The present disclosure relates to a technical field of electric vehicles, and more particularly to a locking method for locking a battery of an electric vehicle to the electric vehicle and an unlocking method for unlocking the battery from the electric vehicle.
A battery of an existing electric vehicle is generally installed in a fixed way or in a replaceable type. The fixed battery is usually fixed to the vehicle, and the vehicle is directly charged during charging. The replaceable battery is usually installed in a movable manner, and the battery can be removed at any time for replacement or for charging and then be installed to the vehicle body after replacement or charging.
At present, a battery may be replaced by a manual operation or an automatic operation. Either way, the battery is mounted to a chassis of the electric vehicle, and the installed battery needs to be locked to the vehicle body. Due to a relatively large weight of the battery, a structure using multiple locking positions to lock simultaneously is employed, but an existing locking structure fails to meet requirements in terms of speed and automation.
The present disclosure aims to provide a locking method and an unlocking method that can automatically lock or unlock a plurality of battery pack locking positions at the same time. That is, the present disclosure provides a locking method and an unlocking method.
A locking method uses a locking device to mount a battery to a fixing seat of an electric vehicle. The locking device includes: a lock base configured to provide a locking position, and including a lock body having a surface provided with a lock groove recessed towards the inside of the lock body, the lock body being provided with a lock tongue groove and a lock tongue movably mounted in the lock tongue groove, and the lock tongue groove being communicated with the lock groove; and a lock shaft including a shaft rod, the shaft rod being configured to be inserted into the lock groove of the lock base to perform unlocking and locking. The locking method includes: step 1, moving the battery from a bottom of the electric vehicle into the fixing seat under a lifting action of a battery-changing mobile platform; and step 2, inserting the shaft rod of the lock shaft around the battery into the lock groove through an opening of the lock groove on the lock base.
An unlocking method is used to unlock a locking device that mounts a battery to a fixing seat of an electric vehicle. The locking device includes: a lock base configured to provide a locking position, and including a lock body having a surface provided with a lock groove recessed towards the inside of the lock body, the lock body being provided with a lock tongue groove and a lock tongue movably mounted in the lock tongue groove, and the lock tongue groove being communicated with the lock groove; a lock connecting rod movably connected with the lock base through the lock tongue, and configured to control lock tongues of a plurality of lock bases simultaneously and perform synchronous locking of the plurality of lock bases; and a lock shaft including a shaft rod, the shaft rod being configured to be inserted into the lock groove of the lock base to perform unlocking and locking. The unlocking method includes: step 1, making an unlocking device on a battery-changing mobile platform contact the lock connecting rod and push the lock connecting rod to rise, so that the lock tongue leaves the lock groove; and step 2, moving the battery to withdraw the shaft rod from the lock groove, and completing a battery removal process.
As shown in
The lock base 20 includes a lock body 25 having a rectangular shape. A front surface of the lock body 25 is provided with a lock groove 21 recessed towards the inside of the lock body 25. The lock base 20 further includes a lock tongue groove 22 and a lock tongue 24 mounted in the lock tongue groove 22. The lock tongue groove 22 is communicated with the lock groove 21, and the lock tongue 24 is movably mounted in the lock tongue groove 22.
The lock shaft 30 includes a shaft seat 34 having a fixing hole, and a shaft rod 31 perpendicularly arranged to a surface of the shaft seat 34 and configured to be inserted into the lock groove 21 of the lock base 20 so as to perform locking.
The lock connecting rod 10 may include an elongated rod member 11 movably connected to the lock tongue 24 of the lock base 20.
The locking device in the embodiment can be used to lock a power battery of an electric vehicle, in which the lock shafts 30 are mounted around a battery pack, and the lock bases 20 and the lock connecting rod 10 are mounted to an inner lateral surface of a vehicle body fixing seat for fixing the battery and arranged at positions corresponding to the positions of the lock shafts 30. As shown in
The lock body 25 has a back surface fixedly fixed to the vehicle body fixing seat, and a front surface facing the battery to be installed. The lock connecting rod 10 is movably mounted above the lock base 20 through the lock tongue. The lock shaft 30 is mounted on an outer side of the battery pack by the shaft seat at a position corresponding to the lock base 20.
