JP7417765B2 - Battery replacement method used in battery replacement station - Google Patents

Description

This application claims priority based on Chinese patent application number 2020104148234, whose filing date is May 15, 2020. This application incorporates all of the above-mentioned Chinese patent applications.

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of electric vehicles, and more particularly to a battery replacement method used in a battery replacement station.

At present, the exhaust gas emitted by vehicles remains one of the elements constituting a serious problem in environmental pollution. In order to reduce car exhaust emissions, many natural cars, hydrogen cars, solar cars, and electric cars have been developed to replace fuel-powered cars. Among them, the one with the best prospects for application is electric vehicles.

Current electric vehicles primarily include both direct charge and quick exchange types.

Direct charging types are currently mainly applied to small vehicles such as taxis, family cars, etc. Currently, it is common for automobiles that are directly rechargeable to be charged using charging stations built on the ground. However, charging stations are not only inconvenient to manage, but as automobiles become more popular, it becomes difficult to centrally manage charging for automobiles.

The rapid exchange type is mainly applied to bus systems and company cars, and the on-board power battery of the electric bus or company car can be quickly replaced via a rapid exchange station, so that the electric car can move on the track. It is possible to realize continuous operation.

However, at present, for example, battery exchange stations are used as equipment for rapidly exchanging batteries in electric vehicles. There will be too many transport devices. For example, the cost of battery swapping stations is high because they typically need to include a wheelbarrow or palletizer to swap batteries.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station, in order to overcome the above-mentioned deficiencies.

The present invention solves the above technical problems based on the following technical means.
The battery exchange method used at the battery exchange station is
stopping the electric vehicle at a predetermined stopping position at the battery exchange station;
removing the old battery of the electric vehicle to a predetermined battery replacement position at the battery replacement station by the battery replacement device;
feeding the old battery into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position in the battery swapping station by a battery swapping device, and taking out the new battery from the charging bin;
installing a new battery into the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position by a battery replacement device.

The technical effect of this technical means is that the battery exchange device sends the old battery to the charging bin located above the predetermined parking position, thereby saving the time required for the battery exchange device to move and improving the efficiency of battery exchange. As the charging bin is placed above the parking position, it saves ground space and costs are low.

A positive advance and advantage of the present invention is that the battery exchange device feeds the old battery into a charging bin located above a predetermined parking position, thereby eliminating the time required for the battery exchange device to move the battery. This improves replacement efficiency, and since the charging bin is placed above the parking position, it saves ground space and costs are low.

1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a battery exchange station according to Example 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1 viewed from another perspective. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a first battery exchange bin of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the first battery exchange bin shown in FIG. 4 viewed from another angle. 5 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the first battery exchange bin shown in FIG. 4. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a second battery exchange bin of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1; 8 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of the second battery exchange bin shown in FIG. 7 viewed from another angle. FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a charging bin at a battery exchange station. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the charging bin. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the charging bin. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a first upper battery exchange bin of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a second upper battery exchange bin of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal configuration of the battery exchange station shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional configuration of a first battery exchange device according to Example 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a partial configuration of a box according to Example 1 of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of the flow of the battery exchange method based on Example 2 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the detailed flow of step S2 based on Example 4 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the detailed flow of step S4 according to Example 5 of the present invention. 12 is a flowchart of a control method for taking out a battery pack according to Example 6 of the present invention. 12 is a flowchart (1) of step S2-11 according to Embodiment 6 of the present invention. It is a flowchart (2) of step S2-11 according to Example 6 of the present invention. It is a perspective view of the battery exchange device based on Example 6 of this invention. It is a flowchart of step S2-12 according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a battery mounting mechanism according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a three-dimensional configuration of an unlocking mechanism according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of an unlocking mechanism according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an exploded configuration of an unlocking mechanism according to Example 6 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of step S2-13 according to Example 6 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the control method for attaching a battery pack according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a battery pack fixing system according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a bracket according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the configuration of a battery pack according to Example 6 of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a locking mechanism moving in a method for attaching a battery pack according to Example 6 of the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of the detailed flow of step S3 concerning Example 7 of the present invention. It is a figure of the positioning and positioning in the first direction based on Example 8 of this invention. It is a figure of the positioning and alignment in the second direction based on Example 8 of this invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of acquiring positional information of a target battery position by visual positioning means according to Example 8 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the battery position positioning method based on Example 8 of this invention. 12 is a flowchart for positioning a target battery position by controlling a visual positioning means according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a detailed flow of step S5 of the battery replacement method according to Example 9 of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the battery exchange method based on Example 10 of this invention. It is a flowchart of the battery exchange method based on Example 10 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the battery exchange apparatus based on Example 10 of this invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the actual mounting position of the visual sensor according to the tenth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiments with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not thereby limited to the scope of the embodiments described above.

<Example 1>
This embodiment provides a battery exchange station for exchanging battery packs in electric vehicles. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the battery exchange station includes a first battery exchange bin 1, a second battery exchange bin 2, a charging bin 3, a first battery exchange device 4, and a second battery exchange device 5, A travel path 6 is formed between the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2. The traveling path 6 is for the electric vehicle 100 to stop. The charging bin 3 is for charging and discharging a battery pack replaced from the electric vehicle 100. The charging bin 3 is located above the travel path 6 and is connected to the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2, respectively. The first battery exchange device 4 and the second battery exchange device 5 are provided in the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2, respectively, and are connected to the charging bin 3 and the electric vehicle 100 in the driving path 6. This is for exchanging packs.

The charging bin 3 is installed above the travel path 6, and the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2 are installed on both sides of the travel path 6, so that batteries can be exchanged from both sides of the electric vehicle. It is possible to meet the need for replacing batteries in the battery exchange station, and the battery exchange station as a whole has a compact configuration and occupies a small area on the ground.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 8, the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2 have openings 11 on their sides that communicate with the travel path 6. The opening 11 of the first battery exchange bin 1 is for the first battery exchange device 4 to extend to the electric vehicle 100 in the travel path 6 to exchange a battery pack. The opening 11 of the second battery exchange bin 2 is for the second battery exchange device 4 to extend to the electric vehicle 100 in the travel path 6 to exchange the battery pack.

The opening 11 may be located depending on the location of the battery pack of the electric vehicle at the battery exchange station. In other embodiments, when replacing batteries only on one side of the electric vehicle, the opening 11 may be provided only in the first battery replacement bin 1 or the second battery replacement bin 2. When an electric vehicle requires a plurality of battery exchange ports for battery packs located on one side, a plurality of openings 11 may be installed in the first battery exchange bin 1 or the second battery exchange bin 2.

The first battery exchange bin 1 or the second battery exchange bin 2 described above is provided with a pull-up door device on the side thereof. The pulling door device is for controlling the opening and closing of the opening 11. The pulling door device includes a door plate (side door) and a lifting mechanism, and the lifting mechanism is for driving the driving door plate to move in the vertical direction of the opening 11 so that the opening 11 opens and closes.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the first battery exchange bin 1 is provided with a rail, and the first battery exchange device 4 moves on the rail. Specifically, the rails in the first battery exchange bin 1 include a first lower rail 101 and a first upper rail 102, and the first lower rail 101 is located at the bottom of the first battery exchange bin 1. , the first upper rail 102 is located at the tip of the first battery exchange bin 1 . The first battery exchange device 4 also includes a first base 41, a first frame 42, a first box 43, and a first support rod 44. The first base 41 is fixed below the first frame 42, and One support rod 44 is fixed to a side surface of the first frame 42 , and the first box 43 is located on the first frame 42 and moves up and down along the first frame 42 .

The first base 41 is located on the first lower rail 101, and the first support rod 44 and the first upper rail 102 are in contact with each other. The first battery exchange device 4 as a whole can move on the first lower rail 101 and the first upper rail 102, so that the first battery exchange device 4 can move along the horizontal direction. is possible. Further, the first box 43 is located on the first frame 42 , and the first box 43 moves up and down along the first frame 42 so as to rise to the position of the charging bin 3 or fall to the position of the opening 11 . .

In the first battery exchange device 4 described above, the process of exchanging batteries is as follows.
The first battery exchange device 4 moves the first lower rail 101 and the first upper rail 102 so that the first box 43 is aligned vertically with the opening 11, and the first box 43 is aligned horizontally with the opening 11. When it is confirmed that the opening 11 is open, the first box 43 extends and takes out the old battery pack of the electric vehicle 100, and then the first box 43 is retracted again. In this case, the old battery pack is located in the first box 43.
The first box 43 rises so as to be aligned with the empty placement position in the charging bin 3 along the horizontal direction. The first battery exchange device 4 moves the first lower rail 101 and the first upper rail 102 so that the first box 43 is vertically aligned with the vacant placement position in the charging bin 3, and A box 43 extends to the charging bin 3 and places the old battery pack in the corresponding placement position.
The first battery exchange device 4 moves on the first lower rail 101 and the first upper rail 102, and the first box 43 is raised and lowered until the first box 43 is aligned with the new battery pack, and the first box 43 is moved to the charging bin. 3 and take out a new battery pack.
The first battery exchange device 4 moves on the first lower rail 101 and the first upper rail 102, and the first box 43 is lowered until the first box 43 is aligned with the opening 11. When the opening 11 is confirmed to be open, the first box 43 is extended and a new battery pack is attached to the electric vehicle 100, and then the first box 43 is retracted.
As described above, the entire process of replacing the battery is completed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the second battery exchange bin and the second battery exchange device may have the same configuration and operation method as the first battery exchange bin and the first battery exchange device.

The rails in the first battery exchange bin 1 and the rails in the second battery exchange bin 2 are installed based on the first battery exchange device 4, the second battery exchange device 5, and the flow of battery exchange. In other embodiments, depending on the configuration of the first battery exchange device 4 and the second battery exchange device 5, the rails in the first battery exchange bin 1 and the rails in the second battery exchange bin 2 may be installed together. The rail design is not limited to the above-described rail design according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 8, the first battery exchange device 4 or the second battery exchange device 5 extends to the outside of the first battery exchange bin 1 or the second battery exchange bin 2, and In order to take out and take out the battery pack, a tip opening 15 is provided at the tip of the first battery exchange bin 1 or the second battery exchange bin 2. The opening 15 at the tip of the first battery exchange bin 1 is for the first battery exchange device 4 to transport the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1, and the opening 15 at the front end of the first battery exchange bin 1 is for transporting the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1. The opening 15 at the end of the second battery is used for the second battery exchange device 5 to transport the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the second battery exchange bin 2.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 19 to 11, the charging bin 3 is provided with a battery inlet/outlet port 31 on the side surface. The battery insertion/removal port 31 is for the first battery exchange device 4 or the second battery exchange device 5 to extend and insert/remove the battery pack.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the charging bin 3 includes a charging chamber 32 and several charging racks 33 installed in the charging chamber 32. The charging rack 33 is for mounting a battery pack and for charging and discharging the battery pack. The charging rack 33 is installed facing the battery loading/unloading port 31, and the first battery exchange device 4 and the second battery changing device 5 are inserted through the battery loading/unloading port 31, and the battery pack is taken out from the charging rack 33, or the battery pack is removed from the charging rack 33. can be placed on the charging rack 33.

