U.S. patent application number 11/155273 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for apparatus and method for changing concomitantly conveyed bodies, in particular batteries, on a vehicle and a vehicle for this purpose.
Invention is credited to Bogelein, Rolf.
Application Number | 20050278920 11/155273 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34937443 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050278920 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bogelein, Rolf |
December 22, 2005 |
Apparatus and method for changing concomitantly conveyed bodies, in
particular batteries, on a vehicle and a vehicle for this
purpose
Abstract
On a concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus (10) having
a fitting station (12) and a removal station (14) for the purpose
of fitting at least one first concomitantly conveyed body (32),
preferably an energy store (32), particularly preferably a battery
(32), to a vehicle (50), in particular an industrial truck (50),
and, respectively, for the purpose of removing at least one second
concomitantly conveyed body (38), which is different from the first
concomitantly conveyed body (32), from the vehicle (50), the
fitting station (12) feeds the first concomitantly conveyed body
(32) to the vehicle (50) essentially in a concomitantly conveyed
body loading direction (V), and the second concomitantly conveyed
body (38) can be removed from the vehicle (50) by being displaced
in the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction (V') and fed
to the removal station (14).
Inventors: |
Bogelein, Rolf; (Crailsheim,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
EDWARDS & ANGELL, LLP
P.O. BOX 55874
BOSTON
MA
02205
US
|
Family ID: |
34937443 |
Appl. No.: |
11/155273 |
Filed: |
June 17, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/401.1 ;
29/730 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60L 53/80 20190201;
Y02T 10/70 20130101; B60L 50/66 20190201; Y10T 29/53135 20150115;
B60L 50/64 20190201; Y02P 90/60 20151101; B60L 2200/42 20130101;
Y02T 90/14 20130101; Y02T 10/7072 20130101; Y02T 90/12 20130101;
Y10T 29/49716 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/401.1 ;
029/730 |
International
Class: |
B21K 021/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 18, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 029 410.0 |
Claims
1. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus having a fitting
station for the purpose of fitting at least one first concomitantly
conveyed body, preferably an energy store, particularly preferably
a battery, to a vehicle, in particular an industrial truck, and a
removal station for the purpose of removing at least one second
concomitantly conveyed body, which is different from the first
concomitantly conveyed body, from the vehicle, it being possible
for a first concomitantly conveyed body to be fed to the vehicle
from the fitting station essentially in a concomitantly conveyed
body loading direction (V; V'), and it being possible for the
second concomitantly conveyed body to be removed from the vehicle
by being displaced in the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction (V; V') and for it to be fed to the removal station.
2. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the fitting station and the removal station are
arranged at a spacing from one another which extends in the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction (V; V') and which is
dimensioned such that the vehicle can be arranged, preferably
driven in and driven out, between the fitting station and removal
station.
3. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 2, wherein the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction
(V; V') extends essentially orthogonally with respect to a
longitudinal axis (L) of a vehicle, which is provided between the
fitting station and the removal station, and preferably also
extends essentially parallel to a vehicle standing area.
4. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the apparatus also has a vehicle receiving station
which is provided between the fitting station and removal station
and in which the vehicle can be arranged in a predetermined loading
position.
5. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 4, wherein the vehicle receiving station has at least one
stop means which is arranged such that the vehicle is located in
the loading position if a vehicle section, which is designed to
bear against the stop means, bears against the stop means.
6. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the fitting station has a drive device which is
designed to drive concomitantly conveyed bodies so as to move them
in the loading direction (V; V').
7. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the removal station has a conveying device which
is designed to drive concomitantly conveyed bodies so as to move
them in the loading direction (V).
8. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the at least one first concomitantly conveyed body
and the at least one second concomitantly conveyed body have
essentially the same design, and are preferably standardized.
9. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein a transportation path is provided between the
fitting station and the removal station and is designed to
transport concomitantly conveyed bodies between the fitting station
and removal station, in particular from the removal station to the
fitting station.
10. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the transportation path and/or at least one of the
station is designed to charge or fill a concomitantly conveyed body
in accordance with a storage property provided on it from a state
of lower storage charge to a state of higher storage charge.
11. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein a liquid filling apparatus for the purpose of
filling concomitantly conveyed bodies with liquid is provided on
the transportation path and/or at at least one of the fitting
station and removal station.
12. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein a charging apparatus for the purpose of charging
concomitantly conveyed bodies is provided on the transportation
path and/or at at least one of the fitting station and removal
station.
13. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 1, wherein the concomitantly conveyed body is an energy
store.
14. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 13, wherein the energy store is designed to store electrical
energy.
15. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 12, wherein the charging apparatus comprises sliding
contacts, preferably a sliding contact path, for the purpose of
making electrical contact with concomitantly conveyed bodies.
16. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 12, wherein an electrolyte circulating device is provided on
the transportation path and/or at at least one of the fitting
station and removal station.
17. Concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to
claim 11, wherein the liquid filling apparatus is a water filling
apparatus which is designed to fill concomitantly conveyed bodies
with water.
