Cargo vehicle with locking kickstand

Abstract

A delivery vehicle includes a frame, two or more wheels rotatably mounted to the frame, and a kickstand mounted to the frame and having a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. At least a portion of a weight of the delivery vehicle being supported by the kickstand in the deployed configuration, and at least one of the two or more wheels being offset from a ground when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration. A locking system is operatively connected to the frame and to the kickstand, the locking system having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration, and a locked configuration in which the kickstand is locked in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

Description

CARGO VEHICLE WITH LOCKING KICKSTANDCROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims benefit from United States patent application no. 63 / 619,063 filed on January 9, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to delivery vehicles and, more particularly, to cargo bicycles and to anti-theft systems to be used with such cargo bicycles.BACKGROUND

[0003] Operators of delivery vehicles such as cargo bikes require locks to prevent theft of the cargo bicycle and its contents while the cargo bicycle is left unattended during a delivery. Typically, such bicycles are locked using standard bicycle locks, which are inserted through their wheel(s) and frame. However, this may not be desirable for commercial operators. Improvements are therefore sought.SUMMARY

[0004] There is accordingly provided a delivery vehicle, comprising: a frame; two or more wheels rotatably mounted to the frame; a kickstand mounted to the frame and having a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration, at least a portion of a weight of the delivery vehicle being supported by the kickstand in the deployed configuration, and at least one of the two or more wheels being offset from a ground when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration; and a locking system operatively connected to the frame and to the kickstand, the locking system having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration and a locked configuration in which the kickstand is locked in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

[0005] The delivery vehicle as defined above and described herein also includes, in certain embodiments, one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

[0006] In certain embodiments, the kickstand is automatically locked by the locking system when the kickstand reaches the deployed configuration.

[0007] In certain embodiments, the locking system includes: a first locking member secured to the frame; a second locking member secured to the kickstand, the first locking member matingly engageable with the second locking member, the first locking member locked to the second locking member in the locked configuration of the locking system; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release operable to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to move the locking system into the unlocked configuration.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the first locking member is a latch being pivotably mounted to the frame, the second locking member being a protrusion protruding from the kickstand, the latch being pivotable between a locked position corresponding to the locked configuration of the locking system and an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked configuration of the locking system, the latch and the protrusion abutting one another in the locked position to lock the kickstand in the deployed configuration, the latch and the protrusion being offset from one another in the unlocked position to permit the kickstand to move towards the retracted configuration.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the release is a cable engaged to the latch, the cable operatively connected to a lock mounted to the frame, the lock configured to exert a force on the cable to move the latch in the unlocked position.

[0010] In certain embodiments, a biasing member engaged to the latch, the biasing member exerting a biasing force to bias the latch in the locked position.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the locking system includes a casing secured to the frame, the latch contained within the casing, the casing defining an opening sized to receive the protrusion when the kickstand is moved to the retracted configuration.

[0012] In certain embodiments, the protrusion has a locking member and a blocking member, the locking member contacting an abutment defined by a portion of the latch in the locked position of the latch and when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration, the blocking member overlapping a portion of the opening of the casing, the portion of the latch defining the abutment being enclosed between walls of the casing and the blocking member of the protrusion to prevent tempering of the locking system.

[0013] In certain embodiments, the kickstand includes two brackets pivotably mounted to the frame, the protrusion protruding from one of the two brackets towards the other of the two brackets.

[0014] In certain embodiments, the first locking member is a catch and the second locking member is a bolt, the bolt projecting from the kickstand and defining an abutment, the abutment engaging the catch in the locked configuration of the locking system.

[0015] There is also provided a kickstand assembly for a delivery vehicle, comprising: a kickstand pivotably mountable to a frame of the delivery vehicle for being selectively moved between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration; and a locking system for selectively locking the kickstand in the deployed configuration or permitting the kickstand to be pivoted in the retracted configuration, the locking system having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration and a locked configuration in which the kickstand is locked in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

[0016] The kickstand assembly as defined above and described herein also includes, in certain embodiments, one or more of the following features, in whole or in part, and in any combination.

[0017] In certain embodiments, the locking system has: a first locking member mountable to the frame of the delivery vehicle; a second locking member secured to the kickstand, the first locking member matingly engageable with the second locking member, the first locking member locked to the second locking member in the locked configuration of the locking system; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release operable to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to move the locking system into the unlocked configuration.

