Light electric vehicle parking and charging stations and smart charging systems for the vehicle batteries

Abstract

A universal charging system is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the universal charging system includes a charging adapter configured to be mounted on a light electric vehicle (LEV), a charging station, and a processor configured to control charging of the LEV. The charging adapter may have electrical contacts for docking with a charging station and a charging interface for supplying power from the charging station to a battery of the LEV. The charging station may have at least one docking unit for receiving the charging adapter of the LEV. The at least one docking unit may have further electrical contacts for connecting to the charging adapter of the LEV.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A universal charging system comprising:
 at least one charging adapter configured to couple to at least one light electric vehicle (LEV), the at least one charging adapter comprising:
 electrical contacts for docking with a charging station; and 
 a charging interface for supplying power from the charging station to a battery of the at least one LEV; and 
   the charging station comprising:
 at least one docking unit for receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV, the at least one docking unit having further electrical contacts for connecting to the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV; and 
 a processor for controlling charging of the at least one LEV, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine, upon the receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV by the at least one docking unit, at least a charge state associated with the charging station; and 
 selectively supply the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV based on the charge state. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selectively supplying the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV based on the charge state includes:
 determining one or more LEVs of the at least one LEV having a higher charge level;   determining one or more LEVs of the at least one LEV having a lower charge level;   supplying a higher power to the one or more LEVs having the lower charge level; and   supplying a lower power to the one or more LEVs having the higher charge level.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one docking unit further comprises one or more sensors in communication with the processor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to read one or more parameters associated with the at least one LEV, the one or more parameters being selected from a group comprising a charge level of the at least one LEV, a charge state of the at least one LEV, a rate of charge, a voltage, a current, a type of the battery, and a time. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one docking unit is configured to connect to one or more power sources, the one or more power sources being selected from an electric grid, a solar power source, a self-generating power source, and a battery storage. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the charge state associated with the charging station includes a charge state of the one or more power sources. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the charge state associated with the charging station is below a predetermined threshold, wherein the selectively supplying the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV is based on the determining that the charge state is below the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the least one charging adapter includes:
 a collar configured to enclose a headtube of the at least one LEV; and   a charging adapter plate connected to the collar;   wherein the electrical contacts are placed on the charging adapter plate.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one docking unit includes:
 a contact block; and   a locking unit configured to lock the at least one LEV into the at least one docking unit, wherein the locking unit includes:
 a locking arm; 
 a tension arm; 
 a lock actuator; and 
 an actuator mounting bracket. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one docking unit further comprises spring roller grippers configured to grip the at least one charging adapter associated with the at least one LEV. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling to the at least one LEV includes coupling the at least one charging adapter to a charging port of the at least one LEV. 
     
     
         12 . A universal charging system comprising a plurality of docking bays, each of the plurality of docking bays comprising:
 at least one charging adapter configured to couple to at least one light electric vehicle (LEV), the at least one charging adapter comprising:
 electrical contacts for docking with a charging station; and 
 a charging interface for supplying power from the charging station to a battery of the at least one LEV; and 
   the charging station comprising:
 at least one docking unit for receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV, the at least one docking unit having further electrical contacts for connecting to the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV; and 
 a processor for controlling charging of the at least one LEV, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine, upon the receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV by the at least one docking unit, at least a charge state associated with the charging station; and 
 
 selectively supply the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV based on the charge state. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the selectively supplying the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV based on the charge state includes:
 determining one or more LEVs of the at least one LEV having a higher charge level;   determining one or more LEVs of the at least one LEV having a lower charge level;   supplying a higher power to the one or more LEVs having the lower charge level; and   supplying a lower power to the one or more LEVs having the higher charge level.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the charging station further comprises a backend platform in communication with the processor, the backend platform being configured to monitor at least connectivity of the at least one LEV to the plurality of docking bays and a charge status of the at least one LEV. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one docking unit is configured to connect to one or more power sources, the one or more power sources being selected from an electric grid, a solar power source, a self-generating power source, and a battery storage. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the charge state associated with the charging station includes a charge state of the one or more power sources. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the charge state associated with the charging station is below a predetermined threshold, wherein the selectively supplying the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV is based on the determining that the charge state is below the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the least one charging adapter includes:
 a collar configured to enclose a headtube of the at least one LEV; and   a charging adapter plate connected to the collar;   wherein the electrical contacts are placed on the charging adapter plate.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one docking unit includes:
 a contact block; and   a locking unit configured to lock the at least one LEV into the at least one docking unit, wherein the locking unit includes:
 a locking arm; 
 a tension arm; 
 a lock actuator; and 
 an actuator mounting bracket. 
   
     
     
         20 . A universal charging system comprising:
 at least one charging adapter configured to couple to at least one light electric vehicle (LEV), the at least one charging adapter comprising:
 electrical contacts for docking with a charging station; and 
 a charging interface for supplying power from the charging station to a battery of the at least one LEV; and 
   the charging station comprising:
 at least one docking unit for receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV, the at least one docking unit having further electrical contacts for connecting to the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV, the at least one docking unit being configured to connect to one or more power sources; and 
 a processor for controlling charging of the at least one LEV, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine, upon the receiving the at least one charging adapter of the at least one LEV by the at least one docking unit, at least a charge state associated with the charging station, wherein the charge state associated with the charging station includes a charge state of the one or more power sources; and 
 selectively supply the power from the charging station to the battery of the at least one LEV based on the charge state.