Charging station with articulating panels
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.
1. An electric vehicle charging station, comprising:
a frame;
an electrical connector coupled to the frame for supplying an electrical charge to an electric vehicle;
a first panel substantially opposite a second panel, having a first interior surface and a first exterior surface, wherein the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame, the first panel including a first electronic display facing outwardly from the first exterior surface of the first panel, and mounted on the first interior surface of the first panel;
a hinge having two states, a closed state and an open state, wherein:
the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame while the hinge is in the open state, and
the hinge supports the first electronic display on the first panel;
a computing device accessible when the first 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 first electronic display; and
the 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, wherein the first electronic display and the second electronic display face outward from the frame and in substantially opposite directions while the hinge is in the closed state.
2. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first 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 first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first 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 computer is mounted to the first panel.
5. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , 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.
6. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , further including one or more heat sinks thermally coupled to the first electronic display.
7. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the frame houses circuitry for charging an electric vehicle.
8. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the first 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.
9. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the first panel 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 first electronic display 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.
11. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic display has a height that is at least 3 feet and a width that is at least 2 feet.
12. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the computer includes a near-field communication (NFC) sensor configured to interact with a device of a user of the electric vehicle charging station.
13. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , further including a lock to secure the first panel to the frame such that the first panel cannot be articulated away from the frame when the lock is locked.
14. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 1 , wherein the exterior surface of the first panel includes a transparent portion that overlays the first electronic display.
15. An electric vehicle charging station, comprising:
a frame, wherein:
an interior of the frame forms a hollow region; and
one or more lights are coupled to an exterior surface of the frame;
an electrical connector coupled to the frame for supplying electrical charge to an electric vehicle;
a first panel substantially opposite a second panel, having a first interior surface and a first exterior surface, wherein the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame, the first panel including a first electronic display facing outwardly from the first exterior surface of the first panel, and mounted on the first interior surface of the first panel;
a removable lift-off hinge having two states, a closed state and an open state, wherein:
the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame while the removable lift-off hinge is in the open state, and
the removable lift-off hinge supports the first electronic display on the first panel;
a computing device accessible when the first 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 first electronic display, and controlling the one or more lights to indicate a state of the electric vehicle charging station;
one or more heat sinks thermally coupled to the first electronic display and configured to dissipate heat into the hollow region of the frame; and
the 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, wherein the first electronic display and the second electronic display face outward from the frame and in substantially opposite directions while the removable lift-off hinge is in the closed state.
16. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame about an axis of rotation that is substantially vertical.
17. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first panel is hinged to the frame so as to articulate the first panel away from the frame about an axis of rotation that is substantially horizontal.
18. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the computer is mounted to the first panel.
19. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , 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.
20. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the frame houses circuitry for charging an electric vehicle.
21. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first 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.
22. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first panel has a height that is at least 3 feet and a width that is at least 2 feet.
23. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first electronic display 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.
24. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the first electronic display has a height that is at least 3 feet and a width that is at least 2 feet.
25. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the computer includes a near-field communication (NFC) sensor configured to interact with a device of a user of the electric vehicle charging station.
26. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , further including a lock to secure the first panel to the frame such that the first panel cannot be articulated away from the frame when the lock is locked.
27. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the exterior surface of the first panel includes a transparent portion that overlays the first electronic display.
28. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 10 , wherein the frame includes one or more cameras.
29. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 15 , wherein the frame includes one or more cameras.