EA044773B1 - BATTERY LOADING MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC MINING LOADING AND DELIVERY MACHINE - Google Patents

Description

Cross reference to related applications

This application relates to Joint U.S. Patent Application No. 16/434,390, entitled Electric Mine Loading and Hauling Machine (Patent Attorney File No. 123-1086), U.S. Patent Application No. 16/434,400, entitled Electric Power Distribution System and Method for Mine Electrical machine (Patent Attorney File No. 123-1088), and U.S. Patent Application No. 16/434405 entitled Detachable Tow Hook Brake Release System (Patent Attorney File No. 123-1089), all of which were filed simultaneously on June 7, 2019. and each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The technical field to which the invention relates.

This invention relates generally to electrical machines and vehicles and in particular to electrical machines and vehicles used in underground mines.

2. Description of the state of the art.

For an overview of underground mining equipment and a general description of electric mining vehicles, see U.S. Patent No. 9994117, published June 12, 2018, entitled System and Method for Supplying Power for Mining, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. This invention relates to high-power electrical machines or vehicles that can operate in continuous operation, for example in an underground mine. The battery packs used in electric mining machines are high-power, heavy-duty battery packs made up of multiple battery modules housed within a pack housing. Each module is composed of several elements. The modules are equipped with a group of working sensors and are made with electronic components for transmitting data from these sensors to a separate service network. Sensors may include temperature sensors, timing devices, charge level sensing devices, and other monitoring devices that can be used to provide the operational control center with accurate real-time and historical performance information about the module. Details of typical battery packs and battery management systems, and the generation and monitoring of related data, can be found in joint US Patent No. 9960396, published May 1, 2018, entitled Modular Backbone System, and US Patent No. 10063069, published August 28, 2018 and entitled Modular Maintenance System, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Co-pending joint US Patent Application No. 15/980314, filed May 15, 2018, entitled Electric Powered Mining Vehicle, US Patent Application No. 15/908794, filed February 28, 2018, entitled Electric Mining Truck , U.S. Patent Application No. 15/908,799, filed Feb. 28, 2018, and entitled Installation and Removal System for a Removable Power Supply, U.S. Patent Application No. 15/908,802, filed Feb. 28, 2018, and entitled Installation and Removal Method and System batteries in a vehicle, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15/908804, filed February 28, 2018 and entitled Alignment and Locking Mechanism for a Removable Power Supply, describes electric mining machines, batteries and equipment for underground mines, and its contents are included in its entirety into this document by reference.

The essence of the invention

In one aspect, the removable power supply installation and removal system is attached to the vehicle chassis and includes a rack member. The rack element contains a lifting part configured to interact with a removable power source. The system also contains an actuator for lifting the rack element. The post element has a lowest position and a highest position. The post member moves along a linear direction between the lowest position and the highest position.

According to another aspect, a system for replacing removable power supplies includes an installation and removal system. The installation and dismantling system contains a rack element with a lifting part and an actuator for lifting the rack element. The system for replacing removable power supplies also includes a removable power supply, further comprising an outer housing with a shaft. The lifting part is configured to interact with said shaft, and the actuator ensures movement of the rack element in a linear direction between the lowest position and the highest position.

According to yet another aspect, the vehicle includes a removable power supply for supplying power to the vehicle, the power supply comprising an outer housing with a shaft, an on-board installation and removal system for raising and lowering the removable power source, and an installation and removal system. The installation and dismantling system additionally contains a rack element with a lifting part and an actuator for lifting the rack element

- 1 044773 along the straight line between the lowest position and the highest position.

The lifting portion interacts with the shaft to raise and lower the removable power supply.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and advantages are intended to be covered by this description and the spirit of the invention and are intended to be within the scope of the invention and protected by the claims below.

Brief description of drawings

The invention may become better understood in light of the following drawings and description. Components shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead, emphasis is placed on explaining the principles of the invention. In addition, in the various views shown in the drawings, similar reference numbers indicate corresponding parts.

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of an electric loading and delivery vehicle according to an embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 1, with the removable power supply removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the installation and removal system for the vehicle shown in FIG. 1.

Fig. 4 to 7 are schematic views illustrating the installation sequence of the removable power supply on a vehicle according to the embodiment.

Fig. 8 to 10 are schematic views showing a range of positions for the removable power supply in which the removable power supply can be installed in any case according to the embodiment.

