FR2764261A1 - GARAGE FOR CYCLES - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a garage for cycles such as bicycles or scooters comprising a polyhedral container with a front surface (6) capable of being opened by insertion of a credit means. The container comprises a floor for detecting objects contained in the garage, and optionally sensors characterising said contents. It also comprises a ceiling (5) whereof the resistance is locally reduced so as to collapse at this point and in channelling the effects of possible deflagration. Finally, it can comprise a mobile internal plate supporting the cycle and driven in translation outwards through the door opening, to facilitate the removal of the cycle.

Description

GARAGE FOR CYCLES.

 The present invention relates to a container for cycles such as bicycles, mopeds, vehicles, with two motorized wheels and the like, of the type intended to be grouped and arranged to define a protected parking and storage area for said cycles.

 The construction of parking areas of this type poses several problems, in particular that of the occupation of a surface area given by a minimum of cycles and that of the implementation of the cycle in the enclosure and its accessibility for the withdrawal.

 On the first point, solutions have been proposed by making enclosures in the shape of a triangle or trapezoid, the narrowest part corresponding to the back of the cycle and the widest part corresponding to the front of the cycle. This arrangement as described in French patent no. 9515117 of 1/19/95, in PCT application WO 89/08578 of 9/21/89, or in French application no. 79 04406 allows the occupancy to be optimized of the area. Another form of cycle garage is described in document EP 0659957, with a rectangular surface on the ground.

On the second point, known solutions call on a mobile plate receiving the cycle, which at the opening is pulled outwards to place or remove the cycle and at the closing is pushed back inside.
Finally, current devices do not make it possible to know the contents of the garage, for example to identify objects which do not fall under normal storage in said garage enclosures. They also do not take into account the channeling of the effects of a possible deflagration occurring inside the enclosure.

 The present invention therefore intends to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a new urban cycle garage device, making it possible to detect the occupation of a garage.

 According to a second object of the invention, it will be possible by use of the device to channel the effects of an internal deflagration in a harmless direction.

 Yet another goal is the identification of the cycle present inside the enclosure.

According to another objective, the device allows easier introduction or extraction of the cycle.

 The device which is the subject of the present invention is therefore a container for cycles consisting of a closed enclosure comprising a bottom, side walls and a roof, closed by a transverse wall at one end and by a movable part at the other end, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting an occupation of the enclosure by a cycle and means for identifying the cycle contained in the enclosure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device, it comprises means for channeling the forces of a possible deflagration internal to the enclosure.

According to a particular embodiment, the device comprises. A cycle carrier plate mu substantially in the longitudinal axis of the garage by the action of the door.

The description which follows, made with reference to the accompanying drawings for explanatory purposes and in no way limiting, allows a better understanding of the advantages, aims and characteristics of the invention.
Figure 1 shows a device according to the invention, in perspective view.

 Figure 2 is a side view of the device.

Figure 3 shows a top view of the cycle garage
Figures 4A, 4B, 4C detail the movement of the cycle carrier plate when the garage door is opened.

 Figures 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D provide a better understanding of the operation of the garage content detection system.

 FIGS. 6A and 6B show the position of the detection means such as strain gauges or pressure sensors on the content detection device of the garage.

 Figure 7 shows the electrical and information exchange logic between the subsystems and the control system.

 Figure 8 shows a bicycle attached by an electronic key security system.

Figures 9A, 9B and 9C show an electronic key in two parts and the mounting of each element on the one hand on the cycle to be protected and on the other hand at the end of a security cable
As shown in a preferred arrangement in Figure 1, the cycle garage device consists mainly of a polyhedral container with six main faces, five of which are fixed and mechanically integral two side faces (1, 2) substantially vertical, a bottom (3) also substantially vertical, a floor (4) intended to be placed on the ground, a ceiling (5). The locker formed by these faces is closed by a door (6) articulated around an axis of rotation (8).

 The lateral faces (1, 2) of the container are converging towards the rear, since the cycles to be accommodated are narrower at the rear and wider at the front, where the handlebars are placed.

A typical angle of 18 "is used. In the same way, the ceiling (5) is tilted slightly backwards, by an angle of 5" for example.

 The container is made of polyester in a manner known to those skilled in the art, for example mold according to the shape of the panels to be produced. The container is of a size suitable for holding a cycle such as a bicycle or scooter, with a length of 2.1 m, a width on the front face of 90 cm, and a height under ceiling of 1.4 m. A polyester thickness of a few millimeters is necessary for sufficient mechanical strength of the device with respect to the mechanical stresses to be supported.

An embodiment in fiberglass and resin molded to the shape of the container is also envisaged.

 On its upper part (5), the container has reduced thickness lines of fiberglass, for example in the form of star segments, each segment being 20 cm long, the function of which is to serve as a point minimum resistance and therefore preferential breaking point in the event of internal deflagration of the container when it is closed. Channeling the blast effects up helps reduce the risk to passers-by.

 The containers have on their lateral faces fixing points allowing them to be attached to each other either side by side openings oriented in the same direction, or head to tail, according to a conventional implementation.

