JP2001328576A - Wheel locking device, bicycle parking machine using this device, bicycle parking lot management system provided with this bicycle parking machine, and rental method for bicycle using this bicycle parking machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively provide a wheel locking device and a bicycle parking machine using this device capable of positively preventing theft, allowing smooth lock/unlock action. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a pair of right and left lock arms 20 and 20 journaling base end parts 20a, an elastic body 21 mutually energizing the lock arms 20 and 20 in a close direction, a wheel abutting plate 22 reciprocatably provided in a midway of a front wheel entering passage R formed between the lock arms 20 and 20 so as to retreat in an abutted state by a front wheel F2 of a bicycle F, a switch 23 provided so as to turn on in a retreat position of the wheel abutting plate 22, a solenoid 24 provided with a reciprocatable plunger 24a and retreating the plunger 24a by the turning on of the switch 23, and a stopper piece 25 provided so as to protrude and withdraw between base end parts 20a and 20a of the lock arms 20 and 20 by reciprocation of the plunger 24a.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bicycle wheel lock device, a bicycle parking device using the lock device, a bicycle parking management system having the bicycle parking device, and a bicycle rental method using the bicycle parking management system. More specifically, a wheel lock device having a compact configuration and capable of locking and unlocking wheels easily and securely, and a bicycle parking device having such a lock device and capable of being installed in a space-saving manner. The present invention relates to a bicycle parking management system having a bicycle parking device, and a bicycle rental method using the bicycle parking device and the bicycle parking management system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of wheel lock device,
There is a wheel lock disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-1913.

[0003] This is provided with a pair of lock claws for holding the wheel from both right and left sides. Each base end of the U-shaped lock claws is pivotally supported on the lock plate, respectively. And the lock box are connected by a connecting hook and
The locking claw is opened and closed in conjunction with the appearance of the locking plate.

[0004] Further, the respective fixing means in the retracted state and the protruding state of the lock plate are performed by an engagement position between the front end hook portion of the connecting hook bar and the triangular guide groove on the upper surface of the lock plate. The position is moved by guiding the triangular guide groove.

[0005] Further, a low step portion is formed at a predetermined position of the guide groove so that the front end hook portion is locked, and the front end hook portion is locked at the low step portion at the predetermined position, so that the lock box and the lock box are locked. The configuration is such that the degree of insertion of the plates is fixed, and the open state and the engaged state of both lock claws are fixed.

According to this configuration, the operation of locking and unlocking the front wheel of the bicycle is simple and quick, and the operation of entering and exiting the bicycle can be speeded up.

[0007] In recent years, the bicycle rental business has hardly been seen in urban areas, and has only been operated as a so-called rental bicycle at a tourist resort or a recreation area.

On the other hand, traffic congestion in the city center is becoming more severe year by year, and there is a movement to reduce the amount of private cars entering the city center.

That is, the use of public transportation such as a train or a bus from the home to the city center is encouraged, but it is difficult as a practical problem, and reduction in the number of private cars has not been attempted.

[0010]

In the configuration of the wheel lock device described above, all the linkages of the lock claw, the lock plate to which it is attached, and the lock box in which the lock claw is retractable are made mechanical, so that The configuration has become quite complicated and the device itself has become larger.

When this is used for a paid bicycle parking lot,
Manual charging and collection of each wheel lock requires manual operation.

[0012] However, the trend of the times calls for reliable prevention of theft and unmanned operation without a manager, which does not meet modern needs.

Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-125020, a wheel lock device has been developed in which a lock arm can be electrically driven by a solenoid to lock a wheel. A bicycle parking device having a management box electrically connected to the bicycle has been proposed.

However, even with such a wheel lock device that can be electrically and automatically locked by a solenoid,
Not enough attention has been paid to its internal structure,
A simpler and more compact configuration has not been reached.

Therefore, the wheel lock device itself is still expensive in terms of cost, and the large size of the device itself limits the number of bicycles parked per unit area of the bicycle parking lot. It has not yet been widely used as a bicycle parking lot.

Further, the lock arm for directly locking the wheel is formed in a V-shape, similarly to the above-mentioned mechanical claw, and there is a risk that the front wheel may be damaged when it comes into contact with the front wheel of the bicycle.

Further, in order to reduce the amount of private cars entering the city center, it is necessary to arrange transportation means connecting the office and the nearest station. I paid attention. Bicycles are ideal for transportation in the city center because they can be turned around easily, and they are inexpensive and easy to use.

However, it is a new problem to prevent theft and the leaving of a bicycle only for a simple vehicle.

[0019] The present invention provides a wheel lock device, a bicycle parking device using the device, a bicycle parking management system having the bicycle parking device, and a bicycle parking device using the bicycle parking device and the bicycle parking management system. It aims to provide rental methods.

[0020]

In order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention, a front wheel of a bicycle is inserted into a wheel insertion opening of a casing having a built-in wheel lock mechanism. A wheel lock device capable of automatically holding an inserted front wheel from left and right, wherein the wheel lock mechanism is provided between a pair of left and right lock arms each rotatably supporting a base end thereof and the lock arm. An elastic body for urging the arms in the closing direction, and a wheel abutment which is disposed in a middle part of the front wheel approach path formed between the lock arms so as to be able to retreat and retreat when the bicycle front wheel abuts. A solenoid, which is provided with a plate, a switch arranged to be turned on at a retracted position of the wheel contact plate, and a plunger which can move forward and backward, and a solenoid for retracting the plunger by turning on the switch; The forward and backward movement of Ja, it was decided to and a stopper piece which is arranged to haunt between a base end portion of the lock arm.

Further, according to the present invention, a roller is provided at the tip of each lock arm.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the wheel contact plate, the switch, the solenoid, and the stopper piece are arranged substantially in series.

According to the present invention described in claim 4, claims 1 to 3 are provided.
A bicycle parking device using the wheel lock device according to any one of the above, wherein a bicycle parking portion configured by arranging a plurality of wheel lock devices at fixed intervals, and electrically connecting each wheel lock device. And an operation panel that enables the wheel lock device to be unlocked by a series of predetermined operations.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the wheel lock device is disposed on a connection bar disposed substantially horizontally at a fixed height from the ground, and each wheel lock device is provided in the connection bar. A signal line for electrically connecting the operation panel was provided.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the fourth aspect is provided.
A bicycle parking lot management system including the bicycle parking device according to claim 5, wherein the operation panel is provided with a storage unit for storing control management information for each wheel lock device, and the control management information of the storage unit is stored in the operation panel. The control management information can be downloaded to a remote management computer provided at a greater distance, and the downloaded control management information can be modified and uploaded to the storage unit from the remote management computer.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle parking lot management system including the bicycle parking device according to the fourth or fifth aspect, wherein the operation panel stores status information for each wheel locking device. And a control unit that performs a process based on the status information, and changes the status information by uploading a change command of the status information to a storage unit from a remote management computer provided separately from the operation panel. , The wheel lock device can be forcibly unlocked.

According to the present invention described in claim 8, in the bicycle parking lot management system according to claim 6 or 7, the upload from the remote management computer to the storage unit is performed by wireless communication.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect,
Or the bicycle parking device according to 5, wherein a plurality of rental bicycles that are locked to the wheel locking device of the bicycle parking device are permanently installed, and a dedicated borrowing user is set for each locking device,
Give each borrower a unique unlocking means,
Each borrowing user can arbitrarily take out a bicycle from the wheel lock device using the unlocking means.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle parking lot management system according to the sixth to eighth aspects, wherein a plurality of bicycles for rental are locked by a wheel locking device of a bicycle parking machine used in the management system. And a dedicated borrowing user is set for each lock device, each borrowing user is provided with a unique unlocking means, and each borrowing user uses the same unlocking means, from the wheel lock device. The bicycle can now be taken out arbitrarily.

[0030]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a wheel lock device in which a front wheel of a bicycle is inserted into a wheel insertion opening of a casing having a built-in wheel lock mechanism so that the inserted front wheel can be automatically held from right and left. The wheel lock mechanism includes a pair of left and right lock arms each rotatably supporting a base end, an elastic body extending between the lock arms, and urging the lock arms in a closing direction. A wheel abutment plate which is arranged to be able to advance and retreat in the middle of the front wheel approach road formed so as to be able to retreat in a state where the bicycle front wheel abuts, and to be turned on at a retreat position of the wheel abutment plate. A solenoid provided with a switch disposed therein and a plunger which can be moved forward and backward, the solenoid being operated to retreat the plunger by turning on the switch, and being protruded and retracted between the base ends of the lock arm by the plunger being moved forward and backward. It is intended to and a disposed the stopper piece as.

