Battery transfer apparatus

• US 9,850,114 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crown Equipment Corporation
• Inventors: Gilland, Jess D., Otto, Matthew J., Rekow, Craig J., Sollmann, Chad T., Topp, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Glenn
• Application Number:
  US13/486,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20120315117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 414535, 414340, 414345, 414390, 414395, 414400, 414347, 414392, 320109, 320113, 294903
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2203/74 rolling means, e.g. rollers
• 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 transfer apparatus for loading/unloading batteries from materials handling vehicles includes a mobile unit and a battery stand. The mobile unit is used to transport batteries into/out of materials handling vehicles and includes load handling structure comprising at least one roller, which is used to roll batteries into/out of materials handling vehicles. A top wall of the battery stand includes at least one opening and support structure of the battery stand engages a surface so as to support the battery stand thereon. The battery stand is engaged by the mobile unit during battery transfer operations by inserting the roller(s) up through the opening(s) in the top wall of the battery stand such that the roller(s) can engage the battery through the opening(s). The battery stand is capable of storing the battery while the battery is out of the materials handling vehicle.

Claims

1. A battery transfer apparatus for loading and/or unloading batteries from materials handling vehicles comprising:

a mobile unit for temporarily supporting and transporting a battery that is to be transferred into or out of a materials handling vehicle, said mobile unit comprising;

load handling structure for supporting said battery, said load handling structure comprising at least one roller that is used to roll said battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle on said at least one roller;

an extractor assembly that can be rotated forward and backward to transfer said battery into or out of a materials handling vehicle; and

a locking assembly for preventing said extractor assembly from being rotated unless said mobile unit is secured to a materials handling vehicle; and

a battery stand comprising a top wall and support structure, said top wall including at least one opening and said support structure adapted to engage a surface upon which said battery stand is placed so as to support said battery stand on the surface; and

wherein said battery stand is adapted to be engaged by said mobile unit during a transfer of said battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle by inserting said at least one roller up through said at least one opening in said top wall of said battery stand such that said at least one roller can engage said battery through said at least one opening, and wherein said battery stand is capable of storing said battery while said battery is out of the materials handling vehicle when said battery stand is disengaged from said load handling structure.

2. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mobile unit comprises a handle structure for steering said mobile unit.

3. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mobile unit comprises a hook structure for engaging and securing said battery during battery transfer operations.

4. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said mobile unit further comprises a latch for actuating said hook structure such that said hook structure is capable of engaging and securing said battery during battery transfer operations.

5. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said latch is also used for actuating said hook structure such that said hook structure is capable of releasing said battery after battery transfer operations.

6. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said hook structure is coupled to said extractor assembly that can be rotated forward to allow said hook structure to engage and secure a battery for a battery transfer operation, wherein said extractor assembly can be rotated backwards after said hook structure is engaged and secured to said battery to unload said battery out of a materials handling vehicle.

7. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mobile unit comprises structure for raising said at least one roller up through said at least one opening in said battery stand.

8. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said mobile unit comprises securing structure to secure said mobile unit to the materials handling vehicle during battery transfer operations.

9. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said securing structure locks onto the materials handling vehicle when said at least one roller is raised for a battery transfer operation.

10. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said mobile unit comprises disengage structure for disengaging said securing structure from the materials handling vehicle, said disengage structure located on the opposite side of said mobile unit than the materials handling vehicle when the battery transfer apparatus is properly positioned for a battery transfer operation.

11. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mobile unit comprises a plurality of wheels for moving said mobile unit.

12. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said mobile unit comprises a locking device for immobilizing said mobile unit.

13. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one roller comprises two sets of rollers and said battery stand comprises two elongated openings that receive corresponding ones of said two sets of rollers of said load handling structure.

14. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one roller comprises a plurality of rollers and said battery stand comprises a plurality of openings, each opening receiving a corresponding one of said plurality of rollers of said load handling structure.

15. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said battery stand comprises an alignment aid for properly aligning the battery transfer apparatus with the materials handling vehicle for battery transfer operations.

16. The battery transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one roller is moved up through said at least one opening in said top wall of said battery stand such that said at least one roller can engage said battery through said at least one opening.

