EA040328B1 - LEVELING AND LOCKING MECHANISM FOR REMOVABLE BATTERY ASSEMBLY - Google Patents

Description

Precedence of this PCT application is claimed by U.S. Patent Application No. 15/908,804, filed February 2018, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

State of the art

The present invention relates generally to vehicles for the mining industry.

Various types of mining vehicles can be used to remove and move materials during the mining process. It is possible to use one type of vehicle - a mining dump truck. Traditional mining trucks can be powered by diesel engines.

Mining dump trucks with diesel engines can have different payloads. Some trucks may have a load capacity of 35 tons or more.

Electric vehicles may be driven by one or more battery-powered electric motors. Batteries in electric vehicles, such as trolleys and other types of vehicles, can be large and heavy. Battery removal may require external infrastructure such as cranes, lifts, or other devices.

The essence of the invention

Disclosed are various embodiments of a vehicle for the mining industry. According to these embodiments, mining vehicles are provided that are battery powered rather than diesel powered.

In accordance with one aspect, an electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis, and a longitudinal axis includes a battery frame that can be mounted on and removed from the electric vehicle. The battery frame is configured to hold the battery pack. Said vehicle also includes a receiving element attached to the chassis of the electric vehicle and having a leveling part and a fixing part. The battery frame contains at least one mounting element configured to be engaged by the receiving element during installation of the battery frame on the vehicle.

In accordance with another aspect, an electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis, and a longitudinal axis comprises a battery frame that can be mounted on and removed from the electric vehicle, the battery frame being configured to hold a battery pack. Said vehicle also includes a leveling element attached to the frame of the electric vehicle. The battery carcass contains an equalizing component configured to be engaged by the equalizing element during installation of the battery assembly on the vehicle.

In accordance with another aspect, an electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis, and a longitudinal axis comprises a battery frame that can be mounted on and removed from the electric vehicle, the battery frame being configured to hold a battery pack. Said vehicle also comprises a first receiving element attached to the electric vehicle chassis and located in a first vertical position on the chassis, and a second receiving element attached to the chassis and located in a second vertical position on the chassis. The battery carcass contains the first mounting element adapted to be engaged by the first receiving element during installation of the battery carcass on the vehicle, and the second installation element adapted to be engaged by the second receiving element during installation of the battery carcass to the vehicle. The first vertical position is substantially different from the second vertical position.

Other devices, methods, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person skilled in the art upon examination of the accompanying drawings and their detailed description. All such additional devices, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included in the present description and this disclosure, are within the scope of the invention, and are protected by the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components of the invention in these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but instead emphasis is placed on explaining the principles of the invention. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals designate corresponding parts in different views.

Fig. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of a mining vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle.

Fig. 3 schematically depicts various internal components of a vehicle for

- 1 040328 mining industry in accordance with the embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a schematic rear view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle in a turning position.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle, in which the overall volume occupied by the vehicle is schematically indicated.

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a mining vehicle without a battery pack.

Fig. 9-11 are schematic views of several embodiments of mining vehicles of various capacities.

Fig. 12 shows a table of dimensions for several different embodiments of mining vehicles.

Fig. 13 is a schematic variant of a chart showing empty vehicle weight and carrying weight for several mining vehicles.

Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the power of several mining vehicles.

Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the power density (power per unit mass) of several mining vehicles.

Fig. 16 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a vehicle approaching a battery pack replacement location.

Fig. 17 is a schematic view of a vehicle traveling towards a predetermined location according to the embodiment.

Fig. 18 is a schematic view of a set of power cables detachable from vehicle battery packs in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 19-20 are schematic views of a battery assembly lowered to the ground in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 21 is a schematic view of a vehicle reversing from a removed battery assembly, in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 22 is a schematic view of a vehicle moving from a first location to a second location adjacent to a charged battery assembly, in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 23 schematically illustrates the step of aligning the installation device with the battery assembly according to the embodiment.

Fig. 24-25 are schematic views of a battery assembly lifted onto a vehicle and a battery assembly mounted on a vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 26 is a schematic view of an embodiment of a set of power cables reconnected to battery packs in a battery assembly, in accordance with the embodiment.

Fig. 27 is a schematic view of a vehicle reversing from an area where a battery replacement process has taken place, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 28 illustrates a process diagram for replacing batteries in an electric vehicle according to the embodiment.

Fig. 29 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a battery assembly.

Fig. 30 is an exploded, isometric, schematic view of an embodiment of a battery assembly.

Fig. 31 is a schematic rear view of an embodiment of a battery assembly.

Fig. 32 is a schematic isometric view of the front end of a vehicle with an insertion and removal device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 33 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a link mechanism.

Fig. 34-38 are schematic side views of the range of movement of the link mechanism according to the embodiment.

Fig. 39 is a schematic isometric view of the correspondence between the mounting device and the mounting rods on the battery assembly according to the embodiment.

Fig. 40-45 are schematic side views of a process for lifting a battery assembly using a lever mechanism, in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 46-48 are schematic views of another embodiment of the battery moving device.

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Fig. 49 is a schematic view of a vehicle and various loading positions of a battery assembly according to an embodiment.

Fig. 50 is a schematic view of a front end of a vehicle with a battery assembly leveling and fixing device according to an embodiment.

Fig. 51-52 are schematic views of a receptacle with a leveling portion and a locking mechanism according to an embodiment.

Fig. 53-54 are schematic views of the horizontal mounting bars of a battery assembly locked in place on a vehicle chassis in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 55-56 are schematic views of vertical battery assembly mounting bars locked in place on a vehicle chassis in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 57-58 are schematic views of a battery assembly automatically aligned in the vertical direction by a set of receiving elements, in accordance with an embodiment.

Fig. 59-60 are schematic views of a battery assembly automatically aligned in the horizontal direction by a set of receiving elements.

Fig. 61 shows another embodiment of the battery assembly alignment and fixing device according to the embodiment.

Fig. 62 is a schematic side view of a vehicle showing the physical connection between the battery assembly and the vehicle chassis, according to the embodiment.

Detailed description of the invention

Mining vehicle overview.

The considered embodiments relate to the vehicle. The vehicle is a non-emissions electric vehicle and is configured to use only a battery to power the vehicle instead of a conventional diesel engine. The vehicle is made with the possibility of using in mining operations for the extraction of minerals. Said embodiments comprise various means which enable a mining truck having a payload capacity of at least 40 tons (metric) to be driven using electrical power alone.

The vehicle described herein is a heavy-duty industrial electric vehicle designed for continuous operation in harsh environments such as underground mining. Co-pending Application No. 15/133478 titled Device and Method for Supplying Electricity to Mining Operations, filed April 20, 2016, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference, provides an overview of the underground working environment and a general description of electric vehicles and power supply devices for underground mining. Mining vehicles with electric drive are powered by at least one high-capacity battery pack designed to operate in adverse conditions and consisting of battery modules located in the body of the specified block. Each module is made up of elements. The modules may contain a group of operational sensors and electronic components for transmitting data from these sensors to a separate service network. The sensors may include temperature sensors, timing devices, charge level detection devices, and other monitoring devices that are configured to provide the operations center with accurate data about the module's operating parameters and historical information about its operating parameters in real time. In simultaneously pending application No. 14/494138 entitled Modular backbone device, filed on September 23, 2014, in application No. 14/529853 entitled Device and method for charging batteries and remote access to them, filed on October 31, 2014, and in the application No. 14/721726 titled Module Maintenance Device, filed May 26, 2015, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference, detailed information about these types of battery packs and related data acquisition and monitoring can be found.

For clarity, the following terms may be used in the detailed description of the drawings and specifications. The term load capacity or simply weight limit is used to describe the amount of material that can be held and moved in the body of a vehicle. The lifting capacity may also be referred to as haulage performance.

In FIG. 1 shows a schematic isometric view of a vehicle 100. FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the vehicle 100. Referring to FIG. 1-2, vehicle 100 may include a frame 101 (or chassis), a set of wheels 110, and a body 112. Body 112 may be coupled to frame 101 and tilted between a lowered position (shown in FIG. 1) and raised position (shown in Fig. 2).

It should be noted that the vehicle 100 is also characterized in that it includes a front end 90, a rear end 92, a first side 94 and a second side 96 (see FIG. 1).

In addition, vehicle 100 includes various standard vehicle parts, such as a cab 116 for one or more operators.

In some embodiments, the vehicle 100 may be divided into a first frame section 122 and a second frame section 124 (see FIG. 2). The first frame section 122 may be a front section associated with the cab 116. The second frame section 124 may be a rear section associated with the body 112. In some embodiments, the first frame section 122 and the second frame section 124 are connected by a mechanical linkage 125, so that these the two sections can move relative to each other (for example, articulated or rotated).

In FIG. 3 is a schematic view of vehicle 100 showing several internal components. Vehicle 100 also includes a propulsion device including one or more electric motors driven by one or more batteries. In some embodiments, vehicle 100 may include at least two electric motors for driving each pair of wheels. In some embodiments, vehicle 100 may include four electric motors, each motor being configured to independently drive one of the four wheels. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, vehicle 100 includes first motor 180, second motor 182, third motor 184, and fourth motor 186, collectively referred to as motor train 188. By way of illustration, the approximate location of each motor in motor train 188 is shown only schematically. It should be understood that the exact locations of each engine may vary from one implementation to another.

In one embodiment, the electric motors in vehicle 100 are configured to operate at a total continuous torque of approximately 2000 Nm. In other embodiments, the electric motors in vehicle 100 are configured to operate at a total continuous torque in the range of approximately 1500-2500 Newton meters.

In one embodiment, the electric motors in vehicle 100 are configured to operate at a total continuous power of 440 kilowatts (590 horsepower) and a total peak power of 560 kilowatts (750 horsepower). In other embodiments, the electric motors in vehicle 100 are configured to operate at a total continuous power in the range of approximately 400-500 kilowatts. In other embodiments, the electric motors in vehicle 100 are configured to operate at a total peak power in the range of approximately 500-600 kilowatts.

In some embodiments, an auxiliary engine (not shown) may also be provided. In some cases, the auxiliary motor is configured to operate at about 700 Newton meters of continuous torque. In some cases, the auxiliary engine is configured to operate with a total power of 125 kilowatts (167 horsepower). In some embodiments, the auxiliary motor may power other subsystems of the vehicle 100, such as a mechanical device that may be used to install and remove batteries. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the auxiliary engine may not be used.

Embodiments may include one or more batteries to power the engine train 188 and/or an auxiliary engine. As used herein, the term battery bank generally refers to multiple battery modules in a battery box designed to operate in harsh environments. Each module consists of battery cells. Thus, a battery pack also belongs to a group of individual battery cells. The battery cells, and thus the modules, are operatively linked to each other as described in the aforementioned co-pending applications incorporated by reference.

