Battery Pack Magnetic Lock Positioning for Fast EV Swapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing battery replacement systems for electric vehicles face inefficiencies due to the difficulty in determining the battery pack's position in a timely manner, leading to slow and non-automated locking processes.

Innovation Solution

A battery pack with multiple lock shafts featuring a positioning steel magnet and a locking device that includes a lock base with a sensing hole, a lock connecting rod, and an elastic pad, allowing for automatic and synchronized locking and unlocking of the battery pack to the vehicle, enhancing the efficiency of battery replacement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a manual or automatic battery replacement system is used with multiple locking positions, then the battery can be securely locked to the vehicle, but the replacement speed and automation level remain insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery replacement speedVSAvoidautomation level of locking process
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional mechanical sensing system with a magnetic field-based sensing system. The positioning steel magnet mounted on the lock shaft generates a magnetic field that is detected by the Hall sensor, enabling non-contact position detection. This substitution eliminates mechanical wear and improves the automation level of the locking process while maintaining secure locking capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system achieves self-service automation where the Hall sensor automatically detects the position of the lock shaft through the magnetic field signal from the positioning steel magnet, and the control system automatically controls the locking mechanism without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability significantly improves both the automation level and replacement speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If the battery pack position is not easily determined in time, then the locking structure can be simple, but the battery change efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery change efficiencyVSAvoidposition detection system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical position detection mechanisms with a simple magnetic field-based detection system. The positioning steel magnet and Hall sensor combination provides accurate position information without requiring complex mechanical linkages, sensors, or processing systems, thus improving battery change efficiency while keeping the device complexity low.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning steel magnet acts as an intermediary that carries position information through its magnetic field to the Hall sensor. This intermediary approach allows for simple, non-contact position detection, enabling rapid determination of battery pack position without complex direct mechanical sensing systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If multiple locking positions are used to secure the heavy battery, then the locking reliability is improved, but the locking structure becomes more complex and slower to operate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoidlocking structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control of multiple locking positions into a unified system. The lock connecting rod integrates multiple locking actions, and the control system manages all lock shafts through a coordinated mechanism. This merging approach maintains high locking reliability across multiple positions while reducing overall system complexity and improving operation speed compared to independent locking mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution enables rapid and automated battery replacement by determining the battery's position accurately and reducing friction, improving the service life of locking components and accelerating the battery replacement process.

Implementation Method 1

a first positioning steel magnet is mounted in the positioning hole... when the lock shaft enters the lock groove, the first positioning steel magnet is sensed by the sensing device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic field detection: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentEP4026716B1Battery pack and electric vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.09.04 SHANGHAI DIANBA NEW ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
  • EP4026716B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4026716B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4026716B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A battery pack and an electric vehicle are provided. A plurality of lock shafts (30) are mounted on an outer side of the battery pack, and each of the lock shafts (30) includes a shaft seat (34) and a shaft rod (31). The lock shaft (30) is mounted to the outer side of the battery pack by the shaft seat (34). A concave positioning hole (321) is arranged at an end of the shaft rod (31) away from the shaft seat (34), and a first positioning steel magnet (32) is mounted in the positioning hole (321).