Battery Pack Mounting Layout for Forklift-Accessible Working Vehicles

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing working vehicles driven by electric motors face challenges in efficiently attaching and detaching battery packs, requiring specialized equipment like cranes and limiting the workspace for these operations.

Innovation Solution

A working vehicle design featuring a main body frame with a cutout area in the rear allows forklifts to load and unload battery packs without the need for crane equipment, with the battery pack positioned above the cutout area and supported by longitudinal ribs, enabling easy access and reducing the need for dedicated hoisting attachments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If crane equipment or dedicated hoisting attachment is used for battery pack attachment/detachment, then the battery pack can be securely installed, but the device complexity increases and the workspace is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack installation securityVSAvoidequipment requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the battery pack mounting function from the main vehicle body by creating a separate, dedicated mounting structure with a cutout area in the rear portion. This allows the battery pack to be independently loaded and unloaded using simple forklift equipment rather than requiring complex crane or hoisting systems integrated into the vehicle body.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using overhead cranes or hoisting attachments that work from above, the patent inverts the approach by providing access from below through the cutout area in the rear portion of the vehicle body. The support section of the forklift abuts on this cutout area to lift the battery pack from underneath, reversing the traditional top-down installation approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Ease of operation

If crane equipment is used for battery pack attachment/detachment, then the battery pack can be handled, but the workspace for attachment/detachment is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveattachment/detachment accessibilityVSAvoidworkspace for attachment/detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent opens up the workspace by creating a vertical cutout area in the rear portion of the vehicle body, allowing forklift access from the rear horizontal dimension rather than requiring overhead vertical space for cranes. This dimensional change in access approach significantly expands the available workspace for battery pack attachment and detachment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If specialized hoisting attachment is used, then the battery pack can be secured, but the device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery pack fixationVSAvoidmanufacturing simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cutout area in the rear portion of the vehicle body serves multiple functions: it provides access for battery pack installation, acts as a structural element of the mounting system, and enables the use of standard forklift equipment. This universal design eliminates the need for specialized hoisting attachments while maintaining reliable battery pack fixation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4420906A1Working vehicle
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 TAKEUCHI MFG CO LTD
  • EP4420906A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4420906A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4420906A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

There is provided a working vehicle facilitating the attachment/detachment of a battery pack. A working vehicle has a vehicle body (3), a travel unit (10), a working unit (12, 14) working by a hydraulic pressure, and an electric motor serving as a drive source for the travel unit (10) or the working unit (12, 14); the vehicle body (3) includes a main body frame (18) provided in a lower portion and serving as a reinforcing member and a support member for on-board devices; the main body frame (18) includes a large plate (68) serving as a bottom plate; the large plate (68) has a cutout area (70) provided in a rear portion, facing backward in a plane view, and allowing the support section of a device loading/unloading a battery pack (64) to abut on the cutout area (70), and the battery pack (64) is disposed above the cutout area (70).