Abstract:
Theft-prevention device for parking a two-wheeled vehicle includes, on the one hand, an accommodating device for one of the wheels of the vehicle. Extending on both sides and eventually above the wheel, in order to wrap more than half of the wheel, so as to make the hub thereof inaccessible. On the other hand, inside the accommodating device, there are seizing elements of the wheel through hooking-in.

Description:
RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX  
       [0003]     Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     This invention relates to a theft-prevention device for parking a two-wheeled vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Traditionally, the parking of the two-wheeled vehicles, whether motorized or not, occurs either through its own means, such as standing legs, or through structures allowing it to rest through jamming a wheel, for example, while the theft-prevention function is ensured by a chain or the like closed by means such as a padlock-type closing device.  
         [0006]     The means used have the drawback of being not very effective. Indeed, a two-wheeled vehicle not firmly connected to a structure can easily be removed without having to be concerned about its theft-prevention system which can be removed later on, and if it is fixed to a structure through a wheel, it can be easy to dismount said wheel and to remove the rest of the vehicle, or, depending on the equipment used by the thief, to cut the theft-prevention system.  
         [0007]     In addition, for most of the current devices, there remains the risk that the vehicles might fall, which can cause, in addition to damage to said vehicles, injuries to people passing by.  
         [0008]     In order to cope with these drawbacks, various devices for allowing a secure parking of the two-wheeled vehicles have been provided. The most effective ones are those which are in the form of a locker closed by means of a door provided with a lock and which is capable of containing a vehicle. These devices, such as those described for example in FR 2,762,343 and FR 2,764,261, have the drawback, in addition to a large size, of being unaesthetic.  
         [0009]     Others have provided devices allowing seizing the two-wheeled vehicle by a part other than a wheel, and in particular by the frame, such as for example the one described in WO 97/30884. Such a device is however limited to be used only with a determined form of two-wheeled vehicle and, in particular, bicycles the frame of which has a determined architecture and namely a horizontal bar.  
         [0010]     Others have provided, as in CH 683 248, a theft-prevention device comprising, on the one hand, accommodating means capable of accommodating the front wheel of a bicycle and, on the other hand, integral with said accommodating means, coupling means, such as a chain or cable, allowing enclosing another part of said bicycle. In addition to the size of such a device, the coupling means are of a classical type and can be forced in the same way.  
         [0011]     From JP 2004 001657 is also known a theft-prevention device allowing to grip the wheel of a bicycle; though it allows immobilization of a wheel, it cannot prevent separating the rest of the bicycle from the latter.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     This invention is aimed at providing a theft-prevention device for parking a two-wheeled vehicle, allowing to cope with the various above-mentioned drawbacks.  
         [0013]     The theft-prevention device for parking a two-wheeled vehicle according to the invention is primarily characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, accommodating means capable of accommodating one of the wheels of said vehicle by extending on both sides, in order to wrap more than half of it, so as to make its hub inaccessible; and, on the other hand, internally to said accommodating means, means capable of seizing, through hooking-in, said wheel and/or part of the frame of said vehicle.  
         [0014]     According to an additional feature of the device according to the invention, the means for seizing through hooking-in is associated with a stop means arranged inside the means for accommodating said wheel, which is capable of being pushed back by said wheel during the insertion of the latter into said accommodating means, and the displacement of which under the thrust of said wheel is capable of triggering the operation of said seizing means.  
         [0015]     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the stop means is provided with a toothed rack and blocking catch system, associated with unlocking means, which it co-operates with during its displacement under the thrust of the wheel.  
         [0016]     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the unlocking means is associated with a coin-slot device and/or coding means.  
         [0017]     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the means for seizing through hooking-in comprises at least one moving part capable of being moved transversely with respect to the wheel of the vehicle, so as to pass through it between the rim and the hub.  
         [0018]     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, it comprises means allowing prevention of the vehicle from being lifted.  
         [0019]     The means for seizing through hooking-in can be this means, according to its position in the device, and thus the location where the hooking-in has to occur.  
         [0020]     According to another additional feature of the device according to the invention, the means capable of accommodating the wheel consist of two substantially vertical and parallel walls, between which is provided for a space allowing the insertion of said wheel, while a horizontal wall extends above said space and connects said two walls.  
         [0021]     According to a particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the means for seizing through hooking-in consists of a chuck jaw the two jaws of which are capable of closing around the rim of the wheel.  
         [0022]     According to another particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the means for seizing through hooking-in consists of a hook capable of unfolding in order to pass through the wheel, preferably between elements of the frame.  
         [0023]     According to a particular embodiment of the device according to the invention, the means capable of accommodating the wheel consist of two substantially vertical and parallel walls, between which is provided for a space allowing the insertion of said wheel, and at least part of which is mobile in displacement to come close to or to separate from each other, so as to adapt the width of said space to the thickness of said wheel.  
         [0024]     The advantages and features of the device according to the invention will become clear from the following description, which refers to the attached drawing, which represents several non-restrictive embodiments of it. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic side and cross-sectional view of a theft-prevention device according to the invention, before use.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic side and cross-sectional view of the same device, during use.  
         [0027]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic and cross-sectional view of the device as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic and cross-sectional view of the device as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 5  shows a partial schematic side view of another embodiment of the theft-prevention device according to the invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic front view of the same device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]     When referring to  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4 , one can see a theft-prevention device  1  for parking a two-wheeled vehicle according to the invention.  
