GB2312882A - Bicycle stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A bicycle stand 20 comprising a frame 10 having a section 11 for supporting the wheel of the bicycle, and an upper arm 14 extending over the bicycle receiving area for preventing removal of the handlebars and saddle of a bicycle secured in the stand. The stand also has a locking arm 16, coupled to the upper arm 14, which is movable from a first position in which a bicycle may be wheeled into the bicycle receiving area, and a second position in which it may be secured by means of a lock or similar mechanism to the bicycle. Preferably, the movable locking arm is pivoted and is moved automatically from its first position to its second position by the movement of a bicycle into the stand.

Description

BICYCLE STAND This invention relates to a bicycle stand and in particular to a stand in which a bicycle may be securely locked.

Bicycle stands are usually located in public or work places and consist of a minimal fixed structure which can support the cycle, either by supporting a wheel of the cycle or by providing a support for the whole cycle. The bicycle is usually secured to the stand by positioning a locking device around the wheel(s) and/or frame of the cycle and locking the cycle to the cycle stand to prevent the cycle from being removed by an unauthorised person.

In recent years theft of cycles and their constituent parts, such as wheels, saddles, and handlebars has increased. It has become desirable to secure both wheels of the cycle when it is unattended to prevent their removal and also to remove the saddle and possibly the handlebars. These security measures go some way to securing the cycle, but still leave some parts and accessories vulnerable, for example, the gear mechanism, handlebars and rack (if fitted). Moveover, the cyclist then has the inconvenience of carrying the saddle while the bicycle is left in the stand.

From FR 2578803 a combined bicycle stand and shelter is known. The shelter consists of a number of modules, each of which comprises a hinged cover and a hook for engagement with the handlebars. The bicycle may be locked to the stand by a cable which is passed through the frame and/or a lock around the saddle. This shelter provides protection against the weather as well as limited protection against theft. However, the shelter does not provide any protection for either of the wheels or for the gear mechanism. Moveover, if a bicycle has a saddle and/or handlebars with a quick-release mechanism, the saddle and handlebars might not be adequately protected against theft.

Another known secure bicycle stand comprises a shelter which has an entry gate which is closed using a padlock. However, this system has the disadvantage that each person using the shelter must possess a key which unlocks the padlock.

The present invention aims to provide a more secure bicycle stand which does not require the cyclist to own a special key.

The present invention is defined in the appended claims to which reference should now be made.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a bicycle stand in which the wheels, handlebars, and saddle may not be removed without first undoing a locking mechanism which secures the bicycle to the stand.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a cycle stand embodying the invention with a cycle parked in it and secured by an extendable arm; Figure 2 shows a side view of the cycle stand of Figure 1 with the cycle parked in an alternative position; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a row of unoccupied cycle stands (with the extendable arms not shown); Figure 4 shows a perspective view of an unoccupied bicycle stand with an extendable arm retracted according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the unoccupied bicycle stand shown in Figure 4, with the extendable arm extended; Figure 6 shows the extendable arm of Figures 4 and 5 in more detail; Figure 7 shows a side view of a cycle stand according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows a side view of the stand of Figure 7 with the cycle parked in an alternative position; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a row of empty cycle stands according to the second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 10 shows a schematic side view of the cycle stand of Figure 7 when empty.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the bicycle stand 20 comprises a frame 10 which consists of two spaced apart parallel tubes 18, 19 which define a space 49 between them in which the wheel(s) of a bicycle may be received. The frame 10 has a front curved section 11 for supporting the wheel of the bicycle, an upper curved section 13 and an upper arm 14. The upper arm 14 extends over the bicycle receiving area and comprises an extendable section 15 which accommodates a retractable/extendable arm 16. The front area of the stand is enclosed on either side by a shield 12 which is mounted on the front curved section 11 of each tube 18, 19. The front curved section 11 of the frame 10 includes a bar (not shown), which may also be curved, which joins the two tubes 18, 19 of the frame together. This bar acts as a stop when the wheel of the bicycle rests against it.

