Transport vehicle for containers, comprising a battery module for supplying the drive unit

Abstract

A transport vehicle for containers, in particular a floor-bound and driverless heavy-load transport vehicle for ISO containers, has a platform for receiving at least one container to be transported, with the platform being delimited by guide elements for guiding a container when being deposited on the platform, and includes a drive unit and a battery module for supplying electric energy to the drive unit. The battery module has a support frame and a battery, with there being at least one air conditioner device arranged in the support frame together with the battery.

Claims

1. A transport vehicle comprising a floor-bound and driverless heavy-duty transport vehicle for ISO containers, the transport vehicle having a platform for receiving at least one container to be transported, which platform is delimited by guide elements for guiding a container as it is being set down on the platform, and having a drive unit and a battery module for supplying electrical energy to the drive unit, wherein the battery module comprises a support frame and a battery, and wherein the battery is designed as a lithium-ion battery and at least one air-conditioner device and a management system for the battery are disposed in the support frame in addition to the battery.

2. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fire-extinguishing system is additionally disposed in the support frame.

3. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the fire-extinguishing system is a CO.sub.2 fire-extinguishing system.

4. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support frame is self-supporting.

5. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery supplies the air-conditioner device with electrical energy.

6. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery module is releasably connected to the transport vehicle, for the purpose of a change for at least one of the maintaining or the charging of the battery outside the transport vehicle.

7. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery module is movable into and out of the transport vehicle transversely to the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle.

8. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the battery module is suspended during operation in an installation space of the transport vehicle, which is open in the downwards direction and on at least one side.

9. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the battery supplies at least one of the fire extinguishing system and the management system with electrical energy.

10. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support frame is self-supporting.

11. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the fire-extinguishing system is a CO.sub.2 fire-extinguishing system.

12. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the battery supplies the air-conditioner device with electrical energy, and wherein the battery supplies at least one of the fire extinguishing system and the management system with electrical energy.

13. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the battery module is releasably connected to the transport vehicle, for the purpose of a change for at least one of the maintaining or the charging of the battery outside the transport vehicle.

14. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 13, wherein the battery module can be moved into and out of the transport vehicle transversely to the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle.

15. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein the battery module is suspended during operation in an installation space of the transport vehicle, which is open in the downwards direction and on at least one side.

16. A transport vehicle comprising a floor-bound and driverless heavy-duty transport vehicle for ISO containers, the transport vehicle having a platform for receiving at least one container to be transported, which platform is delimited by guide elements for guiding a container as it is being set down on the platform, and having a drive unit and a battery module for supplying electrical energy to the drive unit, wherein the battery module comprises a support frame and a battery, and wherein the battery is designed as a lithium-ion battery and at least one air-conditioner device and a management system for the battery are disposed in the support frame in addition to the battery, wherein the support frame is self-supporting and the battery module is releasably connected to the transport vehicle.

17. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein a fire-extinguishing system is additionally disposed in the support frame.

18. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the battery supplies the air-conditioner device with electrical energy.

19. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the battery module can be moved into and out of the transport vehicle transversely to the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle.

20. The transport vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the battery module is suspended during operation in an installation space of the transport vehicle, which is open in the downwards direction and on at least one side.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a floor-bound and driverless transport vehicle for ISO containers;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view according to FIG. 1 without the vehicle frame of the transport vehicle;

(3) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the transport vehicle of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 4 shows a detail view of a battery module in accordance with the invention;

(5) FIG. 5 shows a plan view of FIG. 4; and

(6) FIGS. 6 and 7 show enlarged sections of the region of suspension of the battery module.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a floor-bound and driverless transport vehicle 1 for ISO containers. The transport vehicle 1 is designed as a heavy-duty transport vehicle and has an unladen weight of about 35 tonnes. Additional thereto is the weight of the ISO container(s) to be transported so that, in the laden state, a total weight of about 85 tonnes is achieved. The transport vehicle 1 has at least a permissible total weight of 40 t and is designed as a four-wheeled vehicle. The transport vehicle 1 also consists essentially of a vehicle frame 2 on which, on a common front axle 3a, two front wheels 4a and, on a common rear axle 3b, two rear wheels 4b are mounted. The four wheels 4a, 4b are provided with tyres, preferably rubber tyres, so that the transport vehicle 1 is not rail-bound but can travel freely over a ground surface 8. A preferably flat platform 5 is supported by the vehicle frame 2 and serves to receive the ISO containers, not illustrated, which are to be transported. The size of the platform 5 is selected in such a way that, as seen in a longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1, two 20 foot containers can be transported one behind the other or a 40 foot container or a 45 foot container can be transported. The platform 5 can be designed to be passive in the sense of being rigidly connected to the vehicle frame 2 or can be active. In this connection, active is understood to mean that the platform 5 can be raised and lowered in a vertical direction and relative to the vehicle frame 2 in order to actively pick up or set down containers.

