Apparatus, systems, and methods for charging personal mobility vehicles via docks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12351053-B2
Application number	US-202318359778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2023
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

The disclosed apparatus may include a mount component that is mountable to a structural component of a personal mobility vehicle and a dock interface component that is adapted to securely interface with a dock via an interaction between the dock interface component and the dock. The mount component is mountable to any of at least one type of bicycle at a first position and at least one type of scooter at a second position. A docking point of the dock is configured to be interfaceable with any of the at least one type of bike at the first position and the at least one type of scooter at the second position. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a mount component that is mountable to a structural component of a personal mobility vehicle, wherein the mount component is mountable to any of at least one type of bicycle at a first position and at least one type of scooter at a second position, and wherein a docking point of a dock is configured to be interfaceable with any of the at least one type of bike at the first position and the at least one type of scooter at the second position; and
a dock interface component that is adapted to securely interface with the dock via an interaction between the dock interface component and the dock, wherein a bottom surface of the dock interface component has a notch;
wherein the bottom surface of the dock interface component is configured to slide up a ramp of the dock when the personal mobility vehicle is pushed toward the dock, and when the dock interface component moves past an end of the ramp, gravity pulls the dock interface component downward, causing the notch of the dock interface component to mate with a protrusion of the dock, and
wherein a front wheel of the personal mobility vehicle is lifted off and raised out of contact with a surface when the dock interface component is securely interfaced with the dock.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an electrical component configured to receive power from a charging component on the dock that is connected to a power source, wherein the electrical component receives the power based on the interaction securely interfacing the dock interface component with the dock.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interaction is a gravity-based interaction between the dock interface component and the dock.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the gravity-based interaction comprises a secure temporary physical connection caused by the gravity pulling the notch of the dock interface component towards the protrusion of the dock such that the notch interlocks with the protrusion.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the structural component of the personal mobility vehicle comprises a handlebar stem of a scooter; and
the mount component is mounted to the handlebar stem of the scooter such that, when the scooter is upright, the dock interface component is at a height compatible with a collar interface component of the dock.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mount component comprises the dock interface component.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dock comprises a dip at the end of the ramp.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dock interface component remains in a same static arrangement when securely interfaced with the dock and when not interfaced with the dock.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the mount component is mountable to a first structural component of the at least one type of bicycle at the first position and to a second structural component of the at least one type of scooter at the second position; and
the first structural component is different from the second structural component.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein:
the first structural component is a front fork of the bicycle; and
the second structural component is a handlebar stem of the scooter.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein when the dock interface component moves past the end of the ramp and the gravity pulls the dock interface component downward, the dock interface component rests in the dip.

12. A system comprising:
a dock that comprises:
a vehicle interface component; and
a power providing component; and

a personal mobility vehicle collar that comprises:
a mount component that is mountable to a structural component of a personal mobility vehicle, wherein the mount component is mountable to any of at least one type of bicycle at a first position and at least one type of scooter at a second position, and wherein a docking point of the dock is configured to be interfaceable with any of the at least one type of bike at the first position and the at least one type of scooter at the second position; and
a dock interface component that is adapted to securely interface with the dock via an interaction between the dock interface component and the vehicle interface component of the dock, wherein a bottom surface of the dock interface component has a notch;
wherein the bottom surface of the dock interface component is configured to slide up a ramp of the dock when the personal mobility vehicle is pushed toward the dock, and when the dock interface component moves past an end of the ramp, gravity pulls the dock interface component downward, causing the notch of the dock interface component to mate with a protrusion of the dock, and
wherein a front wheel of the personal mobility vehicle is lifted off and raised out of contact with a surface when the dock interface component is securely interfaced with the dock.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the personal mobility vehicle collar further comprises:
an electrical component configured to receive power from the power providing component of the dock, wherein the electrical component receives the power based on the interaction securely interfacing the dock interface component with the dock.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the interaction is a gravity-based interaction between the dock interface component and the dock.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the gravity-based interaction comprises a secure temporary physical connection caused by the gravity pulling the notch of the dock interface component towards the protrusion of the dock such that the notch interlocks with the protrusion.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the mount component is mountable to a first structural component of the at least one type of bicycle at the first position and to a second structural component of the at least one type of scooter at the second position; and
the first structural component is different from the second structural component.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
the first structural component is a front fork of the bicycle; and
the second structural component is a handlebar stem of the scooter.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the dock comprises a dip at the end of the ramp, and wherein when the dock interface component moves past the end of the ramp and the gravity pulls the dock interface component downward, the dock interface component rests in the dip.

19. A computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying a collar affixed to a personal mobility vehicle, the collar comprising at least a dock interface component that is adapted to securely interface with a dock via an interaction between the dock interface component and the dock, wherein:
the collar further comprises a mount component that is mountable to a structural component of the personal mobility vehicle, wherein the mount component is mountable to any of at least one type of bicycle at a first position and at least one type of scooter at a second position, and wherein a docking point of the dock is configured to be interfaceable with any of the at least one type of bike at the first position and the at least one type of scooter at the second position,
a bottom surface of the dock interface component has a notch, and
the bottom surface of the dock interface component is configured to slide up a ramp of the dock when the personal mobility vehicle is pushed toward the dock, and when the dock interface component moves past an end of the ramp, gravity pulls the dock interface component downw

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Harpin Yannik
• Dixon Alexander Timothy
• Gendron Marie-Pierre
• Germain Carl
• Jacob Rochus Emanuel
• Johnson Kelly Erin
• Lorenz Carlos Henrique Petzl
• Lubinski Nicholaus Ian
• Martin Timothy Rex
• Merrill Christopher Paul
• Meyer Cyril Francis
• Tandler Jacqueline
• Thomson Griffin Samuel Valentine

Classifications

• B60L53/68

  Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control · CPC title

• B60L2200/12

  Bikes · CPC title

• B60L2200/24

  Personal mobility vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2270/36

  of vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title