That is, when the front wheel of the bicycle is inserted into the wheel insertion opening, the front wheel enters while pushing and expanding the front end of the lock arm, and the front end contacts the wheel contact plate halfway.

When the front wheel is pushed inward as it is, the shaft body connected to the rear of the stopper piece contacts the limit switch, the switch is turned on, and the solenoid is operated.

When the solenoid is turned on, the plunger is retracted, the stopper piece pushed by the plunger falls down between the left and right lock arms, restricting the lock arm from opening, and the front wheel can be pulled out from between the lock arms. And the front wheel lock is completed.

As described above, since the bicycle can be locked almost automatically only by inserting the front wheel of the bicycle into the wheel insertion opening of the casing, it is possible to securely prevent theft from a child to an elderly person by a simple operation.

The shape and material of the casing are not particularly limited. However, in order to reduce the cost while satisfying the durability and weather resistance, a simple rectangular stainless steel can be used. .

A roller can be provided at the tip of each of the lock arms.

In other words, by horizontally supporting rollers at the respective ends of the left and right lock arms, the bicycle can be smoothly guided without load to the front wheel approach path without damaging the front wheel of the bicycle. Things. Moreover, by mounting the rollers, the front wheels are smoothly guided even when the bicycle front wheels are inserted obliquely. The material of the roller is not particularly limited, but is preferably made of synthetic resin.

Further, the wheel contact plate, the switch, the solenoid, and the stopper piece can be arranged substantially in series.

In other words, as an embodiment in which a roller is attached to the lock arm, a front wheel insertion opening is formed at the center of the front end on the left and right sides of the casing, and the lock arms are arranged side by side so as to face the opening so that the roller faces the opening. .

A wheel contact plate is disposed in the front wheel approach path formed between the lock arms toward the lower side of the roller, and an axis of a shaft body connected to the center of the rear surface of the contact plate. A limit switch is disposed on the side of the switch, and a switch piece attached to the switch so as to be swingable around a base end is positioned on the axis. That is, when the shaft body moves backward, the switch piece is pushed in to turn on the limit switch.

Further, a solenoid is disposed in the virtual extension direction of the axis of the shaft, and a plunger of the solenoid is provided so as to be able to advance and retreat rearward, and a position where the tip of the plunger abuts and a lock arm is provided. The stopper piece is disposed at a position outside of the base end so as to be able to swing back and forth. In addition, the stopper piece is formed in a hinge shape, and is arranged so as to be pressed by the plunger in an initial state (a state where the limit switch is not turned on) to be in a slightly inclined forward standing state. ing. Then, when the plunger is retracted, the plunger swings down and falls down between the ends located rearward of the pivot axis of the lock arm, thereby reliably restricting the expansion of the lock arm.

It is preferable that a spring pin is provided on the rear surface of the stopper to urge the stopper in the falling direction so that the stopper will fall down when the plunger operates in the retracting direction.

As described above, at least the wheel contact plate,
By arranging the switch, the solenoid, and the stopper piece substantially in series, it is possible to reduce the left-right width of the casing and the like, and to downsize the entire apparatus.

Further, the wheel lock device having the above configuration can be used for a bicycle parking device.

For example, a plurality of the above-mentioned wheel lock devices are arranged at regular intervals to constitute a bicycle parking portion, are electrically connected to each wheel lock device, and are operated by a series of predetermined operations. Is provided with an operation panel capable of unlocking.

Since the wheel lock device has a compact configuration as described above, the number of bicycles per unit area of the bicycle parking unit can be increased.

By installing the operation panel at an appropriate place in the bicycle parking lot, the user can individually unlock the wheels while centrally managing all the wheel lock devices.

It is to be noted that the operation panel can be provided with a charging device, an input device such as a personal identification number, and other operation panels as appropriate.

Further, it is preferable that the wheel lock device is disposed on a connecting bar disposed substantially horizontally at a fixed height from the ground.

A signal line for electrically connecting each wheel lock device and the operation panel may be provided in the connection bar.

That is, by arranging the wiring at a position distant from the ground, there is no danger of the wiring being immersed in water in rainy weather or the like, and electrical troubles can be prevented as much as possible.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a wheel lock device that can be securely locked by a simple operation, and to provide a bicycle parking device that can be operated efficiently at a low cost by using the device. It is possible to do.

In the present embodiment, the wheel lock device has been described as a bicycle, but may be a motorcycle, a scooter, or another motorcycle.

Further, a control unit for centrally managing all the wheel lock devices is provided with a storage unit for storing control management information for each wheel lock device, and the control management information of the storage unit is transmitted from the operation panel. It can be downloaded to a remote management computer provided at a distance.

Here, the control management information refers to information on whether each wheel lock device is in use or not in use, information on the bicycle parking time of the currently parked bicycle, and accompanying information. The information includes information on a bicycle parking fee, as well as setting information on a password that can be set for each wheel lock device.

The remote management computer is mainly a personal computer, but the mobile communication device itself may be used as the remote management computer, or a server on the Internet may be used as the remote management computer. You may make it. By downloading the control management information stored in the storage unit to the remote management computer, the business management of the bicycle parking lot can be performed from a remote place.

Further, the downloaded control management information is subjected to appropriate processing, and conversely, it can be uploaded from the remote management computer to the storage unit, and the storage unit is updated with new control management information. To be able to. Therefore, for example, the bicycle can be moved while parked for a long period of time, and the control management information can be transferred to the new wheel lock device even after moving.

Further, since the use frequency data for each wheel lock device can be collected, the maintenance frequency can be easily specified, and the workability of the maintenance can be improved. In addition, by moving the long-term bicycle parking device to the wheel lock device that is not frequently used, it is possible to prevent the wheel lock device that is frequently used from being occupied for a long period of time and to improve the convenience of the user. Can be.

Further, status information indicating the state of the wheel lock device is also stored in the storage unit as one of the control management information, and the control unit provided on the operation panel performs processing based on the status information. The status information can be changed by uploading a status information change command from the remote management computer to the storage unit.

In particular, by changing the status information in the storage unit to the status information for transmitting the unlock signal of the wheel lock device, the wheel lock device can be forcibly unlocked by remote control. Therefore, the bicycle parking lot can be unmanned, and one manager can manage a large number of bicycle parking lots collectively.

Further, by uploading from the remote management computer to the storage unit by wireless communication, the location of the remote management computer for managing the bicycle parking lot can be freely set. It is also possible to manage the bicycle parking lots set up all over Japan at one place, which can greatly reduce the management costs. In particular, by using a mobile communication device as the remote management computer, the manager is not restricted by management work, and the work efficiency of the manager can be further improved.

Further, a bicycle can be rented using the wheel lock device. That is, the bicycle includes the above-described bicycle parking device, a plurality of rental bicycles are permanently installed to be locked by the wheel locking device of the bicycle parking device, a dedicated borrowing user is set for each locking device, and each borrowing user has a unique lock. The unlocking means is provided so that each borrowing user can use the unlocking means to arbitrarily take out the bicycle from the wheel lock device.

The method of renting a bicycle will be described more specifically as follows. First, a bicycle rental company installs the above-described bicycle parking machine at, for example, a main station or a bus center in a business district or a city center, or installs the bicycle in a nearby area.

Then, the rental bicycle is prepared in a state where the rental bicycle is locked in each wheel locking device of the bicycle parking machine. Since the wheel lock device provided in the bicycle parking device is relatively small, the installation space as the bicycle parking device can flexibly correspond to the installation location. Then, a rental contract is made with the customer for each wheel lock device. The rental period may be selected as appropriate, such as one month, six months, or one year. It goes without saying that the main target of customers is those who commute to school in central Tokyo or the like.

The customer who has concluded the contract is set as a dedicated borrowing user of the wheel lock device, and
A unique unlocking means is provided. As the unlocking means, a mechanical lock for theft prevention may be used, or a right for a user to arbitrarily determine a personal identification number, a password, and the like may be given to an operation panel provided on a bicycle parking machine, and these may be automatically entered and input. A security system for unlocking may be constructed.