In various embodiments, the battery pack may comprise any suitable type of battery cells. Examples of battery cells are, among others, capacitors, ultracapacitors and electrochemical cells. Examples of electrochemical cells include, but are not limited to, primary (eg, disposable) and secondary (eg, rechargeable) cells. Examples of secondary electrochemical cells are, but are not limited to, lead acid, valve regulated lead acid (VRLA), gel, absorbent glass mat (AGM), nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride ( NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion) and similar cells. The battery cell can be configured with different voltage levels. In particular, in some cases, two different battery cells in a battery pack may be provided with different voltage levels. Also, the battery cell can be made with different levels of energy intensity. In particular, in

- 4 040328 In some cases, two different battery cells in a battery pack may be provided with different capacity levels.

In some cases, it is desirable to use several battery packs. As used herein, the term battery pack assembly or simply battery pack refers to a set of two or more battery packs. In some embodiments, the battery assembly may also include a frame, or similar container, for holding the individual battery packs together.

As shown in FIG. 1-3, the vehicle 100 is provided with a main battery assembly 104. In some embodiments, the main battery assembly 104 may be located at the front end 90 and on the second side 96 of the vehicle 100. funds 100.

In addition, the vehicle 100 may include an auxiliary battery pack 105. The auxiliary battery pack 105 may be located separately from the main battery assembly 104 . As best shown in FIG. 3, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may be located in the interior of the vehicle 100. The interior of the vehicle 100 may be an area located within the exterior surfaces of the vehicle (which are discussed below with reference to FIG. 7). In some instances, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may be located in a frame compartment 101 designed to hold the auxiliary battery pack 105. As described below, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may be used to power the vehicle 100 during replacement of the main battery assembly. The auxiliary battery pack 105 may also be referred to as a rollback battery.

As shown in FIG. 1-2, the battery assembly 104 is accessible from the outside of the vehicle 100. In particular, various exterior surfaces of the housing (i.e., battery frame 210) containing one or more battery packs may form part of the exterior of the vehicle 100. In contrast, from this, the auxiliary battery pack 105 is an internal battery and is held inside the chassis of the vehicle 100.

Battery assembly 104 may be detachably attached to vehicle 100. As used herein, detachably attached refers to two components that are attached together but can be separated without destroying one or the other component. Thus, the components can be non-destructively detached from each other. Examples of removable fasteners are, among other things, connections made using removable fasteners, latches, locks, hooks, magnetic connections, and other types of connections.

The auxiliary battery pack 105 may be fixedly attached to the vehicle 100. Thus, the auxiliary battery pack 105 cannot be separated from the vehicle 100 without having to dismantle a part of the vehicle 100 and/or destroy one or more parts.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1-3, the primary battery assembly 104 includes two battery packs comprising a first battery pack 200 and a secondary battery pack 202 (see FIG. 3). The first battery pack 200 and the second battery pack 202 may be tiered, with the first battery pack 200 positioned above the second battery pack 202. In addition, in some embodiments, the first battery pack 200 and the second battery pack 202 are held within the battery frame 210.

In some embodiments, the main battery assembly 104 may have a power supply of approximately 340-360 kilowatt-hours. In some instances, each of the first battery pack 200 and the second battery pack 202 may each have a power reserve of approximately 170-180 kilowatt-hours. In some embodiments, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may have a power reserve of approximately 40-50 kilowatt-hours.

In some embodiments, each battery bank of the main battery assembly 104 may drive a different set of motors (and thus a different set of wheels). In some cases, each battery pack can power a pair of motors on a specific axle (such as a front or rear axle). In one embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the first battery pack 200 may be connected via a power cable 215 to components in the front axle assembly 216. More specifically, the first battery pack 200 may provide power to the first motor 180 and the second motor 182 to drive the front set of wheels. Similarly, the second battery pack 202 may be connected via a power cable 217 to the components of the rear axle assembly 217. More specifically, the second battery pack 202 can power the third motor 184 and the fourth motor 186 to drive the rear set of wheels. By driving the front and rear axles using separate battery packs, the amount of power required from a single source is reduced. This allows the use of smaller size power cables (or cables with a lower current rating) that are easier to operate and/or less likely to fail.

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Embodiments may include a device for inserting and removing one or more battery packs. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 100 may include an integrated attachment and removal device 250. The device 250 installation and removal may contain all the necessary components for raising and lowering the main node 104 batteries. Details of the insertion and removal device 250 are discussed in more detail below and are shown, for example, in FIG. 32-45.

In FIG. 4-15 and their description discloses features related to the general technical characteristics of the vehicle 100, including size, weight, load capacity and power.

Variants of an electric vehicle that does not emit exhaust gases and has a load capacity comparable to the load capacity of vehicles of a similar size with a diesel engine are proposed.

When discussing the design of the vehicle in the description, the overall length, overall width and overall height of the vehicle, as well as various other dimensions, are considered. As used herein, the term overall length refers to the distance between the most forward location on the vehicle and the rearmost location on the vehicle. In some cases, the forwardmost location may be on the cab or on the battery pack. The term overall width refers to the distance between opposite sides of a vehicle and is measured at the most protruding locations along opposite sides. The term headroom refers to the distance between the lowest point of the vehicle (usually the bottom of the wheels) and the highest point of the vehicle.

Each of these vehicle dimensions may correspond to an axis or direction of vehicle 100. Thus, the overall length of vehicle 100 may be measured along the longitudinal direction (or longitudinal axis) of vehicle 100. The overall width of vehicle 100 may be measured along the direction (or axis) along the width of the vehicle 100. In addition, the overall height of the vehicle 100 can be measured along the direction (or axis) along the height of the vehicle 100.

In FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the vehicle 100 (when viewed from the first side 94) to illustrate various dimensions. Vehicle 100 has an overall height 300, measured vertically from ground level to approximately the highest point of vehicle 100. In one embodiment, overall height 300 has a value of approximately 2206 millimeters. In other embodiments, overall height 300 may be any value in the range of approximately 1500 to 2500 mm. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, it is shown that headroom 300 can be measured from the wheels to either the top of the body 112 or the top of the cab 116, since the top of both components are in approximately the same horizontal plane.

Vehicle 100 has an overall length 302 measured from the rearmost location of frame 101 to the most forward location of frame 101. In one embodiment, overall length 302 has a value of approximately 10175 mm. In other embodiments, overall length 302 may be any value in the range of approximately 9000 to 12000 mm.

As shown in FIG. 4, the overall length of the vehicle 100 can be divided into a front overhang length 310, a wheelbase length 312, and a rear overhang length 314. In particular, the wheelbase length 312 is measured between the center of the front wheels 320 and the center of the rear wheels 322. The front overhang length 310 is measured from the center of the front wheels 320 to the most forward location of the vehicle 100 (i.e., to the most forward location of the cab 116). The rear overhang length 314 is measured from the center of the rear wheels 322 to the rearmost location of the body 112. In one embodiment, the front overhang length 310 has a value of approximately 3429 mm, the wheelbase length 312 has a value of approximately 5000 mm, and the rear overhang length 314 has a value of approximately 1746 mm. Of course, in other embodiments, these values may be different to provide the desired modifications to the length of the wheelbase, the length of the front and/or rear of the frame, or the dimensions and/or elongation of the body. In addition, it should be understood that since the overall length is adjusted in various embodiments, the values of the length 310 of the front overhang, the length of the wheelbase 312 and the length of the rear overhang 314 may vary accordingly.

As shown in FIG. 2 and 4, the height of body 112 may vary according to its operating position. For example, in the fully lowered state, the uppermost location of the body 112 has a body lowered height 330 measured from the ground. In one embodiment, the lowered body height 330 has a value approximately equal to the clearance height 300 of the vehicle 100 (ie, approximately 2200 mm). In the fully raised state, the uppermost location of the body 112 has a raised body height 332, measured from the ground. In one embodiment, raised body height 332 has a value of approximately 5389 mm. In addition, in some cases, the height 332 of the raised body corresponds to the position of the body 112, in which the body 112 forms an angle 339 with the horizontal plane of the vehicle 100. In some cases, the angle 339 is approximately 70°.

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As shown in FIG. 2 and 4, the vehicle 100 may have a ride height 335, which is defined as the vertical distance between the lowest point of the wheels and the underside of the frame 101. In some cases, as shown in FIG. 4, the ride height 335 may also correspond to the height of the lowest portion of the body 112. In one embodiment, the ride height 335 has a value of approximately 323 mm (or 12.7 inches). In other embodiments, the ride height 335 may be in the range of approximately 275 to 325 mm.

In FIG. 5 shows a rear view of vehicle 100. Vehicle 100 has an overall width 340. In one embodiment, overall width 340 has a value of approximately 3353 mm. In other embodiments, overall width 340 may be any value in the range of approximately 3000 to 4000 mm.

In FIG. 6 is a schematic view of vehicle 100 in a turning position. In particular, the first frame section 122 is inclined relative to the second frame section 124 at an angle of 370. In one embodiment, the angle 370 is approximately 45°. In other embodiments, the angle 370 may be any value in the range of approximately 35° to 55°. In addition, the inner turn path has a radius of 372. The outer turn path has a radius of 374. In one embodiment, the radius 372 has a value of approximately 4363 mm. In addition, in one embodiment, the radius 374 has a value of approximately 9065 mm. Of course, any of the parameters, i.e. angle 370, radius 372 and/or radius 374 may vary in other embodiments as the length and/or width of the vehicle changes, and/or as other features are modified (such as the mechanical connection between the first frame section 122 and the second frame section 124 frames).

The design of the vehicle 100 may improve visibility compared to other mining trucks. In accordance with FIG. 4, cabin 116 is located very close to the very front edge 319 of vehicle 100. This means that the passenger in cabin 116 has little or no obstruction from the front window 123 of cabin 116 (see FIG. 1). This improved line of sight can help the driver better see the battery assembly on the ground when the battery needs to be replaced.

The vehicle 100 may have a footprint as well as a coverage that are two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations of the vehicle's design. Used in this description, the term area occupied by a vehicle means an area equal to the product of the overall length and the overall width of the vehicle. In addition, the term overall volume of a vehicle means a volume equal to the product of the area occupied by the vehicle and the overall height of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 7, the vehicle 100 corresponds to the area 500 occupied by the vehicle. The vehicle 100 also has an overall volume 502 of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the area 500 occupied by the vehicle has a value of approximately 34 m ² . Similarly, vehicle volume 502 has a value of approximately 75 m ³ . Of course, in other embodiments, the area occupied by the vehicle and the overall volume may change as a result of changing one or more of the overall length, overall width, or overall height of the vehicle 100. In some other embodiments, the area occupied by the vehicle may have any value in the range from approximately 32 to 36 m ² . In addition, the overall volume of the vehicle may have any value in the range of approximately 70 to 80 m ² .

