FR3053952A1 - AUTOMATIC CYCLE STORAGE SYSTEM AND LATCHING STATION FOR SUCH A SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic cycle storage system comprising a plurality of locking stations (7) adapted to receive and lock cycles (1). The locking stations comprise a shock sensor connected to a control device which is adapted to trigger an alarm reaction in the event of detection of an impact.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automatic cycle storage systems, cycles and locking stations for such systems.

More particularly, the invention relates to an automatic cycle storage system comprising a plurality of locking stations adapted to receive and lock cycles.

An automatic cycle storage system of this type can be used for example to make cycles available to the public, subject to identification of the cycle borrower and possibly payment of a rental.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Document FR-2954265A describes an example of such a cycle storage system.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to improve the protection of cycle storage systems against vandalism.

To this end, according to the invention, a cycle storage system of the kind in question is characterized in that at least some of the locking stations include a shock detector connected to at least one control device which is adapted to trigger an alarm reaction if a shock is detected.

Thanks to these provisions, acts of vandalism can be identified, which are most often manifested by violent actions against the locking station and / or against the cycle locked on the locking station,

In particular embodiments, the automatic cycle storage system may also include one or more of the following arrangements:

the system further comprises cycles adapted to lock onto the locking stations;

- the shock sensor is an accelerometer;

- Each locking station includes a latching member adapted to receive and lock a complementary latching member belonging to a cycle, and said shock sensor is disposed in the vicinity of said latching member;

- The locking station is a terminal fixed to the ground and having an upper end, said latching member and the shock sensor being in the vicinity of said upper end;

- The control device comprises a central unit belonging to the locking station and controlling a signaling device also belonging to the locking station;

- the signaling device includes an indicator light;

- The control device is adapted to operate a camera adapted to film the locking station;

- The control device is adapted to operate a lighting system illuminating the locking station;

- the control device is adapted to transmit an alert to a remote site.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a locking station for a system as described above, adapted to receive and lock cycles, characterized in that it comprises a shock detector connected to at least one control device which is suitable for triggering an alarm reaction in the event of detection of a shock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the following description of one of its embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an automatic cycle storage system capable of implementing the invention,

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a locking station of the system of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cycle 1 of the system of FIG. 1, and

- Figure 4 is a block diagram of the electrical components of the automatic cycle storage system.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the various figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention relates to an automatic system for storing cycles 1 such as in particular bicycles, making it possible, for example, to store cycles on the public road so as to make them available to the public.

Each cycle 1 may include a structure mounted on two wheels lb, the structure including a frame ld and a fork carrying a handlebar and pivotally mounted on the frame ld.

This automatic cycle storage system can comprise several BS cycle storage stations, one of which is shown in FIG. 1. Each BS cycle storage station comprises a station 2 control station, which can for example be located under the form of an interactive terminal with a user interface comprising for example a keyboard 3, a touch screen 4 or the like, a portable electronic card reader 5, a ticket printing device 6, a contactless card reader 6a , etc.

The interactive terminal 2 communicates on the one hand, with a central server SI which manages the subscriptions and the rentals of cycles, and on the other hand, if necessary with a server S2 which can manage services to the users accessible on the interactive terminal 2. Communication with the servers SI, S2 can be done in particular by radio.

The interactive terminal 2, or one of the servers SI, S2, can also communicate with a security service (SEC.).

The interactive terminal 2 can also communicate if necessary, in particular by radio and in particular by a short-range radio link (for example with the Zigbee® protocol or other), with the cycles 1 locked at the BS station or passing nearby.

In addition, the interactive terminal 2 communicates, for example by wire or short range radio, with a

The securing device device 70. securing 70 may for example comprise a lighting device 71 adapted to illuminate the station BS and / or a camera 72 whose field of vision 73 covers the station BS. The lighting device 71 and / or the camera 72 can be mounted in height, for example on a pole 74, a building, an item of street furniture, or the like.

Optionally, the security device 70 could be integrated into the interactive terminal 2. As a variant, the security device 70 could be controlled from the server SI or another remote control device belonging to the system.

