Charging station with articulating panels

Abstract

An electric vehicle (EV) charging station includes a frame and a panel having an interior surface and an exterior surface. The panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the panel away from the frame. The panel includes a display facing outwardly from the exterior surface of the panel and mounted on the interior surface of the panel. The EV charging station further includes a computer accessible when the panel is articulated away from the frame, the computer including one or more processors and memory, the memory storing instructions for displaying content on the display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electric vehicle charging station, comprising:
 a frame of the electric vehicle charging station;   an electrical connector coupled to the frame for supplying an electrical charge to an electric vehicle;   a panel having an electronic display facing outwardly from an exterior surface of the panel and mounted on an interior surface of the panel, wherein:
 the panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the panel away from the frame, 
 the panel has a height that is at least 60% of a height of the frame and a width that is at least 90% of a width of the frame; and 
   a computing device accessible when the panel is articulated away from the frame, the computing device including one or more processors and memory, the memory storing instructions for displaying content on the electronic display.   
     
     
         2 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the panel away from the frame about an axis of rotation that is substantially vertical. 
     
     
         3 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the panel away from the frame about an axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         4 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is mounted to the panel. 
     
     
         5 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the panel is a first panel; and   the electric vehicle charging station further comprises a second panel substantially opposite the first panel having a second interior surface and a second exterior surface, wherein the second panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the second panel away from the frame, the second panel including a second electronic display facing outwardly from the second exterior surface of the second panel and mounted on the second interior surface of the second panel.   
     
     
         6 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 5 , wherein:
 an axis of rotation of the first panel is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of the second panel; and   the first panel is configured to articulate away from the frame in a direction substantially opposite a direction in which the second panel is configured to articulate away from the frame.   
     
     
         7 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , further including one or more heat sinks thermally coupled to the electronic display. 
     
     
         8 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the frame houses circuitry for charging an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic display has a height that is at least 3 feet and a width that is at least 2 feet. 
     
     
         10 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device includes a near-field communication (NFC) sensor configured to interact with a device of a user of the electric vehicle charging station. 
     
     
         11 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , further including a lock to secure the panel to the frame such that the panel cannot be articulated away from the frame when the lock is locked. 
     
     
         12 . The electric vehicle charging station of  claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the panel includes a transparent portion that overlays the electronic display.