It should be noted that the vehicle 100 can be characterized as having an outer surface. Said outer surface comprises a front outer surface 610 and a side outer surface 612.

As shown in FIG. 7, the battery assembly 104 is located at the front corner of the vehicle 100. In particular, the outer frame 601 (i.e., the body) of the battery assembly 104 is located at the first front corner 602 opposite the second front corner 604 where the cabin 116 is located. when the battery assembly 104 is installed on the vehicle 100, the battery assembly 104 forms parts of the front surface 610 of the vehicle 100 and the first side surface 612 (i.e., the surface opposite the second side surface 614 adjacent to the cabin 116). In particular, the front wall 620 of the frame 601 forms part of the front outer surface 610, and the first side wall 622 of the frame 601 forms part of the side outer surface 614.

In addition, the battery assembly 104 forms part of the upper outer surface 616 of the vehicle 100. In particular, the upper portion or wall 624 of the frame 601 forms part of the upper outer surface 616. In addition, in some cases, the lower portion or wall 626 of the frame 601 forms part of the lower outer vehicle surface 100 (not shown in FIG. 7).

When the battery assembly 104 is removed, a large space 630 or gap may be formed along the front surface 610 of the vehicle 100 adjacent to the cabin 116, such as

- 7 040328 is shown in FIG. 8. In addition, the front end of the vehicle 100 may have an L-shaped geometry, with the cab 116 projecting forward separately from the rest of the vehicle's chassis. Thus, when the battery assembly is removed from the vehicle 100, the geometry of the outer surface of said vehicle changes because the walls of the installed battery assembly form part of the outer surface of the vehicle.

By placing the main battery assembly outside the vehicle 100, installation and removal of the battery can be facilitated compared to electric vehicles having batteries located inside. In addition, the battery frame can simultaneously provide a structural support for accommodating the battery packs and a structural support outside the vehicle.

To compare the design, weight and other characteristics of the vehicle 100, several reference vehicles are considered, including a relatively higher capacity ground truck (39 metric tons) and a relatively lower capacity underground truck (30 metric tons).

In FIG. 9-11 show each of these vehicles, namely vehicle 100 (FIG. 9), vehicle 700 (FIG. 10), and vehicle 800 (FIG. 11), and the corresponding weights of cargo carried by these vehicles. In addition, in the table in Fig. 12 shows the various dimensions of these vehicles. As can be seen from the comparison of vehicle 100 with reference vehicle 700 and reference vehicle 800 in FIG. 9-12, vehicle 100 has a size and payload comparable to these two diesel vehicles. Thus, although the vehicle 100 is in the form of an electric non-emission truck, its carrying capacity, as in the previous example, can reach that of similarly sized diesel vehicles.

The reference vehicle 700 is intended to represent a mining vehicle capable of moving underground. As indicated in the table in FIG. 12, reference vehicle 700 may have a similar dimensional design to vehicle 100. In particular, as shown in FIG. 12, the reference vehicle 700 may be 10118 mm long, 2690 mm wide, and 2547 mm high. This relatively compact design, especially the headroom, allows the reference vehicle 700 to carry loads through a mine tunnel. An example of a mining vehicle with similar specifications to the 700 reference vehicle is the Caterpillar AD30 Underground Mining Truck.

Reference vehicle 800 is intended to represent a mining vehicle having a load capacity similar to that of vehicle 100. Specifically, reference vehicle 800 has a load capacity of 39 metric tons. An example of a mining vehicle with similar specifications to the 800 reference vehicle is the Volvo A40G Articulated Mining Truck.

As shown in the table in FIG. 12, reference vehicle 800 may be of a slightly larger design than vehicle 100. In particular, as shown in FIG. 12, reference vehicle 800 may be 11263 mm long, 3403 mm wide, and 3132 mm high.

To estimate the power density (power per unit mass) of the vehicle 100, FIG. 13-14 shows a comparison of mass and power. In FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing the masses of three mining trucks. For reference, the carrying weight for each vehicle is shown next to the unladen operating weight of the vehicle. In this case, the mass of the transported cargo is equivalent to the carrying capacity, and this carrying capacity is measured in units of mass (not volume). As shown in FIG. 13, reference vehicle 700 has an unloaded vehicle mass of approximately 28.9 metric tons. The reference vehicle 700 has a carrying weight of approximately 30 metric tons. Reference vehicle 800 has an unloaded vehicle mass of approximately 29.8 metric tons. The reference vehicle 800 has a carrying weight of approximately 39 metric tons.

As shown in FIG. 13, reference vehicle 100 has an unloaded vehicle mass of approximately 45.4 metric tons. Vehicle 100 has a carrying weight of approximately 40 metric tons. Thus, vehicle 100 is seen to be substantially heavier than reference vehicle 700 and reference vehicle 800.

As the mass of the vehicle increases, handling may suffer without an increase in power. In an exemplary embodiment, the increase in vehicle 100 weight relative to reference vehicles is accompanied by an increase in overall power.

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In FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the power produced by various vehicles. As previously discussed, one embodiment of vehicle 100 includes a set of electric motors operating at a constant power in the range of approximately 400 to 500 kilowatts. In some cases, vehicle 100 may operate at a peak power in the range of approximately 500 to 600 kilowatts. In contrast, a reference vehicle 700 with a load capacity of 30 metric tons can operate at only 305 kilowatts of peak power. In addition, the 39 metric ton reference vehicle 800 can operate at only 350 kilowatts of peak power.

In FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing the power density of several vehicles. As shown in FIG. 15, vehicle 100 has a power density of about 0.012 kilograms per cubic meter. Vehicle 700 has a power density of about 0.010 kilograms per cubic meter. Vehicle 800 has a power density of about 0.012 kilograms per cubic meter. Thus, it can be seen that these vehicles have approximately the same specific vehicle weight. Vehicle 100, although significantly heavier than other reference vehicles, may have similar performance as indicated by comparable power densities.

Battery replacement process.

There is a need for a device that can efficiently replace depleted batteries with fully charged batteries so that vehicles do not sit idle for long periods of time waiting for recharging.

Some devices for changing batteries in an electric vehicle may require significant infrastructure. Since batteries for electric vehicles tend to be larger and heavier, battery changers may include cranes, forklifts, loading docks, pallets, or other components to raise, lower, and move batteries to and from the vehicle. Since space is very limited in a mine (eg underground mines), it is desirable to provide a battery changer that limits the amount of infrastructure required.

Some embodiments are configured to use a battery changer having a so-called zero infrastructure. Such a zero-infrastructure device only needs space and ground to remove depleted batteries and install fully charged batteries.

In some embodiments, the vehicle 100 is provided with all the means necessary to remove depleted batteries and install fully charged batteries on the ground of a mine working. Such means may include an inserter and remover 250 for the main battery assembly 104 . These means may also include a separate rollback battery (ie auxiliary battery pack 105) used to power the vehicle 100 while the main battery assembly 104 is removed.

In FIG. 16-27 show schematic views of the process of replacing a battery assembly with discharged battery packs with another battery assembly with charged battery packs in a mining vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 16, the vehicle 100 is moving in a mine working area. By way of illustration, a display screen 2000 is shown that provides information regarding the operating state of the vehicle 100. Although some embodiments of the vehicle 100 are provided with a screen, it should be understood that other embodiments may not include a screen. Additional embodiments may include a screen showing various kinds of information. In addition, additional embodiments may include any other type of indicators (lights, sounds, etc.) to provide the operator with information about the operating status of the vehicle 100.

The display screen 2000 contains a battery charge section 2002 . The battery charge section 2002 may include a first charge indicator 2004 showing the charge level of the battery packs comprising the main battery assembly 104 . The battery charging section 2002 may also include a second charge indicator 2006 showing the charge level of the auxiliary battery pack 105 .

In addition, the screen 2000 display may contain section 2010 distribution of power flows. Section 2010 distribution of power flows may show a schematic representation of the vehicle 100 and some components associated with the propulsion device. The power flow distribution section 2010 may include a schematic representation of the first battery pack 200, the second battery pack 202, and the auxiliary battery pack 105. In addition, the power flow distribution section 2010 may include schematic power flow lines 2020 showing which battery packs are currently powering the vehicle. By way of illustration, the power flow lines 2020 are shown passing to each of

- 9 040328 four wheels of the vehicle 100. However, it should be understood that the power flow actually passes from one or more battery packs to each of the four electric motors (i.e.

set of motors 188 shown in FIG. 3). Each engine then drives the corresponding wheel.

As shown in FIG. 16, the first charge indicator 2004 shows that the battery packs of the main battery assembly 104 are low on charge. To remedy this, the operator of vehicle 100 moves vehicle 100 to an open area where a fully charged battery node 2040 (ie, a node with fully charged battery packs) is located. However, before installing a new battery node, the vehicle 100 moves to location 2032, which is adjacent to the charged battery node 2040. At location 2032, vehicle 100 may automatically remove the discharged battery assembly 104.

In FIG. 17 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 approaching a predetermined location 2032 to remove or drop the main battery assembly 104. For reference, the schematic line indicates the approximate stopping point 2034 where the vehicle 100 should be located (eg, the most forward end of the vehicle 100) to enable removal of the main battery assembly 104 at the desired location. In some cases, for example, in a completely open area without infrastructure, it may not be necessary to determine the exact location for the location of the vehicle 100 before removing the main battery assembly 104. However, in some other embodiments, where the battery assembly may be dropped onto a pallet or other localized structure (e.g., part of a loading bay or station), it may be necessary to position the vehicle 100 at a precise location (and in a precise direction) before how to remove the battery assembly.

In FIG. 18 shows the vehicle 100 positioned at the stopping point 2034 so that the main battery assembly 104 can be removed. Before removing the batteries, one or more physical connections between the main battery assembly 104 and other components of the vehicle 100 may be disconnected. As an example, FIG. 18 contains an enlarged schematic view of a separate electrical cable 2050 disconnected from the battery pack 200 of the battery assembly 104. Likewise, electrical cable 2052 is shown disconnected from battery pack 202.

In an exemplary embodiment, each battery pack of main battery assembly 104 is configured to be disconnected from one or more electrical circuits of vehicle 100. Such electrical circuits may be circuits that direct power between one or more batteries and one or more motors. In one embodiment, each battery pack is connected via at least one cable to one or more electrical circuits. Thus, the electrical disconnection of each battery pack requires the disconnection of one or more cables.