(8) In order to guide a container to be transported as it is being set down on the platform 5 and to be able to orientate it in relation to the platform 5, the platform 5 is delimited at its sides by a plurality of guide elements 5a. For this purpose the guide elements 5a have guide surfaces which extend in an inclined manner. In this case, the guide surfaces extend outwards away from the platform 5 and inwards towards the platform 5. The guide elements 5a are preferably disposed in pairs on opposing sides, in particular long sides and/or short sides, of the platform 5. The guide surfaces of one pair of guide elements 5a form a type of funnel, the inclined extension of which tapers towards the platform 5 in order to achieve the guiding and orientating function. Accordingly, the guide surfaces of a pair of guide elements 5a widen in the upwards direction away from the platform 5.

(9) It can be seen that the vehicle frame 2 comprises an installation space 6 for a battery module 7. The battery module 7 consists, as an integral component, substantially of one or a plurality of batteries 7a, a cuboidal, self-supporting and closed support frame 7b, a management system 7c, an air-conditioner device 7d and a fire-extinguishing system 7e. Only one battery 7a will be mentioned hereinunder for simplification. The installation space 6 for the battery module 7 begins underneath the platform 5 of the vehicle frame 2 and is open in the downwards direction towards the ground surface 8 and at the sides 1a of the transport vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the sides 1a are long sides of the transport vehicle 1. Furthermore, the installation space 6 is located between the front and the rear wheels 4a, 4b of the transport vehicle 1. Since the installation space 6, as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1, is open towards the right and left side 1a a change of the battery module 7 in order to charge and/or maintain a battery 7a of the battery module 7 outside the transport vehicle 1 is effected easily by a movement transversely to the longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1 in a loading and unloading direction E. Furthermore, the installation space 6 is open in the downwards direction so that the battery module 7 can be loaded and unloaded by forklift-type conveying apparatuses. The battery 7a is designed as a lithium-ion battery. The battery module 7 has an approximate weight of 4 to 6 tonnes. In the case of a lithium-ion battery, provision is made for changing same only for maintenance purposes.

(10) During charging, lithium-ion batteries become extremely hot. Temperatures of up to 80? C. and higher can be reached. Rises in temperature can also occur during the discharge of electrical energy, in particular in the case of high capacities over a short time. Thus it is necessary to cool lithium-ion batteries or to operate them in a constant ambient temperature which is usually in the range of 20? C. to 25? C. Depending on the climatic conditions of an area of application, air cooling may be sufficient. However, if the ambient temperature is higher than 25? C., which certainly occurs in very many regions of the Earth, the cooling air must then be cooled using an air-conditioner device. It is also feasible that there may be cases of use where the air flowing round the battery is heated. Furthermore, it is not impossible that lithium-ion batteries pose a fire risk, in particular in the case of high internal temperatures. In a fire, lithium independently burns particularly well. A lithium fire should be put out using a CO.sub.2-based fire-extinguishing system.

