CONVEYING APPARATUS

• US 20120326107A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
• Inventors: OJIMA, Yoshio, FUKAGAWA, Takahiro, MURASE, Takashi, MOTOYA, Akihiko, MAKI, Hideyuki
• Application Number:
  US13/525,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20120326107A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 254/89.R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0472 from below
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations

Abstract

A conveying apparatus is configured to attach a battery unit to a vehicle body at an attachment position by engaging at least three first fastening portions, which are arranged in the vehicle body, respectively with at least three corresponding second fastening portions, which are arranged in the battery unit. The conveying apparatus includes at least three mounts, at least three individual lifting mechanisms, and an individual control unit. The second fastening portions are respectively mounted on the mounts. The individual lifting mechanisms individually lift the mounts to raise the battery unit to the attachment position. The individual control unit is configured to individually control the individual lifting mechanisms.

Claims

1. A conveying apparatus configured to attach a battery unit to a vehicle body at an attachment position by engaging at least three first fastening portions, which are arranged in the vehicle body, respectively with at least three corresponding second fastening portions, which are arranged in the battery unit, the conveying apparatus comprising:

at least three mounts onto which the second fastening portions are respectively mounted;

at least three individual lifting mechanisms that individually lift the mounts to raise the battery unit to the attachment position; and

an individual control unit configured to individually control the individual lifting mechanisms.

2. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the individual control unit includes at least three detection units and a stop unit,

each of the three detection units corresponds to a set including one of the first fastening portions, one of the second fastening portions, and one of the individual lifting mechanisms,

each of the three detection units is arranged on either one of the corresponding first fastening portion and the corresponding second fastening portion,

each detection unit is configured to transmit a detection signal when the corresponding first fastening portion and second fastening portion are engaged with each other, and

the stop unit is configured to stop a raising operation, in response to the detection signal, performed by the individual lifting mechanism corresponding to the detection unit that transmitted the detection signal.

3. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a support on which the three individual lifting mechanisms are arranged;

an entire lifting mechanism that lifts the support; and

an entire control unit configured to control the entire lifting mechanism.

4. The conveying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the entire control unit controls the entire lifting mechanism to lift the support to a preset height, and

the individual control unit then individually controls the individual lifting mechanisms to individually lift the mounts.

5. The conveying apparatus according to claim 1;

wherein

each of the first fastening portions is either one of a striker and a lock device, which fixes or releases the striker;

each of the second fastening portions is the other one of the striker and the lock device;

the lock device includes

a housing including an inlet that allows for entrance of the striker,

a latch supported pivotally about a first axis by the housing, and

a pole that fixes and restricts pivoting of the latch; and

the latch is configured to switch between a hooking state, in which the latch hooks the striker in the inlet, and a release state in which the latch releases the striker.