Changeable battery pack adapter and battery changing system

• US 8,167,069 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jungheinrich AG
• Original Assignee: Jungheinrich AG
• Inventors: Boegelein, Rolf, Zeidler, Christoph, Hatzl, Franz, Plastinin, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II, J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dolak, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/469,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20090288898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.5, 429/96, 429/97, 429/99, 429/100, 429/123
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0483 from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0494 with arrangements for sliding
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/30 Trolleys
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/42 Fork lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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: B66F 9/0754 Battery removal arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• 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: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention relates to a battery changing system comprising an industrial truck and a battery pack, which is or can inserted into a battery compartment of the industrial truck, wherein the battery pack may be inserted into a lateral access opening of the battery compartment with a first end leading into the battery compartment and may be withdrawn from the battery compartment with its first end at the rear, wherein the battery pack accommodated in the battery compartment can be supported in the vicinity of its first end with at least one rolling body on the base of the battery compartment, and at least one transport device, on which the battery pack can be accommodated. The transport device may comprise a changeable adapter, which can be aligned in a predetermined position for a battery changing operation relative to the industrial truck by means of mutually interacting alignment means.

Claims

1. A changeable battery pack adapter for accommodating a battery pack, which is capable of being withdrawn from a battery compartment of an industrial truck, or for providing a battery pack, which is capable of being inserted into the battery compartment;

wherein the changeable adapter is capable of being aligned in a predetermined position for a battery changing operation relative to the industrial truck by means of mutually interacting alignment means provided on the changeable adapter and on the industrial truck;

wherein the changeable adapter comprises two guideways that guide the movement of rolling bodies associated with the battery pack out of or into the battery compartment, the two guideways are laterally spaced apart from one another, and the rolling bodies of the battery pack are capable of moving on the guideways;

wherein end sections of the guideways, which face the battery compartment during the battery changing operation, rise away from the battery compartment and then are substantially horizontal such that, during the battery changing operation, the battery pack is positioned higher on the changeable adapter than in the battery compartment and, as a result, a securing stop arranged in the battery compartment is capable of being overcome.

2. The changeable battery pack adapter according to claim 1,

wherein the changeable adapter is configured to overcome the securing stop, which is arranged at an end of a guideway in the battery compartment, during the battery changing operation when the battery pack is moved out of the battery compartment onto the changeable adapter and from the changeable adapter into the battery compartment;

wherein one or more rolling bodies associated with the battery pack are capable of rolling on the guideway in the battery compartment.

3. The changeable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the changeable adapter is capable of being coupled to the industrial truck by means of a first coupling apparatus during the battery changing operation.

4. The changeable battery pack adapter according to claim 3,

wherein the first coupling apparatus for coupling the changeable adapter to the industrial truck is designed to produce the coupling when the changeable adapter is raised relative to a base, which bears the battery pack, of the industrial truck, and to release the coupling when the changeable adapter is lowered relative to the base of the industrial truck.

5. The changeable adapter according to claim 4, wherein the first coupling apparatus comprises at least one centring pin that engages in a corresponding opening in the base of the industrial truck during raising.

6. The changeable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the changeable adapter is designed in such a way that, during the battery changing operation and when the battery pack is accommodated in the battery compartment of the industrial truck, rolling bodies associated with a first end of the battery pack are supported in the battery compartment and rolling bodies associated with a second end of the battery pack are supported on the guideways of the changeable adapter.

7. The changeable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the changeable adapter has a releasable locking element, with which said battery pack accommodated on the changeable adapter is capable of being brought into or is in engagement.

8. The changeable adapter according to claim 3, wherein the first coupling apparatus is connected releasably to the changeable adapter.

9. Changeable adapter according to claim 8, wherein the changeable adapter is capable of being coupled to the battery pack by means of a second coupling apparatus during the battery changing operation, when the first coupling apparatus is removed from the changeable adapter.

10. Changeable adapter according to claim 9, wherein the second coupling apparatus is designed to produce the coupling between the changeable adapter and the battery pack when the changeable adapter is raised relative to a base, which bears the battery pack, of the industrial truck, and to release the coupling when the changeable adapter is lowered.

11. Changeable adapter according to claim 10, wherein the second coupling apparatus has an accommodating depression, which runs transversely with respect to the movement direction of the battery pack and with which a coupling projection, which is provided on the lower side of the battery pack, is capable of being brought into engagement.

12. The changeable adapter according to claim 1, wherein the changeable adapter is or is capable of being accommodated on a separate industrial truck.

13. The changeable adapter according to claim 3, wherein the alignment means act as the first coupling apparatus.

14. The changeable adapter according to claim 5, wherein the corresponding opening in the base of the industrial truck is in the base of the battery compartment.

15. The changeable adapter according to claim 12, wherein the separate industrial truck is a manually-operated lift truck.

16. The changeable adapter according to claim 12, wherein the changeable adapter is or is capable of being fixedly connected to the separate industrial truck.