Patent Publication Number: US-2022234671-A1

Title: Battery compartment, battery compartment assembly and electric scooter

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority to Chinese patent Application No. 202120236382.3, filed on Jan. 27, 2021, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a field of battery technologies, and in particular to a battery compartment, a battery compartment assembly and an electric scooter. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, a battery compartment of a scooter is horizontally mounted in the middle of a frame, and a top plate of the battery compartment forms a deck area. The battery compartment is complexly mounted to the frame in the related art, and the connection between the battery compartment and the frame has a low strength. When a top of the battery compartment is subjected to an overlarge impact force from a rider, the connection between the battery compartment and the frame tends to loose, and even the battery compartment falls out of an opening of the frame. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of an aspect of the present disclosure provide a battery compartment. 
     Embodiments of another aspect of the present disclosure also provide a battery compartment assembly. 
     Embodiments of still another aspect of the present disclosure further provide an electric scooter. 
     The battery compartment according to the embodiments of the present disclosure is used for an electric scooter, and includes a compartment body and a limiting flange. The electric scooter includes a frame with an opening, and the opening runs through the frame in an up-down direction. The compartment body is configured to penetrate through the opening, and the limiting flange is arranged to an outer side wall of the compartment body and configured to abut against the frame to prevent the compartment body from falling out of the opening downwards. 
     The battery compartment assembly according to the embodiments of the present disclosure includes an end cover and a battery compartment for an electric scooter. The battery compartment includes a compartment body and a limiting flange. The electric scooter includes a frame with an opening, and the opening runs through the frame in an up-down direction. The compartment body is configured to penetrate through the opening, and the limiting flange is arranged to an outer side wall of the compartment body and configured to abut against the frame to prevent the compartment body from falling out of the opening downwards. The compartment body defines a accommodating cavity, and has an aperture configured to communicate the outside with the accommodating cavity, the end cover is connected with the compartment body to close the aperture, and at least a part of the end cover abuts against the frame to prevent the battery compartment from falling out of the opening downwards. 
     The electric scooter according to the embodiments of the present disclosure includes a frame and a battery compartment assembly detachably connected with the frame. The frame has an opening running through the frame in an up-down direction. The battery compartment assembly includes a battery compartment and an end cover. The battery compartment includes a compartment body and a limiting flange. The compartment body is configured to penetrate through the opening. The limiting flange is arranged to an outer side wall of the compartment body and configured to abut against the frame to prevent the compartment body from falling out of the opening downwards. The compartment body defines an accommodating cavity, and has an aperture configured to communicate the outside with the accommodating cavity, the end cover is connected with the compartment body to close the aperture, and at least a part of the end cover abuts against the frame to prevent the battery compartment from falling out of the opening downwards. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are illustrative and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the present disclosure, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a battery compartment for an electric scooter according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a battery compartment for an electric scooter according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a frame in an electric scooter according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a frame in an electric scooter and a battery compartment for an electric scooter according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view of an electric scooter according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, and the examples of the embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments described herein with reference to drawings are illustrative, and intended to explain the present disclosure. The embodiments shall not be construed to limit the present disclosure. 
     A battery compartment  100  for an electric scooter  1000  according to embodiments of the present disclosure is described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure includes a compartment body  1  and a limiting flange  2 . The electric scooter  1000  includes a frame  5  with an opening  501 , and the opening  501  runs through the frame  5  in an up-down direction. The compartment body  1  is configured to penetrate through the opening  501 . The limiting flange  2  is arranged to an outer side wall of the compartment body  1 , and configured to abut against the frame  5  to prevent the compartment body  1  from falling out of the opening  501  downwards. 
     In the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the limiting flange  2  is arranged to the outer side wall of the compartment body  1 , and the compartment body  1  is placed into the opening  501  of the frame  5  from top to bottom until the limiting flange  2  abuts against the frame  5 , thus realizing a lap joint of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  at the opening  501  of the frame  5 . Thus, an upward force acted on the limiting flange  2  by the frame  5  may offset an impact force acted on the compartment body  1  by a rider, and the joint between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  is basically not required to bear the impact force acted on the compartment body  1  by the rider, such that the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  can be easily and conveniently mounted to the frame  5 , and the joint between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  has good stability. 
     For easy understanding, an arrow A in  FIGS. 1 and 2  indicates a front-rear direction of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 , an arrow Bin  FIG. 1  indicates a left-right direction of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 , and an arrow C in  FIG. 1  indicates the up-down direction of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 . 
