Method for exchanging batteries in battery-powered vehicles

摘要

The vehicle includes a horizontally placed compartment for one or several batteries lying parallel to each other, a robot includes a transport plane that can be extended and withdrawn in one direction, and displaced along two mutually perpendicular directions relative to the one direction. The vehicle takes up a predetermined location relative to the robot close to the cover, the robot determines via an optical element the position of the battery in the compartment, and displaces the transport plane to a predetermined position relative to the battery. A withdrawal member attaches to the battery and withdraws it from the compartment to the transport plane. The robot transports the battery to a charging station, and transports a charged battery from a store of charged batteries to the transport plane. A displacement element inserts the battery at a predetermined position into the compartment, and the cover is closed.

主权项

1. A method for exchanging batteries in battery-powered vehicles, comprising:
providing a robot for the transport of a battery to and from a vehicle respectively, the vehicle being provided with a horizontally-placed compartment configured to hold one or more batteries lying parallel to each other, the compartment being provided with a cover configured to be opened, and providing a transportation system configured to transport the battery into and out from said compartment,
the robot having a transport plane configured to be extended and withdrawn in one direction, the transport plane configured to be displaced along two mutually-perpendicular directions relative to the direction,the vehicle being at a predetermined location relative to the robot at which the transport plane is located at the cover of the vehicle; when the cover is opened, determining, by the robot using an optical device, the position of the battery in the compartment; displacing, by the robot, the transport plane to a predetermined position relative to the battery, at which position the transport plane is extended; attaching a withdrawal system belonging to the robot to the battery in the compartment, the withdrawal system being exchangeable, the withdrawal system including suction cups mounted onto drawbars, the suction cups being attached by suction to a surface of the battery facing the robot; withdrawing the battery from the compartment by the withdrawal system such that the battery rests on the transport plane; transporting the battery by the robot by the transport plane and subsequent transporters to a charging station; transporting by the robot by one or more transporters, a charged battery from a store of charged batteries in the robot to the transport plane; inserting, by a displacement system belonging to the robot, the battery into the compartment at a predetermined position; and closing the cover.