When in use, the battery enters the fixing seat from the bottom of the electric vehicle under a lifting action of a battery-changing mobile platform, and a unlocking member pushes the lock connecting rod 10 to move upwards and drives the lock tongue to open the opening 211 of the lock groove 21, such that the lock shaft 30 around the battery is inserted into the lock groove 21 through the opening 211 of the lock groove 21 of the corresponding lock base 20 by means of the shaft rod 31, and then is moved to the other side of the lock groove 21 under the push of the battery-changing mobile platform until the lock shaft comes into contact with the other end of the lock groove. In such a way, a suspension process of the battery is completed. During the insertion of the shaft rod 31, the lock connecting rod 10 drives the stopping device 2A to move upwardly, under the push of the unlocking member, and when the shaft rod 31 enters a locking region in the lock groove 21 beyond the position of the stopping device 2A, the stopping device 2A falls under the gravity of the lock connecting rod 10 to laterally block a return path of the shaft rod 31. At this time, the battery is in a state of being completely locked to the electric vehicle. When the battery needs to be replaced, an unlocking device on the battery-changing mobile platform contacts the lock connecting rod 10 and pushes the lock connecting rod 10 to rise, so that the lock tongue leaves the lock groove 21, and at this time, the battery is moved to cause the shaft rod 31 to be withdrawn from the lock groove 21, thereby completing a battery removal process.
As shown in
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lock groove 21 may adopt an L-shaped structure, which can provide the battery with a stable suspension platform, and at the same time, the elastic pad 23 is arranged at the end of the lock groove 21, which can reduce the collision between the battery and the fixing seat during the installation and during driving, thereby improving the service life of various locking components. In other embodiments, the lock groove 21 may also adopt a curved shape or other shapes capable of providing the suspension platform.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the stopping device 2A may be specifically configured as a stop block 243 protruding from the lock tongue 24 towards a side of the lock groove 21, and the stop block 243 is used to close the opening 211 of the lock groove 21 to prevent the shaft rod 31 inserted into the lock groove 21 from sliding out of the lock groove 21. The lock tongue 24 is connected in the lock tongue groove 22 through a shaft, and the lock tongue 24 includes a lock tongue groove shaft hole 241 connected to the lock tongue groove 22, and a lock connecting rod shaft hole 242 connected to the lock connecting rod 10 which pushes the lock tongue 24 to rotate.
The lock tongue 24 in a normal state is simultaneously connected to the lock base 20 and the lock connecting rod 10 through shafts. Since the lock connecting rod 10 is in an active state, the lock tongue 24 can be rotated about a shaft connection point with the lock base 20 by the movement of the lock connecting rod 10, so that the stop block 243 of the lock tongue 24 can be switched between a state of entering the lock groove 21 and a state of leaving the lock groove 21. The lock connecting rod 10 is pushed to move upwards by the external unlocking device, such that the lock tongue is moved upwards, and the stop block 243 leaves the lock groove 21. The shaft rod 31 of the lock shaft 30 enters the lock groove 21 from the opening 211, and is translated into the locking region of the lock groove 21 under the push of the battery-changing mobile platform. At this time, the unlocking device is removed, the lock connecting rod 10 moves downwards by gravity, the lock tongue is also moved downwards, and the stop block 243 blocks the opening 211 of the lock groove 21, such that the shaft rod is locked in the lock groove 21, and the corresponding battery is also stably fixed in the fixing seat of the electric vehicle.