In an exemplary embodiment, each battery pack may also be connected to tubes through which fluids flow between the batteries and vehicle 100. For example, in some embodiments, oils may be used to cool the batteries. In such embodiments, tubes connected to one or more fluid ports on the battery packs must also be disconnected prior to removal of the battery pack. Alternatively, in other embodiments, tubes used for fluid cooling are configured to be connected only when said battery packs are removed (eg, these packs are configured to cool while charging).

In various embodiments, the disconnection of cables and/or tubes can be done manually or automatically. In some embodiments, prior to removing the main battery assembly, the vehicle operator may exit the cab and move to the other side of the vehicle with the main battery assembly. The operator can then manually disconnect the electrical cables as well as the fluid tubes. It is understood that in some other embodiments, electrical connections (and/or fluid connections) can be disconnected automatically.

Removal of the battery assembly 104 is possible after the necessary disconnections have been made between the battery assembly 104 and the vehicle 100. FIG. 19-20 show the sequential steps of removing the main battery assembly 104 using the installer and remover 250. In particular, in FIG. 19, the battery assembly 104 is shown in a partially lowered position 2070. In FIG. 20, the battery assembly 104 is shown in the fully lowered position 2062.

As shown in FIG. 19-20, the battery assembly 104 is lowered using the lever mechanism of the insertion and removal apparatus 250. The specific linkage design that may be used is discussed in more detail below and is shown, for example, in FIG. 32.

Since the battery assembly 104 must be disconnected from any engines of the vehicle 100 before being removed, the insertion and removal device 250 may require power from the auxiliary battery pack 105. Thus, the electrical power required to operate the lever mechanism 252 or other components of the insertion and removal device 250 can be supplied from the auxiliary battery pack 105.

In an alternative embodiment, it is contemplated that electrical cables may be configured to extend from vehicle 100 as battery assembly 104 is lowered to the ground. In such an embodiment, the electrical cables may remain attached to the battery packs of the main battery assembly 104 during removal. Thus, it is clear that power from the first battery pack 200 and/or the second battery pack 202 can be used to power the insertion and removal device 250.

In some embodiments, after the main battery assembly 104 is lowered, it is possible for the operator to connect one or both battery packs for charging. For example, in one embodiment, one or more long charging cables may be located near location 2032 (see FIG. 18). Charging cables can be connected to a power source located elsewhere in the mine (or even outside the mine).

In another embodiment, battery replacement is possible adjacent to one or more charging stations. In such embodiments, the battery can be removed at a location immediately adjacent to the charging station.

In other embodiments, the batteries may not be charged at their replacement location, but may be moved to a different charging location. For example, in some embodiments, a team of workers may collect depleted batteries throughout the mine and deliver them to another location within (or outside) of the mine where charging facilities are provided. The same crew can then deliver freshly charged batteries to locations throughout the mine that are expected to be operated by mining trucks or other electric mining vehicles.

In FIG. 21 shows vehicle 100 moving backwards from battery assembly 104. As described in more detail below, the inserter and remover 250 may be configured to automatically detach from the battery assembly 104 when the battery assembly 104 is moved to the lowest position. In particular, the operator does not need to manually disconnect the battery assembly 104 from the insertion and removal device 250 . This can help save time during the replacement process by reducing the number of times an operator needs to get in and out of the cab during the entire process.

In FIG. 22 shows vehicle 100 moving from a first location 2032 adjacent to a discharged battery assembly 104 to a second location 2033 adjacent to a fully charged battery assembly 2040. As the vehicle 100 moves between the first and second locations, the display screen 2000 indicates that the vehicle 100 is receiving power from the auxiliary battery pack 105. This is indicated by the lower charge level shown on the second charge indicator 2006 (compared to the charge level shown in FIG. 16). In addition, the power flow distribution section 2010 clearly shows that power is supplied from the auxiliary battery pack 105 to the wheels (via the electric motors located adjacent to each wheel).

Although the embodiment shown in FIG. 22 shows that power is being supplied to all four wheels, in some embodiments, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may only supply power to some of the wheels. In one embodiment, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may only supply power to the front wheels. In another embodiment, the auxiliary battery pack 105 may only supply power to the rear wheels. Thus, in some cases, when replacing batteries, the vehicle 100 may operate in either front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive.

In FIG. 23 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 approaching a fully charged battery pack 2040. In some embodiments, vehicle 100 may include means to help align vehicle 100 and battery assembly 2040. In one embodiment, the vehicle 100 may include one or more cameras located on or near the install/remove device 250. As the vehicle 100 approaches, the operator can watch a video stream display to assist in aligning the inserter/removal device 250 with the battery assembly 2040.

In FIG. 23 shows a schematic view of the second display screen 2100. The display screen 2100 is configured to display a camera view for the installation process, which may be located, for example, on the site of the installation and removal device 250.

Some embodiments may include marks or other visual indicators on the battery assembly. These marks can be seen in the video feed to assist the operator in determining the correct vehicle alignment. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 23, the rear side of the battery assembly 2040 may have a first physical indicia 2105 and a second physical indicia 2107 at the top and bottom of the battery assembly 2040, respectively. A group of virtual characters is superimposed on the video image of the battery node 2040, including the first virtual character 2110 and the second

- 11 040328 virtual sign 2111. As the driver approaches the battery node 2040, he may attempt to drive the vehicle 100 so that the virtual sign 2110 and virtual sign 2111 are respectively aligned above the physical sign 2105 and sign 2107. This can help the driver to accurately align the components devices 250 installation and removal with the appropriate elements (for example, rods that are made with the possibility of capture) node 2040 batteries.

In FIG. 24 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 stopped at a second location 2033 where a charged battery assembly 2040 is located. The vehicle 100 is positioned such that the insertion and removal device 250 is in contact with the charged battery assembly 2040.

In FIG. 25 shows a schematic view of the vehicle 100 as the charged battery assembly 2040 is lifted from the ground by the inserter and remover 250 . Finally, in FIG. 26, the battery assembly 2040 is shown raised to its final mounting position. At this point, the operator may connect electrical cables and/or other physical connections to the battery packs of the battery assembly 2040. As shown in FIG. 26, cable 2050 and cable 2052 are manually connected to battery pack 2060 and battery pack 2062 of battery assembly 2040, respectively.

In an alternative embodiment, it is contemplated that electrical cables may be configured to extend from vehicle 100 while battery assembly 2040 is on the ground. In such an embodiment, electrical cables may remain attached to the battery packs of the battery assembly 2040 until the battery assembly 2040 is installed on the vehicle 100. Thus, it is clear that power from the battery pack 2060 and battery pack 2062 can be used to power the insertion and removal device 250.

In FIG. 27 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 100 driving away (reversing) from a second location 2033 with a fully charged main battery assembly. As shown in the power flow distribution section 2010 of the display screen 2000, the battery pack 2060 and the battery pack 2062 of the main battery assembly 2040 supply power to propel the vehicle 100, and the auxiliary battery pack is no longer used.

The vehicle 100 can now return to hauling material in (or out of) the mine working as long as the newly installed main battery assembly remains charged. Once this battery assembly is completely (or nearly completely) discharged, the same process of replacing the discharged battery with a fully charged battery can be repeated for the vehicle 100.

In FIG. 28 shows a flowchart of the battery replacement process according to the steps described above. It should be understood that in some embodiments some of these steps may be optional. In other embodiments, additional steps may be included.

In a first step 2300, a vehicle with one or more replaceable battery packs containing the first battery assembly may move to the first location. In some cases, said first location may be adjacent to a second location that houses a second battery assembly containing one or more charged battery packs.

In a second step 2302, one or more battery packs of the first battery assembly may be disconnected from the vehicle. This action may include disconnecting power cables. In some cases, the power cables can be disconnected manually. In other cases, the power cables may be disconnected automatically.

In a third step 2304, the first battery assembly may be removed from the vehicle using an insertion and removal device on board said vehicle. In some instances, this insertion and removal device may comprise a hydraulically operated linkage mechanism as well as one or more latches. In particular, in some cases, the latches holding the first battery assembly in place against the vehicle may be opened and a linkage mechanism may be used to lower the first battery assembly to the ground. In some cases, the linkage system automatically disconnects from the first battery assembly when the battery assembly is on the ground.

In a fourth step 2306, the vehicle may drive away from the first battery assembly and move to a second location where the second battery assembly is located. During this time, the vehicle can be operated by drawing power from an auxiliary battery that is permanently built into the vehicle.

In a fifth step 2308, the vehicle may approach the second battery assembly and make contact between the second battery assembly and the inserter and remover. In some cases, it is possible to use the video stream to assist in proper alignment of the inserter and remover with the second battery assembly. In some cases, the battery assembly may contain marks to aid alignment. In other cases, the video stream may project one

- 12 040328 or more characters to align with parts of the battery assembly (possibly with other physical characters on the battery).

In a sixth step 2310, the insert and remove device may be used to lift the second battery assembly and lock it in place on the vehicle. In some cases, when the second battery assembly is raised to its highest position, one or more sections of the battery assembly may be engaged by one or more of the inserter/removal device latches to lock the battery assembly in place.

In a seventh step 2312, once the second battery assembly is installed on the vehicle, cables may be connected to the battery packs of the second battery assembly. At this time, the vehicle can be powered by the secondary battery pack instead of the booster battery.

In some embodiments, battery replacement may be performed at one or more fixed locations (eg, locations in a mine working). In such cases, the operator may have a map or list of location data, and when the primary battery assembly needs to be replaced, the operator may drive the vehicle to the nearest known replacement location. In other embodiments, battery replacement locations can be changed, especially when mining occurs using vehicles that are located predominantly in some areas of the mine working, and not in others. In additional embodiments, battery replacement may occur on demand. Those. when the operator realizes that the battery pack is low, he can call the dispatcher to request a fully charged battery pack to be delivered to the nearest location.

These embodiments illustrate battery replacement in an unloaded vehicle. However, keep in mind that the same process of changing the battery can also take place when the truck bed is loaded with material.

Embodiments may include means for charging the auxiliary battery pack. In some embodiments, the auxiliary battery pack is configured to be charged by an on-board converter connected to one or more main battery assembly modules. In one embodiment, an on-board 600V to 300V DC converter may be used. In other embodiments, the auxiliary battery pack is externally rechargeable. In such cases, the auxiliary battery pack can be recharged at the end of the day (or other truck work cycle).

Installing and removing batteries.

In FIG. 29-31 show schematic views of an exemplary battery assembly 3000. Battery node 3000 may have some features similar to those of battery node 104 (and battery node 2040). However, it should be understood that in various embodiments, some of the following battery assembly features may be optional.

In accordance with FIG. 29-30, the battery assembly 3000 includes a battery frame 3002, a first battery pack 3004, and a second battery pack 3006. Each battery pack may further comprise one or more battery cells.