[0018] In certain embodiments, the first locking member is a latch being pivotably mounted to the frame, the second locking member being a protrusion protruding from the kickstand, the latch being pivotable between a locked position corresponding to the locked configuration of the locking system and an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked configuration of the locking system, the latch and the protrusion abutting one another in the locked position to lock the kickstand in the deployed configuration, the latch and the protrusion being offset from one another in the unlocked position to permit the kickstand to move towards the retracted configuration.

[0019] In certain embodiments, the release is a cable engaged to the latch, the cable operatively connected to a lock mounted to the frame, the lock configured to exert a force on the cable to move the latch in the unlocked position.

[0020] In certain embodiments, a biasing member is engaged to the latch, the biasing member exerting a biasing force to bias the latch in the locked position.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the locking system includes a casing secured to the frame, the latch contained within the casing, the casing defining an opening sized to receive the protrusion when the kickstand is moved to the retracted configuration.

[0022] In certain embodiments, the protrusion has a locking member and a blocking member, the locking member contacting an abutment defined by a portion of the latch in the locked position of the latch and when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration, the blocking member overlapping a portion of the opening of the casing, the portion of the latch defining the abutment being enclosed between walls of the casing and the blocking member of the protrusion to prevent tempering of the locking system.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the kickstand includes two brackets pivotably mounted to the frame, the protrusion protruding from one of the two brackets towards the other of the two brackets.

[0024] In certain embodiments, the first locking member is a catch and the second locking member is a bolt, the bolt projecting from the kickstand and defining an abutment, the abutment engaging the catch in the locked configuration of the locking system.

[0025] In certain embodiments, the catch is enclosed in a housing secured to the frame, the housing having a bottom cover and a top cover, the bottom cover defining an opening for receiving the bolt, the catch partially overlapping the opening of the bottom cover.

[0026] There is therefore generally provided a delivery vehicle, such as a delivery or cargo bike, that has a locking kickstand. More particularly, a lock on the kickstand of the cargo bike is provided to automatically lock the kickstand in its deployed position. The disclosed locking kickstand may be used with other kinds of wheeled vehicles, such as tricycle, quad cycle, and so on, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0027] In a particular embodiment, the lock is remotely released via a cable, and the cable is connected at the other end to a lock cylinder which is conveniently located on the bike frame. The ergonomics and convenient placement of the lock cylinder may facilitate package delivery for companies where delivery efficiency is important.

[0028] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a delivery bicycle, comprising: a frame; wheels rotatably mounted to the frame; a kickstand mounted to the frame and having a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration, the bicycle being configured to roll when the kickstand is in the retracted configuration and being prevented from rolling when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration, at least a portion of a weight of the delivery bike being supported by the kickstand in the deployed configuration; and a locking system operatively connected to the frame and to the kickstand, the locking system having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration and a locked configuration, wherein in the locked configuration the kickstand is locked in position in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

[0029] In certain aspects, the locking system further includes: a first locking member secured to the frame; a second locking member secured to the kickstand, the first locking member matingly engageable with the second locking member, the first locking member locked to the second locking member in the locked configuration of the locking system; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release operable to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to move the locking system into the unlocked configuration.

[0030] In certain aspects, the first locking member is a catch and the second locking member is a bolt, the bolt projecting from the kickstand and defining an abutment, the abutment engaging the catch in the locked configuration of the locking system.

[0031] In accordance with another aspect, there is also provided a locking system for a bicycle comprising: a kickstand adapted to be pivotably mounted to a frame of the bicycle for pivoting movement between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration; a first locking member and a second locking member, one of the first locking member and the second locking member being secured to the kickstand, and the other of the first locking member and the second locking member being adapted to be secured to the frame, the first locking member and the second locking member being relatively displaceable between a mated configuration and a disengagedconfigured, wherein the locking system is disposed in a locked configuration when the first locking member and the second locking member are matingly engaged with each other in the mated configuration; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release configured to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to thereby place the locking system into an unlocked configuration; wherein in the unlocked configuration of the locking system the kickstand is pivotable from the deployed configuration to the retracted configuration, and in the locked configuration of the locking system the kickstand is locked in position in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which:

[0033] Fig. 1 A is a schematic side view of a wheeled delivery vehicle, depicted as a delivery bike, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0034] Fig. 1 B is a schematic three dimensional view of the delivery vehicle of Fig. 1A;

[0035] Fig. 2 is a three dimensional view of a kickstand of the delivery vehicle of Fig. 1 ;

