CN211617479U

CN211617479U - AGV's battery module circulation system

Info

Publication number: CN211617479U
Application number: CN201922211125.XU
Authority: CN
Inventors: 黄巨明
Original assignee: Hangzhou Hikrobot Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hangzhou Hikrobot Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-11
Filing date: 2019-12-11
Publication date: 2020-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 2029-12-11

Abstract

The application discloses a battery module circulation system of an AGV, which comprises a battery cabin, independent walking equipment, a battery changing station and a walking channel; the battery replacement station is used for replacing a battery module for the AGV; the battery bin is used for storing and charging the battery modules and comprises a plurality of independent placing units; the walking channel extends from the power exchanging station to each independent placing unit; the independent walking equipment moves along the walking channel and is used for conveying a new battery module taken out by any one of the independent placing units to the battery replacing station and conveying an old battery module replaced by the AGV in the battery replacing station to any one of the independent placing units. The AGV battery module circulation system provided by the embodiment can increase and arrange the number of the independent placing units at will on the premise of not adding other equipment so as to expand the scale of the charging bin, and the requirement of the battery swapping station for new battery modules is met, so that the utilization efficiency of the battery swapping station is greatly improved.

Description

AGV's battery module circulation system

Technical Field

The application relates to the technical field of logistics transportation, in particular to a battery module circulation method and system of an AGV.

Background

With the development of society, logistics systems are increasingly automated and intelligent. In the current logistics sorting and transportation operation, a large number of AGVs (short for Automated Guided vehicles), that is, "Automated Guided vehicles", are required, which can travel along a predetermined guide path and have safety protection and various transfer functions.

The AGV generally uses a battery carried by the AGV to provide power, and the power of the battery needs to be timely supplemented when the power is almost exhausted, so that automatic power supply equipment for the AGV needs to be matched in the system.

In the related art, a battery replacement station in which a current collecting battery is replaced and a battery is charged as a whole has been developed. The time spent for replacing the battery module of one AGV in the battery replacement station is usually several minutes, but several hours are usually required for recharging the replaced old battery module, the time difference between the two is very large, and the number of charging seats capable of storing and charging the battery module in the battery replacement station is limited, so that one battery replacement station can replace all new battery modules in a very short time, and then only can wait for the old battery module to be recharged, and the battery replacement operation cannot be performed in the time, so the utilization efficiency of the equipment is very low.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The embodiment of the application provides an AGV's battery module circulation system to solve above-mentioned problem.

The embodiment of the application adopts the following technical scheme:

the embodiment of the application provides a battery module circulation system of an AGV, which comprises a battery cabin, independent walking equipment, a battery changing station and a walking channel;

the battery replacement station is used for replacing a battery module for the AGV;

the battery bin is used for storing and charging the battery modules and comprises a plurality of independent placing units;

the walking channel extends from the power exchanging station to each independent placing unit;

the independent walking equipment moves along the walking channel and is used for conveying a new battery module taken out by any one of the independent placing units to the battery replacing station and conveying an old battery module replaced by the AGV in the battery replacing station to any one of the independent placing units.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the plurality of independent placing units are arranged in two rows oppositely, and a common walking channel is formed between the two rows of independent placing units.

Optionally, in the above circulation system, the front of the swap station is used for the AGV to enter and exit, two rows of the independent placing units are arranged behind the swap station, and the two rows of the independent placing units extend and are arranged behind the swap station.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the battery charging station has a plurality of temporary storage locations for temporarily storing the battery modules.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the temporary positions are arranged in a row at least along the vertical direction, and each row has a plurality of temporary positions.

Optionally, in the above circulation system, the independent walking device includes at least one walking unit.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the traveling unit includes a plurality of transfer locations for transferring and storing the battery modules.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the transfer positions are arranged in a row at least along the vertical direction, and each row has a plurality of transfer positions.

Optionally, in the circulation system, each of the independent placement units includes at least one charging seat.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the charging seats are arranged in a row at least along the vertical direction, and each row has a plurality of charging seats.

Optionally, in the circulation system, the walking unit is a wheel type conveying robot.

The embodiment of the application adopts at least one technical scheme which can achieve the following beneficial effects:

the AGV battery module circulation system disclosed in the embodiment of the application can transfer the battery module between every independent unit of placing of trading power station and battery storehouse through independent walking equipment, according to trading the demand of power station to new battery module, under the prerequisite of not addding other equipment alright increase wantonly and arrange the quantity of independently placing the unit in order to expand the scale in storehouse of charging, satisfy the demand of trading the power station to new battery module, consequently promoted the utilization efficiency who trades the power station by a wide margin.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the application and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the application and together with the description serve to explain the application and not to limit the application. In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a perspective view of a battery module circulation system of an AGV including only one swapping station and only one traveling unit in an independent traveling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 2 is a perspective view of a battery module circulation system of an AGV including only one power conversion station and a plurality of traveling units in an independent traveling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a battery module circulation system of an AGV including a plurality of power conversion stations and an independent traveling apparatus including a plurality of traveling units according to an embodiment of the present application.