Among them, some of the charging racks 33 are arranged in two rows in the charging chamber 32. The two rows of charging racks 33 are located on both sides of the charging chamber 32, and a central maintenance passage 34 is formed between the two rows of charging racks 33. The two rows of charging racks 33 correspond to the two battery loading/unloading ports 31, respectively, and are used to extend the first battery changing device 4 and the second battery changing device 5 to take out and take out battery packs. be.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a partially open space is provided between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1 and the second battery exchange bin 2. Then, the battery exchange station as a whole can form a relatively closed space. The battery exchange station further includes a first upper battery exchange bin 7 and a second upper battery exchange bin 8, the first upper battery exchange bin 7 is located above the first battery exchange bin 1, and the second upper battery exchange bin 7 is located above the first battery exchange bin 1. The battery exchange bin 8 is located above the second battery exchange bin 2. The first upper battery exchange bin 7 and the second upper battery exchange bin 8 are located on both sides of the charging bin 3.

The first upper battery exchange bin 7 is connected to the first battery exchange bin 1 and the charging bin 3, and the second upper battery exchange bin 8 is connected to the second battery exchange bin 2 and the charging bin 3. The first battery exchange bin 1, the second battery exchange bin 2, the charging bin 3, the first upper battery exchange bin 7, and the second upper battery exchange bin 8 may be containers. Connecting the support legs of adjacent containers to each other completes the installation of the battery exchange station. If the first battery exchange bin 1, the second battery exchange bin 2, the charging bin 3, the first upper battery exchange bin 7, and the second upper battery exchange bin 8 are designed as containers, the necessary devices are installed in advance in the container. This reduces the time it takes to install a battery exchange station on-site.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 12, and 13, the first upper battery exchange bin 7 or the second upper battery exchange bin 8 is provided with a bottom opening 71 at the bottom. The bottom opening 71 of the first upper battery exchange bin 7 is for the first battery exchange device 4 to transport the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1, and is for transporting the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1. The bottom opening 71 of the exchange bin 8 is for the second battery exchange device 5 to transport the battery pack between the charging bin 3 and the second battery exchange bin 2. The first upper battery exchange bin 7 or the second upper battery exchange bin 8 is provided with a side opening 74 on the surface facing the charging bin 3 . The side opening 74 communicates with the battery loading/unloading port 31 of the charging bin 3 .

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the front opening 15 of the first battery exchange bin 1 communicates with the bottom opening 71 of the first upper battery exchange bin 7, and the side surface of the first upper battery exchange bin 7 communicates with the bottom opening 71 of the first upper battery exchange bin 7. The opening 74 further communicates with the battery inlet/outlet port 31 of the charging bin 3, so that the first battery exchange bin 1, the first upper battery exchange bin 7, and the charging bin 3 form a communication space, and the first battery exchange bin 3 forms a communication space. When the device 4 moves through the space, the battery pack is transported between the charging bin 3 and the first battery exchange bin 1.

Further, the tip opening 15 of the second battery exchange bin 2 communicates with the bottom opening 71 of the second upper battery exchange bin 8, and the side opening 74 of the second upper battery exchange bin 8 further communicates with the charging bin 3. The second battery exchange bin 2, the second upper battery exchange bin 8, and the charging bin 3 form a communication space, and when the second battery exchange device 5 moves through the space, the batteries are removed. The pack is transported with a charging bin 3 and a second battery exchange bin 2.

Hereinafter, the structure of the boxes of the first battery exchange device and the second battery exchange device will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.

Since the first battery exchange device 4 and the second battery exchange device 5 have the same configuration, only the configuration of the first battery exchange device will be described.

The first box 41 of the first battery exchange device 4 is provided on the first frame 42 and moves along the first frame 42 in the vertical direction (Z direction).

The first box includes a book 431, a battery placement mechanism 432, a push/pull mechanism 433, and an unlocking mechanism 435. The main body 431 is connected to the first frame 42, and the battery placement mechanism 432 is connected to the main body. The push/pull mechanism 433 is installed on the top surface and extends horizontally along the top surface of the main body 431 while rotating horizontally. A suction cup 434 is also provided on the surface of the push/pull mechanism 433 facing the extension direction, and the suction cup 434 is preferably an electromagnetic device. Optionally, the unlocking mechanism 435 may be located at other locations on the box.

The first battery exchange device 4 further includes a position adjustment mechanism (not shown), which adjusts the horizontal displacement amount acquired by the visual positioning system, the vertical displacement amount until the unlocking mechanism aligns with the unlocking part in the battery bracket. This is for adjusting the position of the unlocking mechanism based on at least one of the amount of movement and the amount of rotation angle.

<Example 2>
The second embodiment provides a battery replacement method, and the battery replacement method is applied to the battery replacement station according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 17, the battery replacement method includes the following steps.
In step S1, the electric vehicle stops at a predetermined stopping position at a battery exchange station.
In step S2, the battery replacement device removes the old battery from the electric vehicle to a predetermined battery replacement position at the battery replacement station.
In step S3, the battery exchange device sends the old battery to a charging bin located above the predetermined stopping position at the battery exchange station, and takes out the new battery from the charging bin.
In step S4, a new battery is attached to the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery exchange position using the battery exchange device.
The battery replacement method realizes replacing the battery of an electric vehicle using only the battery replacement device, saves time for replacing the battery, speeds up the battery replacement process, and reduces the number of devices at the battery replacement station. However, the cost of manufacturing the battery exchange station can be reduced.

<Example 3>
In the third embodiment, an embodiment of step S1 according to the second embodiment will be described in detail.

In step S1, a predetermined stopping position is installed in the driving path at the battery exchange station, so that when the electric vehicle travels to the driving path, it stops at the predetermined stopping position and the battery bracket of the electric vehicle faces the side opening. to make the operation of placing the battery convenient. A yellow frame or the like is installed at the predetermined stopping position to mark the range of the predetermined stopping position, thereby helping the driver of the electric vehicle to stop. Optionally, a position restriction device may be installed at a predetermined parking position to restrict the parking position of the electric vehicle. When the car whose battery is to be replaced arrives at the station, workers guide the car to a predetermined stopping position, and the driver waits for the battery to be replaced when the engine stops or the electricity is cut off. A worker opens the side cover of the battery attachment part of the electric vehicle and removes the battery using the battery exchange device. Optionally, the side lid may be opened in an electrical manner.

<Example 4>
Example 4 provides a further detailed embodiment of step S2 according to Example 2.

As shown in FIG. 18, step S2 further includes the following steps.
Step S2-0 controls the battery placement mechanism to move to a predetermined battery replacement position facing the battery bracket based on a predetermined value, and controls the battery placement mechanism to move based on a predetermined value. Then, initial positioning of the battery placement mechanism is realized.
In step S2-1, the battery mounting mechanism is controlled to move to a position where it aligns with the battery bracket of the electric vehicle. Aligning the battery placement mechanism and the battery bracket facilitates the battery placement mechanism to remove the battery relative to the battery bracket.
In step S2-2, the battery placement mechanism is controlled to extend toward the electric vehicle to the unlocking mechanism and combine with the locking mechanism, and by combining the unlocking mechanism and the locking mechanism, the battery placement mechanism is Helps unlock old batteries.
In step S2-3, the locking mechanism of the battery bracket is unlocked by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move. By interlocking the unlocking part with the unlocking rod to unlock the battery bracket, it is realized that the old battery can be automatically unlocked.
Step S2-4 controls the push-pull mechanism to extend to the suction cup of the push-pull mechanism and connect to the old battery, and to retract the push-pull mechanism to pull the old battery to the battery exchange device. to control. Pulling the old battery by the suction cup of the push-pull mechanism can avoid destroying the old battery.

Before step S2-3, the method includes the step of determining whether or not the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part, and if it is determined that the unlocking rod is combined, driving the unlocking rod to rotate. By increasing the number of determination steps, it is possible to avoid destruction of the device due to operations performed without unlocking the old battery.

After step S2-1, the method further includes acquiring and recording position data for aligning the battery mounting mechanism and the battery bracket. The positioning of the new battery is made more accurate by providing a positioning reference for installing the next new battery, which positioning reference is more accurate than the previously established positioning reference.

Step S2-1 is
collecting images at a first position and a second position in the battery bracket to obtain a first image and a second image;
image processing the first image and the second image to obtain a position adjustment amount;
The method includes controlling the battery mounting mechanism to move to a position where it is aligned with the battery bracket based on the position adjustment amount.

Since the battery placement mechanism and the battery bracket are aligned using the above visual positioning means, the accuracy is high and positional deviations can be avoided when removing the battery, and the battery placement mechanism is aligned with the battery bracket. to help remove the battery.

Furthermore, acquiring the position adjustment amount by image processing the first image and the second image,
obtaining a horizontal shift amount based on the first reference image corresponding to the first image and the first position or the second reference image corresponding to the second image and the second position;
and/or obtaining a first vertical displacement amount and a second vertical displacement amount based on the first image and the first reference image and the second image and the second reference image, respectively;
and/or obtaining a rotation angle amount based on a depth of field value at the first position in the first image and a depth of field value at the second position in the second image.

According to the above position adjustment form, it is possible to realize accurate positioning of the battery placement mechanism and the battery bracket, and avoid misalignment when taking out the battery. It is useful to take out the battery against.

Step S2-1 is
collecting a first distance and a second distance between the battery exchange device and the electric vehicle; and
The method further includes obtaining a rotation angle amount based on the first distance and the second distance.
According to the positioning mode as described above, it is possible to avoid inaccurate positioning due to a deviation in the angle at which the battery mounting mechanism and the battery bracket are aligned.

The control method for removing the old battery according to this embodiment is to control the movement of the battery replacement device so that the unlocking mechanism provided on the battery replacement device and the unlocking part located on the battery bracket are aligned, and the battery is removed. During the process of taking out the battery pack with the battery replacement device, the battery pack located in the battery bracket is unlocked by the unlocking mechanism provided on the battery replacement device. Therefore, if the unlocking mechanism is installed only on the battery replacement device, the unlocking mechanism can be removed. The number of mechanisms installed can be reduced.

In other words, since the battery pack is taken out from the battery bracket using the control method for taking out the battery pack, there is no need to reinstall an unlocking mechanism for unlocking the locking mechanism on the battery bracket. Just install it in the battery exchange device. Therefore, a rechargeable battery exchange station equipped with multiple battery brackets can satisfy the need to unlock multiple battery brackets and take out the battery pack by installing one unlocking mechanism in one battery exchange device. In addition, the complexity of the structure of the rechargeable battery exchange station can be reduced, and the reliability of unlocking in the process of taking out the battery pack can be increased.

<Example 5>
Example 5 provides a further detailed embodiment of step S4 according to Example 2, based on Example 1 and Example 4.

