Motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479258-B2
Application number	US-201715809808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2017
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A motor vehicle having an auxiliary stowage compartment for transporting a compact scooter. The motor vehicle having an engine compartment, a passenger compartment, a luggage compartment in addition to the auxiliary stowage compartment. The auxiliary stowage compartment is accessible from the outside of the motor vehicle, and is opened and closed by a cover that is part of the outer skin of the vehicle wherein the additional stowage compartment is configured to receive a compact scooter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a motor vehicle;
an individual mobility apparatus; and
an auxiliary stowage compartment accessible from the outside of the motor vehicle that is adapted to receive the individual mobility apparatus, wherein the auxiliary stowage compartment includes a charging station for charging a battery of a compact scooter during travel, and wherein the charging station is configured to transmit a state of charge of the battery of the compact scooter to an instrument of the motor vehicle, and wherein the instrument indicates the state of charge of the compact scooter.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the individual mobility apparatus is a compact scooter, and wherein dimensions of the auxiliary stowage compartment correspond to the dimensions of the compact scooter.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary stowage compartment has a cover that is openable and closable, wherein the cover completely or partially closes the auxiliary stowage compartment.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the cover is a part of an outer skin of the motor vehicle.

5. The apparatus as claimed in of claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary stowage compartment is arranged in a location selected from the group consisting of:
a bumper;
a side member; and
a sill.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary stowage compartment includes a slide-in module that is adapted to contain the individual mobility apparatus.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the individual mobility apparatus is a compact scooter.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the compact scooter has a battery and is configured to be driven electrically.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the compact scooter is configured to be charged by the motor vehicle during operation of the motor vehicle.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the compact scooter is foldable.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the compact scooter has at least one wheel.

12. A motor vehicle and a scooter in combination, comprising:
a vehicle body;
a scooter stowage compartment provided in the vehicle body to be accessible from the outside of the motor vehicle; and
a slide-in module configured to receive the scooter, wherein the module slides into and out of the scooter stowage compartment.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 further comprising:
a cover for an opening in the scooter stowage compartment, the cover being opened to provide access to the scooter stowage compartment and closed to seal the opening in the scooter stowage compartment and form part of an outer skin of the motor vehicle.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 12 further comprising: a charging station operative to charge a battery of the scooter when the scooter is disposed in the scooter stowage compartment during travel, and wherein the charging station is configured to transmit a state of charge of the battery of the compact scooter to an instrument of the motor vehicle.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein the scooter is folded to a storage configuration to fit inside the module.

Assignees

• Ford Motor Co

Inventors

• Souschek Rainer
• Grosch Guenter Hans
• Gerhards Thomas
• Ricke Tobias
• Gatzweiler Alexandra
• Wolf Philipp

Classifications

• B60R9/00

  Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like · CPC title

• B60P3/06

  for carrying vehicles (B60P3/12 takes precedence; caravans, camping, or like vehicles with vehicle-carrying means {B60P3/36}) · CPC title

• B60L8/003

  Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems · CPC title

• B60R19/48

  combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds · CPC title

• B62K2204/00

  Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor · CPC title