Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle battery charging system which is usually located in the trunk of electric vehicles and enables to create additional range for the vehicle by charging the battery of the electric vehicle in the event that an electric skateboard (scooter), that is easily stored in vehicle trunks, falls below a predetermined battery level of the electric vehicle included in its trunk by means of its structure that is chargeable via a charging unit and foldable.

Background of the Invention

Electric scooters, also known as electric skateboard, are vehicles which provide micro mobility solution and usually move on two wheels. The said electric scooters can be carried easily by means of their foldable structure and they can be charged through the battery systems of electric vehicles after they are placed in the trunk of the vehicle. Thereby, foldable electric skateboards located in the trunk of electric vehicles offer different mobility alternatives for electric vehicle drivers in heavy traffic environments where the battery of electric vehicles may run out.

Today, electric skateboards -which are used in a portable and foldable structure- are located in the trunk of electric vehicles and they are charged from the battery system of the electric vehicles. The electric skateboard is inserted into a charging unit located in the trunk of the electric vehicle for charging and it can be charged by the motion of the electric vehicle or through the existing batter of the electric vehicle. Electric skateboards are charged only through the electric vehicle, whereas electric vehicles are charged by using mains power. In cases where traffic is heavy or the range of the existing electric vehicle is reduced due to the fact that the range is far, electric vehicles need charging. Therefore, today there is need for solutions which will enable electric skateboards (scooters) -located in the trunk of electric vehicles- to be used as an emergency power unit and electric vehicles to access the closest charging unit by means of additional range.

The Chinese patent document no. CN215323103, an application included in the state of the art, discloses an electric vehicle package wherein an electric scooter with a folding structure can be stored in a storage box arranged inside a spare tire box. The said electric vehicle package is fixed to the vehicle body and it comprises an additional charging unit and a wireless charging seat. In the invention disclosed in the said Chinese patent document, the electric scooter comprises a wireless charging coil which is preferably located in the middle thereof and it contacts the wireless charging seat in the vehicle so as to be charged while it is in a folded state. The v said Chinese patent document mentions that the electric scooter is connected to the vehicle battery of the power supply and wireless charging coils can be charged without needing any cable. The said Chinese patent document also discloses that an additional battery unit is used so as to extend the life of the vehicle’s battery. In addition, the said Chinese patent document discloses that both the vehicle’s battery and the additional charging unit are charged synchronously upon they are connected to the vehicle’s charging unit and the additional charging unit can be charged by means of the regenerative braking power of the vehicle during driving. Additionally, said Chinese patent document discloses that the vehicle’s main battery shares its power with the additional charging unit when the additional charging unit is insufficient in power.

The United States patent document no. US2003051934A1, an application included in the state of the art, discloses a foldable electric vehicle which is used with the purpose of recreation and travelling. The said electric vehicle occupies smaller space by means of its foldable and closeable framework. It is disclosed in the said United States patent document that the electric vehicle can be to be placed in the trunk of a vehicle and charged by the source of power provided by the car inside the trunk. Thereby, it is ensured that the electric vehicle can be used without worrying about the source of power. The German patent document no. DE102011111419A1, an application included in the state of the art, discloses an electric skateboard whereby drivers can travel with their luggage. The said electric scooter comprises two footboards where the users can place their feet and battery compartments located under the footboards. In the said German patent document, the batteries are placed inside the battery compartments and coupled in order to transmit electrical energy by means of the electric motor. In the said German patent document, the batteries are charged inside a groove and the charging device used for charging regulates not only the charging process but also the vehicle battery and the electric generator and it comprises a charge level indicator whereby the charge level of the electric skateboard can be read.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize an electric vehicle battery charging system which is located in the trunk of electric vehicles and provides additional range for the vehicle by charging the battery of the electric vehicle upon it is detected that an electric skateboard (scooter), that is easily stored in vehicle trunks, falls below a predetermined battery level of the electric vehicle by means of its structure that is chargeable via a charging unit and foldable.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an electric vehicle battery charging system which has a foldable characteristic and ensures that an electric skateboard, that can be carried in the trunk of a vehicle, can be used as an additional battery for the electric vehicle.

Detailed Description of the Invention

“An Electric Vehicle Battery Charging System” realized to fulfil the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figure attached, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of the inventive electric vehicle battery charging system.

