WO2015019119A1

WO2015019119A1 - Multipurpose housing assembly for vehicles with the characteristic of difficult removal

Info

Publication number: WO2015019119A1
Application number: PCT/HR2014/000027
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zokovic Marko
Original assignee: Pando Projekt D.O.O.
Priority date: 2013-08-06
Filing date: 2014-07-27
Publication date: 2015-02-12
Also published as: HRP20130737A2

Abstract

The invention refers to a multipurpose housing assembly (1 ) for spoked wheel vehicles, installed on the part of a wheel hub (2), characterized in that it cannot be quickly and easily removed from the wheel after installation. The housing assembly (1) consists of an elastic flange (5) of a cylindrical shape, wherein one part of the length of the elastic flange cylinder (5), i.e. the flange disk (7), has an outside diameter which is larger than the remaining outside diameter of the elastic flange cylinder (5), i.e. the flange body (11), and a ring-shaped housing (6) that lies on the outside diameter of the flange body with its inside diameter. The housing (6) is installed by being slipped onto the flange body axially and fastened to the flange disk. Due to this characteristic the present housing assembly (1) is suitable as housing for various electronic devices, such as anti-theft devices, surveillance and tracking devices for spoked wheel vehicles.

Description

Multipurpose housing assembly for vehicles with the characteristic of difficult removal

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The field pertaining to the invention

The invention refers to a multipurpose housing assembly for spoked wheel vehicles, characterized in that it cannot be quickly and easily removed from the wheel after installation. Due to this characteristic, it is suitable as housing for various electronic devices, such as anti-theft devices, surveillance and tracking devices for spoked wheel vehicles.

Technical problem

It is necessary to resolve the problem of installing the housing onto the spoked wheel vehicle in the manner that a simple and quick removal of the housing is disabled. Such housing would be appropriate for the accommodation of a device that would be permanently installed on a spoked wheel vehicle.

State of the art

Various devices that are installed on spoked wheel vehicles as additional eqipment, especially bicycles, are usually found in their own housing and have supports that serve as the connection between the device itself and the vehicle (specifically the steering wheel, bicycle frame, etc.). A connection between the housing support and the vehicle is usually possible with a detachable connection such as ring clamps, which is bounded on a specific tubular part of the spoked wheel vehicle (steering wheel, bicycle frame...) with screws, plastic "zip" connectors or another type of connection. The connection between the device and the support is usually realized with screws, if it is not necessary to frequently remove the device from the mentioned vehicle (lamp, dynamo, etc.) or if the device is of a greater value (GPS, cyclometer, etc.) by means of a system that enables a quick and simple installation and removal of the device, and to enable that the owner does not leave the device on the mentioned vehicle when the same is without surveillance, due to the possibility of theft.

In case of such solutions, the installed devices are situated in easily accessible areas of the vehicles and are relatively easy to remove or damage. Such solutions are not suitable, for example, for a device that would serve for preventing theft, for surveillance and monitoring of a bicycle, for a device that would serve for the constant monitoring of the position of a bicycle, which could be used, for example, by companies that rent bicycles for the purpose of fleet management, and other electronic devices where permanent installation on a vehicle would be favorable. For such devices, there is a need for a solution enabling simple and quick removal of the device itself, in order to efficiently perform the function of the device and to prevent the simple theft of the same.

For example, in connection with the function of the device for preventing theft, surveillance and monitoring of bicycles, currently the most common solution on the market is the physical fixing of bicycles to fixed objects with a chain, cable and/or device that operates like a padlock. The main problem of such a solution is that these safety tools can very easily be disabled by cutting it and/or dermorming it and as such are not a sufficiently efficient solution to the problem.

