Battery changing system for electric battery-powered vehicles

• US 5,163,537 A
• Filed: 04/29/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bucyrus America, Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Simmons-Rand Company
• Inventors: Radev, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): SKAGGS JR, H GRANT
• Application Number:
  US07/692,927
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 414/917, 414/785, 414/685, 254/2 R, 254/10 R, 254/10 C, 187/9 R, 180/68.5, 180/298, 180/299
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• 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: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/13 Handlers utilizing parallel links

Abstract

A battery changing system for electric battery-powered vehicles, particularly for electric battery-powered underground mining vehicles having a main frame and a battery support attached to the main frame, and using several exchangeable batteries, the battery changing system comprising a bellcrank for connecting the battery support with the main frame, a first pin for mounting pivotably the bellcrank to the main frame, a second pin for mounting pivotably the battery support to the bellcrank, an eyebar link for connecting the battery support to the main frame in parallel with the bellcrank, a third pin for connecting pivotably the eyebar link to the main frame, a fourth pin for connecting pivotably the battery support to the eyebar link, and a hydraulic cylinder for pivoting the bellcrank around the first pin.

Claims

1. A battery changing system for electric battery-powered vehicles, particularly for electric battery-powered underground mining vehicles having an axle and wheels supporting a main frame above a ground surface and a battery support attached to said main frame, and using exchangeable batteries, said battery changing system comprising:

a bellcrank connecting said battery support with said main frame;

a first pin mounting pivotably said bellcrank to said main frame;

a second pin mounting pivotably said battery support to said bellcrank;

an eyebar link connecting said battery support to said main frame in parallel with said bellcrank;

a third pin connecting pivotably said eyebar link to said main frame, said third pin positioned below said axle;

a fourth pin connecting pivotably said battery support to said eyebar link, and

means for pivoting said bellcrank around said first pin, whereby said battery support can be lowered to the ground.

2. A battery changing system according to claim 1, wherein said means for pivoting said bellcrank around said first pin is a hydraulic cylinder.

3. A battery changing system according to claim 1, wherein said battery support is a fork support.

4. A battery changing system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for securing said battery onto said battery support.

5. A battery changing system according to claim 4, wherein said means for securing said battery onto said battery support comprises a hitch and a hitch pin for selectively connecting and disconnecting said battery to and from said battery support, and a pair of a left and a right stops for limiting the pivoting of said battery around said hitch pin.