18. Vehicle, in particular an industrial truck, having at least one
concomitantly conveyed body, which can be fitted to the vehicle in
a carry-along position for the purpose of being carried along by
said vehicle and can be removed from said vehicle out of the
carry-along position, wherein the concomitantly conveyed body can
be brought into the carry-along position on the vehicle in a
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction (V, V') and can be
removed from the vehicle in essentially the same concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction (V; V').
19. Vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction (V; V') extends essentially
parallel to the transverse direction (Q) of the vehicle.
20. Vehicle according to claim 18, having a cutout into which a
concomitantly conveyed body can be inserted on one side of the
vehicle and out of which a concomitantly conveyed body can be
removed from the vehicle on the other side of the vehicle.
21. Vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the cutout passes
through the vehicle, preferably in the transverse direction (Q) of
the vehicle.
22. Vehicle according to claim 18, having a latching apparatus
which holds the concomitantly conveyed body on the vehicle such
that it is latched in a releasable manner.
23. Vehicle according to claim 22, wherein the latching apparatus
is designed such that it unlatches a latched concomitantly conveyed
body, which is provided on the vehicle, when a further
concomitantly conveyed body approaches in the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction (V).
24. Vehicle according to claim 23, wherein the latching apparatus
comprises a mechanical movement transmission apparatus which has a
release section and a latching section, it being possible for the
latching section to be moved between a latched position, which
latches a concomitantly conveyed body on the vehicle, and a
disengaged position which disengages the concomitantly conveyed
body so as to move it in the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction (V), and the release section being designed to be
actuated by a concomitantly conveyed body travelling in the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction (V) and being coupled
to the latching section such that said latching section is moved
from the latched position to the disengaged position when the
release section is actuated.
25. Vehicle according to claim 24, wherein the latching section is
prestressed into the latched position.
26. Vehicle according to claim 18, wherein the concomitantly
conveyed body is a store for electrical energy, and the vehicle has
a sliding contact arrangement for automatically making contact with
the energy store.
27. Method for changing concomitantly conveyed bodies on a vehicle,
in the case of which a feeding movement of a first concomitantly
conveyed body to a carry-along position on the vehicle takes place
at least partially at the same time as a removal movement of a
second concomitantly conveyed body out of the carry-along
position.
28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the first concomitantly
conveyed body is fed to the vehicle in a concomitantly conveyed
body loading direction (V; V') and, in the process, displaces a
second concomitantly conveyed body, which is already arranged on
the vehicle in a carry-along position, in the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction (V; V') and, as a result, moves it
away, out of the carry-along position.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method
for efficiently and rapidly changing concomitantly conveyed bodies
on a vehicle and to a vehicle which is particularly suitable in
interaction with the concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus
according to the invention.
[0002] Although the present invention will be explained below using
the particularly preferred use example of an industrial truck as
the vehicle and of energy stores for electrical energy, such as
batteries and accumulators, as the concomitantly conveyed bodies,
express reference will be made to the fact that the present
invention can be implemented on any desired vehicle and using any
desired concomitantly conveyed bodies. In this case, in particular,
other energy stores, such as fuel tanks, in particular gas or
liquid gas containers or petrol or diesel tanks, can be used as the
concomitantly conveyed bodies. Any desired transportation
containers for transporting goods can also be encompassed in the
context of this application by the term "concomitantly conveyed
body".
[0003] Industrial trucks are generally known from the prior art
whose drive is supplied with an energy carrier, such as fuel or
current, by an energy store. If the energy store is empty, said
energy store is generally replaced by a full energy store, since
this replacement often takes less time than filling the empty
energy store with an energy carrier. This applies in particular to
stores of electrical energy, such as batteries or accumulators,
since charging parameters which are defined here need to be
maintained in order to protect the batteries against damage during
charging.
[0004] Energy stores are often accommodated in trough-like recesses
in the vehicle, from which an empty energy store needs to be
removed and a full energy store provided. This changing procedure
requires numerous movements which make the changing procedure
tedious and laborious.
[0005] In contrast, it is the object of the present invention to
specify a technical teaching with which, in general, a
concomitantly conveyed body which is envisaged for replacement on
the vehicle can be replaced in a short period of time by another
concomitantly conveyed body.
[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by a
concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus having a fitting
station for the purpose of fitting at least one first concomitantly
conveyed body, preferably an energy store, particularly preferably
a battery, to a vehicle, in particular an industrial truck, and
having a removal station for the purpose of removing at least one
second concomitantly conveyed body, which is different from the
first concomitantly conveyed body, from the vehicle, it being
possible for the first concomitantly conveyed body to be fed to the
vehicle from the fitting station essentially in a concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction, and it being possible for the
second concomitantly conveyed body to be removed from the vehicle
by being displaced in the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction and for it to be fed to the removal station.
[0007] With the concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus
according to the invention it is possible to remove the second
concomitantly conveyed body, which is still provided on the
vehicle, from the vehicle by displacing it in the same direction in
which the first concomitantly conveyed body is fed to the vehicle.
