Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62H—CYCLE STANDS; SUPPORTS OR HOLDERS FOR PARKING OR STORING CYCLES; APPLIANCES PREVENTING OR INDICATING UNAUTHORIZED USE OR THEFT OF CYCLES; LOCKS INTEGRAL WITH CYCLES; DEVICES FOR LEARNING TO RIDE CYCLES
  • B62H5/00—Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles
  • B62H5/08—Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles preventing the drive
  • B62H5/10—Appliances preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of cycles; Locks integral with cycles preventing the drive acting on a pedal crank
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62K—CYCLES; CYCLE FRAMES; CYCLE STEERING DEVICES; RIDER-OPERATED TERMINAL CONTROLS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR CYCLES; CYCLE AXLE SUSPENSIONS; CYCLE SIDE-CARS, FORECARS, OR THE LIKE
  • B62K19/00—Cycle frames
  • B62K19/30—Frame parts shaped to receive other cycle parts or accessories
  • B62K19/34—Bottom brackets

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an anti-theft device for a bicycle and to a bicycle provided with said anti- theft device.
• the anti-theft devices of the prior art have further significant disadvantages.
• they are too bulky to be carried about during the normal use of the bicycle, in particular if the bicycle lacks a basket or a rack where storing it comfortably without hindering the pedalling .
• anti-theft devices for bicycles comprising a central pin which extends along a longitudinal axis, is rotatable about the longitudinal axis and connects the two pedal cranks and a locking pin inserted in the bicycle frame and provided with an engagement portion at one of its ends.
• the locking pin is movable between an opening position and a locking position where the engagement portion is inserted in a seat formed in the central pin to lock the movement of the pedals.
• the documents DE102014204742, NL1020525, DE20301554, DE9214669 and DE102013013087 describe anti-theft devices of the aforesaid type which, however, have the drawback of allowing the locking of the pedals only in the position where the engagement portion is directly facing the seat formed in the central pin.
• the object of the present invention is therefore to provide an anti-theft device for bicycles that is free from the drawbacks of the prior art and which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a bicycle provided with an anti-theft device, which is free from the drawbacks of the prior art and which is, at the same time, easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
• an anti-theft device for a bicycle and a bicycle provided with an anti-theft device as claimed in the appended claims.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a bicycle
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view, with parts removed for clarity's sake, of a crankset of the bicycle of Figure 1 ;
• FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the anti-theft device according to the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the different positions of application of the anti-theft device of Figure 3.
• the reference number 1 indicates a bicycle 1 able to advance along a direction F and provided with a frame 2, a saddle 3, two wheels 4, of which a front wheel 4 and a rear drive wheel 4*, a handlebar 5, a crankset 6 and a transmission 7 which transmits movement from the crankset 6 to the drive wheel 4*.
• the frame 2 is formed by a plurality of suitably connected tubes (by welding, by slotting or bonding) .
• the frame 2 comprises an oblique tube 8 that extends from a steering tube 9 to the crankset 6 as better described below, a seat tube 10 housing at one end a saddle tube 11 for the saddle 3, a horizontal tube 12 connecting the seat tube 10 and the steering tube 9, and finally an oblique rear sheath 13 and a horizontal rear sheath 14 that, starting from the ends of the seat tube 10, are joined together forming the attachment point of the rear drive wheel 4*.
• a tube 15 having an axis perpendicular to the feeding direction F and designed to house a central movement 16 (shown in Figure 2) of the crankset 6.
• FIG 2 shows in detail the crankset 6 that comprises a central movement 16, front crowns 17 (shown in Figure 1) and a pair of cranks 18, each of them supporting a respective pedal 19.
• the central movement 16 comprises a central pin 20 rotatable about the longitudinal axis X and bearings (not shown) .
• the central pin 20 is designed to be arranged inside the tube 15.
• the central pin 20 is connected at its ends to the pedal cranks 18. The thrust applied to the pedals 19 by the cyclist riding the bicycle 1 is transmitted by means of the pedal cranks 18 to the central pin 20 of the central movement 16 that is brought into rotation about the longitudinal axis X.
• the bicycle 1 is also provided with an anti-theft device 21 embedded inside a tube of the frame 2 at the central movement 16 so that it is not visible from the outside and does not compromise aesthetically and structurally the bicycle 1.
• the anti-theft device 21 is preferably arranged in the oblique tube 8 or in the seat tube 10.
• the anti-theft device 21 comprises a locking pin 22 made of a resistant and elastic material (preferably steel), a key 23 and an actuator 24, which is activated by the key 23 and which controls the movement of the locking pin 22.
• the locking pin 22 extends inside the oblique tube 8 or the seat tube 10 and is provided with an engagement portion 25, which is configured to engage a portion 26 for receiving the central pin 20.
• the locking pin 22 is movable between an opening position A and a locking position B, wherein the engagement portion 25 engages the receiving portion 26 to prevent both the translation along and the rotation about the longitudinal axis X of the central pin 20, and vice versa.
• the engagement portion 25 has an at least partially polygonal shape (from three to n sides), or a circular or elliptical shape.
• the portion 26 for receiving the central pin 20 is shaped as a seat 27 to receive the engagement portion 25 and has a shape complementary to the one of the engagement portion 25.
• the receiving portion 26 is defined by the seat 27, having a shape complementary to the shape of the engagement portion 25.
• the housing 27 has preferably a size approximating the one of the engagement portion 25.
• the locking pin 22 can engage the seat 27 and take the locking position B in order to prevent both the rotation and the translation (i.e. the extraction for disassembly) of the central pin 20.
• the locking pin 22 has a rectangular section.
• the central pin 20 is provided with an intermediate area having a polygonal section (from three to n sides) smaller than the end portions E.