Furthermore, solutions have been suggested such as patents EP0849156, EP1424271 , EP1424273, EP1 24272, which refer to a bicycle wheel hub that consists of an antitheft mechanism that is based on a mechanical wheel block by the chain ring system, which can be switched from the blocked state, whose function is to complicate the theft of a bicycle while it is parked, and to the relaxed state that is used when riding a bicycle. A sound generator (siren) can also serve as a solution, which would be active when the device is in the antitheft blocked state and in motion. The mentioned patents refer to a wheel locking mechanism that is integrated into the wheel hub and thus differ from the present invention given that the present invention is slipped onto the wheel hub and that it does not serve as a wheel block.

Patent GB 2276747 refers to an antitheft alarm that consists of a transmitter that has a motion sensor and a control unit and a receiver in which an aural and/or visual alarm is built in. The transmitter transmits a signal to the receiver when the motion sensor is activated. The receiver then emits a visual and/or aural alarm that will warn the owner that theft is taking place. The transmitter is situated in the tubular components of the bicycle e.g. the handlebar. Therefore, this patent is not relevant for the present invention.

Another type of solution that has been suggested recently are devices for tracking and locating already stolen bicycles. Patent application GB 2484273 refers to a bicycle safety device that consists of a GPS/GSM device integrated inside a bicycle light. The bicycle light appears as a normal light in order to prevent suspicion that the bicycle carries an antitheft device. Each use of the light will result in the transmission of the bicycle's position via an SMS message or a web server, which the owner can view on the Internet. The basic characteristic of the present invention is that the safety device is designed to look like a lamp. The problem with such solutions is that concealing the presence of a safety device does not prevent the bicycles from being stolen, but only enables to locate it after the theft has been committed.

The basic characteristic of such devices is that they are concealed on the bicycle or are designed to look like lamps or another piece of additional equipment. The reason for this is the fact that it is somewhat easy to remove and/or disable such devices if there is information about their presence on the bicycle. The problem with such solutions is that concealing the presence of a safety device does not prevent a bicycle theft, but only enables to locate it after the theft has been committed. Another problem with these solutions is the fact that the popularization of such a solution decreases the possibility of concealing the device, and therewith also its functionality.

Patent US 2012239248 refers to a tracking system for bicycles that are rented and also records specific parameters (distance traveled, travel time, etc. ), which individually connect with each user and the user is therefore able to track the particulars of his rented bicycle rides. The mentioned system includes a bicycle, a computer located on the bicycle, which is configured to record and transmit ride parameters, a communication hub configured for communication with the computer on the bicycle, a server that is configured for communication with the communication hub and stations for parking rental bicycles, which can be in the form of a kiosk inside which a communication hub is located.

Disclosure of the invention

The primary objective of the invention is to enable the installation of the invention on the wheel hub of spoked wheel vehicles, so that it cannot be removed simply and quickly without damaging the wheel.

The secondary objective of the invention is to execute a more effective theft prevention of parked spoked wheel vehicles.

The present invention refers to a multipurpose housing assembly for spoked wheel vehicles, characterized in that it removes with difficulty, which is installed on the part of a wheel hub that is located between the spokes, wherein the assembly consists of:

an elastic flange of a cylindrical shape with a circular hole along the entire length of the elastic flange axially from the cylinder, wherein the circular shape of the cylinder is not continuous, and wherein one part of the lengt of the elastic flange cylinder, i.e. the flange disk has an outside diameter which is larger than the remaining outside diameter of the elastic flange cylinder i.e. the flange body, and wherein the inside diameter of the elastic flange corresponds to the outside diameter of the wheel hub housing body, whereby the elastic flange lies on the outside diameter of the wheel hub housing body with its inside diameter;

a ring-shaped housing that lies on the outside diameter of the flange body with its inside diameter and is installed by being slipped onto the flange body axially and fastened to the flange disk.

The hub housing on which the elastic flange is installed is also of a cylindrical shape and consists of a central part with a smaller diameter, i.e. the body of the hub housing and two disks on the ends of the body that have a diameter larger than the housing body. For the installation of the housing of the present assembly onto the elastic flange to be possible after the flange is installed on the hub, it is favorable that the outside diameter of the flange body is larger than the outside diameter of the hub housing disk.