     In some embodiments, the limiting flange  2  is provided with a connecting hole  205  running through the limiting flange  2  in the up-down direction. The frame  5  is provided with a threaded hole  504 , and the limiting flange  2  is connected with the frame  5  by a threaded part which penetrates through the connecting hole  205  and is threadedly fitted in the threaded hole  504 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the threaded part is configured as a bolt, a plurality of the connecting holes  205  and a plurality of the threaded holes  504  are provided, the plurality of the connecting holes  205  are in one-to-one correspondence to the plurality of the threaded holes  504 , and the plurality of the connecting holes  205  are arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction of the compartment body  1 . The connecting hole  205  and the threaded hole  504  have axes in the up-down direction. After the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is lapped at the opening  501 , a relative position between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  is adjusted, such that the axis of the connecting hole  205  coincides with the axis of the corresponding threaded hole  504 , and the bolt penetrates through the connecting hole  205  from top to bottom and is threadedly fitted in the corresponding threaded hole  504 , thereby realizing the connection between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5 . Thus, the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  are guaranteed to be fixed relative to each other, and the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is conveniently connected with the frame  5 . 
     In some embodiments, the limiting flange  2  includes a first limiting plate  201 , a second limiting plate  202  and a third limiting plate  203  connected in sequence. The first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  are spaced apart in the up-down direction, and both are connected with the outer side wall of the compartment body  1 . The first, second and third limit plates  201 ,  202 ,  203  as well as the compartment body  1  enclose a first accommodation cavity  204 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a cross section of the limiting flange  2  has a U shape with an opening facing the horizontal direction, the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  are parallel to each other, the first limiting plate  201  is located above the third limiting plate  203 , and the first accommodating cavity  204  extends in the front-rear direction. 
     When the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is lapped at the opening  501  of the frame  5 , the third limiting plate  203  abuts against the frame  5 . The second limiting plate  202  is connected with the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203 , and thus, the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  jointly support the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 . Moreover, since free ends of the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  are both connected with the outer side wall of the compartment body  1 , the limiting flange  2  and the compartment body  1  have higher connection strength, and thus, the joint between the limiting flange  2  and the compartment body  1  can bear a larger impact force, such that the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is mounted at the frame  5  with higher stability. 
     In some embodiments, the outer side wall of the compartment body  1  is provided with a reinforcing rib  3  having an upper end connected with the limiting flange  2 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a lower end of the reinforcing rib  3  is connected with a part of the outer side wall of the compartment body  1  adjacent to a bottom wall of the compartment body  1 . the upper end of the reinforcing rib  3  is connected with a center of the third limiting plate  203 , and the reinforcing rib  3  extends in the front-rear direction of the compartment body  1 . Thus, a pulling force may be given to the limiting flange  2  by the reinforcing rib  3 , so as to effectively prevent the limiting flange  2  from being deformed and bent upwards relative to the compartment body  1  when the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  bears the impact force of the rider, which further guarantees the stability of the joint between the limiting flange  2  and the compartment body  1 , and further prolongs the service life of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 . Moreover, when the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is lapped at the opening  501  of the frame  5 , the reinforcing rib  3  abuts against a side edge of the opening  501  to achieve a relative fixing between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  in the horizontal direction. 
     In some embodiments, the compartment body  1 , the limiting flange  2  and the reinforcing rib  3  are integrally formed. 
     Thus, the compartment body  1  and the limiting flange  2  have higher connection strength, and the reinforcing rib  3  more effectively limits the limiting flange  2 , so as to further prolong the service fife of the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 . 
     In some embodiments, the compartment body  1  has a second accommodating cavity  105 , and including a top plate  101 , a first side plate  102 , a second side plate  103  and a bottom plate  104 . The top plate  101 , the first and second side plates  102 ,  103  as well as the bottom plate  104  enclose the second accommodating cavity  105 , and at least one limiting flange  2  is arranged to each of outer side walls of the first and second side plates  102 ,  103 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 , the second accommodating cavity  105  has a first aperture and a second aperture in the front-rear direction, the first side plate  102  serves as a left side plate of the compartment body  1 , and the second side plate  103  serves as a right side plate of the compartment body  1 . Each of the outer side walls of the left and right side plates is provided with one limiting flange  2 , and the size of the left side plate in the front-rear direction is equal to the size of the right side plate in the front-rear direction and the sizes of the two limiting flanges  2  in the front-rear direction. Thus, the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  can be stably lapped at the opening  501  of the frame  5  with the two limiting flanges  2  abutting against the frame  5 . 
