Cable anti-theft device for a cycle and cycle equipped with such a device

• US 7,281,399 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JCDecaux SA (JCDecaux Group)
• Original Assignee: JCDecaux SA (JCDecaux Group)
• Inventors: Gagosz, Jean-Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall; Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US11/267,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20060096341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 70/18, 70/30, 70/49, 70/62, 70182-186, 70225-228, 70233-236, 211/5, 211/4, 211/17, 211/19, 211/20, 211/23, 211/24, 280/288.4, 280/281.1, 224/424, 224/935, 248551-553
• US Class Current: 70/233
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/003 using chains or cables chain or cable locks per se E05B67/003; with alarm E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/06 acting on the front wheel fork or steering head tube
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/14 preventing wheel rotation B62H5/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/935 Carrier for cycle lock
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5659 Dead bolt
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5872 For cycles

Abstract

A cycle provided with a frame and an anti-theft device comprising a cable having a first end permanently fixed to the frame and a mobile second end capable of cooperating with a bolt mounted on the frame, this bolt being movable between a locking position in which it locks the second end of the cable with respect to the frame, and an unlocking position in which it releases this second end with respect to the frame.

Claims

1. Cycle provided with a frame and an anti-theft device comprising a cable having a first end permanently fixed to the frame and a mobile second end capable of cooperating with a bolt mounted on the frame, the bolt being movable between a locking position in which the bolt locks the second end of the cable with respect to the frame, and an unlocking position in which the bolt releases the second end with respect to the frame, and wherein the frame of the cycle comprises a framework upon which a fork carrying a front wheel is mounted in a pivoting manner, the anti-theft device further comprising a plate being mounted on the fork, the bolt locking the second end of the cable with respect to the plate.

2. Cycle according to claim 1, in which the second end of the cable is shaped as a hook, and the plate comprises a slot into which the hook is able to be inserted.

3. Cycle according to claim 2, in which, in its unlocking position, the bolt is at a distance from the slot whereas, in its locking position, it is adjacent to the latter.

4. Cycle according to claim 1, in which the bolt can occupy its locking position only when the front wheel is forming a non-zero angle with the framework.

5. Cycle according to claim 1, which comprises a key-operated lock mounted on the frame of the cycle, this lock being able to assume, when the key is operated, a closed position in which the bolt is held in its locking position, and an open position allowing the passage of the bolt from its locking position to its unlocking position, and vice versa.

6. Cycle according to claim 1, in which the frame is provided with a support and in which the bolt is in the form of a pivoting lever, mounted such that it is hinged on the support in the vicinity of the fork.

7. Cycle according to claim 1, further comprising a luggage holder permanently fixed on the fork, the first end of the cable being permanently fixed to the luggage holder.

8. Cycle according to claim 1, further comprising an attached metal plate fixed to the fork and a luggage holder permanently fixed on the fork by means of the attached metal plate, the first end of the cable being permanently fixed to the attached metal plate.

9. Cycle according to claim 7, in which the luggage holder comprises a housing and in which the second end of the cable comprises a hook formed by a cylindrical shaft extended by a rod having a diameter less than a diameter of the shaft, the rod being extended by a disk having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod, the hook being inserted in the housing of the luggage holder when the cable is not being used.

10. Cycle according to claim 9, in which the luggage holder is made from a lattice of vertical and horizontal steel wires, and including an additional bent wire defining with one of said vertical wires a housing, the housing having an upper part where a separation between the additional wire and the vertical wire is sufficient to allow the insertion and the withdrawal of the hook, and a lower part where a separation between the additional wire and the vertical wire is less than the diameter of the shaft and less than the diameter of the disk such that the hook, resting on a horizontal wire, is held there unless the hook is raised in order to place the hook in alignment with the upper part, which allows its withdrawal.

