Electrical motor scooter

Abstract

Electric motor scooters are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electric motor scooter includes an electric drive, an electric battery, an actuation unit, and a control unit. The actuation unit may be brought in to one of a plurality of positions along an actuation distance, and the control unit is configured to selective a drive mode depending on the position of the actuation unit along the actuation distance. The drive modes include a recuperation mode, a coasting mode, an acceleration mode, and a boost mode. When in the recuperation mode, at least a portion of the energy generated in the electric drive may be delivered to the battery.

Claims

1. An electric motor scooter comprising: an electric drive operable in a plurality of drive modes; an electric battery; an actuation unit configured to be brought into one of a plurality of different positions along an actuation distance; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a position of the actuation unit and select a drive mode from the plurality of drive modes depending on the position of the actuation unit, wherein the plurality of drive modes comprises a recuperation mode, a coasting mode, and an acceleration mode, wherein, when the recuperation mode is selected, the control unit is configured to control the electric drive so that energy generated in the electric drive is delivered, at least partially, to the battery, and wherein, when the coasting mode is selected, substantially no torque is applied by the electric drive.

2. The electric motor scooter of claim 1, wherein, when the acceleration mode is selected, the control unit controls the electric drive and/or the battery such that an essentially linear dependence exists between the position of the actuation unit along the actuation distance and a torque applied by the electric drive according to M(P)=k1*P+d, wherein M(P) is the torque, k1 is a first acceleration coefficient, P is the position of actuation unit, and d is a constant.

3. The electric motor scooter of claim 2, wherein the plurality of driving modes comprises a boost mode, wherein, when the boost mode is selected, the control unit is configured to control the electric drive and/or the battery such that an essentially linear dependence exists between the position of the actuation unit along the actuation distance and the torque applied by the electric drive according to M(P)=k2*P+d, wherein k2 is a second acceleration coefficient that is larger than the first acceleration coefficient k1.

4. The electric motor scooter of claim 3, wherein the first acceleration coefficient is smaller than the second acceleration coefficient by at least 10 or 20 or 30 or 50 percent.

5. The electric motor scooter of claim 3, wherein the control unit emits a signal to indicate whether the electric drive and/or the battery are in a state in which the boost mode can be selected.

6. The electric motor scooter of claim 5, wherein the control unit is configured to determine if the boost mode can be selected based on at least one of a period of time since a previous boost, a duration of the previous boost and a temperature of the battery and/or the drive.

7. The electric motor scooter of claim 5, wherein the signal emitted by the control unit indicates a period of time that the boost mode is available, and wherein the period of time is indicated on a display.

8. The electric motor scooter of claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the display to display one or more symbols to indicate the period of time.

9. The electric motor scooter of claim 3, wherein at least 10 percent of the actuation distance is assigned to the recuperation mode, at least 5 percent of the actuation distance is assigned to the coasting mode, at least 40 percent of the actuation distance is assigned to the acceleration mode, and at least 3 percent the actuation distance is assigned to the boost mode.

10. The electric motor scooter of claim 1, further comprising a smartphone holder, the smartphone holder comprising: a foam container to receive a smartphone; and a rotatably mounted and at least partially transparent cover constructed and arranged to press the smartphone against the foam container in a locked position.

11. The electric motor scooter of claim 10, wherein the cover comprises an upper flat section to cover an integrated display and a lower flat section to hold the smartphone, and wherein the upper and lower sections are arranged at a an obtuse angle relative to each other.

12. The electric motor scooter of claim 11, further comprising: one or more brackets for the rotational mounting located at an upper area of the upper section; and a snap-in locking device in a lower area of the lower section to secure the cover.

13. An electric motor scooter comprising: an electric drive operable in a plurality of drive modes; an electric battery; an actuation unit configured to be brought into one of a plurality of different positions along an actuation distance; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a position of the actuation unit and select a drive mode from the plurality of drive modes depending on the position of the actuation unit, wherein the plurality of drive modes comprises a recuperation mode, a coasting mode, an acceleration mode, and a boost mode, wherein, when the recuperation mode is selected, the control unit is configured to control the electric drive so that energy generated in the electric drive is delivered, at least partially, to the battery, and wherein the control unit is configured to emit a signal to indicate whether the electric drive and/or the battery are in a state in which the boost mode can be selected.