 According to a variant suitable for the storage of scooters or motor cycles, a movable plate (12) forming a cycle support platform is mounted on a system of slides not shown here but of form and embodiment known to those skilled in the art. art, said system of slides being mounted on the floor (4) of the container.

 The movable plate (12) is moved in longitudinal displacement towards the outside of the container by means of a metal frame forming a lever based on tubes of square section, said frame being substantially of triangular shape, with one of its sides attached. at the door, and another rib comprising a sliding point under the plate (12). This is clearly shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, which detail the respective kinematics of the plate and the frame when the door is opened, and the cycle carrier plate is extracted. The tray has a lowered central part relative to the lateral edges, to guide the scooter and ensure its storage coaxially with the cycle container.

 A shock absorber (13), for example gas, mounts between the movable plate and the ground by means of two cables (14) fixed at two points of the hull, makes it possible to reduce the shock due to the inertia of the set that can weigh more than 100 kg when a moped is placed there. The configuration of the system allows, for a constant speed of rotation of the door, caused by the user, to have a low horizontal speed of movement of the plate at the start and at the stop of the opening.

 The movable plate (12) is removable to be able to transform a scooter garage into a bicycle garage very simply.

 The door incorporates a closing system controlled by the insertion of a known type of payment and / or identification means, such as a magnetic card reader (20), this being dedicated to the cycle garage or general to any conventional credit card. The card reader may include an interface keyboard (34) for entering a code or making a menu choice in response to a question from the system. The payment system can incorporate a known type money counter (21). The control system is incorporated into the thickness of the door, with the interface elements (9) with the user placed on the front face. The control system controls an electric lock (22) of the known type of door. The door may finally include, in its thickness, an electrical supply (23) adapted to the needs of the container control, lock and security systems, as well as a control system (24, 25) of the security devices.

 The power supply may include a battery (26) connected to solar panels (7) mounted on the upper face of the cycle container. This grouping of organs which may require regular maintenance in the door of the device facilitates maintenance.

 The control system for the security devices is produced in the form of an electronic or microcomputer device of known form, comprising a standard microcomputer type card (24) and a memory (31) on which software (25) is recorded. ). This receives information from several strain sensors (27), detection means such as strain gauges or pressure or temperature sensors (28) and door closing (29), and controls for example by software for displaying information on an external display (30) placed in view of the user, or implementing security devices such as a fan (33) to evacuate petrol vapors in the event of temperature high in the container.

 The control system is adapted to record on a memory (31) possibly identical to the memory containing the software, information relating to the operation of the cycle container, such as hours of occupation of the device, means of payment used, incident history. of operation, etc. The piloting system (24) is possibly connected to a modem (3) or a radio link incorporated essentially into the container so as to alert a remote monitoring system of a need for maintenance or incident of operation, or incorrect use, or even attempted break-ins identified by the sensors.

 The control software includes means of reducing the electrical consumption of the assembly by putting the display and the detectors to standby between periods of use, as well as by intermittent operation of the detectors.

 FIGS. 5A to 5D provide a better understanding of the shape detection device incorporated in the cycle container. As seen in Figure 5A, the support of a bicycle consists of a metal sheet. This sheet has sufficient thickness to withstand impact and residual deformation. It can be dismantled so that it can be replaced by a sliding plate when used for a scooter type cycle. The fact of placing a heavy element on this sheet causes the appearance of deformations of said sheet. The mechanical characteristics of the sheet, in particular thickness and fixing, are studied so that all the deformations remain in the elastic and reversible range of materials. used in the range of cycle weights envisaged.

 The sheet metal folding angles are defined on the one hand to be sure that the bicycle rests well in the central groove, on the other hand to increase the difference in deformation between acceptable products (bicycle) and rejectable products (bottle of gas for example or other object not in accordance with the intended use for the container).

 The recognition of the products placed on the support sheet is based on the measurement of the deformations of the sheet at different characteristic points, and the comparison of these values with those obtained for acceptable types of two-wheeled racing bike, bicycle, scooter.

Deformations are measured by strain gauges, force sensors or any other equivalent system such as pressure sensors.

 Regarding the axial device, and as seen in Figure 5A, if the cycle is placed in the central groove, the axial part of the sheet will lower significantly and related to the weight of the cycle . If the stored product does not rest in the groove, as shown for example in FIG. 5B, but on the inclined surfaces, said surfaces will curve and the axial part of the sheet will lower less than for a weight placed in the central groove, even stand up.

 To precisely analyze the position of the product, two strain gauges, such as conventional strain gauges or force sensors are placed on the axis of the groove (one at the front and one at the rear) to measure the deformation with respect to the whole sheet.

 As regards the lateral force measurement device, it is better described in FIGS. 5C and 5D. This device also includes at least two groups of sensors of the same type as those used for the axial sensors. As can be seen in FIG. 5C, if the sheet load is axial, which is almost the case for a bicycle in its groove, the deformations of the right and left side sensors will be substantially identical. On the contrary, if the sheet load is asymmetrical (case of Figure 5D), the deformations measured by the right and left sensors will be different. The set of side gauges makes it possible to precisely measure the total weight inside the cycle container, and therefore to detect an abnormal overload or the presence of a bicycle inside.