Description of reference numerals:

1-power changing station, 10-temporary bin, 2-independent walking equipment, 20-transfer bin, 3-battery bin, 30-independent placing unit, 300-charging seat and 9-AGV.

Detailed Description

In order to make the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more apparent, the technical solutions of the present application will be described in detail and completely with reference to the following specific embodiments of the present application and the accompanying drawings. It should be apparent that the described embodiments are only some of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.

The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The embodiment of the application discloses a battery module circulation system of an AGV, and as shown in fig. 1 to 3, the system comprises a power conversion station 1, an independent walking device 2, a battery bin 3 and a walking channel 4. The battery replacement station 1 at least has a function of replacing a battery module for the AGV9, that is, the old battery module in a power shortage state on the AGV9 is detached, and a new battery module with sufficient power temporarily stored is installed on the AGV 9. It should be noted that "old battery module" in this application refers to the original battery module on AGV9, and this battery module is already empty, in a power shortage state or a power shortage state when replaced; the term "new battery module" in this application refers to a newly prepared battery module, which is charged by the battery compartment and has sufficient electric quantity, but not necessarily in a full 100% state.

The system can only comprise one power exchanging station 1 (see fig. 1 and 2), and can also comprise a plurality of power exchanging stations 1 (see fig. 3), wherein the plurality of power exchanging stations 1 can be placed side by side, can be placed dispersedly, and can even be arranged in different sorting workshops, so that the power exchanging efficiency of the whole logistics station is integrally improved.

The battery compartment 3 in the system is used for storing and charging the battery modules, the battery compartment 3 in the system can be divided into a plurality of independent placing units 30, each independent placing unit 30 can comprise charging seats 300 with the same or different quantity, and each charging seat 300 can independently charge one battery module. The independent placing units 30 can be independently placed at any position in a workshop, and the arrangement is very flexible. The number of the independent placing units 30 can be increased or decreased reasonably according to the area size of the workshop, the required number of the charging seats 300 and the like, and the overall arrangement design of the battery compartment 3 is easy to realize. The charging stands 300 inside each of the independent placing units 30 may be arranged in a vertical direction in a row in order to save space and facilitate the taking and placing of the battery modules. The number of charging stands 300 in each individual placement unit 30 can be appropriately selected according to the working height of the individual walking device 2 and the height of the workshop.

The walking passage 4 extends from the power exchanging station 1 to each independent placing unit 30, and the independent walking device 2 can move along the walking passage 4. In the system, the circulation of the battery module between the power conversion station 1 and the battery cabin 3 is completed through the independent walking equipment 2. The independent traveling apparatus 2 can move along the traveling path 4 and convey a new battery module taken out by any one of the independent placing units 30 to the battery replacement station 1, or convey an old battery module replaced by the AGV9 in the battery replacement station 1 to any one of the independent placing units 30 of the battery magazine 3.

In the system, when the battery replacing station 1 needs a new battery module, the independent walking device 2 can move the battery bin 3 to each independent placing unit 30 and convey the new battery module to the battery replacing station 1, because the independent walking device 2 can move along the walking channel 4 by itself, without other auxiliary devices, therefore, according to the demand of the battery replacing station 1 for the new battery module, the number of the independent placing units 30 can be expanded and arranged arbitrarily on the premise of not adding other devices so as to meet the demand of the battery replacing station 1 for the new battery module, as long as the corresponding connecting channel 4 is reserved, the independent walking device 2 can reach the independent placing units 30 to complete the expansion of the number of the charging seats 300, and therefore, the utilization efficiency of the battery replacing station is greatly improved.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, in the system, a plurality of independent placing units 30 may be arranged in two rows oppositely, and a common walking passage 4 for the independent walking device 2 to pass through is formed between the two rows of independent placing units 30, so as to save the workshop area. The battery compartment 3 in the system can be arranged in the same workshop with the battery replacing station 1, at the moment, the front of the battery replacing station 1 can be used for the AGV9 to go in and out, the two rows of independent placing units 30 are arranged at the rear of the battery replacing station 1, and the two rows of independent placing units 30 extend and are arranged towards the rear of the battery replacing station 1. Therefore, the movement of the independent walking equipment 2 between the power exchanging station 1 and the battery cabin 3 is basically along the front-back direction of the power exchanging station 1, and the movement distance of the independent walking equipment 2 can be greatly shortened.