A part of the elastic flange cylinder that has an outside diameter larger than the remaining outside diameter of the elastic flange is of a disk shape with a circular hole, which is equal to the circular hole that passes through the entire length of the elastic flange axially in respect to the cylinder, and thus, that part of the flange is called the flange disk. The flange disk serves as a limiter during the installation of the housing and as a support to the housing, which also becomes the detachable connection between the housing and the flange.

Two different outside flange diameters, i.e. the flange body and the flange disk, have the function of creating the detachable connection between the housing and the flange. Also, the flange has the function of decreasing the transfer of vibrations from the hub to the housing. Decrease of the vibration transfer occurs due to the flange material's mechanical properties, such as hardness, elasticity, etc.

The flange can be made of any elastic material. It is favorable that the flange is made of a thermoplastic elastomer due to the injection molding manufacturing process, which is the most convenient and cost-effective manufacturing process in the present matter.

The housing can also be made of any material that does not block GSM and GPS signals. Due to this reason, plastic is a favorable choice for the housing material, as is fulfills this condition.

Furthermore, it is most favorable that the housing is made of thermoplastic, and as is the case with the flange, injection molding is the optimal manufacturing process for the housing.

It is favorable that the housing consists of two interconnected parts. It is favorable that the two housing parts are interconnected and sealed so that water cannot penetrate to the inside.

Furthermore, it is favorable that the two housing parts are interconnected by welding, gluing or a detachable connection with screws.

It is favorable that the housing is impermeable and that it contains a connector opening, a cover for the connector opening and a seal that prevents the entry of water into the connector opening.

The housing is hollow on the inside and that space between the inside and outside housing diameter can serve for the accommodation of electronic components, printed circuit boards, batteries, etc.

The housing's inside diameter that lies on the flange body and the flange body's outside diameter do not have to be continuously circular, but can mutually ensure their relative position using their shape, a tongue and groove connection, etc. It is favorable that the flange on the outside area of the body has at least one longitudinal groove, and that the housing has a correspondingly equal number of tongues which serve to ensure the position of the housing that lies on the flange by using a tongue-groove system. Thus, the tongue - groove system prevents the relative rotation of the housing in respect to the flange and as a result, lowers the burden on the screws that arises during the acceleration and deceleration of the bicycle, and which is executed with a connection that fastens the device housing to the flange.

When dimensioning the length of the elastic flange cylinder, there is a tendency that there is not an empty space between the walls of the flange cylinder and the inside side walls of the hub housing disk in order to inhibit the relative motion of the housing-flange assembly in respect to the hub axially. It is favorable that the ends of the elastic flange cylinder lengths have an outside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the flange body and serve as limiters that prevent the flange from shifting axially in respect to the hub, and are thus called axial flange limiters.

The term spoked wheel vehicle in the present invention implies any means of passenger transportation with or without a motor. Such a vehicle can be a moped, motorcycle, four-wheeler, bicycle or other vehicle. It is favorable that the vehicle is a spoked wheel vehicle.

The outside diameter of the wheel hub depends on the manufacturer, model, type of spoked wheel vehicle on which it will be installed, etc. However, in the event of using the present invention for bicycles and due to the elasticity of the flanges, conditioned by the material and construction, and the total range of standard hub dimensions that are built on bicycles (excluding the smallest children's bicycles, etc. ), only a few flange sizes would be necessary (i.e. dimensions of their inside diameter holes) that would enable the installation of the present assembly on the majority of hubs that are currently built on standard bicycles.

Installation method

The assembly of the present invention is installed on a wheel in the manner that the wheel of the spoked wheel vehicle is disassembled using a standard methodology, i.e. the hub is separated from the spokes. The flange is first installed on the hub, and then the housing is installed by slipping it onto the flange body axially. It is favorable that the housing assembly is fastened to the flange disk with screws. After reassembling the wheel, the device is found on the portion of the hub that is located between the spokes in the center of the wheel and it is the spokes themselves that inhibit the removal of the device and complicate access thereto. The impossibility of simple removal is the key element in the functionality of this invention.

