FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to electric scooters and similar two or three- wheel electric vehicles. In particular, however, not exclusively, the present invention concerns a battery arrangement for electric scooters and electric scooters having such battery arrangement.

BACKGROUND

Nowadays there are many known electric scooters and bikes. These are operated by uti lizing electrical power stored into a battery thereof. The battery may be integrated into the structure, such as arranged inside a space defined by the frame of the vehicle. In other attempts, the battery can be easily removable and/or swappable, for example, re quiring only opening a lock of the battery in order it to be detached from the scooter or bike. The lock can be such that it requires a key in order to be opened or it can simply be a clamp or the like which can be opened without a key.

Furthermore, it is also known to utilize these the known electric scooters in scooter sharing systems. Scooter-sharing system can be described by being a service in which electric motorized scooters (also referred to as e-scooters) are made available to use for short-term rental. Similar services are also known for electric bikes. In such applications, it is crucial that the battery of the scooter can be easily swapped or replaced frequently or at least from time to time. Thus, even though the battery is better protected inside the structure of the scooter having integrated battery, such a difficult-to-access battery is a clear drawback due to the integration of the battery when utilized in scooter-sharing systems.

In the known electric scooters having easily removable battery, the battery is less pro tected and, thus, vulnerable to impacts. On the other hand, in some cases, there is a hinged cover arranged to cover the battery which the cover or lid itself, even if protecting the battery, is prone to wear and tear due to the frequent use thereof.

SUMMARY

An objective of the present invention is to provide a battery arrangement of an electric scooter, and an electric scooter. Another objective of the present invention is that the battery arrangement and the electric scooter alleviate at least some of the drawbacks in the known battery arrangements of the electric scooters, and in the electric scooters themselves. Still another objective is to provide a battery arrangement in which the bat tery case and/or the battery is easily swappable and well protected when coupled to the electric scooter.

The objectives of the invention are reached by a battery arrangement of an electric scooter, and an electric scooter as defined by the respective independent claims.

According to a first aspect, a battery arrangement of an electric scooter is provided. The battery arrangement comprises a battery holder and a battery case for receiving a battery. The battery holder and the battery case are adapted so that the battery case is mountable at least partly into the battery holder via an opening of the battery holder. Furthermore, a first end of the battery holder is coupled to a frame of the electric scooter and closer to a rear wheel support portion than to a front wheel support portion in a first direction of the electric scooter. A second end of the battery holder comprises the opening and is opposite to the first end in a longitudinal direction of the battery holder.

Furthermore, the first direction may be about the direction defined by an imaginary line between the front and rear wheel support portions. In some cases, the first direction may refer to the horizontal direction of the electric scooter when being arranged on a hori zontal surface. Thus, a second direction as used herein, being perpendicular with respect to the first direction, may refer to the direction in parallel with the direction of the gravity when the electric scooter is arranged on a horizontal surface.

In preferable embodiments, the battery holder may be coupled to the frame so that the longitudinal direction is non-parallel and non-perpendicular with respect to the first di rection, and so that, in the first direction, the second end is closer to the rear wheel sup port portion than the first end.

In addition, the battery case may comprise a top portion which covers the opening when the battery case is arranged into battery holder.

In various embodiments, the battery holder may comprise a lock device for locking the battery case.

In various embodiments, an angle between the first direction and the longitudinal direc tion may be anything from 0 to 90 degrees. Alternatively or in addition, the angle be tween the first direction and the longitudinal direction is at most 85 degrees, however, more than zero, and preferably more than 45 degrees. The angle may be in the range from 55-70 degrees.

In various preferable embodiments, the first end may be coupled to a floorboard portion of the frame.

In some embodiments, the battery case may comprise a curved outer surface, the outer surface being the surface facing away from the battery holder when the battery case is arranged to its normal position at least partly into the battery holder.

Furthermore, the battery holder may be arranged in front of the rear wheel support por tion so that the holder operates also as a mudguard.

According to a second aspect, an electric scooter is provided. The electric scooter com prising a frame, a front wheel support portion for supporting at least one front wheel, and a rear wheel support portion for supporting at least one rear wheel, wherein the front wheel support portion and the rear wheel sup-port portion are coupled to the frame, an electric motor, and a controlling unit. Furthermore, the electric scooter comprises the battery arrangement in accordance with the first aspect.

In various embodiments, the electric scooter may comprise a mud guard, that is a sepa rate mud guard, at the rear wheel support portion. The mud guard may be arranged, in the first direction, further away from the front wheel support portion relative to a dis tance between the front and the rear wheel support portions.

In some embodiments, the second end of the battery holder may extend further in a sec ond direction of the electric scooter than the mud guard, the second direction being per pendicular relative to the first direction.

In some other embodiments, when the battery case is arranged to its normal position at least partly into the battery holder, an, optionally curved, outer surface of the mud guard may align with an, optionally similarly curved, surface of the battery case providing substantially a uniform, optionally curved, surface, the outer surfaces being the surfaces facing away from the mud guard and the battery holder in the normal position, respec tively.

