EP-4737200-A1 - BATTERY SWAPPING SYSTEM AND BATTERY SWAPPING METHOD

EP4737200A1EP 4737200 A1EP4737200 A1EP 4737200A1EP-4737200-A1

Abstract

A battery swapping system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a main body; a plurality of replacement units which are mounted on the main body and on which a battery is mounted and charged; a detection unit which is arranged on the main body to face a user and detects body information; a transfer unit for transferring, to the user, location information of the replacement units and charging information of the battery mounted on the replacement unit by using at least one method among an image providing method or a speech method; and a control unit for controlling the operation of the replacement unit and the operation of the transfer unit according to the body information of the user detected by the detection unit, wherein the control unit may select one replacement unit among of the plurality of replacement units on the basis of the body information of the user detected by the detection unit, and operate the transfer unit to inform the user of information about the selected replacement unit.

Inventors

KIM, SUNG WON

Assignees

LG Energy Solution, Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20240806

Claims (14)

A battery swapping system comprising: a main body; a plurality of swapping parts which are mounted on the main body and on which a battery is mounted to be charged; a detection part disposed on the main body to face a user and configured to detect user's body information; a transmission part configured to transmit location information of the swapping part and charging information of a battery mounted on the swapping part to the user in at least one of a video provision manner or an audio manner; and a controller configured to control an operation of the swapping part and an operation of the transmission part according to the user's body information detected by the detection part, wherein the controller is configured to select one of the plurality of swapping parts based on the user's body information detected by the detection part and operate the transmission part to inform information of the selected swapping part to the user.
The battery swapping system of claim 1, wherein the detection part is configured to detect user's height information, and the swapping part is provided in plurality to be arranged in a height direction with respect to the ground.
The battery swapping system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to select one swapping part, which is the closest to a middle height based on the user's height information, among the plurality of swapping parts.
The battery swapping system of claim 1, wherein the detection part is configured to detect user's waist and chest portions.
The battery swapping system of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to control the swapping part so that the swapping part moves between the user's waist and chest portions.
The battery swapping system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of swapping parts are movable integrally.
The battery swapping system of claim 6, wherein the main body is movable integrally together with the plurality of swapping parts.
The battery swapping system of claim 7, further comprising a driving part disposed below the main body to support a bottom surface of the main body and configured to move the main body and the plurality of swapping part upward or downward.
The battery swapping system of claim 1, further comprising a storage part configured to store location information of the swapping part, charging information of the battery mounted on the swapping part, and operation information of the swapping part controlled by the controller.
The battery swapping system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the location information of the swapping part, which is stored in the storage part, as coordinate values, calculate an average of the coordinate values of the swapping part, and allow the swapping part to standby at a position corresponding to the average of the coordinate values.
A battery swapping method comprising: a detection process of detecting user's body information by a detection part mounted on a main body; a transmission process of selecting one swapping part of a plurality of swapping parts, on which a battery is mounted to be charged, based on the user's body information detected by the detection part to transmit information of the selected swapping part to a user through a transmission part, by a controller; a control process of controlling an operation of the swapping part by the controller according to the user's body information detected by the detection part; and a swapping process of putting a used battery into one swapping part of the plurality of swapping parts to eject a charged battery to the other swapping part of the plurality of swapping parts.
The battery swapping method of claim 11, wherein, in the detection process, the detection part detects user's height information, and in the transmission process, the controller selects one swapping part, which is the closest to a middle height based on the user's height information, among the plurality of swapping parts.
The battery swapping method of claim 11, wherein, in the detection process, the detection part detects user's waist and chest portions, and in the control process, the controller controls the swapping part so that the swapping part moves between the user's waist and chest portions.
The battery swapping method of claim 11, wherein, in the control process, the plurality of swapping parts integrally move by the controller.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0105152, filed on August 10, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a battery swapping system and method that improve use convenience for a user. BACKGROUND ART Research and development on power generation based on Eco-friendly energy sources are being conducted to solve the problem of environmental pollution due to the use of petroleum resources and to resolve the problem of energy shortage due to the depletion of petroleum resources. Particularly, research on secondary batteries that are capable of being repeatedly charged/discharged and thus have high usability is actively conducted, and research is being conducted on various aspects of secondary batteries, such as materials, structures, processes, and stability. In general, the types of secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, lithium ion batteries, and lithium ion polymer batteries, and the like. Such a secondary battery is being applied to and used in small-sized products such as digital cameras, P-DVDs, MP3Ps, mobile phones, PDAs, portable game devices, power tools, E-bikes, and the like as well as large-sized products requiring high power such as electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles, power storage devices for storing surplus power or renewable energy, and backup power storage devices. In addition, in case of devices that require high output and high capacity electric energy such as electric vehicles or electric motorcycles, a battery pack in which a plurality of secondary batteries are coupled to each other is often utilized. However, since the battery pack is a high-output and high-capacity electric energy storage device, the battery pack has a disadvantage of taking somewhat time to recharge the electric energy. To overcome this drawback, a battery swapping device provided with a plurality of battery packs that are previously charged is often utilized. For example, a battery swapping station (BSS) is installed on a certain area, and a user may easily and quickly swap a used battery pack for a charged battery pack through the battery swapping station. Since the battery swapping station allows the user to immediately swap the battery pack, the time required to charge and replace the battery pack is shortened, thereby improving usability of the battery pack. However, since the battery pack is designed for large devices such as automobiles and motorcycles, there is a problem in that the battery pack is manufactured to be heavy, and a considerable amount of force is required when the user puts the battery pack into the battery swapping station and eject the battery pack from the battery swapping station. The above problem may cause a problem in that is reduces use convenience of the battery swapping station and potentially leads to user's physical injury. Thus, there is a need for the battery swapping system and method that operate without requiring more force from the user, thereby improving the user convenience. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM An object of the present invention for solving the above problem is to provide a battery swapping system and method that operate according to user's body information to improve use convenience. TECHNICAL SOLUTION A battery swapping system according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a main body, a plurality of swapping parts which are mounted on the main body and on which a battery is mounted to be charged, a detection part disposed on the main body to face a user and configured to detect user's body information, a transmission part configured to transmit location information of the swapping part and charging information of a battery mounted on the swapping part to the user in at least one of a video provision manner or an audio manner, and a controller configured to control an operation of the swapping part and an operation of the transmission part according to the user's body information detected by the detection part, wherein the controller may be configured to select one of the plurality of swapping parts based on the user's body information detected by the detection part and operate the transmission part to inform information of the selected swapping part to the user. The detection part may be configured to detect user's height information, and the swapping part may be provided in plurality to be arranged in a height direction with respect to the ground. The controller may be configured to select one swapping part, which is the closest to a middle height based on the user's height information, among the plurality of swapping parts. The detection part may be configured to detect user's waist and chest portions. The controller may be configured to control the swapping part so that the swapping part moves betwe