The rotation between the hub and the flange is prevented, i.e. made difficult, due to the friction between the hub and the flange. Theoretically, a very abrupt braking may cause a measurable rotation of the flange-housing assembly in respect to the hub (tests with functional prototypes are necessary for exact data), not in the sense of continuous rotation but in the sense of a very short moment of displacement; but it as such does not affect the functionality of the entire device.

One of the uses of the present assembly where the characteristic of a difficult removal of the assembly is emphasized is that it is used as the housing for a device for antitheft, surveillance and monitoring of bicycles. In that case, the present invention further contains an electronic subassembly for antitheft, surveillance and monitoring of bicycles in the assembly housing of the present invention and a separate server that has the function of a communication hub. Such a use is described in detail in section 2 "A detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention". Furthermore, the present assembly can be used as housing for a device that would serve for constant tracking of the bicycle's position, whose could be used, for example, by companies that offer bicycle rental services for the purpose of fleet management and other electronic devices for which it is favorable that they are constantly installed on the vehicle.

A brief list of figures

Figure 1 shows the position of the assembly of the present invention on the spoked wheel;

Figure 2 shows the assembly of the present invention installed on the hub;

Figure 3 shows the flange of the assembly of the present invention;

Figure 4 shows the flange in plan view;

Figure 5 shows the flange in side view;

Figure 6 shows the wheel hub;

Figure 7 shows the process of installing the flange on the wheel hub;

Figure 8 shows the process of installing the housing of the present assembly axially on the subassembly of the hub and flange;

Figure 9 shows the bolted connection of the flange and housing;

Figure 10 shows the housing of the present assembly;

Figure 11 shows the inside of the housing of the present invention with an installed printed circuit board and a battery;

Figure 12 shows the outside of the housing that is set against the flange disk.

A detailed description of at least one embodiment of the invention

The embodiment of the invention described herein represents a manner of realizing the invention on a bicycle wheel, where the assembly with the characteristic of a difficult removal is used to position a bicycle antitheft device. Figure 1 shows the assembly of the present invention (1 ), which is installed on a bicycle wheel hub (2). For the installation process itself, as well as removal, it is necessary to disassemble the bicycle wheel by removing the spokes (3) from the hub (2) and the wheel rim (4).

Figure 2 shows the assembly of the present invention, i.e. the elastic flange (5) and the housing (6), which are installed on the wheel hub before installing the spokes in the wheel rim.

Figure 3 shows the elastic flange (5), which is made of a thermoplastic elastomer in this embodiment, and which consists of the flange body (1 1 ), the flange disk (7) and the axial limiter of the flange (30). The flange (5) has a circular hole (8) along its entire length axially, which is concentric to the outside diameter of the flange body (1 1 ), grooves for tongues (12), screw holes (10) and a guide slope (9) for installation onto the hub (2). From an axial view, the circularity of the cylinder is not continuous but is shaped as, what can be described similar to the shape of the letter "C" as is noted in Fig. 5. Such a shape enables the installation of the flange onto the hub whereby the flange lies on the body of the hub housing (15) with the inside diameter of its longitudinal hole (8), as shown in Fig. 7. The outside diameter of the flange body (1 1 ) must be larger than the diameter of at least one hub housing disk (16) as shown in Fig. 6, so that it is possible to install the housing (6) of the assembly of the present invention axially in respect to the flange, as is shown in Figure 8. For dimensioning the total length of the flange cylinder, i.e. the space between the side walls of the axial flange limiters (13) and (14) that are shown in Fig. 4, there is a tendency that there is not an empty space between these surfaces and the inside side walls of the hub housing disks (18) in order to inhibit the relative motion of the housing-flange assembly in respect to the hub axially.

