Bicycle anti-theft alarm system

• US 6,060,982 A
• Filed: 04/27/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Holtrop Corporation
• Original Assignee: Factory Enhancements Corporation
• Inventors: Holtrop, Perryn H. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/067,023
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/539, 340/432, 340/427, 340/571, 340/568.1, 340/572, 340/429
• US Class Current: 340/432
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/04 for bottles

Abstract

The anti-theft alarm system includes a base unit which is shaped and sized to fit in a bicycle accessory such as a water bottle or to fit on a water bottle cage or on a bicycle component such as a seat frame at a location where it is concealed from view. The base unit has a microprocessor and a shock sensor which in reponse to tilt or other movement of the sensor (and bicycle) allows electrical current to flow through the microprocessor which outputs a signal into either just an alarm in some embodiments or into both a radio transceiver and an alarm in other embodiments. The transceiver emits a signal to a remote unit which is sufficiently compact that it may be carried by a user and which includes a second transceiver and an auditory or vibration alarm. The second transceiver activates the auditory or vibration alarm in response to receipt of the signal from the transceiver of the base unit thereby alerting the user to theft or attempted theft of the bicycle.

Claims

1. An anti-theft alarm system for a bicycle, comprising:

a circuit board;

an alarm mounted on said circuit board;

a shock sensor mounted on said circuit board, said alarm responsive to said shock sensor for activation thereof;

a battery mounted on said circuit board and electrically connected to said alarm and said shock sensor, said circuit board dimensionally sized and shaped to conform to that of a selected component or accessory of the bicycle for secure mounting thereof at a location on said selected component or accessory preventing visual discernment of said circuit board from nonanti-theft components and accessories of the bicycle.

2. The alarm system of claim 1 further including a rigid back plate attached to said circuit board for providing structural strength thereto, said back plate composed of an insulating material to electrically isolate said circuit board from components and accessories of the bicycle.

3. The alarm system of claim 2 wherein said back plate is integral with said selected component or accessory.

4. The alarm system of claim 1 further including a cover for said circuit board, said cover having a color and texture selected to generally match that of said selected component or accessory for visual camouflaging thereof.

5. The alarm system of claim 1 further including a base transceiver mounted on said circuit board, a casing, a remote alarm, a remote microprocessor electrically connected to said remote alarm, and a remote transceiver, said remote alarm, remote microprocessor and remote transceiver mounted within said casing and said remote transceiver electrically connected to said remote microprocessor for receiving electromagnetic signals emitted by said base transceiver in response to activation of said shock sensor and activating said remote alarm in response thereto.

6. The alarm system of claim 5 further including a control switch mounted on casing for remote control including activation and deactivation of said electronic circuitry and said alarm.

7. The alarm system of claim 1 further including a resilient mount attached to said circuit board and positioned between said circuit board and said selected component for absorbing shocks transmitted thereto and generated during use of the bicycle.

8. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle, said circuit board mounted on an inner surface of said water bottle, said circuit board being generally planar and thereby shaped and positioned within said water bottle at a location enabling said water bottle to be properly positioned on the bicycle for use thereof as a bicycle accessory.

9. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said component or accessory includes a seat, said circuit board mounted on an inner surface of a seat frame member of said seat.

10. The alarm system of claim 1 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle cage, said circuit board mounted on rod members of said bottle cage and secured to a component frame portion of the bicycle and securely retaining said rod members onto the component frame portion of the bicycle, said circuit board mounted at a location on said rod members selected to provide coverage and concealment thereof by a water bottle when the water bottle is positioned in the water bottle cage.

11. An anti-theft alarm system for a bicycle, comprising:

a circuit board having a base radio transceiver;

a shock sensor mounted on said circuit board;

a base alarm mounted on said circuit board and electrically responsive to said shock sensor for activation thereof;

a battery mounted on said circuit board and electrically connected to said alarm and said shock sensor, said circuit board dimensionally sized and shaped to conform to that of a selected component or accessory of the bicycle for secure mounting thereof at a location on said selected component or accessory preventing visual discernment of said circuit board from nonanti-theft components and accessories of the bicycle;

a casing;

a remote radio transceiver mounted in said casing for carrying thereof by a user, said base radio transceiver receiving signals from said remote radio transceiver for remote operation of said circuit board.

12. The alarm system of claim 11 further including a rigid back plate attached to said circuit board for providing structural strength thereto, said back plate composed of an electrically insulating material to electrically isolate said circuit board from components and accessories of the bicycle.

13. The alarm system of claim 12 wherein said back plate is integral with said selected component or accessory.

14. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said circuit board has sides open to the environment and further including a cover for said circuit board, said cover and said sides open to the environment having a color and texture selected to generally match that of said selected component or accessory for visual camouflaging thereof.

15. The alarm system of claim 11 further including a control switch mounted on casing for remote control including activation and deactivation of said electronic circuitry and said alarm.

16. The alarm system of claim 11 further including a resilient mount attached to said circuit board and positioned between said circuit board and said selected accessory for absorbing shocks transmitted thereto and generated during use of the bicycle.

17. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle, said circuit board mounted on an inner surface of said water bottle, said circuit board sufficiently compact and positioned at a location within said water bottle to allow said water bottle to be properly positioned on the bicycle for use thereof as a bicycle accessory.

18. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said component or accessory includes a seat, said circuit board mounted on an inner surface of a seat frame member of said seat.

19. The alarm system of claim 11 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle cage, said circuit board mounted on rod members of said bottle cage and secured to a component frame portion of the bicycle and securely retaining said rod members onto the component frame portion of the bicycle.

20. An anti-theft alarm system for a bicycle, comprising:

a circuit board, said circuit board open to the environment at sides thereof;

an alarm mounted on said circuit board;

a shock sensor mounted on said circuit board, said alarm responsive to said shock sensor for activation thereof;

a battery mounted on said circuit board and electrically connected to said alarm and said shock sensor, said circuit board dimensionally sized and shaped to conform to that of a selected component or accessory of the bicycle for secure mounting thereof at a location on said selected component or accessory preventing visual discernment of said circuit board from nonanti-theft components and accessories of the bicycle.

21. The alarm system of claim 20 further including a rigid back plate attached to said circuit board for providing structural strength thereto, said back plate composed of an electrically insulating material for electrically isolating said circuit board from components and accessories of the bicycle.

22. The alarm system of claim 20 further including a cover for said circuit board, said cover and said sides open to the environment having a color and a texture selected to generally match that of said selected component or accessory for visual camouflaging thereof.

23. The alarm system of claim 20 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle, said water bottle including an upper member and a lower member manually detachable from said upper member, said upper member comprising a container for holding liquid, said circuit board mounted on an inner surface of said lower member, said circuit board being generally planar and thereby shaped and positioned within said water bottle at a location enabling it to be properly positioned on the bicycle for use thereof as a bicycle accessory.

24. The alarm system of claim 20 wherein said component or accessory includes a water bottle cage, said circuit board mounted on rod members of said bottle cage and secured to a component frame portion of the bicycle and securely retaining said rod members onto the component frame portion of the bicycle, said circuit board being planar and mounted at a location on said rod members selected to provide coverage and concealment thereof by a water bottle when the water bottle is positioned in the water bottle cage.