During the battery replacement, the unlocking device on the battery-changing mobile platform pushes the lock connecting rod 10 upwardly in an upward lifting process, and the movement of the lock connecting rod 10 naturally drives the stop block 243 of the lock tongue 24 to leave the lock groove 21. At this time, the battery can be moved to remove the lock shaft 30 from the opening 211 of the lock groove 21, thereby completing the unlocking of the battery.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a diameter of a first end of the opening 211 at the bottom surface may be larger than a diameter of a second end of the opening 211 at the lock groove 21. The use of such an open structure facilitates the entry of the lock shaft 30 and also reduces the collision damage to the lock base 20.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the bottom surface of the lock body 25 and the front surface of the lock body 25 may be connected through tangent surfaces. This structure can reduce the collision with the lock base 20 in a rising process of the battery.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the back surface of the lock body 25 is provided with a lock shaft sensing hole in communication with the lock groove 21. A sensing device may be installed at a position of the fixing seat corresponding to the lock shaft sensing hole. When the lock shaft 30 enters the lock groove 21, a first positioning steel magnet 32 mounted thereon is sensed by the sensing device when passing through the lock shaft sensing hole, such that it is determined whether the battery currently enters the lock groove 21 or not, thereby determining the next action.
As shown in
In the present embodiment, a plurality of the lock shafts 30 may be provided, and they are fixed, through the first fixing holes 35 in the shaft seat 34, to a side edge of the battery in contact with the fixing seat of the electric vehicle. The positions of the fixed lock shafts 30 correspond to the positions of the lock bases 20 on the fixing seat. Each of the shaft rods 31 protrudes perpendicularly from the side edge of the battery. When the battery is snapped into the fixing seat of the electric vehicle under the control of the battery-changing mobile platform, the shaft rods 31 of the lock shafts 30 are inserted into the lock grooves 21 of the corresponding lock bases 20, and the friction of the shaft rod 31 in the moving contact with the lock groove 21 can be reduced by the sleeve 33. When the battery-changing mobile platform drives the shaft rod 31 to move in the lock groove 21, the first positioning steel magnet 32 at a front end of the shaft rod 31 passes through the sensing device mounted on the fixing seat, so that the battery-changing mobile platform clearly knows the current installation position of the battery and can make the next action in time.
In the present embodiment, the friction between the lock shaft 30 and the lock base 20 can be reduced, the locking and unlocking processes can be improved, and clear movement state information of the battery can be offered to provide a basis for automatic unlocking and automatic locking.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to define the position of the sleeve 33, a retaining ring or a retaining flange may be provided at both ends of the shaft rod 31. An outwardly protruding retaining flange 36 is provided at an end of the shaft rod close to the shaft seat 34, and has a diameter larger than a diameter of the shaft rod 31, so that the sleeve 33 can be restricted at a specified position of the shaft rod 31 to achieve better contact with the lock groove 21. The retaining flange 36 may also prevent the shaft seat 34 from rubbing against the lock base 20 and hence avoid causing damage to the corresponding components. Further, a retaining ring 331 may be provided at an end of the shaft rod 31 away from the shaft seat 34 and be configured to prevent the sleeve 33 from coming off. The retaining ring 331 may be mounted to the shaft rod 31 by a structure that is snapped in a groove of the shaft rod 31.
In order to facilitate the fixation of the lock shaft 30, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the shaft seat 34 of the lock shaft 30 may be circular or triangular, and three to four first fixing holes 35 are provided and symmetrically distributed around the center of the shaft seat 34.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a connecting end of the shaft rod 31 with the shaft seat 34 may pass through a shaft hole in the center of the circle and may be exposed from the other end. A snap ring may be provided to the passing end of the shaft rod 31 to prevent the shaft rod 31 from coming off. The snap ring may be mounted in the same way as the aforementioned retaining ring 331. Although the shaft rod 31 and the shaft seat 34 are movably mounted, the shaft rod 31 may be integrally formed with the shaft seat 34 in other embodiments.
As shown in
When installed, the lock connecting rod 10 is connected with the lock tongue 24 through shaft and hence is located above each lock base 20, and the lock tongue 24 is also connected with the lock base 20 by a shaft, so that the rise and fall of the lock connecting rod 10 can drive the lock tongue 24 to rotate around a shaft connection point in the lock base 20, to realize the switch between the state of being snapped into the lock groove 21 and the state of leaving the lock groove 21. This embodiment employs a single lock connecting rod 10 to simultaneously control the lock tongues 24 of the plurality of lock bases 20, thereby realizing a function of synchronously unlocking and locking the plurality of lock bases 20, so as to improve the unlocking process of the battery and accelerate the battery replacement efficiency.