     It should be noted that, in this case, the limiting flange  2  and the reinforcing rib  3  both extend in the front-rear direction, and the first and second accommodating cavities  204 ,  105  both extend in the front-rear direction. 
     In some embodiments, the frame  5  includes a first connecting tube  502  and a second connecting tube  503 , and at least a part of the first connecting tube  502  and at least a part of the second connecting tube  503  are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The opening  501  is defined between the at least parts of the first and second connecting tubes  502 ,  503 , and the first and second side plates  102 ,  103  are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The limiting flange  2  at the first side plate  102  abuts against the first connecting tube  502 , and the limiting flange  2  at the second side plate  103  abuts against the second connecting tube  503 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , middle parts of the first and second connecting tubes  502 ,  503  are arranged in parallel with each other and spaced apart in the left-right direction, and the first connecting tube is located on the left side of the second connecting tube  503 . The opening  501  is defined between the middle parts of the first and second connecting tubes  502 ,  503 . After the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is lapped at the opening  501  of the frame  5 , the third limiting plate  203  of the limiting flange  2  arranged to the first side plate  102  abuts against an upper wall surface of the first connecting tube  502 , and the third limiting plate  203  of the limiting flange  2  arranged to the second side plate  103  abuts against an upper wall surface of the second connecting tube  503 . 
     Each of the limiting flanges  2  at the first and second side plates  102 ,  103  is provided with three connecting holes  205  spaced apart in the front-rear direction, and each of the first and second connecting tubes  502 ,  503  is provided with three threaded holes  504  spaced apart in the front-rear direction. The three connecting holes  205  in the limiting flange  2  at the first side plate  102  are in one-to-one correspondence to the three threaded holes  504  in the first connecting tube  502 , and the three connecting holes  205  in the limiting flange  2  at the second side plate  103  are in one-to-one correspondence to the three threaded holes  504  in the second connecting tube  503 . 
     In some embodiments, the top plate  101  and the limiting flange  2  have coplanar upper surfaces. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 , the upper surface of the top plate  101  and upper surfaces of the two first limiting plates  201  of the two limiting flanges  2  are located in the same horizontal plane. Thus, the top plate  101  and the two first limiting plates  201  jointly constitute a deck region with a larger area, and hence the scooter has better riding comfort. Moreover, the limiting flange  2  may directly bear the impact force of the rider to reduce the impact force acted on the compartment body  1  from the rider, such that the impact force acted on the joint between the limiting flange  2  and the compartment body  1  is reduced, and the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  has stronger structural stability and a longer service life. 
     A battery compartment  100  for an electric scooter  1000  according to a specific example of the embodiments of the present disclosure is described below with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure includes a compartment body  1 , a limiting flange  2  and a reinforcing rib  3  which are integrally formed. 
     The compartment body  1  includes a top plate  101 , a first side plate  102 , a second side plate  103  and a bottom plate  104 , and the top plate  101 , the first and second side plates  102 ,  103  as well as the bottom plate  104  enclose a second accommodating cavity  105  running through the compartment body  1  in the front-rear direction. The first side plate  102  is located on the left side of the second side plate  103 . 
     Two limiting flanges  2  are provided, each of the two limiting flanges  2  includes a first limiting plate  201 , a second limiting plate  202  and a third limiting plate  203  connected in sequence, the first limiting plate  201  is located above the second limiting plate  202 , and the first and second limiting plates  201 ,  202  are spaced apart in the up-down direction. Free ends of the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  of one limiting flange  2  are connected with an outer side waft of the first side plate  102 , and the first limiting plate  201  of the one limiting flange  2  and the top plate  101  have coplanar upper surfaces. Free ends of the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  of the other limiting flange  2  are connected with an outer side wall of the second side plate  103 , and the first limiting plate  201  of the other limiting flange  2  and the top plate  101  have coplanar upper surfaces. 
     Each limiting flange  2  is provided with three connecting holes  205  which are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and run through the first and third limiting plates  201 ,  203  in the up-down direction. 