In various embodiments, alternatively or in addition, the electric motor may be arranged for rotating at least a rear wheel coupled to the rear wheel support portion. Furthermore, the electric motor may be a hub motor in the rear wheel. Furthermore, the electric scooter may comprise a steering column comprising a handle bar, wherein speed adjusting means are coupled to the handle bar, and wherein the speed adjusting means are at least in communication connection with the controlling unit.

The present invention provides a battery arrangement of an electric scooter, and an elec tric scooter. The present invention provides advantages over known solutions in that it is easier to swap the battery case into the well-protected and durable battery holder.

Various other advantages will become clear to a skilled person based on the following detailed description.

The expression "a plurality of’ may refer to any positive integer starting from two (2), that is, being at least two.

The terms “first”, “second”, etc. are herein used to distinguish one element from other element, and not to specially prioritize or order them, if not otherwise explicitly stated.

The exemplary embodiments of the present invention presented herein are not to be in terpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appended claims. The verb "to comprise" is used herein as an open limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combin- able unless otherwise explicitly stated.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The present invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Some embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1A-1C illustrate schematically an electric kick scooter according to an embodi ment from different viewing angles.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate schematically a battery arrangement according to an em bodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS Figures 1A-1C illustrate schematically an electric scooter 100 according to an embodi ment from different viewing angles. Fig. 1A illustrates the electric scooter 100 from a perspective, Fig. IB from a side, and Fig. 1C from behind.

In various embodiments, the electric scooter 100 comprises a frame 5, a front wheel support portion 7 for supporting at least one front wheel, and a rear wheel support por tion 8 for supporting at least one rear wheel, wherein the front wheel support portion 7 and the rear wheel support portion 8 are coupled to the frame 5, an electric motor (not shown in Figs. 1 A-1C), and a controlling unit (not shown in Figs. 1 A-1C). The control ling unit is, preferably, configured to control the operation of the electric scooter 100, especially at least of the electric motor thereof. In various embodiments, the controlling unit may comprise one or more processing units, such as processor(s), and memory, such as non-transitory or non-volatile memory storage medium, for storing instructions exe cutable by the processing unit(s) for operating the scooter 100. Furthermore, the con trolling unit may comprise electrical power converter for converting and/or controlling the current being injected to the electric motor. The controlling unit may be substantially a single unit or being distributed in more than one positions. In overall, the position of the controlling unit is not limited to any specific position but it may reside basically anywhere in the scooter 100.

In various embodiments, the electric motor(s) may be arranged for rotating at least a front wheel coupled a front wheel support portion 7 and/or at least a rear wheel coupled to the rear wheel support portion 8. The electric motor may be a hub motor in the front and/or rear wheel.

In Figs. 1 A-1C, the electric scooter 100 comprises a first end END1 of the battery holder 16 being coupled to a frame 5 of the electric scooter 100 and closer to a rear wheel support portion 8 than to a front wheel support portion 7 in a first direction X of the electric scooter 100. In various embodiments, an angle between the first direction X and the longitudinal direction B may be anything from 0 to 90 degrees. The battery holder 16 may comprise robust wall portion, such as of metal, for example, being a thick metal wall portion welded to the frame at the first end END1. Furthermore, the second end END2 of the battery holder 16 comprises the opening for receiving the battery case 14 and is opposite to the first end END1 in a longitudinal direction B of the battery holder 16. The battery holder 16 as illustrated makes it easier to swap the battery case, for ex ample, when the scooter 100, as is typical, is parked with other scooters so that their front part is away from the user or person swapping battery, such as the front portion facing a wall of a building. Furthermore, as the scooters can be parked close to each other, it becomes complicated to approach the scooter from aside or from the front. Thus, having the battery holder 16 in the rear portion of the scooter 100 makes the batter case 14 easier to be swapped without moving the scooter 100. As shown in Figs. 1 A-1C, the first end END1 may be coupled to a floorboard portion of the frame 5. Thus, the weight of the battery holder 16 and the battery case 14 is positioned low. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the battery holder 16 may be arranged in front of the rear wheel support portion 8 so that the holder 16 operates also as a mudguard.

Figure IB illustrates schematically a first portion 6 of the frame 5 onto which the first end END1 of the battery holder 16 may be coupled to. In Fig. IB, the limit on the left is halfway between the wheel support portions 7, 8. However, in some embodiments, the battery holder 16 may be even closer to the rear wheel support portion 8, such as having said limit at one third or one fourth of the distance between the wheel support portions

7, 8 from the rear wheel support portion 8. Still further, there may be some space be tween the first end ENDl and the rear wheel in order the battery holder 16 to have suf ficient space to “lean” over the rear wheel and/or along the side of the mud guard 50.

