Battery Retention Blocks for Reliable Removable Battery Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing materials handling vehicles face challenges in efficiently and securely integrating and removing battery assemblies, particularly in ensuring reliable electrical connections and easy handling 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 reliable electrical connections, allowing easy insertion and removal while maintaining connection integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a removable battery assembly is used, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of electrical connection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery locking mechanism is pre-configured with spring-loaded locking pins positioned to automatically engage with battery retention blocks upon insertion. The cam surfaces are pre-arranged to convert vertical insertion motion into horizontal locking pin movement, ensuring reliable electrical connections are established before the battery is fully seated, thereby maintaining connection integrity while enabling easy removal.
Solution Approach 2:
Battery retention blocks serve as intermediary components between the battery assembly and the vehicle's electrical system. These blocks provide both mechanical retention through engagement with locking pins and electrical connection through integrated contacts, separating the mechanical and electrical functions while ensuring both reliability and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added, then reliability of battery engagement is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism integrates multiple functions into unified components: spring-loaded locking pins simultaneously provide mechanical retention and electrical contact, while cam surfaces combine motion conversion and force multiplication. The battery retention blocks merge structural support, locking engagement, and electrical connection functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded locking pins automatically engage with battery retention blocks upon battery insertion without requiring manual intervention. The cam surfaces self-actuate to move the locking pins into the engaged position, and the springs automatically reset the mechanism during battery removal, eliminating the need for complex control systems or additional actuators.
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 efficiency and reliability of battery integration and removal processes, ensuring secure engagement and easy handling, while maintaining stable electrical connections across multiple insertion and removal cycles.
Implementation Method 1
The spring-loaded locking pin may be spring-biased in an extended position and may be movable relative to the battery body from the extended position to a retracted position
Implementation Method 2
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
Data Source
AI summary
A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly includes lateral battery faces, each including a longitudinal guide structure; the battery receiving space includes opposing retention blocks, each arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and each comprising a retention lever including a fixed end and a distal end; and the longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face includes a lever-receiving detent that is configured to receive the distal end of one of the retention levers.