Description

(1) Several embodiments are described in more detail below in connection with the Figures. In the Figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an overall view of an electric motor scooter according to one embodiment with a steering unit for steering the motor scooter;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the upper section of the steering unit with a display for displaying information and a thumb lever for specifying a driving mode;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of the driving modes with corresponding torques;

(5) FIG. 4-6 show different screen displays, which show the availability status of a boost mode;

(6) FIG. 7 shows individual components of the motor scooter from FIG. 1;

(7) FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a smartphone holder integrated into the steering unit according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;

(8) FIG. 9 shows a cross section through the smartphone holder from FIG. 8.

(9) In the following description the same reference numerals are used for parts that are identical or have the same effect.

(10) FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a scooter or motor scooter 10 according to one embodiment. The motor scooter 10 has a body to which a front wheel 12 and a rear wheel 12 are rotatably attached. The body also comprises a steering unit 30 for steering the motor scooter 10. The front wheel 12 is located at the lower end of the steering unit 30. In the back part of the body there is a battery box 21, to which a saddle 20 is connected.

(11) The upper area of the steering unit 30 is in the shape of a T (see FIG. 2). Handle grips are arranged on the left-hand and right-hand sides of the steering column into which the brake lever (left-hand side) and a thumb lever 31 (right-hand side) protrude. At the end of the steering column in the upper area of the steering unit 30 there is a smartphone holder 200, into which a display 100 with a screen 110 (FIG. 8) is integrated.

(12) The motor scooter 10 includes a control unit 300 (FIG. 7), which communicates with the thumb lever 31 and with the display 100. The thumb lever 31 is equipped with an appropriate sensor, with the result that it can deliver signals to the control unit 300 about its position in relation to a starting position. For its part, the control unit 300 can emit signals which can be displayed on the screen 110 by means of the display 100.

(13) The control unit 300 also communicates via a bus system with a battery 60, which is integrated into the battery box 71, and with a motor 40. The motor 40 and the battery 60 make up the drive of the motor scooter 10, at least when it is connected to the power source.

(14) The control unit 300 controls the behaviour of the motor 40 and of the battery 60.

(15) In an embodiment, the control unit 300 implements four different driving modes. These driving modes are as follows: a) a recuperation mode; b) a coasting mode; c) an acceleration mode; and d) a boost mode.

(16) The individual driving modes are implemented in such a way that they provide torques, as shown in FIG. 3.

(17) The axes of the graph in FIG. 3 designate a position P of the thumb lever 31 (x axis) and a torque (y axis), which is applied by the motor 40.

(18) According to one embodiment, when not in use the thumb lever 31 is in the zero position. Then, distances follow for: a) the recuperation mode=sRec; b) the coasting mode=sGI; c) the acceleration mode=sB; d) the boost mode=sHB.

(19) The thumb lever 31 is therefore in the starting position/rest position. First, it covers the distance sREC for recuperation, then the distance for the coasting mode sGI, then the distance for the acceleration mode sB and, finally, the distance for the boost mode sHB. The distances are broken down in the execution example as follows: sREC=20 percent; sGI=10 percent; sB=65 percent; sHB=10 percent
of a distance of actuation sGES.

(20) When the motor scooter 10 travels, there is no resulting torque in the coasting mode, while, in the recuperation mode, a negative torque acts which may increase linearly with increasing distance from the coasting mode. In the acceleration mode, therefore, there is a positive torque, which also increases with increasing distance from the coasting mode. There may be a linear dependence between the distance and the torque. There is also a positive torque in the boost mode, which increases linearly with increasing distance from the acceleration mode. The acceleration mode and the boost mode may be implemented such that acceleration in the boost mode is much greater than in the acceleration mode.

(21) According to some embodiments, the control unit 300 can be designed to emit signals indicating whether a boost mode is available. The availability of the boost mode may not be given if the battery 60 is low. For the purpose of determining whether a boost mode can be implemented without damaging the motor scooter 10, temperature conditions in or in the area of the battery 60 and/or in or in the area of the motor 40 can be taken into consideration. According to some aspects, one or more of the named criteria can be used to determine availability.

(22) In one embodiment, the control unit 300 is designed such that it makes the availability of a boost mode dependent on when a boost mode was last requested and how long the vehicle was driven in boost mode.

(23) The control unit 300 also emits signals to indicate to the user how long he or she can drive with the boost. These signals are emitted via the display 100. FIGS. 4 to 6 show the screen 110 of the display 100 in different states. In each of the states shown, the screen 110 shows four charge bars 111, 111, 111, 111. According to the state of the motor scooter 10, or, more accurately, the availability of the boost mode, the charge bars 111, 111, 111, 111 are filled or simply outlined. If all charge bars 111, 111, 111, 111 are filled, the boost mode is available for a maximum time interval (=maximum time), for example 1 minute. The control unit 300 controls the display 100 so that the layout of the screen 110 is different when availability is lower.