In various embodiments, the first direction X may about the direction defined by an imaginary line between the front wheel support portion 7 and rear wheel support portion

8

Furthermore, as shown in Figs. 1A-1C, the battery holder 16 is coupled to the frame 5 so that the longitudinal direction B is non-parallel and non-perpendicular with respect to the first direction X, and so that, in the first direction X, the second end END2 is closer to the rear wheel support portion 8 than the first end ENDl, as shown with reference sign 18. Thus, the battery holder 16 is “leaning” towards or even over the rear wheel support portion 8 and/or the rear wheel of the scooter 100. Having the angle provide the effect that it takes less space and, thus, the user can have more room to support one leg to the angled side of the battery holder 16, for example. Furthermore, when approaching the scooter 100 from rear side, it is even easier and faster to take off the battery case 14 and install a new battery case 14. Furthermore, angling the battery holder 16, makes it easy to insert the battery case 14 and push against the frame 5, while the scooter 100 maintains its position. This can also allow to change the battery with one hand since the scooter 100 does not have to be supported by the other hand.

As is further shown in Figs. 1A-1C, the battery case 14 may comprise a top portion 13 which covers, and preferably substantially seals, the opening when the battery case 14 is arranged into battery holder 16. Thus, there is no need have separate hinged cover which is susceptible to wear and tear due to the frequent use thereof. Also, the swapping is fast.

In various embodiments, the electric scooter 100, or specifically the battery holder 16, may comprise a lock device (not shown) for locking the battery case 14. The lock device may be an automatic app-operated lock inside the scooter 100 or the battery module 16 that will fix the battery case 14 in its normal position. The app-operated lock may be operated, for example, by a mobile terminal, such as a smart phone, executing the app and capable of establishing a wireless connection, such as via the internet or a short- range communication connection, e.g., Bluetooth™, with the lock and/or the controlling unit. Thus, the swapping of the battery case 14 is fast.

In various embodiments, an angle between the first direction and the longitudinal direc tion B is at most 85 degrees, however, more than zero, and preferably more than 45 degrees. The angle may advantageously be in the range from 55-70 degrees.

As visible in Figs. 1 A-1C , the battery case 14 may comprise a curved outer surface, the outer surface being the surface facing away from the battery holder 16 when the battery case 14 is arranged to its normal position at least partly into the battery holder 16. This makes it more difficult for the user to support their foot over the surface which is unde sirable from the safety perspective.

In various embodiments, the electric scooter 100 may comprise a mud guard 50 at the rear wheel support portion 8, wherein, in the first direction X, the mud guard 50 is ar ranged further away from the front wheel support portion 7 relative to a distance between the front wheel support portion 7 and the rear wheel support portion 8.

In addition, the second end END2 of the battery holder 16 may extend further in a second direction Y of the electric scooter 100 than the mud guard 50, the second direction Y being perpendicular relative to the first direction X.

Alternatively, when the battery case 14 is arranged to its normal position at least partly into the battery holder 16, there can be a curved outer surface of the mud guard which aligns with a similarly curved surface of the battery case 14 providing substantially a uniform curved surface.

Still further, as shown in Figs. 1A-1C, the electric scooter 100 preferably comprises a steering column 44 comprising a handle bar 42, wherein speed adjusting means 46 are coupled to the handle bar 42, and wherein the speed adjusting means 46 are at least in communication connection with the controlling unit.

Figures 2A and 2B illustrate schematically a battery arrangement 10 according to an embodiment. The battery arrangement 10 may be similar to the one illustrated in Figs. 1 A-1C, however, there are some differences also. As can be seen, the mud guard 50 may be omitted from the scooter 100. Furthermore, the top portion 13 may be very simple, and not necessarily curved at all. Still further, Figs. 2A and 2B illustrate connector means 19, such as a connector or contact points, via which electrical power may be taken from the battery 12 and, optionally, also to store into the battery 12 in case of regenerative braking, if any.

Figure 2A shows the battery case 14, including therein the battery 12, a situation when the battery case 14 is arranged, in some cases at least partly, into the battery holder 16. Fig. 2B shows the battery case 14 being removed from the battery holder 16. As can be seen, the battery holder 16 and the battery case 14 are adapted so that the battery case 14 is mountable into the battery holder 16 via the opening of the battery holder 16 at the second end END2 thereof. As described hereinbefore, the top portion 13 may cover and, optionally substantially seal, the opening.

Furthermore, Figs. 2A and 2B schematically illustrate one example of the electric motor 30 and the controlling unit 20. It is to be understood that the electric motor 30 and the controlling unit 20 may be positioned in various other ways too. Some connections for electrical power and/or communication signals are shown in Figs. 2A and 2B between the electric motor 30 and the controlling unit 20, and also for connecting the battery 12 to the circuit. There is also a connection extending to the left indicating that, for example, the speed adjusting means 46 may be in connection with the controlling unit 20 for op erating the motor 30 accordingly.