Removable Battery Locking Mechanism for Secure Forklift Battery Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current materials handling vehicles face challenges in efficiently and securely integrating and removing battery assemblies, particularly in ensuring reliable electrical connections and easy battery replacement mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A removable battery assembly with a spring-loaded battery handle and locking pin mechanism that securely engages with a battery receiving space, featuring a planar cam surface design for linear movement and a standoff gap for stable electrical connections, allowing for easy insertion and removal while maintaining reliable power transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a removable battery assembly is used, then battery replacement efficiency is improved, but secure engagement and reliable electrical connections become more difficult to ensure
Solution Approach 1:
The battery locking mechanism is divided into separate functional components: a locking pin for mechanical engagement, a cam surface for actuation, and electrical contacts for power transfer. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to provide both quick release and secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam surface acts as an intermediary between the user's manual input and the locking pin's movement. By using the cam's geometric shape, a small rotational motion is transformed into a large linear displacement of the locking pin, providing mechanical advantage and ensuring positive engagement without requiring excessive force from the user.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the battery, then engagement reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded locking pin automatically returns to the locked position after battery insertion and can be manually released by the user. The mechanism is self-actuating through spring force, eliminating the need for separate locking and unlocking actuators, and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining secure engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex motorized or multi-step locking system, the invention uses a simple spring-loaded pin that is passive during insertion and active during removal. The spring force naturally keeps the pin extended for easy insertion, and a simple cam rotation overrides this spring force for quick release, inverting the typical active-locking approach.
3Ease of operation
If a cam surface mechanism is used for linear movement, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism is segmented into the cam surface on the locking pin and the corresponding cam follower surface on the battery housing. This segmentation allows each surface to be manufactured and assembled independently, with tolerance compensation built into the design, reducing the need for high-precision mating surfaces while maintaining smooth operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cam surface geometry is designed with specific angular and curvature parameters that provide mechanical advantage throughout the rotation range. By optimizing these geometric parameters, the mechanism achieves high operational ease with moderate manufacturing tolerances, as the cam's shape compensates for minor variations in fabrication.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the ease of battery replacement, ensures secure engagement, and maintains reliable electrical connections, improving operational efficiency and reducing wear on components.
Implementation Method 1
a spring-loaded locking pin. The spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a leading portion that may be configured to engage a battery latch positioned in a battery receiving space
Implementation Method 2
The spring-loaded battery handle may be spring-biased in a locked position and may be movable relative to the battery body from the locked position to an unlocked position
Implementation Method 3
The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a planar handle cam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a planar pin cam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface. The spring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin may be configured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surface with movement of the battery handle
Data Source
AI summary
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly includes a battery body and a battery locking mechanism; the battery locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded battery handle and a spring-loaded locking pin; the battery receiving space includes a battery latch positioned to receive the spring-loaded locking pin; the spring-loaded battery handle includes a planar handle cam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin includes a planar pin cam surface such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surface with movement of the battery handle relative to the battery body; the spring-loaded battery handle is spring-biased in a locked position; and the spring-loaded locking pin is spring-biased in an extended position and is movable to a retracted position in response to movement of the battery handle from the locked position to an unlocked position.