GB2584090A

GB2584090A - A means of docking bicycles in bike share schemes

Info

Publication number: GB2584090A
Application number: GB1907056.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carey Charles
Original assignee: Stack Rack Bicycles Ltd
Current assignee: Stack Rack Bicycles Ltd
Priority date: 2019-05-20
Filing date: 2019-05-20
Publication date: 2020-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 2039-05-20
Also published as: GB2584090B; GB201907056D0

Abstract

A bicycle docking rack suitable for bicycle sharing schemes, that holds a plurality of bicycles is provided with a single locking element 8. The element 8 is movable to align a notch 10 with a single pin 7 allowing a bicycle frame portion 2 to be inserted into or withdrawn from a recess 6. The recesses 6 may be unlocked in sequence such that a bicycle is always added/removed at an end of a stack of bicycles. By restricting access to only an end recess 6 the spacing between parked bicycles may be much closer than would otherwise be convenient. Multiple racks may be used together, with one issuing shared bikes, another receiving returned bikes and a third receiving damaged bikes. The element 8 may be rotated about a longitudinal axis by a motor 11 in order to index between positions.

Description

Typical bike share schemes cover an urban area and are provided with docking stations where bicycles are taken and returned by users. A feature of these schemes is that the docking station is unmanned and automatically releases a bike for use when the user presents to a terminal an appropriate means of identification such as a travel card or security code. Similarly when a bike is returned, the docking station has means to identify the bicycle with typically a wireless identification tag, or alternatively, the user using their travel card or security code, thereby recognising the termination of a bike hire. When a bicycle is taken or returned the event is recorded and the data is used by the bike share operator for various tasks including the billing of the user and informing other users of how many bicycles and empty docking points are available across the area, typically via a website or smart phone application. A bike share scheme will have multiple docking stations and a user can return the bicycle to a different station from which it was taken. A consequence of this is that over a period of time docking stations can become either full of bicycles with no means to return a bike at that station, or alternatively it can become empty of bicycles with no means for hiring a bicycle. In these situations the user has to walk to another station to return or take a bike. It is generally considered to be more inconvenient when a docking station is full of bicycles as the user is responsible for the bicycle and can be liable for charges after a period of time while looking for a docking station with available docking points. Operators of bike share schemes endeavour to ensure that all stations have a mix of bicycles and empty docking points available at any one docking station in order that users can take or return a bike at any station. This bicycle redistribution activity requires personnel to move bicycles between stations over a period of time and the activity is one of the major contributions to the annual operating costs of the bike share scheme.

Docking stations can vary in size and typically have ten to thirty docking points, depending on the size of the scheme, the location of the docking station, and the urban space available for siting the station. A whole scheme will typically provide two to two and a half times as many docking points as there are bicycles regardless of the size of the scheme. So, for example, a scheme of 400 bicycles will typically have 800 docks and a scheme of 5000 bikes will typically have 10000 docks. It would be beneficial if schemes could provide more docking points as this would reduce the frequency of full stations, thereby reducing the operator redistribution activity and associated operating costs. A reason that this does not happen is that the capital costs of the scheme would become unacceptable in addition to the fact that there is frequently limited space in urban areas to increase the surface area of the station. This invention seeks to address these issues by increasing the parking density of bicycles while also lowering the costs of a docking station for a given number of docking points.

Typical docking stations park bicycles in a parallel arrangement spaced apart by over 0.6 metres in order that any bicycle or empty docking point can be readily accessed by the user. This invention arranges the bicycles close together in stacks such that bicycles can only be readily taken or returned at the end of each stack. By parking the bicycles in this manner, parking spacing distances of 0.3 metres or less can be readily achieved. A further consequence of this arrangement is that by parking the bicycles close together, a single locking mechanism can be used to lock several bicycles thereby considerably reducing the manufacturing costs of a station for a given number of docking points.

