Transfer apparatus and battery swap station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025083558-A1
Application number	US-202418961127-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 26, 2024
Priority date	Jun 6, 2022
Publication date	Mar 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are a transfer apparatus and a battery swap station. The transfer apparatus is configured to transfer batteries, and includes a foundation, a drive mechanism and a lifting member. The foundation is provided with a first matching portion. The drive mechanism is disposed on the foundation. The lifting member is connected to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is configured to drive the lifting member to ascend and descend. The lifting member is provided with a second matching portion, the second matching portion and the first matching portion are disposed opposite each other in an ascending and descending direction of the lifting member, and the first matching portion and the second matching portion are configured to match together when the lifting member reaches a predetermined position to limit movement of the lifting member in a direction perpendicular to the ascending and descending direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A transfer apparatus of a battery swap station for transferring batteries, the transfer apparatus comprising:
a foundation including a first matching portion; a drive mechanism, disposed on the foundation; and a lifting member, connected to the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to drive the lifting member to ascend and descend, the lifting member includes a second matching portion, the second matching portion and the first matching portion are disposed opposite each other in an ascending and descending direction of the lifting member, and the first matching portion and the second matching portion are configured to match together when the lifting member reaches a predetermined position to limit movement of the lifting member in a direction perpendicular to the ascending and descending direction.

2 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first matching portion and the second matching portion comprises a guide post and a second one of the first matching portion and the second matching portion comprises a sleeve; and
wherein the guide post is configured to be inserted into the sleeve when the lifting member reaches the predetermined position.

3 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the sleeve comprises a guide hole, and the guide hole comprises a limiting section; and
wherein the guide post comprises a main body, and the limiting section is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the main body to limit the main body.

4 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a difference between an aperture of the limiting section and a diameter of the main body is from 0.1 mm to 10 mm.

5 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the guide hole further comprises a guide section, the guide section is located on a side of the limiting section facing toward the lifting member, and an aperture of the guide section gradually increases in a direction back away from the limiting section.

6 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the guide post further comprises a base, one end of the main body is connected to the base, a first buffer member is disposed on a side of the base that is away from the main body, and a side of the first buffer member that is away from the base is detachable from the lifting member.

7 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the guide hole further comprises an accommodating section, the accommodating section is located on a side of the limiting section back away from the guide post, and an aperture of the accommodating section is greater in size than an aperture of the limiting section.

8 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a conical head is disposed on a side of the main body facing toward the sleeve.

9 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first buffer member includes a plurality of long round holes, and the first buffer member is bolted to the lifting member through the long round holes.

10 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 9 , comprises at least two first buffer members, and wherein length directions of the long round holes in any two first buffer members are at an angle.

11 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the guide post further comprises limiting members disposed in a circumferential direction of the main body, and the limiting members are configured to enter the guide section and abut against the limiting section.

12 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the limiting members comprise reinforcing members disposed in the circumferential direction of the main body and connected to the base, and a sum of lengths of the reinforcing members and a diameter of the main body is greater than a diameter of the limiting section in a plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the guide post.

13 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lifting member includes a first sensor that detects a relative distance between the lifting member and each battery.

14 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the foundation is further includes a second sensor that detects a distance between the foundation and the guide post.

15 . The transfer apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a second buffer member is further disposed at a bottom of the guide hole.

16 . A battery swap station, comprising:
a parking platform, supporting an electrical apparatus; a battery compartment, accommodating batteries and charging the batteries; and a transfer apparatus, configured to move between the battery compartment and the parking platform, the transfer apparatus comprising: a foundation including a first matching portion; a drive mechanism, disposed on the foundation; and a lifting member, connected to the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to drive the lifting member to ascend and descend, the lifting member includes a second matching portion, the second matching portion and the first matching portion are disposed opposite each other in an ascending and descending direction of the lifting member, and the first matching portion and the second matching portion are configured to match together when the lifting member reaches a predetermined position to limit movement of the lifting member in a direction perpendicular to the ascending and descending direction.

17 . The battery swap station according to claim 16 , wherein one of the first matching portion and the second matching portion comprises a guide post and a second one of the first matching portion and the second matching portion comprises a sleeve; and
wherein the guide post is configured to be inserted into the sleeve when the lifting member reaches the predetermined position.

18 . The battery swap station according to claim 17 , wherein the sleeve comprises a guide hole, and the guide hole comprises a limiting section; and
wherein the guide post comprises a main body, and the limiting section is configured to accommodate at least a portion of the main body to limit the main body.

19 . The battery swap station according to claim 18 , wherein a difference between an aperture of the limiting section and a diameter of the main body is from 0.1 mm to 10 mm.

20 . A method, comprising:
transferring a battery at a battery swap station, wherein the battery swap station comprises:
a parking platform, supporting an electrical apparatus;
a battery compartment, accommodating the battery and charging the battery; and
a transfer apparatus, configured to move between the battery compartment and the parking platform, the transfer apparatus comprising:
a foundation including a first matching portion;
a drive mechanism, disposed on the foundation; and
a lifting member, connected to the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is configured to drive the lifting member to ascend and descend, the lifting member includes a second matching portion, the second matching portion and the first matching portion are disposed opposite each other in an ascending and descending direction of the lifting member, and the first matching portion and the second matching portion are configured to match together when the lifting member reaches a predetermined position to limit movement of the lifting member in a direction perpendicular to the ascending and descending direction.

Assignees

• Contemporary Amperex Technology Hong Kong Ltd

Inventors

• Chen Disong
• Que Shibiao
• Du Xiaopeng
• Chen Dewei

Classifications

• B60K2001/0466

  from above · CPC title

• B60S5/06

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

• B60K2001/0455

  Removal or replacement of the energy storages · CPC title

• B60L53/30

  Constructional details of charging stations · CPC title

• B60L53/80 Primary

  Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries · CPC title