Furthermore, the elastic flange (5) on the outside surface of the flange body (1 1 ) has several longitudinal grooves (12). As is shown in Fig. 10, tongues (22) are located on the inside diameter of the housing assembly (21 ) that enter the grooves (12) on the flange body. Such a tongue-groove system prevents the relative rotation of the housing in respect to the flange and as a result, decreases the burden, in this case onto the screws (17), which arises during the acceleration and deceleration of the bicycle. The device housing is fastened to the flange disk with screws (17) using a detachable connection as noted in Figure 9.

The plastic housing is of a ring shape and consists of two parts (19) and (20) that are

interconnected and sealed so that water cannot penetrate to the inside (Fig. 10). Welding is considered an advantageous connection method. Connection by gluing as well as variations with detachable connections (bolted, etc. ) are also possible. The inside diameter of the housing (21 ) is roughly equal to the outside diameter of the flange body (11 ). There is a tendency of the smallest possible empty space between the flange and the housing in that part for the purpose of minimizing the possible displacement of the housing in respect to the flange. A connector opening (23) is found on the housing (6), which serves for accommodating the connector (24), via which electrical energy is supplied for battery charging. The connector opening (23) is closed with a cover (25), which, when installed, is fastened to the housing (6), by a detachable connection. In this embodiment of the present invention, the cover (25) is fastened to the housing (6) with screws. Between the cover and the housing, a seal (26) is present, which prevents the penetration of water into the connector opening (23). On the outside wall of a part of the housing (19) there are blind threaded screw holes (29) in order to enable the fastening of the housing (6) onto the flange (5), as shown in Figure 12.

In order for installation of the device on the wheel to be possible, it is necessary to disassemble the bicycle wheel, i.e. separate the hub (2) from the spokes (3). The flange (5) is first installed on the hub (2) (Fig. 7), and then the housing (6) is installed by slipping it onto the flange (5) axially from the flange (Fig. 8) which is then fastened with screws (17) to the flange disk (7). After reassembling the wheel, the assembly of the present invention is located in the center of the wheel and the spokes (3) themselves disable the removal of the device and complicate its access thereto. The impossibility of a simple removal is the key element for the functionality of this invention.

In this embodiment of the present invention, a printed circuit board (27) is situated inside the housing assembly (6), which is an electronic subassembly that consists of a module for GPS locating and GSM/GPRS communication, an accelometer and/or a gyroscope, an aural alarm and other electronic elements necessary for the operation of the device and a battery (28) for supplying the device with electric energy (Figure 11 ). Such a printed circuit board is in a communication link with the dislocated server that has the function of a communication hub. Two parts that comprise the housing (6) are welded together and such a connection is also watertight, and complete impermeability of the entire assembly is ensured to prevent malfunction of the electronic subassembly. The system functions in the manner that the user can activate and deactivate monitoring of the bicycle with an application on his/her mobile smart phone device. The device on the bicycle is paired up with at least one mobile phone and the activation and deactivation of the device can be executed with previously paired and authorized mobile phones i.e. with their telephone numbers. When the bicycle is used, i.e. ridden, the system is deactivated so that the battery's electrical energy is saved. When the system is activated, the accelometer and/or gyroscope are operating and the position is checked in specific time intervals. Much attention has been paid to saving the battery's electrical energy so that recharging would only be necessary in longer time intervals. If there is activation of the motion sensor and/or a change in the coordinates of the bicycle's position, the system notifies the user, i.e. the bicycle owner, of the possible attempt of theft of the bicycle.