As shown in FIG. 19, step S4 is
Step S4-1 of acquiring the recorded position data in Step S2;
moving the battery placement mechanism to a position to align with the battery bracket based on the position data, employing the data recorded when removing the old battery as a positioning reference, and positioning the battery replacement device when installing the new battery. From step S4-2, the positioning becomes more accurate.
The battery placement mechanism is controlled to extend toward the electric vehicle toward the unlocking mechanism and combine with the locking mechanism, and the unlocking mechanism and the locking mechanism in the battery placement mechanism are combined, so that the battery is removed by the battery exchange device. step S4-3 of realizing automatic unlocking of the battery in the bracket;
Step S4-4, controlling the push-pull mechanism to extend and push the new battery located in the battery placement mechanism into the battery bracket, and pushing the new battery into the battery bracket by the push-pull mechanism;
The locking mechanism of the battery bracket is locked by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move, and driving the unlocking part to move by the unlocking rod, A step S4-5 is included in which locking the new battery to the battery bracket can be automatically realized.

<Example 6>
Example 6 provides further detailed embodiments for steps S2 and S4 according to Example 2.

FIG. 20 shows detailed steps for step S2 according to the second embodiment, and is a schematic diagram showing control by the battery exchange device to take out the battery pack from the battery bin or the electric vehicle. The battery pack is locked to a battery bin or a battery bracket in an electric vehicle by a locking mechanism. Step S2 includes the following steps.
Step S2-11 controls the battery replacement device to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism of the battery replacement device and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket are aligned.
In step S2-12, the unlocking mechanism is controlled to move toward the unlocking section and unlock the lock while combining them.
In step S2-13, the push/pull mechanism of the battery exchange device is connected to the battery pack, and the battery pack is controlled to be moved from the battery bracket to the battery exchange device.

The battery replacement method according to this embodiment employs the steps described above, and controls the movement of the battery replacement device to unlock the unlocking mechanism provided in the battery replacement device and the unlocking part located on the battery bracket. In the process of positioning and taking out the battery pack by the battery exchange device, the battery pack located in the battery bracket is unlocked by an unlocking mechanism provided in the battery exchange device, and the unlocked battery pack is taken out by a push-pull mechanism. The positioning improves the accuracy and efficiency of unlocking when taking out the battery pack, and the push-pull mechanism allows the battery pack to be taken out in a horizontal movement, increasing the stability of taking out the battery. , it can avoid the destruction of the battery pack and increase the safety of replacing the battery.

In other words, since the battery pack is taken out from the battery bracket using the control method for taking out the battery pack, there is no need to install an unlocking mechanism on the battery bracket to unlock the locking mechanism. It can be installed in a battery exchange device. Therefore, a rechargeable battery exchange station equipped with multiple battery brackets can meet the needs of unlocking multiple battery brackets and removing battery packs by installing one unlocking mechanism in one battery exchange device, and In addition, the complexity of the structure of the rechargeable battery exchange station can be reduced, and the reliability of unlocking in the process of taking out the battery pack can be increased.

Among them, step S2-11 includes how to accurately control the battery replacement device to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism in the battery replacement device and the unlocking portion in the battery bracket are aligned. For this purpose, we now provide a detailed means of identifying position adjustment amounts based on image acquisition. The means achieve the above object by means of a visual positioning system provided in the battery placement mechanism of the battery exchange device.

The visual positioning system includes a first visual sensor 501, a second visual sensor 502, and a position acquisition means 503.
The first visual sensor 501 is for acquiring a first image at a first position at the target battery position. The second visual sensor 502 is for acquiring a second image at a second position at the target battery position. The position acquisition means 503 is for acquiring position information of the target battery position based on the first image and the second image.

Since the position acquisition means 503 further acquires the position adjustment amount based on the position information of the target battery position and the reference position information of the target battery position, it is possible to effectively improve the positioning accuracy of the visual positioning system. can.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 21, step S2-11 of applying the visual positioning system specifically includes the following steps.
Step S2-111 collects images at a first position and a second position on the battery bracket to obtain a first image and a second image.
Step S2-112 performs image processing on the first image and the second image to obtain a position adjustment amount.
In step S2-113, the battery exchange device is controlled to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking portion are aligned based on the position adjustment amount.

The above means obtains the position adjustment amount of the battery replacement device with respect to the battery bracket by collecting images, and adjusts the position of the battery replacement device based on the position adjustment amount, so the battery replacement device with respect to the battery bracket is adjusted. It is possible to effectively increase the accuracy rate of the location of the device and increase the success rate of processes such as unlocking and removing battery packs.

In an optional embodiment, the visual positioning system is configured such that the position acquisition means 503 is based on the images immediately acquired by the first visual sensor 501 and the second visual sensor 502 and the reference image of the target battery position set in advance. Then, image processing is performed to obtain the position adjustment amount.

In an alternative embodiment, the position acquisition means 503 acquires the horizontal displacement amount based on the first image and the first reference image.

The position acquisition means 503 acquires the first horizontal displacement amount and the first vertical displacement amount by the first visual sensor 501 based on the target position and the immediate position using an algorithm that processes the image. When the first visual sensor 501 is moved by the first horizontal displacement amount and the first vertical displacement amount, the first visual sensor 501 photographs an image that matches the first reference image. The process in which the position acquisition means 503 acquires the first horizontal displacement amount and the first vertical displacement amount by the first visual sensor 501 is realized by an algorithm disclosed in the present field, and can be realized by a person skilled in the art. Therefore, I will not repeat the explanation here.

Similarly, the position acquisition means 503 acquires a second horizontal displacement amount and a second vertical displacement amount based on the second image and a second reference image stored in advance. When the second visual sensor 502 is moved by a second horizontal displacement amount and a second vertical displacement amount, the second visual sensor 502 captures an image that matches the second reference image.

In another alternative embodiment, the reference position information of the target battery position may be stored in the position acquisition means 503 in advance. The position acquisition unit 503 acquires the position adjustment amount based on the reference position information of the target battery position stored in advance and the position information of the target battery position acquired immediately. By adjusting the first visual sensor 501 and the second visual sensor 502 based on the position adjustment amount, the first visual sensor 501 captures an image that matches the first reference image, and the second visual sensor 502 captures an image that matches the first reference image. Capture an image that matches the reference image.

In other words, the position adjustment amount obtained by image processing the first image and the second image specifically includes the horizontal shift amount, the vertical shift amount, and the rotation angle amount. The position adjustment amounts are differentiated in directions corresponding to the three degrees of freedom of movement: horizontal, vertical, and rotational, so that the position adjustment amounts obtained by analyzing the first image and the second image have versatility. The battery exchange device adjusts its position relative to the battery bracket based on the amount of movement or rotation. Among them, the position adjustment amount may include any one of the horizontal shift amount, the vertical shift amount, and the rotation angle amount, or may include a combination of two or three of them.

Based on this, as shown in FIG. 22, in step S2-113, the battery exchange device is controlled to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part are aligned based on the position adjustment amount. The horizontal adjustment means of the battery exchange device is controlled to move based on the amount of horizontal shift in the amount of position adjustment, and the vertical adjustment means of the battery exchange device is controlled to move based on the amount of vertical shift in the amount of position adjustment. The rotation adjusting means of the battery exchange device may be controlled to rotate based on the rotation angle amount in the position adjustment amount. By using the component of each degree of freedom of movement in the amount of position adjustment as the adjustment reference for the adjustment means for each degree of freedom of movement in the battery exchange device, the battery exchange device adjusts the unlocking mechanism and unlocking unit based on the amount of position adjustment. It is possible to accurately realize the purpose of controlling the movement of the object to the alignment position.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 23, the battery exchange device further includes a position adjustment mechanism. The position adjustment mechanism is for adjusting the position of the battery mounting mechanism 100. The unlocking mechanism 802 is attached to the lower surface of the battery mounting mechanism 100. The unlocking mechanism 802 is for unlocking the battery pack locked to the battery bracket. The position adjustment mechanism unlocks the lock based on at least one of the horizontal displacement amount and the vertical displacement amount plus rotation angle amount acquired by the visual positioning system until the unlocking mechanism 802 and the unlocking part of the battery bracket are positioned. Adjust the position of mechanism 802.

In an alternative embodiment, a first visual sensor 501 and a second visual sensor 502 are installed on the battery mounting mechanism 100. By adjusting the position of the unlocking mechanism 802 based on the position adjustment amount acquired by the visual positioning system, the unlocking mechanism 802 and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket can be positioned.

In this embodiment, the position adjustment mechanism includes a control means, a horizontal adjustment means, a vertical adjustment means, and a rotation adjustment means. The control means is communicatively connected to the visual positioning system, and the control means is configured to move the horizontal adjustment means, the vertical adjustment means, or the rotational adjustment means to the adjustment position based on at least one of the amount of horizontal translation, the amount of vertical translation, and the amount of rotational angle. Responsive control to move.
The vertical displacement acquired by the visual positioning system 801 includes a first vertical displacement and a second vertical displacement, in which the first vertical displacement is acquired based on the first image, and the second vertical displacement is acquired based on the first image. The amount of migration is acquired based on the second image.

Further, as shown in FIG. 22, before step S2-111, the battery exchange device moves to a rough positioning position where the unlocking mechanism of the battery exchange device and the unlocking part of the battery bracket are aligned based on a predetermined value. The method further includes step S2-110 of controlling to do so.

By collecting images, when accurately measuring the position of the battery replacement device with respect to the battery bracket, first move the battery replacement device to a rough positioning position, and then move on to accurately position it. It is possible to suppress the stroke and increase the efficiency of positioning.

As shown in FIG. 24, in step S2-12, specifically,
Step S2-121, controlling the unlocking mechanism to move toward the battery bracket so that the unlocking rod and the unlocking part are combined;
The method includes step S2-122, in which the unlocking rod is driven and the unlocking unit is moved to unlock the locking mechanism of the battery pack.
In this means, the unlocking rod is driven to move the unlocking part in conjunction with each other, and the amount of movement is transferred to the locking mechanism, thereby realizing the purpose of unlocking the battery pack by the locking mechanism. The unlocking accuracy of this unlocking method is high, and the efficiency of battery replacement is increased. At the same time, it can effectively avoid erroneous operations and greatly improve safety stability.

Specifically, a means for implementing a detailed configuration of the unlocking mechanism is provided. As shown in FIG. 25, the unlocking mechanism 802 is attached to the lower surface of the battery mounting mechanism 100. The battery mounting mechanism 100 specifically includes a pallet main body, a stretching mechanism, and a push/pull mechanism 100a, and the stretching mechanism moves so that its bottom part expands and contracts along the first direction with respect to the pallet main body, and the push/pull mechanism 100a moves toward the tip of the stretching mechanism so as to expand and contract along the first direction. The first direction is a direction in which the battery bracket approaches or moves away from the battery box. The tip of the stretching mechanism is for placing the battery box. The unlocking mechanism 802 is installed and attached to the bottom of the extending mechanism, and the unlocking mechanism 802 is for unlocking and locking the battery box of the battery bracket in an electric vehicle.

As shown in FIGS. 26 to 28, the unlocking mechanism 802 specifically includes a drive mechanism 1 and an unlocking rod 2, and the unlocking rod 2 is interlocked so that the locking mechanism in the battery bracket rotates. The drive mechanism 1 drives the unlocking rod 2 to rotate, and is interlocked with the locking mechanism to rotate.