Referring to Figure 6, the extendable arm 16 comprises two parallel tubes 22, 23 which are attached at one end to a short roll 25 with their longitudinal axes at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the roll 25. A bridge 26 is also attached across the two tubes 22, 23 to add strength and rigidity to the arm 16, and also to act as a handle. At the end of each tube 22, 23 an end member 17 is attached. Each end member 17 comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 27 which can be received in the hole 28 at the end of each tube 22, 23.

The end member 17 also has a portion 29 through which a hole 42 passes.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 2 the extendable arm 16 is modified. Instead of having an end member 17 at the end of each tube 22, 23 through which a hole 42 passes, each tube 22, 23 has a loop 41 attached near to its end through which a locking mechanism may be passed.

The extendable arm accommodating section 15 of the upper arm 14 comprises a flat base plate 30 which has an L-shaped bar 31, 32 attached along each of its sides.

Each of these bars 31, 32 extends upwardly and then inwardly from the sides of the base plate 30 to define a channel 33 between the bar 31, 32 and the base plate 30 in which the ends of the roll 25 of the extendable arm 16 are received. At one end of the accommodating section 15 the ends of the tubes 18, 19 of the upper arm 14 are received in the channels 33 and are attached to the accommodating section 15. At the other end of the accommodating section, a rectangular recess 34 is cut into the base plate 30, and stoppers 35 are arranged in the channels 33.

The extendable arm 16 is movable in a longitudinal direction within the accommodating section 15. When the arm 16 is pulled out from the accommodating section 15 the roll 25 moves out until its ends engage with the stoppers 35. In this position, due to the recess 34 in the base plate 30, the arm 16 is free to rotate downwards.

When a cyclist wishes to park a bicycle in the stand, he or she first ensures that the extendable arm 16 is fully retracted so that a bicycle may easily be wheeled into the stand. The cyclist then moves the wheel(s) of the bicycle into the space 49 between the two tubes 18, 19. The tubes 18,19 act as a guide for the wheel(s) of the bicycle. The bicycle may be wheeled in either with its front wheel first, as shown in Figure 1, or with its rear wheel first, as shown in Figure 2.

If the bicycle is wheeled in with its front wheel first, as the bicycle is moved into the stand the handlebars move into a position beneath the upper curve 13 of the frame 10. The forward movement of the bicycle is stopped either by contact of the handlebars with the upper curved section 13 of the frame, or by contact of the front wheel with the stop bar which runs between the tubes 18, 19 in the front curved section 11.

When the cycle is positioned in the stand, the wheel nut of the front wheel is protected on either side by the shield 12, the bicycle is supported at its front wheel by the front curved section of the frame 11 and the shield 12, and the wheels of the bicycle are held in position by the two tubes 18,19 at the base of the frame. The cyclist then pulls out the extendable arm 16 and secures the bicycle to the stand by passing a lock, chain or other locking mechanism, through the holes 42 in the end 17 of the arm 16, and through the rear wheel of the bicycle, and preferably also through the frame of the cycle. The upper arm 14, 15, 16 of the frame 10 thus envelopes and protects both the handlebars and the saddle. The distance between the handlebars and saddle and the upper arm is too small to allow the handlebars or saddle to be removed from the bicycle, and thus the stand of the present invention prevents either of them from being stolen.

Alternatively, referring to Figure 2, if the bicycle is parked with its rear wheel first, as the bicycle is moved into the stand the saddle moves into a position beneath the upper curve 13 of the frame 10, and the movement of the bicycle into the stand 20 is stopped when either the rear wheel contacts the stop bar of the enclosed front section 11, or the saddle contacts the upper curved portion 13 of the frame.

When the cycle is in the stand 20 the rear wheel and gear mechanism are protected by the shield 12, the bicycle is supported at its rear wheel by the enclosed front section 11,12, and the wheels of the bicycle are held in position by the two tubes 18,19 at the base of the frame.