[0036] Fig. 3 is a top three dimensional view of a portion of a locking system for the kickstand of Fig. 2 and the delivery vehicle of Figs. 1 A-1 B;

[0037] Fig. 4A is a cutaway view illustrating the locking system in a locked configuration and the kickstand in a deployed configuration;

[0038] Fig. 4B is another cutaway view illustrating the locking system in an unlocked configuration;

[0039] Fig. 4C is another cutaway view illustrating the locking system in the unlocked configuration while the kickstand is between the deployed configuration and a retracted configuration;

[0040] Fig. 4D is another cutaway view illustrating the locking system in the unlocked configuration while the kickstand is in the retracted configuration;

[0041] Fig. 5 is a three dimensional view of the kickstand equipped with a locking system in accordance with another embodiment;

[0042] Fig. 6 is a top three dimensional exploded view of the locking system for the kickstand of Fig. 5; and

[0043] Fig. 7 is a bottom three dimensional exploded view of the locking system for the kickstand of Fig. 5.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] As package and food delivery services become more and more commonplace, there exists a growing need for delivery vehicle. In urban settings, such delivery vehicles include delivery bikes for example. For delivery services, the time required to lock and unlock the vehicle is important, as small delays can add up and may result in fewer overall deliveries. Further, consistency in usage and control over keys, and time spent locating and using keys to lock and unlock a delivery vehicle, are significantly more important for delivery vehicles compared to regular vehicles. Additionally, with particular reference to cargo or delivery bikes, these types of bikes are heavier than standard bikes, making it less likely for delivery bikes to be carried away by a thief. Locking such cargo bikes is therefore necessary, but there exists a need to improve the efficiency and time required to lock cargo or delivery vehicles in general, and delivery bikes in particular.

[0045] Referring to Figs. 1A-1 B, a delivery vehicle, depicted as a delivery bicycle (simply “bike” hereinafter) is shown at 10. The vehicle 10 has a frame 20. The frame 20 includes a head tube 21 used to support a front wheel 22 via a spoke 23. The frame 20 includes a seat tube 24 to support a seat onto which an operator is sitting while driving the vehicle 10. The frame 20 has a rear triangle 25 that rotatably supports a rear wheel 26. In the embodiment shown, the rear triangle 25 is connected to the head tube 21 via a transverse tube 27. The frame 20 further includes a steering column 28 mounted to the transverse tube 27 and protruding substantially vertically therefrom. The steering column 28 contains the necessary hardware to cause rotation of the spoke 23 and of the front wheel 22 to steer the vehicle 10 as known in the art. Namely, in this embodiment, the steering column 28 engages a direction member 29 that is itself engaged to an arm of the spoke 23. Therefore, to steer the vehicle 10, a user rotate the steering column 28 thereby exerting either a pushing or pulling force on the direction member 29 to exert a momenton the spoke 23 to result in a rotation of the spoke 23 to change a direction of travel of the vehicle10.

[0046] Referring to Figs. 1A-3, the vehicle 10 further includes a kickstand 30 for supporting the vehicle 10 upright when stationary. The kickstand 30 has a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration. The kickstand 30 is shown in the deployed configuration in Fig. 1 A. In this deployed configuration, at least a portion of a weight of the vehicle 10 supported by the kickstand 30. In other words, at least one of the wheels of the vehicle 10 is offset from the ground when the kickstand 30 is in the deployed configuration. The kickstand 30 includes two legs 31 extending generally transversally to the transverse tube 27 and two feet 32 at distal ends of the two legs 31 . The two feet 32 are in contact with a ground when the kickstand 30 is in the deployed configuration. The kickstand 30 is pivotably mounted to the transverse tube 27 and is able to pivot about a pivot axis P1 between the retracted and deployed configurations. Two brackets 33 may be secured to the legs 31 and spaced apart to receive a portion of the transverse tube 27 therebetween. These brackets 33 define holes configured to be in register with holes defined through the transverse tube 27 to receive a pivot permitting rotation of the kickstand 30 relative to the frame 20 of the vehicle 10. In some embodiments, only one bracket may be used. A pin 34 (Fig. 3) extends through bores defined by both of the two brackets 33 and through a bore defined by the transverse tube 27 of the frame 20. The kickstand 30 is therefore pivotable relative to the frame 20 about the pin 34. Bearings or other means may be used to facilitate rotation of the kickstand 30 relative to the frame 20.

