DE20019856U1 - Bicycle lock - Google Patents

Description

Dipl.-Ing. A. Wasmeier Dipl.-Ing. H. Graf

Authorized before the European Patent Office + Trade Mark Office · Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office + Trade Mark Office

Patent Attorneys PO Box 10 08 26 93008 Regensburg

German Patent
and Trademark Office
Zweibrückenstr. 12

80297 Munich

D-93008 REGENSBURG P.O. BOX 10 08 26

D-93055 REGENSBURG GREFLINGERSTRASSE 7

phone

(0941)79 20 85 (0941)79 20 86 (0941)79 5106

fax
E-mail:
wasmeier-graf@t-online.de

Your Reference Your Ref.

Your Message Your Letter

Our Ref.

P/g 19,785

Date

21 November 2000 w-el

Applicant:

Franz Plötz Brunhildstrasse 10 93051 Regensburg

Title:

Bicycle lock

Accounts: HypoVereinsbank (bank code 750 200 73) 5 839

Postgiroamt München (bank code 700 100 80) 893 69-801 Place of jurisdiction Regensburg A19785.DOC JI .1JJlO 08:32

•4

Bicycle lock

The innovation concerns a bicycle lock according to the preamble of claim 1.

The extremely increasing number of bicycle thefts has led to bicycles, especially high-end bicycles, being secured with increasingly sophisticated locks. These locks usually work by using a chain or U-lock, usually U-shaped, to lock the rear wheel and frame together so that the rear wheel of the bicycle is blocked. The same locks can be used to secure the frame and/or rear wheel to a stationary securing point, e.g. a bike stand, garden fence or similar, so that the bicycle cannot be carried away.

Such mobile bicycle locks have the disadvantage that they are quite bulky in their sturdy design, which makes them annoying, and they take up space on the bicycle that could be better used for other purposes.

The aim of the innovation is to propose a lock integrated into the bicycle frame, which allows the bicycle to be securely locked when in use, including attachment to a stationary component, and which can be stored in the bicycle frame itself when not in use.

According to the innovation, this is achieved in that the wrapping device in the form of a rope, a chain, a cable or the like is designed to be stowable in a tube of the bicycle frame, and in that the tube has an opening or bore through which the rope, chain or the like can be pulled out from the position stowed in the frame tube and the locking device mounted at the end of the rope, chain, etc. can be locked with a lock attached to the frame.

• « Il * I « »

Further embodiments of the innovation are the subject of the subclaims.

According to the innovation, the looping device, namely the rope, chain or the like, which is guided around the bicycle frame and the rear wheel or around the bicycle frame and a stationary component, e.g. a bicycle stand, a fence or a similar stationary securing point, is stowed in a tube of the frame in such a way that it is essentially completely housed in the tube when stowed. When the bicycle is to be locked, the rope, chain or the like is pulled out of the tube and the front, pulled out end of the rope, which is designed as a tumbler or catch, is inserted into a lock attached to the frame, so that the lock is locked.

The lock can be opened using a key, a chip card, a combination lock or similar in a conventional manner.

The rope, chain or similar that is housed in the tube of the frame is preferably spring-loaded so that it is automatically drawn into the tube and stowed there; for example, the rope is automatically wound onto a reel by a tension spring arrangement so that only the catch or tumbler at the end of the rope needs to be pulled out of the opening in the tube of the frame, looped around the stationary securing point and inserted into the lock to lock the bicycle.

The new bicycle lock has the decisive advantage that it is permanently mounted on the bicycle and is therefore permanently connected to the bicycle, so it is always available, does not require any space for storage and cannot be stolen. If the rope, cable or similar is stored in a tube in the frame, it is not visible, apart from the hole through which the rope is led to the outside, whereby the locking mechanism can be designed in such a way that it largely disappears in the hole and can be constructed as a closure for the hole.

A19785.DOC

The lock is locked in the conventional way using a key, chip card, combination lock or similar, so that the lock can be operated without any problems.

The innovation is explained below in conjunction with the drawing using an example embodiment.

The figure shows a schematic of a bicycle frame 1 with a top tube 2, steering head 3, and bottom bracket 4. A hole 5 is provided on the cross tube 2 and a guide 6 in the cross tube 2, which has a proper insertion (for stowing) and removal (for locking) on which the rope, chain, cable or similar wrapping device 7 is guided. The rope 7 or similar is connected at the inner end of the guide 6 to a spring arrangement or a tensioning device 8, which automatically pulls the rope into the cross tube 2 of the frame and tensions it when pulled. A winding device can be provided in the cross tube 2, with which the rope or similar is automatically wound up and held.

The looping device of the bicycle lock according to the invention can be arranged at any other location on the frame, e.g. in the down tube, in the seat tube or in the steering head of the frame, instead of in the top tube 2, while the lock housing can be mounted or integrated in the same or any other frame part without deviating from the invention.

The outer end of the cable 7 has a catch or catch 9, which is inserted into a lock 10 and locked when the bicycle is to be secured and locked, whereby the lock 10 is arranged at a fixing point on the frame, e.g. on the frame tube or is integrated with the tube. The lock 10 is operated in the conventional manner using a key, chip card or the like, or can optionally be designed as a number lock.

A19765.DOC ··· ···· ·· ·· ··

Claims (8)

1. Bicycle lock with a flexible wrapping device in the form of a rope, a coil, a chain, a cable or the like, which is guided around a frame part of the bicycle and a movable or stationary bicycle-independent fastening point, characterized in that a) the deflection device ( 7 ) is designed to be stowable in a tube ( 2 ) of the bicycle frame ( 1 ), and b) the tube ( 2 ) has a bore ( 5 ) through which the wrapping device ( 7 ) can be pulled out from the position stowed in the tube ( 2 ) and can be locked with a lock ( 10 ) fastened to the frame ( 1 ). 2. Bicycle lock according to claim 1, characterized in that a tensioning device ( 8 ) is provided in the tube ( 2 ), which pulls the wrapping device ( 7 ) into the stowed position within the tube ( 2 ). 3. Bicycle lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the free end of the wrapping device ( 7 ) has a locking device for the lock ( 10 ) fastened to the frame ( 1 ). 4. Bicycle lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lock ( 10 ) is a bolt lock with a tumbler ( 9 ). 5. Bicycle lock according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lock ( 10 ) is a combination lock. 6. Bicycle lock according to claim 2, characterized in that the tensioning device ( 8 ) is a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic spring. 7. Bicycle lock according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that the tensioning device ( 8 ), in particular in the form of a mechanical tension spring, is designed as an automatically acting winding device. 8. Bicycle lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a guide device ( 6 ) is formed in the tube ( 2 ), which guides the wrapping device ( 7 ) during extension and retraction or stowage.