Battery retention device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613182-B2
Application number	US-202016773675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2020
Priority date	Jan 27, 2020
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A battery-retention system employs a retention jaw assembly and a battery-retention mechanism to secure a battery within a battery compartment of a material-handling vehicle. The retention jaw includes a battery-contact portion operatively associated with a barrier portion that is movable between a battery-retention position when the battery contacts the battery-contact portion and a battery-release position when the battery does not contact the battery-contact portion. The battery-retention mechanism includes a stopper block that is operable to be positioned within the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is in a closed position and operable to be positioned external to the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is in an open position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for retaining a battery in a battery compartment of a material-handling vehicle, wherein the battery compartment includes a plurality of side walls, an upper structure, and a bottom structure configured to receive a battery, wherein a battery receptacle spans between the side walls, the bottom structure, and the upper structure, and wherein the battery receptacle includes a battery opening sized to allow a battery to pass through the battery opening, the system comprising:
a retention jaw positioned in proximity to the battery opening, wherein the retention jaw includes a battery-contact portion operatively associated with a barrier portion, wherein the barrier portion is movable between a battery-retention position and a battery-release position such that battery contact with the battery-contact portion causes the barrier portion to assume the battery-retention position and such that absence of battery contact with the battery-contact portion causes the barrier portion to assume the battery-release position, wherein the retention jaw is configured such that placement of the battery into the battery compartment causes the battery contact with the battery-contact portion that causes the barrier portion to assume the battery-retention position;
a battery compartment door operable to provide an open position in which the battery opening is unobstructed and operable to provide a closed position in which the battery opening is obstructed; and
a battery-retention mechanism operatively associated with the battery compartment door, the battery-retention mechanism comprising a stopper block that is operable to be positioned within the battery compartment at a stopper block height that is closer to the upper structure than to the bottom structure when the battery compartment door is in the closed position such that the stopper block is operable to limit upward movement of a battery enclosed within the battery compartment, wherein the stopper block is operable to be positioned at least substantially external to the battery compartment and to provide substantially unobstructed access to the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is in the open position, and wherein the battery-retention mechanism and the battery compartment door are configured such that closure of the battery compartment door causes the stopper block to be positioned within the battery compartment.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom structure comprises one or more brackets or ledges.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier portion is operable to obstruct a sufficient portion of the battery opening to prevent extraction of the battery when the battery is within the battery compartment and the battery is in contact with the battery-contact portion of the retention jaw.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retention jaw includes a jaw pivotal-connection mechanism in proximity to the battery opening and the bottom structure.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retention jaw comprises a jaw hinge.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retention jaw employs a jaw pivotal-connection mechanism including a jaw hinge pin configured to fit through a jaw pivot hole in a jaw shaft at a jaw pivot point between the barrier portion and the battery connection portion, wherein the jaw shaft is indirectly connected to the battery compartment.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a jaw hinge plate is connected to the bottom structure or a side wall and in proximity to the battery opening, and wherein the jaw hinge plate includes one or more jaw hinge plate holes configured to receive the jaw hinge pin.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the retention jaw has a shape substantially like an “L”.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier portion and the contact portion form relatively transverse planes.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier portion weighs more than the battery-contact portion.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the barrier portion includes an end barrier, wherein the battery-contact portion includes a shaft having a shaft distal end that is located further from the barrier portion than a shaft proximal end, wherein the shaft includes a shaft pivot point positioned between the shaft distal end and the shaft proximal end, wherein the barrier portion extends from the end barrier to the shaft pivot point, and wherein the battery-contact portion extends from the shaft distal end to the shaft pivot point.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier portion includes a topmost lip; and the retention jaw is constructed such that when the battery compartment is empty, the retention jaw is operable to rest in the receiving position such that the topmost lip is at a lip level that is at or below a contact portion level of the battery-contact portion and such that the battery-contact portion is above the bottom structure.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery-retention mechanism is configured to maintain connection to the battery compartment door during insertion of a battery into the battery compartment and during extraction of a battery from the battery compartment.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery-retention mechanism is configured to maintain connection to the battery compartment during insertion of a battery into the battery compartment and during extraction of a battery from the battery compartment.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the battery compartment door comprises a stopper guide operable to guide the stopper block into the battery compartment.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stopper block is operable to be positioned within the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is engaged with the battery-retention mechanism, and wherein the stopper block is operable to be positioned at least substantially external to the battery compartment and provide substantially unobstructed access to the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is disengaged from the battery-retention mechanism.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stopper block is operable to be positioned within the battery compartment at a stopper block height that is closer to the upper structure than to the bottom structure when the battery compartment door is in the closed position.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery compartment door has a door interior side that is operable to be adjacent to the battery opening, and wherein the battery-retention mechanism is connected to the door interior side at a stopper block height that is closer to the upper structure than to the bottom structure when the battery compartment door is in the closed position.

19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the barrier portion includes a topmost lip and a barrier base, wherein the topmost lip has a lip height with respect to the barrier base, wherein the stopper block is operable to limit movement of the battery toward the upper structure to an upper distance limit that is smaller than the lip height.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery-retention mechanism employs a stopper block hinge that is operable for rotation of the stopper block into the battery compartment as the battery compartment door achieves the closed position, and wherein the stopper block hinge is operable for rotation of the stopper block out of the battery compartment when the battery compartment door is in the open position.

21. The system of claim 1 , wherein the battery has a battery weigh

Assignees

• Hyster Yale Group Inc

Inventors

• Clark Martin

Classifications

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• B60S5/06

  Supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles (exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80) · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title

• B66F9/07536 Primary

  Battery stoppers, i.e. means to hold battery in position · CPC title

• H01M2220/20

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