The drive mechanism 1 is attached to be connected to the extending mechanism of the battery placement mechanism 100, and the unlocking rod 2 unlocks the battery box by being connected in combination with the unlocking combination means of the locking mechanism. and lock the door. The battery bracket is provided with an unlocking combination means, the unlocking rod 2 is connected in combination with the unlocking combination means, and the unlocking combination means is connected to a locking mechanism on the battery bracket. Since the unlocking rod 2 is driven to rotate by the drive mechanism 1, the unlocking combination means is also rotated by the rotation of the unlocking rod 2, and the locking mechanism is also rotated. do. Then, it is possible to realize unlocking or locking using the locking mechanism. Since the drive mechanism 1 drives the unlocking rod 2 to rotate, and the locking mechanism rotates, it is possible to unlock and lock the battery box. The accuracy of unlocking or locking is extremely high. Increases the efficiency of replacing batteries. At the same time, the locking mechanism will not unlock or lock even if contact occurs, effectively avoiding erroneous operation, and greatly increasing the safety and stability of the battery replacement device.

The battery box may have a locking groove. The locking mechanism can be inserted into the locking groove or withdrawn to the outside of the locking groove by rotation, so that it is possible to lock and unlock the battery box. The detailed configuration of the locking mechanism is not limited in this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 28, the unlocking rod 2 includes a plug-in end 21, which is intended to be connected in combination with a locking mechanism on the battery bracket. The extension mechanism is interlocked so that the unlocking mechanism 802 extends together with the extension mechanism, and the unlocking rod 2 is unlocked because the insertion end 21 is connected in combination with the unlocking combination means in the form of a plug. The locking mechanism 802 can unlock and lock the battery box. Once the operation has been completed, the insertion end 21 and the unlocking combination means can be severed from each other by retraction of the extension mechanism to achieve separation. Connections and disconnections become extremely easy and stable, and at the same time the construction is simple.

The unlocking mechanism 802 further includes a measuring means 4. The measuring means 4 is for measuring whether the unlocking rod 2 moves in a direction approaching the drive mechanism 1. When unlocking or locking the unlocking mechanism 802, it is necessary to accurately position and insert the insertion end 21 of the unlocking rod 2 into the unlocking combination means. The unlocking rod 2 moves in a direction approaching the drive mechanism 1 due to the force applied by the unlocking combination means. When the movement of the unlocking rod 2 is detected by the measuring means 4, it is found that the unlocking rod 2 is inserted into the unlocking combination means. If the inspection means 4 detects that the unlocking rod 2 has not moved, it is found that there is a positional shift between the unlocking rod 2 and the unlocking combination means, and the locking rod 2 cannot be inserted into the unlocking combination means. The measuring means 4 can detect whether the unlocking rod 2 is located at the unlocking position in the unlocking combination means, and the battery changing device can greatly increase safety stability when replacing batteries. .

The unlocking mechanism 802 further includes a test block 5, the test block 5 is connected to the connecting means 3, the test means 4 tests the test block 5, and the unlock rod 2 is connected to the locking mechanism. This is to check whether or not the position is aligned. By testing whether the inspection block 5 and the connection means 3 are connected, when the unlocking rod 2 is inserted into the unlocking combination means while aligning, the inspection block 5 and the connection means 3 are driven. It is interlocked to move along the direction approaching the mechanism 1.

In this embodiment, the inspection block 5 is not located at the inspection position of the inspection means 4 in the initial state. When the unlocking rod 2 is inserted into the unlocking combination means and aligned with the locking mechanism, the inspection block 5 moves to the inspection position of the inspection means 4. When the inspection means 4 detects that the inspection block 5 has moved to the inspection position, it can be determined that the unlocking rod 2 is aligned with the locking mechanism. The inspection means 4 detects that the unlocking rod 2 is not aligned with the locking mechanism unless the inspection block 5 moves to the inspection position. By testing whether the testing block 5 and the testing means 4 are combined with each other, the testing becomes accurate, erroneous operations can be avoided, and the safety and stability of the battery replacement device is greatly increased. Among them, the measuring means 4 may be a sensor, and the measuring block 5 may be a sensor block.

The inspection block 5 is provided around the connecting means 3. Attaching and installing the inspection block 5 becomes extremely simple.

In this embodiment, the inspection means 4 is provided on the first mounting plate 13, the inspection block 5 is connected to the connection means 3, the inspection means 4 inspects the inspection block 5, and the rotation means 11 This is to control the intermittence of The measurement accuracy is high, and installation and installation are extremely simple.

In the detailed configuration of the unlocking mechanism 802 described above, the unlocking mechanism 802 abuts on the unlocking combination means and is interlocked so that the unlocking rod 2 rotates in the form of rotational movement. Of course, the form in which the unlocking part is moved in conjunction with the unlocking rod 2 of the unlocking mechanism 802 is not limited to rotation, and the locking mechanism unlocks the battery pack by other forms of movement such as linear movement. It is also possible to realize objectives that are linked in this way.

Based on this, in step S2-121, the extension mechanism of the battery exchange device may be linked to extend the unlocking mechanism, and the unlocking mechanism may be controlled to approach the unlocking portion. The stretching mechanism is used to drive the battery mounting mechanism to extend in the direction toward the battery bracket.If the unlocking mechanism is installed below the battery mounting mechanism, the stretching mechanism will cause the battery mounting mechanism to move in the direction of the battery bracket. It is possible to simultaneously realize the two purposes of approaching the unlocking mechanism and bringing the unlocking mechanism into contact with the unlocking combination means. Since the extension mechanism in the battery bracket is linked to extend the unlocking mechanism 802, there is no need to install an extra extension mechanism in the unlocking mechanism 802, effectively reducing the complexity of the configuration of the battery exchange device. can do.

Further, between step S2-121 and step S2-122, it is determined whether or not the unlocking rod 2 is located in the unlocking combination means of the unlocking part, and if it is determined that the unlocking rod 2 is located, the unlocking rod 2 is moved. It may further include driving to do so.

In other words, since a means for determining whether the unlocking rod 2 is located is added between step S2-121 and step S2-122, this is used as a criterion for operating the unlocking rod 2 to move. As a result, it is possible to effectively avoid the phenomenon that the unlocking rod 2 is driven to move even if the unlocking rod 2 is not located in the unlocking combination means, and it is possible to effectively avoid erroneous operation and to save the battery. The safety and stability of the replacement process is greatly increased.

As shown in FIG. 29, step S2-13 includes step S2-131 in which the push-pull mechanism is controlled to extend and connect to the battery pack, and step S2-131 in which the push-pull mechanism is controlled to be retracted to pull the battery pack to the battery exchange device. The process may further include step S2-132 for controlling.
As shown in FIG. 11, the traction mechanism according to the present example is installed on the top surface of the battery placement mechanism 100 and is movable horizontally with respect to the battery placement mechanism 100. It may be. The form of connection of the traction box to the battery pack is realized by means of a suction cup located on the side facing the battery pack. Of course, in other embodiments, the traction mechanism may be connected to the battery pack by other forms, such as an engagement connection, to achieve the purpose of pulling the battery pack to move.

FIG. 30 is a schematic diagram showing specific steps of step S4 according to the second embodiment.
Step S4 is
Step S4-21, controlling the battery replacement device to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism of the battery replacement device and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket are aligned;
Step S4-22, controlling the unlocking mechanism to move toward the unlocking portion and engage;
step S4-23, controlling the push/pull mechanism of the battery exchange device to move the battery pack from the battery exchange device to the battery bracket;
Step S4-24 includes controlling the unlocking mechanism to lock the unlocking portion and lock the battery pack to the battery bracket.

The battery replacement method involves controlling the movement of the battery replacement device to align the unlocking mechanism installed in the battery replacement device with the unlocking part of the battery bracket, and then using the battery replacement device to move the battery pack to the battery bracket. After placing the battery pack on the battery bracket, the battery pack located on the battery bracket is locked by an unlocking mechanism provided on the battery exchange device. Then, the unlocking mechanism only needs to be installed on the battery exchange device, effectively reducing the number of unlocking mechanisms installed, reducing the complexity of the configuration of the rechargeable battery exchange station, and when installing the battery pack. The reliability of locking can be increased.

Specifically, step S4-21 related to the battery replacement method may employ the same means as step S2-11 described above. That is, first, images at the first position A and second position B in the battery bracket are collected, the first image and the second image are obtained, and then the first image and the second image are processed to determine the position. The amount of adjustment is obtained, and finally, based on the amount of position adjustment, the battery exchange device is controlled to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part are aligned.

The above means obtains the positional adjustment amount of the battery replacement device with respect to the battery bracket by collecting images, and adjusts the position of the battery replacement device based on the position adjustment amount, so the battery replacement with respect to the battery bracket is performed. It can effectively increase the accuracy rate of device location, ensure placement, and solidify the success rate in processes such as installing battery packs.

In particular, the above measures may also be realized using a visual positioning system of the battery changing device. The visual positioning system specifically includes a horizontal shift amount, a vertical shift amount, and a rotation angle amount in the position adjustment amount obtained by image processing the first image and the second image.

The step of controlling the battery exchange device to move to a position where the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part are aligned based on the position adjustment amount includes controlling the horizontal adjustment means to move based on the horizontal shift amount. or controlling the vertical adjustment means to move based on the amount of vertical displacement, or controlling the rotation adjustment means to rotate based on the amount of rotation angle.

Using the component of each degree of freedom of movement in the amount of position adjustment as an adjustment reference for the adjusting means that adjusts each degree of freedom of movement in the battery exchange device means that the battery exchange device is controlled based on the amount of position adjustment, and the component of each degree of freedom of movement in the battery exchange device is The purpose of moving the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part to a position where they are accurately aligned can be more accurately achieved, and reliability can be increased in the entire process of replacing the battery.

Further, before the step of collecting images at the first position A and the second position B in the battery bracket to obtain the first image and the second image, the battery replacing device The method further includes controlling the locking mechanism 802 and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket to be moved to a rough position where they are aligned.

When accurately measuring the position of the battery replacement device with respect to the battery bracket by collecting images, move the battery replacement device to the rough position before starting the measurement to ensure accurate positioning. It is possible to reduce the number of steps required to proceed to the next step and increase efficiency.

Specifically, step S4-22 includes controlling the unlocking mechanism 802 to move toward the battery bracket so that the unlocking rod 2 and the unlocking part are combined. Step S4-24 includes driving the unlocking rod 2 so that the unlocking part moves in a direction opposite to the unlocking direction to lock the battery pack to the battery bracket.

Specifically, when the unlocking rod 2 is interlocked so that the unlocking part moves in the opposite direction, the battery pack can be locked by the locking mechanism together with the unlocking part. In this specific means, the unlocking rod 2 is driven so that the unlocking part moves in a direction opposite to the direction of movement during unlocking, and the amount of movement is transmitted to the locking mechanism. , the purpose of locking the battery pack can be realized by the locking mechanism. According to this type of locking, the locking accuracy is high, the efficiency of battery replacement is increased, and at the same time, erroneous operation can be effectively avoided, and safety stability is greatly improved.

Similarly, the inspection mechanism in the unlocking mechanism 802 for inspecting whether the unlocking rods 2 are assembled together causes the unlocking rods 2 to The method further includes the step of determining whether the unlocking combination means in the unlocking part is located, and if determined to be located, driving the unlocking rod 2 to move in a direction opposite to the unlocking direction.