 It is clearly understood that the comparison of the group of measurements received from the sensors with the stored measurements corresponding to the loading of known objects makes it easy to bring the stored object closer to an object type and to verify the conformity of this detected type with the acceptable products in the container. In the event of a product classified as unacceptable, a command not to close the electric lock may be ordered, or possibly the triggering of an alert, for example by means of the modem (32) and / or a radio link and / or a local horn.

 Similarly, an analysis of the temporal evolution of the measurements made by the sensors makes it possible to detect movements of the cycle, or an increase in weight inside the cycle container, which may be representative of attempted break-ins or theft. . Finally, an analysis over a short period of the signals emitted by the sensors makes it possible to detect vibrations of the container, testifying for example to attempted break-in by drill or saw.

 The position of the strain gauges or the force sensors is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B.

 The information received from the sensors is processed by the control system (24) with a conventional processing algorithm included in the control software (25).

 Another system of resistance to theft of the system consists of an electronic key, shown in FIGS. 8 to 9C. The system consists of several elements first a connecting cable (40), attached to the door at a point (41) located at the top opposite of the door hinges. The second element is a reel, not shown in the figures, and which allows the cable to be retracted when not in use. The cable and the reel are of conventional material and implementation. A bracelet (43) including a lock (44) with electronic chip (45) is mounted on the cycle to be protected, in a way that is difficult to violate such as by welding. An electronic reader known to those skilled in the art attached to the cable makes it possible to read the information on the cycle chip. When the security device is put in place, the electronic key connected to the cable pivots and locks in the chip lock.

 As we have just seen, the electronic key device achieves two objectives. The first is to leave the cycle integral with the cycle container in the event of opening not controlled by the user, whether for an internal cleaning, maintenance or verification reason. Furthermore, the system makes it possible to recognize which cycle is contained in the cycle garage, for example in the case of bicycle rental, subscription or management of theft problems.

 In a simpler variant, a conventional security cable system can replace the electronic key, with mechanical key security.

 The implementation of the cycle garage device according to the invention in the case of a bicycle is obvious, with the following steps for the introduction of a cycle in the garage - insertion of a means of payment in the card reader or in the currency counter, - activation of the electric lock, - opening of the door by the user, - entry of the bicycle on the grooved sheet in its center, - possibly locking of the electronic lock with key and cable on the cycle, - door closing, - software analysis of the presence and type of cycle between, as well as its centering, - in the event of positioning or loading error by a non-conforming product , refusal of the lock to engage and alert to the user for correction of the problem, - in the event of normal bike charging, activation of the electric lock, - recovery of the card.

 For loading a heavier scooter or cycle in a garage dedicated to this type of application, when the door is opened by the user, the cycle tray is extracted by the kinematic device, and the scooter or moped is placed on this tray.

Then the door is closed and the same conformity checks are carried out by the force sensors and the control software.

 While keeping the cycle, the device checks at regular intervals for a short period of time the information received from the sensors and analyzes the continuous presence of the cycle, as well as any vibrations of the container and the temperature inside the container. In the event of a high temperature, for example more than 40 ° C. in the container, the fan is started and kept running as long as the temperature does not drop below a satisfactory temperature, for example 30.

 During the extraction of the cycle, the insertion operations are carried out in reverse order: - insertion of the same means of payment or identification in the card reader, - activation of the electric lock, - opening of the door by l user, - possibly opening the electronic key and securing the cycle of the safety cable, - extracting the cycle, - closing the door, - engaging the electric lock, - recovering the card.

 The scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented, but on the contrary extends to improvements and modifications within the reach of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:  1. Container for cycles consists of a closed enclosure comprising a bottom (4), side walls (1,2) and a roof (5), closed by a transverse wall at one end and by a movable part (6) to the other end, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting an occupation of the enclosure by a cycle (10) and means for identifying the cycle contained in the enclosure.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for channeling the forces of a possible deflagration internal to the enclosure.  3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a plate (12) mu cycle carrier substantially in the longitudinal axis of the garage by the action of the door (6).  4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cycle carrier plate (10) is secured to the door (6) of the garage by means allowing that, at equal opening speed of the door, the speed of the plate is lower at the start and end of the door opening.  5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the means for detecting the occupation of the enclosure comprise strain gauges (27) attached to a plate supporting the cycle, and a system of analysis (24, 25) of the information received from these sensors.  6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises means for comparing these groups of values received from the strain gauges (27) with groups characteristic of predefined loadings.  7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the means of channeling the forces of a possible deflagration internal to the enclosure takes the form of zones with reduced mechanical resistance on the upper part (6) of the garage.  8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a lock (44) with electronic key whose key (42) is secured to a cable (40) attached to the enclosure of the garage , the lock of which is mounted on the cycle and includes information identifying the cycle (10), and a means of transmitting this information to the garage control system.