WO2014013264A1

WO2014013264A1 - Storage

Info

Publication number: WO2014013264A1
Application number: PCT/GB2013/051931
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy James HILL-BALDWIN; James Patrick Anderson LAMB
Original assignee: H-B Designs Ltd
Priority date: 2012-07-19
Filing date: 2013-07-19
Publication date: 2014-01-23
Also published as: GB2504117A; GB2545369B; GB2519887A; GB2545369A; GB2519887B; GB201502452D0; GB201212807D0; GB201704907D0

Abstract

There is described a storage apparatus for a bicycle comprising a stand, a securing bracket and a support member attached to the stand, the support member comprising a rigid panel and a flexible buffer attached to the rigid panel, the flexible buffer extending about an opening suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle. The wheel of a bicycle can be held by the flexible buffer and a lock can be used to secure the bicycle to the securing bracket.

Description

Storage

The present invention relates to a storage apparatus particularly, but not exclusively, to a bicycle storage apparatus for securing and storing a bicycle at a street location, or off street in a bicycle compound or store or indoors. The invention relates to street furniture suitable for securing a bicycle.

It is known to provide street furniture in public places at which bicycle users can lock and secure their bicycles. A common piece of street furniture for this type of bicycle storage is known as a Sheffield Stand. The Sheffield Stand is a wall or floor mounted D- shaped metal structure to which bicycles can be secured using a lock. Examples of locks include a chain or cable and padlock, and a D -shaped shackle lock or other lock. The 'legs' of the Sheffield Stand are securely fixed to the ground, pavement or other surface as required. A similar stand is a Harrogate stand, which is of similar

construction and look but tends to be of an upturned 'IT shape and to have a narrower base, with a shorter distance separating the legs fixed to the ground. Other street furniture for cycle storage includes examples such as a RAD cycle rack. This type of rack consists of a set of rails between which are set one or more wheel guides or racks into which a rear or front wheel can be placed. The rack holds the bicycle wheel only. A user may wish to secure the wheel to the rack using a chain or cable or other type of lock. A series of bike racks or Sheffield stands can be provided to allow for multiple bicycles to be secured in and around the same location.

It is desirable to provide an improved storage apparatus which provides an alternative to the existing street furniture and which will give bicycle owners confidence in the security and protection of their bicycles.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided storage apparatus for a bicycle comprising a support member, the support member comprising a rigid panel and a flexible buffer attached to the rigid panel, the flexible buffer extending about an opening suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle.

The flexible buffer accommodating a wheel of the bicycle provides a protective holding bay for either a front or a rear wheel and close-to-wheel parts of a bicycle and

associated components, thus avoiding damage to the bicycle wheel and frame by metal parts. This can be advantageous for bicycle users as damage to the bicycle being held in place and stored is undesirable. This is particularly so for users of specialist bikes made of lightweight carbon fibre or steel and others with easily damaged paintwork and materials. In this way delicate component parts are also protected such as brakes and gears.

The flexible buffer in the embodiment is arranged in a plane such that the opening is suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the flexible buffer. Advantageously the location of the opening in the flexible buffer allows easy insertion of a wheel for a user and the surrounding portions of the bicycle frame such as front forks, rear frame forks, brake and gear components are supported and protected in the buffer area.

In an embodiment the storage apparatus comprises a stand and the support member is fixedly attached to the stand. Preferably the stand comprises a substantially vertical post suitable for fixing the apparatus at a storage location and wherein the flexible buffer is arranged in a plane at an angle in the range from 45 degrees to 15 degrees relative to the vertical post. The angle and orientation of the flexible buffer relative to a fixing post allows for ease of accommodation of the bicycle wheel. The provision of a vertical post assists with ease of mounting the street furniture at a street location and reduces the numbers of fixings that are required, for example just 4 compared with up to 8 fixings for the equivalent number of bikes using (two) Sheffield stands. Foundation material (concrete) is greatly reduced by having a single point to ground for all 4 bikes rather than 4 points to ground for 2 Sheffield stands.

In an embodiment the storage apparatus comprises a securing bracket and may comprise a retractable locking handle. Advantageously a securing bracket allows a user to secure the bicycle to the storage apparatus with a locking device such as a D- shaped shackle lock or a flexible chain or cable lock. One example of a retractable locking handle comprises a piston acting under compression such as a gas strut, lockable at an extended position. The position of the locking handle close to the frame and rear wheel of a bicycle allows the bicycle user the option of securing the bicycle to the storage apparatus with a single D-shaped lock. In this arrangement one wheel is held in the flexible buffer and a part of the main frame and the second wheel are secured to the locking handle.