Finally, the interactive terminal 2 communicates, for example by wire or short range radio, with locking stations 7 on which cycles 1 can be locked. The locking stations can be in particular in the form of terminals fixed to the ground. Each cycle 1 comprises a first attachment member which will be described below, and which is adapted to lock on a second attachment member belonging to any locking station 7 of the system, on any station. BS.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the second attachment member of each locking station 7 may be in the form of a rigid keeper 8 articulated on a support 9 secured to the structure 7a of the locking station.

This keeper 8 can for example be in the form of a C open vertically upwards and downwards as well as horizontally in a direction of engagement of the first attachment member belonging to cycle 1.

The keeper 8 can be articulated on the support 9, for example by a ball joint.

The keeper 8 includes a movable locking member 16, which is actuated by an electric actuator (not shown) contained in the support 9 and of a type known per se. The locking member can be resiliently biased towards the locking position where it is able to block the first hooking member of the cycle in the keeper 8 to lock the cycle 1 on the locking station 7, and it can be actuated by said electric actuator to a retracted position where it releases the first attachment member and therefore cycle 1.

The locking station 7 may include a signaling device 63, for example an indicator light (lit by LEDs or other) and / or an audible signaling device.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the first attachment member 18 of cycle 1 is mounted on the structure 1a of cycle 1, in particular on the frame ld.

The first attachment member 18 may be substantially in the form of a rigid ring, comprising a rigid bar 21 oriented along an axis ZI which is substantially vertical in the normal position of use of the cycle.

The bar 21 may possibly be made of electrically insulating material and comprise two superimposed electrical contacts 22 adapted to come into electrical contact with electrical contacts 17 of the keeper (FIG. 4) when the first attachment member 18 is locked on the keeper 8 , so as to make the electronics of the locking station 7 communicate with the on-board electronics of cycle 1, and if necessary so as to charge a battery of cycle 1, in particular if it is an assisted cycle electric.

As shown in FIG. 4, the interactive terminal 2 can comprise at least one electronic central unit 50 (UC) such as a microcomputer or the like, connected to:

- radio communication interfaces 51, 52, 53 (COM) respectively with the servers SI, S2, the security service SEC. and cycles 1 located in the station or in the immediate vicinity,

- A communication interface 54 (COM) for communication with the locking stations 7 of the station BS and with the above-mentioned security device 70, the user interfaces 3, 4, 5, 6, 6a mentioned above and possibly others.

Each locking station 7 can comprise an electronic central unit 56 (UC) such as a microcontroller or the like, connected:

- the unlocking actuator 57 (LCK) which controls the above-mentioned locking member 16,

- a communication interface 55 (COM) communicating with the above-mentioned interface 54,

- an electrical supply device 58 (AL) connected to the electrical network or to another source of electrical energy, itself connected to the above-mentioned electrical contacts 17 (INT),

- the above-mentioned signaling device 63 (LED), a shock sensor 64 (ACC).

The shock sensor 64 can advantageously be an accelerometer. It can advantageously be mounted on an electronic card housed in the locking station 7 and also carrying at least part of the electronic components of the locking station 7, in particular the central unit 56.

Preferably, the shock sensor 14 can be arranged in the vicinity of the keeper 8, that is to say in the vicinity of the end of the locking station 7 in the form of a terminal. This position is indeed the furthest from the attachment to the ground of the locking station, and it is there that the shocks due to vandalism cause displacements of maximum amplitude.

Each cycle 1 can also include a central electronic unit 60 (UC) such as a microcontroller or the like, connected:

- to the battery 61 (BATT) and to the electric motor (M) of the cycle if the cycle is electrically assisted,

- A power supply device 59 (AL) connected to the aforementioned contacts 22 (INT), themselves connected to the aforementioned electrical contacts 17 (INT) of the locking station 7 when the cycle is locked on a locking station.

The security device 70 may include a communication interface 73 (COM) allowing the central unit 50 of the interactive terminal to communicate with the lighting device 71 (ECL), the camera 72 (CAM) or any other device for security.

The system which has just been described operates as follows.

When a user wants to borrow a cycle 1 on one of the locking terminals 7, he can for example have a card or a contactless electronic chip ticket (NFC or other) read by the reader 6a of the interactive terminal or by a similar reader possibly provided on a locking station 7, or it can insert a portable electronic card in the reader 5 of the interactive terminal 2 then enter a secret code corresponding to this card, by means of the keyboard 3, so as to s '' identify with said interactive terminal.

