the second battery device to the battery temporary storage equipment 40. Furthermore, after the battery swapping equipment 10 transfers the first battery device removed from the commercial vehicle 1000 to the battery temporary storage equipment 40, it can directly transfer the pre-placed second battery device, which is temporarily stored in the battery temporary storage equipment 40, from the battery temporary storage equipment 40. This saves time for the battery transfer equipment 50 to transport battery devices 100 from the battery storage system 60, improving the battery swapping cycle time and thus increasing battery swapping efficiency.

[0352] The vehicle-to-station interaction system refers to the information exchange between the battery-swapping commercial vehicle 1000 and the battery-swapping station 2000 through wireless communication methods (such as short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth, Wifi, RFID, etc.).

[0353] Battery transfer equipment 50 is a device used to move battery device 100 back and forth between battery buffer device 40 and battery storage system 60.

[0354] In this embodiment, the battery buffer device 40 is located above the walking guide assembly 30. This allows for the efficient use of vertical space, saving space, reducing space occupancy, and lowering production costs. Furthermore, when the battery replacement device 10 moves to the battery buffer device 40, it can directly transfer the battery device 100 to the battery buffer device 40 by raising the supporting platform 2. This reduces the travel distance of the battery replacement device 10, further improving battery swapping efficiency.

[0355] In some embodiments, the number of walking guide rail assemblies 30 is at least two, and each walking guide rail assembly 30 is arranged at intervals along the second direction; the battery replacement device 10 is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the walking guide rail assembly 30, and each battery replacement device 10 can move along its respective walking guide rail assembly 30.

[0356] As an example, there are three walking guide rail assemblies 30, which are spaced apart along the second direction. Correspondingly, there are three battery replacement devices 10, which are capable of moving along their respective walking guide rail assemblies 30.

[0357] Therefore, multiple battery devices 100 of a commercial vehicle 1000 can be replaced simultaneously by multiple battery replacement devices 10, which helps to further improve battery replacement efficiency.

[0358] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments disclosed herein do not impose a specific limit on the number of the walking guide rail assembly 30, which can be set according to actual conditions. Furthermore, the three battery swapping devices 10 can, based on the information regarding the number of battery devices 100 carried by the battery swapping vehicle identified by the vehicle-to-station interaction system, respectively dispatch the corresponding number of battery swapping devices 10 to perform battery swapping operations on the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0359] In some embodiments, the battery buffer device 40 includes a clamping arm assembly and a clamping drive device connected to the clamping arm assembly for driving the clamping arm assembly to open and close in a second direction, thereby clamping the battery device 100.

[0360] Therefore, the battery buffer device 40 can clamp the battery device 100 through the cooperation of the clamping arm assembly and the clamping drive device, thereby temporarily storing the battery device 100 in the battery buffer device 40. The structure is simple and the clamping effect is good.

[0361] The embodiments disclosed herein do not specifically limit the number of clamping arm assemblies. A battery device 100 may be clamped by only one clamping arm assembly, or a battery device 100 may be clamped by multiple clamping arm assemblies.

[0362] In this embodiment, when the battery replacement device 10 moves to the battery buffer device 40, the clamping arm assembly of the battery buffer device 40 opens under the drive of the clamping drive device. The lifting assembly 421 of the battery replacement device 10 drives the lifting platform 422, thereby raising the support platform 2 to the clamping arm assembly. After the support platform 2 rises to its position, the clamping arm assembly closes under the drive of the clamping drive device, thereby clamping the battery device 100 on the support platform 2. Thus, the handover of the battery device 100 between the battery replacement device 10 and the battery buffer device 40 can be achieved with simple actions and in a simple manner.

[0363] In some other embodiments, the battery buffer device 40 may also include a clamping lifting device, wherein the clamping arm assembly is capable of moving up and down in the lifting direction under the drive of the clamping lifting device, thereby approaching the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10 to clamp the battery device 100.

[0364] In some embodiments, the number of battery replacement devices 10 is three, including a first battery replacement device 10a, a second battery replacement device 10b, and a third battery replacement device 10c, which are arranged along a second direction. The number of battery buffer devices 40 is also three, including a first battery buffer device 40, a second battery buffer device 40, and a third battery buffer device 40. With the support platform 2 of the first battery replacement device 10a, the support platform 2 of the second battery replacement device 10b, and the support platform 2 of the third battery replacement device 10c spaced apart, the first battery buffer device 40, the second battery buffer device 40, and the third battery buffer device 40 respectively exchange battery devices 100 with their respective battery replacement devices 10.

[0365] Therefore, the three battery buffer devices 40 can simultaneously buffer the battery devices 100 delivered by the three battery replacement devices 10, enabling rapid handover of the battery devices 100 and ensuring the continuity of the battery replacement process. This helps to improve the battery replacement cycle time and reduce battery replacement waiting time.