The rod member 11 of each lock connecting rod 10 may be provided with three through holes 16, and a second fixing hole 14 may be provided in the through hole 16 and configured to be connected with the lock tongue by means of a shaft. Each second fixing hole 14 corresponds to and is connected with the lock tongue 24 of one lock base 20. The second fixing hole 14 runs through the through hole 16 in a manner perpendicular to a lateral surface of the rod member 11.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the unlocking block 12 may be an arc protrusion formed outwardly by the rod member 11. The top of the unlocking block 12 is configured as an inner arc groove 121 recessed towards the rod member 11. The use of the arc protrusion prevents the lock connecting rod 10 from being blocked by other components during its movement. At this time, the arc protrusion facilitates contact with the unlocking device of the battery-changing mobile platform, to enable the unlocking device to move the lock connecting rod 10 along the arc protrusion in a transverse direction instead of being stuck in a certain position. The structure of the inner arc groove 121 on the top of the unlocking block 12 can form an optimal unlocking position with the unlocking device, and at this position, the lock connecting rod 10 has been fully unlocked and the retention of the unlocking device is facilitated. The position of the unlocking block 12 may be specifically arranged on the rod member 11 between the two through holes, as long as the movement of the lock connecting rod 10 is not affected.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a spring pull tab 101 on the same side of the unlocking block 12 may be fixedly mounted on the rod member 11, and an exposed end of the spring pull tab 101 is provided with a hooking hole. The spring pull tab 101 is used to connect a spring fixed to the fixing seat of the electric vehicle, and the spring applies a pulling force to the lock connecting rod 10 towards the lock base 20 to improve the stability of the lock connecting rod 10 in the locked state.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to determine the current position of the lock connecting rod 10, a second positioning steel magnet 13 may be mounted on the rod member 11, and the second positioning steel magnet 13 may generate induction with an external magnetic detecting device to determine the current position of the rod member 11 according to a sensing signal.
The second positioning steel magnet 13 may be specifically mounted at an end of the rod member 11 and may be cylindrical; the end of the rod member 11 is provided with a steel magnet mounting hole 131 passing through the rod member 11; and the second positioning steel magnet 13 is inserted in the steel magnet mounting hole 131. A corresponding sensing device is provided on a moving track of the second positioning steel magnet 13. When the rod member 11 is moved, the second positioning steel magnet 13 stays at or passes through the sensing device to determine whether the lock connecting rod 10 is currently in the unlocked state or in the locked state.
The present disclosure can fix the battery to the electric vehicle in such a way that a plurality of lock shafts distributed on a side edge of the battery are simultaneously inserted into a plurality of lock bases of the electric vehicle, and can simultaneously lock the plurality of lock shafts to the lock bases in an automatic manner by means of the action of the lock connecting rod, thereby improving the efficiency of assembling or disassembling the battery greatly.
By adopting the above-mentioned lock groove structure, the lock base of the present disclosure can provide the battery with a balanced suspension platform, and the elastic pad arranged at the end of the lock groove can reduce the collision between the battery and the fixing seat during the installation and during driving, thereby improving the service life of various locking components.
The lock shaft of the present disclosure can reduce the friction with the lock base, improve the locking and unlocking process, and offer clear motion state information to provide a basis for automatic unlocking and automatic locking.
The present disclosure utilizes a single lock connecting rod to simultaneously control the lock tongues of the plurality of lock bases, realizes a function of synchronously unlocking and locking the plurality of lock bases, so as to improve the unlocking process of the battery and accelerate the battery replacement efficiency.
It would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described in detail, but many other variations or modifications consistent with the principles of the present disclosure may be directly determined or derived based on the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure should be understood and construed to cover all such other variations or modifications.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201611041220.4 | Nov 2016 | CN | national |
This application a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/462,828, which is a National Stage Application of International Application No. PCT/CN2017/111994 filed on Nov. 21, 2017, which claims priority to and benefits of Chinese Patent Application Serial No. 201611041220.4, titled “Locking Device and Electric Vehicle” and filed on Nov. 21, 2016, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16462828 | May 2019 | US |
Child | 17739499 | US |