Owing to this movement in the same direction for feeding the first
concomitantly conveyed body to the vehicle and removing the second
concomitantly conveyed body from the vehicle, these two movements
can be carried out at the same time for a substantial section of
the movement of the concomitantly conveyed bodies, which
accelerates and simplifies the process for changing concomitantly
conveyed bodies.
[0008] In principle, the fitting station and the removal station
can be provided as desired, as long as their arrangement makes it
possible to remove the second concomitantly conveyed body from the
vehicle in the same concomitantly conveyed body loading direction
in which the first concomitantly conveyed body is fed to the
vehicle. It should preferably be possible for the fitting station
and the removal station to be mounted on a floor area, for example
on a floor area of a workshop, on which vehicles generally travel.
This considerably reduces the amount of design complexity for the
concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus.
[0009] It is also advantageous in this case if the vehicle can be
arranged between the fitting station and the removal station, i.e.
if one station: fitting station and removal station is located on
one side of the vehicle and the respective other station is located
on another side of the vehicle which is opposite the first side of
the vehicle when concomitantly conveyed bodies are changed. For
this purpose, it is advantageous if the fitting station and the
removal station are arranged at a spacing from one another which
extends in the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction and
which is dimensioned such that the vehicle can be arranged between
these stations. It is particularly simple to arrange the vehicle
between the removal station and the fitting station when the
vehicle can be driven in and driven out again between these
stations.
[0010] In turn, the arrangement of the fitting station and the
removal station can in principle be such that the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction is oriented in any desired manner
with respect to the vehicle which can be arranged between the
stations. Since, however, the longitudinal dimension of a vehicle
is generally substantially longer than a dimension which is
orthogonal with respect to this longitudinal dimension, the
displacement path of the concomitantly conveyed bodies can be
reduced in the event of a change if the concomitantly conveyed body
loading direction extends essentially orthogonally with respect to
a longitudinal axis of a vehicle which is provided or can be
arranged between the fitting station and the removal station. It is
particularly advantageous if the concomitantly conveyed body
loading direction also extends essentially parallel to a vehicle
standing area, i.e. essentially in the transverse direction of the
vehicle, since it is then possible for the vehicle frame, the
vehicle floor or the like to be used in a simple manner as the
receiving part for the concomitantly conveyed body, on which
vehicle frame, vehicle floor or the like the concomitantly conveyed
body can be positioned in a simple manner.
[0011] The time taken to change a concomitantly conveyed body can
be shortened further still if the concomitantly conveyed body
changing apparatus also has a vehicle receiving station which is
provided between the stations: fitting station and removal station
and in which the vehicle can be arranged in a predetermined loading
position.
[0012] It can be made possible to arrange the vehicle in the
predetermined loading position in a simple manner in design terms
by the vehicle receiving station having at least one stop means
which is arranged such that the vehicle is located in the loading
position if a vehicle section, which is designed to bear against
the stop means, bears against the stop means.
[0013] The stop means may in this case be designed to bear against
a vehicle body section, against a section of a lifting system, in
particular of a lifting mast, or against a tyre section as a
section of the vehicle. For example, the stop means may be formed
by a simple ground beam which extends transversely with respect to
the drive-in direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle
receiving station may have driving grooves, which correspond to the
track gauge of the vehicle and which extend in the drive-in
direction of the vehicle, in order to establish an arrangement of
the vehicle in the transverse direction of the vehicle with respect
to the two stations. Finally, the stop means and a vehicle standing
area of the vehicle receiving station may be displaceable in
relation to one another in order to make it possible to adapt to
different vehicle types, in particular vehicle geometries.
[0014] In order to be able to introduce a change of concomitantly
conveyed bodies as quickly as possible, it is further advantageous
if the vehicle receiving station and/or the stations: fitting
station and removal station are provided such that they can be
moved in at least one direction orthogonally with respect to the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction. This makes it
possible to compensate for slight positional deviations, for
example owing to different tyre sizes used, different degrees of
tyre wear, an operationally dependent positional inaccuracy of the
stop means and/or of the vehicle section with which said stop means
is intended to engage. In this case, in particular owing to
different tyre sizes used on different vehicles and their different
degree of wear, it is advantageous if the vehicle receiving station
and/or the stations: fitting station and removal station are
designed such that their heights can be adjusted. In addition, the
vehicle receiving station and/or the stations: fitting station and
removal station may be displaceable in a third direction which is
orthogonal with respect to the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction and with respect to the vertical direction.
[0015] Furthermore, it is conceivable for an energy supply to be
provided on the vehicle receiving station and/or on at least one of
the stations: fitting station and removal station, said energy
supply making contact with a vehicle, which is driven in between
the fitting station and the removal station, and supplying it with
electrical energy such that the vehicle continues to be supplied
with power even when the battery, in the form of a concomitantly
conveyed body, has been removed.