By using the unlocking means, each borrowing user can arbitrarily take out a bicycle from the wheel lock device at any time 24 hours.

If the above-described bicycle rental method is developed in, for example, a city center, the commuting / commuting style of the user is as follows.

That is, the user travels from his home to the nearest station or bus stop on foot or by any other appropriate method, and travels to the city center by public transportation such as a train or a bus. After arriving in the city center, they go to work or school using rental bicycles.

Therefore, according to this method, it is possible to alleviate traffic congestion due to an increase in commuting by a private car in the city center, which has become a problem in recent years, and also to prevent a bicycle theft case and an increase in abandoned bicycles. It can greatly contribute to society.

In addition, from the viewpoint of the user, it is possible to comfortably pass through a busy city area by using a bicycle without purchasing a new dedicated bicycle.

Furthermore, since the bicycle is safely stored by the wheel lock device when not in use, there is no danger of theft.

In addition, especially for female students, since they travel by bicycle between the school and the station or bus stop after dark, it is safer than walking and is also useful in terms of crime prevention. .

Further, from the point of view of the business operator, the monitoring of the bicycle parking machine is almost unnecessary and can be made unmanned, and the burden on labor and other costs is reduced.

[0074]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view of a bicycle parking lot provided with a bicycle parking apparatus according to the present embodiment, FIGS. 2 to 4 are explanatory views of the bicycle parking apparatus, and FIGS. 5 to 9 are used for the bicycle parking apparatus. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a wheel lock device according to the embodiment.

First, a description will be given of a bicycle parking lot H provided with a wheel locking device A according to the present invention and a bicycle parking machine B using the locking device A. The bicycle parking lot H may be, for example, around a station, on a condominium site, or in a public facility. It is suitable to be installed in a house or the like, and can be easily adapted to either a paid system or a free system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bicycle parking lot H is constituted by arranging a longitudinal bicycle parking machine B provided with a plurality of wheel lock devices A in a space having an appropriate area. An operation panel C having a time-based billing device and other operation units is provided. B1 is a first bicycle parking block, and B2 is a second bicycle parking block.

Bicycle parking machine B in first bicycle parking block B1
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a long ground plate D having a tall support D1 and a short support D2 opposed to each other is disposed at appropriate intervals as shown in FIG. And a long connecting bar E having a rectangular cylindrical shape is erected on each of the columns D1 and D2, and the wheel locking device A is mounted on each of the connecting bars E.
Are attached at regular intervals.

The wheel lock device A locks the front wheel F2 in a state in which the bicycle F stands up without standing, and allows the bicycle to be parked. It is arranged in a staggered manner with the one arranged on the lower pillar body D2 side (Fig. 1).

Therefore, when the bicycle F is parked, a step is provided in the adjacent wheel lock device A, and as shown in FIG. 4, the bicycles F, particularly the handles F1, do not interfere with each other. Bicycles can be parked, and the bicycle parking space per bicycle can be reduced, so that an efficient bicycle parking area H can be implemented.

In FIG. 4, G denotes a wheel guide, which is composed of portal members arranged side by side at intervals slightly larger than the tire width of the front wheel F2, and a plurality of wheels disposed on the lower column D2 side. It is arranged between the lock devices A. That is, the bicycle F in which the front wheel F2 is locked by the wheel lock device A provided on the side of the tall support D1 can stably park when the front wheel F2 is placed between the wheel guides G (FIG. 3). reference). FIG.
In the figure, D3 is an auxiliary connector that connects the columns D1 and D2.

The bicycle parking device B in the second bicycle parking block B2 has a structure in which the third coupling bar E is disposed between the first and second coupling bars E in the first bicycle parking block B2. The third connecting bar E is alternately arranged on the third connecting bar E so that it is located between the wheel lock devices A disposed on the first and second connecting bars E, respectively. The wheel lock device A is provided and configured. Therefore, the bicycle parking density is higher than that of the first bicycle parking block B1.

Here, the wheel lock device A according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
5 to 7 are explanatory views in a plan sectional view of the wheel lock device A, FIG. 8 are explanatory diagrams in a side sectional view thereof, and FIG. 9 is an enlarged explanatory diagram of a rear half portion of the wheel lock device A in a side sectional view. .

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the wheel lock device A is provided with a wheel lock mechanism in a casing 1 formed by overlapping a lower case 10 and an upper case 11 formed of a stainless steel rectangular shape. 2 are built in. 12 is the lower case
A screw for connecting and fixing the upper case 11 and the upper case 11.

At the front end of the lower case 10 and the upper case 11, a trapezoidal notch is formed at the left and right sides of which the right and left edges form 90 degrees with each other, and is gradually narrowed rearward. An opening 13 is formed, and by inserting the front wheel F2 of the bicycle F into the wheel insertion opening 13, the inserted front wheel F2 can be automatically held from the left and right by the wheel lock mechanism 2.

The wheel lock mechanism 2 includes a pair of left and right lock arms 20, 20 each of which has a base end pivotally supported, and is provided between the lock arms 20, 20, and the lock arms 20, 20 are attached to each other in the closing direction. A tension coil spring 21 as a biasing elastic body,
A wheel abutment plate 22 is provided in the middle of the front wheel approach path R formed between the lock arms 20 and 20 so as to be able to advance and retreat, and is provided so as to be turned on at a retracted position of the wheel abutment plate 22. A limit switch 23, a solenoid 24 driven by turning on the limit switch 23, and a stopper piece 25 arranged so as to protrude and retract between the base ends 20a of the lock arms 20, 20 by driving the solenoid 24. I have it.

That is, in the present embodiment, the wiring extending opening 14 is provided slightly from the approximate center of the lower case 10 to the rear side.
A rectangular seat plate 15 having a certain thickness is attached to a position rearward (opposite to the wheel insertion opening 13) from the base plate 14 (see FIG. 8). And a pivot pin 17 is mounted between the arm holding member 16 and the seat plate 15 to support the left and right lock arms 20 so as to be horizontally rotatable. 14a is a rubber bush attached to the wiring extension opening 14.

Each of the lock arms 20 is formed in a channel shape or a rectangular tube shape to increase the strength, and the inside corner of the distal end of the lock arm 20 is cut out to form a wheel insertion opening 13. Rollers 3 that rotate horizontally are supported in the vicinity of the distal ends of the lock arms 20 so as to correspond to the cutouts of the lower and upper cases 10 and 11, respectively. 30 is the axis.

As shown in FIG. 5, the distance between the left and right rollers 3, 3 is smaller than the width of the front wheel F2 of the bicycle F when the lock arms 20 are substantially parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. It is adjusted so that the front wheel F2 can enter and push forward the lock arm 20 to advance on the front wheel approach path R.
In addition, the width of the arm holding member 16 is set so that the lock arm 20 does not expand more than necessary,
The front end 16a of the lock 16 restricts the expanding operation of the lock arm 20.

The roller 3 causes the front wheel F2 of the bicycle F
Can be smoothly guided to the front wheel approach path R without damaging the vehicle, and a wheel insertion opening facing the roller 3 can be provided.
13 has a shape in which the front side is widened and the width is gradually narrowed rearward, so that the front wheel F2 can be smoothly inserted even if the insertion direction is inclined.

Further, for example, even if there is a load in a basket provided on the front wheel F2 and a load is applied to the handle F1 and the front wheel F2, the front wheel F2 comes into contact with the roller 3 as a surface, or Even when the front wheel F2 comes into contact with the front wheel F2, the front wheel F2 can be easily pulled out against a load as compared with the conventional one in which the front wheel F2 is sandwiched by a thin claw body.

The material of the roller 3 is not particularly limited. However, in this embodiment, the roller 3 is made of a synthetic resin which is lightweight, easy to mold at low cost, and has high durability.

Further, a tension coil spring 21 is provided in front of the wiring extension opening 14 (to the side of the wheel insertion opening 13) and at a substantially intermediate position of the lock arm 20. 21a is a spring locking pin.

Further, the wheel contact plate 22 is disposed so as to be located immediately before the tension coil spring 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wheel abutment plate 22 is formed in a circular shape, and has a shaft 22a protruding at the center of the rear surface thereof so as to be movable forward and backward.