The battery frame 3002 may be configured to hold and protect the first battery pack 3004 and the second battery pack 3006. To this end, the battery frame 3002 may be sized and sized to accommodate each of the first battery pack 3004 and the second battery pack 3006. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 29-30, the battery frame 3002 is configured as a relatively thin outer casing with an internal cavity that can hold two battery packs in a stacked configuration. In particular, the battery frame 3002 has a horizontal footprint that is slightly larger than the horizontal footprint of each battery pack. The battery frame 3002 also has a vertical height slightly greater than the combined height of the first battery pack 3004 and the second battery pack 3006.

As shown in FIG. 30, the battery frame 3002 is made up of two separate parts that can be separated and comprise an upper frame portion 3010 and a lower frame portion 3012. The upper frame portion 3010 is sized and dimensioned to accommodate the first battery pack 3004. The lower frame portion 3012 is sized and dimensioned to accommodate the second battery pack 3006. The upper frame portion 3010 and the lower frame portion 3012 may be attached using any type of fasteners known in the art.

Battery frame 3002 may include means to facilitate installation and removal. Some embodiments may include one or more horizontal rods designed to facilitate installation.

Some embodiments may include one or more vertical bars designed to facilitate installation. Some embodiments may include a combination of horizontal and vertical rods designed to facilitate installation.

As shown in FIG. 29-31, the battery frame 3002 includes a horizontal locating bar array comprising an upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and a lower horizontal locating bar 3024.

Each horizontal mounting bar protrudes slightly backward from the rear side 3015 of the battery frame 3002. Moreover, these horizontal mounting rods are held by two groups of vertically oriented brackets 3030. These vertically oriented brackets 3030 are located at opposite ends of the horizontal mounting rods. Each pair of staples can be spaced a fixed distance apart. As an example, the first vertical bracket 3031 and the second vertical bracket 3032 are spaced 3040 apart (see FIG. 31). With this configuration, each horizontal rod is divided into separate sections, which allow the installation and removal device to be gripped. Specifically, the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 is divided into a first end segment 3050, an intermediate segment 3052, and a second end segment 3054. Similarly, the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 is divided into a first end segment 3060, an intermediate segment 3062, and a second end segment 3064.

Some embodiments may include one or more vertical bars. As shown in FIG. 29-31, battery frame 3002 includes a group of vertical mounting bars. Specifically, the battery frame 3002 includes a first vertical locating bar 3072 and a second vertical locating bar 3074.

Each vertical mounting bar extends from the underside of the lower frame section 3012 to the underside of the upper frame section 3010. In addition, vertical mounting bars are located at opposite rear corners of the battery frame 3002. Thus, in some cases, each vertical mounting bar may also provide some strength to the battery frame 3002 under vertically applied loads. In some cases, similar vertically oriented bars may also be located at one or both front corners of the battery frame 3002 to enhance structural support.

It should be understood that both the horizontal bars and the vertical bars are designed to facilitate installation in at least three ways. First, any type of rods can be gripped by the inserter and remover components to facilitate raising and/or lowering the battery assembly. Second, any type of rods is designed to facilitate horizontal and/or vertical alignment by interacting with the appropriate component in the insertion and removal device (for example, a V-block configured to facilitate automatic alignment of the battery cage in horizontal and/or vertical directions) . Third, any type of rods can be locked in place, for example, using one or more latches or other locking mechanisms. However, it should be understood that in various embodiments, horizontal and vertical rods can be used to achieve different functions (for example, horizontal rods for lifting, leveling and fixing, and vertical rods for leveling and fixing, but not for lifting).

In this embodiment shown in FIG. 29-31, a group of horizontal alignment bars 3020 can function as contact points for raising/lowering the battery cage 3002, for leveling the battery cage 3002, and for fixing the battery cage 3002 in place (eg, using latches that engage the bars). In contrast, the group of vertical alignment bars 3070 cannot be used as contact points during raising/lowering the battery cage 3002, but can be used to help level and/or lock the battery cage 3002 in place (e.g., using latches that engage the bars) .

The battery frame 3002 may advantageously be closed on the front, top, bottom, and side surfaces. However, the battery frame 3002 may be partially open on the rear side 3015 (as well as portions of the side surfaces) so that the connection holes or other means of the battery packs may be exposed.

Some embodiments may include means to make it easier for the battery to slide over uneven ground. As best shown in FIG. 31, the battery frame 3002 may have a bottom surface 3005 with rounded corners 3007 to facilitate sliding.

The battery frame 3002 is configured to hold and protect the first battery pack 3004 and the second battery pack 3006. To this end, the battery frame 3002 is designed with sufficient strength to be attached to a mining truck primarily along the attachment points on the rear side of 3015.

In different embodiments, the materials for the battery frame 3002 may vary. In some embodiments, the battery frame 3002 is made from a material containing a metal or metal alloy. In some embodiments, battery frame 3002 is made from a material similar to that used in the chassis (eg, frame 101) of vehicle 100.

Each battery pack may be provided with one or more contact sockets for receiving electrical cables. As shown in FIG. 31, the first battery pack 3004 includes a socket 3090 for connecting an electrical cable. The second battery pack 3006 includes a socket 3092 for connecting an electrical cable. These terminal sockets may be used to connect each battery pack to one or more vehicle circuits when the battery assembly 3000 is installed in the vehicle. In addition, said sockets can be used to connect each battery pack to a charge source when the battery pack is removed from the vehicle. However, in other embodiments, each battery pack may comprise two or more electrical sockets, comprising a socket for connecting the battery pack to the vehicle's electrical circuit and a separate socket for charging the battery pack.

Each battery pack may also be provided with one or more fluid valves or openings to allow oil or other fluids to flow to cool the battery packs. in fig. 31, the first battery pack 3004 includes a group of fluid holes 3096. Also, the second battery pack 3006 includes a group of fluid sections 3098.

In FIG. 32 shows a schematic view of a portion of the vehicle 100 at the front end 90. As shown in FIG. 32, the insertion and removal device 250 is located at the front end 90 adjacent to the cabin 116. The installation and removal device 250 includes a pair of linkage mechanisms 3100. from the first linkage 3102.

Each linkage is actuated by at least one hydraulic cylinder. Specifically, the first link mechanism 3102 is actuated by the first hydraulic cylinder 3110. The second link mechanism 3104 is actuated by the second hydraulic cylinder 3112.

Attachment and removal device 250 may also include means for locking the battery assembly in place on vehicle 100. Attachment and removal device 250 includes an array of receptacles 3199 configured to be used to secure the battery assembly to vehicle 100.

In FIG. 33 is an exploded isometric view of the first linkage 3102 (also referred to simply as the linkage 3102), the hydraulic cylinder 3110, and another structural member 3111. The first end of the structural member 3111 is articulated with the sleeve 3114 of the hydraulic cylinder 3110. In some embodiments, the second end of the structural member 3111 may be attached to another portion of the vehicle 100. In some embodiments, the second end of the structural member 3111 may be fixed to one of the links in the linkage 3102.

The linkage 3102 may be a four link linkage. Thus, the linkage 3102 has four links, made in the form of a contour and connected to each other by four rotary joints. More specifically, the link mechanism 3102 may be in the form of a flat four-link linkage device, since the links are designed to restrict movement in parallel planes.

The linkage 3102 includes four links, including a main link 3121 (also called a fixed link or frame), an upper link 3122 connected to the main link, a lower link 3123 connected to the main link, and a floating link 3124. As shown in FIG. 32, main link 3121 can be fixed in an approximately vertical position on vehicle 100. Floating link 3124 remains approximately parallel to main link 3121 (ie, oriented in an approximately vertical direction). The orientations of the top and bottom links 3122 and 3123 connected to the main link may change as the linkage is actuated.

The floating link 3124 includes a first hook 3140 and a second hook 3142.

The first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 extend forward from the floating link 3124 so that, when positioned on the vehicle 100, the hooks are the most forward sections of the linkage 3102. The first hook 3140 may be positioned over the second hook 3142. Thus, the first hook 3140 and the hook 3142 can have different vertical positions. The first hook 3140 may be located just below the swivel 3147 between the upper link 3122 connected to the main link and the floating link 3124. Similarly, the second hook 3142 may be located just below the swivel 3149 between the upper link 3123 and the floating link 3124.

Each hook is shaped to accept a corresponding part on the battery frame so that the link mechanism 3102, in conjunction with the second link mechanism 3104, can interact to raise (or lower) the battery frame. For example, the first hook 3140 may be sized and shaped to accept a segment of an upper horizontal locating bar 3022. The second hook 3142 may be sized and shaped to accept a segment of a lower horizontal locating bar

3024.

The linkage 3102 is actuated by the piston rod 3115 of the hydraulic cylinder 3110. In particular, the end of the piston rod 3115 may be pivotally connected to the end 3129 of the upper link 3122. The end 3129 may be the end of the upper link 3122 connected to the main link 3121. Thus, according to as the piston rod 3115 exits the sleeve 3114, the end 3129 of the upper link 3122 moves downward and acts to tilt the upper link 3122 upwards so that the floating link 3124 rises. Similarly, as piston rod 3115 is retracted into sleeve 3114, end 3129 of upper link 3122 moves upward and acts to tilt upper link 3122 downward so that floating link 3124 is lowered. Due to this configuration of the linkage 3102, the lower link 3124 moves similarly to the upper link 3122 during actuation, even if it does not directly come into contact with the actuator (eg, hydraulic cylinder 3110).

While the present embodiments include lever mechanisms, it should be understood that other embodiments may use other mechanical assemblies to raise and lower the battery assemblies. In a broader sense, the device for installing and removing the battery may include a drive unit and a drive for moving the drive unit (for example, a linkage mechanism and a hydraulic cylinder). Additionally, the device may contain an interacting component of the actuated node (for example, a floating link). The interaction component may include at least two vertical hooks for engaging with the battery assembly such that when the drive assembly is actuated, the battery assembly can be raised or lowered.

It should also be understood that the term hook as used herein is not intended to limit a particular size or geometry. As used herein, the term hook refers to any piece of material (eg, metal) that is curved or bent so as to hold, grip, or otherwise interact with other elements.

In FIG. 34-38 are schematic views illustrating the range of movement of the linkage 3102. For clarity, reference is made to the general position of the floating link 3124, as well as the vertical and horizontal components of the general position. The vertical position component can be understood to be relative to an element with a fixed vertical position, such as structural element 3111. Similarly, the horizontal position component can be understood to be relative to an element with a fixed horizontal position, such as main link 3121.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 34, the link mechanism 3102 is located in a first position, which corresponds to a first vertical position and a first horizontal position. In this first position, the floating link 3124 is at the lowest vertical position in its range of motion. In addition, the upper link 3122 and the lower link 3123 are inclined downward.