Fig. 11, 12 are schematic views illustrating the operation of the locking device for the installation and removal system shown in FIG. 3-7.

Detailed description

Electric mining machines are usually powered by on-board battery packs. These machines may be load-and-haul (LHD) machines, roofing machines, screening machines, scrapers, rock crushers, cutters, mining trucks, or a combination thereof. In general, electric mining vehicles are heavy-duty vehicles designed to operate in harsh underground environments and confined spaces, powered by an on-board battery or other power source. Typically, machines have a working end, heavy-duty wheels and tires, an operator area, controls, and may contain a removable power source mounted on board the machine.

The present invention is directed to an installation and removal system for a removable power source, such as a removable battery assembly. Using a removable power supply allows you to quickly change power sources in the vehicle rather than waiting for the power supply to recharge. This saves time and increases work efficiency, especially in underground mining. Power supplies for electric vehicles, such as batteries, can be very heavy and cannot be installed or removed by a human operator. The typical system contains elements that enable automatic installation and removal of a removable power supply in a vehicle without the need for a separate, external lifting and lowering system. The system uses a lift strut assembly to raise and lower a removable power source (such as a battery pack) vertically. By moving the removable power supply only in the vertical direction, the system can help reduce the likelihood of the removable power supply rotating or tilting during installation or removal. Additionally, by lifting and lowering only in the vertical direction, collisions between the removable power supply and the vehicle in the horizontal direction, which can occur with some battery lift systems that simultaneously move the battery up and toward the vehicle, can be eliminated. The system also includes hook-shaped lifting parts and hook-shaped holding elements that are oriented in opposite directions. Lifting portions receive grip members (eg rods) located on the removable power source and cause the removable power source to be lifted until the holding members grip said grip members from above. Because the typical system described below and illustrated in the drawings does not require manual alignment of the removable power supply to the vehicle prior to installation, the system facilitates the transition to fully autonomous mine vehicles.

In fig. 1 is a schematic view of an electrically powered mine vehicle 100. In this exemplary embodiment, vehicle 100 may be a load-and-handle (LHD) mine vehicle. However, in other options

- 2 044773 implementation of the elements described below can be built into various other types of electric vehicles.

The vehicle 100 may include standard components for a mine vehicle, such as wheels 110 and a bucket 112. The vehicle 100 may also include elements for driving wheels 110 and a bucket 112. In addition, the vehicle 100 is provided with various standard mechanisms and capabilities, related to means of transportation, such as a passenger cabin 116 for one or more operators.

For reference, the vehicle 100 may be associated with three different axles. Said axes include a longitudinal axis 150 extending in the longitudinal dimension of the vehicle 100, a transverse axis 152 extending in the transverse dimension of the vehicle 100, and a vertical axis 154 extending in the height dimension of the vehicle 100. The transverse axis 152 may extend between opposing side surfaces of the vehicle 100, while a vertical axis 154 extends between the opposing bottom and top surfaces of the vehicle 100.

Embodiments may include a removable power supply that provides power to one or more electric motors of the vehicle 100. As used herein, the term removable power supply refers to any kind of power supply that can be replaced. In one embodiment, the removable power supply includes an assembly of battery packs. A battery pack assembly contains two or more battery packs. As used herein, the term battery pack generally refers to multiple battery modules housed in a heavy-duty housing. Each module is made up of several battery cells. Thus, a battery pack also refers to a collection of individual battery cells. The battery cells and therefore the modules are operatively connected to each other as described in the above-mentioned pending applications. In some embodiments, the battery pack assembly may also include a housing or housing (such as a box) or similar container for housing individual battery packs together. More broadly, a removable power supply may include a housing or housing for housing and supporting a power device, such as a battery, motor, or other power source.

In various embodiments, the battery pack may contain any suitable type of battery cells. Examples of battery cells include capacitors, ultracapacitors, and electrochemical cells. Examples of electrochemical cells are primary (eg, disposable) and secondary (eg, rechargeable) cells. Examples of secondary electrochemical cells are lead acid cells, valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) cells, gel cells, absorbent glass fiber (AGM) cells, nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride ( NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion) and other similar elements. The battery cell can have different voltage levels. In particular, in some cases, two different battery cells from a battery pack may have different voltage levels. Likewise, a battery cell may have different levels of energy capacity. In particular, in some cases, two different battery cells from a battery pack may have different capacity levels.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the vehicle 100 is configured with a removable power supply 130. The bucket 112 may be located at the first end 140 of the vehicle 100, while the removable power source 130 may be located at the second end 142. In other embodiments, the removable power source 130 may be attached to another portion of the vehicle 100.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the removable power supply 130 includes two battery packs. These units include a first battery pack 132 and a second battery pack 134. The first battery pack 132 and the second battery pack 134 may be arranged side by side. In addition, the first block 132 and the second block 134 are located inside the battery compartment 136.

