Cycle storage and locking system

• US 8,678,205 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2009
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smoove
• Original Assignee: Smoove
• Inventors: Mercat, Jean-Pierre, Mercat, Laurent, Mercat, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V
• Application Number:
  US13/130,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20110226708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 211/5, 70/62, 702/33, 702/34, 702/35, 70/38.A
• US Class Current: 211/5
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 2003/005 Supports or holders associated with means for bike rental
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/02 involving means for gripping the cycle by the handlebars or by the upper part of the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/04 involving forked supports of brackets for holding a wheel B62H3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/06 acting on the front wheel fork or steering head tube
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 6/40 Rider propelled cycles with auxiliary electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5872 For cycles

Abstract

Cycle storage and locking system for locking plural cycles in at least one storage station. The system includes plural locking and storage points each structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles at the at least one storage station. Each of the plural locking and storage points comprises two arms and a space arranged therebetween sized and configured to receive therein a front wheel of one of the cycles. A locking arrangement is structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles to one of the plural locking and storage points. The locking arrangement includes two laterally movable lateral locking projections arranged on the one of the cycles and two locking recesses arranged on the one of the plural locking and storage points.

Claims

1. A cycle storage and locking system for locking plural cycles in at least one storage station, the system comprising:

plural locking and storage points each structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles at the at least one storage station;

each of the plural locking and storage points comprising two arms and a space arranged therebetween sized and configured to receive therein a front wheel of one of the cycles;

a locking arrangement structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles to one of the plural locking and storage points; and

the locking arrangement comprising two laterally movable lateral locking projections arranged on the one of the cycles and two locking recesses arranged on the one of the plural locking and storage points.

2. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein each cycle is capable of being locked, while in a vertical orientation, in the at least one storage station and each cycle comprises a front steering system that includes a front fork having two fork blades connected by a fork crown and a fork stem.

3. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 2, wherein the two laterally movable locking projections are arranged on the fork crown.

4. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 2, wherein one of:

the two laterally movable locking projections are each arranged on one of the two fork blades; and

the two arms are fixed to the ground and extend upward.

5. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein an upper portion of an inner wall of each of the two arms includes one of the two locking recesses and each of the two locking recesses comprises a shape that is complementary to a shape of the two laterally movable locking projections.

6. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein the locking arrangement further comprises:

a rotatable control element; and

a control rod arranged inside a fork stem of the one of the cycles.

7. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein the locking arrangement further comprises:

a rotatable control element arranged inside the fork crown; and

a control rod arranged inside a fork stem of the one of the cycles.

8. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein one of:

the locking arrangement is capable of being unlocked via a keyless electronic management system; and

the locking arrangement is capable of being unlocked via a micro motor that rotates a control rod.

9. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein the two laterally movable lateral locking projections are each kinematically connected to a rotatable control element via a pivotally mounted connecting rod.

10. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein the two laterally movable lateral locking projections are each slidably disposed within a socket.

11. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 10, wherein each said socket comprises an inner tubular portion arranged within a fork crown of the one of the cycles and an outer tubular portion projecting out of the fork crown, and wherein the outer tubular portion is sized and configured to engage with a ramp system so as to guide the one of the cycles into a storage and locking position.

12. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein the two laterally movable lateral locking projections each comprise:

a locking pin;

an inner cylindrical housing;

a control rod arranged within the inner cylindrical housing and having a cylindrical guiding wall;

a compression spring; and

an inner peripheral abutment.

13. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein each the two laterally movable lateral locking projections is coupled to a rotatable control element that rotates about a vertical axis via a control connecting rod.

14. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein, in the locked position, each of the two laterally movable lateral locking projections engage one of the two locking recesses and two connecting rods are aligned along a transverse axis, whereby the locked position is secured by knuckle joint action such that an axial force on each locking projection does not cause a rotation of a rotatable control element toward an unlocked position.

15. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, wherein each of the two laterally movable lateral locking projections comprises:

a locking pin;

a movable central connection stud adapted to cooperate with a fixed connection stud in a locked position;

each fixed connection stud being connectable to a power supply; and

each movable central connection stud being electrically connectable to an electrical circuit of the one of the cycles.

16. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 1, further comprising an antitheft system comprising a steering lock device for locking a steering of the one of the cycles in an angular position relative to a general plane of a cycle frame.

17. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 16, wherein the antitheft system is usable outside of the at least one storage station and comprises:

a cable; and

at least one of;

a pin arranged on one end of the cable and being adapted to engage a transverse locking hole arranged on a steering column of the one of the cycles; and

a latch arranged in a fork stem of the one of the cycles.

18. A cycle storage and locking system for locking plural cycles in at least one storage station, the system comprising:

plural upright locking and storage devices each structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles at the at least one storage station;

each of the plural locking and storage devices comprising two arms, a space arranged therebetween sized and configured to receive therein a front wheel of one of the cycles, and two locking recesses;

two laterally movable lateral locking projections arranged on each of the plural cycles; and

at least one of;

a spring arranged within each the two laterally movable lateral locking projections; and

an outer projecting portion of each of the two laterally movable lateral locking projections being structured and arranged to slidably engage with a respective guide recess arranged on one of the two arms,

wherein, in a locked position, each cycle has its front wheel located within the space and each of the two locking recesses receives therein one of the two laterally movable lateral locking projections.

19. The cycle storage and locking system of claim 18, wherein each the two laterally movable lateral locking projections is coupled, via a pivotally mounted control rod, to a rotatable control element that rotates about a vertical axis.

20. A cycle storage and locking system for locking plural cycles in at least one storage station, the system comprising:

plural upright locking and storage devices each structured and arranged to lock one of the cycles at the at least one storage station;

each of the plural locking and storage devices comprising two arms, a space arranged therebetween sized and configured to receive therein a front wheel of one of the cycles, and a locking recess arranged on each of the two arms; and

a steering fork of each of the plural cycles comprising a rotatable control element and two laterally movable lateral locking projections connected to the rotatable control element,

wherein, in a locked position, each cycle has its front wheel located within the space, the rotatable control element is in a locked rotatable position, and each locking recess receives therein one of the two laterally movable lateral locking projections, and

wherein, in a unlocked position, the rotatable control element is in an unlocked rotatable position and the two laterally movable lateral locking projections do not extend into the locking recesses.