[0366] When there are multiple battery devices 100, they are typically installed under the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000 at intervals along the second direction. Since the spacing between the battery devices 100 on the commercial vehicle 1000 differs from the spacing between the battery buffer devices 40, the spacing between the supporting platforms 2 of the multiple battery replacement devices 10 needs to be adjusted to match the spacing of the battery buffer devices 40 before the battery replacement devices 10 and the battery buffer devices 40 are connected.

[0367] The three battery buffer devices 40 hand over the battery device 100 with the three battery replacement devices 10 spaced apart on the carrier platform 2. This reduces the possibility of interference between the battery device 100 and the adjacent battery buffer devices 40, and makes the spacing of the battery device 100 unlocked from the vehicle end along the second direction the same as the spacing between the adjacent battery buffer devices 40, which is more conducive to the battery buffer devices 40 clamping the battery device 100.

[0368] In some embodiments, when the support platform 2 of the first battery replacement device 10a, the support platform 2 of the second battery replacement device 10b, and the support platform 2 of the third battery replacement device 10c are spaced apart, the support platform 2 of the first battery replacement device 10a and the support platform 2 of the second battery replacement device 10b have a first gap, and the support platform 2 of the second battery replacement device 10b and the support platform 2 of the third battery replacement device 10c have a second gap. The clamping arm assembly of the first battery buffer device 40 includes a first clamping arm and a second clamping arm, the clamping arm assembly of the second battery buffer device 40 includes a third clamping arm and a fourth clamping arm, and the clamping arm assembly of the third battery buffer device 40 includes a fifth clamping arm and a sixth clamping arm. When the battery buffer device 40 exchanges battery devices 100 with the battery replacement device 10, the second and third clamping arms extend into the first gap, and the fourth and fifth clamping arms extend into the second gap.

[0369] Therefore, when the three battery buffer devices 40 arranged along the second direction simultaneously exchange battery devices 100 with the three battery replacement devices 10, the clamping arms of the three battery buffer devices 40 can clamp the battery device 100 within the interval, and they are less likely to interfere with each other, which helps to improve the clamping reliability and stability.

[0370] In some embodiments, the battery transfer device 50 includes a palletizer, which includes at least one transport fork for transferring the battery device 100 to the battery buffer device 40.

[0371] Therefore, the first battery device at the battery buffer device 40 can be moved to the battery storage system 60 for charging by the transport fork, and the second battery device in the battery storage system 60 can be moved to the battery buffer device 40 for buffering, thereby reducing the waiting time of the battery replacement device 10 and improving the battery replacement efficiency.

[0372] In this embodiment, the number of palletizing machine forks may be the same as or different from the number of battery buffer devices 40. This embodiment does not specifically limit the number of forks.

[0373] The forklift can move along a first direction, a second direction, or a lifting direction under the drive of the drive device.

[0374] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a battery swapping station 2000, which includes a battery swapping device 10 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0375] As an example, referring to FIG19, the battery swapping station 2000 includes a vehicle guidance system, a battery swapping system according to the second aspect of this disclosure, and a battery storage system 60. The commercial vehicle 1000 guidance system is used to guide the commercial vehicle 1000 to a designated location for battery swapping. The battery storage system 60 is used to store the battery device 100 and is configured to charge the first battery device.

[0376] The vehicle guiding system is a system used to guide a commercial vehicle 1000 to a designated location for battery replacement 100.

[0377] The battery swap system 60 is a system for centrally storing the battery device 100, including mechanical components, electrical components, high and low voltage electrical connectors, water-cooling connectors and other accessories.

[0378] The layout of the battery swapping station 2000 in this embodiment is reasonable and does not require the installation of a trench, which helps to reduce the engineering difficulty of the battery swapping station 2000, making the installation of the battery swapping station 2000 faster and more economical and reliable.

[0379] Moreover, the overall layout of the battery swapping station 2000 helps to simplify the movement of the battery swapping equipment 10 in the battery swapping system. Furthermore, through the cooperation of the battery transfer equipment 50, the battery buffer equipment 40 and the battery storage system 60 in the battery swapping system, the replacement time of the battery device 100 can be effectively saved and the replacement efficiency of the battery device 100 can be improved.

[0380] In some embodiments, the walking guide assembly 30 of the battery replacement system passes at least the battery replacement location and the handover location located at the battery buffer device 40 along a first direction.

[0381] The battery replacement position has been described above and will not be repeated in detail here. The handover position refers to the position where the battery replacement device 10 and the battery buffer device 40 hand over the battery device 100. At the handover position, the battery device 100 carried by the battery replacement device 10 can be aligned with the battery buffer device 40, or the battery device 100 temporarily stored in the battery buffer device 40 can be aligned with the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10. At the handover position, the battery replacement device 10 can directly hand over the battery device 100 to the battery buffer device 40 by rising, which simplifies the movement and control method.