That is, below the mounting position of the tension coil spring 21, the contact plate mounting member 4 having a substantially U-shape in a side sectional view is mounted on the lower case 10, and the front and rear standing walls 4 of the member 4 are mounted.
0, 41, the shaft 22a of the wheel contact plate 22 is inserted through a spring 22b, and when the front wheel F2 of the bicycle F advances against the spring 22b in a state of contact with the wheel contact plate 22, Shaft 22a
When the front wheel F2 is pulled out and no pressing force is applied, the spring returns to the initial position by the force of the spring 22b.

A limit switch 23 is provided along the axis of the shaft body 22a, and a switch piece 23a attached to the switch 23 so as to be swingable about a base end is provided on the axis. Is provided.

That is, when the shaft body 22a moves backward, the switch piece 23a is pushed in to turn on the limit switch 23. Reference numeral 23b denotes a screw for mounting the limit switch 23. In this embodiment, the limit switch 23 is mounted in the middle of the rear wall 41 of the contact plate mounting member 4 by the screw 23b.

Further, a solenoid 24 having a plunger 24a capable of moving back and forth is provided in the virtual extension direction of the shaft 22a. 24b is a spring for returning the plunger 24a to the initial position when the power supply is stopped, and 24c is a mounting bracket for the solenoid 24 mounted on the arm holding member 16 in a suspended state.
The solenoid 24 is mounted inside the arm holding member 16 via 24c. 24d is a mounting screw.

As described above, since the limit switch 23 and the solenoid 24 are disposed in a state of being floated from the lower case 10, even if rainwater or the like enters the casing 1, an electric trouble can be generated. Prevention.

The position of the end of the plunger 24a of the solenoid 24 is in contact with the lock arm 20.
A rectangular stopper piece 25 is located outside the base end 20a of the
Is arranged to be able to swing back and forth.

Further, the stopper piece 25 is formed in a hinge shape, and is in an initial state (when the limit switch 23 is turned on).
In the state (not shown), the plunger 24a is pressed by the plunger 24a to be in a slightly inclined forward standing state (see FIG. 8). 25a is a pivot of the stopper piece 25.

When the plunger 24a is retracted, the stopper piece 25 swings forward, and the pivot pin of the lock arm 20 is pivoted.
It falls down between the terminal portions located rearward from 17 (see FIGS. 7 and 9) so as to reliably restrict the expansion of the lock arm 20.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, when the front wheel F2 advances on the front wheel approach path R and reaches the position a, the stopper piece
25 is inclined forward and intervenes as a stopper between the end portions of the lock arm 20, and the plunger of the solenoid 24 is again
Until 24a advances, the lock arm 20 does not open, and the front wheel F2 cannot be pulled out of the wheel lock device A.

When locking the front wheel F2, the solenoid 24 is driven so that the plunger 24a retracts, that is, the stopper piece 2 so that the stopper piece 25 falls down securely.
A spring pin 5 for urging in a falling direction of 5 is provided.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG.
The U-shaped stay 6 is attached to the upper surface of the arm holding member 16, the well-known spring pin 5 is inserted into the rear hanging wall 60, and the pin tip 50 is urged to the rear surface of the stopper piece 25. It is arranged so that it abuts. 51 is a built-in spring, 52 is a pin cylinder having a male screw formed on the peripheral surface, 53 is a nut for fixing the pin cylinder 52 to the stay 6, and 60b is a stay mounting screw.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a wire J, which is an electric signal line connecting the limit switch 23 and the solenoid 24 to the operation panel C, is led out from the wire extending opening 14 downward. The derived wiring J passes through the connecting bar E as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Accordingly, since the wiring J is disposed at a position distant from the ground and in the connecting bar E, there is no possibility that the wiring J is immersed in water in rainy weather or the like.
Electrical trouble can be prevented as much as possible.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the wheel contact plate 22, the limit switch 23, the solenoid 24, and the stopper piece 25 are connected to the left and right lock arms 20, 20.
With such a configuration, the left-right width of the casing 1 and the like can be reduced, and the wheel lock device A can be made compact as a whole.

Here, the wheel lock device A having the above configuration
The actual operation of itself will be described.

When parking the bicycle F, the user inserts the front wheel F2 into the wheel insertion opening 14 of the vacant wheel lock device A in the parking device B (FIG. 5).

The front wheel F2 is smoothly guided by rollers 3, 3 provided at the front ends of the left and right lock arms 20, 20, and enters while pushing and expanding the lock arms 20, 20 (FIG. 6). Abuts against the wheel contact plate 22 and the contact plate 22
7, the shaft body 22a of the wheel contact plate 22 pushes the switch piece 23a of the limit switch 23, and the limit switch 23 is turned on, as shown in FIG.
And actuate the solenoid 24.

When the solenoid 24 is turned on, the plunger 24a is retracted, the stopper piece 25 pushed by the plunger 24a falls between the left and right lock arms 20, 20, and the lock arms 20, 20 are opened. And the front wheel F2 is locked so that the front wheel F2 cannot be pulled out from between the lock arms 20.

As described above, the bicycle F can be automatically locked by a simple operation of inserting the front wheel F2 of the bicycle F into the wheel insertion opening 14 of the casing 1, and the bicycle F can be reliably prevented from being stolen.

The operation panel C according to the present embodiment is configured so that the user can individually unlock while centrally managing the all-wheel lock device A, as described later. The operation panel C is provided with an operation section for inputting a wheel lock device number, a password, and the like. After the bicycle F is locked, the wheel lock device A is attached to the operation panel C.
By inputting the fixed number and the personal identification number, it is possible to prevent others from unlocking by mistake.

When the bicycle F is taken out of the bicycle parking machine B, the wheel lock device A is electrically unlocked by performing a predetermined operation on the operation section of the operation panel C shown in FIG.

For example, as described above, in the case of inputting a personal identification number or the like, the user inputs the fixed number of the corresponding wheel lock device A and also inputs the personal identification number to the operation unit. If H is a pay system and the charging device is provided on the operation panel C, the wheel lock device A can be unlocked by inputting an amount appropriate for the time.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the wheel lock device A can be securely locked by a simple operation.
Thus, it is possible to provide the bicycle parking device B using the same at low cost. In particular, since the wheel lock device A has a compact configuration as described above, the number of parked bicycles per unit area of the bicycle parking space can be increased.

Furthermore, if the bicycle parking machine B is used, it can be used around a public transportation means such as a station or a bus center, a public facility, or a premises of a building such as a condominium where disordered bicycle parking or theft is a problem. It is possible to construct a bicycle parking lot H that can be operated efficiently and to contribute socially.

In the above-described embodiment, the material and the like of the casing 1 are determined and described. However, these are not particularly limited, including other components, but the cost can be reduced while satisfying the durability and weather resistance. To do so, it is preferable to use stainless steel if it is a metal and to use synthetic resin if it is other than a metal.

Locking of the wheel lock device A by the operation panel C
The unlocking control is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the setting may be appropriately changed according to the characteristics of the bicycle parking area H or the request of the installer. Further, the location of the operation panel C may be appropriately determined.

The above-described wheel lock device A can be used not only for a bicycle, but also, for example, as shown in FIG. Is formed to form a substantially rectangular bicycle parking space 73, and the bicycle parking space H can be used for parking a motorcycle or a moped bicycle 75.

That is, on one side of the bicycle parking space 73, one end is pivotally connected to the column 71 so as to be freely opened and closed.
By providing the entrance 74, the other end of the opening / closing door frame 76 is used as the insertion portion 76a, and the insertion portion 76a is inserted into the front wheel approach path R of the wheel lock device A of the present invention disposed on the support 71. The insertion allows the door frame 76 to be locked.

However, in this case, even when there is no motorcycle or moped bicycle 75 in the bicycle parking space 73, the insertion portion 76a of the door frame 76 is inserted into the front wheel approach path R of the wheel lock device A. Therefore, a sensor (not shown) for detecting whether there is a motorcycle or a moped bicycle 75 in the bicycle parking space 73 is provided, or locked in an empty state in advance,
Once you unlock it and let it be used,
The presence / absence detection means for detecting the presence / absence of a motorcycle or a moped bicycle 75 in the bicycle parking space 73 is provided.