(11) In order to permanently check the state, e.g. the charging state, temperature and current of the lithium-ion batteries, in particular the inner cells in the lithium-ion battery, and then to be able to intervene appropriately in the event of abnormalities, a management system 7c for the battery 7a is installed. This is also able to electrically switch the cells of the lithium-ion batteries in such a way that the voltages of the cells are somewhat balanced out. The management system 7c is then connected in terms of control technology to the air-conditioner device 7d and the fire-extinguishing system 7e in order, when necessary, to cool or heat the battery 7a or to trigger the fire-extinguishing system 7e in an emergency.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a further perspective view of the transport vehicle 1, again seen obliquely from above but now with the vehicle frame 2 omitted in order to allow further components of the transport vehicle 1 to be seen. In addition to the elements depicted in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 additionally shows an electric drive unit of the transport vehicle 1, which consists essentially of a front electric motor 9a, a front power take-off gear 10a, a rear electric motor 9b and a rear power take-off gear 10b. As seen in the longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1, the front electric motor 9a is attached below the vehicle frame 2 centrally and in the region of the front axle 3a. As seen in the longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1, the rear electric motor 9b is attached below the vehicle frame 2 centrally and in the region of the rear axle 3b. The front electric motor 9a drives the two front wheels 4a via the front power take-off gear 10a, and the rear electric motor 9b drives the two rear wheels 4b via the rear power take-off gear 10b. Therefore, the transport vehicle 1 has an all-wheel drive.

(13) Furthermore, it can be seen that, between the battery module 7 and the front axle 3a, space is provided for suspension of control cabinets 11a to 11d below and laterally on the vehicle frame 2 in order to receive control components. The control cabinet 11a is a hydraulic control cabinet; the control cabinet 11b is a drive system control cabinet and the remaining control cabinets 11c and 11d are provided for other control tasks such as e.g. navigation or power components such as an inverter, in order to convert the direct current of the battery 7a into an alternating current for the electric motors 9a and 9b and a hydraulic unit 12. In the region of the front wheels 3a space is provided for the hydraulic unit 12, which is also electrically driven and via which the hydraulic components such as e.g. lifting drives for the containers can be supplied. An electric plug element 13 is likewise disposed in this region of the transport vehicle 1 on the side 1a of the transport vehicle 1. By means thereof, the battery 7a can be charged while remaining in the transport vehicle 1.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a side view of the transport vehicle 1. It is particularly clear therefrom that the battery module 7 is suspended on the vehicle frame 2 of the transport vehicle 2 via support rails 2a. The two support rails 2a are disposed at a distance from one another, orientated horizontally with respect to one another and attached or suspended via brackets 2b at one level on the vehicle frame 2. As seen in the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle, the support rails 2a delimit the installation space 6 to the front and rear. In order to be able to suspend the battery module 7 or the support frame 7b of the battery module 7 on the support rails 2a, suspension elements 7h, which project forwards and rearwards as seen in the longitudinal direction of the transport vehicle 1, are disposed laterally on the cuboidal support frame 7b and in particular at its front and rear side walls 7f, 7g and in the region of central supports of the vehicle frame 2. When the battery module 7 is in the operating state, the suspension elements 7h lie on the support rails 2a of the transport vehicle 1 and therefore bear the whole weight of the battery module 7 and absorb any forces which arise during operation of the transport vehicle 1. The suspension elements 7h are each disposed inwardly offset from the side by about one third of the width of the battery module 7. By suspending the battery module 7 within the vehicle frame 2 in this manner a forklift truck or another lifting device or conveying apparatus can easily travel under the battery module 7. For this purpose, two pockets 7i extending in the loading and unloading direction E are disposed on the bottom face of the battery module 7 and can securely receive the forks of the forklift truck or the other lifting device. The pockets 7i are formed e.g. by U-shaped supports disposed on the bottom face of the battery module 7. Then, by a movement of the forklift truck or of the other lifting device in a vertical raising and lowering direction S, the suspension elements 7h are raised from the support rail 2a and then the battery module 7 can be moved out of the transport vehicle 1 in a direction E for placing goods into or out of storage. Provision is additionally made that, by means of the vertical movement in the raising and lowering direction S, the battery module 7 with the battery 7a is orientated on the support rails 2a via centring elements 16 (see FIG. 6), secured against slipping and can be released from the centring elements 16. In addition, by the movement in the raising or lowering direction S, electric contact units 15, which are also provided, can be released or connected by plugs and sockets on the battery module 7a or the battery 7a in the region of the support rails 2a for an electrical connection of the battery module 7 or of the battery 7 to the transport vehicle 1, in particular the drive unit thereof. The advantage of this is that the transport vehicle 1 can be designed to be passive with respect to the centring and contacting of the battery module 7 and its battery 7a.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a detail view of a battery module 7 in accordance with the invention. The battery module 7 is an assembly which includes a battery 7a, a cuboidal, self-supporting and closed support frame 7b, a management system 7c, an air-conditioner device 7d and a fire-extinguishing system 7e. The self-supporting support frame 7b is designed as a container or as a trough with a cover and connects the battery 7a, the management system 7c, the air-conditioner device 7d and the fire-extinguishing system 7e to a battery module 7 which is adapted to the installation space 6 or the corresponding transport vehicle 1. The battery 7a occupies the majority of the volume of the support frame 7b. In this case, the battery 7a is likewise designed as a cuboid but smaller than the support frame 7b so that on one side of the battery 7b a receiving space 14 remains for the management system 7c, the air-conditioner device 7d and the fire-extinguishing system 7e. In relation to a battery 7a designed as a lithium-ion battery the fire-extinguishing system 7e is designed as a CO.sub.2 fire-extinguishing system. The air-conditioner device 7d serves for active temperature regulation, in particular cooling, of the battery 7b. During charging of the battery 7b, in particular over a short time, heat is produced which is actively discharged via the air-conditioner device 7d. Furthermore, the battery 7b operates optimally at a constant ambient temperature. The support frame 7b is formed overall as a trough with a cover and is therefore closed during operation except for the openings for air-conditioningif required for air cooling. The battery 7a supplies the management system 7c, the air-conditioner device 7d and the fire-extinguishing system 7e with electrical energy even outside the transport vehicle 1.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a plan view of FIG. 4, which shows that the receiving space 14 is cuboidal and, in the longitudinal direction L of the transport vehicle 1, is delimited at the front by the battery 7a and at the rear by the rear side wall 7g of the support frame 7b.