The removable power supply 130 may be detachably attached to the vehicle 100. As used herein, removably attached refers to two components that are connected to each other but can be separated without destroying either component. Those. components can be separated from each other in a non-destructive manner. Examples of detachable attachment methods include connections made using removable fasteners, latches, locks, hooks, magnetic connections, and other types of connections.

In fig. 2 is a schematic view of the vehicle 100 with the removable power supply 130 removed. To facilitate replacement of removable power supplies, the vehicle 100 includes an installation and removal system 200, also referred to simply as the system 200. The installation and removal system 200 is attached to the chassis 101 (or frame) of the vehicle 100. In other words, the system 200 is integrated into the vehicle 100.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the removable power supply 130 includes an upper shaft 250 and a lower shaft 252.

- 3 044773

As shown in FIG. 2-3, each of said shafts may include a rod or tube that extends horizontally along one side of the battery compartment 136. The system 200 may include members designed to interact with said shafts and use them to lift and hold the removable power supply 130 in place. close to vehicle 100.

In fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the installation and removal system 200. According to FIG. 3, system 200 includes a lift strut assembly 220 and a set of retaining members 222. For purposes of illustration, portions of the lift strut assembly 220 are shown in FIG. 2, 3 with shading to distinguish the lift strut assembly from the retaining elements. Assembly 220 includes a pair of post members, specifically a first post member 232 and a second post member 234. Each post member is composed of two lifting portions. The first post member 232 includes a first upper lift portion 240 and a first lower lift portion 242. The second post member includes a second upper lift portion 244 and a second lower lift portion 246.

The rack elements are arranged to provide four points of contact with the removable power supply. The post members may be spaced horizontally (eg, along the transverse axis 152 of the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1). In addition, the lifting portions of each post member may be mounted at a different vertical height (eg, relative to the vertical axis 154 of the vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 1). With this arrangement, the first upper lift portion 240 and the second upper lift portion 244 are configured to interact with and lift the upper shaft 250 of the removable power supply 130. Likewise, the first lower lifting portion 242 and the second lower lifting portion 246 are configured to interact with and lift the lower shaft 252 of the removable power supply 130.

Each lifting portion is shaped and constructed in such a way that it provides support for a portion of the shaft during the raising and lowering of the post members. For this purpose, each lifting part can be shaped like a hook. As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first upper lift portion 240 has a curved geometric configuration with a concave engagement surface 302. When the upper lift portion 240 engages a shaft (eg, a rod), the shaft slides down into the U-shaped opening defined by the concave surface 302. This ensures that the shaft is prevented from becoming detached from the shaft. lifting strut assembly 220 or its falling out of said assembly. It can be seen that each of the remaining lifting parts has a similar hook-like shape, which helps to support the shafts when interacting with them and lifting them. Additionally, this concave shape helps guide the shafts (and removable power supply) toward the vehicle chassis 101 as the concave surfaces slope downward toward the vehicle.

The strut members of the lift strut assembly 220 may be actuated by one or more hydraulic cylinders that raise and lower the strut members. In the views shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hydraulic cylinders are hidden by the frame and/or chassis of the vehicle 100. However, in the schematic side views shown in FIGS. 4-7, a hydraulic cylinder 440 is shown that can be used to raise and lower the first post member 232. In some cases, each post member is actuated by a separate hydraulic cylinder. The movements of the hydraulic cylinders may be coordinated such that the first post member 232 and the second post member 234 are raised and lowered together. In some cases, the first post member 232 and the second post member 234 may be coupled by another component (not shown) to allow both post members to be driven by a single hydraulic cylinder.

A set of retaining members 222 may be used to hold the removable power supply in place after it is installed on the vehicle 100. As seen in FIG. 3, retaining elements 222 may be attached (directly or indirectly) to chassis 101. In a typical embodiment, a set of retaining elements 222 comprises eight retaining elements. These include a first upper retaining element 271, a second upper retaining element 272, a third upper retaining element 273, a fourth upper retaining element 274, a first lower retaining element 275, a second lower retaining element 276, a third lower retaining element 277 and a fourth lower retaining element 278 .