In FIG. 35 shows the linkage 3102 in a second position, which corresponds to a second vertical position and a second horizontal position. In this second position, the upper link 3122 and the lower link 3123 are both approximately horizontal (and thus approximately perpendicular to the floating link 3124). As can be seen from the comparison with Fig. 34, the floating link 3124 has moved up. In addition, the floating link 3124 has also achieved a slight forward movement (for example, away from the main link 3121). This initial forward float 3124 may help ensure proper interaction with the battery assembly, as discussed in more detail below.

In FIG. 36 shows the linkage 3102 in a third position, which corresponds to a third vertical position and a third horizontal position. In this third position, the top link 3122 and the bottom link 3123 are tilted upward so that the floating link 3124 is raised. Compared to the second position shown in FIG. 35, the floating link 3124 has risen in a generally vertical direction with relatively less movement in the horizontal direction. This facilitates the use of energy to install the battery assembly on the vehicle primarily for vertical lifting, instead of using energy to move the battery assembly through a wide range of horizontal movements when said assembly is raised off the ground.

In FIG. 37 shows the linkage 3102 in a fourth position, which corresponds to a fourth vertical position and a fourth horizontal position. In this fourth position, the upper link 3122 and the lower link 3123 are inclined more than they were in the third position shown in FIG. 36. While moving from the third position to this fourth position, the floating link 3124 has begun to change its horizontal movement so that it now moves back towards the main link 3121 (as well as the vehicle 100). In addition, its vertical movement speed between the third and fourth positions is less than the horizontal movement speed.

In FIG. 38 shows the linkage 3102 in a fifth position, which corresponds to a fifth vertical position and a fifth horizontal position. In this fifth position, the top link 3122 and the bottom link 3123 are in a nearly vertical orientation. In addition, the floating link 3124 is directly adjacent to (and possibly in contact with) the main link 3121. Between the fourth position shown in FIG. 37 and given the fifth position, almost all of the movement of the floating link 3124 is horizontal with minimal vertical movement. This helps to give the battery assembly enough horizontal momentum to make contact and engage with the locking mechanism (such as a latch).

It should be understood that while the above discussion refers to the first link mechanism 3102, similar considerations apply to the second link mechanism 3104. In addition, the first link mechanism 3102 and the second link mechanism 3104 are configured to operate in parallel to each other, making, substantially identical movements and experiencing identical load distribution as the battery assembly is lifted onto the vehicle or descended from the vehicle.

In FIG. 39 shows a schematic view of the front end 90 of the vehicle 100 and the removed battery assembly 3000. As shown schematically in FIG. 39, each hook of the inserter and remover 250 may correspond to one of the horizontal mounting bars of the battery frame 3002. Thus, each hook can be configured to grip one of the two rods.

The first hook 3140 of the first linkage mechanism 3102 is positioned to engage with the upper horizontal locating bar 3022. Similarly, the first hook 3180 of the second linkage mechanism 3104 is positioned to engage with the upper horizontal locating bar 3022. The second hook 3142 of the first linkage mechanism 3102 is positioned to engage with the lower horizontal locating bar 3022. Similarly, the second hook 3182 of the second link mechanism 3104 is positioned to interact with the lower horizontal locating bar 3024. This configuration provides four points of interaction between the inserter and remover 250 and the battery assembly 3000.

In general, each hook can grab any segment of the corresponding horizontal rod. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the hooks to grip an intermediate segment of the rod, such as the intermediate segment 3052 of the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the intermediate segment 3062 of the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 (see FIG. 31). In other embodiments, it may be desirable for the hooks to grip the end segments of the rod. This includes capturing the first end segment 3050 and the second end segment 3054 of the upper horizontal locating bar 3022. This also includes capturing the first end segment 3060 and the second end segment 3064 of the lower horizontal locating bar 3024.

In FIG. 40-45 are schematic views illustrating the installation process of the battery assembly. For clarity, in FIG. 40-45, only the first link mechanism 3102 is shown, however, it should be understood that the second link mechanism 3104 may operate in a substantially identical manner in conjunction with the first link mechanism 3102. In addition, portions of the battery assembly 3000 are shown in dotted lines so that during the installation process a section of the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 is visible.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 40, the battery assembly 3000 is located on the ground surface 3200. When the vehicle 100 approaches the battery assembly 3000 (as shown, for example, in FIG. 23), the linkage 3102 may be in the lowered position. In particular, the linkage 3102 can be lowered to a position where the first hook 3140 is significantly lower than the upper horizontal locating bar 3022, and so that the second hook 3142 is located significantly lower than the lower horizontal locating bar 3024. This allows movement the first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 to a position just below the mounting bars when the hooks are in contact with the rear side 3015 of the battery frame 3002 (as shown in FIG. 41).

Once the first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 touch the battery frame 3002, the hydraulic cylinder 3110 can actuate the linkage 3102 as shown in FIG. 42. As discussed above, when starting from the lowest position, the linkage 3102 moves so that the floating link 3124 moves slightly forward in the horizontal direction as it simultaneously moves upward. This slight forward horizontal movement may cause the first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 to be pressed further onto the battery frame 3002. In some cases, the force may be such that the battery cage 3002 (or alternatively the vehicle 100) moves slightly horizontally or tilts slightly (as shown in FIG. 42). However, this translational movement is intentional to ensure that the first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 fully engage with the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and with the lower horizontal locating bar 3024.

With proper interaction of the device with the links of the locating rods, as shown in FIG. 42, the linkage 3102 may continue to move as the floating link 3124 moves in a generally vertical direction, as shown in FIG. 43. As the floating link 3124 moves further upward, the battery assembly 3000 rises from the ground surface 3200.

Gradually, as shown in Fig. 44-45, the linkage 3102 moves such that the battery assembly 3000 moves in a generally rearward direction. This helps to give the battery assembly 3000 enough rearward momentum to interact with the locking mechanism (eg, latch) and lock into place by said mechanism.

It is understood that the use of hooks at various vertical positions of the floating link 3120 helps to ensure stability and proper loading of the battery assembly 3000. In particular, the use of an upper hook set (on both linkages) and a lower hook set helps to maintain the battery assembly with a substantially constant orientation throughout the lifting process. For example, as shown in FIG. 40, the central vertical axis 3210 of the battery frame 3002 is approximately parallel to the floating link 3120 (ie, the central vertical axis 3212 of the floating link 3120) prior to engagement with the battery frame 3002. As the battery cage 3002 rises and moves in both the horizontal and vertical directions between its lowest position shown in FIG. 42 and its highest position shown in FIG. 45, the battery frame 3002 maintains a substantially constant orientation. Thus, the central vertical axis 3210 remains substantially parallel to the floating link 3120. In other words, during the entire lifting process, the battery frame 3002 never tilts or tips over. This helps eliminate unwanted rocking of the battery assembly 3000, since such rocking can reduce the efficiency of the lifting mechanism as well as make it difficult to align the battery assembly 3000 and any locking mechanisms.

It should be understood that the process described above and shown in FIG. 40-45 may be reversed to lower the battery assembly 3000 from the vehicle 100 onto the ground surface 3200. Once the battery assembly 3000 is lowered to the ground surface 3200, the linkage 3102 may be lowered until the first hook 3140 and the second hook 3142 are low enough to disengage from the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024. Once these hooks are released, the vehicle 100 may drive back away from the battery assembly 3000 to move to a location where another battery assembly can be installed (eg, as shown in FIG. 21).

In FIG. 46-48 show a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the battery raising and lowering device. In FIG. 46 shows the battery 3300 initially located on the raised platform 3302.

The linkage 3304 connects the upper center portion of the battery 3300 to the raised platform 3302. As the linkage 3304 rotates and swings, the battery 3300 is raised off the platform 3302 and lowered to a position outside of the platform 3302 as shown in FIG. 47-48. However, as clearly shown in FIG. 47, the 3300 battery may tilt or wobble as it is lowered due to interaction with the battery in only one vertical position.

Under mining conditions, the surface of the earth can be uneven. This means that when attempting to install or remove a battery assembly from a vehicle, the ground from which the battery is lifted (or lowered) may be slightly higher or lower than the ground on which the vehicle wheels are located. Some embodiments of the vehicle may include means to enable the installation or removal of batteries on uneven ground.

In FIG. 49 shows a schematic view of a portion of the vehicle 100 to indicate the boot coverage of the insertion and removal device 250 on the vehicle. In this case, the wheels of the vehicle 100 are on the ground 3402 . For reference, the height of the land 3402 is taken as the ground level 3403. In an exemplary embodiment, the insertion and removal device 250 is configured to load the battery assembly 3410 from an elevated area 3404 of the ground. The ground section 3404 can be raised from the ground level 3403 to a height 3420. In addition, the insertion and removal device 250 is configured to load the battery assembly 3411 from the recessed ground section 3406. Land 3406 may be located below ground level 3403 at depth 3422. As an illustration, raised land 3404 and recessed land 3406 are shown side by side.

The total vertical distance between the recessed land 3406 and the raised land 3404 is called the loading reach of the insertion and removal device 250. In FIG. 49 the specified distance is shown as loading coverage 3424 and is equal to the sum of height 3420 and depth 3422.

The size of the loading coverage can be determined by the range of movement of the linkage mechanisms

- 18 040328 device 250 installation and removal, as well as the height of these nodes relative to ground level. The lowest loading position is limited by how low the hooks on each linkage can go relative to ground level, as the hooks must be below the horizontal studs on the battery cage when they come into contact with the battery cage. In some cases, the highest loading position is limited by the height (relative to ground level) at which the linkage mechanisms may begin to recede and thus be unable to interact with the horizontal mounting rods.

In various embodiments, the values of the lowest boot position, the highest boot position, and the total boot coverage may vary. In some embodiments, the lowest loading position may range from about 15 to 25.5 cm below ground level (which is determined by the height of the ground on which the front wheels are located). In one embodiment, the lowest loading position is approximately 20 cm below ground level. In some embodiments, the highest loading position may vary from about 5 to 10 cm above ground level. In one embodiment, the highest loading position is approximately 7 cm above ground level.

It will be understood that in some embodiments, the insertion and removal device may be strong enough to lift a battery assembly weighing 8 to 10 kg. Thus, it should be understood that the components of each linkage mechanism can be designed with this limitation in mind.

Automatic Leveling and Locking Device As mentioned above, when the insertion and removal device 250 raises the battery assembly to a desired position on the vehicle, some mechanism may be used to lock the battery assembly in place on said vehicle. In addition, in some embodiments, the inserter and remover may also include means to help align the battery assembly. Such means may include auto-alignment components that guide the battery assembly into a predetermined position to ensure proper engagement of the battery assembly with one or more locking mechanisms (eg, latches).