[0382] The battery replacement device 10 of this embodiment only needs to move in a straight line along the first direction from the battery replacement position to the handover position. The travel route is simple, which helps to optimize the travel path of the battery replacement device 10, so that the battery replacement device 10 can move between the battery replacement position and the handover position at a faster speed, thereby improving the overall battery replacement efficiency of the battery swapping station 2000.

[0383] In some embodiments, the handover locations include a first handover location and a second handover location. At the first handover location, the battery buffer device 40 hands over the second battery device to the battery replacement device 10, and at the second handover location, the battery buffer device 40 hands over the first battery device to the battery replacement device 10. Along a first direction, the battery transfer device 50 is located between the first and second handover locations.

[0384] Since the battery transfer device 50 is located between the first and second transfer positions, the battery transfer device 50 itself does not need to move. The battery transfer device 50 can transfer batteries between the battery buffer device 40 and the battery storage system 60 simply by controlling the movement of the transport fork, which helps to simplify the mechanism of the battery transfer device 50.

[0385] Furthermore, due to the large weight of the battery transfer device 50, driving it requires significant power and a considerable amount of time, which is detrimental to energy conservation and emission reduction. In this embodiment, the battery transfer device 50 itself does not need to move, thus saving the time required for its movement and shortening the handling time of the battery device 100. This improves the transfer efficiency of the battery transfer device 50 and consequently enhances the battery swapping efficiency of the battery swapping station 2000.

[0386] In some embodiments, the battery storage system 60 includes a battery storage rack 601, which includes multiple layers of battery storage compartments for storing battery devices 100, the multiple layers of battery storage compartments being located above the travel guide assembly 30.

[0387] The multi-layered battery storage compartments are located above the walking rail assembly 30, thereby making full use of the space in the vertical direction and storing a larger number of battery devices 100 in a limited space, resulting in higher space utilization.

[0388] Furthermore, the battery storage compartment is located above the travel guide assembly 30, enabling the battery transfer device 50 to efficiently access the battery device 100, reducing unnecessary movement and thus improving transfer efficiency.

[0389] In addition, each battery device 100 can be stored individually in its own battery compartment, reducing the possibility of a chain reaction when a battery device 100 fails or is damaged, and improving the reliability and stability of the battery storage system 60.

[0390] In this embodiment, along the lifting direction, a row of battery storage compartments and a battery buffer device 40 are arranged facing each other. That is, in the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of a battery buffer device 40 falls within the projection range of a row of battery storage compartments. In this way, after the battery transfer device 50 removes the battery device 100 from the battery buffer device 40 by extending and retracting the transport fork, it can directly place the battery device 100 into the battery storage compartment by lifting. Alternatively, after the battery transfer device 50 removes the battery device 100 from the battery storage compartment by extending and retracting the transport fork, it can directly lower the removed battery device 100 to temporarily store it in the battery buffer device 40 without additional lateral adjustment, which helps save handling time and improves the battery swapping cycle.

[0391] The fourth aspect of this disclosure provides a battery replacement method for replacing the battery of a commercial vehicle 1000 using a battery replacement device 10. Referring to FIG20, the battery replacement method includes:

[0392] S100: The battery replacement device 10 moves along the first direction to below the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000;

[0393] S200: Adjust the position of the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 of the battery replacement equipment 10 relative to the first battery device located under the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000;

[0394] S300: Unlocking mechanism 3 unlocks the first battery device of the commercial vehicle 1000 chassis;

[0395] S400: The battery replacement device 10 carrying the first battery device moves along the first direction to the battery buffer device 40;

[0396] S500: Battery buffer device 40 and battery replacement device 10 exchange battery device 100;

[0397] S600: The battery replacement device 10 carrying the second battery unit moves along the first direction to below the chassis of the commercial vehicle 1000;

[0398] S700: The locking / unlocking mechanism 3 locks the second battery device to the commercial vehicle 1000 chassis;

[0399] S800: Battery transfer device 50 and battery buffer device 40 exchange battery device 100.

[0400] The battery replacement method of this disclosure has higher replacement efficiency and better reliability, and can also improve the battery replacement adaptability to different chassis heights of commercial vehicles 1000, resulting in better compatibility.

