Battery replacement system and automatic guided vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inefficiency and interruption of production lines caused by automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) requiring downtime for battery charging, as they cannot operate during the charging process.
Innovation Solution
A battery replacement system that includes a charging stand with pivotable supporting seats and a carrier with a clamping component, allowing for the swift replacement of a depleted vehicle battery with a spare battery, enabling the AGV to continue operating immediately.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the battery is built-in and non-removable, then the structure is simplified, but the production line efficiency deteriorates due to charging downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into removable battery packs that can be independently exchanged. The battery pack is designed as a separate module from the AGV body, allowing the depleted battery to be removed and replaced with a charged battery without affecting the AGV's operational components. This segmentation enables continuous operation while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery is extracted from the AGV body as a removable component. The battery pack can be taken out from the AGV and placed on the charging stand for recharging, while the AGV continues its work with a swapped battery. This extraction principle directly resolves the contradiction by separating the battery management function from the AGV's operational function.
2Reliability
If the entire AGV is moved to a charging station for battery charging, then the battery can be fully charged, but the production line operation is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple battery packs are prepared in advance and kept charged on the charging stand. When the AGV's battery is depleted, a pre-charged battery is immediately available for swapping. This preliminary preparation of spare batteries ensures that the AGV can continue operation without interruption, maintaining both charging reliability and production continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging stand serves as an intermediary system between the AGV and the power source. Instead of moving the AGV to charge, the battery packs are charged at the charging stand and then transferred to the AGV. This intermediary approach decouples the charging process from the AGV's operational location, allowing continuous production while ensuring reliable battery charging.
3Productivity
If the battery is made removable for quick replacement, then the production efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The AGV is equipped with a self-contained battery replacement mechanism that can autonomously or semi-autonomously exchange battery packs. The clamping component and movable platform work together to automatically grasp, lift, and replace battery packs without requiring complex external equipment or manual intervention, thus improving efficiency while limiting complexity growth.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is designed as a universal module that can be used across multiple AGV units. The standardized battery pack design with consistent dimensions, connection interfaces, and mounting mechanisms allows the same battery to serve multiple vehicles, reducing the overall system complexity while enabling efficient battery replacement and sharing across the fleet.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery replacement system is configured to move a spare battery to an automatic guided vehicle. The battery replacement system includes a charging stand and a carrier. The charging stand includes a base and a plurality of supporting seat. The supporting seats are pivotably disposed on the base and configured to support the spare battery. The carrier includes a frame and a clamping component. The frame is located aside the charging stand. The clamping component is movably disposed on the frame and configured to replace a vehicle battery on the automatic guided vehicle with the spare battery.