Universal Battery Exchange Tools with Integrated Alignment and Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery exchange systems for electric and hybrid vehicles are costly, complex, and unreliable due to the need for customized solutions for different battery types, often requiring expensive and cumbersome actuation mechanisms that result in vehicle leveling issues and high operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a plurality of tools with alignment, support, and locking/unlocking elements that allow for universal, flexible, and economical battery exchange, enabling independent leveling and lifting of the vehicle structure, and automatic actuation of safety mechanisms for secure locking and unlocking, using lifting elements to position tools between conveyor and structure for efficient battery mounting and dismounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a complex actuation mechanism with motors and transmission shafts is used to release the battery autonomously, then the battery can be exchanged automatically, but the system becomes very costly, unreliable, and operationally complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex actuation mechanism from the vehicle and relocates it to the battery pack itself. The battery pack includes its own lifting elements and actuation systems, separating the complexity from the vehicle chassis. This allows automatic battery exchange without requiring the vehicle to have complex motors and transmission shafts for leveling and release.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery pack is designed to be self-sufficient with integrated lifting elements, alignment elements, and actuation mechanisms. The battery can autonomously perform leveling, alignment, and release operations without external assistance from complex vehicle-mounted systems. This self-service capability reduces the need for costly and complex vehicle actuation mechanisms.
2Reliability
If customized solutions are implemented for different battery types and mounting configurations, then each specific application can be optimized, but the system becomes less universal and more expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the battery pack with universal interfaces and standardized mounting mechanisms that can accommodate different battery types and vehicle configurations. The alignment elements, locking mechanisms, and lifting systems are designed to work across multiple applications, eliminating the need for customized solutions for each battery type while maintaining reliability through standardized, proven designs.
3Device complexity
If manual battery exchange solutions are used, then the system remains simple and economical, but the process becomes time-consuming and less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is pre-equipped with alignment elements, lifting mechanisms, and actuation systems that prepare it for automatic exchange before it even reaches the exchange station. The preliminary integration of these components enables rapid automated operation without requiring complex external equipment, thus improving productivity while maintaining relative system simplicity.
4Manufacturing precision
If the vehicle leveling system is integrated with the battery release mechanism, then the battery can be released accurately positioned, but the system becomes more complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leveling function with the battery release mechanism by integrating alignment elements into the release system itself. The same components that facilitate battery release also ensure accurate positioning and leveling, eliminating the need for separate leveling systems. This combination reduces overall system complexity and cost while maintaining precise positioning accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system for locking and/or unlocking a power battery (10) under a vehicle chassis (11), comprising a plurality of tools, each of which includes elements (13, 14) for aligning said tool relative to the battery along a longitudinal axis (X) and along a transverse axis (Y), elements (15) for bearing against the underside (25) of the chassis and enabling balancing, and locking and/or unlocking elements (16) for actuating an attachment bolt (17) between a locked configuration, in which the battery is locked under the chassis, and an unlocked configuration, in which the object is released.