In this means, determining whether or not the unlocking rod 2 is located in the unlocking combination means and using the determination result as a reference for operating the unlocking rod 2 to move means that the unlocking rod 2 is located in the unlocking combination means. It can avoid the phenomenon of the unlocking rod 2 being driven to move even if it is not located in the combination means, and can effectively avoid erroneous operation, greatly increasing the safety and stability of the battery replacement process. be able to.

Step S4-23 includes controlling the push/pull mechanism to move the battery pack from the battery exchange device to the battery bracket and contact the locking mechanism. In subsequent step S4-24, the unlocking mechanism 802 locks the locking mechanism connected to the unlocking rod 2, and while the locking mechanism pulls the battery pack along the direction in which the battery pack is attached, the battery pack is attached to the battery bracket. It further includes controlling the lock to be locked.

In the process of driving the locking mechanism to lock the battery pack, the locking mechanism pulls the battery pack along the direction in which the battery pack is attached, so that the purpose of increasing the reliability of fixing can be enhanced. At the same time, in the process of pulling the battery pack along the direction of installing the battery pack, in addition, the above transition can realize the electrical plugging of the battery pack and battery bracket, simplifying the step of installing the battery pack. can be converted into

Specifically, installation means are provided for a specific configuration for installing the battery bracket, battery pack, and locking mechanism.

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the battery bracket 200, battery pack 500, and locking mechanism 301 used in this example. As can be seen from the figure, a locking mechanism 301 is installed on the battery bracket 200. Specifically, the locking mechanism 301 includes a rotation insertion part 311 and a position restriction part 312, the rotation insertion part 311 is installed on the battery bracket 200, the position restriction part 312 is installed correspondingly on the battery pack 500, and When the pack 500 is placed on the battery bracket 200, the rotary insertion part 311 is driven to rotate, so that depending on the direction of rotation, the position of the rotation insertion part 311 may be restricted or unrestricted by the position restriction part 312. do. The rotation of the locking mechanism 301 along different directions by the rotation insertion part 311 can realize the purpose of unlocking the battery pack 500 or locking the battery bracket 200. Compared to conventional locking mechanisms, the locking mechanism 301 has advantages such as more secure fixation and higher reliability. At the same time, the relatively simple configuration simplifies normal maintenance and management.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the rotating insertion part 311 is installed on the battery bracket 200, and the position restriction part 312 is installed on the battery pack 500. However, in other embodiments, the rotating insert 311 may be installed on the battery pack 500. The position limiter 312 is correspondingly installed on the battery bracket 200 . The rotation of the rotary insertion part 311 installed on the battery pack 500 can also achieve the purpose of locking and unlocking the positions of the battery pack 500 and the battery bracket 200.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, an electrical connector 400 is installed on the battery pack 500 and the contact surface where it contacts the battery bracket 200. Specifically, the electrical connector 400 is connected to the battery pack 500. It includes a battery-side electrical connector 410 provided on the contact surface and a vehicle-side electrical connector 420 provided on the contact surface of the battery bracket 200. In the locking mechanism 301, a rotation insertion part 311 and a position restriction part 312 are provided on the contact surface of the battery pack 500 and the contact surface of the battery bracket 200, respectively. In other words, when the position where the locking mechanism 301 is installed and the position where the electrical connector 400 is installed are the same, and when the position of the battery pack 500 and the battery bracket 200 are locked by the locking mechanism 301, the insertion by the electric connector 400 adjacent to the locking mechanism 301 is This improves the reliability of the electrical connection by the battery pack 500.

As shown in FIG. 34, when the battery-side electrical connector 410 is inserted into the vehicle-side electrical connector 420, the rotary insertion part 311 rotates and its position is restricted by the position restriction part 312, and the electrical connectors 400 are inserted and connected to each other. Since the locking mechanism 301 is used to lock the positions of the battery pack 500 and the battery bracket 200, even though the positions of the battery pack 500 and the battery bracket 200 are locked, the electrical connector 400 is not yet inserted and connected. This can be avoided from occurring. Further, when the battery-side electrical connector 410 is inserted into the vehicle-side electrical connector 420, the locking mechanism 301 applies a pulling force to the position restriction part 312 along the insertion direction of the electrical connector 400, and the pulling force causes the battery pack 500 and the battery to be connected. The bracket 200 can be brought closer together, thus ensuring that the electrical connector 400 is plugged and connected.

Of these, the electrical connector 400 used for such an on-vehicle battery will be specifically explained because the battery-side electrical connector 410 and the vehicle-side electrical connector 420 are normally firmly connected. When attaching or detaching the battery pack, it is necessary to insert or remove the battery pack 500 into or out of the battery bracket 200 using an external battery exchange device. It becomes power. The locking mechanism 301 can physically lock or unlock the battery pack 500 with respect to the battery bracket 200 by rotating, and can also apply a pushing force or force to the battery pack 500 by rotating. By applying a pulling force, it is possible to overcome the above-mentioned insertion/removal force on the electrical connector 400 and achieve the purpose of rapidly attaching and detaching the battery pack 500.

At the same time, since the locking mechanism 301 is installed on the contact surface between the battery pack 500 and the battery bracket 200, the force exerted by the locking mechanism 301 on the battery pack 500 is directly transmitted to the electrical connector 400 located on the contact surface. Therefore, it is possible to avoid distortion in the housing of the battery pack 500 due to too large or uneven force when inserting and removing the battery pack 500 using a conventional external battery exchange device. I can do it.

The rotating insertion part 311 includes a plug head 3111 and a driving part 3112, the driving part 3112 is connected to the plug head 3111, and the role of the driving part 3112 is to drive the plug head 3111 to rotate.

Among them, how can the rotational movement by the unlocking part be transmitted to the locking mechanism 301, or specifically how can it be transmitted to the driving part 3112 of the locking mechanism 301 and interlocked so that the plug head 3111 is reversed? This is actually realized by a transmission mechanism such as a link mechanism or a ball screw, and changing the rotational movement by the unlocking part into the reversal movement by the plug head 3111 is explained here regarding the specific transmission form and installation means. Don't repeat the explanation.

In addition, in step S4-23, the battery pack is pushed from the battery exchange device to the battery bracket by a push-pull mechanism provided in the battery placement mechanism. The specific process includes moving the battery pack from the battery exchange device to the battery bracket by controlling the push-pull mechanism to extend. Specifically, the push/pull mechanism is installed on the back side of the battery pack, so that when pushed forward, the battery pack can be moved to the battery bracket.

<Example 7>
Example 7 provides a further specific embodiment for step S3 in Example 2.

Step S3 includes the following steps.
Step S3-1 controls the battery mounting mechanism to move to a position aligned with the old battery position in the charging bin. Moving the battery placement mechanism to a position that aligns with the old battery position helps feed the old battery into the old battery position.
Step S3-2 controls the battery placement mechanism to place the old battery in the old battery position. By placing the battery placement mechanism in the old battery position, the battery placement mechanism becomes vacant and a new battery is placed.In step S3-3, the unlocking mechanism in the battery placement mechanism places the old battery in the old battery position. Control to lock. By locking the old battery in the old battery position, escape of the old battery can be avoided.
Step S3-4 controls the battery mounting mechanism to move to a position aligned with the new battery position in the charging bin. Moving the battery placement mechanism to a position that aligns with the new battery position helps the battery placement mechanism retrieve a new battery for the new battery position.
Step S3-5 controls the battery mounting mechanism to extend toward the new battery position to the unlocking mechanism and to combine with the locking mechanism. The combination of the unlocking mechanism and the locking mechanism helps to realize unlocking of a new battery using the battery mounting mechanism.
In step S3-6, the locking mechanism of the new battery position is unlocked by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move. By interlocking the unlocking portion with the unlocking rod, it is possible to automatically unlock a new battery in a new battery position.
Step S3-7 controls the push-pull mechanism to extend the suction cup of the push-pull mechanism to connect to the new battery, and the push-pull mechanism retracts to pull the new battery to the battery exchange device. Control as follows. By pushing the new battery with the suction cup of the push-pull mechanism, destruction of the new battery can be avoided.

Before step S3-6, it is determined whether the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part, and if it is determined that the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part, the unlocking rod is driven to rotate. By determining whether the unlocking rod has engaged with the unlocking part before unlocking, avoid destroying the electrical equipment by performing an operation to move the new battery even when the new battery is not yet unlocked. be able to.
The locking form in step S3-3 and the unlocking form in step S3-5 may be the same as the locking form and unlocking form of the locking mechanism in the unlocking rod and battery bracket according to the sixth embodiment.

In step S3, the battery exchange device sends the old battery to a charging bin located above the predetermined stopping position in the battery exchange station, and takes out the new battery from the charging bin. Putting old batteries into the charging bin through the opening at the tip of the replacement bin and/or the second battery replacement bin, and the charging bin opening, and the charging bin loading and unloading opening, and the first battery replacement bin. and/or removing a new battery from the charging bin through the front opening of the second battery replacement bin. By arranging the battery exchange bin and the charging bin so as to communicate with each other as described above, the battery exchange device facilitates transporting new and old batteries.

Controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position that aligns with the old battery position in the charging bin includes:
A first positioning positioning operation,
Obtaining peripheral position information of the positioning area in the old battery position, target position information corresponding to the positioning area in the battery placement mechanism, and alignment position information of the positioning area,
Obtaining an actual movement amount based on the target position information and surrounding position information, obtaining an alignment movement amount based on the alignment position information and surrounding position information,
a first positioning and positioning operation in which the actual movement amount and the positioning movement amount are determined and processed, and the battery placement mechanism movement performs positioning and alignment based on the determination result;
and/or a second positioning alignment operation,
collecting images at a first position and a second position in the old battery position to obtain a first image and a second image;
image processing the first image and the second image to obtain a position adjustment amount;
A second positioning and positioning operation is included in which the battery placement mechanism is controlled to move to a position where it is aligned with the battery bracket based on the position adjustment amount.
As described above, the first positioning alignment operation and the second positioning alignment operation can realize accurate positioning of the battery mounting mechanism.
Image processing the first image and the second image to obtain the position adjustment amount,
obtaining a horizontal shift amount based on the first image and a first reference image corresponding to the first position or a second image and a second reference image corresponding to the second position;
and/or obtaining a first vertical shift amount and a second vertical shift amount based on the first image and the first reference image, and the second image and the second reference image, respectively.
The position adjustment method described above allows the battery placement mechanism and battery bracket to be accurately positioned, avoids misalignment when installing and removing the battery, and allows the battery placement mechanism to Useful for attaching and detaching the battery to and from the bracket.

<Example 8>
Example 8 provides a specific embodiment for step 3-1 according to Example 7.

In step S3-1, the battery mounting mechanism is controlled to move to a position aligned with the old battery position in the charging bin using the battery position positioning method described below.
In step S3-4, the battery mounting mechanism is controlled to move to a position that aligns with the new battery position in the charging bin using the battery position positioning method described below.

