US 12,068,497 B2
Battery locking mechanisms, removable battery assemblies, and materials handling vehicles incorporating the same
Roland Müller, Feldkirchen (DE); Martin Ma, Jiangsu (CN); Jack Yang, Jiangsu (CN); Andy Chen, Jiangsu (CN); Bruce Xia, Jiangsu (CN); and Luying Sun, Jiangsu (CN)
Assigned to Crown Equipment Corporation, New Bremen, OH (US)
Filed by CROWN EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, New Bremen, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/673,198.
Application 17/673,198 is a continuation of application No. PCT/CN2021/125825, filed on Oct. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0131139 A1, Apr. 27, 2023
Int. Cl. B60K 1/04 (2019.01); H01M 50/244 (2021.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01); H01M 50/264 (2021.01)
CPC H01M 50/264 (2021.01) [B60K 1/04 (2013.01); H01M 50/244 (2021.01); H01M 50/249 (2021.01); B60K 2001/0483 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A materials handling vehicle comprising a materials handling mechanism, a drive mechanism, a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein:
the materials handling mechanism is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment and cooperates with the drive mechanism, under power from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along an inventory transit surface in the warehouse environment;
the removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis along which the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space;
the removable battery assembly comprises a battery body and a battery locking mechanism;
the battery locking mechanism comprises a spring-loaded battery handle and a spring-loaded locking pin;
the battery receiving space comprises a battery latch positioned to receive a leading portion of the spring-loaded locking pin, with the spring-loaded locking pin in an extended position, and the removable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space;
the spring-loaded battery handle comprises a planar handle cam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin comprises a planar pin cam surface that is parallel to the handle cam surface;
the spring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin are configured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surface with movement of the battery handle, relative to the battery body, along the battery insertion and removal axis;
the battery body constrains the spring-loaded battery handle and the handle cam surface to linear movement along the battery insertion and removal axis;
the battery body constrains the spring-loaded locking pin and the pin cam surface to linear movement along a latch engagement and disengagement axis that is perpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis;
the spring-loaded battery handle is spring-biased in a locked position and is movable relative to the battery body from the locked position to an unlocked position in a handle lifting direction along the battery insertion and removal axis; and
the spring-loaded locking pin is spring-biased in the extended position and is movable relative to the battery body from the extended position to a retracted position along the latch engagement and disengagement axis in response to movement of the battery handle, relative to the battery body, in the handle lifting direction with the handle cam surface engaged with the pin cam surface.