Patent ID: 12257889

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

InFIG.1, reference numeral10generally shows a heavy-duty vehicle. The exemplified vehicle is shown as a truck arranged for receiving a trailer but other types of trucks, buses, working machines, and construction equipment may be applicable for the present solution. The vehicle in this case is equipped with an accessory unit20attached to a frame11of the vehicle. The accessory unit is located between the front wheels12and rear wheels13of the vehicle and mounted to the frame11with a mounting system15. It should be noted that the mounting system may be located at other locations of the vehicle different from between the front and rear wheels. The accessory unit20may for instance be an energy storage system (ESS) such as a battery pack20.

FIG.2shows a more detailed view of the energy storage system mounted to the frame11using the mounting system15. The ESS may comprise one single module or a plurality of modules attached adjacent each other together forming a continuous unit. The mounting system15comprises three main parts in which one is shown inFIG.3, illustrating an energy storage system (ESS) bracket assembly50. The ESS bracket assembly comprises a bracket frame51arranged to be fasted to the ESS, a central ESS bracket holder54attached to or integrated with the ESS bracket frame51, a bump stop52, and a cushion53. The bump stop can be designed in a stiff material such as metal or a softer material such as rubber or plastic material. The cushion when fitted in a receiving cavity of the frame-mounted assembly restrict the movement of the ESS in a horizontal direction. The cushion can be made of a stiff material such as metal or a softer material such as rubber or plastic material.

The ESS bracket assembly is arranged to be placed on a frame-mounted bracket assembly30arranged to be fitted on the vehicle frame11; the frame-mounted bracket assembly is shown inFIG.4. The frame-mounted bracket assembly comprises a support structure31arranged to be fitted on the frame11of the vehicle10for instance with one or more screws or other suitable fastening elements. Furthermore, the support structure may comprise a lock plate33, and a receiving cavity35arranged to receive the cushion53of the ESS bracket assembly50. The structure of the receiving cavity35is preferably arranged to receive the cushion53so the cushion rests securely in the receiving cavity. This may be provided for instance if the cushion has a conical shape, the receiving cavity may be inversely conical. More generally, the cushion53comprises a protruding shape, such as a conical, spherical, or convex shape, and the receiving cavity35comprises an inwardly receiving shape, such as a concave or inverted conical shape. The lock plate33provide steering and locking support for restricting the movement of a sliding lock assembly40in a direction perpendicular from the longitudinal direction of the sliding lock assembly.

The frame-mounted bracket assembly30is further arranged to receive a sliding lock assembly40comprising a sliding lock plate41, at least one guiding unit42,801,802,803, and at least one opening45arranged to receive the bump stop52when the sliding lock assembly is in an open position. The sliding lock assembly40is translatable in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle but is restricted in movement in the other directions by the support structure31and the lock plate33. The at least one guiding unit42,801,802,803is arranged to be guided by a guiding arrangement805of the frame-mounted bracket assembly as seen inFIG.8. The bump stop52will encounter the sliding lock plate in a vertical direction when the sliding lock assembly is in a closed position, and thus be restricted in the vertical direction. Preferably, the bump stop52fits with some suitable margin in the opening45of the sliding lock assembly when the sliding lock assembly is in an open position and that the opening then extends into the region of the frame-mounted bracket assembly in order to translate the bump stop into the frame-mounted bracket assembly30.

Now referring toFIG.5, the sliding lock assembly40may be connected to an actuator60that actuates the sliding lock plate41between an open and a closed position. The actuator may comprise a manual operation where an operator manually operates the actuator for instance by turning a crank (not shown), screwdriver, or other means for mechanically operating the actuator, which is translated into a linear movement of the lock plate. Optionally, the actuator is electrically driven and controlled, pneumatically driven, or hydraulically driven. A control station for controlling the actuation may be placed at any suitable location of the vehicle, for instance in a control box located close to the ESS, at some location on the outside of the vehicle for suitable operation and easy access for the operator, or in the vehicle cabin. In this way, the operator can open or lock the mounting system remotely conveniently and safely.