The battery positioning method includes the following steps.
In step S1, the battery exchange execution mechanism (battery placement mechanism) is driven to move based on a first predetermined value corresponding to the target battery position 21.
In step S2, it is determined whether the battery exchange execution mechanism has moved to the positioning area of the target battery position 21.
If it is determined that the object has moved, the process moves to step S3, and a corresponding positioning and positioning operation is executed.
In step S3-1, the target battery position is the old battery position. The old battery position may be a charging position for charging an old battery, or a relay position for temporarily placing an old battery.
In step S-4, the target battery position may be set to a new battery position. The new battery position may be a position of a new fully charged battery.

When implementing this method, the first predetermined value is used. The first predetermined value is obtained in advance based on the position of the target battery position 21. The battery exchange execution mechanism determines the positioning area when moving based on the first predetermined value, and performs the positioning operation when the positioning area is entered, so that the efficiency of positioning and positioning can be improved.

The positioning area according to this embodiment includes a first positioning area corresponding to the first direction and/or a second positioning area corresponding to the second direction. The first positioning area refers to the sensing area of the first magnetic part 201, and the second positioning area refers to the sensing area of the second magnetic part 202. The step of performing the corresponding positioning and alignment operation includes terminating the positioning and alignment in the first direction and terminating the positioning and alignment in the second direction. Among them, the first predetermined value specifically includes a predetermined movement value in the first direction and a predetermined movement value in the second direction, and the positioning is performed accurately after roughly moving to the positioning area of the target battery position. .

As shown in FIGS. 36 and 39, the step of terminating the positioning and alignment in the first direction includes
Information on the peripheral position in the first positioning area, information on the target position corresponding to the first positioning area when the battery exchange execution mechanism moves based on the first predetermined value, and positioning of the first positioning area set in advance obtaining location information;
Obtain the actual movement amount M2 in the first direction based on the target position information and peripheral position information in the first direction, and obtain the alignment movement amount M2 in the first direction based on the alignment position information and peripheral position information in the first direction. obtaining M1; and
It includes determining and processing the actual movement amount and alignment movement amount in the first direction, and controlling the battery exchange execution mechanism to move and perform positioning and alignment in the first direction based on the judgment result. .

The step of controlling the battery exchange execution mechanism to move and perform positioning and alignment in the first direction based on the determination result includes:
When the actual movement amount M2 in the first direction is larger than the positioning movement amount M1, the battery exchange execution mechanism 12 is controlled to move in the opposite direction to the first direction to perform positioning and alignment. ,as well as,
When the actual movement amount M2 in the first direction is smaller than the positioning movement amount M1, the battery exchange execution mechanism 12 is controlled to continue to move in the forward direction of the first direction to perform positioning and alignment. including doing.

As shown in FIGS. 37 and 39, the step of terminating the positioning and alignment in the second direction includes
When the battery replacement execution mechanism moves based on the first predetermined value, the peripheral position information of the second positioning area, the target position information corresponding to the second positioning area, and the positioning position information of the second positioning area set in advance are acquired. to obtain,
Obtain the actual movement amount N2 in the second direction based on the target position information and surrounding position information in the second direction, and obtain the alignment movement amount N1 in the second direction based on the alignment position information and surrounding position information in the second direction. obtaining, and
The actual movement amount N2 in the second direction and the alignment movement amount N1 are determined and processed, and the battery exchange execution mechanism is controlled to move and perform positioning and alignment in the second direction based on the determination results. include.

The step of controlling the battery exchange execution mechanism to move and perform positioning and alignment in the second direction based on the determination result,
controlling the battery exchange execution mechanism to move along the opposite direction to the second direction to achieve positioning and alignment when the actual movement amount N2 in the second direction is larger than the alignment movement amount N1; as well as,
When the actual movement amount N2 in the second direction is smaller than the positioning movement amount N1, the battery exchange execution mechanism is controlled to continue to move along the forward direction of the second direction to realize positioning and alignment. including.

As shown in FIG. 39, the battery position positioning method is such that when it is determined that the battery exchange execution mechanism 12 has not moved to the positioning area of the target battery position 21, the battery exchange execution mechanism further moves based on a second predetermined value. including driving. If the error in the initial movement by the battery exchange execution mechanism is too large, peripheral position information in the first positioning area or the second positioning area cannot be acquired, and positioning and alignment cannot be performed. Therefore, the battery exchange execution mechanism 12 needs to continue moving until it reads the peripheral position information of the first positioning area or the second positioning area.

As shown in FIG. 39, the battery position positioning method includes controlling the visual positioning means to position the target battery position 21 when the battery exchange execution mechanism determines that the mechanism has not moved to the positioning area of the target battery position 21. Including further. If the initial movement error is too large, the battery replacement execution mechanism cannot acquire peripheral position information of the first positioning area or the second positioning area, and cannot perform positioning and alignment. Then, it is necessary to further perform positioning and alignment by acquiring the positional relationship using visual positioning means.

As shown in FIG. 38, the visual positioning system includes a first visual sensor 501 and a second visual sensor 502. The first visual sensor 501 is for acquiring a first image at a first position at the target battery position. The second visual sensor 502 is for acquiring a second image at a second position at the target battery position. The position acquisition means 503 is for acquiring position information of the target battery position based on the first image and the second image.

In a specific implementation, referring to FIG. 38, the first visual sensor 501 acquires a first image of the target battery position along the direction indicated by the arrow. The first image includes a first position A at the target battery position. The second visual sensor 502 acquires a second image of the target battery position along the direction indicated by the arrow. The second image includes a second position B at the target battery position. Upon receiving the first image and the second image, the position acquisition means processes the images and acquires position information of the target battery position.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 40, the step of controlling the visual positioning means to position the target battery position 21 is as follows:
step S51 of collecting a first image and a second image at the first position A and the second position B at the target battery position 21;
Step S52 of acquiring a position adjustment amount based on the first image, the second image, and the corresponding reference image;
The step S53 includes driving the battery exchange execution mechanism to move and align with the target battery position 21 based on the position adjustment amount.

Similarly, the position acquisition means 503 acquires a second horizontal shift amount and a second vertical shift amount based on the second image and a second reference image stored in advance. By moving the second visual sensor 502 by the second horizontal displacement amount and the second vertical displacement amount, the second visual sensor 502 can capture an image that matches the second reference image.

Therefore, the positional adjustment amount in S52 includes the first direction movement amount, and the step of acquiring the positional adjustment amount based on the first image, the second image, and the corresponding reference image includes the first image G11 and the first position A. , and the second reference image corresponding to the second position.

Among them, the position adjustment amount includes two second direction movement amounts, and the step of acquiring the position adjustment amount based on the first image G11, the second image, and the corresponding reference image includes the first image G11 and the first position. This includes acquiring two second direction movement amounts based on the first reference image G11 and the second image corresponding to A and the second reference image corresponding to the second position.

<Example 9>
The ninth embodiment is generally the same as the eighth embodiment, but the difference is that the target battery position is set as the relay position in step S3-1.

As shown in FIG. 41, the battery replacement method includes step S5 in which the battery replacement device sends the old battery at the relay position to the charging bin.

Specifically, step S5 includes:
Step S5-1 controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position aligned with the relay position in the charging bin;
Step S5-2, controlling the battery mounting mechanism to extend toward the relay position to the unlocking mechanism and combine with the locking mechanism;
step S5-3 of unlocking the locking mechanism at the relay position by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move;
Step S5-- controlling the push-pull mechanism to extend a suction cup of the push-pull mechanism to connect to the old battery, and control the push-pull mechanism to retract to pull the old battery to the battery exchange device. 4,
Step S5-5, controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position that aligns with the charging position in the charging bin;
Step S5-6 of controlling the battery mounting mechanism to extend toward the charging position toward the unlocking mechanism and combine with the locking mechanism.
step S5-7 of unlocking the locking mechanism of the charging position by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move; and
The step S5-8 includes controlling the battery placement mechanism to place the old battery in a charging position.

The battery position positioning method according to the eighth embodiment may be used for both the relay position positioning in step S5-1 and the charging bin positioning in step S5-5.

<Example 10>
The battery exchange method according to the tenth embodiment is applied to the battery exchange station according to the first embodiment.

The battery replacement method according to this embodiment is based on steps S2 and S4 in embodiments 4 and 5, and in step S2, when the battery mounting mechanism is positioned, the battery mounting mechanism and the battery bracket are Further, a further technical solution is provided, in which the battery mounting mechanism is moved to a position to be aligned with the battery bracket based on the position data, and in step S4, the battery placement mechanism is moved to a position to be aligned with the battery bracket.

As shown in FIG. 42, the battery replacement method according to the tenth embodiment specifically includes step S10 of positioning the battery replacement device and moving the battery replacement device to the combined battery replacement position; and step S11 of acquiring and recording positioning data.

Specifically, the acquired positioning data may be stored in a local non-volatile memory or a cloud-type database, and this embodiment is not specifically limited thereto.
By recording and storing the positioning data corresponding to the battery replacement device, it is possible to provide a reference standard for subsequent repositioning processes and save time for repositioning.
By recording and storing the positioning data corresponding to the battery replacement device, it is possible to provide a reference standard for subsequent repositioning processes and save time for repositioning.

In this embodiment, the battery replacement control method includes step S12 in which the battery placement mechanism of the battery replacement device is controlled to unlock the battery pack locked to the battery bracket, and the battery placement mechanism of the battery replacement device is unlocked. The method further includes step S13 of controlling to take out the locked battery pack.
Therefore, the battery exchange device that has been positioned can effectively and accurately take out the unlocked battery pack.
Therefore, the battery exchange device that has been positioned can effectively and accurately take out the unlocked battery pack.
Generally, the removed battery pack is a battery pack that is out of power or almost out of power, so the removed battery pack is placed in a battery bin by a battery replacement device and the battery pack is charged again.

Furthermore, the following steps are further included after step S13.
In step S14, after the battery exchange device takes out a new battery pack, the battery exchange device is controlled to move to the battery exchange position based on the recorded positioning data.
Specifically, a new battery pack may be retrieved from the battery replacement bin and may be a battery pack that is fully charged or whose electricity content meets the needs.
Step S15 controls the battery replacement device to attach a new battery pack to the electric vehicle.

The battery replacement control method provided by this embodiment includes recording positioning information corresponding to the battery replacement position, which is obtained before the battery replacement device takes out the battery pack that has run out of power from the electric vehicle. When the battery replacement device retrieves a fully charged battery from the battery bin and returns to the battery replacement position to attach the battery pack, the battery replacement device automatically adjusts the battery replacement position based on the positioning information of the battery replacement position recorded in advance. The position can be calibrated directly. It is not necessary to find the battery replacement position redundantly when performing positioning, effectively saving the time to replace the battery, increasing the efficiency of replacing the battery, and making it easier for cars to line up during the peak time for battery replacement. can be effectively avoided.

As shown in FIG. 43, step S10 specifically includes step S101 of collecting a first image and a second image obtained by collecting images at a first position and a second position in the battery bracket; Step S102 of image processing the image and the second image to obtain the position adjustment amount, and based on the position adjustment amount, the battery replacement device moves to the combined battery replacement position and unlocks the unlocking mechanism and the battery bracket. It includes step S103 of controlling to align with the lock portion.