11. Cycle provided with a frame, a luggage holder comprising a housing, and an anti theft device comprising a cable having a first end permanently fixed to the luggage holder and a mobile second end capable of cooperating with a bolt mounted on the frame, the bolt being movable between a locking position in which the bolt locks the second end of the cable with respect to the frame, and an unlocking position in which the bolt releases the second end with respect to the frame, the cable comprising a hook formed by a cylindrical shaft extended by a rod having a diameter less than a diameter of the shaft, the rod extending to a disk having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod, the hook being inserted in the housing of the luggage holder when the cable is not being used.

12. Cycle according to claim 11, in which the luggage holder is made from a lattice of vertical and horizontal steel wires, and an additional bent wire defining with one of said vertical wires a housing, the housing having an upper part where the separation between the additional wire and the vertical wire being sufficient to allow the insertion and the withdrawal of the hook, and a lower part where the separation between the additional wire and the vertical wire is less than the diameter of the shaft and than that of the disk, such that the hook, resting on a horizontal wire, is held in place, unless the hook is raised in order to place it in alignment with the upper part, which allows withdrawal of the hook.

13. Cycle according to claim 11, in which the frame of the cycle comprises a framework upon which a fork carrying a front wheel is mounted in a pivoting manner, the anti theft device further comprising a plate being mounted on the fork, the bolt locking the second end of the cable with respect to the plate.

14. A cycle provided with a frame, a luggage holder comprising a housing, and an anti theft device, the cycle provided with a frame having a pivoting fork carrying a front wheel, a plate provided with a slot mounted on the fork, a housing carried by the frame, a cable having a first end permanently mounted to the frame and a mobile second end, the second end capable of cooperating with a bolt mounted on the frame, the bolt movable between a locking position in which the bolt locks the second end of the cable in the slot of the plate such that the second end is fixed with respect to the frame, and an unlocking position in which the bolt permits release of the second end from the slot of the plate, the second end of the cable comprising a hook formed by a cylindrical shaft extended by a rod having a diameter less than a diameter of the shaft, the rod extending to a disk having a diameter greater than the diameter of the rod, the hook sized to be inserted in the slot of the plate prior to placing the bolt in the locking position, the hook further sized to be carried by the housing when the second end of the cable is not disposed in the slot of the plate.

15. Cycle according to claim 14, wherein the housing is carried by a luggage holder made from a lattice of vertical and horizontal steel wires, the luggage holder including an additional bent wire, the bent wire and one of the vertical wires defining at least a portion of the housing, the housing having a widened upper part sized to allow insertion of the hook into the housing and withdrawal of the hook from the housing, and a narrowed lower part measuring less than the diameter of the shaft and the diameter of the disk such that the hook rests on one of the horizontal wires.

16. An anti-theft device for a cycle having a frame and a fork pivotable relative to the frame, the anti-theft device comprising:

a cable having a first end arranged for permanent attachment to the frame;

the cable including a movable second end, the second end including a shaft, a narrowed rod, and a disk, the narrowed rod having a cross section smaller than a cross-section of both the shaft and the disk;

a plate arranged for mounting to the fork, the plate including a slot sized to receive the narrowed rod;

a shiftable bolt secured to the frame and shiftable between a first position in which the narrowed rod may be moved into and out of engagement with the slot of the plate, and a second position in which the narrowed rod is secured within the slot of the plate;

a lock assembly operatively coupled to the bolt to secure the bolt in the second position; and

a housing arranged for mounting to the cycle and sized to receive the second end when the narrowed rod is disengaged from the slot.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the housing is formed in a luggage holder, the luggage holder comprising a plurality of rigid wires, the housing comprising a narrowed part sized to engage the narrowed rod, and a widened part sized to allow insertion of the narrowed rod into the narrowed part.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein a portion of the bolt and the plate are arranged to be mounted on the frame and fork, respectively, such that a portion of the bolt is positioned to abut the plate when the bolt is in the second position, and wherein the portion of the bolt and the plate are sized to cooperate to secure the fork at a non-zero angle with respect to the frame when the bolt is in the second position.