When the ESS (or other accessory unit) is to be mounted (and dismounted), the operation is described in relation toFIGS.6ato6e, in steps601-605below. InFIG.6, only part of the ESS bracket assembly is shown, i.e. only part of the central ESS bracket holder, the bump stop52, and the cushion53; however, it should be understood that the ESS bracket assembly is attached to the ESS during this operation. When the ESS is to be mounted to the vehicle it is placed under the vehicle and then raised into a mounting position as will be described below in the following steps.

In a first step601, starting the operation of mounting of the ESS to the vehicle, the sliding lock assembly40is translated into an open position, i.e. the opening45is placed in relation to the frame-mounted bracket assembly30in such a way that the bump stop52will fit in the opening45and can be translated into the frame-mounted bracket assembly region as seen in step602. Thereafter in step603, the ESS bracket assembly50is lowered so as the cushion53is set to rest in the cavity35of the frame-mounted bracket assembly30. The cavity restricts the movement of the cushion and in turn the ESS in a horizontal direction. In step604, the sliding lock40is translated into a closed and locking position, i.e. the opening45is moved outside the frame-mounted bracket region. In step605, the ESS bracket assembly is restricted in a direction vertically, i.e. the bump stop52is locked underneath the sliding lock plate41.

As illustrated inFIG.7, the mounting system15may comprise a plurality of frame-mounted bracket assemblies30and a plurality of ESS bracket assemblies with one common sliding lock assembly40locking each ESS bracket assembly at the same time when translated into the closed locking position.

FIG.8gives a more detailed view of the mounting system in a sectional side view. The frame-mounted bracket assembly30is attached to the frame using at least one screw810or similar fastening elements. The frame-mounted bracket assembly comprises a support structure820of which the cavity35is an integral part. The sliding lock assembly40is translated in the frame-mounted bracket assembly in a guiding arrangement805and the sliding lock assembly40optionally comprises one or more guide units801,802,803comprising a resilient material, for instance with a predetermined friction coefficient, for smooth gliding in the guiding arrangement. InFIG.9a, the opening45is set in the open position where the opening is provided in the frame-mounted bracket assembly region, i.e. the bump stop of the ESS bracket assembly can be moved in an upward direction and translated outwardly away from the frame-mounted bracket or inwardly into the frame-mounted bracket. InFIG.9b, the opening45is set in the closed position, i.e. the opening is outside the frame-mounted bracket assembly region and the bump stop51of the ESS bracket assembly cannot be moved vertically and out from the frame-mounted bracket assembly since the lock plate41will hinder the movement in the direction towards the lock plate41.

It should be noted that the invention has been described in view of the ESS bracket assembly (and the ESS) is moved in or out of the mounting position but alternatively, the ESS bracket assembly and frame-mounted assembly may be interchanged so the ESS bracket assembly construction is mounted to the frame of the vehicle and the frame-mounted assembly design is mounted on the ESS. Thus, the terms upwardly and downwardly are interchanged accordingly and is just a matter of reference.

As discussed previously, the sliding lock assembly may comprise an actuator60that actuates on the sliding lock plate41between the open and closed positions. The operation of the actuator may be controlled with a control unit100comprising control circuitry901, which can be of analogue or digital type, or a combination of these. The control circuitry may be connected to a user control interface (not shown) via communication interface905. When the control circuitry receives a signal that the actuator is to be operated, the circuitry outputs a control signal or power signal directly to the actuator or to a power-regulating device (not shown). The power-regulating device may for instance be a switch providing electrical power to an electrical actuator comprising an electrical motor driving the locking mechanism, a valve for providing hydraulic fluid, or a valve providing pneumatic media providing energy for the actuation operation. The control unit may receive a signal from the operator for instance from a user interface in the vehicle cabin or a user interface located elsewhere on the vehicle, e.g. an actuation control button located at a convenient location for the operator, for instance behind the cabin of the vehicle with a good visual overview of the operation.

It should be understood that the mounting system has been described as the ESS bracket assembly is arranged on the ESS and the frame-mounted bracket assembly is arranged on the frame of the vehicle, the assemblies may be inversely arranged, i.e. the ESS bracket assembly with bump stop and cushion may be part of the frame-mounted bracket assembly and the cavity, guiding arrangement and so on mounted on ESS bracket assembly.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.