As shown in FIG. 10, in this embodiment, the opening / closing door frame 76 is formed of a single pipe, and the base end 76b is pivotally attached to the column 71, and the tip is J-shaped. The insertion part 76a and the handle part 7
6c. By doing so, the cost can be reduced, and since the insertion portion 76a and the handle portion 76c are provided close to each other, the operation portion 76a can be securely inserted and locked into the front wheel approach path R, Operability can be improved.

Next, a description will be given of a bicycle parking lot management system including the wheel lock device A and the bicycle parking device B having the lock device A.

The bicycle parking lot management system of the present invention basically comprises a control unit, a storage unit, an operation unit, a display unit, and a bicycle parking fee collecting device provided on the operation panel C described above.

In the storage unit, as schematically shown in FIG. 11, each control management information for each wheel lock device A assigned a different fixed number is stored in a corresponding register. The following items are adopted as items of the control management information, and registers for storing the respective information are provided.

(1) Bicycle presence / absence status management register This register manages the presence / absence information of a bicycle as to whether or not a bicycle is parked in the wheel lock device A. In particular, the limit switch of the wheel lock device A
23 "ON" state and "OFF" state of bicycle "Yes"
And a determination of “absence”.

(2) Lock start time counter register In this register, the time since the bicycle is parked in the wheel lock device A, that is, the information of the bicycle presence / absence status management register is changed from "absence" to "existence". It manages the time after switching. The data of the lock start time counter is used to provide a free bicycle parking time service described later.

(3) Bicycle parking time counter register This register manages the bicycle parking time which is the basis for collecting the bicycle parking fee. At the start time of this bicycle parking time counter, the required start time can be set,
The starting point of this embodiment will be described later in the description of the embodiment.

(4) Status Register This register manages whether the wheel lock device A is in the status of “empty”, “waiting for lock”, “locking”, “waiting for release”, or “released”. I am trying to do it. The processing is performed by the control unit by changing the status information as needed.

(5) Bicycle parking counter register This register manages the bicycle parking fee derived from the value of the bicycle parking time counter register. In addition,
In the present embodiment, the bicycle parking fee is 100 yen for up to 15 hours, and thereafter, the bicycle parking time elapses after 24 hours.
0 yen is added at a time.

(6) Input amount counter register This register manages the amount input to the bicycle parking fee collection device. When the value of the input amount counter register matches the value of the bicycle parking fee counter register, it is determined that a predetermined fee has been paid.

(7) Security code memory register This register manages the security code for registration when the security code is registered.

(8) Password input management counter register This register manages the reception time of the password. That is, when the registration of the personal identification number is not performed within the predetermined time, the processing is continued without the personal identification number being registered, thereby preventing a third party from registering the personal identification number without permission. It is provided for the purpose.

(9) Monitoring data area register This register is provided for data collection in business management, and in this embodiment, stores daily sales data of the wheel lock device A. I have to. By checking this data, various management data can be obtained. If necessary, a plurality of monitoring data area registers may be provided, each storing required data.

The operation unit of the operation panel C has numeric keys from 0 to 9, a display unit for displaying input information by the numeric keys or a bicycle parking fee, and actually inputs the input information to the control unit. Key and a clear key for correcting the input information. Further, an emergency contact button may be provided as necessary, and by pressing the emergency contact button, the administrator may be called as described later.

A liquid crystal display is used for the operation section of the operation panel C, so that input information from the operation section and an operation procedure can be displayed.

The bicycle parking fee collecting device of the operation panel C is a coin insertion type fee collecting device in this embodiment. But,
The present invention is not limited to the coin insertion type, and a fee collection device such as a prepaid card type or a credit card type may be used as needed. Alternatively, instead of the fee collection device, an authentication device corresponding to a card key or the like that can be used for a rental service described later may be used.

The control system of the control section of the operation panel C will be described below.

In the control section of this embodiment, control using a relay is performed in order to perform control at low cost. The configuration of the storage unit described above, particularly, the configuration provided with the status register is also a configuration suitable for control by the relay.

The control section repeats the process shown in FIG. 12 at predetermined time intervals, in this embodiment every 10 seconds.

That is, first, in order to confirm whether or not there is a bicycle in the wheel lock device A of the i-th fixed number, a bicycle presence / absence status management register is confirmed (step S101). i ”is incremented (step S107), and if the incremented“ i ”is equal to or smaller than the preset maximum number (step S108), the incremented“ i ”
It is confirmed whether or not there is a bicycle in the wheel lock device A of the fixed number at step S101. On the other hand, when the incremented “i” becomes larger than the maximum number (step S108), “i” is set as a preset minimum number (step S109), and the process is terminated.

On the other hand, if the bicycle presence / absence management register of the wheel lock device A of the i-th fixed number is "Yes", if the lock start time counter is operating, the counter is counted up. (Step S10
2) Next, if the personal identification number input management counter is operating, the counter is counted up (step S103). Note that, as described above, the count-up processing of these counters is 10 in this embodiment.
By being performed every second, the unit of each counter register relating to the time of the storage unit shown in FIG.
To make time management easier.

Next, the operation of the wheel lock device A is performed in accordance with the status information of the status register of the storage unit (step S104). Then, if the bicycle parking time counter is operating, the counter is counted up. (Step S105) Further, the count-up process of the bicycle parking fee counter register is performed as necessary (Step S106).

Thereafter, “i” is incremented (step S 107). As described above, if the incremented “i” is equal to or smaller than the preset maximum number (step S 108), the incremented “i” is performed. It is confirmed whether or not there is a bicycle in the wheel lock device A of the fixed number in step () (step S101). On the other hand, when the incremented “i” becomes larger than the maximum number (step S108), “i” is set as a preset minimum number (step S109), and the process is terminated.

As described above, the required processes from the wheel lock device A having the smallest number to the wheel lock device A having the largest number are repeatedly performed in order every 10 seconds, thereby simplifying the configuration of the control device. The maintenance can be easily performed and the control can be performed at low cost. In the present embodiment, the interval is set every 10 seconds, but may be set every 5 seconds or every 3 seconds instead of every 10 seconds. This control method is described for convenience of explanation.
Hereinafter, it is referred to as relay control.

By using such relay control, it is possible to easily cope with an increase in the number of bicycles to be managed at low cost. That is, a fixed number greater than the number of wheel lock devices A actually installed is set in advance, and the fixed number of a portion greater than the number of wheel lock devices A is set as an unused fixed number. By using an unused fixed number with the addition of the wheel lock device A, it is possible to easily cope with the addition of the wheel lock device A.

However, in general, it is appropriate to manage up to about 300 cars with one operation panel C in consideration of the installation area of the bicycle parking area H. Is too long, and the convenience of the user is likely to be reduced. Therefore, when a large number of bicycles are parked, for example, it is desirable that the bicycle is divided into blocks of about 100 bicycles, and the operation panel C is provided and managed for each block.

Next, the control flow of the operation panel C will be described. First, a process until the bicycle is locked to the wheel lock device A will be described with reference to FIGS. As one embodiment of the bicycle parking lot management system of the present invention, when used in a department store or a supermarket, for example, for a predetermined period of time such as "free bicycle parking for up to 2 hours" Regarding bicycle parking, it is possible to perform a service of setting the bicycle parking fee free (hereinafter referred to as "free time setting"), and in the following, after explaining the case where there is no free time setting, The case where there is a free time setting will be described.

When setting the free time, although not shown, a free time setting register for setting the free time is provided in the storage unit, and the time measured by the lock start time counter is set to the free time. A process for determining whether or not the time set in the time setting register has been exceeded is performed.

First, until the user inserts the bicycle into the front wheel approach path R of any one of the wheel lock devices A, FIG.
As indicated by L1, the bicycle presence / absence status management register is in the “absent” state, and the count in each counter register is not performed.

Further, the status register is set to "sky" indicating that there is no bicycle. And
Until the front wheel of the bicycle is inserted into the front wheel approach path R, the relay control is repeatedly performed as described above, and the presence or absence of the bicycle is confirmed (step S201).

The front wheel of the bicycle is inserted into the front wheel approach path R,
When the limit switch 23 of the wheel lock device A is turned on, the control unit rewrites the information of the bicycle presence / absence status management register from "absence" to "existence" as shown by L2 in FIG. . Presence status management register is "No"
Is updated to "Yes", and the relay control confirms that the presence / absence status management register of the bicycle is "Yes", so that a password registration process described later is executed (step S202). ).