[0016] Although it is conceivable for the concomitantly conveyed
body to be displaced on the changing apparatus owing to a manual
action of force, at least the fitting station preferably has a
drive device which is designed to drive concomitantly conveyed
bodies so as to move them in the loading direction. This makes
possible unmanned operation at least on the part of the fitting
station, in the process it being necessary to take into
consideration the fact that the concomitantly conveyed bodies to be
fitted to the vehicle are often heavier than the concomitantly
conveyed bodies which are to be removed from the vehicle. This
applies to batteries or other energy stores as well as to the
conventional transportation containers which are often removed from
the vehicle when they are empty and are fitted to the vehicle in
the charged or filled state.
[0017] In addition or as an alternative, the work that is to be
carried out on the part of the removal station when concomitantly
conveyed bodies are changed can be simplified by the removal
station having a conveying device which is designed to drive
concomitantly conveyed bodies so as to move them in the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction.
[0018] The design of the concomitantly conveyed body changing
apparatus can be considerably simplified if the at least one first
concomitantly conveyed body and the at least one second
concomitantly conveyed body have essentially the same design, are
preferably standardized. This not only results in the two stations:
fitting station and removal station needing to be designed to
displace only one type of concomitantly conveyed body, but also
makes it easier to provide fitting and connection possibilities for
the concomitantly conveyed body on the vehicle, if desired. This is
significant when energy stores are used as the concomitantly
conveyed bodies since the energy stores need to be connected to the
vehicle in order to be able to output energy to said vehicle.
[0019] In the case of a concomitantly conveyed body changing
apparatus according to the present invention, a concomitantly
conveyed body is fed to the vehicle at the fitting station, whilst
initially a concomitantly conveyed body which is provided on the
vehicle is removed from said vehicle and fed to the removal
station. Correspondingly, it may be logistically necessary, on the
one hand, to feed concomitantly conveyed bodies to the fitting
station and, on the other hand, to feed concomitantly conveyed
bodies away from the removal station. One advantageous development
of the present invention resolves this logistical problem by
providing a transportation path between the fitting station and the
removal station, said transportation path being designed to
transport concomitantly conveyed bodies between the stations:
fitting station and removal station, in particular from the removal
station to the fitting station. The concomitantly conveyed bodies
which have been removed from the vehicle at the removal station can
thus be fed to the fitting station via the transportation path.
[0020] In accordance with an alternative development, each of the
stations provided: fitting station and removal station may be
designed both to fit a concomitantly conveyed body to a vehicle and
to remove a concomitantly conveyed body from a vehicle. In this
case, one of the stations can be used alternately as a fitting and
removal station, and the respective other station can be used
alternately as a removal and fitting station. This has the
advantage that a concomitantly conveyed body is always present in
one of the apparatuses and can be fed from this apparatus to the
vehicle as well. Transportation of a concomitantly conveyed body
from the removal station to the fitting station can then be
dispensed with.
[0021] The concomitantly conveyed bodies generally have a storage
property, whether it be an energy store or a transportation
container. In this case, the decision to replace a concomitantly
conveyed body provided on the vehicle with another one is often
based on the state of charge of the storage property of the
respective concomitantly conveyed body. Even in the case of energy
stores, these energy stores are replaced if their state of storage
charge is so low that it is soon to be expected that they can no
longer provide any stored energy to the vehicle.
[0022] In order to be able to provide concomitantly conveyed bodies
at the fitting station with a higher state of storage charge for
the vehicle than the concomitantly conveyed bodies have which are
removed from the vehicle at the removal station, the transportation
path can advantageously be designed to charge or fill a
concomitantly conveyed body, which is provided in the
transportation path, in accordance with a storage property provided
on it from a state of lower storage charge to a state of higher
storage charge. As an alternative or in addition, at least one of
the stations: fitting station and removal station can be designed
to charge and/or fill concomitantly conveyed bodies.
[0023] As a function of the type of concomitantly conveyed bodies,
a liquid filling apparatus for the purpose of filling concomitantly
conveyed bodies with liquid can be provided, for example, on the
transportation path and/or at at least one station. Liquid filling
apparatuses which fill moved containers with a liquid when they are
moved are known in the prior art. However, it is also possible for
the concomitantly conveyed bodies to be transported on the
transportation path to a liquid filling apparatus which is
positioned between the removal station and the fitting station, to
stop them there and possibly even to remove them from the
transportation path and, after filling, to pass them back again to
the transportation path or to transport them further on.
[0024] The liquid to be supplied may be a liquid fuel or else
liquid gas when fuel tanks are used as the concomitantly conveyed
bodies or may be an electrolyte or demineralized water in the case
of electrical energy stores.
[0025] The abovementioned design of the transportation path and/or
the stations: fitting station and removal station for charging
concomitantly conveyed bodies in accordance with their storage
property can be realized by a charging apparatus for the purpose of
charging concomitantly conveyed bodies being provided on the
transportation path and/or at at least one of the abovementioned
stations.
[0026] In the preferred case in which the concomitantly conveyed
body is an energy store for storing electrical energy, the charging
apparatus may comprise a sliding contact path for the purpose of
making contact with concomitantly conveyed bodies which can move in
the transportation path. As a result, charging of the concomitantly
conveyed bodies with electrical energy during their movement in the
transportation path is made possible.