[0401] In some embodiments, referring to FIG21, the step of adjusting the position of the support surface 21 of the support platform 2 of the battery replacement device 10 relative to the battery device 100 located below the chassis of the commercial vehicle 100 includes at least one of the following steps:

[0402] S201: The lifting assembly 421 adjusts the height of the bearing surface 21 along the lifting direction;

[0403] S202: The traveling mechanism 41 adjusts the position of the bearing surface 21 along the first direction;

[0404] S203: The translation component 43 adjusts the position of the bearing surface 21 along the second direction;

[0405] S204: The rotary adjustment component 24 adjusts the rotation angle of the bearing surface 21 around the lifting direction;

[0406] S205: Lifting assembly 421 adjusts the tilt angle of the bearing platform 2 around the second direction;

[0407] Among them, the first direction, the second direction, and the lifting direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0408] Therefore, the bearing surface 21 of the bearing platform 2 can be corrected according to the actual parking position of the commercial vehicle 1000 and the installation position and posture of the battery device 100 on the actual commercial vehicle 1000, so as to ensure that the bearing platform 2 and the battery device 100 correspond in position and posture, thereby enabling better installation and removal of the battery device 100 and improving the reliability of battery device 100 replacement.

[0409] In some embodiments, there are multiple battery replacement devices 10 for simultaneously replacing multiple battery devices 100 of the commercial vehicle 1000 chassis.

[0410] Referring to Figure 22, after the step of adjusting the rotation angle of the bearing surface 21 about the lifting direction by the rotation adjustment assembly 24, the battery replacement method further includes:

[0411] S2041: The walking mechanism 41 of each battery replacement device 10 adjusts the position of its respective bearing surface 21 along the first direction so that the end edges of each bearing surface 21 are aligned along the first direction.

[0412] Therefore, after the multiple battery replacement devices 10 rotate around the lifting direction, they can further align the end edges of their respective bearing surfaces 21 along the first direction through the walking mechanism 41, so that the multiple battery replacement devices 10 can be aligned with the edges of the multiple battery devices 100 of the commercial vehicle 100 chassis, thereby enabling the simultaneous replacement of multiple battery devices 100, resulting in higher battery replacement efficiency and better reliability.

[0413] In some embodiments, there are multiple battery replacement devices 10 for simultaneously replacing multiple battery devices 100 of a commercial vehicle 1000 chassis. The multiple battery replacement devices 10 include a first battery replacement device 10a, a second battery replacement device 10b, and a third battery replacement device 10c, which are arranged along a second direction.

[0414] Referring to Figure 23, before the step of handing over the battery device 100 between the battery buffer device 40 and the battery replacement device 10, the battery replacement method further includes:

[0415] S499: The translation component 43 of the first battery replacement device 10a and the translation component 43 of the third battery replacement device 10c respectively adjust the position of their respective support platforms 2 along the second direction so that the support platforms 2 of the first battery replacement device 10a, the support platforms 2 of the second battery replacement device 10b and the support platforms 2 of the third battery replacement device 10c are spaced apart from each other along the second direction.

[0416] When there are multiple battery devices 100 installed on the chassis of a commercial vehicle 1000, the spacing between the multiple battery devices 100 at the vehicle end will differ from the spacing between the three battery buffer devices 40. Therefore, before the battery replacement device 10 and the battery buffer device 40 hand over the battery device 100, the translation components 43 of the first battery replacement device 10a and the second battery replacement device 10b respectively adjust the position of their respective support platforms 2 along the second direction, so that the support platforms 2 of the three battery replacement devices 10 are spaced apart from each other. In this way, when the three battery replacement devices 10 hand over the battery device 100 to the battery buffer device 40, the support platforms 2 can be raised directly by the lifting component 421 to realize the handover with the battery buffer device 40, which can reduce the possibility of interference between the multiple battery replacement devices 10 and the multiple battery buffer devices 40 and improve the reliability of the handover.

[0417] Those skilled in the art should understand that the steps of the battery replacement method in the embodiments of this disclosure are not sequential in time, unless otherwise specified.

[0418] The following describes specific examples of some embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0419] As a concrete example, the battery swapping equipment includes three independent battery swapping trolleys (battery swapping devices 10) that can move along the X-axis (first direction). Each of the three trolleys includes independent X-axis adjustment (walking mechanism 41), Y-axis adjustment (translation component 43), R-axis adjustment (rotation adjustment component 24), Z-axis adjustment (lifting component 421), tilt angle degree of freedom adjustment mechanism (rotation adjustment component 44), and unlocking mechanism 3. Each battery swapping trolley is responsible for swapping one battery pack (battery device 100). Based on the battery swapping vehicle type (single pack, double pack, triple pack) identified by the station control, the corresponding number of battery swapping trolleys are dispatched to perform battery swapping operations on the commercial vehicle 1000.