The storage apparatus of the embodiment comprises a further support member, wherein each further support member comprises a flexible buffer surrounding an opening. In this way, the storage apparatus can accommodate a plurality of bicycles. It is preferred that at least one further support member is located adjacent to the first support member such that a wheel of a further bicycle can be accommodated. The wheel may be a front or a rear wheel of the bicycle. Additionally, a further support member may be located opposite a first support member, allowing a row of bicycles opposite the first support member to be accommodated. In this way the bicycles can be stored in a back to back arrangement (a front wheel of a first bicycle being stored adjacent the rear wheel of an adjacent second bicycle to be stored) or in line (a front wheel of a first bicycle being stored adjacent the front wheel of an adjacent second bicycle to be stored) and there is an efficient use of the storage space available. A radial arrangement of storage apparatus is also used to change direction or turn around a corner.

The plurality of the support members may be accommodated on a storage apparatus comprising of a single stand and a single vertical fixing post. A ground rail is a suitable fixing device. The storage apparatus and fixing post arrangement increases the number of bicycles that can be secured in a linear run compared to stands such as the Sheffield Stand. In tests, up to 2.74 bicycles can be stored per linear metre.

A single stand and single fixing post allow for ease of installation and maintenance and a minimal number of fixings. This is important as items of street furniture such as the apparatus described are often installed by public bodies aiming to minimise the cost of installation fixings and staffing required to install and maintain the storage system.

It is envisaged that in an embodiment there will be a plurality of support members adjacent a first support member and/or a plurality of pairs of support members

comprising a first one of said support members located opposite a first further support member. A bicycle storage apparatus with a plurality of support members may be constructed in a straight line or in a serpentine arrangement, according to the space available at the storage location. The plurality of support members provides high density bicycle parking.

In this embodiment for high density storage adjacent support members are located in a vertically staggered arrangement to maximise the number of bicycles that can be stored side by side in a bicycle storage apparatus. This means that the pedals and handle bars of one bicycle do not interfere or impinge on the pedals of an adjacent bicycle (when stored in an in line orientation) and the pedals and chainstay of one bicycle do not interfere or impinge on the frame and pedals of an adjacent bicycle (when stored in a back to back orientation). Thus protecting the finish (such as paint) and structure and material of the bicycles stored in the apparatus.

An embodiment is envisaged further comprising a monitoring and protection device arranged to execute any one or more of the following operations a) recognise the presence of a bicycle located in the apparatus, b) assess the behaviour of the bicycle located in the apparatus for tamper and theft, c) conduct a count or tally of bicycles located in the apparatus and display a current tally and d) provide a visual, audio, telephone or other alert as to a status or change in status of the storage apparatus in response to a request for an alert. In addition, a further aspect of the present invention is a method of operating a monitoring and protection device for a bicycle storage facility, including the steps of registering a bicycle with the storage facility, detecting the presence and/or absence of a bicycle in a portion of the storage apparatus,

communicating status and update information from the apparatus to a user via mobile communication means; communicating requests and update instructions from a user via a mobile device to a central management function and responding to user or central management function requests at the apparatus bicycle storage facility. Advantageously, such a storage system can provide a user with data and information to assist with decision making and journey planning in order to locate and use a bicycle store with safe, secure and protective location and storage facilities.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 shows a side view of a bicycle storage apparatus of the present invention, suitable for accommodating four bicycles;

Figure 2a shows a perspective view of the bicycle storage apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 2b shows the perspective view of Figure 2a with a bicycle in storage; Figure 3 shows a Plan view of one side of the bicycle storage apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows a Front view of the bicycle storage system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5a shows a side view of the bicycle storage apparatus of Figure 1 in a back to back orientation, a front and a rear wheel of each of two bicycles are shown located in a stored position; Figure 5b shows a front view of the forward and rear facing bicycles located in the bicycle storage apparatus of Fig 5a;

Figure 6 shows the storage apparatus of Figure 1 and the securing bracket in a retracted position;

Figure 7 shows the storage apparatus of Figure 1 and the securing bracket in an extended position;

Figure 8, shows 4 bicycles parked within an arrangement;

Figure 9 shows 4 bicycles parked within an alternative arrangement;

Figure 10 shows a linear arrangement of the storage apparatus;

Figure 1 1 shows a serpentine arrangement of the storage apparatus; Figure 12 shows an alternative linear arrangement of bicycles with cable locking; and

Figure 13 shows an example of a method of operation of a monitoring function.

The storage apparatus will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

With reference to Figure 1 and Figure 2, there is shown storage apparatus 10 comprising a stand 1 of a generally 'V shaped construction, a securing bracket 2 fixed to and depending from the stand 1 and a support member 3 rigidly fixed to the stand 1 by rivets, welding, nuts and bolts or other known techniques . The stand 1 further comprises a post 4 arranged in substantially vertical orientation relative to the plane of the ground. Figure 1 shows the support members 3 arranged at an angle of between 45° and 10° to the vertical post, and most preferably at 20°.