In FIG. 50 shows a schematic isometric view of the front end of the vehicle 100. Referring to FIG. 50, the insertion and removal device 250 may include self-contained alignment elements and fixation elements, which together may be referred to as alignment and fixation device components.

Vehicle 100 may include receiving elements. The receptacle may be any component configured to receive and hold a locating bar or other locating member of the battery cage. In some embodiments, the receptacle may include an alignment portion for guiding the locating bar or other element into place. In some embodiments, the receptacle may also include a locking mechanism for locking the locating bar or other member in place. In other embodiments, the receptacle may comprise a locking mechanism but not an alignment portion.

In particular, in FIG. 50 shows a vehicle 100 including a first receiver 4011, a second receiver 4012, a third receiver 4013, a fourth receiver 4014, a fifth receiver 4015, a sixth receiver 4016, a seventh receiver 4017, and an eighth receiver 4018, which together can be referred to as receptacles 4010. By way of illustration, these receptacles are shown in FIG. 50 schematically.

The receptacles 4010 can be divided into a group of receptacles configured to interact with the horizontal mounting bars on the battery assembly and another group of receptacles configured to interact with the vertical mounting bars on the battery assembly. Specifically, the first receptacle 4011, the second receptacle 4012, the third receptacle 4013, and the fourth receptacle 4014 together constitute the first receptacle group 4020 configured to cooperate with the horizontal locating rods. In addition, the fifth receiver 4015, the sixth receiver 4016, the seventh receiver 4017, and the eighth receiver 4018 together constitute a second receiver group 4030 configured to cooperate with the vertical positioning rods.

The first group 4020 receiving elements may be located on the vehicle 100 between the first link mechanism 3102 and the second link mechanism 3104 relative to the horizontal direction. In addition, the first receiver group 4020 may be arranged as an upper receiver group 4022 (comprising the first receiver 4011 and the second receiver 4012) and a lower receiver group 4024 (comprising the third receiver 4013 and the fourth receiver 4014). The upper group 4022 receiving elements has a common vertical position and can interact with the upper horizontal mounting rod 3022 node 3000 batteries. The lower group 4024 of the receiving elements has a general vertical position, which is below the upper group 4022 of the receiving elements. bottom group

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4024 receiving elements is configured to interact with the lower horizontal mounting rod 3024 node 3000 batteries.

The first group 4020 receiver elements may have a common orientation. In particular, each receiving element oriented in the longitudinal direction is aligned in the vertical direction. This orientation ensures that the opening of each receiving element can interact with the horizontally oriented shaft of the battery assembly.

The second group 4030 of the receiving elements may be located on the vehicle 100. In particular, the fifth receiving element 4015 and the sixth receiving element 4016 may be located adjacent to the first linkage 3102, and the seventh receiving element 4017 and the eighth receiving element 4018 may be located adjacent to the second link mechanism 3104. However, unlike the first group 4020 of the receiving elements located between the lever devices and adjacent to the inner sides of the link mechanisms, the receiving elements of the second group 4030 of the receiving elements are located adjacent to the outward-facing sides of the lever devices.

All receiving elements of the second group 4030 may have a common orientation. In particular, each receiving element oriented in the longitudinal direction is aligned in the width direction. This orientation ensures that the opening of each receiving element can interact with the vertically oriented shaft of the battery assembly.

In FIG. 51-52 show a schematic view of an exemplary receiving element 4400 that may be used in the proposed device. In particular, in FIG. 51 shows a schematic isometric view of the receiving element 4400 in the open position, while in FIG. 52 shows a schematic isometric view of the receptacle 4400 in the closed position.

The receiving element 4400 may include an outer housing 4402 and an inner locking element 4404. The inner locking element 4404 is located within the receiving cavity 4406 of the outer housing 4402. In addition, the inner locking element 4404 is rotatable in the receiving cavity 4406.

The outer casing 4402 includes a support section 4420 and raised side walls 4422 defining the boundaries of the receiving cavity 4406. The side walls 4422 may be bevelled towards the support section 4420 such that the side walls 4422 are highest at the ends of the receiving element 4400 and lowest at the center. receiving element 4400. Thus, the side walls 4422 may include a first recess 4424 on one side of the receiving element 4400 and a second recess 4426 on the second side of the receiving element 4400.

The inner latch 4404 can be in the form of an open loop or in the form of a hook with an open side 4410. When the inner latch 4404 is rotated so that the open side 4410 is adjacent to the first notch 4424 and the second notch 4426, the receiving element 4400 is in the open position , as shown in FIG. 51. In this open position, the locating bar section can be placed between the first notch 4424, the second notch 4426, as well as inside the open side 4410 of the inner locking element 4404. In addition, in the open position, the locating rod 4450 can be removed from the receiving element 4400.

When the inner locking element 4404 is rotated so that the open side 4410 is located inside the support portion 4420, the receiving element 4400 is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 52. In the closed position, the locating bar section may be locked between the inner locking member 4404 and the outer housing portions 4402. element 4404 and the support section 4420 of the outer casing 4402.

In some embodiments, the receptacle 4400 is hydraulically actuated. For example, in one embodiment, the receiving element 4400 may be a hydraulic latch. In other embodiments, the receptacle 4400 may be a spring-loaded receptacle. In additional embodiments, the receptacle 4400 may be actuated using any additional mechanical components (eg, leverage) that may be used to lock the member in place.

In some embodiments, the receiving element may be biased to the open position. In other embodiments, the receiving element may be biased to a closed position. In additional embodiments, the receiving element is made without the possibility of displacement into an open or closed position.

It should be understood that the receptacle 4400 is intended only as an exemplary embodiment of the type of receptacle that may be used in the insertion and removal apparatus 250. In some embodiments, one or more receiver elements in any of the groups, the first group of receiver elements 4220 and/or the second group of receiver elements 4230, may be configured with similar means for receiving element 4400. Thus, one or

- 20 040328 more receiving elements in accordance with these embodiments may contain side walls with a bevel towards the center of the receiving element, as well as an internal locking element that can be rotated, articulated or otherwise actuated to open and close around the mounting rod.

In FIG. 53-54 show how the first receiver group 4020 interacts with the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 when the battery assembly 3000 is lifted up and towards the first receiver cell group 4020. In particular, as shown in FIG. 53, the linkages are configured to lift the battery assembly 3000 up and toward the first receiver group 4020. As shown in FIG. 54, when the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 are placed inside a pair of respective receivers, the receivers are automatically closed to secure the battery assembly 3000 in place on the vehicle 100. Thus, the first receiver 4111 and the second receiver 4112 cooperate with the top horizontal locating rod 3022 and close around it. In particular, the inner locking element 4080 of the first receiving element 4111 closes around the upper horizontal mounting rod 3022, and the inner locking element 4082 of the third receiving element 4113 closes around the lower horizontal mounting rod 3024. In addition, the third receiving element 4113 and the fourth receiving element 4114 (not shown in Fig. 53-54) interact with the lower horizontal mounting rod 3024 and close around it.

In FIG. 55-56 show how the second receiver group 4030 interacts with the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 when the battery assembly 3000 is pushed in a horizontal direction towards the second receiver cell group 4030. Unlike FIG. 53-54, which show a schematic side view of the battery assembly 3000 and corresponding receivers on the vehicle 100, FIG. 55-56 are top-down views of the battery assembly 3000 and associated receivers.

As shown in FIG. 55, the linkage mechanisms are configured to lift the battery assembly 3000 up and toward the second receiver group 4030. As shown in FIG. 56, when the first vertical locating bar 3072 and the second vertical locating bar 3074 are placed within a pair of respective receiving members, said receiving members are automatically closed to secure the battery assembly 3000 in place on the vehicle 100. Thus, the fifth receiving member 4115 cooperates with the second vertical mounting member. rod 3074 and closes around it. The seventh receiving element 4117 interacts with the first vertical mounting rod 3072 and closes around it. Specifically, the inner latch 4090 of the fifth receiver 4115 closes around the second vertical locating bar 3074, and the inner latch 4092 of the seventh receiver 4117 closes around the first vertical locating bar 3072. Although not shown in this view, the sixth receiver element 4116 also interacts with the first vertical alignment rod 3072 and closes around it. In addition, the eighth receiving element 4018 cooperates with the second vertical positioning rod 3074 and closes around it.

While in FIG. 53-56 illustrate the process of mounting the battery assembly to the vehicle chassis by locking it in place, it should be understood that the reverse process may be used during removal. Thus, to remove the battery assembly, any locking mechanisms closed around the mounting pins can be opened to release the battery assembly. When the battery assembly is released, a lever mechanism can be actuated to lower it to the ground.

Embodiments may include means for offline alignment of the battery assembly as it is installed on the vehicle. In some embodiments, autonomous alignment may occur in one direction (eg, vertical alignment relative to a vehicle). In other embodiments, autonomous alignment may occur in two or more directions at the same time (eg, horizontal and vertical alignment).

In FIG. 57-58 show schematic views of the battery assembly aligned with the vertical direction. In particular, in FIG. 57-58 show a schematic side view of some of the components of the vehicle 100, including the first receptacle 4111 and the third receptacle 4113, as they interact with the node 3000 batteries.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 57, the battery assembly 3000 is displaced with respect to the first receiver 4111 and the third receiver 4113. When the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 come into contact with the first receiver 4111 and the third receiver 4113, respectively, movement of said bars is directed downward toward the central area of the receiving elements. For example, when the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 is pressed against the sloped surface 4170 of the first receiver 4111, the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 may slide downward as it approaches the central region 4172 of the first receiver 4111. Similarly, when the lower horizontal locating bar 3024 pressed against the sloped surface 4174 of the third receiver 4113, the lower horizontal alignment bar 3024 can slide down as it approaches the central region 4176 of the third receiver 4113.

In accordance with FIG. 58, the first receptacle 4111 and the third receptacle 4113 extend further until the battery assembly 3000 is properly aligned with the vertical position. At this point, the locking mechanisms may close around the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024, respectively, to secure the battery assembly 3000 to the vehicle chassis.

Although in FIG. 57-58 illustrate the offline alignment process when the battery assembly 3000 is located at a higher vertical position than the desired alignment end position, it should be understood that a similar process occurs when the battery assembly 3000 is located at a lower vertical position than the alignment end position. .

In FIG. 59-60 show schematic views of the battery assembly aligned with the horizontal direction (specifically, the width direction) of the vehicle 100. In particular, FIG. 59-60 are schematic side views of some of the components of the vehicle 100, including the fifth receptacle 4115 and the seventh receptacle 4117, as they interact with the battery assembly 3000.

Initially, as shown in FIG. 59, the battery assembly 3000 is offset from the fifth receiver 4115 and the seventh receiver 4117. In particular, the battery assembly 3000 is horizontally offset with a vertical offset 4310 from the desired alignment boundary 4300.