Preferably, a first visual sensor and a second visual sensor capture the first image and the second image, respectively. Furthermore, the unlocking mechanism is moved until the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part of the battery bracket are positioned by at least one of the horizontal shift amount, the first vertical shift amount, the second vertical shift amount, and the rotation angle amount. Adjust the position.

Those skilled in the art can understand that theoretically, the location of the battery replacement device should be combined with the location of the battery bracket of the electric vehicle, and the unlocking mechanism should be unlocked only after the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part are aligned. Useful for inserting into the lock. However, in actual cases, when an electric vehicle stops, it is not completely located at the theoretical estimated position; that is, there are deviations in horizontal, vertical, or rotational angles from the estimated position. Therefore, a positional deviation (for example, a horizontal positional deviation, a vertical positional deviation, or a rotational angle positional deviation) exists between the battery bracket and the battery exchange device. Due to the presence of positional deviations, the unlocking mechanism cannot be perfectly aligned with the unlocking part. Therefore, by moving the battery exchange device by a certain amount of horizontal movement, vertical movement, and rotation angle and aligning it with the position where the car is actually stopped, the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part can be completely locked. Aligned to . Therefore, from the collected image information, at least one of the horizontal displacement amount, the vertical displacement amount, and the angular rotation amount is obtained, and multidimensional position adjustment parameters are provided to the battery replacement device, thereby achieving relatively high accuracy in positioning. can be effectively guaranteed. In this embodiment, before acquiring the first image and the second image, the battery exchange device may be further controlled to move to a rough positioning position based on a predetermined position parameter. Therefore, the efficiency of positioning and battery replacement can be effectively increased.

Specifically, when a person skilled in the art designs the relative position between an electric vehicle and a battery exchange device, a predetermined position parameter is installed in the battery exchange device, and when the electric vehicle stops at a predetermined position for battery exchange, the battery exchange device moves to the area where the electric vehicle is located based on predetermined location parameters. At this time, it is recognized that the positional relationship between the unlocking mechanism and the battery bracket of the electric vehicle satisfies the range of speculation. Then, the positioning mechanism can finely adjust the position of the battery exchange device, and the unlocking mechanism can accurately unlock the battery pack of the electric vehicle and take out the battery pack.

Since the unlocking structure is installed in the battery replacement device, when the battery replacement device is positioned, the unlocking mechanism extends until it is unlocked in combination with the unlocking portion in the battery bracket. Therefore, by adjusting the position of the battery exchange device, it is possible to accurately position the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking portion to unlock the battery.

Additionally, what those skilled in the art can understand is that when the battery pack is relatively heavy, when the battery exchange device removes the battery pack from the electric vehicle, the weight of the electric vehicle itself becomes lighter, and the weight of the entire vehicle increases. The slope will change slightly, and the vertical position of the battery bracket will change accordingly. Therefore, when the battery exchange device takes out a new battery pack and the battery exchange device is controlled to move to the battery exchange position based on the recorded positioning data, the vertical position of the battery exchange device is finely adjusted and the battery exchange device This makes it necessary to accurately insert the battery pack into the electric vehicle's battery bracket.

Specifically, a third image and a fourth image obtained by collecting images at a first position and a second position of the battery bracket are collected. A third vertical shift amount is obtained based on the third image and the first reference image, and a fourth vertical shift amount is obtained based on the fourth image and the second reference image. Next, the battery exchange device is adjusted based on the third vertical displacement amount and the fourth vertical displacement amount, and the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket are aligned. Therefore, by fine-tuning the vertical position of the battery exchange device, the reclaimed battery can be placed into the battery bracket of the electric vehicle.

The battery replacement control method of the battery replacement device provided by this embodiment acquires an image of the corresponding position on the battery bracket using a visual sensor, processes the image, and calculates the horizontal shift amount, vertical shift amount, and angular rotation amount. obtaining at least one and providing a multi-dimensional position adjustment parameter to the battery exchange device; Then, relatively high positioning accuracy can be effectively ensured, and the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking part can be smoothly aligned and unlocked. In addition, in this example, by finely adjusting the vertical position of the battery replacement device based on the collected third and fourth images, the recovered battery can be immediately and accurately inserted into the battery bracket of the electric vehicle. You can put it in.

As shown in FIG. 44, the battery exchange device 1 may include a positioning mechanism 11 and a recording module 12. The positioning mechanism 11 is for positioning the battery exchange device 1 and moving the battery exchange device 1 to the combined battery exchange position. The recording module 12 is for acquiring and recording positioning data corresponding to the battery replacement position.

When the battery replacement device performs positioning only once before removing the battery, the recording module may record and store the corresponding positioning data. In the process of re-positioning in the future, it is possible to provide a reference standard and save time for re-positioning.

Preferably, the battery replacement device 1 according to this embodiment executes the battery replacement method described above.
Preferably, the battery exchange device 1 may further include an unlocking mechanism 13 and a position adjustment mechanism 14.

The position adjustment mechanism 14 performs an adjustment based on at least one of the horizontal displacement amount, vertical displacement amount, and rotation angle amount acquired by the positioning mechanism 11 until the unlocking mechanism 13 and the unlocking part of the battery bracket are positioned. This is for adjusting the position of the lock mechanism 13.
The unlocking mechanism 13 is for unlocking the battery pack locked to the battery bracket.

Therefore, by accurately positioning the battery exchange device, it is possible to smoothly position and unlock the unlocking mechanism and the unlocking section.
Furthermore, the positioning mechanism 11 may include a visual sensor and position acquisition module 113. The visual sensor may further include a first visual sensor 111 and a second visual sensor 112.
The visual sensor is for collecting images at a first position and a second position on the battery bracket to obtain a first image and a second image.
The position acquisition module 113 performs image processing on the first image and the second image to acquire at least one of a horizontal shift amount, a vertical shift amount, and a rotation angle amount.

Obtaining an image of a corresponding position on the battery bracket by a visual sensor, and processing the image to obtain at least one of a horizontal displacement amount, a vertical displacement amount, and a rotation angle amount, thereby increasing the convenience of acquiring the image. Not only can it be guaranteed, but also it can provide multi-dimensional positioning parameters to the battery replacement device and effectively improve its relatively high positioning accuracy.

At the first position A where the first reference image G1 is analyzed, the position where the corresponding pixel in the first reference image G1 is located in the first reference image G1 is used as a reference for positioning, and for convenience of explanation, the target position It is called.

The position where the corresponding pixel in the first image G11 is located in the first image G11 at the first position A where the first image G11 at the target position 2 is analyzed is referred to as the real-time position for convenience of explanation. .

The position acquisition module 113 may acquire the first horizontal displacement amount and the first vertical displacement amount by the first visual sensor 111 based on the target position and the real-time position using well-known image processing algorithms in the prior art. It can be understood that by moving the first visual sensor 111 by the first horizontal displacement amount and the first vertical displacement amount, the first visual sensor 111 can capture an image that matches the first reference image G1. .

Similarly, the position acquisition module 113 further acquires a second horizontal displacement amount and a second vertical displacement amount based on the second image and a second reference image stored in advance. By moving the second visual sensor 112 by the second horizontal displacement amount and the second vertical displacement amount, the second visual sensor 112 can capture an image that matches the second reference image.

In this embodiment, the battery exchange device 1 may further include a control module 15.
When the battery replacement device 1 takes out a new battery pack, the control module 15 controls the battery replacement device 1 to move to the battery replacement position based on the recorded positioning data.
The control module 15 is for controlling the battery exchange device 1 to attach a new battery pack to the electric vehicle.
Therefore, by completing the positioning again while referring to the recorded positioning data, it is possible to effectively improve the positioning efficiency and positioning accuracy.

What those skilled in the art can understand is that when the battery pack is too heavy, if the battery pack is removed from the electric vehicle using the battery exchange device, the weight of the electric vehicle itself will be reduced, and the slope of the entire vehicle will be reduced. will be slightly changed, and the vertical position of the battery bracket will change accordingly. Therefore, when the battery exchange device 1 takes out a new battery pack and controls the battery exchange device 1 to move to the battery exchange position based on the recorded positioning data, the vertical position of the battery exchange device 1 is finely adjusted; The battery exchange device 1 requires that the battery pack be accurately placed into the battery bracket of the electric vehicle.

Specifically, when the battery replacement device 1 moves to the battery replacement position based on the recorded positioning data, the visual sensor further collects images of the first position A and the second position B on the battery bracket, and A third image and a fourth image may be acquired. The position acquisition module 113 acquires a third vertical displacement amount based on the third image and the first reference image, and acquires a fourth vertical displacement amount based on the fourth image and the second reference image. Next, the position adjustment mechanism 14 adjusts the battery exchange device 1 based on the third vertical displacement amount and the fourth vertical displacement amount to align the unlocking mechanism 13 and the unlocking portion of the battery bracket. Therefore, the battery exchange device 1 can place the recovered battery into the battery bracket of the electric vehicle by finely adjusting the vertical position.

Referring to FIG. 45, the position where the visual sensor is actually attached is shown in the same figure. Among them, the first visual sensor 111 and the second visual sensor 112 may be attached to the side of the position adjustment mechanism 14 facing the electric vehicle. In that case, it is useful for detecting the target position on the battery bracket. The unlocking structure 13 and the unlocking part in the battery bracket are aligned by attaching the unlocking mechanism 13 and the position adjustment mechanism 14 and adjusting parameters such as horizontal movement, vertical movement, and rotation angle by the position adjustment mechanism 14. be able to.

The battery exchange device provided by this embodiment can achieve accurate positioning using the positioning mechanism 11, the recording module 12, etc., and can improve the efficiency of battery exchange.

<Example 11>
Example 11 provides further steps to the battery replacement method based on Example 2.

The method further includes controlling the side door to open before step S2, and/or controlling the side door to close after step S4.

Since the side door is controlled to open before the battery replacement device is operated to remove the old battery, it is possible to ensure that the battery replacement step is performed smoothly. Since the side door is controlled to close after the battery exchange device is operated to install a new battery, heat is continuously exchanged between the inside and outside of the battery exchange bin. It is possible to avoid not being able to maintain the temperature at the same time, and it is also possible to avoid foreign substances from the outside entering the battery exchange bin and destroying the electrical equipment in the battery exchange bin.

In the description of the invention, what may be understood is as follows. Directions such as "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "tip", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. Or expressions indicating positional relationships mean the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings or the orientation or position when the device is normally used, and are only used to simply explain the present invention or make the explanation convenient. , does not represent or imply that such devices or elements necessarily have a particular orientation or that they should be constructed or operated in accordance with a particular orientation. Each of the embodiments according to the present invention can be joined in any form with a certain relationship, for example, two at a time, three at a time, or a plurality of implementations. Forms such as examples joined together are also possible, and the joined technical means should be considered as disclosure of the invention.

Although the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that this is merely a description by way of example, and the protection scope of the present invention is limited by the appended claims. . Those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principle and essence of the present invention, but all of these changes and modifications fall within the protection scope of the present invention. .