In addition, the system and the battery replacing station 1 can be respectively arranged in different workshops, for example, all the battery bins 3 can be placed in an independent charging workshop, and the charging workshop can have more complete safety measures such as fire prevention and explosion prevention, so that the safety is improved.

In the system, because the independent walking device 2 needs to move between the battery replacing station 1 and the battery cabin 3, the number of the battery modules capable of being conveyed each time is limited, and the interval time between two adjacent conveying processes is long. At this moment, a plurality of (at least one) temporary positions 10 for temporarily storing the battery modules may be arranged in the battery replacing station 1, the temporary positions 10 may be used for temporarily storing the battery modules, and before the independent traveling device 2 does not reach the battery replacing station 1, the battery replacing station 1 may first take a new battery module stored in the temporary position 10, or temporarily store an old battery module which is replaced in the temporary position 10, so as to improve the utilization efficiency of the device.

Usually, a plurality of temporary storage positions 10 are simultaneously disposed in the power exchanging station 1, in order to save space and facilitate taking and placing battery modules, the temporary storage positions 10 are generally arranged in a vertical direction in a row, each row has a plurality of temporary storage positions 10, and more than one row of temporary storage positions 10 may be disposed in one power exchanging station 1.

The independent walking device 2 in the system may only have one independent walking unit (see fig. 1), or may also have a plurality of independent walking units (such as wheeled conveying robots, see fig. 2) at the same time, and these walking units may perform task allocation according to the needs. For example, one or more traveling units may be provided for one or more power conversion stations 1, and these traveling units are only responsible for the flow between the battery modules and the battery compartments 3 in the power conversion stations 1. Alternatively, one or more walking units may be provided for one or more independent placing units 30, and these walking units are only responsible for the flow between the battery modules in these independent placing units and the power conversion station 1. Alternatively, one or more traveling units may be independently allocated to one or more independent placement units 30 and a specific one or more switching stations 1, and these traveling units are only responsible for the circulation of the battery modules between these independent placement units 30 and the switching stations 1. Of course, the division may not be performed at all, and each traveling unit may perform the circulation service of the battery module for any one of the power conversion stations 1 and any one of the individual prevention units 30.

In order to increase the number of battery modules that can be transported per travel unit in a single transport process, a plurality of transfer locations 20 for transferring battery modules may be provided in the travel unit. In order to save space and facilitate the handling of the battery modules, the transfer locations 20 may also be arranged in a vertical row, each row having a plurality of transfer locations 20. Multiple rows of transfer positions 20 can be arranged on the walking unit, but because the walking unit needs to move and shuttle between the walking channels 4, if the size is too large, the flexibility may be affected, and therefore, only one row of transfer positions 20 can be arranged in the independent walking device 2.

In the embodiments of the present application, after the independent traveling apparatus 2 conveys new battery modules to the power conversion station 1 having new battery module requirements, the new battery modules may be taken out by an auxiliary apparatus of the power conversion station 1 itself and transferred to the power conversion station 1, or taken out by another apparatus and transferred to the power conversion station 1, or may be taken out by the independent traveling apparatus 2 itself and transferred to the power conversion station 1.

Likewise, in the embodiments of the present application, after the autonomous traveling apparatus 2 transfers the used battery modules to the battery compartment 3, these battery modules may be taken out by an accessory of the charging compartment 3 itself and transferred to the charging compartment 3, or taken out by another device and transferred to the charging compartment 3, or may be taken out by the autonomous traveling apparatus 2 itself and transferred to the charging compartment 3.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present application, before the independent traveling apparatus 2 conveys a new battery module, the new battery module to be conveyed needs to be first taken out from the battery compartment 3 and transferred to the independent traveling apparatus 2. These new battery modules can be taken out by the battery compartment 3 itself and transferred to the autonomous walking device 2, or taken out by another device and transferred to the autonomous walking device 2, or taken out directly from the battery compartment 3 by the autonomous walking device 2.

Similarly, in the embodiments of the present application, the independent traveling apparatus 2 also needs to take out and transfer the old battery module from the transfer station 1 having a need to charge the old battery module transferred from the AGV to the independent traveling apparatus 2 before transporting the old battery module to the battery compartment 3, and these old battery modules may also be taken out and transferred from an auxiliary apparatus of the transfer station 1 itself to the independent traveling apparatus 2, or taken out and transferred from another apparatus to the independent traveling apparatus 2, or taken out directly from the independent traveling apparatus 2.

For the above process of transferring battery modules, in order to simplify the system structure and save the cost, it is recommended that all the above processes of transferring battery modules are completed by using the independent traveling device 2. In this way, the transfer can be achieved only by providing a corresponding transfer structure on each traveling unit of the independent traveling apparatus 2, without providing a transfer structure on each power exchanging station 1 or each independent placing unit 30.