(24) In FIG. 4 only the lowest charge bar 111 is filled. The remaining charge bars 111, 111, 111 are empty. Ultimately, therefore, the control unit 300 indicates that the boost mode is available for just a quarter of the maximum time, for example 15 seconds.

(25) In FIG. 5 the lowest charge bar 111 and the next charge bar above 111 are filled. The remaining charge bars 111, 111 are empty. This means that the control unit 300 is signalling a state in which the boost mode is available for a time interval which is half the maximum time. The display according to FIG. 5 can therefore indicate that the boost mode is available for approximately 30 seconds. In FIG. 6 three charge bars 111, 111, 111 of the four charge bars 111, 111, 111, 111 are filled. The result is, therefore, that the boost mode can be requested for three quarters of the maximum time.

(26) In this embodiment, the control unit 300 is designed such that the availability of the boost mode can be slowly reduced when driving takes place in boost mode. For example, as soon as the aforementioned maximum time is reached, the available torque is reduced. When driving takes place in normal acceleration mode, or in recuperation mode, or in coasting mode, availability increases again, with the result that, after a certain time, it is possible to return to boost mode.

(27) FIGS. 8 and 9 show details of the smartphone holder 200 from FIG. 2. The smartphone holder 200 comprises a display 100 with a screen 110 as well as a foam block 201, on which a smartphone 1 can be placed and fixed.

(28) According to the cross section from FIG. 9 the smartphone holder 200 has two sections, which are arranged at an obtuse angle to each other. The display 100 is integrated into the upper section and the foam block 201 is integrated into the lower section. The smartphone holder 200 comprises a cover 210, which is rotatably mounted on the housing of the smartphone holder 200. The cover also comprises an upper cover section 211 and a lower cover section 212, which are effectively arranged at an obtuse angle to each other. The cover 210 makes it possible to open and close (e.g., lock) the smartphone holder 200. In one embodiment, the cover 210 is made of a transparent durable material, so that the screen 110 of the display 100 can be read in the closed state or in the locked position. Accordingly, the cover 110 also enables displays on the smartphone 1 to be recognised in the closed state. The foam block 201 and the housing, as well as the cover 210, of the smartphone holder are designed in such a way that, in the locked state, the smartphone 1 is clamped between the lower cover section 212 and the foam block 201. In this state, the smartphone 1 cannot therefore shift and is securely held. A snap-in locking device 214 provides a snap-lock connection for the cover 210 so that, in the closed state, the cover 210 is releasably held on the casing.

(29) The techniques described herein may be implemented in numerous ways by the person skilled in the art, who is active in this area. In the foregoing description, a control unit 300 was described which controls the battery 60 and the motor 40. According to some embodiments, the control unit 300 can also be a regulating device which regulates some of the functions. In some applications, there may be no difference between controlling and regulating.

(30) According to some aspects, the motor scooter 10 can also be equipped in such a way that it does not comprise a smartphone holder 200 as described in connection with FIGS. 8 and 9. For example, conventional displays 100 can be used that are suitable for displaying signals emitted by the control unit 300. It is also possible to use the smartphone holder 200 without the described control unit 300.

(31) As regards the smartphone holder 200, it should also be noted that the arrangement of the swivel joint in the upper area of the housing of the smartphone holder 200 is not essential. For example, it is possible for the upper cover section 211 to be fixed to the housing and for just the lower cover section 212 to comprise the aforementioned rotary connection. In some instances, it is also possible to fix the smartphone 1 securely between the foam block 201 and the lower cover section 212.

(32) The distances specified for the individual driving modes are also to be understood to be non-limiting examples. According to some aspects, these distances can be varied at will. In some embodiments, variations of these distances lie within a variation of no more than 50 percent, or no more than 30 percent of the individual distances.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(33) 1 Smartphone 10 Scooter 12 Front wheel 12 Rear wheel 20 Saddle 21 Battery box 30 Steering unit 31 Thumb lever 40 Motor or drive 60 Battery 100 Display 110 Screen 111, 111 111, 111 charge bars 200 Smartphone holder 201 Foam block 210 Cover 211 Upper cover section 212 Lower cover section 214 Snap-in locking device 300 Control unit M Torque P Position of the thumb lever sGes Total distance of actuation sRec Distance for the recuperation mode sGI Distance for the coasting mode sB Distance for the acceleration mode sHB Distance for the boost mode