Battery Swap Locking Control Under Faulty Locking Heads

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Solution Overview

Problem

The prolonged battery swap time due to faults in the locking process of battery locking mechanisms, which affects the efficiency and reliability of battery charging and swap stations, particularly in electric vehicle charging systems.

Innovation Solution

A battery swap control method that determines the completion of locking based on the number and positions of faulty locking/unlocking heads, allowing for quick determination of locking reliability and efficient fault handling, including one-button locking instructions and real-time torque monitoring to ensure secure locking and reduce system operation time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual locking is performed or battery locking mechanism is replaced on site when locking faults occur, then locking reliability is ensured, but battery swap time is prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoidbattery swap time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is divided into multiple independent locking/unlocking heads, each capable of operating autonomously. When a fault occurs in one head, the system can segment the locking task and complete it with the remaining functional heads, avoiding complete system failure and manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the locking completion criteria based on the number and positions of faulty heads. Instead of requiring all heads to succeed, the system changes the parameter of acceptable locking completion to allow partial success, thereby maintaining reliability while reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If all locking mechanisms must reach target torque without system error, then locking reliability is ensured, but battery swap efficiency is reduced when faults occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking reliabilityVSAvoidbattery swap efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system accepts partial locking action as sufficient when faults occur. Instead of requiring excessive action (all heads reaching target torque), it allows partial completion with the remaining functional heads, maintaining adequate reliability while preserving swap efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements real-time monitoring of locking/unlocking head status and provides feedback to dynamically adjust the locking completion criteria. When faults are detected, the feedback mechanism allows the system to adaptively change the acceptance criteria, maintaining efficiency without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of time

If the number and positions of faulty locking/unlocking heads are monitored to determine locking completion, then battery swap time is reduced, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery swap timeVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system integrates multiple functions into a single unified controller that handles fault detection, classification, decision-making, and execution coordination. This universal controller manages the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface for determining locking completion based on fault number and position.

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

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 method reduces battery swap time by 20 minutes on average and improves user experience by ensuring locking reliability and efficient fault handling, enabling vehicles to leave the charging station quickly, even in case of faults or fire alarms.

Implementation Method 1

a vehicle can leave only if all locking mechanisms on the battery are screwed to reach a target torque

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTorque: Torque

Implementation Method 2

the real-time locking /unlocking parameters of each fastener are monitored to determine if the locking/unlocking was successful

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTorque monitoring: Torque

Data Source

PatentEP4265471B1Battery swap control method and system, medium, apparatus, and battery charging and swap station
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 NIO TECH ANHUI CO LTD
  • EP4265471B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4265471B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4265471B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The disclosure relates to the technical field of battery swapping, and in particular to a battery swap control method and system, a medium, an apparatus, and a battery charging and swap station. An objective of the disclosure is to solve a problem that battery swap time is forced to be prolonged due to a fault in a locking process. To achieve the objective, the battery swap control method of the disclosure includes: acquiring a first real-time operation parameter of each locking/unlocking head in a locking process; determining, based on the first real-time operation parameter acquired, whether the locking/unlocking head has a locking fault; if any of the locking/unlocking heads has a locking fault, acquiring a number and positions of the locking/unlocking heads having the locking fault; determining whether a first locking completion condition is satisfied according to the acquired number and positions of locking/unlocking heads; and determining that locking is completed when the first locking completion condition is satisfied. In the disclosure, the battery swap time can be reduced and battery swap efficiency can be improved while locking reliability is ensured.