[0027] Electrical energy stores are often filled with an
electrolyte. In order to improve the capacity for storing
electrical energy of the concomitantly conveyed bodies, provision
may be made for an electrolyte circulating device to be provided on
the transportation path and/or at at least one station.
[0028] In accordance with one development of the present invention,
it may furthermore be conceivable for a concomitantly conveyed body
washing apparatus for cleaning concomitantly conveyed bodies to be
provided on the transportation path and/or at at least one station.
It is furthermore conceivable for a concomitantly conveyed body
emptying apparatus to be provided on the transportation path and/or
at at least one of the stations: fitting station and removal
station, preferably at the removal station, in order to empty a
concomitantly conveyed body which has been removed from the vehicle
and thus to bring it into a defined initial state. In this case, it
is particularly conceivable for the battery or accumulator contents
to be emptied when batteries or accumulators are used as the
concomitantly conveyed bodies.
[0029] When batteries or accumulators are used as the concomitantly
conveyed bodies, the abovementioned liquid filling apparatus may be
a water filling apparatus which is designed to fill concomitantly
conveyed bodies with water, in particular with demineralized water.
This increases the storage capacity and the life of the
concomitantly conveyed bodies which are used as batteries or
accumulators.
[0030] With reference to the abovedescribed alternative embodiment
of the present invention in which each of the stations: fitting
station and removal station can both fit and remove a concomitantly
conveyed body, it is particularly advantageous if each of the
stations has a liquid filling apparatus, in particular a water
filling station, and/or an electrolyte circulating device and/or a
concomitantly conveyed body washing apparatus and/or a
concomitantly conveyed body emptying station, for example in order
to be able to empty the battery contents when batteries are used as
the concomitantly conveyed bodies. This development of the
alternative embodiment of the present invention makes it possible
for a concomitantly conveyed body, in particular a battery, to be
replenished at each of the two stations after removal from a
vehicle and to be made available again in order to be fitted to a
vehicle.
[0031] The abovementioned object of the present invention is
likewise achieved by a vehicle, in particular an industrial truck,
having at least one concomitantly conveyed body which can be fitted
to the vehicle in a carry-along position for the purpose of being
carried along by said vehicle and can be removed from said vehicle
out of the carry-along position, in the case of which vehicle the
concomitantly conveyed body can be brought into the carry-along
position on the vehicle in a concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction and can be removed from the vehicle in essentially the
same concomitantly conveyed body loading direction. It is
preferably, but not exclusively, possible for such a vehicle to be
used together with the abovedescribed concomitantly conveyed body
changing apparatus.
[0032] The vehicle has the advantage of making it possible, owing
to its design for displacing the concomitantly conveyed body to be
fitted and the concomitantly conveyed body which is still fitted to
the vehicle in the same concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction, to remove a concomitantly conveyed body whilst
simultaneously feeding another concomitantly conveyed body which
results in efficient and rapid changing of the concomitantly
conveyed bodies. As has already been mentioned above, a short
displacement path for the concomitantly conveyed bodies is achieved
during the change when the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction extends essentially parallel to the transverse direction
of the vehicle. Furthermore, the concomitantly conveyed body can
then easily be placed on the frame of the vehicle or on a vehicle
floor.
[0033] In order to improve guidance of the concomitantly conveyed
body when fitting it to the vehicle and when removing it from said
vehicle, the vehicle may have a cutout into which a concomitantly
conveyed body can be inserted on one side of the vehicle and out of
which a concomitantly conveyed body can be removed from the vehicle
on the other, opposite side of the vehicle. Owing to this cutout,
the concomitantly conveyed body can be secured against displacement
in at least one (preferably in all) physical direction which is
orthogonal with respect to the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction.
[0034] The cutout preferably passes through the vehicle, the
vehicle particularly preferably surrounding the cutout on four
sides such that displacement of the concomitantly conveyed body is
possible only in the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction.
As a result, additional erroneous operations when changing the
concomitantly conveyed bodies are prevented.
[0035] In accordance with one development of the vehicle according
to the invention, said vehicle may have a concomitantly conveyed
body displacement apparatus which can independently drive the
concomitantly conveyed body so as to move it in the loading
direction. The concomitantly conveyed body displacement apparatus
may be designed such that, for example if it has an extendable
cross-arm, a concomitantly conveyed body which is ready at one of
the stations can also be introduced into the vehicle independently
of said vehicle. As a result, a concomitantly conveyed body change
is also possible when the stations: fitting station and removal
station are not themselves equipped with a concomitantly conveyed
body drive.
[0036] If the concomitantly conveyed body is an electrical energy
store, the vehicle, in accordance with a further advantageous
development, may have electrical contacts, with which contact can
be made from the outside, such that an electrical power supply can
be connected to the vehicle for a short period of time and said
vehicle can be supplied with electrical energy. In this case, the
vehicle may itself carry out a battery change.