[0420] As a concrete example, the battery swapping trolley has a U-shaped layout in the X-axis direction (along the first direction), with a lower middle section and higher ends. The higher ends house the adjustment mechanisms 42 for X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis adjustments, and the electrical control cabinet assembly (electrical control box 20). The electrical control cabinet assembly houses the trolley's PLC, servo drives, and other electrical components. The lower middle section is the floating platform (carrying platform 2) that supports the battery pack, including the R-axis adjustment mechanism and the unlocking / unlocking platform (carrying component 23). When the battery swapping trolley is empty and removing the battery pack, the highest points are the two ends. The height difference between the two ends and the lower surface of the vehicle's battery pack is controlled within a small range (e.g., 0-200mm), allowing the trolley to travel in shallow trenches. Preferably, the height of the two ends is lower than the lower surface of the vehicle's battery pack, allowing the trolley to travel directly under the vehicle's battery pack without needing a trench. When the battery swapping vehicle carries the battery pack to the vehicle to install the battery, the highest point is the top of the battery pack on the middle floating platform. At this time, the height of the top of the battery pack must be lower than the bracket at the end of the vehicle so that the battery swapping vehicle can move under the vehicle with the battery pack.

[0421] As a specific example, the lowest point of the bottom interface of the vehicle battery pack is 375mm from the ground, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism at both ends of the battery swapping trolley (without the battery pack) is ≤350mm in height when it is lowered to the lowest point, which can meet the requirement of walking under the vehicle to perform battery swapping.

[0422] The Z-axis adjustment mechanism (lifting assembly 421) at both ends of the battery swapping trolley adopts the form of a scissor fork (guide assembly 4213) and a rigid chain (rigid chain assembly 4212), with an effective lifting stroke of up to 700mm, which can meet the battery swapping needs of vehicles with the bottom of the battery pack 375mm to 770mm off the ground. The rigid chain, as the lifting drive mechanism, has advantages such as compact structure, large lifting stroke, and large load capacity. The scissor fork serves as the lifting guide and stabilizing mechanism, with advantages such as large lifting stroke and small space occupation after retraction. To save space, the connection between the scissor fork mechanism and the upper and lower layers of the battery swapping trolley adopts a hinged method with a fixed intermediate gear mechanism (first tooth structure 4217, second tooth structure 4218), which ensures the overall stability of the scissor fork mechanism. The lifting base plate (lifting support 4211) is responsible for supporting the Z-axis adjustment mechanism. The lifting top plate (lifting platform 422) is responsible for connecting the floating platform, which rises and falls with the Z-axis adjustment mechanism. Four sets of scissor forks are arranged on the four sides of the rigid chain to connect the lifting base plate and the lifting top plate.

[0423] Each battery swapping trolley includes a Y-axis adjustment mechanism (translation assembly 43) at each end of the X-axis direction (first direction). The Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes a Y-axis travel drive assembly (translation drive component 431, lead screw 4321, engagement component 4322), Y-axis travel guide and support (guide rail, sliding component), and Y-axis travel auxiliary support wheels (first auxiliary support component 13). The Y-axis travel drive assembly is the power mechanism used to drive the Y-axis travel. The Y-axis travel auxiliary support consists of multiple sets of roller assemblies, which are used to provide additional multi-point support for the Y-axis travel mechanism 41, ensuring uniform force distribution and stability of the upper mechanism.

[0424] As a concrete example, the Y-axis adjustment mechanism (translation component 43) allows each battery swapping trolley to have a travel distance of ≤145mm in the Y-direction (second direction). This mechanism addresses the issue of vehicle misalignment in the Y-axis direction, ensuring the battery swapping trolley is aligned with the vehicle's battery pack or battery bracket for proper unpacking and loading. Because the spacing between the battery packs on the buffer (battery buffer device 40) and battery compartment (battery storage system 60) differs from the spacing on the vehicle (wider spacing), the Y-axis adjustment mechanism of the battery swapping trolley is needed to adjust this spacing when the trolley and buffer interact.

[0425] Each battery swapping trolley has an X-axis adjustment mechanism, which enables each trolley to move in the X direction (first direction). The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes an X-axis traveling frame (bracket 1), an X-axis drive assembly (traveling drive component 411, first gear), X-axis traveling wheels 412 (first guide wheel 4131), and X-axis traveling guide wheels (second guide wheel 4132). The X-axis traveling frame is responsible for supporting the entire battery swapping trolley's mechanism to move along the X-axis track. The X-axis drive assembly includes a servo motor (traveling drive component 411), a reducer, a drive shaft, and a drive gear (first gear). The servo motor drives the gear to rotate and engages with a rack (first rack) arranged on the X-axis traveling track on the ground, driving the entire battery swapping trolley to move along the X-axis. The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes multiple sets of X-axis traveling wheels 412, which serve as the walking support components for the battery swapping trolley. The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes multiple sets of X-axis guide wheels, which are used as guide components 4213 to restrict the straight-line movement of the battery swapping trolley in the X-axis direction. The X-axis movement of the battery swapping trolley allows it to move from inside the compartment to the bottom of the vehicle for battery pack installation and removal during swapping, then move to the buffer station to interact with the buffer, placing depleted battery packs in the buffer and retrieving fully charged battery packs from the buffer for installation at the vehicle end. Each of the three battery swapping trolleys has an X-axis adjustment mechanism, allowing for independent adjustment to compensate for X-axis misalignment or tilting during swapping.

