Swappable EV Battery Mounting Assembly for Fast Pack Removal
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicles, particularly electric tractors, face challenges with battery pack swapping due to weight and accessibility issues, leading to reduced productivity and higher maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for swapping battery packs in electric vehicles, featuring a mounting assembly with linear and rotational movement mechanisms, allowing for easy access and orientation of the battery pack, and an integrated battery management system for communication and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the battery pack is securely connected within the vehicle to ensure stability, then the battery pack stability is improved, but the ease of removal and swapping deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack system is divided into separable components: the battery pack itself and the mounting assembly with quick-release mechanisms. This segmentation allows the battery pack to be securely mounted during operation yet easily removed when swapping is needed, resolving the contradiction between stability and ease of removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly incorporates dynamic quick-release mechanisms that can rapidly transition between locked and unlocked states. This dynamic capability enables the battery pack to be securely held during vehicle operation but easily removed when swapping is required, addressing both stability and ease of operation requirements.
2Power
If the battery pack capacity is increased to meet higher power requirements, then the power capability is improved, but the charging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Battery packs are pre-charged externally before being installed in the vehicle. This preliminary charging action transfers the charging time burden to a separate process, allowing the vehicle to be ready for immediate use with a fully charged battery pack, thus reducing the effective charging time impact on vehicle availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging function is extracted from the vehicle system and performed externally on removable battery packs. This separation allows the vehicle to maintain high power capability with large capacity batteries while the charging process occurs independently during battery pack preparation, not during vehicle operation.
3Power
If the battery pack capacity is increased to meet higher power requirements, then the power capability is improved, but the battery pack weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting assembly is designed with load-bearing structures and support mechanisms that counterbalance the weight of high-capacity battery packs. This anti-weight approach enables the vehicle to accommodate heavier batteries for increased power capability while maintaining ease of handling and installation through mechanical support.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the battery pack is integrated into the vehicle structure, then the structural stability is improved, but the accessibility for replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated vehicle structure is segmented to include a dedicated mounting assembly with quick-release mechanisms. This segmentation allows the battery pack to be structurally integrated for stability while maintaining accessibility through the specialized mounting interface that enables rapid removal and replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting assembly acts as an intermediary between the vehicle structure and the battery pack. It provides structural integration and stability while incorporating quick-release mechanisms that facilitate easy accessibility for battery pack replacement, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure herein generally relates to swappable battery pack and more particularly, to a system and method for swapping a battery pack in an electric vehicle. The system (100) includes a mounting assembly (104) mounted on a chassis (10) of the vehicle, and at least one battery pack (102) mounted on the mounting assembly (104). The mounting assembly facilitates linear and rotational movement of the battery pack w.r.t the chassis to allow egress and ingress of the battery pack (102) from a battery mounting space defined in the vehicle. At least two connectors (106C) provided on a mounting platform (106) facilitate connection of the battery pack with the vehicle. The system facilitates ease in accessing the battery pack, allows the battery pack to be removed and placed at different orientations, easy to assemble and operate.