[0037] Undesired displacement of the concomitantly conveyed body in
the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction during normal
vehicle operation can be prevented by the vehicle having a latching
apparatus which holds the concomitantly conveyed body on the
vehicle such that it is latched in a releasable manner. Given a
suitable design for the latching apparatus, said latching apparatus
may hold the concomitantly conveyed body on the vehicle in a
latched manner such that displacement of the concomitantly conveyed
body is not possible in any physical direction. Above all, this is
advantageous when the abovementioned cutout, which passes through
the vehicle and which is surrounded on four sides by the vehicle
body, is not realized.
[0038] In order to make it possible for the concomitantly conveyed
body changing procedure to take place without laborious releasing
procedures for the latching apparatus, the latching apparatus may
be designed such that it unlatches a latched concomitantly conveyed
body, which is provided on the vehicle, when a further
concomitantly conveyed body approaches in the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction. This development of the invention
makes it possible for a concomitantly conveyed body which is still
provided on the vehicle to be removed from the vehicle with
automatic unlatching by feeding another concomitantly conveyed
body. In addition or as an alternative, in order to increase
reliability on the one hand and in order to make it possible, on
the other hand, to perform maintenance work irrespective of the
location, a hand latching apparatus may be provided which can be
actuated manually, preferably from the driver's seat.
[0039] In design terms, the automatic unlatching can be realized in
a simple manner by the latching apparatus comprising a mechanical
movement transmission apparatus which has a release section and a
latching section, it being possible for the latching section to be
moved between a latched position, which latches a concomitantly
conveyed body on the vehicle, and a disengaged position which
disengages the concomitantly conveyed body so as to move it in the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction, and the release
section being designed to be actuated by a concomitantly conveyed
body travelling in the concomitantly conveyed body loading
direction and being coupled to the latching section such that said
latching section is moved from the latched position to the
disengaged position when the release section is actuated. Such
mechanically controlled latching apparatuses are highly
reliable.
[0040] In order to ensure that a concomitantly conveyed body is
securely latched on the vehicle when the carry-along position is
reached, the latching section is prestressed into the latched
position. The latching section can in this case be designed such
that it makes it possible for the concomitantly conveyed body to
reach the carry-along position despite said latching section being
prestressed into the latched position but prevents it from being
further displaced owing to a latching engagement as soon as the
carry-along position has been reached.
[0041] When energy stores are used as the concomitantly conveyed
bodies, for example for the purpose of storing liquid or gaseous
fuels, it is generally necessary to manually separate or connect
the concomitantly conveyed body to the vehicle prior to or after
changing the concomitantly conveyed body. However, separation of a
fuel store from loads, which can be carried out automatically, and
a connection between said fuel store and loads on the vehicle,
which can be produced automatically, are also conceivable, here.
When batteries or accumulators are used as the concomitantly
conveyed bodies, however, an energy-transmitting connection between
the concomitantly conveyed body and the vehicle can be produced or
separated very simply and automatically if the vehicle has a
sliding contact arrangement for automatically making contact with
electrical contacts on the concomitantly conveyed bodies.
[0042] The object mentioned initially on which the present
invention is based is finally also achieved by a method for
changing concomitantly conveyed bodies on a vehicle, in the case of
which a feeding movement of a first concomitantly conveyed body to
a carry-along position on the vehicle takes place at least
partially at the same time as a removal movement of a second
concomitantly conveyed body out of the carry-along position. This
has already been explained in detail above.
[0043] As has likewise already been explained above, the at least
partially simultaneous displacement of the first and the second
concomitantly conveyed bodies is possible as a result of the fact
that the first concomitantly conveyed body is fed to the vehicle in
a concomitantly conveyed body loading direction, and, in the
process, displaces a second concomitantly conveyed body, which is
already arranged on the vehicle in a carry-along position, in the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction and, as a result,
moves it away, out of the carry-along position.
[0044] The present invention will be explained in more detail below
with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
[0045] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a
concomitantly conveyed body changing station according to the
invention at an angle from the rear without a vehicle,
[0046] FIG. 2 shows the concomitantly conveyed body changing
station shown in FIG. 1 at an angle from the front with a
vehicle,
[0047] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the concomitantly
conveyed body changing station shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at an angle
from the rear with a vehicle,
[0048] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the vehicle shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3 at an angle from the rear with a concomitantly
conveyed body,
[0049] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the vehicle shown in FIG. 4
without a concomitantly conveyed body,
[0050] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of
the concomitantly conveyed body changing station according to the
invention at an angle from above without a vehicle,
[0051] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the concomitantly
conveyed body changing station shown in FIG. 6 at an angle from
above with a vehicle, and
[0052] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of the concomitantly conveyed body
changing station with a vehicle shown in FIG. 7.
[0053] In FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a concomitantly conveyed
body changing apparatus according to the invention is overall
denoted 10. The changing apparatus 10 comprises a fitting station
12 and a removal station 14. A vehicle receiving station 16, into
which a vehicle can be driven in the direction of the double arrow
F and out of which said vehicle can be driven, is provided between
the fitting station 12 and the removal station 14. Lateral limit
strips 18 and 20 establish the lateral position of the vehicle in
the vehicle receiving station 16. In addition, ground beams 22a and
22b are provided at the vehicle receiving station, and between them
are arranged the wheels of the vehicle which are provided on a
common axis such that they bear against the ground beams. The
vehicle can thus be arranged using simple means in a defined
position in the vehicle receiving station 16.