17. A system for loading and/or unloading batteries from materials handling vehicles comprising:

a materials handling vehicle comprising a battery compartment;

a battery to be loaded into or unloaded from said battery compartment;

a battery transfer apparatus comprising;

a mobile unit for transporting said battery, said mobile unit comprising;

load handling structure for temporarily supporting said battery, said load handling structure comprising at least one roller that is used to roll said battery into or out of said battery compartment of said materials handling vehicle on said at least one roller;

an extractor assembly that can be rotated forward and backward to transfer said battery into or out of a materials handling vehicle; and

a locking assembly for preventing said extractor assembly from being rotated unless said mobile unit is secured to a materials handling vehicle; and

a battery stand comprising a top wall and support structure, said top wall including at least one opening and said support structure adapted to engage a surface upon which said battery stand is placed so as to support said battery stand on the surface; and

wherein said battery stand is adapted to be engaged by said mobile unit during a transfer of said battery into or out of said materials handling vehicle by inserting said at least one roller up through said at least one opening in said top wall of said battery stand such that said at least one roller can engage said battery through said at least one opening, and wherein said battery stand is capable of storing said battery while said battery is out of said materials handling vehicle when said battery stand is disengaged from said load handling structure.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said mobile unit comprises a handle structure for steering said mobile unit.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said mobile unit comprises a hook structure for engaging and securing said battery during battery transfer operations.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said battery comprises a bracket that is engaged by said hook structure to secure said battery to said battery transfer apparatus.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit further comprises a latch for actuating said hook structure such that said hook structure is capable of engaging and securing said bracket of said battery during battery transfer operations.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said latch is also used for actuating said hook structure such that said hook structure is capable of releasing said bracket of said battery after battery transfer operations.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein said hook structure is coupled to said extractor assembly that can be rotated forward to allow said hook structure to engage and secure a battery for a battery transfer operation, wherein said extractor assembly can be rotated backwards after said hook structure is engaged and secured to said battery to unload said battery out of a materials handling vehicle.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein said mobile unit comprises structure for raising said at least one roller up through said at least one opening in said battery stand.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said mobile unit comprises securing structure to secure said mobile unit to said materials handling vehicle during battery transfer operations.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said materials handling vehicle includes a support bar that is engaged by said securing structure so as to secure said mobile unit to said materials handling vehicle during battery transfer operations.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein said structure for raising said at least one roller is used to cause said securing structure to engage said support bar for a battery transfer operation and to cause said securing structure to disengage said support bar after a battery transfer operation.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein said securing structure engages said support bar when said at least one roller is raised for a battery transfer operation and said securing structure disengages said support bar when said at least one roller is lowered after a battery transfer operation.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said structure for raising said at least one roller is located on the opposite side of said mobile unit than said materials handling vehicle when said battery transfer apparatus is properly positioned for a battery transfer operation.

30. The system according to claim 17, wherein said at least one roller comprises two sets of rollers and said battery stand comprises two elongated openings that receive corresponding ones of said two sets of rollers of said load handling structure.

31. The system according to claim 17, wherein said at least one roller comprises a plurality of rollers and said battery stand comprises a plurality of openings, each opening receiving a corresponding one of said plurality of rollers of said load handling structure.

32. The system according to claim 17, wherein said battery stand comprises an alignment aid for properly aligning said battery transfer apparatus with said materials handling vehicle for battery transfer operations.

33. The system according to claim 17, wherein said battery compartment is accessible from a side of said materials handling vehicle.

34. A method for loading or unloading a battery from a materials handling vehicle comprising:

positioning a battery transfer apparatus adjacent to a battery compartment of the materials handling vehicle, the battery transfer apparatus comprising;

a mobile unit for temporarily supporting and transporting a battery that is to be transferred into or out of the materials handling vehicle, the mobile unit comprising;

load handling structure for supporting the battery, the load handling structure comprising at least one roller that is used to roll the battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle on the at least one roller;

an extractor assembly that can be rotated forward and backward to transfer said battery into or out of a materials handling vehicle; and

a locking assembly for preventing said extractor assembly from being rotated unless said mobile unit is secured to a materials handling vehicle; and

a battery stand comprising a top wall and support structure, the top wall including at least one opening and the support structure adapted to engage a surface upon which the battery stand is placed so as to support the battery stand on the surface;

raising the load handling structure such that the at least one roller is raised up through the at least one opening in the top wall of the battery stand and such that the at least one roller can engage the battery through the at least one opening; and

moving the battery into or out of the materials handling vehicle by sliding the battery on the at least one roller.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the load handling structure is raised until the at least one roller is at a proper height to move the battery into or out of the battery compartment.

36. The method according to claim 34, further comprising securing the battery to the battery transfer apparatus before it is moved into or out of the materials handling vehicle.

37. The method according to claim 34, wherein raising the at least one roller is accomplished by an operator engaging structure on the mobile unit.