Arranging bicycles in stacks has already been envisaged by others as a means of increasing parking density, but these involve costly structures and do not exploit the features of a stack to enable a single locking mechanism for multiple docking points. JP2001239969 and DE 102008059073 secure the bicycles at both ends of the bicycle thereby requiring at least two structures. CN203673578 controls the sequence of parking bicycles so that bicycles do not have to be taken or returned at the end of the stack, and DE202011050484U provides stacking of bicycles with multiple locking mechanisms for each bicycle.

A potential disadvantage of parking bicycles in stacks is that if there is any malfunction of the locking mechanism for the bicycle at the end of the stack, then all the other bicycles cannot be accessed for use. Furthermore the user can only take the end bicycle and if it is damaged they have to return it to the same stack which prevents them from taking another bicycle. These problems are overcome by providing each docking station with more than one stack so that the user has more than one choice for taking or returning a bicycle. A small space can be provided between stacks for user access which will only slightly reduce overall parking density at the docking station. Furthermore each rack can be configured individually to only receive bicycles or only release bicycles in order to ensure bicycle stacks are fully emptied thereby avoiding the possibility of bicycles at the beginning of a stack not being used for long periods of time. A rack may be provided for only receiving damaged bicycles in order that damaged bicycles can be grouped for removal and repair by the operator.

This invention secures the bicycle at one end of the bicycle frame thereby providing simple docking of the bicycle by wheeling the bicycle into the docking position. The securing points for each bicycle are positioned in a horizontal rack structure which encloses the single locking mechanism thereby providing security and weather protection. The horizontal rack is attached to the ground at one or more points, for example two end columns or one column centrally placed. Typical stacks of six bicycles, 0.3 metres apart results in a rack with a similar length to a park bench and this may help the urban planning of stations with similar pedestrian circulation requirements, positioning racks 0.7m to lm apart. Four racks of six docking points can take less space than typical existing designs which deploy half as many docking points in a similar space. Alternatively, the same number of bicycles can be docked in less than half the space which can increase the number of sites for docking stations, particularly in a dense urban environment.

Bicycles can be closely parked at an angle to the rack in plan view thereby keeping the handlebars and front wheel aligned with the bicycle frame while wheeling the bicycle into its docking position.. Alternatively the bicycles can be closely parked at right angles to the rack with the handlebars and front wheel at an angle to the frame. Both methods avoid interference of the handlebars, and associated baskets if also present, which can arise when bicycles are closely parked. Provision for retaining the bicycle frame's steering tube permits the handlebars to be turned after locking the bicycle thereby allowing the user who returns a second bicycle in a stack, to turn the first bicycle's handlebars to permit parking of the second bicycle. Provision of a spring activated retaining pin, permits a latching action when returning the bike by pushing the bicycle against the retaining pin which opens the docking space for receiving the bicycle, after which the spring closes the retaining pin. The retaining pin can be arranged to enclose part of the bicycle frame thereby reducing the likelihood of theft by cutting since the frame is an integral part of bicycle. Each retaining pin for each docking point, is prevented from opening by activating a single locking member which blocks the movement of the retaining pin that is required to open the docking space. By arranging the blocking positions of each retaining pin in an appropriate sequence on the single locking member, provision can be made for only one retaining pin to be able to open for any one position of the locking member. This ensures that only one bicycle can be returned or removed for any particular position of the locking member thereby controlling the sequence of stacking and unstacking bicycles. By using a single locking member for more than one bicycle allows the use of one actuator motor and one user identification point for multiple docking points, thereby greatly simplifying the docking mechanism and reducing manufacturing costs. On returning a bicycle, a means can be provided to recognise the bicycle when it is in the docking position using for instance a wireless tag, thereby automatically positioning the locking member to lock the returned bicycle and provide an opening void for the adjacent retaining pin in the empty docking space. A light on each docking space can be provided such that the user can be informed which docking space is available.

Provision can be made in the docking rack for the charging of electric bicycles.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the docking rack 1 holding three bicycles in a stack formation such that only the left hand bicycle can be removed. Each bicycle is held around the bicycle frame steering tube. Bicycles are docked at an angle to the frame to avoid the handlebars interfering.