Unlike the lifting parts, which are raised and lowered, the holding members are secured in place on the vehicle 100. Additionally, the holding members are positioned to help lock the removable power supply shafts in place once the rack members are raised to their highest vertical position. Specifically, the first upper retaining member 271, the second upper holding member 272, the third upper holding member 273, and the fourth upper holding member 274 have a general vertical position that is close to the highest vertical position of the first upper lift portion 240 and the second upper lift portion. 244. Likewise, the first lower retaining element 275, the second lower retaining element 276, the third lower retaining element 277, and the fourth lower retaining element 278 have a general vertical position close to the

- 4 044773 high vertical position of the first lower lifting part 242 and the second lower lifting part 246.

The retaining elements 222 may have a geometric configuration that helps secure the shafts of the removable power supply in place. For this purpose, each holding element can be hook-shaped. As an example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first upper retaining member 271 has a curved geometric configuration with a concave engagement surface 304. Moreover, the concave surface 304 is oriented in a downward direction. This inverted orientation, as compared to the upward orientation of the lifting portions (e.g., the first upper lifting portion 240), allows the shafts to slide into the U-shaped opening defined by the concave surface 302.

The concave geometric configurations of the lifting portions and retaining members cooperate to provide full encirclement of the retaining members when the strut members are raised to their highest positions. This arrangement is best illustrated by the schematic diagram shown in FIG. 7, where the removable power supply 130 is shown in its final installation position on the vehicle 100. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the first upper retaining member 271 and the first upper lift portion 240 prevent the upper shaft 250 from moving in substantially any radial (or non-axial) direction. Likewise, the first lower retaining member 275 and the first lower lift portion 242 prevent the lower shaft 252 from moving in substantially any radial direction.

It can be seen that each of the remaining retaining elements has a similar inverted hook-shaped geometric configuration that assists in securing the shafts in place when the removable power source is raised to its highest position. Although embodiments use a total of eight retaining elements, including four retaining elements interconnected with the upper shaft and four retaining elements interconnected with the lower shaft, other embodiments may use a different number of retaining elements. For example, in some embodiments, only two upper retaining elements and two lower retaining elements may be used.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, system 200 may include a locking device 290 to secure the lift stand in place and prevent the removable power supply from unintentionally lowering during installation. The locking device 290 includes a first hydraulic cylinder 291 and a second hydraulic cylinder 292, as well as a first locking bracket 293 and a second locking bracket 294. Each hydraulic cylinder can be actuated to extend a locking pin. The locking pin can be inserted through the holes in the retaining brackets as well as the hole in the top of each post, as described in more detail below.

System 200 may include one or more horizontal alignment elements. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include one or more receiving elements configured to interact with parts of the battery compartment during installation. As best seen in FIG. 2, system 200 may include a first horizontal receiving element 280 and a second horizontal receiving element 282. Referring to FIG. 10 shows a top view of said receiving elements. Each horizontal receiving element has a tapered recess that can be interacted with by a vertically oriented element (eg, rod or tube) of the battery compartment 136. These elements are discussed in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 10.

In fig. 4-7 are schematic views illustrating a possible method of using the installation and removal system to install a removable power supply on a vehicle. In particular, in FIG. 4-7 illustrate how the first rack member 232 (or simply rack member 232) interacts with, lifts, and installs the removable power supply 130 onto the chassis 101 of the vehicle 100. In the side views shown in FIGS. 4-7, the second post member 234 is not visible, however, it is clear that said post member 234 operates in the same manner as the first post member 232. As schematically shown in FIG. 4-7, raising and lowering the first post member 232 may be accomplished by a hydraulic cylinder 440.

According to FIG. 4, to install the removable power source 130, the vehicle 100 may approach said power source 130. The removable power source 130 may be located on the ground surface 430. To interact with the power source 130, the first rack member 232 and the second rack member 234 (not shown in the drawing) are positioned in the lowest position 400. When the rack members are in the lowest position, the lifting portions of each rack member may extend under the shafts of the battery compartment 136 As can be seen from Fig. 5, when the vehicle 100 is located directly adjacent to the power source 130, the first upper lift portion 240 of the first strut member 232 may be located below the upper shaft 250. In addition, the first lower lift portion 242 of the first strut member 232 may be located below the lower shaft 252 .