[0054] The fitting station 12 comprises a rack 24, which is
positioned on a workshop floor in order to improve the adjustment
of highly adjustable legs 26.
[0055] The fitting arrangement 12 has a piston/cylinder unit 28,
whose piston 30 (indicated using dashed-dotted lines) can be moved
parallel to the direction of the arrow V, i.e. in the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction V and counter to this direction. It
is thus possible for the battery 32, as the concomitantly conveyed
body, which is provided in the fitting station 12 to be displaced
in the direction of the arrow V towards the vehicle receiving
station 16. In order to make this displacement easier, rollers (not
illustrated) are provided in the fitting station 12 and rotate
about roller axes which are orthogonal with respect to the
concomitantly conveyed body loading direction V and are parallel
with respect to the plane of the standing base of the fitting
station. The removal station 14 is of essentially identical design
to the fitting station 12. Since no battery 32 is arranged in the
fitting station 12 in the illustration shown in FIG. 1, the rollers
33 can be seen here.
[0056] The fitting station 12 has a guide frame 34, as does the
removal station 14. This guide frame 34 is arranged such that it
surrounds a battery 32 which is arranged on the respective station.
The guide frame 34 is fixedly connected to the rack 24. It serves
the purpose of preventing the battery 32 from sliding off to the
side when it is displaced in the concomitantly conveyed body
loading direction V. This makes precise positioning of the battery
32 possible.
[0057] Furthermore, a receptacle 34a can be formed in the guide
frame 34 of the fitting station 12, contacts 36 being arranged in
said receptacle 34a which make contact with electrical contacts of
the battery 32 when it is made available in the fitting station 12
and, as a result, make charging of the battery 32 possible. In
addition, the guide frame 34, which is arranged at the fitting
station such that it covers the electrical contacts of a battery 32
provided in the fitting station 12, serves the purpose of reducing
the risk of unintentional short circuits in the battery 32.
[0058] Owing to the essentially identical design for the removal
station 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 and the fitting station 12, each
of the stations 12 and 14 may be used alternately as the fitting
station and the removal station. It would thus be possible for a
vehicle to be driven into the vehicle receiving station 16,
whereupon the fitting station 12 pushes the battery 32 into the
vehicle, at the same time the battery provided on the vehicle when
the latter is driven in being pushed out into the removal station
14 in the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction V. Then,
the battery which is now present at the station 14 is recharged by
means of contacts (not illustrated) in the receptacle 34b,
whereupon a next but one vehicle, which is driven into the vehicle
receiving station 16, receives a newly charged battery from the
station 14, the battery provided in the vehicle being pushed out
counter to the direction of the arrow V illustrated in FIG. 1 into
the station 12 when the newly charged battery is inserted into the
vehicle. Once this procedure is complete, the state illustrated in
FIG. 1 is again present. However, in the case of the concomitantly
conveyed body change just described, the station 14 in this case
acts as the fitting station, and the station 12 as the removal
station.
[0059] FIG. 2 illustrates the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of a
concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus 10 having a vehicle
50 which has been driven into the vehicle receiving station 16. In
contrast to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 is a view at an angle from the
front.
[0060] It can be seen how the ground beams 22a and 22b fix the
front tyres 52a and 52b of the schematically illustrated stacker 50
in the direction of the double arrow F and thus provide for an
aligned arrangement of a cutout 54, which passes through the
vehicle 50 in the transverse direction Q of the vehicle, with the
battery 32 in the fitting station 12 in the loading direction
V.
[0061] FIG. 3, which is a view of the changing station 10 shown in
FIG. 2 at an angle from the rear, but from the side of the removal
station 14, illustrates the changing procedure for concomitantly
conveyed bodies.
[0062] As the piston/cylinder unit 28 pushes the battery 32 (which
can no longer be seen in FIG. 3) in the loading direction V into
the cutout 54 in the stacker 50, the battery 38 which is provided
on the vehicle when the vehicle 50 is driven into the vehicle
receiving station 16 is moved out of the vehicle 50 in the same
loading direction V. The removal movement of the battery 38 from
the vehicle 50 is further assisted by the piston 30 of the
piston/cylinder unit 28 of the removal station 14, said piston
being coupled to an engaging strip 40 of the battery 38 and
likewise exerting a force on the battery 38 which acts in the
loading direction V. In order to be able to use a station both as a
fitting station 12 and as a removal station 14, dual-action
piston/cylinder units 28 are preferably used. The batteries 32 and
38 have essentially the same physical design, for which reason
engaging strips 40 can also be seen on the battery 32 in FIGS. 1
and 2.
[0063] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the vehicle 50
after the battery changing procedure shown in FIG. 3. It can be
seen that the battery 32 is arranged in a cutout 54 which passes
through the vehicle 50 in the transverse direction Q of the
vehicle. If the vehicle 50 is located in the vehicle receiving
station 16, the transverse direction Q of the vehicle is parallel
to the loading direction V.