Figure 2 shows the docking rack 1 holding three bicycles in stack formation where only the left hand bicycle can be removed. The bicycles are docked at right angles to the frame with the handlebars and front wheel steering column turned at an angle to avoid the handlebars interfering.

Figure 3 shows the sequence in docking a bicycle at right angles to the docking frame where the bicycle is first positioned in the docking position followed by turning the handlebars and front wheel steering column.

Figure 4 is an elevation view showing a user wheeling the bicycle into the docking position keeping their hands on the bicycle handlebars during the docking process. The docking rack 1 locks the bicycle around the bicycle frame's steering column 2 without the user taking their hands off the handlebars.

Figure 5 shows a plan view of several docking racks at one docking station with spaces between each rack for user access and pedestrian circulation. Each docking rack holds bicycles stacked from right to left. The racks can be configured individually to only receive bicycles or only release bicycles. A rack may be provided for only receiving damaged bicycles.

Figure 6 shows a docking rack for five bicycles comprising an enclosed housing 4 to protect the locking mechanism, with external extensions 5 attached to the housing in order to provide spaces 6 for the bicycle frame 2. Each docking space is provided with a retaining pin 7 which fully or partially encloses the docking space 6 and provides the means by which a bicycle is prevented from being removed from the docking space. This retaining pin 7 can operate as a spring loaded latch which opens when the bicycle frame is pushed against it at an appropriate angle and which closes with the action of the spring. The enclosed housing 4 supports a locking member 8 which can be positioned to present a blocking surface 9 that prevents the retaining pin 7 from opening, or alternatively can be positioned to present a void 10 that permits the retaining pin 7 to be moved to the open position. The locking member 8 is positioned by an electric motor 11 which can control the locking member 8 to present the unlocking void 10 to the appropriate docking point. Figure 6 shows three docked bicycles with bicycle frame tubes 2, in addition to two empty docking points, and the locking member in such a position that only the fourth retaining pin can be opened. The other retaining pins for docking points with and without bicycles cannot be moved to the open position.

Figure 7 shows a fourth bicycle being docked with the bicycle frame 2 pushing the retaining pin into the unlocking void 10.

Figure 8 shows the locking member being positioned such that an unlocking void 10 is presented to the retaining pin of the third bicycle frame at the end of the stack thus permitting the retaining pin to be moved to the open position and so allow the bicycle to be removed by the user.

Figure 9 shows a section view of the enclosed housing 4 with extension 5 housing the spring loaded retaining pin 7. Inside the enclosed housing 4 is the locking member 8 comprising retaining pin blocking surface 9 and unlocking void 10. The locking member is also provided with unlocking voids 11 for the other retaining pins. Rotating the locking member 8 presents the unlocking void such that the retaining pin can be moved to the unlocking position and so accept a returned bicycle by the user or alternatively release a docked bicycle to the user.

Claims

Claims 1. A bicycle share docking rack comprising an enclosed housing and provided with a locking element that can lock more than one bicycle, said locking element being provided with a means of positioning such that only one bicycle at a time can be returned or removed from the docking rack.
2. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, where bicycles are docked in a stack formation such that only the bicycle at the end of the stack can be removed.
3. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, provided with a spring loaded retaining pin which can be blocked from opening by a locking element.
4. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 3, where the retaining pin is moved to the open position by pushing the bicycle against the retaining pin.
5. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, provided with a retaining pin which encloses or partially encloses a void in which part of the bicycle is enclosed when in a docked position to prevent removal.
6. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, with provision to charge electric bicycles.
7. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, where said enclosed housing also provides a means for identifying the user for bike removal and identifying the bicycle when it is in the docked position.
8. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, where the bicycle handlebars and front wheel steering column can be turned while remaining in the locked position.
9. A bicycle share docking rack according to Claim 1, where several docking racks are placed at one docking station with spaces between each rack for user access and where different racks can be configured individually to only receive bicycles or only release bicycles or only receive damaged bicycles.