System for locking/unlocking an object on a structure having bearing and aligning elements built into the tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9701284-B2
Application number	US-201314385301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2013
Priority date	Mar 15, 2012
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for locking and/or unlocking a power battery under a vehicle chassis, comprising a plurality of tools, each of which includes elements for aligning said tool relative to the battery along a longitudinal axis and along a transverse axis, elements for bearing against the underside of the chassis and enabling balancing, and locking and/or unlocking elements for actuating an attachment bolt between a locked configuration, in which the battery is locked under the chassis, and an unlocked configuration, in which the object is released.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for locking and/or unlocking an object, the system comprising a plurality of tools, each tool comprising:
alignment elements configured to align said tool in relation to the object along a longitudinal axis of a structure and along a transverse axis of the structure;
bearing elements configured to bear against an underside of the structure, and configured to allow seating of the structure around the longitudinal axis of the structure and/or around the transverse axis of the structure; and
locking and/or unlocking elements configured to actuate a fixing bolt between a locking configuration, blocking the object below the structure, and an unlocking configuration, releasing the object in relation to the structure,
wherein the bearing elements are insertable into the object, and
wherein the bearing elements allow lifting of the structure along a vertical axis to a height independent of the structure.

2. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the alignment elements are configured so as to cooperate with centering elements integrated in the object, the alignment elements being inserted in the centering elements and/or the centering elements being inserted in the alignment elements.

3. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each tool comprises release elements to actuate a safety mechanism of the fixing bolt between a blocking configuration, in which the fixing bolt cannot be transferred from one configuration to another, and a release configuration, in which the fixing bolt can be transferred from one configuration to another.

4. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the release elements are configured such that contact of the bearing elements against the underside of the structure, on the seating of the structure and where applicable during lifting of the structure, automatically initiates actuation, via the release elements, of the safety mechanism toward the release configuration.

5. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bearing elements and/or the release elements are formed by an upper end of at least one of the alignment elements.

6. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bearing elements are configured to come into contact, on the seating of the structure and where applicable during lifting of the structure, with a bolt support interposed between the fixing bolt and the structure.

7. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each tool comprises a carrier element designed to support the object after release of the object by the fixing bolt in relation to the structure.

8. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the system comprises lifting elements on which the tools are mounted, the lifting elements being configured to move the tools between:
a lower position arranged substantially next to or below a conveyor ensuring a supply of objects to be mounted on the structure and an evacuation of objects removed from the structure, and
an upper position in which the tools are in contact with the structure to ensure the seating of the structure and where applicable the lifting of the structure, and can actuate the fixing bolts.

9. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the objects are electrically discharged batteries.

10. A device for mounting and/or removal of an object, the device comprising a locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , and a plurality of fixing bolts integral with the object and/or the structure, each of which can be actuated between a locking configuration, blocking the object on the structure, and an unlocking configuration, releasing the object in relation to the structure, and arranged such that the locking and/or unlocking elements of each tool of the locking and/or unlocking system actuate one of the fixing bolts to change the configuration.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the object is a power supply battery of a drive motor of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, and the structure is a chassis of the vehicle.

12. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the object is a power supply battery of a drive motor of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, and the structure is a chassis of the vehicle.

13. The locking and/or unlocking system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the alignment elements, and the locking and/or unlocking elements are inserted into the object.

14. A system for locking and/or unlocking an object, the system comprising a plurality of tools, each tool comprising:
alignment elements configured to align said tool in relation to the object along a longitudinal axis of a structure and along a transverse axis of the structure;
bearing elements configured to bear against an underside of the structure, and configured to allow seating of the structure around the longitudinal axis of the structure and/or around the transverse axis of the structure; and
locking and/or unlocking elements configured to actuate a fixing bolt between a locking configuration, blocking the object below the structure, and an unlocking configuration, releasing the object in relation to the structure,
wherein the bearing elements are insertable into the object, and
wherein the alignment elements are configured so as to cooperate with centering elements integrated in the object, the alignment elements being inserted in the centering elements and/or the centering elements being inserted in the alignment elements.

15. A system for locking and/or unlocking an object, the system comprising a plurality of tools, each tool comprising:
alignment elements configured to align said tool in relation to the object along a longitudinal axis of a structure and along a transverse axis of the structure;
bearing elements configured to bear against an underside of the structure, and configured to allow seating of the structure around the longitudinal axis of the structure and/or around the transverse axis of the structure; and
locking and/or unlocking elements configured to actuate a fixing bolt between a locking configuration, blocking the object below the structure, and an unlocking configuration, releasing the object in relation to the structure,
wherein the bearing elements are insertable into the object, and
wherein the bearing elements are configured to come into contact, on the seating of the structure and where applicable during lifting of the structure, with a bolt support interposed between the fixing bolt and the structure.

Assignees

• Renault Sas
• Renault Sas

Inventors

• Poillot Jacques
• Mulato Gilles
• Trentin Stephane
• Escande Bruno

Classifications

• B60L53/80

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

• Y10T29/53

  Means to assemble or disassemble · CPC title

• B60K2001/0472

  from below · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60Y2200/92

  Hybrid vehicles · CPC title