- 5 044773

At this stage the rack members can be raised, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 6. Specifically, the hydraulic cylinder 440 extends to lift the first post member 232. When the first post member 232 is raised, the first upper lift portion 240 and the first lower lift portion 242 interact with the upper shaft 250 and the lower shaft 252, respectively. After engagement, the first an upper lift portion 240 and a first lower lift portion 242 enable the removable power supply 130 to be lifted from the ground 430. Although FIG. 6, not shown, the lift portions of the second post member 234 may also simultaneously engage and lift the upper and lower shafts so that there are four points of contact between the lift post assembly 220 (see FIG. 3) and the removable power source 130.

The first post member 232 continues to be raised by the hydraulic cylinder 440 until the first post member 232 (and the second post member 234) reaches its highest position 702, as shown in FIG. 7. Additionally, when the first post member 232 reaches said highest position, the shafts are raised to engage the concave openings of the holding members. For example, the upper shaft 250 is located within the concave opening of the first upper retaining element 271. In addition, the lower shaft 252 is located within the concave opening of the first lower retaining element 275.

As can be seen from Fig. 7, the shafts are fixed with an arrangement between the lifting parts (located at the bottom) and the holding elements (located at the top). The geometric configurations of the lifting parts and holding elements form overlapping arcs that prevent the shafts from moving in substantially any radial direction (ie, in any direction perpendicular to the axis of the tubular shafts).

Once the rack members are in their highest (i.e., mounting) position, a locking device can be used to prevent the rack members from unintentionally sliding down. For better understanding, Fig. 11, 12 show a schematic front view of the elements of the locking device and parts of each post element. Specifically, when the first post member 232 and the second post member 234 are not at their highest positions, the first locking pin 1102 of the first hydraulic cylinder 291 and the second locking pin 1104 of the second hydraulic cylinder 292 are retracted, as shown in FIG. 11. When the rack members are raised to their highest position, as shown in FIG. 12, the locking pins are extended through the brackets and post members. Specifically, the first locking pin 1102 extends through opposing holes of the first locking bracket 293, as well as through the locking hole 1202 (shown in dotted line) of the first post member 232. In addition, the second locking pin 1104 passes through the opposing holes of the second locking bracket 294, as well as through a blocking hole 1204 (shown in dotted line) of the second post member 234. Locking pins inserted into the blocking holes of each post member prevent the lift post assembly from lowering.

It should be understood that a process similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used to remove the removable power supply. 4-7. In particular, the locking device can be released (ie the locking pins are retracted). The lift strut assembly can then be lowered, releasing the shafts from the retaining members. As the lift strut assembly is lowered further, the removable power supply contacts the ground and the lift parts can become detached from the shafts as they move down. Finally, the vehicle can be hoisted away from the removable power source, with the lifting parts positioned low enough not to interact with the shafts.

As can be seen from Fig. 5-7, each post member moves substantially along a straight direction. Here, the straight direction is a vertical direction parallel to the vertical axis 154 of the vehicle 100. By limiting the movement of the removable power supply to a substantially straight (e.g., vertical) path, the installation and removal system of the embodiments can help reduce the likelihood of the removable power supply rotating or tilting. during the ascent. Additionally, since the removable power supply only moves in the vertical direction, the retaining elements may be locked in their positions and do not snap into place once the shafts have been raised to their highest position. This allows retaining elements to be integrated into the chassis or other supporting structures of the vehicle without the use of fasteners that can fail under high loads.

In mining conditions, the ground surface may be uneven. This means that when attempting to install or remove a battery assembly using 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's wheels are located. Some embodiments of the vehicle may include means to allow the batteries to be installed or removed on an uneven surface.

The installation and removal system described above and illustrated in FIG. 1-7, provides transportation

- 6 044773 the ability to install a removable power source, even if said source is not located on a perfectly flat surface at the same level as the vehicle wheels. For example, as can be seen from FIG. 8, the lift strut assembly 220, when in its lowest position, can communicate with a removable power supply 802 that is located a distance 810 below the ground level 800. In some embodiments, the distance 810 may be approximately 3.5 inches (8.89 cm). In addition, as can be seen from FIG. 8, the lift strut assembly 220, at its highest position, can communicate with a removable power supply 804 that is located a distance 812 above the ground level 800. In some embodiments, the distance 812 may be approximately 8.5 inches (21.59 cm). These allowable vertical displacement limits for the removable power supply allow the vehicle 100 to install removable power supplies on uneven surfaces that are often found in underground mining tunnels.