After verifying the rights of the user with the server SI, the interactive terminal 2 gives an unlocking authorization to one of the locking terminals 7, so that the user can unlock the cycle 1 in place on this terminal, for example by pressing a button provided on this terminal, which cuts off the electrical supply to the contacts 17 by the supply device 58 and the control of the unlocking actuator 57 by the central unit 56 of the station locking 7 to move the locking member 16 into the retracted position. The user can then take cycle 1, and the electronic central unit 56 of the locking station 7 then locates the removal of cycle 1 since it can no longer communicate with the central unit 56 of this cycle by the contacts 17 , 22. The electronic central unit 56 of the locking station 7 then informs the interactive terminal 2 of this removal.

When the user returns the cycle 1 and sets it up on a locking station 7, he engages the first hooking member 18 in the keeper 8 of the locking station, so that the electrical contacts 17, 22 are connected together and that the central units 56, 60 can communicate with each other.

When cycle 1 is locked on the locking station 7, the central unit 56 of the locking station identifies the presence of cycle 1 by communicating with the central unit 60 of the cycle, after which the central unit 56 of the locking station communicates, via communication interfaces 54, 55, with the central unit 50 of the interactive terminal 2, to signal to it the presence of the cycle and the identity of this cycle communicated by the central unit 60 of the cycle. The electronic central unit 50 of the interactive terminal 2 then signals the end of the cycle borrowing period to the server SI, and the central unit 56 of the locking station activates the supply device

electric 58 for reload the drums 61 of the cycle. In case of attempt of vandalism against a post lock 7 or against a cycle 1 locked on a

locking station 7 (either for the end of cycle 1, ίο or for the purpose of damaging the cycle), this attempt generally results in shocks applied to the locking station 7. These shocks are detected by the shock sensor 64 of the locking station which transmits the information to the central unit 56 of the locking station.

As a first alarm reaction, the central unit 56 can trigger the signaling device 63 of the locking station, for example by emitting a light of particular color (in particular red) and / or intermittent.

The central unit 56 of the locking station in turn transmits this information to the central unit 50 of the interactive terminal 2, which in turn can notify the server SI and / or the security service SEC. Optionally, the server Si can notify the SEC security service.

The central unit 50 of the interactive terminal 2 can also trigger an alarm reaction with the security device 70, for example by switching on the lighting device 71 and / or by filming the station BS with the camera 72.

According to a variant (not shown), the cycles could not include electrical assistance and therefore would not include the motor 62. In this case:

- The cycles could not include the supply device 59, while the locking stations 7 could not include the supply device 58 and the contacts 17;

- The locking stations 7 could include transponders (not shown) capable of reading an identification code carried by an electronic chip belonging to the cycle.

Claims (9)

1. Automatic cycle storage system comprising a plurality of locking stations (7) adapted to receive and lock cycles (1), characterized in that at least some of the locking stations (7) comprise a shock detector ( 64) connected to at least one control device (56, 50) which is adapted to trigger an alarm reaction in the event of detection of a shock. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises cycles (1) adapted to lock on the locking stations. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the shock sensor (64) is an accelerometer. 4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which each locking station (7) comprises a hooking member (8) adapted to receive and lock a organ hanging complementary (18) i belonging at a cycle and said shock sensor (64 ) is willing at neighborhood of said organ hanging (8) • 5. System according to claim 4, in which each post of lock (7) East a terminal fixed to the ground and having an upper end, said latching member (8) and the shock sensor (64) being in the vicinity of said upper end. 6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (56, 50) comprises a central unit (56) belonging to the locking station (7) and controlling a signaling device (63) also belonging to the locking station. 7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the signaling device (63) comprises an indicator light. 8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (56, 50) is adapted to operate a camera (72) adapted to film the locking station. 9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (56, 50) is adapted to operate a lighting system (71) illuminating the locking station (7). 10. System according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the control device (56, 50) is adapted to transmit an alert on a remote site (SEC.). he. Locking station (7) for a system according to any one of the preceding claims suitable for receiving and locking cycles (1), characterized in that it comprises a shock detector (64) connected to at least one control device (56) which is adapted to trigger an alarm reaction in the event of detection of a shock. 1/4 2/4