The cyclist then secures the bicycle to the stand by locking the extendable arm 15 to the front wheel and frame of the bicycle as described earlier. The handlebars and saddle are then protected by the extended arm 14,15,16.

The shape of the stand 20 is designed so that the stand is able to accommodate bicycles of different sizes.

The stand may also include means for positioning the movable or extendable arm, when the stand is not in use, in a position in which it prevents a bicycle from being wheeled into the stand.

Referring to Figure 3, a number of stands 20 may be arranged on a common support structure 40. They may be arranged with the same orientation, as shown in Figure 3, or they may be oriented alternately. The stand 20 may be modified to include various modifications. For example a bar may be attached to the frames 10 of a number of stands arranged on a common supporting structure to improve the strength of the overall structure.

In another embodiment of the invention the frame 10 of the cycle stand may have an arm which is hinged, for example at the end of the upper part of the frame, rather than a retractable arm. The hinged arm may be rotatable from a position in which it rests on the top of the frame in which case a cycle may be easily wheeled into the stand, to a position in which the arm 16 may be locked to the cycle in the stand.

Figures 7 to 10 show a modified cycle stand 20' in which the movable arm comprises an L-shaped pivotal arm 50. The frame 10' is also modified. The frame comprises two spaced apart tube portions 18', 19' which define a space between them in which the wheels of a bicycle may be received. At the end of the upper arm 14' of the frame the two tubes 18' 19' are joined together by a curved tubular portion 51.

The front curved section of the frame comprises, instead of a shield 12, a pair of substantially vertical bars 44 which add strength and rigidity to the frame.

Additionally, there is a stop bar 45 which is attached between the two tube portions 18', 19' and which acts as a stop when the wheel of the bicycle rests against it.

Attached between each of the vertical bars 44 and the stop bar 45 is a curved guiding bar 46. The pair of guiding bars 46 on the frame 10' define a space between them which tapers towards the stop bar 45. Thus the wheel of a bicycle is guided into the desired position as the bicycle is moved into the stand, and at the same time rotation of the handlebars is minimised.

The stand is arranged on a support structure 40' which comprises a pair of supporting bars to which the base of the frame 10' is attached. The supporting bars have grooves or V-sections 47 cut into them between the two tube portions 18', 19' of the frame 10' and these grooves also provide a guide for the wheels of a bicycle.

The pivotal arm 50 comprises a pair of spaced apart parallel L-shaped tubes 53 connected at one end to form a closed end 52 by a curved tubular portion 55. Close to the open end of the arm a loop 41 is attached to each tube. The L-shaped arm is hinged, close to the base of the 'L' to the upper arm 14' of the frame 10', so that the closed part 52 of the L-shaped arm hangs down freely from the upper arm 14' of the frame with the open part 54 of the L-shaped arm resting in a substantially vertical position above the bicycle receiving section with its end facing towards the rear of the stand.

The upper arm 14' of the frame is equipped with a flat holding bar 56 which is attached to the upper side of the frame between the two tubes 18', 19'. This holding bar increases the strength of the frame and also engages the open part 54 of the L-shaped arm 50 when no bicycle is in the stand and the arm 50 is hanging freely.

Optionally, a locking mechanism (not shown) for preventing a cycle from being wheeled into the stand may be attached to the holding bar 56. This locking mechanism may be similar to the chain and lock mechanisms which are used on many supermarket trolleys and which are released by the insertion of a coin.

In this embodiment, when a cyclist wishes to park a bicycle in the stand, he or she simply moves the wheel(s) of the bicycle into the space 49 between the tubes 18', 19'. The V-sections in the supporting structure 40', the tubes 18', 19' and the guiding bars 46 all guide the bicycle into the correct position in the stand and help to prevent rotation of the handlebars. As the bicycle is wheeled into the stand the foremost part of the bicycle engages with the closed end of the arm 50. The movement of the bicycle into the stand causes the L-shaped arm to pivot, raising the closed end 52 and lowering the open end 54.

