Bicycle containment apparatus

• US 9,758,203 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thad Oviatt
• Original Assignee: Thad Oviatt
• Inventors: Oviatt, Thad V.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAWN, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US15/340,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20170043827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 211 5, 211 17- 24
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 2003/005 Supports or holders associated with means for bike rental
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/00 Separate supports or holders for parking or storing cycles cycle supports used during maintenance B25H; building aspects E04H
• 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 5/00 Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles fittings for preventing or indicating use or theft of vehicles in general B60R; general features of locks E05B
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/06 acting on the front wheel fork or steering head tube
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 71/00 Locks specially adapted for bicycles, other than padlocks locks integral with holders for parking or storing bicycles B62H3/00; locks integral with cycles B62H5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

A bicycle containment system is disclosed. The system can include one or more vertical supports, one or more cantilevered crossbars pivotally connected to one or more vertical supports, one or more wheel locking mechanisms, and a control system. Each cantilevered crossbar can include two substantially parallel extending arms and a frame locking mechanism. The frame locking mechanism can be made up of one or more frame locking bars and one or more frame locking actuators. Each wheel locking mechanism can include a wheel locking bar and a wheel locking actuator. The locking mechanism control system can be configured to actuate the frame locking actuators and the wheel locking actuators.

Claims

1. A bicycle containment system comprising:

at least one vertical support;

at least one crossbar pivotally connected to the at least one vertical support, each crossbar being connected to;

two substantially parallel extending arms; and

a frame locking mechanism comprising;

at least one frame locking bar; and

at least one frame locking actuator;

at least one wheel locking mechanism comprising;

at least one wheel locking bar; and

at least one wheel locking actuator;

the frame locking bar is oriented perpendicular to the extending arms, and extends from one of the two extending arms; and

wherein the frame locking actuator moves the frame locking bar towards the other of the two extending arms;

a locking mechanism control system configured to electrically actuate the frame locking actuators and the wheel locking actuators.

2. The bicycle containment system of claim 1, wherein:

each crossbar and each wheel locking mechanism is connected between two vertical supports.

3. The bicycle containment system of claim 1, wherein the two substantially parallel extending arms are between approximately 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) long and approximately 36 inches (approximately 90 cm) long.

4. The bicycle containment system of claim 3, wherein the two substantially parallel extending arms are configured to rotate between horizontal and 45 degrees below horizontal.

5. The bicycle containment system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism control system is connected to a control panel.

6. The bicycle containment system of claim 5, wherein the control panel displays at least one of the number of available bicycle locking locations, a price to reserve a bicycle locking location, the amount of time a bicycle locking location has been occupied, and payment instructions.

7. The bicycle containment system of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism control system comprises an internet connection, such that the locking mechanism control system can be accessed remotely.

8. The bicycle containment system of claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism control system can lock or unlock one or more of the frame locking actuators or wheel locking actuators based on data received via the internet connection.

9. A bicycle security system comprising:

a plurality of bicycle locking locations, each comprising;

a frame lock portion, comprising;

two substantially parallel extending arms connected to a vertical support at a first end of each extending arm;

at least one frame locking bar located at a second end of at least one of the two extending arms, wherein the at least one frame locking bar is oriented perpendicularly to at least one of the two extending arms; and

at least one frame locking actuator in communication with the at least one frame locking bar, wherein the at least one frame locking actuator moves the at least one frame locking bar towards at least one of the two extending arms;

a wheel lock portion, located on the vertical support, and comprising;

at least one wheel locking bar; and

at least one wheel locking actuator;

a control system configured to selectively actuate the at least one frame locking actuator and the at least one wheel locking actuator to lock a bicycle into one of the plurality of bicycle locking locations;

wherein the control system is configured to selectively lock or unlock a bicycle in response to a user input via an electrical connection.

10. The bicycle containment system of claim 9, wherein the two substantially parallel extending arms are between approximately 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) long and approximately 36 inches (approximately 90 cm) long.

11. The bicycle containment system of claim 10, wherein the two substantially parallel extending arms are configured to rotate about their first ends between horizontal and 45 degrees below horizontal.

12. A bicycle containment system comprising:

a vertical support;

a crossbar pivotally connected to the vertical support, each crossbar being connected to;

two substantially parallel extending arms connected to the crossbar at their first ends; and

a frame locking mechanism comprising a frame locking bar oriented perpendicularly to the two extending arms and a frame locking actuator configured to move the frame locking bar towards one of the two extending arms;

a wheel locking mechanism comprising a wheel locking actuator;

wherein the vertical support is between approximately 24 inches (approximately 60 cm) and approximately 36 inches (approximately 90 cm); and

wherein the length of the extending arms is selected such that the frame locking mechanism can engage a plurality of bicycle frames, and is between approximately 20 inches (approximately 50 cm) and approximately 36 inches (approximately 90 cm);

a control system configured to electrically actuate the frame locking actuator and the wheel locking actuator.

13. The bicycle containment system of claim 12, wherein the two substantially parallel extending arms are configured to rotate about their first ends between horizontal and 45 degrees below horizontal.