         [0032]     This device  1  is in the form of a structure primarily comprising two parallel vertical cases  2  and  3  connected by a rear case  4 , and defining a central space  10  of a width allowing insertion of a wheel  5  of the two-wheeled vehicle.  
         [0033]     The dimensions of the cases  2 ,  3  and  4  and, in particular, those of their inner walls  20 ,  30  and  40 , respectively, which define the space  10 , are chosen so that the wheel  5  can be accommodated in this space  10  beyond its hub  50 , so that the latter is hidden in it and cannot be reached to fraudulently dismount the wheel  5 . To this end, the width of the space  10  must be just sufficient for the passing through of this wheel  5 .  
         [0034]     It should be noted that the theft-prevention device  1  as shown also includes an upper wall  11 , which extends above the space  10  and which connects the two cases  2  and  3 . This wall  11  allows increasing the inaccessibility to the wheel  5 .  
         [0035]     The theft-prevention device  1  is provided with a mechanism for seizing through hooking-in the wheel  5 , which, in this embodiment is in the form of a chuck jaw  6  comprising two jaws  60  and  61  articulated at the level of the case  4  and capable of being extracted from the cases  2  and  3 , respectively, while passing through openings  21  and  31 , respectively, provided for in the walls  20  and  30 , respectively, in order to be closed in the space  10 .  
         [0036]     In the embodiment shown, the jaws  60  and  61  are independent, each being mounted so as to freely pivot about a vertical axis  62  and  63 , respectively, the inactive parts  64  and  65 , respectively, of the jaws  60  and  61  extending between these axes  62  and  63 .  
         [0037]     As can be seen more clearly in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , the mechanism also comprises a system for triggering the closing of the jaws  60  and  61 . This triggering system comprises a stop  66  integral with the end of a slide  67 , movable in horizontal translation and which passes through the wall  40  of the case  4 , through an opening  41 . The stop  66 , which, at rest, i.e. when the theft-prevention device  1  is not used, protrudes into the space  10 , can be pushed back into the case  4  by the wheel  5  during the insertion of the latter into the space  10 . When the stop  66  enters into the case  4 , it causes the jaws  60  and  61  to pivot into closed position by resting on the inactive parts  64  and  65 .  
         [0038]     The slide  67  is, furthermore, provided with a toothed rack  68  which co-operates with a catch  69  allowing blocking it when it is in re-entered position, and thus to immobilize the jaws in closed position. The catch  69  is associated with unlocking means, not shown, which is itself associated with a coin-slot device and/or coding means.  
         [0039]     The theft-prevention device according to the invention thus allows immobilizing a wheel of a two-wheeled vehicle, while preventing this wheel from being dismounted.  
         [0040]     It should be noted that the embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  3  and  4  is more particularly intended for parking motorized two-wheeled vehicles, such as the scooters, motor-bikes and the like.  
         [0041]     One should note the presence at the foot of the wall  40 , of an inclined plane  42  onto which can roll and raise the small-diameter wheels, so as to facilitate their access to the chuck jaw  6 .  
         [0042]     It should also be noted that, advantageously, from the point of view of the construction, it is contemplated that the seizing mechanism assembly constitutes a block that can be separated from the device, in order to allow its removal and its replacement by another one for maintenance purposes.  
         [0043]     In this embodiment, each wall  30  consists of the inner face of a plate  31  movable in displacement so as to allow varying the width of the space  10  and its adaptation to the thickness of the wheel  5 .  
         [0044]     These plates  32  can be driven, for example, by jacks, not shown, and controlled by the displacement of the stop  66 . These plates  32  can thus enter into contact with the hub  50 , preferably without exerting any pressure on the latter, by using for example pressure sensors which allow controlling the stoppage of displacement and the maintaining in position.  
         [0045]     It should be noted that the plates  32  can preferably have a concave form, so as to favor a covering of the hub  50 .  
         [0046]     The plates  32  are thus brought as close as possible to the hub  50 , irrespective of the size and the nature of the latter. It is thus possible to contemplate an initial space  10  of a large width, in order to be able to accommodate both bicycles and scooters, and even motor-bikes.  
         [0047]     Furthermore, because of this possibility of narrowing the space  10  as much as required, it is possible to contemplate to omit a horizontal wall  11 , thus making the entire theft-prevention device more compact.  
         [0048]     When referring now to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , one can see another embodiment of the device according to the invention, in particular for parking a bicycle  7 .  
         [0049]     As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , the device also comprises three cases  2 ,  3  and  4  which define, with an upper wall  11 , a space  10  aimed at receiving the wheel  70  of the bicycle  7 , which is preferably the rear wheel.  
         [0050]     The mechanism for seizing the wheel  70  through hooking-in comprises a hook  8  capable of being unfolded in the space  10  while passing through the wall  20 , in order to be blocked at the level of the wall  30 , after having passed through the wheel  70 , preferably between elements of the frame  71 .  
         [0051]     The unfolding of the hook  8  can be occur through means, not shown, similar to the one used in the first embodiment, i.e. a thrust member against which the wheel  70  is aimed at resting in order to cause, through bending means, the hook  8  to swivel.  
         [0052]     The device can, furthermore, include accessories such as for example a cabinet for placing objects such as the user&#39;s helmet or gloves, the locking of this cabinet occurring at the same time as the actuation of the theft-prevention device.