If the free time setting has not been performed (step S203), the control unit performs the relay control to set the “empty” status register to “lock wait” as indicated by L3 in FIG. (Step S206). Next, the bicycle parking time counter is operated to start counting the bicycle parking time (step S207), and further, the bicycle parking charge counter is operated to start counting the bicycle parking charge (step S208).

At the time of the next relay control, the counters measuring the time are counted up, and the control unit locks the wheel lock device A of the fixed number whose status register is "waiting for lock". A signal is transmitted to lock the front wheel of the bicycle by tilting the stopper piece 25 of the wheel lock device A forward as described above, and further, as shown at L4 in FIG. The mode is switched to "locked" (step S209).

Thus, the front wheel of the bicycle is connected to the wheel locking device A.
Locked by. Note that the password is registered as shown in L5 in FIG. 11 by performing the password registration process (step S202) as described later as necessary.

On the other hand, if the free time is set (step S203), it is confirmed by the relay control that the presence / absence status management register of the bicycle is "Yes".
The operation of the lock start time counter is started. And, while the relay control is being executed repeatedly,
While the value of the lock start time counter register is smaller than the value of the free time setting register, the status register is not changed, and only the value of the lock start time counter register is counted up as indicated by L6 in FIG. (Step S204).

When the value of the lock start time counter register is equal to or greater than the value of the free time setting register, it is determined that the set time has been reached (step S205), and in the relay processing, as shown in L7 of FIG. The "empty" status register is switched to "lock wait" (step S206). Next, the bicycle parking time counter is operated to start counting the bicycle parking time (step S20).
7) Further, the bicycle parking fee counter is operated to start counting the bicycle parking fee (step S20).
8). At this time, the bicycle parking time counter may start counting up from “0”, or may start counting up by taking over the value of the lock start time counter as in the present embodiment.

At the time of the next relay control, the bicycle parking time counter is counted up, and the control unit
A lock signal is transmitted to the wheel lock device A of a fixed number whose status register is "waiting for lock",
As described above, the front wheel of the bicycle is locked by tilting the stopper piece 25 of the wheel lock device A forward, and the status register is switched from "lock waiting" to "locking" (step S209).

On the other hand, while the value of the lock start time counter register is smaller than the value of the free time setting register, the locking by the wheel lock device A is not performed, and the user who parked the bicycle can always use the bicycle free of charge. It can be taken out (step S205). However, in this case, since the locking by the wheel lock device A is not performed, the user needs to lock the bicycle with his / her own key so that the bicycle is not stolen.

Alternatively, as another embodiment, the locking by the wheel lock device A is performed during the time when the bicycle can be parked free of charge, and the unlocking is free during the time when the bicycle can be parked free of charge. You may be able to.

Next, registration of a personal identification number will be described. The system flow of the personal identification number registration is as shown in FIG. 14. As described above, the front wheel of the bicycle is inserted into the front wheel approach path R, and the limit switch 23 of the wheel lock device A is turned on. The information of the presence / absence status management register is rewritten from "absence" to "existence", the relay control confirms that the presence / absence status management register of the bicycle is "existence", and starts operation of the password input management counter. (Step S301).

This password input management counter is used to set a standby time for inputting a password, and when an input for setting a password is not performed within a predetermined time, as will be described later, By determining that a password is not set, the password registration system has a simple configuration. Further, by doing so, it is possible to prevent a third party from accidentally registering a password in the wheel lock device A of a fixed number for which a password is not registered.
In this embodiment, the standby time for inputting the personal identification number is 2 minutes.

When the personal identification number input management counter starts to operate, the system first enters an input waiting state for waiting for the input of the fixed number of the wheel lock device A in which the personal identification number is registered (step S302). ). If the fixed number is not input even after the waiting time for the input of the password has passed, for example, L4 in FIG.
As shown in (3), the personal identification number registration process is terminated with the personal identification number information not entered in the personal identification number input management counter register (step S303).

On the other hand, if a fixed number is input within the standby time for inputting a password by operating the operation unit of the operation panel C, then the input of a registration password is requested, and the user is requested to input the password. Is input (step S304). In the present embodiment, a four-digit number is registered as a personal identification number. However, the present invention is not limited to the four-digit number, and can be used as a personal identification number using other appropriate characters and numbers. You may do so.

When the password for registration is input, the control unit stores the password for registration in the password input management counter register of the predetermined fixed number in the storage unit, as indicated by L5 and L6 in FIG. It is stored.

Next, the control section prompts the user to input the same password as the previously input password. The number input for the second time is used as a password for confirmation (step S305).

Then, the entered confirmation password is compared with the previously entered registration password, and if they match, the password registration processing is performed assuming that the password has been correctly entered. (Step S
306).

On the other hand, if the entered verification PIN and the previously entered registration PIN do not match, it is determined that the input operation has not been performed correctly, and the password is determined. Clear the number input management counter register,
The user is prompted to enter the registration password and the confirmation password again. Then, the registration of the password is terminated only when the password for registration matches the password for confirmation.

As described above, the password can be registered by a relatively simple system, so that it is possible to easily cope with the expansion of the wheel lock device A.

Next, a case where the bicycle is taken out by unlocking the lock by the wheel lock device A will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the user using the wheel lock device A inputs the fixed number of the wheel lock device A used by the user from the operation section of the operation panel C (step S).
401).

The control unit confirms whether or not a password is registered in the input fixed number (step S402). If the registration password is not registered in the password input management counter register, the control unit operates. The bicycle parking fee, which is the value of the bicycle parking fee counter register of the storage unit, is displayed on the display unit of the panel C (step S40).
5). On the other hand, when the registration password is registered in the password input management counter register, the user is prompted to input the registration password.

The user inputs the registration password registered by himself / herself using the operation unit of the operation panel C (step S40).
3) The control unit determines whether or not the input personal identification number matches the value of the personal identification number input management counter register (step S404), and if they match, the storage unit is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel C. Is displayed as a value of the bicycle parking charge counter register. On the other hand, if they do not match, an error message is displayed to prompt the user to input a password again, and the user is repeatedly prompted to input a password until a correct password is input.

When the bicycle parking fee is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel C, the user inputs the fee to the bicycle parking fee collecting device of the operation panel C (step S406). The bicycle parking fee collecting device sends the data of the amount of money input by the user to the storage unit, and inputs the data into the input amount counter register of the required fixed number (step S407). Also,
The value of the input amount counter register may be displayed on the display unit of the operation panel C so that the input amount can be confirmed.

When the bicycle parking fee collecting device is not a coin insertion type but a prepaid type or a credit card type, a fee collecting mode suitable for each mode may be adopted. Alternatively, if it is an authentication device using a card key, the form may be adapted to the authentication device.

The control unit causes charging to be performed until the value of the bicycle parking fee counter register matches the value of the inserted amount counter register (step S408). When the values match, the status register of the required fixed number is changed from "locked" to "waiting for release" as shown in L8 of FIG. 11 (step S4).
09). Further, the display section of the operation panel C may display "fixed number xxx number unlocked".

In the present embodiment, when a bicycle parking fee is entered, the input amount is also entered into the monitoring data area register as indicated by L8 in FIG. And
By summing up the values in the monitoring data area register, the sales for that day can be calculated. In particular, if you are parked more than once on the same fixed number,
The value of the total amount is recorded in the monitoring data area register.

Next, in the relay process, when detecting that the status register is "waiting for release", the control unit sends an unlock signal to the wheel lock device A of the fixed number whose status register is "waiting for release". Is transmitted (step S410), and then L9 in FIG.
, The status register is changed from "waiting for release" to "released" (step S4).
11).

Here, the lock release signal means the solenoid 24
Operating signal to the solenoid 24 as described above.
Is operated to raise the stopper piece 25, thereby releasing the lock state of the lock arms 20, 20 by the stopper piece 25.

Next, when the user takes out the bicycle from the wheel lock device A, the limit switch 23 of the wheel lock device A is turned off, and the control unit determines whether or not the bicycle is present as shown by L10 in FIG. The information of the management register is changed from “present” to “absent”.

