Battery changing system for an industrial truck

• US 7,338,248 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Still Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Original Assignee: Still Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (Superlift Holding SARL)
• Inventors: Buchmann, Michael, Neumann, Udo
• Primary Examiner(s): Fox; Charles A
• Application Number:
  US10/694,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20050036861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 414/398, 414/522, 414/340, 193/35.TE, 198/588
• US Class Current: 414/522
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 9/0754 Battery removal arrangements
• 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

Abstract

A battery changing system is provided to change the battery in an industrial truck, such as a fork lift truck, with a battery block that can be moved in the horizontal direction by a roller conveyor relative to a battery compartment of the industrial truck. The invention teaches that the battery in the industrial truck can be changed easily and economically by providing an external roller conveyor (5) that can be moved in the vertical direction. To change the battery, the roller conveyor (5) can be placed underneath a battery compartment (2) in the industrial truck that contains the battery (1) and then the roller conveyor (5) can be raised. A floor (7) of the battery compartment (2) of the industrial truck can be provided with at least one opening (8; 9) for receiving one or more rollers of the roller conveyor (5).

Claims

1. A battery changing system to change the battery block of an industrial truck, comprising:

a roller conveyor external to the industrial truck, at least a portion of which conveyor can be raised and lowered, and

a drive device for moving the battery block on the roller conveyor,

wherein the roller conveyor is configured to be placed underneath a battery compartment of an industrial truck that holds a battery block, wherein a floor surface of the battery compartment of the industrial truck is provided with at least one opening to receive at least one roller of the roller conveyor,

wherein the battery block is movable all the way out of the battery compartment in a lateral direction of the truck by means of the roller conveyor,

wherein the roller conveyor includes a first segment and at least one movable second segment,

wherein the first segment comprises a pair of spaced apart first beams, each having a plurality of rollers, wherein the second segment comprises a second beam located between the first beams and having a plurality of rollers, with the second beam being longitudinally extendable and retractable with respect to the first beams,

wherein a stop is located on the first segment to limit movement of a battery block,

wherein a retaining device is located on the second beam and is configured to engage the truck to prevent relative movement between the roller conveyor and the truck during movement of the battery block,

wherein the second beam has a width that is substantially equal to a width of a space between the first beams of the first segment and substantially equal to the width of one of the first beams for adequately supporting the battery block upon removal and replacement of the battery block relative to the battery compartment of the industrial truck, and

wherein the drive device for moving the battery block includes a drive for one or more rollers of the roller conveyor.

2. The battery changing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor of the battery compartment of the industrial truck is provided with a plurality of openings, with each opening configured to receive a roller of the roller conveyor.

3. The battery changing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor of the battery compartment of the industrial truck is provided with one opening for receiving a plurality of rollers of the roller conveyor.

4. The battery changing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second segment is mounted by means of a guide device on the first segment so that it can move longitudinally.