Notifications are executed in the manner that the user receives a notification of potential theft via an SMS message on his/her mobile phone, and that an aural-visual alarm simultaneously sounds a warning on the mobile phone. Via the application, the user can then see the position and motion of his/her bicycle on a geographic map. Activation, deactivation, locating and tracking the bicycle is also possible via an Internet browser on a personal computer. Likewise, activating the motion sensor and/or the prohibited change of location of the bicycle results in an aural alarm of the device on the wheel, for the purpose of informing the surrounding area of a theft in progress and consequently, complicating the conditions during the theft. In order to minimize the number of false alarms, several sensitivity levels regarding the shifting and shaking of the bicycle have been defined. This has been executed by setting a specific tolerance to the change of the value of the motion sensor's outgoing signal. For example, if the bicycle was parked so that it is very close to other parked bicycles, then a higher possibility exists that it will occasionally be shaken, and a sensitivity level that tolerates specific shifts and shakes is chosen. On the contrary, if the bicycle is parked in a private storage in a building, then it is favorable to choose a sensitivity level that does not tolerate any movements without activating the alarm, notifying the owner and displaying the location of the bicycle on the owner's mobile phone. The communication channel between the mobile phone and the device on the wheel takes place via a dislocated server, aided by SMS messages and /or network traffic.

Another manner of using the present system would be the constant monitoring of the bicycle's position. This would be realized by the system being in an active state at all times but without aural alarming. Such a possibility can be achieved using software solutions known to a professional in that field. Such a manner of use would be applied, for example, by companies that rent bicycles for the purpose of fleet management. Likewise, users would be able to record their rides, which is currently done with the aid of GPS devices of various manufacturers.

List of used reference designations

Multipurpose housing assembly (1 )

Bicycle wheel hub (2)

Spokes (3)

Wheel rim (4)

Elastic flange (5)

Housing (6)

Flange disk (7)

Circular hole (8)

Guide slope for installation (9)

Screw holes on the flange (10)

Flange body (11 )

Grooves for tongues (12)

Flange cylinder walls, whose space determines the length of the flange (13) and (14)

Hub housing body (15)

Hub housing disk (16)

Screws (17) Inside side walls of the hub housing (18)

Part of the housing (19, 20)

Inside diameter of the assembly housing (21 )

Tongues (22)

Connector opening (23)

Connector (24)

Connector opening cover (25)

Seal (26)

Printed circuit board (27)

Battery (28)

Threaded screw holes on the housing (29) Axial flange limiters (30)

Claims

Patent claims

1. The multipurpose housing assembly (1 ) for spoked wheel vehicles, characterized in that it removes with difficulty, wherein it is installed on the part of a wheel hub (2) that is located between the spokes (3), wherein the assembly (1 ) consists of an elastic flange (5) of a cylindrical shape with a circular hole (8) along the entire length of the elastic flange (5) axially from the cylinder, wherein the circular shape of the cylinder is not continuous, and wherein one part of the lengt of the elastic flange cylinder, i.e. the flange disk (7), has an outside diameter which is larger than the remaining outside diameter of the elastic flange cylinder i.e. the flange body (11 ), and wherein the inside diameter of the elastic flange corresponds to the outside diameter of the wheel hub housing body (15), whereby the elastic flange (5) lies on the outside diameter of the wheel hub housing body (15) with its inside diameter, and wherein the assembly (1 ) consists of a ring-shaped housing (6) that lies on the outside diameter of the flange body (11 ) with its inside diameter (21 ) and is installed by being slipped onto the flange body (11 ) axially and fastened to the flange disk (7).

2. The multipurpose housing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outside surface of the flange body (11 ) consists of one or more grooves (12), and wherein the inside diameter of the assembly housing (21 ) consists of one or more tongues (22) that enter the grooves (12) on the flange body, in that manner ensuring the connection between the flange (5) and the housing (6).

3. The multipurpose housing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outside diameter of the flange body (11 ) is larger than the outside diameter of the hub housing disk (16) over which the housing of the present assembly is slipped onto the flange axially.

4 The multipurpose housing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the housing consists of two interconnected parts (19, 20).

5 The multipurpose housing assembly according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the flange (5) is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The multipurpose housing assembly according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the housing (6) is made of plastic.

7. The multipurpose housing assembly according to claim 6, wherein the plastic is actually thermoplastic.

8. The multipurpose housing assembly according to all above mentioned claims, wherein the assembly (1 ) is intended for a bicycle.

9. The multipurpose housing assembly according to all above mentioned claims, wherein the assembly (1 ) is intended to accommodate vehicle antitheft devices.