(17) FIGS. 6 and 7 each show enlarged sections of the region of suspension of the battery module 7 on the vehicle frame 2.

(18) FIG. 6 shows the bearing elements 7h on the front side wall 7f of the support frame 7b. At a free end, the bearing elements 7h and the support rails 2a are designed as centring elements 16 in order to orientate the battery module 7 with respect to the support rail 2a during suspension in the vehicle frame 2. For this purpose each centring element 16 consists of an annular fork 16a on the bearing element 7h and a conical pin 16b on the support rail 2a. One centring element 16 is provided for each bearing element 7h. Between the two bearing elements 7h a separable electrical contact unit 15 is disposed on the front side wall 7f and on the support rail 2a and extends flat and horizontally. This contact unit 15 schematically illustrated in FIG. 6 consists of a plurality of plugs and sockets and further centring elements in order to produce an electrical contact automatically via the lowering movement in the raising and lowering direction S of the battery module 7 onto the support rail 2a. The contact unit 15 produces the connection for control signals and electrical energy. In this case, the plugs are disposed on the support frame 7b and the sockets on the support rail 2a. The contact unit 15 can be omitted when the battery 7a is fixedly installed in the vehicle.

(19) FIG. 7 shows the bearing elements 7h on the rear side wall 7g of the support frame 7b. At a free end, one of the two bearing elements 7h is laterally guided in a u-shaped retaining element 17 which is open in the upwards direction.

(20) Areas of application of the above-described transport vehicles 1 and of the associated battery-changing systems are the handling of ISO containers in ports and in intermodal traffic between road and rail.

(21) The present invention has been described with the aid of a floor-bound transport vehicle 1 for the transport of ISO containers. It is fundamentally possible also to transport other heavy loads such as e.g. slabs or coils in the iron and steel industries and in rolling mills. The transport vehicles can also be designed as so-called terminal trucks, gantry lift stackers, straddle carriers or reach stackers. Terminal trucks are to be understood as being trailer trucks with tractive machines and semi-trailers. A terminal truck, in particular the semi-trailer, also designated as a trailer, thereof thus likewise comprises a platform 5 delimited by guide elements 5a in the sense described above. The transport vehicles 1 can also comprise more than two axles, of which only one or all is/are electrically driven. An electrical individual wheel drive is also feasible. In addition to the drive unit all other drives of the transport vehicle 1 can also be electrical or electro-hydraulic.

(22) It is self-evident that the battery module 7 can also be used to supply electrical energy to other electrical consumers in addition to the drive unit.