When the first vertical positioning bar 3072 and the second vertical positioning bar 3074 come into contact with the fifth receiving element 4115 and the seventh receiving element 4117, respectively, the movement of the rods is directed horizontally towards the center region of the receiving elements. For example, when the second vertical locating bar 3074 is pressed against the beveled surface 4180 of the fifth receiver 4115, the second vertical locating bar 3074 can slide horizontally as it approaches the central region 4182 of the fifth receiver 4115. Similarly, when the first vertical locating bar 3072 is pressed against the bevelled surface 4184 of the seventh receiver 4117, the first vertical alignment bar 3072 can slide horizontally as it approaches the central region 4186 of the seventh receiver 4117.

In accordance with FIG. 60, the fifth receptacle 4115 and the seventh receptacle 4117 extend further until the battery assembly 3000 is properly aligned with the horizontal position. At this point, the locking mechanisms may close around the first vertical locating bar 3072 and the second vertical locating bar 3074, respectively, to secure the battery assembly 3000 to the vehicle chassis. In some other embodiments, the fifth receptacle 4115 and the seventh receptacle 4117 may not contain locking mechanisms.

Although in FIG. 59-60 illustrate the offline alignment process when the battery assembly 3000 is displaced horizontally in a first direction (eg, to the left) from the desired alignment end position, it should be understood that a similar process occurs when the assembly 3000 is displaced horizontally in a second direction (eg, to the right) from final alignment position.

As noted above, alignment of the battery assembly occurs when the horizontal and/or vertical bars on the battery assembly are pushed in a horizontal direction towards the vehicle by lever mechanisms lifting the battery assembly and pulling it towards the receiver array. Any displacement of the battery assembly in the vertical or horizontal directions can be autonomously corrected by the bevelled side walls of the receiving elements, configured to guide the vertical and horizontal positions of the battery assembly into proper alignment. Accordingly, proper alignment allows the horizontal locating bars (and/or vertical locating bars) to be locked in place, thereby locking the battery cage in place on the vehicle chassis.

In various embodiments, the tolerance in the vertical and horizontal positions may vary. Thus, the degree of allowable displacement of the battery frame in the horizontal or vertical directions may change as it approaches the group of receiving elements. In general, this tolerance may be determined by various factors, including the dimensions of each receiving element, as well as the specific geometric shape of the side walls made with

- 22 040328 the ability to guide the setting rods to a centered position.

It is understood that in some embodiments, one or more receiver elements may be optional. In some other embodiments, for example, the second receiver element group 4030 may be replaced by an alignment element. Unlike the receptacles, which may (additionally) contain means to lock the rod in place, the aligners may only be provided to facilitate alignment, not to lock.

In FIG. 61 shows an alternate embodiment of vehicle 100 that lacks receptacles for engaging with the vertically aligned mounting bars of the battery assembly. Instead, vehicle 100 includes a group of leveling elements 4502 attached to the chassis of vehicle 100. Said group of leveling elements 4502 includes a first leveling element 4511, a second leveling element 4512, a third leveling element 4513, and a fourth leveling element 4514.

The first alignment element 4511 contains a block of material with a V-shaped cut. This creates opposite beveled surfaces that converge at a central location. As with the chamfered surfaces of the receiving elements described above, the chamfered surfaces of the leveling elements can push the vertical locating bars into a centered position with respect to the horizontal direction. As shown in the drawing, the second leveling element 4512, the third leveling element 4513 and the fourth leveling element 4514 have a similar geometric shape to the first leveling element 4511.

In FIG. 61 also shows a group of receptacles 4560 for securing horizontal locating rods. The specified group of receiving elements 4560 contains the first receiving element 4561, the second receiving element 4562, the third receiving element 4563 and the fourth receiving element 4564.

The group of receptacles 4560 may have a design slightly different from that of the receptacle shown in FIG. 51-52. The receptacles contemplated here may be associated with any type of known locking mechanism that can be used for horizontal mounting bars on a battery assembly. In some cases, the group of receiving elements 4560 may contain hydraulically actuated locking mechanisms.

In this configuration, alignment members may be used to help align the battery assembly with respect to the horizontal direction, since the receiving elements align the battery assembly with respect to the vertical direction. In addition, the receptacles may include locking mechanisms for locking the battery assembly in place.

Both the receiving elements and the leveling elements may have grooved openings. Each hole can be associated with a receiving direction. The receiving direction is related to the orientation of the elongated element, which can be placed inside the grooved hole. For example, returning to FIG. 51, the receiving direction of the receiving element 4400 is a direction passing between the notch 4424 and the notch 4426 and parallel to the locating bar 4450.

As shown in FIG. 61, alignment elements (eg, alignment element 4511 and alignment element 4512) and receiver elements (eg, receiver 4561 and receiver 4562) have non-parallel receiver directions. In particular, the receiving directions (ie, orientations of the grooved holes) of the alignment elements and the receiving elements are shown approximately perpendicular to each other.

The present embodiments provide an insertion and removal device that not only places the battery assembly on the vehicle, but also integrates the battery cage into the vehicle's chassis. This is achieved through the use of a pre-installed locking mechanism that grips the battery cage once it has been lifted into position by the drive unit.

In FIG. 62 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a vehicle 100 with a battery assembly 3000 mounted on a chassis 4600 of the vehicle 100. 4604 are fixed to the upper horizontal locating bar 3022 and the lower horizontal locating bar 3024, respectively. Although not shown in this side view, the battery assembly 3000 may also be coupled to the chassis 4600 with additional receivers cooperating with the horizontal mounting bars and/or with additional receivers (or leveling members) cooperating with the first vertical locating bar 3072 and/or the second vertical locating bar 3074 of the battery assembly 3000.

Locking the battery assembly 3000 in place with the receiver array prevents the battery assembly 3000 from moving relative to the chassis 4600. This helps to minimize any gap in the mechanical connection between the battery assembly 3000 and the chassis 4600 of the vehicle 100 to achieve proper load transfer when subjected to any external

-

Claims (16)

forces. As an example, in FIG. 62 shows an exemplary situation where a direct impact force 4610 is applied to the front side 3009 of the battery frame 3002. Since the battery assembly 3000 has been secured using a preloaded locking mechanism, these forces can be transmitted from the battery frame 3002 through the receiver 4602 and the receiver 4604 to 4600 chassis without any structural damage occurring at the attachment point. Although various embodiments of the invention have been described, this description is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, and it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other embodiments and implementations are possible and fall within the scope of the said invention. Any element of any embodiment may be replaced by another element of any other embodiment, or added to another embodiment, unless expressly excluded. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims. CLAIM 1. An electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis and a longitudinal axis and comprising: a battery frame configured to be installed on and removed from an electric vehicle, wherein the battery frame is configured to hold the battery pack and contains at least one mounting element in the form of a rod, and a receiving element for receiving the battery frame attached to the chassis of the electric vehicle means and having a leveling part having a grooved hole and designed to guide the installation element of the battery frame into place, and a fixing part containing a locking mechanism and designed to secure the battery frame in place, characterized in that the battery frame is made with the possibility of installation on the outer surface of the electric vehicle and removal from it, and the receiving element is attached to the chassis of the electric vehicle along the outer surface of the specified vehicle, and the specified at least one installation element ka the battery frame is configured to be placed in the grooved hole of the leveling part of the receiving element and secured by the locking mechanism to the fixing part of the receiving element when the battery frame is installed on the outer surface of the vehicle. 2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the battery frame is installed on the electric vehicle, the receiving member aligns the battery assembly along a direction parallel to the height axis. 3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the battery frame is installed on the electric vehicle, the receiving member aligns the battery assembly along a direction parallel to the width direction. 4. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the locking portion is hydraulically actuated. 5. An electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis and a longitudinal axis and containing: a battery frame configured to be installed on and removed from an electric vehicle, wherein the battery frame is configured to hold the battery pack and comprises a rod-like leveling component and a V-groove leveling element attached to the frame of the electric vehicle and intended for guiding the leveling component of the battery frame to a place, characterized in that the battery frame is configured to be installed on the outer surface of the electric vehicle and removed from it, and the specified leveling component of the battery frame is configured to be placed in the V-shaped groove of the leveling element and engage leveling element when installing the battery frame on the outer surface of the vehicle. 6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein the leveling component is a vertical leveling bar. 7. The electric vehicle according to claim 5, which includes a receiving element attached to the chassis of the electric vehicle and having a leveling part and a fixing part, and the battery frame contains a second leveling component, configured to be engaged by the receiving element when the battery frame is installed on the vehicle. - 24 040328 remedy. 8. The electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the leveling member has a first grooved opening and the receiving member has a second grooved opening, the first grooved opening opening in a direction different from the direction in which the second grooved opening opens. 9. The electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the first grooved opening opens in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the second grooved opening opens. 10. An electric vehicle having a height axis, a width axis and a longitudinal axis and containing: a battery frame configured to be installed on and removed from an electric vehicle, wherein the battery frame is configured to hold the battery pack and contains a first rod-shaped mounting element and a second rod-shaped mounting element, a first receiving element for receiving the battery frame, attached to the chassis of an electric vehicle, located in the first vertical position on the chassis and containing the receiving cavity, and the second receiving element for receiving the battery frame attached to the chassis, located in the second vertical position on the chassis and containing the receiving cavity, while the first position along vertical position essentially differs from the second vertical position, characterized in that the battery frame is configured to be installed on the outer surface of the electric vehicle and removed from it, and the specified first installation element of the battery frame is n with the possibility of placing the first receiving element in the receiving cavity and engaging with the first receiving element when installing the battery frame on the outer surface of the vehicle, and the second mounting element of the battery frame is configured to place the second receiving element in the receiving cavity and engaging with the second receiving element when installing the battery frame on the outer surface of the vehicle. 11. The electric vehicle of claim 10, which has a third receptacle attached to the chassis, the third receptacle being positioned in a first vertical position, offset horizontally from the first receptacle, and configured to engage with the first battery frame mounting member. 12. The electric vehicle of claim 11, which has a fourth receptacle attached to the chassis, the fourth receptacle being positioned in a first second position, horizontally offset from the third receptacle, and configured to engage with a second battery frame mounting member. 13. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first positioning member is a first horizontal bar and the second positioning member is a second horizontal bar, the first horizontal bar being vertically offset from the second vertical bar. 14. The electric vehicle of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second receivers has a locking mechanism for locking the first horizontal bar in place relative to the chassis. 15. The electric vehicle of claim 13, wherein each of the third and fourth receiving members has a locking mechanism for locking the second horizontal bar in place relative to the chassis. 16. The electric vehicle according to claim 10, wherein each of the first and second receiving members has a leveling portion for aligning the first horizontal bar in a height direction. -