     Two reinforcing ribs  3  are provided, and the sizes of the two reinforcing ribs  3  in the front-rear direction are equal to the size of the compartment body I in the front-rear direction. One reinforcing rib  3  is located on the left side of the first side plate  102 , and has a lower end connected with a lower end of the first side plate  102 , and an upper end connected with the third limiting plate  203  of the limiting flange  2  which is also located on the left side of the first side plate  102 . The other reinforcing rib  3  is located on the right side of the second side plate  103 , and has a lower end connected with a lower end of the second side plate  103 , and an upper end connected with the third limiting plate  203  of the limiting flange  2  which is also located on the right side of the second side plate  103 . 
     A battery compartment assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes an end cover  4  and the above battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 . The battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000 , specifically the compartment body  1 , defines a second accommodating cavity  105 , the compartment body  1  has an aperture configured to communicate the outside with the second accommodating cavity  105 , and the end cover  4  is connected with the compartment body  1  to close the aperture. At least a part of the end cover  4  abuts against the frame  5  to prevent the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  from falling out of the opening  501  downwards. 
     In the battery compartment assembly according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the limiting flange  2  is arranged to the outer side wall of the compartment body  1  and abuts against the frame  5 . Thus, an upward force acted on the limiting flange  2  by the frame  5  may offset an impact force acted on the compartment body  1  by a rider, and the joint between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  is basically not required to bear the impact force acted on the compartment body  1  by the rider, such that the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  can be easily and conveniently mounted to the frame  5 , and the joint between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  has good stability. 
     Moreover, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , two apertures are oppositely provided in the front-rear direction, and two end covers  4  are provided in one-to-one correspondence to the two apertures. Each of the two end covers  4  has protrusions extending leftwards and rightwards respectively, and after the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is mounted to the frame  5 , the protrusions on the left and right sides of the end cover  4  also abut against the frame  5 . Thus, the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  is better supported, and the stability of the joint between the battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the frame  5  is further improved. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , an electric scooter  1000  according to embodiments of the present disclosure includes a frame  5  and the above battery compartment assembly detachably connected with the frame  5 . 
     The electric scooter  1000  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure has the same technical advantages as the above battery compartment  100  for the electric scooter  1000  and the above battery compartment assembly, which are not repeated herein. 
     In some embodiments, the electric scooter  1000  is configured as a scooter. Certainly, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the electric scooter  1000  may also be configured as an electric motorcycle, a self-balancing scooter, or the like. 
     In the descriptions of the present disclosure, it is to be understood that terms such as “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”. “bottom”, “inner”, “outer”, “clockwise”, “anticlockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, and “circumferential” should be construed to refer to the orientation as illustrated in the drawings. These relative terms are for convenience of descriptions and do not indicate or imply that the present disclosure be constructed or operated in a particular orientation, thus cannot be construed to limit the present disclosure. 
     In addition, the terms such as “first” and “second” are used herein for purposes of descriptions and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or significance or to imply the number of indicated technical features. Thus, the feature defined with “first” and “second” may include at least one of this feature explicitly or implicitly. In the descriptions of the present disclosure, “a plurality of” means at least two, for example, two, three, or the like, unless specifically limited otherwise. 
     In the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted”, “connected”, “coupled”, and “fixed” and the like are used broadly, and may be, for example, fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; may also be mechanical or electrical connections or communication with each other; may also be direct connections or indirect connections via intervening structures; may also be a communication or an interaction relationship of two elements. The above terms can be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations. 
     In the present disclosure, unless specified or limited otherwise, a structure in which a first feature is “on” or “below” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, and may also include an embodiment in which the first feature and the second feature are contacted via an additional feature formed therebetween. Furthermore, a first feature “on,” “above,” or “on top of” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right or obliquely “on,” “above,” or “on top of” the second feature, or just means that the first feature is at a height higher than that of the second feature; while a first feature “below,” “under,” or “on bottom of” a second feature may include an embodiment in which the first feature is right or obliquely “below,” “under,” or “on bottom of” the second feature, or just means that the first feature is at a height lower than that of the second feature. 
     In the present disclosure, terms “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “example”, “specific example” or “some examples” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. In the specification, the schematic expressions to the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the described particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, those skilled in the art may combine different embodiments or examples and features in different embodiments or examples described in the specification, without mutual contradictions. 
     Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been illustrated and illustrated, it shall be understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and not construed as limitations to the present disclosure. Various changes, modifications, alternatives and variants within the scope of the present disclosure may be made by those skilled in the art.