Method and system for mounting or removing a motor vehicle battery

• US 9,370,990 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Escande, Bruno
• Primary Examiner(s): Omgba, Essama
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORD, DARRELL CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US13/517,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 294/020.1, 294/020.3, 294/020.8, 294/261, 294/262, 294/265, 295/25, 297/00, 700/245, 700/258
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using 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: Y10T 29/4973 Replacing of defective part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49822 by applying force
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49945 by driven force fit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53 Means to assemble or disassemble

Abstract

A method for mounting or removing a power supply container of a drive motor of a motor vehicle that is secured to the motor vehicle using a bolt acted on by a piston. The method includes: acting on the piston to move the pistons relative to the bolt so as to disengage the bolt; and rotating the bolt such as to lock or unlock the bolt and lock or unlock the battery.

Claims

1. A method for mounting or removing a container of energy that powers an engine or motor that propels a motor vehicle, fixed to the motor vehicle using a lock, the lock including a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a shaft connecting the first end and the second end, and a piston that is movable along the shaft and biased against the first end of the lock by an elastic element, the method comprising:

(a) acting on the piston to cause the piston to compress the elastic element positioned within the container of energy, the acting on the piston moves the piston away from a first end of the lock to disengage the lock from the piston; and

(b) after the acting on the piston, turning the lock to lock or unlock the lock that fixes the container of energy to the motor vehicle,

wherein the piston is positioned between the first end of the lock and the elastic element, and

wherein the piston is coaxial with and surrounds the shaft.

2. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the (a) acting comprises pushing the piston to move the piston translationally against the elastic element.

3. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the (b) turning comprises rotating the lock by half a turn or less.

4. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the (b) turning is obtained by associating a connecting means of a tool with a connecting means of the lock.

5. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising fixing a tool for implementing the method to at least one corresponding element of a body shell of the vehicle, of the container of energy, or of the lock, prior to the (a) acting.

6. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixing a tool includes connecting the tool via at least two connecting elements that are distributed symmetrically about a connecting means of the lock.

7. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixing a tool includes inserting a mushroom-shaped element extending from the container of energy into a corresponding slot in the tool.

8. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the (a) acting and the (b) turning are performed automatically using a motorized tool.

9. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic element is a spring.

10. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

after the turning the lock to unlock the lock, removing the container of energy from the motor vehicle.

11. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

after the removing the container of energy from the motor vehicle, mounting a new container of energy to the motor vehicle.

12. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container of energy is a battery.

13. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 12, wherein the piston is positioned within the battery.

14. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 13, wherein a first end of the elastic element contacts the piston and a second end of the elastic element contacts the battery.

15. The method for mounting or removing a power supply energy container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the (a) acting on the piston includes compressing the elastic element towards the motor vehicle.