Systems and methods for a modular battery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065967-B2
Application number	US-201916534700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2019
Priority date	Aug 8, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A modular battery system for use with a material handling vehicle, the modular battery system comprises a battery assembly and a counterweight assembly. The battery assembly can include a power source and a battery base, and the counterweight assembly can include a counterweight base configured to slidably receive the battery base and be removably secured thereto.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A modular battery system for a material handling vehicle, the modular battery system comprising:
a battery assembly including a battery base configured to support a power source, the battery base including a battery attachment interface;
a counterweight assembly including a counterweight base with a counterweight attachment interface configured to slidably engage the battery attachment interface to selectively secure the battery assembly to the counterweight assembly; and
a retention pin configured to be manually engaged with a first opening attachment in the battery attachment interface and a second attachment opening in the counterweight attachment interface to restrict movement of the battery assembly relative to the counterweight assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein one of the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface is configured as a first attachment interface that includes a positioning portion;
the other of the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface is configured as a second attachment interface that includes a channel configured to slidably receive the positioning portion; and
wherein movement of the battery assembly with respect to the counterweight assembly is restricted in at least one direction when the positioning portion is received in the channel.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the positioning portion includes a roller bearing configured to provide a rolling interface between the positioning portion and the channel.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the positioning portion is configured as a left positioning portion and the first attachment interface includes an additional positioning portion configured as a right positioning portion;
the channel is configured as a left channel for engaging the left positioning portion and the second attachment interface includes an additional channel configured as a right channel for engaging the right positioning portion.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface includes a roller bearing configured to provide a rolling interface between the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the roller bearing includes a shimming puck for adjusting a position of the roller bearing.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface includes a non-metal slide configured to provide a sliding interface between the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the counterweight assembly further includes a detachable weight configured to be manually coupled to the counterweight base.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is formed in a battery bracket and the second opening is formed in a counterweight bracket.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a detachable weight configured to be secured to the counterweight assembly; and
wherein the detachable weight inhibits disengagement of the retention pin from the first attachment opening and the second attachment opening.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a retention plate configured to be manually secured to at least one of the battery assembly and the counterweight assembly to restrict movement of the battery assembly relative to the counterweight assembly.

12. A material handling vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including a battery compartment;
a counterweight assembly configured to be received in the battery compartment;
a battery assembly including an energy source for powering the material handling vehicle, the battery assembly being configured to be slidably received by the counterweight assembly; and
a retention pin configured to be manually engaged with a first opening of the battery assembly and a second opening of the counterweight assembly to restrict movement of the battery assembly relative to the counterweight assembly.

13. The material handling vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the vehicle body includes a vehicle mounting interface positioned within the battery compartment and the counterweight assembly includes a counterweight mounting interface configured to be manually engaged with the vehicle mounting interface,
wherein one of the vehicle mounting interface and the counterweight mounting interface is configured as a first mounting interface that includes a mounting feature;
the other of the vehicle mounting interface and the counterweight mounting interface is configured as a second mounting interface configured to be engaged by the mounting feature; and
wherein movement of the counterweight assembly with respect to the vehicle body is restricted in at least one direction when the mounting feature is engaged with the second mounting interface.

14. The material handling vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the mounting feature is configured as a ridge and the second mounting interface includes a slot configured to receive the ridge.

15. The material handling vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first mounting interface includes a positioning bar extending across the counterweight assembly or the battery compartment; and
wherein the second mounting interface includes a slot configured to receive the positioning bar.

16. The material handling vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a mounting pin configured to be manually engaged with a first mounting opening in vehicle mounting interface and a second mounting opening in a counterweight mounting interface of the vehicle body to restrict movement of the counterweight assembly relative to the vehicle body.

17. A method of coupling a battery assembly and a counterweight assembly to a material handling vehicle including a battery compartment, the method comprising:
receiving the counterweight assembly into the battery compartment;
engaging a vehicle mounting interface in the battery compartment with a counterweight mounting interface on the counterweight assembly;
slidably receiving the battery assembly into the battery compartment to engage a counterweight attachment interface with a battery attachment interface; and
coupling the battery assembly to the counterweight assembly by inserting a retention pin through a first opening in the battery attachment interface and a second opening in the counterweight attachment interface, thereby coupling the battery assembly to the material handling vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the battery attachment interface and the counterweight attachment interface includes a roller bearing; and
wherein the step of slidably receiving the battery assembly includes rolling the battery assembly into the battery compartment on a rolling interface provided by the roller bearing.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of slidably receiving the battery assembly includes inserting a positioning portion into a channel.

Assignees

• Raymond Corp

Inventors

• Confer Thomas W

Classifications

• B60L50/64 Primary

  Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01M50/249

  specially adapted for aircraft or vehicles, e.g. cars or trains (constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles B60L50/64) · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

  Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B60L2200/40

  Working vehicles · CPC title

• B60K2001/0477

  from the back · CPC title