A support member 3 is shown in Fig 2a comprising a rigid panel 5 and a flexible buffer or diaphragm 6. This has been developed as the optimum flexibility and hardness to hold and position a wheel in place. The buffer is arranged around an opening 7. The opening 7 is of a suitable size to accommodate the wheel or a portion of the bicycle frame and the wheel portions along with associated components of a bicycle. Figure 2b illustrates a buffer 6 and the docking port support structure 3 with a bicycle in a stowed position. In Figure 2b the adjacent support member 3 is shown ready to accept a wheel of a bicycle and arranged in a vertically spaced arrangement to the first support member 3, also suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle. The post 4 acts to fix the stand to the ground to which the bicycles storage apparatus is to be fixed. Fixings such as bolts and a ground rail are known.

The removal of the vertical storage apparatus can be effected without significant damage to the storage unit itself or the ground. Fixing points with a M16 resin anchor studs 8 are shown in Figure 3, at a depth of 12 cm. Figures 4 and 5 show the apparatus in use. Referring to Figure 6 and 7 the securing bracket 2 comprises a retractable locking handle 9 located on a gas strut arm 1 1.

The storage apparatus is constructed from suitability strong and weather resistant material such as galvanised steel plate. The material can be coated or zinc plated to improve durability and protect against wear on the plate. The flexible buffer comprises a 50 to 60 shore hardness silicone rubber sheet of 5mm thickness. The thickness and shore hardness has been chosen to adequately support and protect the wheel and frame part of a bicycle while holding the wheel in a fixed position such that the whole of the bicycle is supported.

In use, a user with a bicycle that required storage and securing would approach a support member 3 of the storage apparatus 10 and position the front or the rear wheel in the support member 3. The approach would be made such that the bicycle wheel was surrounded and supported by flexible silicone buffer 6 surrounding opening 7. Figure 5a shows a rear and also a front bicycle wheel positioned within the flexible buffer portion 6. Once through the flexible buffer 6, the front portion of the wheel is held in a wheel support bracket assembly 12 of standard construction. In this way, and referring back to Figure 2b, the front wheel is supported in three locations, on top (A) of the flexible buffer 6, at the lower portion of the flexible buffer 6 shown as B and at the wheel support bracket shown as C. The three touch point support in a soft docking aperture provided by the flexible buffer gives the effect of cushioning and supporting the bicycle parts in the storage apparatus and protects the bicycle from damage by metal on metal part contact or bike to bike contact.

A second user wishing to park a bicycle adjacent to the first, would, as shown in Figure 5a and Figure 5b, use an adjacent support member 6 in the bicycle support apparatus 10. The storage bay adjacent the first support member 6 of the storage apparatus 10 is located in a spaced vertical arrangement, preferably vertically spaced apart by between 100 and 150mm, and in the preferred embodiment described here, by 1 10mm. In this way, the second bicycle is accommodated in a compact arrangement next to the first bicycle without the interference of handlebars or other bike parts. As the first bicycle is located and the wheel "rolled over" the entrance point of the support member 6, the movement of the handlebars of the second bicycle in effect so as to roll up. Roll over, around and down around the first set of handlebars. In this way, the bicycles located in the store next to each other do not damage each other.

In order to secure the bicycle within the bicycle storage apparatus, there is provided a securing bracket 2 which in use comprises a retractable locking arm 9. The arm 9 contains a customised gas strut 1 1 and spring with a very low force/high damping and the ability to lock out and fix in its fully compressed position. This means that the user can extend the locking arm 9 to its full extent, locking it out into an extended position. This extended position allowing the user to secure their bike to the securing arm with a lock. The user will then pull on the arm 9 to release the catch and gas strut and allow the handle to retract to tension the bike lock against the bicycle. It can be arranged that for additional security if the full extent of arm length is not achieved the arm 9 will not lock in position. Once the user wishes to retrieve and unlock the bicycle the procedure is reversed. In other words the user pulls on the arm 9, unlocks the D-shaped (or other) lock and the arm retracts and returns to its storage position. The retractable arm 9 provides for a bicycle storage system that can securely hold and support a bicycle that can be locked with a single D-lock securing both front and back wheels and the frame.

Figures 6 and 7 show the retractable locking arm 9 in both a retracted position close to the entrance to the flexible buffer 6 and the direction of extension to its extended position. The retractable locking arm 9 offers a locking position at the ideal point for locking the bicycle frame and the second wheel. Figures 8 to 1 1 show a number of arrangements of bicycles and storage means including back to back and in line orientations. Figure 10 shows the plurality of bikes stored in a line orientation. Figure 1 1 shows serpentine arrangement.