The components illustrated in the figure are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. Charging system

2. Electric vehicle

3. Battery

4. Electric skateboard (scooter)

5. Additi onal b attery

6. Control unit

The inventive system (1) which has a foldable characteristic and ensures that an electric skateboard, that can be carried in the trunk of a vehicle, can be used as an additional battery for the electric vehicle comprises:

- at least one electric vehicle (2) which has a plurality of batteries (3) used for providing the necessary energy and a charging unit;

- at least one electric skateboard (4) which has at least one additional battery (5) with a structure that is detachable to the electric vehicle (2) and foldable and also can charge the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) over the charging unit; and

- at least one control unit (6) which is configured to be located on the electric vehicle (2); to control the levels of the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) instantly; to control whether there is an electric skateboard (4) connected to the charging unit of the electric vehicle (2); to continue the control process, in the event that an electric vehicle (2) is not included in the charging unit of the electric vehicle (2); to query the charging status of the electric skateboard (4) and the electric vehicle (2), in the event that an electric vehicle (2) is included in the charging unit of the electric vehicle (2); to start charging the additional batteries (5) of the electric skateboard (4), in the event that it decides that the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) are over a predetermined value; to ensure that additional range is created for the electric vehicle (2) by charging the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) of the additional batteries (5) of the electric skateboard (4), when it decides that the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) are below a predetermined value.

In the inventive charging system (1), the electric vehicle (2) meets its energy (power) requirement over the batteries (3) it has and charges the electric skateboard (4) having the additional battery (5) by means of a charging unit located in its trunk. The charging unit of the electric vehicle (2) enables to charge the electrical devices having a chargeable battery except the electric skateboard (4). The electric vehicle

(2) charges the electric skateboard (4) by means of a charging unit located in the spare tire compartment.

In the inventive charging system (1), the electric skateboard (4) has a structure that is foldable, storable in the vehicle trunk and whereby its additional batteries (5) can be charged by means of a charging unit located in the trunk. The electric skateboard (4) is inserted into a charging unit prepared in the trunk of the electric vehicle (2) specially and it is started to be charged by means of the batteries (3) if the batteries

(3) of the electric vehicle (2) are over a predetermined value. Thereby, the electric skateboard (4) provides an alternative mobility solution for electric vehicle drivers in environments with heavy traffic.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit (6) is located on the electric vehicle (2) and configured to control both the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) and the additional battery(5) levels of the electric skateboard (4). The control unit (6) is configured to query whether the electric skateboard (4) is located in the charging unit of the electric vehicle (2) or not at first in order to control the additional battery (5) level of the electric skateboard (4). The control unit (6) is preferably configured to quit charging the additional battery (5) of the electric skateboard (4) over the battery (3) in case where the charging rate of the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) falls below a predetermined value. The control unit (6) is preferably configured to ensure that the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) are charged by using the additional batteries (5) of the electric skateboard (4) upon the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) falls below a predetermined value. Thereby, the control unit (6) can use the additional battery (5) of the electric skateboard (4) as an emergency power unit.

The control unit (6) is configured to control the occupancy rate of the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) upon the electric skateboard (4) is placed in the electric vehicle (2) and if the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) is over a certain threshold value, to start the charging process of the electric skateboard (4). The control unit (6) is configured to be control the occupancy rate of the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) while the electric skateboard (4) is charged and to continue the charging process, if the occupancy rate of the battery (3) is over a certain value. The control unit (6) is configured to finish the charging process of the electric skateboard (4) in the event that the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) reaches a predetermined value.

The control unit (6) is configured to ensure that the additional battery (5) of the electric skateboard (4) starts charging the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2), in the event that it decides that the occupancy rate of the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) is in a predetermined critical value. The control unit (6) is configured to inform the driver of the electric vehicle (2) and to receive feedback about whether the electric skateboard (4) will be charged or the electric skateboard (4) will charge the electric vehicle (2), in the event that the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) is below a predetermined value. The control unit (6) is configured to start charging the electric skateboard (4) and to inform the driver by controlling the occupancy rate of the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2) continuously, in case of receiving a feedback from the driver about continuing to charge the electric skateboard (4). The control unit (6) is configured not to start the charging process when it receives a feedback from the driver about not charging the electric skateboard (4). The control unit (6) is configured to transfer the charge of the electric skateboard (4) to the electric vehicle (2) and to control the occupancy rate of the battery (3) of the electric vehicle (2), in the event that it receives a feeedback from the driver about using the charge of the electric skateboard (4).

The inventive charging battery system (1) controls the levels of the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) by means of the control unit (6) and in the event that it decides that the batteries (3) fall below a predetermined threshold value, it enables to increase the range of the electric vehicle (2) by ensuring that the additional batteries (5) of the electric skateboard (4) are used. The control unit (6) continuously controls whether the electric skateboard (4) is located in the charging unit included in the trunk of the electric vehicle (2) and in the event that an electric skateboard (4) is located in the trunk and the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) are over a certain threshold value, it starts charging the electric skateboard (4). When it decides that the batteries (3) of the electric vehicle (2) are below a certain threshold value, the control unit (6) charges the electric skateboard (4) by ensuring that the additional battery (5) of the electric skateboard (4) is used. Thereby, in cases where the charge of the electric vehicle (2) is run out, a range-increasing solution is provided by using the additional battery (5) of the electric skateboard (4) as a spare battery.

Within these basic concepts; it is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive electric vehicle (2) battery (3) charging system (1); the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.