[0426] Each battery swapping trolley has a floating platform, which is connected to the Z-axis adjustment mechanisms at both ends via four suspension chains (suspension components 5). This connection allows the floating platform to rise and fall with the Z-axis adjustment mechanisms at both ends. The floating platform includes suspension chains (suspension components 5), a floating support frame (bearing support component 22), an R-axis rotation auxiliary support wheel (second auxiliary support component 13), an R-axis rotation shaft (rotary bearing 242), an unlocking / unlocking support platform (bearing component 23), an unlocking / unlocking assembly (unlocking / unlocking mechanism 3), and an R-axis rotation drive (rotary drive component 241). The suspension chains connect the floating platform; this connection is flexible and keeps the floating platform in a floating state. The floating support frame supports the entire floating platform. The R-axis rotation auxiliary support wheel assists in supporting the upper unlocking / unlocking platform (bearing component 23), ensuring the levelness of the unlocking / unlocking platform. The R-axis rotation shaft connects the upper unlocking / unlocking support platform and the lower floating support frame, ensuring the R-axis freedom of adjustment of the battery swapping trolley. The unlocking / unlocking support platform is used to install several unlocking / unlocking assemblies. The locking / unlocking assembly includes a motor (locking / unlocking drive unit 31), a reducer (right-angle reversing reducer), a gun head fixing seat, a spring, and a gun head (locking / unlocking sleeve 32), enabling the locking and unlocking of the battery pack at the vehicle end. The R-axis rotation drive drives the locking / unlocking support platform to rotate in the R-axis. The floating platform supports the battery pack during battery swapping. The floating platform's function is to absorb positioning deviations between the battery swapping trolley and the vehicle, adaptively matching the battery pack on the vehicle or the battery pack bracket at the vehicle end. The R-axis adjustment mechanism allows the battery pack to rotate horizontally around the Z-axis (lifting direction). When the vehicle is parked crookedly in the battery swapping lane, the R-axis adjustment mechanism is needed to correct the floating platform's position. Preferably, +

[0427] To enable the battery swapping vehicle to move with the battery pack under the vehicle, the height of the support platform 2 should be low enough (≤120mm) to ensure that the battery pack does not interfere with the vehicle end bracket during movement. The R-axis adjustment mechanism and the locking / unlocking mechanism 3 are integrated on the floating platform, which has the characteristics of high space utilization and high integration.

[0428] The degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism 42 at both ends of each battery swapping trolley integrates a pitch angle adjustment mechanism (rotation adjustment component 44) in the Y direction. During actual battery swapping, the vehicle's battery pack or end bracket is not horizontal, resulting in a height difference (forward / backward tilt) in the Y direction. The pitch angle adjustment mechanism in the Y direction allows the floating platform to rotate horizontally around the X-axis (first direction). This ensures the floating platform is flush with the battery pack when the battery swapping trolley removes the battery pack, and also ensures the battery pack is flush with the end bracket when the battery swapping trolley installs the battery pack. This mechanism includes a suspension chain mounting plate (lifting top plate 4221), a floating spring (reset component 4225), a fixed shaft 442, and a rotating support for the fixed shaft 442 (rotating bearing 441). The lifting top plate (lifting base plate 4222) is the upper lifting layer of the rigid chain, on which a fixed shaft 442 is installed. Rotary supports for the fixed shaft 442 are installed at both ends of the fixed shaft 442. The suspended chain mounting plate is connected to the rotary supports of the fixed shaft 442, allowing the suspended chain mounting plate to rotate around the fixed shaft 442 to achieve Y-direction pitch angle adjustment. Several floating springs are arranged on the lifting top plate, allowing the suspended chain mounting plate to maintain balance under no load.

[0429] The bottom of the degree-of-freedom adjustment mechanism 42 at both ends of each battery swapping trolley integrates an electromagnet locking mechanism (locking mechanism 7). Its function is to lock the floating platform in the middle of the battery swapping trolley under specific scenario conditions (when the battery swapping trolley is moving in the X direction), to prevent the floating platform from shaking, and to avoid mutual shaking interference between floating platforms and shaking interference of the battery pack on the floating platform.