A series of bicycle storage apparatus units each housing four bicycles can be envisaged at the same location, allowing single or double sided rows of high density cycle parking. The modular system can fit into any space. Advantages include secure single point locking, no storage voids and no untidy bike storage area. This leads to clear sight lines around the bicycle storage area. A must for high security locations where suspect packages and suspicious behaviour require monitoring and where security staff do not want to have an area that may be obscured. The bicycles are stored in a space efficient and high density manner.

Additional features may include optional integrated bike locker or a cover, additional advertising, if required and bike monitoring apparatus. In an embodiment (not

illustrated) the support members may be retractably positioned on the stand and optionally the stand may collapse to reduce packaging and shipping space of the storage apparatus.

Another alternative is that the bike monitoring apparatus could be an electronic monitoring system or tagging system and could provide the following preferable features:

• A system that recognised a bike is in the device • A system that recognises a bike is being tampered with or stolen

• A system that counts up the number of bikes in a system and displays (like a car park)

• A system that alerts users of availability - lights, counters, mobile phone

applications (like a car park).

Figure 12 shows an alternative arrangement of bicycle storage apparatus. Figures 12 and 13 show an alternative bicycle storage apparatus in use with a monitoring and protection system 100. The storage apparatus comprises a stand 1 1 , a support member 13 with a flexible silicone rubber buffer 16 accommodating and holding a bicycle wheel. In order to secure the bicycle within the bicycle storage apparatus, there is provided a cable 18. In the embodiment illustrated the cable 18 is armoured and alarmed and includes automatic locking, retraction and tensioning features. The cable provided at the storage apparatus avoids the need for the user to carry a lock. The features of the monitoring and protection system 100 are illustrated in Figure 13. The details include off site monitoring, internet wired and mobile communication with users via the users' mobile devices, site terminals alarmed and linked to a central logging station and communication and control via a smart phone and/or an RF ID tag.

Various modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. There may be alternative sizes of buffer or support structures and the size of the opening in the flexible buffer may be altered to accommodate other vehicles or apparatus to be supported and stored. The size and location of the securing bracket may be altered to optimise fixing. There may be a variety of fixings. The flexible buffer may be made of alternative materials, for example, rubber, neoprene, fabric. Additional security features or locks may be envisaged. Such as automatic wheel holding/locking.

Claims

1. Storage apparatus for a bicycle comprising a support member, the support member comprising a rigid panel and a flexible buffer attached to the rigid panel, the flexible buffer extending about an opening suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle.

2. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to Claim 1 , wherein the flexible buffer is arranged in a plane such that the opening is suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the flexible buffer.

3. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising a stand and wherein the support member is fixedly attached to the stand.

4. Storage apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the stand comprises a

substantially vertical post suitable for fixing the apparatus at a storage location and wherein the flexible buffer is arranged in a plane at an angle in the range from 45 degrees to 15 degrees relative to the vertical post.

5. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, further

comprising a securing cable.

6. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, further

comprising a securing bracket.

7. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, wherein the

flexible buffer comprises a silicone rubber sheet.

8. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, wherein the

securing bracket comprises a retractable locking handle.

9. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to Claim 8, wherein the retractable locking handle comprises a gas strut.

10. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one further support member, each further support member comprising a rigid panel and a flexible buffer extending about an opening suitable for accommodating a wheel of a bicycle.

1 1 . Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to Claim 10, wherein at least one further support member is located adjacent a first support member such that a wheel of a further bicycle can be accommodated.

12. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to Claim 10 or Claim 1 1 , wherein a further support member is located opposite a first support member such that a wheel of a further bicycle can be accommodated.

13. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of support members located adjacent a first support member.

14. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, further

comprising a plurality of pairs of support members, comprising a first one of said support members located opposite a first further support member.

15. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any one of claims 1 1 to 14, wherein adjacent support members are located in a vertically staggered arrangement.

16. Storage apparatus for a bicycle according to any preceding claim, further

comprising a monitoring and protection device arranged to execute any one or more of the following operations a) recognise the presence of a bicycle located in the apparatus, b) assess the behaviour of the bicycle located in the apparatus for tamper and theft, c) conduct a count or tally of bicycles located in the apparatus and display a current tally and d) provide a visual, audio, telephone or other alert as to a status or change in status of the storage apparatus in response to a request for an alert.

17. A method of operating a monitoring and protection device for a bicycle storage

facility, including the steps of;

(i) registering a bicycle with the storage facility,

(ii) detecting the presence and/or absence of a bicycle in a portion of the storage apparatus, (iii) communicating status and update information from the apparatus to a user via mobile communication means;

(iv) communicating requests and update instructions from a user via a mobile device to a central management function, and

(v) responding to user or central management function requests at the apparatus bicycle storage facility.