Referring to Figures 7, if the cycle is wheeled in with its front wheel first, the front wheel or handlebars first make(s) contact with the closed end of the L-shaped bar. When the bicycle is positioned in the stand the open end of the arm hangs between the handlebars and the saddle and can easily be secured to the frame of the cycle by passing a cycle lock through the loops 41 and through the cycle, preferably through the rear wheel as well as the frame. In this position the saddle is protected by the upper arm 14' of the frame which extends above it. The gap between the saddle and the frame is too small to allow the saddle to be removed easily from the bicycle. The handlebars are protected by the front portion of the frame as well as the L-shaped arm 50. The front wheel is kept straight in the stand by the guiding bars 46, and removal of the front wheel is made difficult by the limited possible movement of the wheel.

If the lock is tight then the cycle is held quite rigidly in the stand. The bicycle cannot be moved forward because the front wheel hits the stop 45 and/or the handlebars hit the arm 50 or frame. The bicycle cannot be pulled backwards as this pulls against the lock. Movement of the arm 50 is also limited by the handlebars which engage with the closed part 52 of the arm Referring to Figure 8, if the cycle is wheeled into the stand with its rear wheel first, the rear wheel, the saddle or the rack (if any) first makes contact with the closed end 52 of the arm 50. When the bicycle is positioned in the stand, the open end of the arm 54 hangs between the seat and the handlebars and can easily be secured to the bicycle by passing a lock through the loops 41 and the bicycle, preferably through the front wheel as well as the frame. In this position, the bicycle is protected in a similar manner as described above.

Again, if the lock is tight then the possible movement of the bicycle is very limited.

In this embodiment, there is no need for the cyclist to pull out the extendable arm. Instead the open end of the arm is automatically lowered by the movement of the bicycle into the stand.

The present invention thus provides a secure bicycle stand in which the saddle, handlebars, both wheels and the gear mechanism of the cycle may be protected against theft. Moveover, the cyclist can use his or her own lock to secure a bicycle.

Claims (14)

1. A bicycle stand comprising means for supporting a bicycle, a first arm extending over a bicycle receiving area adjacent the bicycle supporting means, and a second arm coupled to the first arm and movable from a first position in which a bicycle may be wheeled into the bicycle receiving area and a second position in which the second arm may be secured to the bicycle, thereby preventing the bicycle from being removed from the bicycle receiving area.

2. A bicycle stand according to claim 1 in which the means for supporting a bicycle and the first arm are formed integrally.

3. A bicycle stand according to claim 1 or 2 in which the means for supporting a bicycle comprises twin portions which are spaced apart thereby providing a space between them in which the wheel(s) of the bicycle may be received.

4. A bicycle stand according to any preceding claim in which the means for supporting a bicycle includes means for protecting the wheel(s) of the bicycle.

5. A bicycle stand according to any preceding claim in which the means for supporting a bicycle includes a guide for guiding the wheel(s) of the bicycle into the stand.

6. A bicycle stand according to any preceding claim in which the second, moveable arm is pivotally connected to the first arm.

7. A bicycle stand according to claim 6 in which the second arm is moved from its first position to its second position by wheeling a bicycle into the bicycle receiving area.

8 A bicycle stand according to claim 6 or 7 in which the second arm is L-shaped.

9. A bicycle stand according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which the second, moveable arm is retractable into the first arm.

10. A bicycle stand according to any preceding claim in which the means for supporting a bicycle includes a stop for preventing movement of the bicycle past a certain position.

11. A bicycle stand according to any preceding claim in which the moveable arm may be secured, when the stand is not in use, in a position in which it prevents a bicycle from being wheeled into the stand.

12. A plurality of bicycle stands according to claim 1 attached to a common supporting structure.

13. A bicycle stand substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 6.

14. A bicycle stand substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 7 to 10.