[0064] The battery 32 is placed on a floor 56 of the vehicle in a
very simple manner, said floor taking the weight of the battery 32.
The vehicle body 58 surrounds the cutout 54, apart from the base
56, on three sides, that is to say at the front, at the top and at
the rear, such that the battery 32 cannot move in these directions
in relation to the vehicle 50. Only a movement in the transverse
direction of the vehicle is possible, but this movement is fixed in
the vehicle 50, in the operating state shown in FIG. 3, by a
latching apparatus (not illustrated) owing to an interlocking
connection with a latching section in the carry-along position
shown in FIG. 4. As an alternative or in addition, a force-fitting
or frictional connection between the latching section and the
concomitantly conveyed body is conceivable.
[0065] FIG. 5 shows a view of the vehicle 50 from the side. The
vehicle 50 is illustrated without a battery.
[0066] It can be seen that latching sections 60 protrude from the
vehicle floor 56 with spring prestress in their latched position in
which they engage in a recess in a battery in the carry-along
position. The latching apparatus or sections of it do not need to
be provided on the floor 56 of the vehicle 50, however, but can be
arranged, at the discretion of those skilled in the art, in any
desired regions of the cutout 54.
[0067] Furthermore, a release section 62 is shown, which is
provided close to the edge of the cutout 54, pivots about an axis,
which extends in the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle, when
a battery is inserted into the cutout 54 parallel to the transverse
direction Q of the vehicle of the battery being inserted and is
coupled to the latching sections 60 for movement transmission
purposes such that pivoting of the release section 62 causes the
latching sections 60 to be drawn back out of the latched position
into a disengaged position such that a battery, which is arranged
on the vehicle, can be moved parallel to the transverse direction
of the vehicle.
[0068] FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the
concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus according to the
invention. Identical components of the second embodiment are
provided with the same reference numerals as in the first
embodiment, but increased by the number 100. In order to explain
these components in more detail, express reference is made to the
description of the first embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 5. Reference is
also made to the fact that the changing apparatus 110 is
illustrated merely schematically in FIGS. 6 to 8.
[0069] The concomitantly conveyed body changing apparatus 110
illustrated in FIG. 6 feeds, from the fitting station 112, a
completely charged battery 132 to a vehicle (not illustrated in
FIG. 6) in the concomitantly conveyed body loading direction V'.
The concomitantly conveyed body loading direction V' of the second
embodiment is opposite to the loading direction V of the first
embodiment. When a newly charged battery 132 is pushed into a
vehicle, at the same time the battery which is provided on the
vehicle at the point in time at which the vehicle is driven into
the changing station 110 is pushed into the removal station 114. In
order to assist this movement of a battery into the removal station
114, a piston/cylinder unit 128 may likewise be provided at the
removal station 114, as is indicated by the dashed illustration of
a piston 130.
[0070] In FIG. 6, the fitting station 112 is connected to the
removal station 114 via a transportation path 170. The
transportation path 170 has conveying means, such as driven
conveyor rollers, by means of which batteries are transported from
the removal station 114 to the fitting station 112 in the
anti-clockwise direction. Furthermore, the transportation path 170
comprises a charging apparatus 172 which is connected to a voltage
source 174. The charging apparatus 172 has sliding contacts (not
illustrated) which make contact with electrical contacts 135 of the
batteries 132, 137 etc. along the entire transportation path of the
batteries from the removal station 114 to the fitting station 112.
Over the entire transportation path, the batteries are electrically
charged by means of the charging apparatus 172 via the sliding
contact thus produced.
[0071] The movement of the batteries from the removal station 114
to the fitting station 112 may take place continuously or in
clocked fashion.
[0072] Furthermore, a water filling apparatus 176 and an
electrolyte circulating apparatus 178 may be provided on the
transportation path 170. In the case of clocked operation, a
battery 139, which rests in front of these apparatuses 176 and 178,
can be filled with demineralized water (to be precise by the water
filling apparatus 176), and its electrolyte can be circulated (to
be precise by the electrolyte circulating apparatus 178). Those
skilled in the art will recognize the fact that water filling
apparatuses and electrolyte circulating apparatuses may also be
used with which demineralized water can be supplied and electrolyte
can be circulated whilst the battery continues to move.
[0073] FIG. 7 shows the concomitantly conveyed body changing
apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 6 from a similar
perspective, having a vehicle 150 arranged therein. FIG. 8 shows,
in order to illustrate it better, a plan view of the changing
apparatus 110, a consumed battery 138 being replaced by a new
battery 132 by being displaced in each case in the concomitantly
conveyed body loading direction V' in FIG. 8. As a result of the
fact that the consumed battery 138 is pushed out of the vehicle 150
by the new battery 132, the fitting procedure of a new battery is
made parallel with the removal procedure of a consumed battery,
which leads to a severe reduction in the amount of time required
and, associated with this, a reduction in the downtime of the
vehicle.
* * * * *