1 First battery exchange bin 101 First lower rail 102 First upper rail 2 Second battery exchange bin 11 Opening 15 Tip opening 3 Charging bin 31 Battery opening 32 Charging chamber 33 Charging rack 34 Central maintenance passage 4 First battery Exchange device 41 First base 42 First frame 43 First box 431 Main body 432 Battery placement mechanism 433 Push/pull mechanism 434 Suction cup 435 Unlocking mechanism 44 First support rod 5 Second battery exchange device 6 Running path 7 First upper battery Exchange bin 8 Second upper battery exchange bin 71 Bottom opening 74 Side opening 9 Maintenance stand 100 Electric vehicle 501 First visual sensor 502 Second visual sensor 503 Position acquisition means 802 Unlocking mechanism 61 First vertical drive 62 Second vertical drive Container 812 Rotary drive device 100 Battery placement mechanism 100a Push/pull mechanism 1 Drive mechanism 12 Drive means 13 First mounting plate 2 Unlocking rod 21 Insertion end 3 Connection means 4 Inspection means 5 Inspection block 200 Battery bracket 301 Locking mechanism 311 Rotating insertion part 312 Position restriction part 400 Electrical connector 410 Battery side electrical connector 420 Vehicle side electrical connector 500 Battery pack (old battery, new battery)

Claims (19)

stopping the electric vehicle at a predetermined stopping position at the battery exchange station;
removing the old battery in the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position at the battery replacement station by the battery replacement device;
sending the old battery to a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position at the battery swapping station by a battery swapping device, and removing the new battery from the charging bin;
installing a new battery into the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement location by the battery replacement device;
The battery exchange device includes a battery mounting mechanism,
Removing an old battery from an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position at a battery replacement station by the battery replacement device controls the battery placement mechanism to be moved to a position aligned with a battery bracket of the electric vehicle. further including,
Preferably, controlling the battery placement mechanism to a position where it aligns with a battery bracket in the electric vehicle includes:
collecting images at a first position and a second position in the battery bracket to obtain a first image and a second image;
image processing the first image and the second image to obtain a position adjustment amount;
A battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station, comprising controlling the battery mounting mechanism to move to a position where it aligns with a battery bracket based on the position adjustment amount. Obtaining the position adjustment amount by image processing the first image and the second image,
obtaining a horizontal shift amount based on the first image and a first reference image corresponding to the first position or a second image and a second reference image corresponding to the second position;
and/or obtaining a first vertical displacement amount and a second vertical displacement amount based on the first image and the first reference image and the second image and the second reference image, respectively;
and/or obtaining a rotation angle amount based on a depth of field value at the first position in the first image and a depth of field value at the second position in the second image. A battery replacement method used in the battery replacement station according to claim 1. Controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position where it aligns with the battery bracket in the electric vehicle includes:
collecting a first distance and a second distance between the battery exchange device and the electric vehicle; and
3. The battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining a rotation angle amount based on the first distance and the second distance. The battery mounting mechanism is provided with an unlocking mechanism for locking or unlocking in combination with a locking mechanism in the battery bracket,
Removing an old battery from an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery exchange position in a battery exchange station by the battery exchange device may be performed such that the battery placement mechanism extends toward the electric vehicle to an unlocking mechanism and is combined with a locking mechanism. further comprising controlling;
Preferably, the unlocking mechanism includes an unlocking rod, and the locking mechanism is provided with an unlocking part,
With the battery replacement device, removing an old battery in an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position in a battery replacement station is achieved by driving the unlocking rod to move and causing the unlocking part to move. further comprising: unlocking the locking mechanism of the battery bracket by interlocking with the battery bracket;
Preferably, before unlocking the locking mechanism of the battery bracket by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move,
Claims 1 to 3, further comprising determining whether the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part, and driving the unlocking rod to rotate when it is determined that the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part. A battery replacement method used in the battery replacement station according to any one of the above. The battery mounting mechanism further includes a push/pull mechanism,
Removing an old battery in an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position in a battery replacement station by the battery replacement device comprises:
controlling the push-pull mechanism to extend to a suction cup of the push-pull mechanism and connect to the old battery;
5. The battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to claim 4, further comprising controlling the push-pull mechanism to pull the old battery toward the battery replacement device by retracting. After controlling the battery mounting mechanism to move to a position where it is aligned with a battery bracket in the electric vehicle, acquiring and recording position data where the battery mounting mechanism and the battery bracket are aligned; The battery replacement method used in the battery replacement station according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The battery replacement device moves the battery mounting mechanism to the predetermined battery replacement position opposite to the battery bracket based on a predetermined value before removing the old battery from the electric vehicle at the predetermined battery replacement position in the battery replacement station. 7. A battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the method includes controlling the battery to replace the battery. Installing a new battery into an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position by the battery replacement device includes:
obtaining the position data recorded in step S2, and
moving the battery placement mechanism to a position to align with the battery bracket based on the position data;
Preferably,
The battery mounting mechanism is provided with an unlocking mechanism for locking or unlocking in combination with a locking mechanism in the battery bracket,
Among them, installing a new battery into an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position using the battery replacement device,
further comprising controlling the battery placement mechanism to extend toward the electric vehicle to an unlocking mechanism and combine with the locking mechanism;
Preferably,
The battery mounting mechanism further includes a push/pull mechanism,
Among them, installing a new battery into an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position using the battery replacement device,
The battery exchange station according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising controlling the push/pull mechanism to extend and push a new battery located in the battery mounting mechanism into the battery bracket. How to replace the battery. The unlocking mechanism includes an unlocking rod, the locking mechanism is provided with an unlocking part,
Among them, installing a new battery into an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position using the battery replacement device,
The method further comprises: locking the locking mechanism of the battery bracket by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move. 8. A battery replacement method used in the battery replacement station according to 8. The battery exchange device includes a battery mounting mechanism,
The battery exchange device feeds an old battery into a charging bin located above the predetermined stopping position in the battery exchange station, and taking out a new battery from the charging bin means that the battery placement mechanism moves the old battery to the position of the old battery in the charging bin. 10. A battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising controlling the battery replacement station to move to a position aligned with the battery replacement station. Controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position that aligns with the old battery position in the charging bin includes:
A first positioning positioning operation,
Obtaining peripheral position information of the positioning area in the old battery position, target position information corresponding to the positioning area in the battery placement mechanism, and alignment position information of the positioning area,
Obtaining an actual movement amount based on the target position information and surrounding position information, obtaining an alignment movement amount based on the alignment position information and surrounding position information,
a first positioning and positioning operation, which determines and processes the actual movement amount and the positioning movement amount, and controls the movement of the battery mounting mechanism to perform positioning and alignment based on the judgment result;
and/or a second positioning alignment operation,
collecting images at a first position and a second position in the old battery position to obtain a first image and a second image;
image processing the first image and the second image to obtain a position adjustment amount;
a second positioning positioning operation for controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position where it aligns with the battery bracket based on the position adjustment amount;
Preferably, acquiring the position adjustment amount by image processing the first image and the second image,
obtaining a horizontal shift amount based on the first reference image corresponding to the first image and the first position or the second reference image corresponding to the second image and the second position;
and/or obtaining a first vertical shift amount and a second vertical shift amount based on the first image and the first reference image, and the second image and the second reference image, respectively. A battery exchange method used in a battery exchange station according to claim 10. Step S3 is
including step S3-2 controlling the battery placement mechanism to place the old battery in the old battery position;
Preferably, feeding the old battery by the battery exchange device into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position in the battery exchange station and taking out the new battery from the charging bin includes:
12. The battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the unlocking mechanism in the battery placement mechanism includes controlling an old battery to be locked in an old battery position. Feeding the old battery by the battery exchange device into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position in the battery exchange station and taking out the new battery from the charging bin,
controlling the battery placement mechanism to move to a position aligned with a new battery position in the charging bin;
Preferably, the battery mounting mechanism is provided with an unlocking mechanism for locking or unlocking in combination with a locking mechanism in a new battery position,
Using the battery exchange device, feeding an old battery into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position at the battery exchange station and taking out a new battery from the charging bin includes:
further comprising controlling the battery placement mechanism to extend to the unlocking mechanism toward a new battery position and engage with the locking mechanism;
Preferably, the unlocking mechanism includes an unlocking rod, and the locking mechanism is provided with an unlocking part,
Using the battery exchange device, feeding an old battery into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position at the battery exchange station and taking out a new battery from the charging bin includes:
The method further comprises unlocking the locking mechanism of the new battery position by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move. A battery replacement method for use in the battery replacement station according to any one of Items 10 to 12. Before unlocking the locking mechanism of the new battery position by driving the unlocking rod to move and interlocking the unlocking part to move,
further comprising determining whether the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part, and driving the unlocking rod to rotate when it is determined that the unlocking rod is combined with the unlocking part,
Preferably, the battery mounting mechanism further includes a push/pull mechanism,
Feeding the old battery by the battery exchange device into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position in the battery exchange station and taking out the new battery from the charging bin,
controlling the push/pull mechanism to extend to a suction cup of the push/pull mechanism and connect to the new battery;
14. The battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station as claimed in claim 13, further comprising controlling the push/pull mechanism to retract to pull the new battery to the battery replacement device. The battery exchange station includes a first battery exchange bin, a second battery exchange bin, a charging bin, a first battery exchange device, and a second battery exchange device,
A predetermined stopping position is provided between the first battery exchange bin and the second battery exchange bin, a predetermined battery exchange position is provided between the first battery exchange bin and the second battery exchange bin, and the charging bin includes: Located above the predetermined stopping position, a side opening is provided on the side surface of the first battery exchange bin and/or the second battery exchange bin, and the predetermined battery exchange position and the side opening are opposite to each other,
Preferably, stopping the electric vehicle at the predetermined stopping position at the battery exchange station includes driving the electric vehicle to the predetermined stopping position such that the battery bracket of the electric vehicle faces the side opening. A battery replacement method used in a battery replacement station according to any one of claims 1 to 14. Removing an old battery from an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery exchange position in a battery exchange station by the battery exchange device includes opening a side opening of the first battery exchange bin and/or the second battery exchange bin by the battery exchange device. 16. A battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station as claimed in claim 15, comprising removing an old battery from an electric vehicle via a battery replacement station. Attaching a new battery to the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position by the battery replacement device includes installing a new battery into the electric vehicle through a side opening of the first battery replacement bin and/or the second battery replacement bin by the battery replacement device. 17. A battery replacement method for use in a battery replacement station according to claim 15 or 16, comprising: installing a new battery in an electric vehicle. A side door is provided in the side opening,
One of these days,
Controlling the battery replacement device to open a side door before removing an old battery from an electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position in a battery replacement station;
and/or
18. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further comprising controlling a side door to close after a new battery is installed in the electric vehicle at a predetermined battery replacement position by the battery replacement device. A battery replacement method used in the described battery replacement station. A tip opening is provided at the tip of the first battery exchange bin and/or the second battery exchange bin, and an entry/exit opening is provided on the side of the charging bin,
Using the battery exchange device, feeding an old battery into a charging bin located above the predetermined parking position at the battery exchange station and taking out a new battery from the charging bin includes:
inserting an old battery into the charging bin through the front opening of the first battery replacing bin and/or the second battery replacing bin and the loading/unloading port of the charging bin by the battery replacing device; and 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising taking out a new battery from the charging bin through the opening of the first battery exchange bin and/or the second battery exchange bin. A battery replacement method used in the battery replacement station according to item (1).