[0430] As a concrete example, the 2000 battery swapping station is equipped with three independent battery swapping trolleys, capable of swapping single, double, and triple batteries for vehicles. The 1000 commercial vehicle is a heavy-duty truck capable of battery swapping. The hoist (battery transfer device 50) is responsible for the inbound and outbound movement of battery packs in the battery compartment (battery storage system 60). The battery compartment is responsible for the storage and charging of battery packs. The buffer (battery buffer device 40) interacts with the battery swapping trolleys and the hoist, handling the transfer of battery packs.

[0431] In some embodiments, a flat battery swapping module (battery swapping device 10) is provided. The flat battery swapping module includes a ground rail (walking guide rail assembly 30). A first drive device (first lifting assembly 421a, first lifting platform 422a), a floating platform (carrying platform 2), and a second drive device (second lifting assembly 421b, second lifting platform 422b) are sequentially arranged on the ground rail along its extension direction. The floating platform is used to load a battery pack (battery device 100). The first and second drive devices drive the floating platform to suspend above the ground rail. The first and second drive devices cooperate to drive the floating platform to move. The top surface (carrying surface 21) of the floating platform is lower than the top surface of the first drive device, and the top surface of the floating platform is lower than the top surface of the second drive device. A connector (bracket 1) is provided at the bottom of the first and second drive devices for connection. A traction component (traveling mechanism 41) is installed between the first drive unit and the ground rail. The traction component can drive the first drive unit to move in the x-direction (first direction) on the ground rail. The x-direction is consistent with the extension direction of the ground rail. The first drive unit and the floating platform are connected by a chain (suspension component 5). The floating platform and the second drive unit are connected by a chain. The structure of the first drive unit is the same as that of the second drive unit. The flat battery swapping module includes a traveling base plate (the bearing plate 11 of the bracket 1). On the traveling base plate, there is a y-direction moving component (translation component 43), a lifting component (lifting component 421), and a first rotating component (rotation adjustment component 44). The y-direction moving component is used to drive the lifting component to move in the y-direction (second direction). The lifting component is used to drive the first rotating component to move in the z-direction (lifting direction). The first rotating component is used to drive the floating platform to rotate around the x-axis. The x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction are perpendicular to each other, and the z-direction is the height direction. The floating platform includes a floating base (bearing support component 22). A battery pack support plate (carrier 23) is provided above the floating base, and the battery pack support plate is used to load the battery pack. A rotation mechanism (rotation adjustment assembly 24) is provided between the battery pack support plate and the floating base. The rotation mechanism is located at the center of the battery pack support plate, and the battery pack support plate can rotate relative to the floating base with the rotation mechanism as the center.

[0432] In some embodiments, a battery swapping method for the bottom of a vehicle is provided. The method includes: providing a placement plate (supporting platform 2) for placing a battery; providing a first adjustment mechanism disposed on a first side of the placement plate; providing a second adjustment mechanism disposed on a second side of the placement plate; setting the first side and the second side to be opposite to each other; setting the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism to be connected to the placement plate via a movable member (suspension member 5); setting the first adjustment mechanism and the second adjustment mechanism to be movable along a first direction and a height direction (lifting direction); setting the movement of the first adjustment mechanism and / or the second adjustment mechanism to drive the connection point between the movable member and the placement plate to move along the first direction or the height direction, thereby driving the placement plate to move along the first direction or along the height direction or rotate around a first axis (around the second direction); defining the axial direction of the first axis to be the same as the second direction; defining the first direction, the second direction and the height direction to be perpendicular to each other; setting the placement plate to adjust the relative position between the battery located on the placement plate and the battery compartment at the bottom of the vehicle by moving along the first direction or rotating around the second direction, so that the battery is aligned with the battery compartment; setting the placement plate to move along the height direction after the battery and the battery compartment are aligned, and installing the battery into the battery compartment.

[0433] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this disclosure and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and all should be covered within the scope of this disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the various technical features mentioned in the embodiments can be combined in any way.

Claims

1. A battery replacement device for replacing a battery assembly locked to a commercial vehicle chassis, the battery replacement device comprising: bracket; Platform; The unlocking mechanism is located on the carrier platform; and An adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the position of the bearing surface of the bearing platform. The adjustment mechanism includes a lifting component and a rotation adjustment component. The lifting component is configured to enable the bearing platform to lift relative to the bracket, and the rotation adjustment component is configured to enable the bearing surface of the bearing platform to rotate relative to the bracket around a first direction, the first direction being perpendicular to the lifting direction of the lifting component.

2. The battery replacement device according to claim 1, wherein, The battery replacement equipment includes a lifting platform, which includes a lifting top plate and a lifting bottom plate spaced apart. The rotation adjustment component is disposed between the lifting top plate and the lifting bottom plate to allow the lifting top plate to rotate relative to the lifting bottom plate around the first direction. The carrying platform is connected to the lifting top plate, and the lifting component is connected to the lifting bottom plate.