As can be seen from Fig. 9, the installation and removal system also provides the ability to install a removable power supply even if said source is not level with the ground or other horizontal surface. For example, when the lift strut assembly 220 is in an intermediate position, the lift portions may engage the shafts of the removable power supply 902, which is inclined downward relative to the flat surface 920 by an offset angle 930. In particular, the upper shaft 250 interacts with the upper lift portion 240, while the lower shaft 252 interacts with the lower lift portion 242. In some embodiments, the angle 930 may be approximately 6°. In addition, as can be seen from FIG. 9, the lifting portions may engage the shafts of a removable power supply 902 that is tilted upward relative to a flat surface 922 by an offset angle 932. In some embodiments, angle 932 may be approximately 6°. These acceptable limits for the angular orientation of the removable power supply allow the vehicle 100 to install removable power supplies on sloping ground surfaces that may be encountered in mining tunnels.

As described above, vehicle 100 may include means to facilitate horizontal alignment of the removable power supply. In fig. 10 is a schematic top view of a portion of the vehicle 100 including a first horizontal receiving member 280 and a second horizontal receiving member 282. These receiving members facilitate horizontal alignment by grasping vertically oriented members (such as rods or supports) of the removable power supply and guiding said members toward a central area when the vehicle comes into contact with the removable power source. In this exemplary embodiment, the removable power supply 130 may be offset by a distance 1002 in the horizontal direction, with the first vertical shaft 1010 still interacting with the first horizontal receiving member 280 and the second vertical shaft 1012 interacting with the second horizontal receiving member 282. In some embodiments, the distance 1002 may be approximately 2.5 inches (6.35 cm). This arrangement provides a certain tolerance for horizontal alignment between the vehicle 100 and the removable power supply 130 as the vehicle approaches it.

Although the present invention primarily describes an on-board, removable battery, it should be understood that other power sources may be used within this principle. Specifically, the energy device being replaced may be a battery, another type of battery, a generator, a fuel engine, or a transition device for any existing energy infrastructure. It should also be understood that the system can be used with any combination of devices such as batteries, adapters, etc. Additionally, it should be understood that the power source is compatible with and coupled to the drive system and the drive controller. The power source, whether a battery or current collector or other type of source, will be compatible with the specified drive system and controller. As described herein, the OCS (overhead catenary system) or rail may include wireless operation capabilities such as ground-level power delivery or on-board energy storage systems. While on-board power generation is a third option that is considered less proven, this could change with the use of hydrogen fuel cell technology. Any combination of energy systems is also within the scope of this invention. Power supply at ground level can be contact or non-contact. Contact power supply at ground level essentially uses an integrated third contact rail, which is commonly used in subway systems and which was used in some earlier tram line systems. Significantly improved versions of this technology can provide benefits in challenging environments where there are heavy loads due to heating or cooling requirements or the need to negotiate steep slopes that can quickly deplete the energy system's reserves.

Another type of infrastructure already in place is contactless power delivery at ground level using induction coils to power the vehicle. Typically, this energy transfer occurs only when the vehicle is

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Claims (17)

