Automatic parking system for electric and normal bicycles, with battery recharge, anti-theft blocking and monitoring of bicycle use

• US 8,450,968 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Geofoton Soluciones Sostenibles, SL
• Original Assignee: Geofoton Soluciones Sostenibles, SL
• Inventors: Navarro Ruiz, Bartolom, Prez De Ayala, Pedro, Rosa Casado, Pablo
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US12/566,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20100089846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/109, 320/114, 320/115
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/36 of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 2003/005 Supports or holders associated with means for bike rental
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/04 involving forked supports of brackets for holding a wheel B62H3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/80 Accessories, e.g. power sources; Arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The system is universal and is designed to carry out the functions of supporting the vehicle, blocking against theft, recharging the battery, measuring the level of charge and transmitting control, use and other data, all automatically once the vehicle is in its resting position. The parking system comprises two ports: the “vehicle port” (1) and the “station port” (5). The “vehicle port (1)” comprises two identical parts to be installed on each side of one of the wheels of the vehicle, the vehicle being a bicycle or a motorcycle. The “vehicle port” (1) is fitted to the shaft (2) of the wheel (4) by means of a threaded hole (15). This shaft (2) passes through the bushing of the wheel (3) leaving the bicycle fork (13) in the middle. This shaft (2), may belong to the bushing (3) of the wheel (4), or be introduced separately. The “vehicle port” (1) is electrically connected to the bicycle battery or control box by means of two wires (11) to enable recharging.

Claims

1. A vehicle port (1) adapted for installation on a shaft (2) of a bushing (3) of a wheel (4) of a vehicle, the vehicle being a bicycle or a motorcycle, the vehicle port (1) comprising two terminal ends provided with respective threaded holes (15), suitable for screwing onto the shaft (2), and two wires suitable for electrically connecting the vehicle port (1) to a battery or to a control box of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle port (1) according to claim 1 that comprises a unique identifying chip for univocal reading and recognition of the vehicle.

3. A station port (5) adapted to receive the vehicle port (1) according to claim 1, wherein the station port (5) comprises

two symmetrical blocks (16, 17) situated in parallel and leaving space between them for receiving the wheel (4) of the vehicle, each block (16, 17) being equipped with a pre-positioning point (6) as a guide rail to guide the vehicle port (1) to a resting zone (8), said resting zone (8) comprising a terminal (10) for making electrical contact and transferring data from the vehicle port (1), and

a motorised blocking mechanism (9) to prevent robbery when the vehicle is parked,

said resting zone (8) being preceded by a groove (7) to guide the vehicle port towards said resting zone (8), protecting said groove (7) as well as the terminal (10) and the blocking mechanism (9) from the elements and preventing said groove (7) from being accessible for a person'"'"'s hand.

7. A method for mounting the vehicle port (1) according to claim 1, which comprises removing a fastening system of the wheel (4), and screwing the vehicle port (1) using the threaded hole (15) onto the shaft (2) of the bushing (3) said shaft (2) belonging or not to the bushing (3).

4. A universal automatic parking system for a bicycle or a motorcycle, which comprises:

(a) a vehicle port (1) adapted for installation on a shaft (2) of a bushing (3) of a wheel (4) of a vehicle, the vehicle being a bicycle or a motorcycle, the vehicle port (1) comprising two terminal ends provided with respective threaded holes (15), suitable for screwing onto the shaft (2), and two wires suitable for electrically connecting the vehicle port (1) to a battery or to a control box of the vehicle; and

(b) a station port (5) comprising two symmetrical blocks (16, 17) situated in parallel and leaving space between them for receiving the wheel (4) of the vehicle, each block (16, 17) being equipped with a pre-positioning point (6) as a guide rail to guide the vehicle port (1) to a resting zone (8), said resting zone (8) comprising a terminal (10) for making electrical contact and transferring data from the vehicle port (1), and a motorised blocking mechanism (9) to prevent robbery when the vehicle is parked, said resting zone (8) being preceded by a groove (7) to guide the vehicle port towards said resting zone (8), protecting said groove (7) as well as the terminal (10) and the blocking mechanism (9) from the elements and preventing said groove (7) from being accessible for a person'"'"'s hand.

5. The universal automatic parking system according to claim 4 wherein a electrical connection that allows the battery to be recharged is established by means of contact of the vehicle port (1) with the terminal (10) of the station port (5), the vehicle port (1) and the station port (5) being provided with respective positive poles on one side of the shaft (2) and respective negative poles on the other side of the shaft (2) and wherein the station port (5) is connected to the battery by means of a first wire in the first block (16) and a second wire in the second block (17), one of said wires being a positive conductor and the other a negative conductor.

6. The universal automatic parking system according to claim 5 wherein communication of data is carried out through the same an electrical contact of the vehicle port (1) with the terminal (10) used for recharging of the battery, and with help of an electronic system.

8. The universal automatic parking system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle port comprises a unique identifying chip for univocal reading and recognition of the vehicle.

9. A method for supporting a vehicle, the vehicle being a bicycle or a motorcycle, said method comprising mounting a vehicle port (1) onto a wheel of the vehicle, supporting a terminal (10) of the vehicle port (1) on two symmetrical blocks (16, 17) of a station port (5), using the wheel provided with the vehicle port (1) placed between said blocks (16, 17), and introducing the vehicle port in a groove (7) until reaching a resting point (8).

10. The method for supporting a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle port (1) comprises a unique identifying chip for univocal reading and recognition of the vehicle.

11. The method for supporting a vehicle according to claim 10, which comprises monitoring a parking system and bicycles for different users and for a manager of a system and/or communicating data regarding use as well as incidents and allowing or not the vehicle'"'"'s use depending on the user and/or billing per traveled kilometer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle port (1) is adapted for installation on a shaft (2) of a bushing (3) of the wheel (4) of the vehicle, the vehicle being a bicycle or a motorcycle, the vehicle port (1) comprising two terminal ends provided with respective threaded holes (15), suitable for screwing onto the shaft (2), and two wires suitable for electrically connecting the vehicle port (1) to a battery or to a control box of the vehicle.