Electric scooter docking stations

Abstract

Various electric scooter docking stations are described herein. In some embodiments, the docking stations facilitate the collection, movement, and/or storage of electric scooters in a compact, elegant, and efficient configuration. For example, the docking stations can be configured to take advantage of the unique shape of a scooter, providing the storage and positioning of many scooters in a compact area. Also, the docking stations can be simple structures that facilitate the self-powered movement of electric scooters within a station.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A docking station that dispenses electric scooters, the docking station comprising:
 an upper channel configured to receive a front wheel of an electric scooter; and   a lower channel configured to receive a rear wheel of the electric scooter,
 wherein the upper channel is positioned with respect to the lower channel in a configuration that stores electric scooters within the docking station at an angle with respect to the ground. 
   
     
     
         3 . The docking station of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a charging rail that contacts a charging port of the electric scooter when the scooter is docked within the apparatus and provides charge to an electric battery of the electric scooter.   
     
     
         4 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the upper channel includes a V-shaped groove configured to receive a guiding peg of the electric scooter and maintain a position the electric scooter proximate to the charging rail when the guiding peg is disposed within the V-shaped groove of the upper channel. 
     
     
         5 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the charging port is part of a guiding peg of the electric scooter that is configured to maintain a position of the electric scooter proximate to the charging rail when the guiding peg is disposed within the upper channel or the lower channel. 
     
     
         6 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the charging rail is part of the upper channel of the docking station. 
     
     
         7 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the charging rail is part of the lower channel of the docking station. 
     
     
         8 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the charging rail includes rolling contacts that are positioned on the charging rail to maintain contact with the charging port of the electric scooter as the electric scooters travels through the docking station. 
     
     
         9 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the charging rail includes a contact plunger that contacts a contact pad of the electric when the electric scooter is docked within the docking station. 
     
     
         10 . The docking station of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a Z-shaped exit section that facilitates the dispensing of the electric scooter out of the docking station, including a Z-shaped ramp that causes the scooter to move from an angled docked position to an exit position.   
     
     
         11 . The docking station of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a cleansing section that cleanses handlebars of the electric scooter when the electric scooter is docked within the docking station.   
     
     
         12 . An electric scooter docking station, comprising:
 a rail that supports handlebars of scooters; and   a charging component integrated with the rail and configured to provide charge to docked scooters when charging ports of the docked scooters contact the charging component.   
     
     
         13 . The electric scooter docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the rail has a geometry that facilitates self-propelled movement of scooters supported by the rail towards an opening of the electric scooter docking station. 
     
     
         14 . The electric scooter docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the rail has a geometry that facilitates self-propelled movement of scooters in a vertical direction within the electric scooter docking station. 
     
     
         15 . The electric scooter docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the rail has multiple openings that facilitate removal of the scooters from the electric scooter docking station. 
     
     
         16 . The electric scooter docking station of  claim 12 , wherein the charging component is configured to transfer charge from the electric scooter docking station to the docked scooters when contact pads of the charging ports of the docked scooters maintain contact with the charging component as the docked scooters move through the electric scooter docking station. 
     
     
         17 . A docking station that dispenses electric scooters, the docking station comprising:
 a channel configured to receive a front wheel of an electric scooter; and   a charging rail that contacts a charging port of the electric scooter when the scooter is docked within the apparatus and provides charge to an electric battery of the electric scooter.   
     
     
         18 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the channel includes a V-shaped groove configured to receive a guiding peg of the electric scooter and maintain a position the electric scooter proximate to the charging rail when the guiding peg is disposed within the V-shaped groove of the upper channel. 
     
     
         19 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the charging rail includes rolling contacts that are positioned on the charging rail to maintain contact with the charging port of the electric scooter as the electric scooters travels through the docking station. 
     
     
         20 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the charging rail includes a contact plunger that contacts a contact pad of the electric when the electric scooter is docked within the docking station. 
     
     
         21 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the channel is positioned to store electric scooters within the docking station at an angle with respect to the ground, the docking station further comprising:
 a Z-shaped exit section having an Z-shaped ramp that causes the scooter to move from an angled docked position to an exit position.