directly above the coils, and the range of operation of such a system can be extended by combining it with on-board energy storage, so that the coils do not necessarily have to be located along the entire length of the system. Onboard energy storage is an alternative or complement to ground level power supply. Energy storage mechanisms include batteries, capacitors, flywheel accumulators, and in some cases the use of kinetic energy generated by braking to improve system efficiency. A system that operates wirelessly over a limited area can often charge the on-board power supply while operating over a wired area. Longer periods of wireless operation may require you to drive to a charging station, which can result in significant waiting times. For example, in some tram systems, the programmed connection time to the station is sufficient to recharge the roof-mounted supercapacitors, which charge in a short period of time that is standard for the system's duty cycle. Generally, as used herein, the term electric vehicle refers to a vehicle that uses electrical energy to propel it in at least one operating mode. Thus, electric vehicles include fully electric vehicles (for example, a vehicle with a traction electric motor and only an on-board electrical energy storage device or a mechanism for receiving electrical energy from an external source, such as an overhead catenary or live rail), hybrid electric vehicles ( e.g., a vehicle having a traction motor, energy storage device, hydraulic propulsion system, and a fuel engine, fuel cell, or the like for recharging the energy storage device and/or directly generating power to operate the traction motor), dual-mode vehicles (e.g., a vehicle having an engine-only mode and an electric-only mode, or a vehicle having a first mode of operation in which electricity for propulsion is generated by the engine, and a second mode of operation in which electricity for propulsion is generated by another source), diesel-electric and other motor-electric vehicles (for example, a vehicle with an engine that generates electrical energy to operate a traction motor), as well as combinations and variants thereof. Electric vehicles may contain one or more traction motors, wherein the expression traction motor refers to a motor that is of sufficient size and power to move a vehicle of sufficient size to perform a given operation. In addition, equipment for interfacing with a vehicle located at roadside points may contain plug modules, for example, a vehicle is connected to a connector at a roadside point to receive electrical energy from it, a permanent power interface device with which the vehicle can receive external energy during movement, such as the above-mentioned overhead catenary or third catenary rail, etc. Although various embodiments of the invention have been described above, this description is to be considered illustrative and not limiting, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible without falling within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered limited except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims. CLAIM 1. A vehicle comprising a mounting and dismounting system for raising and lowering a removable power source comprising a horizontal rod, said system being attached to the chassis of the vehicle and comprising a post member configured to move along a linear direction between a lowest position and a highest position. position and containing a lifting part configured to interact with a horizontal rod of a removable power source; an actuator for moving the post member along a straight direction between the lowest position and the highest position; a holding element designed to interact with the horizontal rod of a removable power source when the rack element is in the highest position. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, in which the rack element is designed to allow movement relative to the holding element. 3. The vehicle according to claim 1, in which the lifting part has a concave interacting surface and the holding element has a concave interacting surface, and - 8 044773 the bent interacting surface of the lifting part is oriented in the vertical upward direction, and the concave interacting surface of the holding element is oriented in the vertical downward direction. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein when the post member is in its highest position, the concave interacting surface of the lifting portion surrounds a portion of the horizontal rod, and the concave interacting surface of the holding member surrounds another portion of the horizontal rod. 5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the horizontal rod of the removable power source has a central axis, wherein when the post member is in its highest position, the lifting portion and the holding member prevent the horizontal rod from moving substantially in a radial direction perpendicular to said central axis. 6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the horizontal bar of the removable power supply is a first horizontal bar, and the removable power source comprises a second horizontal bar located below the first bar, wherein the lifting portion is a first lifting portion, and the rack member includes a second lifting portion. a part located below the first lifting part and configured to interact with the second horizontal rod of the removable power source. 7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said retaining element is a first retaining element, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a second retaining element located below the first retaining element and configured to interact with the second horizontal rod of the removable power source when located rack element in the highest position. 8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said rack member is a first rack member, and said lifting portion is a first lifting portion, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a second rack member configured to move along a straight line between the most a low position and a highest position and comprising a second lifting portion configured to interact with a horizontal rod of the removable power supply. 9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said retaining element is a first retaining element, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a second retaining element configured to interact with the horizontal rod of the removable power source when the second rack element is in its highest position . 10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the horizontal bar of the removable power source is a first horizontal bar, and the removable power source includes a second horizontal bar located below the first bar, wherein the first post member includes a third lifting portion located below the first lifting portion. and made to interact with the second horizontal rod of the removable power source. 11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a third retaining element positioned below the first retaining element and configured to interact with the second horizontal rod of the removable power source when the first post element is in its highest position. 12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the second rack member includes a fourth lift portion located below the second lift portion and configured to cooperate with the second horizontal rod of the removable power supply. 13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a fourth retaining element located below the second retaining element and configured to interact with the second horizontal rod of the removable power source when the second post element is in its highest position. 14. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the actuator is also configured to move the second post member along a linear direction between the lowest position and the highest position. 15. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein said actuator is a first actuator, the installation and removal system comprising a second actuator configured to move the second post member along a linear direction between the lowest position and the highest position. 16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a hydraulically actuated locking pin, wherein the post member has an opening for receiving the lock pin when the post member is in its highest position. 17. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the installation and removal system comprises a first hydraulically actuated locking pin and a second hydraulically actuated locking pin, wherein the first post member has a first hole for receiving the first locking pin when the first post member is in the top position, and the second rack-mount -