3. The battery replacement device according to claim 2, wherein, The rotation adjustment assembly includes a rotation bearing, the fixed side of which is connected to the lifting base plate, and the rotating side of which is connected to the lifting top plate. Under the action of an external force, the lifting top plate rotates relative to the lifting base plate around the first direction via the rotation bearing.

4. The battery replacement device according to claim 3, wherein, The lifting platform includes multiple limiting components, each of which includes a limiting member and a limiting hole. The limiting member is disposed on the lifting base plate, and the limiting hole is opened in the lifting top plate. At least a portion of the limiting member is located in the limiting hole, and there is a gap between the outer contour of the limiting member and the inner contour of the limiting hole.

5. The battery replacement device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The lifting platform also includes multiple reset components, which are disposed between the lifting top plate and the lifting bottom plate. At least one reset component is provided on each of the opposite sides of the rotating bearing along the second direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the lifting direction are perpendicular to each other.

6. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, The adjustment mechanism includes a translation component, and the lifting component is connected to the translation component and can reciprocate along the second direction under the drive of the translation component. The first direction, the second direction and the lifting direction are perpendicular to each other.

7. The battery replacement device according to claim 6, wherein, The translation component includes a translation drive and a translation transmission component. The bracket includes a support plate. The translation drive is disposed on the support plate. The lifting component is slidably engaged with the support plate along the second direction. The translation transmission component connects the translation drive and the lifting component. In the same projection plane perpendicular to the lifting direction, the projection of the translation drive is located outside the projection range of the lifting component.

8. The battery replacement device according to claim 7, wherein, The translational transmission component includes a lead screw extending along the second direction and a meshing component. The driving end of the translational drive component is connected to the lead screw and is used to drive the lead screw to rotate. The engaging member is sleeved on the lead screw and can move along the second direction as the lead screw rotates. The lifting assembly is connected to the engaging member and can reciprocate along the second direction as the engaging member moves.

9. The battery replacement device according to claim 8, wherein, The translation component includes a first translation slide rail and a second translation slide rail extending along the second direction. The engaging member is slidably engaged with the first translation slide rail, and the lifting component is slidably engaged with the second translation slide rail.

10. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein, The support plate includes a first support portion and a second support portion distributed along the first direction. The top surface of the second support portion is higher than the top surface of the first support portion. The translation drive component is disposed on the first support portion, and the lifting component is slidably engaged with the second support portion.

11. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein, The bracket also includes: An auxiliary support protrudes from the top surface of the bearing plate, and the lifting assembly is slidably connected to the auxiliary support.

12. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein, The battery replacement device includes a lifting platform connected to the side of the lifting assembly opposite to the bracket along the lifting direction. The lifting assembly is configured to enable the lifting platform to be raised and lowered, and the carrying platform is connected to the lifting platform.

13. The battery replacement device according to claim 12, wherein, The lifting assembly includes a lifting support and a rigid chain assembly, wherein the lifting support is connected to the bracket and the rigid chain assembly is disposed on the lifting support; The rigid chain assembly includes a rigid chain drive and at least one rigid chain. One end of the rigid chain is connected to the rigid chain drive, and the other end is connected to the lifting platform, for driving the lifting platform to move up and down under the drive of the rigid chain drive.

14. The battery replacement device according to claim 13, wherein, The lifting assembly also includes a guide assembly, one end of which is connected to the lifting support and the other end of which is connected to the lifting platform.

15. The battery replacement device according to claim 14, wherein, The guide assembly includes at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies, the pair of scissor fork assemblies being spaced apart and the rigid chain assembly being located between the at least one pair of scissor fork assemblies.

16. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 13-15, wherein, Along the lifting direction, the bearing surface is located on the side closer to the bracket relative to the lifting platform.

17. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein, The number of lifting components is two. Along the first direction, the two ends of the carrying platform are respectively connected to the two lifting components, and the two lifting components can lift independently.

18. The battery replacement device according to claim 17, wherein, The battery replacement device also includes a suspension component, one end of which is connected to the lifting assembly and the other end of which is connected to the support platform.

19. The battery replacement device according to any one of claims 1-18, wherein, The battery replacement device further includes a walking mechanism connected to the bracket and configured to move along the first direction; and / or The battery replacement device further includes a locking mechanism disposed on at least one of the bracket and the support platform. Along the lifting direction, the support platform is capable of lifting and lowering between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position is lower than the second position. When the support platform is in the first position, the locking mechanism locks the support platform relative to the bracket.

20. A battery swapping station, the battery swapping station comprising the battery swapping equipment according to any one of claims 1-19.

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