Then, by the relay control, the status register of the fixed number for which the information of the presence / absence status management register is "absent" is changed from "released" to "empty".

As described above, the bicycle locked by the wheel lock device A is unlocked, and the wheel lock device A is unlocked.
It can be taken out from

Further, the control unit of the present embodiment has a server function. The control unit can access the control unit from a personal computer as a client and download information of each register of the storage unit as control management information. I can do it. In particular, the personal computer is provided separately from the operation panel C to be a remote management computer. In addition, in this embodiment, a wireless access is made possible by connecting a communication card such as a PHS (Personal Handyphone System) to the control unit.

Note that the remote management computer is not limited to a personal computer, but may be a PDA (Personal Digital Assistants) having a communication function or a mobile communication device having a data communication function.
Further, it may be a server on the Internet. Alternatively, a fixed telephone capable of data communication may be used.

Further, the information of each register of the storage unit, which is the control management information downloaded to the remote management computer, can be changed as required.
Conversely, the control management information having the required change can be uploaded from the remote management computer to the storage unit of the control unit. That is, the information in the storage unit of the operation panel C can be rewritten using the remote management computer.

Using this, as described below, for example, when the user forgets the password,
When the user of the wheel lock device A cannot unlock the wheel lock device A due to a system failure or the like, the wheel lock device A is forcibly unlocked based on an operation from a remote place. Have to be able to.

Hereinafter, a forced lock release system for forcibly unlocking the wheel lock device A will be described with reference to FIG.

When the forced lock release is performed, first, the user who wants to forcibly unlock the wheel lock device A is made to contact the manager of the bicycle parking lot H by telephone or the necessary communication means. I have to.

The communication means may be a mobile phone owned by the user, or the operation panel C itself may have a communication function. When the operation panel C is provided with a communication function, an emergency contact button is provided on the operation panel C, and the administrator can be contacted by pressing the call button. In particular, in the present embodiment, as described above, the communication function is provided on the operation panel C itself so that the data in the storage unit can be downloaded to the remote management computer as needed. Can be used to provide a reporting function.

The manager of the bicycle parking lot H, having received the notification from the user, hears the user of the fixed number for forcibly canceling, and then transmits the control management information in the storage unit of the operation panel C to the personal computer as the remote management computer. The information is downloaded to the computer and the information of the wheel lock device A having the same fixed number is read (step S501).

Then, based on the downloaded control management information, it is determined whether forced cancellation is necessary. For example, the user may not be able to release the lock because he has not entered the required bicycle parking fee, and it is determined whether there is a necessity of legitimate forced release (step S50).
2).

If the lock cannot be released because the password is forgotten, the value of the password input management counter register is notified to the user so that the user can perform the unlock operation again. .

If there is a valid reason for the forced cancellation, the administrator inputs the fixed number information for forcibly canceling to the remote management computer (step S503) and changes the status information of the required fixed number. By uploading the command to the storage unit of the operation panel C (step S504), the status register of the designated fixed number is forcibly changed from "locking" to "waiting for release" (step S505). .

Alternatively, the status information of the required fixed number in the downloaded control management information is changed from “locked” to “waiting for release”, and the changed control management information is uploaded to the storage unit of the operation panel C. The control management information may be updated.

Thus, when the status register becomes "waiting for release", the lock release signal is transmitted in the relay control to release the lock as described above (step S506). Then
The control unit changes the status register from “waiting for release” to “released” (step S507) so that the bicycle can be taken out (step S508).

The administrator downloads the control management information of the storage unit again and sets the status register to “waiting for release”.
By confirming that the system has been changed to "released", it can be confirmed that the system is operating normally. If the status is not changed from "Waiting for release" to "Released", it is possible to recognize that urgent countermeasures are necessary because of a system problem, and to take immediate action .

For example, if the wheel lock device A that locks the bicycle of the user cannot be unlocked, the substitute bicycle is locked in advance to the wheel lock device A of the fixed number required for the bicycle parking lot H. The bicycle can be parked and the substitute bicycle can be unlocked forcibly and used by the user, and during that time, the wheel lock device A, which could not be unlocked, can be repaired and inspected. .

After the bicycle is removed from the wheel lock device A by the forced lock release, the status register of the wheel lock device A is changed from "released" to "empty" as described above ( Step S50
9).

Next, a method of renting a bicycle using the above-described wheel lock device will be described.

FIG. 17 is a conceptual explanatory diagram when the bicycle rental method according to the present invention is implemented. In the figure, H indicates the above-mentioned bicycle parking lot, which is installed near a main station K in an urban area. N is an office building.

P is a station in a so-called bed town area on the extension of the track or road connected to the main station K, Q is a general house, and T is a public transportation means such as a train or a bus. .

The bicycle rental company establishes the bicycle parking lot H in a place close to the main station K, and installs the plurality of wheel locking devices A in the above-described bicycle parking machine B installed in the bicycle parking lot H.
Prepare the rental bicycle F 'in a locked state in advance.

Then, a user who borrows the bicycle F 'is recruited, a rental contract is concluded, and a dedicated borrowing user is set for each wheel lock device A.

At the time of contract, the business operator gives each borrowed user a dedicated unlocking means in consideration of the rental fee. Specifically, in the case of the above-described bicycle parking machine B, the user is given the right to arbitrarily determine a personal identification number, a password and the like to the operation panel C provided in the bicycle parking machine B. Alternatively, a predetermined unlocking card (the above-mentioned card key) or the like is lent.

At the time of the contract, it is preferable to set the rental period as appropriate as one month, six months, one year, etc., and set a rental fee corresponding to the rental period.

[0209] Therefore, each borrowing user can freely use the dedicated wheel lock device A after the contract, and can freely use the wheel lock device A 24 hours any time from the wheel lock device A using the unlocking means. Can be brought out.

As the operation system of the bicycle parking system B, the above-mentioned bicycle parking lot management system capable of remote management is adopted, and there is an effect that unmanned operation and management cost can be largely reduced. In particular, the bicycle parking area H can be provided even in a small space, and a plurality of the bicycle parking areas H can be collectively managed by a single manager, so that the operating efficiency can be improved.

As shown in the figure, the user who has rented the bicycle F 'by the rental method for a certain period of time can walk from the home (general house Q) to the nearest station P (may be a bus stop or the like), or any other appropriate place. It travels by a public transportation means T such as a train or a bus to the main station K in the metropolitan area. After arriving at the main station K, use the rented bicycle F 'to head to a company or school in an urban area.

Therefore, according to the bicycle rental method of the present invention, it is possible to alleviate traffic congestion due to an increase in commuting by a private car in the city center, which has been a problem in recent years, and also to prevent theft of bicycles and illegal bicycles. It can also contribute to social contributions because it can also deter increases.

[0213] Further, from the user's point of view, it is possible to comfortably pass through a busy city area by using a bicycle without purchasing a new dedicated bicycle.

In addition, the bicycle is safely stored by the wheel lock device A when not in use, so that there is no risk of theft.

[0215] In particular, since female students travel by bicycle between the school and a station or a bus stop after dark, it is safer than walking and is also useful in terms of crime prevention. .

Further, from the point of view of the business operator, the monitoring of the bicycle parking machine B is almost unnecessary and can be made unmanned, and the burden on labor and other costs is reduced.

Further, by providing an advertisement posting section on the rental bicycle F 'so as to function as a mobile advertising tower, it is possible to obtain advertising revenue from an advertiser, thereby improving profitability. Can be improved.

[0218]

The present invention is embodied in the above-described embodiment, and has the following effects.

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, by inserting the front wheel of the bicycle into the wheel insertion opening of the casing having the built-in wheel lock mechanism, the inserted front wheel can be automatically held from the left and right. A wheel lock device, wherein the wheel lock mechanism includes a pair of left and right lock arms each rotatably supporting a base end thereof, an elastic body extending between the lock arms, and urging the lock arms in a closing direction; A wheel abutment plate which is disposed in the middle of the front wheel approach path formed between the lock arms so as to be able to advance and retreat, and is capable of retreating in a state where the bicycle front wheel abuts; And a plunger that can move forward and backward,
Since the solenoid is configured to include a solenoid for retracting the plunger by turning on the switch, and a stopper piece disposed so as to protrude and retract between the base ends of the lock arm by advancing and retracting the plunger. With the configuration, theft can be reliably prevented, and the operability is improved.