• the intermediate area I has a transverse dimension smaller than the diameter of the two end portions E providing the connection with the cranks 18 so as to define two shoulders.
• the locking in the locking position B occurs in any relative position between the central pin 20 and the locking pin 22.
• the lowering of the locking pin 22 causes the rotation of the central pin 20 until it reaches a position where an end surface 28 of the engagement portion 25 is arranged above and in contact with a flat surface 29 of the intermediate area I to prevent the rotation of the central pin 20 about the longitudinal axis x.
• the two shoulders, defining a stop surface for the central pin 20, prevent the translation along the longitudinal axis X.
• the engagement portion 25 is rounded.
• the central pin 20 is provided with an intermediate area having a smaller circular section than the end portions E.
• the intermediate area has a diameter smaller than the one of the two end portions E providing the connection with the cranks 18 and thus defining two shoulders.
• the locking in the locking position B occurs thanks to the friction between the central pin 20 and the locking pin 22, thus hindering the rotation about the longitudinal axis X of the central pin 20.
• Two shoulders defining a stop surface for the central pin 20 prevent the translation along the longitudinal axis X.
• the central pin 20 has, at the receiving portion 26, a toothing 30 configured as a grooved profile formed at the outer surface and having an extension along the longitudinal axis X.
• the locking pin 22 has at the engagement portion 25 a toothing 31, formed with at least one tooth, wherein the profile of the toothing 31 is complementary to the profile of the toothing 30.
• the central pin 20 is provided with an intermediate area I provided with the toothing 30 and having a section smaller than the end portions E; in other words, the intermediate area has a transverse dimension smaller than the diameter of the two end portions E providing the connection with the cranks 18 so as to define two shoulders forming a stop surface for the translation along the longitudinal axis X of the central pin 20.
• a coating is applied at the engagement portion 25.
• the engagement portion 25 is provided with a magnet (not shown) , which is adapted to increase the effectiveness of the coupling between the receiving portion 26 and the engagement portion 25.
• the locking pin 22 is provided with an end portion predisposed to break.
• the end portion predisposed to break is free inside the central movement 16, thus hindering the rotation of the central pin 20 about the longitudinal axis X; the remaining portion of the central pin 20 prevents the translation along the longitudinal axis X of the central pin 20.
• the actuator 24 is designed to control the movement of the locking pin 22.
• the actuator 24 moves the locking pin 22 from an opening position A to a locking position B, and vice versa.
• the actuator 24 may be any actuator 24 similar, for example, to those used in common locks, or may alternatively comprise a worm screw.
• Both types of actuator 24 described above are suitable in case of a mechanical key 23.
• a lock (not shown) is housed at the frame 2.
• the anti-theft device 21 is provided with an electric motor (not shown) which drives the worm screw and is connected to an ECU control unit.
• the worm screw allows converting the high number of revolutions of the electric motor driving the worm screw into slow rectilinear movements with high forces.
• a tag containing a ciphered code (with a number of bits suitable for the desired security level) is embedded in the frame 2 of the bicycle 1.
• a mobile device such as for example a card with a microchip, a remote control, a smartphone, is provided with an additional tag and the ECU control unit is designed to compare the two tags and verify their compatibility.
• the communication protocol with the ECU control unit may be a Bluetooth protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol or may belong to any other radio technology widespread on the market.
• the anti- theft device 21 When working with the electronic key 23, the anti- theft device 21 also comprises a battery (not shown) for the power supply of the electric motor.
• the battery can also be directly housed in a wired electric key.
• a battery-recharging system is provided, or there is a spare battery as well.
• the key 23 is electronic and the actuator 24 is a worm screw; the anti-theft device 21 is also provided with the electric motor driving the worm screw and with the battery powering the electric motor, preferably arranged inside the electronic key 23.
• a sensor (not shown) connected to the ECU control unit and configured to measure the battery charge level L in order to indicate when the residual charge falls below a threshold value.
• the actuator 24 moves the locking pin 22 until it is coupled with the central pin 20.
• the actuator 24 controls the movement of the locking pin 22 moving in the oblique tube 8 or in the seat tube 10 from the opening position A to the locking position B, where the engagement portion 25 engages the receiving portion 26 in order to prevent both the translation along and the rotation about the longitudinal axis X of the central pin 20.
• the actuator 24 raises the locking pin 22 until the central pin 20 and the locking pin 22 are no longer coupled.
• the locking pin 22 is raised by means of the actuator 24 from the locking position B to the opening position A.
• the movement of the pedals 19 can be blocked in any position of the pedals 19.
• an anti-theft device 21 applied to the central movement 16 of a bicycle 1, but the anti-theft device 21 can find advantageous application on any bicycle provided with a crankset 6 for cycling, such as for example a tandem, a rickshaw, a lightweight three-wheeled wagon, an electric bike equipped with a central movement, etc.
• the anti-theft device 21 described heretofore has numerous advantages. First of all, the anti-theft device 21 is small and is not visible from the outside. The anti-theft device 21 is also effective both in preventing the rotation of the central pin 20 and in preventing the disassembly/extraction of the central pin 20 of the central movement 16 of the bicycle 1. The anti-theft device 21 has the further advantage of being easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
• Steering Devices For Bicycles And Motorcycles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=55446954

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2015
  • 2015-11-12 IT ITUB2015A005507A patent/ITUB20155507A1/it unknown
• 2016
  • 2016-11-11 WO PCT/IB2016/056819 patent/WO2017081661A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (5)

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