When the independent traveling device 2 is used to take out new battery modules from the battery compartment 3, especially for the embodiment that the battery modules are transported by the traveling unit, since a plurality of new battery modules are usually taken out each time, the electric quantities of all the battery modules stored in the battery compartment 3 can be ranked in advance when the battery modules are taken out, and a plurality of new battery modules with the largest electric quantity can be taken out from the battery modules, and the specific taking-out quantity of the new battery modules can be determined according to the parameters such as the quantity required by the battery changing station 1, the quantity of the temporary positions 10 that can be provided by the battery changing station 1, or the new battery modules that can be accommodated by a single traveling unit.

When the same walking unit needs to take out a new battery module from the battery bin 3 and convey an old battery module to the battery bin 3, the walking unit can alternately transfer the new battery module and the old battery module so as to improve the operation efficiency. In particular, for example, several transfer positions 20 can be provided in the travel unit, and an empty transfer position 20 or a charging station 300 is first found when the transfer process is carried out. If the walking unit has an empty transfer bin 20, a new battery module in the charging seat 300 can be transferred to the transfer bin 20 and the charging seat is emptied, and then an old battery module in the walking unit is transferred to the emptied charging seat 300 for charging. If there is a vacant charging seat 300 in the battery compartment 3, an old battery module in the traveling unit may be transferred to the vacant charging seat 300 and one transfer compartment 20 is emptied, and then a new battery module fully charged in another charging seat 300 may be transferred to the emptied transfer compartment 20. The two steps are then alternated until all the old battery modules are transferred to the battery compartment 3 and a sufficient number of new battery modules are removed.

When the same battery replacing station 1 has a demand for new battery modules and a demand for charging the old battery modules replaced by the AGVs, the same traveling unit may be used to alternately transport the new battery modules to the battery replacing station 1 and take out the old battery modules from the battery replacing station 1. The specific execution steps of alternately transferring the new battery module and the old battery module at the power exchanging station 1 by the walking unit are basically the same as the manner of alternately transferring at the battery bin 3, and are not described herein again.

When a plurality of traveling units exist in the system, in order to improve the operation efficiency and timely respond to the requirement of the battery replacement station 1, the states of all the traveling units in the current system can be counted before the traveling units are assigned, and if the traveling units in the idle state exist at present, the step of conveying new battery modules to the battery replacement station 1 can be executed by the traveling unit which is in the idle state at present and is closest to the battery replacement station 1. Therefore, the walking distance of the walking unit is shorter, and the walking unit can reach the power exchanging station 1 more quickly.

If the walking unit in the idle state is not found after statistics, the step of conveying the new battery module to the battery changing station 1 may be performed by the walking unit which completes the step of conveying the old battery module to the battery compartment 3 first. In anticipation of removing and transporting the new battery module as quickly as possible to the required replacement station 1. In this case, the procedure of transferring the new battery module and the old battery module may be alternately performed as described above, thereby further improving the efficiency.

In summary, the battery module circulation system of the AGV provided in this embodiment can arbitrarily increase and arrange the number of the independent placing units to expand the scale of the charging bin without adding other devices, and meet the requirement of the battery swapping station for new battery modules, thereby greatly improving the utilization efficiency of the battery swapping station.

In the embodiments of the present application, the difference between the embodiments is described in detail, and different optimization features between the embodiments can be combined to form a better embodiment as long as the differences are not contradictory, and further description is omitted here in view of brevity of the text.

The above description is only an example of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Various modifications and changes may occur to those skilled in the art. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery module circulation system of an AGV is characterized by comprising a battery bin, independent traveling equipment, a battery changing station and a traveling channel;

2. The circulation system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of independent placement units are arranged in two opposing rows, and a common walking channel is formed between the two rows of independent placement units.

3. The flow conversion system of claim 2, wherein the front of the converting station is used for the AGV to enter and exit, two rows of the independent placing units are arranged at the rear of the converting station, and the two rows of the independent placing units extend and are arranged towards the rear of the converting station.

4. The flow system of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the converter station has a plurality of temporary storage locations therein for temporarily storing battery modules.

5. The circulation system of claim 4, wherein the temporary positions are arranged in at least one column along the vertical direction, each column having a plurality of the temporary positions.

6. The flow system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the independent walking device comprises at least one walking unit.

7. The circulation system according to claim 6, wherein the walking unit is provided with a plurality of transfer positions for transferring and storing the battery modules.

8. The circulation system of claim 7, wherein the transfer bays are arranged in at least one column along the vertical direction, each column having a plurality of the transfer bays.

9. The flow system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the individually placed units comprises at least one charging stand, the charging stands are arranged in a row at least along a vertical direction, and each row has a plurality of the charging stands.

10. The circulation system of claim 6, wherein the walking unit is a wheeled transport robot.