(2) According to the present invention, the rollers are provided at the tips of the lock arms, respectively, so that the bicycle can be smoothly guided to the front wheel approach path without damaging the front wheels of the bicycle. .

(3) According to the third aspect of the present invention, the left and right width of the casing is reduced by arranging the wheel contact plate, the switch, the solenoid, and the stopper piece substantially in series. Thus, the entire device can be made compact.

(4) According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle parking device using the wheel lock device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the plurality of wheel lock devices are arranged at a predetermined interval. And a control panel that is electrically connected to each wheel locking device and that can unlock the wheel locking device by a predetermined series of operations. Therefore, the bicycle parking space per unit area can be expanded, and the number of bicycles parked can be increased.

(5) According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the wheel locking device is disposed on a connecting bar disposed substantially horizontally at a fixed height from the ground, and each wheel locking device is provided in the connecting bar. By arranging the signal line for electrically connecting the control panel and the operation panel, there is no danger of the wiring being immersed in water in rainy weather or the like, and electrical troubles can be prevented as much as possible.

(6) According to the present invention, the operation panel is provided with a storage section for storing control management information for each wheel lock device, and the control management information of the storage section is provided separately from the operation panel. The remote control computer can be downloaded to the remote management computer, and the downloaded control management information can be changed and uploaded from the remote management computer to the storage unit. Since the control management information can be changed by the computer, the bicycle that has been parked for a long time can be transferred together with the control management information to a wheel lock device that is used less frequently, and management can be facilitated.
Further, since the wheel lock device that is frequently used can be used by more users, the convenience for the users can be improved.

(7) According to the present invention, the operation panel is provided with a storage unit for storing status information for each wheel lock device, and a control unit for performing processing based on the status information. By uploading an information change instruction to a storage unit from a remote management computer provided at a distance from the operation panel, status information can be changed so that the wheel lock device can be forcibly unlocked. With this, the wheel lock device can be forcibly unlocked by the remote management computer,
Bicycle parking lots can be unmanned, and a single manager can manage a plurality of bicycle parking lots, thereby improving work efficiency.

(8) According to the present invention, since the upload from the remote management computer to the storage unit is performed by wireless communication, the installation location of the remote management computer is not restricted.
Since the bicycle parking lot manager can manage the bicycle parking lot wherever it is, the work efficiency of the manager itself can be improved.

(9) According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the bicycle parking device according to the fourth or fifth aspect is provided, and a plurality of rental bicycles which are locked by a wheel locking device of the bicycle parking device are provided permanently. A dedicated borrowing user is set for each locking device, and each borrowing user is provided with a unique unlocking means, so that each borrowing user can use the unlocking means to arbitrarily take out a bicycle from the wheel locking device. In addition to mitigating traffic congestion due to an increase in private car commuting in central Tokyo, which has become a problem in recent years, it will also prevent bicycle theft cases and increase the number of abandoned bicycles. Can also contribute significantly. In addition, from the viewpoint of the user, it is possible to comfortably pass through the city area which is crowded by using the bicycle without purchasing a new dedicated bicycle. Moreover, since the bicycle is safely stored by the wheel lock device when not in use, there is no danger of theft. In addition, especially for female students, since they travel by bicycle between the school and the station or bus stop after dark, it is safer than walking and is also beneficial from the standpoint of crime prevention.

(10) According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle parking lot management system according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects, wherein a plurality of rental bicycles are locked by a wheel locking device of a bicycle parking machine used in the management system. A bicycle is permanently installed, a dedicated borrowing user is set for each lock device, and a unique unlocking means is given to each borrowing user, and each borrowing user uses the unlocking means to set the wheel lock device. By being able to take out the bicycle arbitrarily from
Contribute significantly to society as it can alleviate traffic congestion caused by the increase in private car commuting in central Tokyo, which has become a problem in recent years, as well as deter bicycle theft cases and increase in abandoned bicycles. Can be. Also,
From the user's perspective, it is possible to travel comfortably through a busy city area without purchasing a new dedicated bicycle. Moreover, since the bicycle is safely stored by the wheel lock device when not in use, there is no danger of theft. In addition, especially for female students, since they travel by bicycle between the school and the station or bus stop after dark, it is safer than walking and is also beneficial from the standpoint of crime prevention.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a bicycle parking lot according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory side view of the bicycle parking machine according to the embodiment disposed in the bicycle parking lot.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the bicycle parking machine as viewed from the front.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a use state of the bicycle parking machine.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a wheel lock device of the bicycle parking device as viewed in a plan sectional view.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a wheel lock device of the bicycle parking device as viewed in a plan sectional view.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a wheel lock device of the bicycle parking device as viewed in a plan sectional view.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram in a side sectional view of a wheel lock device of the bicycle parking device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a stopper portion.

FIG. 10 is a reference view showing a use form of a wheel lock device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a schematic explanatory diagram of management information of each wheel lock device stored in the storage unit of the bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a bicycle parking lot management system according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a conceptual explanatory diagram showing a case where a bicycle rental method is performed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Wheel lock device F, F 'Bicycle F2 Front wheel R Front wheel approach path H Bicycle parking area 20 Lock arm 20a Base end 21 Tension coil spring (elastic body) 22 Wheel contact plate 23 Limit switch 24 Solenoid 24a Plunger 25 Stopper piece

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A wheel lock device in which a front wheel of a bicycle is inserted into a wheel insertion opening of a casing having a built-in wheel lock mechanism so that the inserted front wheel can be automatically clamped from right and left. The mechanism includes a pair of left and right lock arms each pivotally supporting a base end thereof, an elastic body erected between the lock arms and biasing the lock arms in a closing direction, and a front wheel entry formed between the lock arms. A wheel abutting plate which is disposed in the middle of the road so as to be able to move forward and backward, and which can be retracted in a state where the front wheel of the bicycle abuts; A solenoid for retracting the plunger when the switch is turned on; and a solenoid disposed between the base ends of the lock arms when the plunger advances and retracts. A wheel lock device, comprising: 2. The wheel lock device according to claim 1, wherein a roller is provided at a tip of each lock arm. 3. The wheel lock device according to claim 1, wherein the wheel contact plate, the switch, the solenoid, and the stopper piece are arranged substantially in series. 4. A bicycle parking device using the wheel lock device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of wheel lock devices are arranged at regular intervals. And a control panel electrically connected to each of the wheel locking devices and enabling the wheel locking device to be unlocked by a predetermined series of operations. 5. A wheel lock device is disposed on a connection bar disposed substantially horizontally at a fixed height from the ground, and each wheel lock device and an operation panel are electrically connected in the connection bar. The bicycle parking device according to claim 4, wherein a signal line is provided. 6. A bicycle parking lot management system comprising the bicycle parking device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the operation panel is provided with a storage unit for storing control management information for each wheel lock device. The control management information of the unit can be downloaded to a remote management computer provided at a distance from the operation panel, and the downloaded control management information is changed and uploaded from the remote management computer to the storage unit. Bicycle parking lot management system characterized by being able to do. 7. A bicycle parking lot management system comprising the bicycle parking device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the operation panel has a storage unit for storing status information for each wheel lock device, and a storage unit based on the status information. And a control unit for processing the status information.The status information is changed by uploading the status information change command to a storage unit from a remote management computer provided at a distance from the operation panel, thereby forcing the wheel lock device. A bicycle parking lot management system characterized in that it can be unlocked. 8. The bicycle parking lot management system according to claim 6, wherein the upload from the remote management computer to the storage unit is an upload by wireless communication. 9. A bicycle parking device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a plurality of rental bicycles to be locked by a wheel locking device of the bicycle parking device are permanently installed, and a dedicated borrowing user is set for each locking device. A method of renting a bicycle, wherein each borrowing user is provided with a unique unlocking means so that each borrowing user can use the unlocking means to arbitrarily take out a bicycle from the wheel lock device. . 10. A bicycle parking lot management system according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein a plurality of rental bicycles are permanently installed and locked by a wheel locking device of a bicycle parking machine used in the management system. A dedicated borrowing user is set for each lock device, a unique unlocking means is given to each borrowing user, and each borrowing user can use the unlocking means to arbitrarily take out a bicycle from the wheel lock device. A bicycle rental method characterized by the above.