[0047] In some cases, it may be desired to lock the vehicle 10 to prevent theft while the operator is carrying out a delivery. Typically, locks are engaged to one of the wheels 22, 26 of the vehicle 10 to the frame 20 so the vehicle 10 cannot be rolled away. This may be an undesirable locking method for vehicle operators because wheel spokes may be damaged if the user forgets to unlock the vehicle before rolling away. Moreover, locking the vehicle 10 with such locks may be time consuming impairing the efficiency of the delivery process.

[0048] The inventors of the present disclosure found an alternate way of locking the vehicle 10. The kickstand 30 of the vehicle 10 may be quite large and robust to hold vehicles upright even when loaded with cargo, which is typically located over the transverse tube 27 between the steering column 28 and the head tube 21. The kickstand 30 may be robust enough that it may also be used to prevent rolling the vehicle 10 away if there were a mechanism to keep it locked in the deployed configuration of Fig. 1A. In the present embodiment, the kickstand 30 may belocked to prevent the vehicle 10 from being rolled away without risking damage to the wheel spokes.

[0049] Referring back to Figs. 1A-1 B, in the embodiment shown, the vehicle 10 is equipped with a locking system 40 operatively connected to the frame 20 and to the kickstand 30. The locking system 40 has an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand 30 is movable between the retracted configuration and the deployed configuration and a locked configuration in which the kickstand 30 is locked into the deployed configuration via the locking system 40. The locking system 40 may be contained within the frame 20, more specifically within the transverse tube 27, to prevent tampering. In some embodiments, the locking system 40 and the kickstand 30 may be parts of an assembly that may be installed on existing delivery vehicles.

[0050] Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the locking system 40 includes: a first locking member 41 secured to the frame 20 and a second locking member 42 (Fig. 2) secured to the kickstand 30. The first locking member 41 is matingly engageable to the second locking member 42. The first locking member 41 is locked to the second locking member 42 in the locked configuration of the locking system 40. In the embodiment shown, the second locking member 42 is provided in the form of a protrusion 42A protruding transversally from one of the two brackets 33. The protrusion 42A has a C-shape, but other shapes, are contemplated. More detail about the shape of the protrusion 42A are provided below.

[0051] Reference is now made to Figs. 4A to 4D to explain the different components of the locking system 40 and its method of operation.

[0052] Referring more particularly to Figs. 4A, the first locking member 41 is movable relative to the frame 20 and relative to the second locking member 42 to release the second locking member 42 and the kickstand 30. In the embodiment shown, the locking system 40 includes a casing 43 mounted to the frame 20 via one or more pin, two pins 44 in this embodiment. The casing 43 may be secured to the transverse tube 27 of the frame 20 via those pins 44. The casing 43 includes a plurality of interconnected walls enclosing an internal volume that receives parts of the locking system 40. More specifically, the casing 43 defines an opening 43A at a bottom wall thereof. The first locking member 41 is contained within the internal volume of the casing 43 and is provided in the form of a latch 41 A being pivotally mounted to the casing 43 via one of the two pins 44. Although, it will be appreciated that in some alternate embodiments, the latch 41 A maybe mounted to the casing 43 via another pin not used for securing the casing 43 to the frame 20.Moreover, the casing 43 may be secured to the frame 20 via welding or other means.

[0053] As depicted in Fig. 4A, the latch 41 A defines an abutment 41 B, or shoulder, that engages a portion of the protrusion 42A. A contact or abutment between the abutment 41 B of the latch 41 A and the protrusion 42A therefore prevents rotation of the kickstand 30 along a retraction direction D1 to maintain the kickstand 30 in the locked configuration depicted in Fig. 4A. Put differently, the engagement between the abutment 41 B and the protrusion 42A prevents the protrusion 42A from exiting the internal volume of the casing 43. In the embodiment shown, the abutment 41 B is defined by a face of the latch 41 A that faces a direction being parallel to a direction of movement of the kickstand 30 when moving away from the deployed configuration.

[0054] The latch 41A is therefore pivotable between two positions, namely a locked position (as shown in Fig. 4A) and an unlocked position (as shown in Fig. 4B), to selectively lock or release the kickstand 30. In the locked position, the first locking member 41 engages the second locking member 42 to prevent rotation of the kickstand 30 relative to the frame 20 whereas, in the unlocked position, the first locking member 41 is disengaged from the second locking member 42 to permit rotation of the kickstand 30 relative to the frame 20. Stated differently, in the locked position, an overlap is defined between the abutment 41 B of the latch 41 A and a portion of the protrusion 42A whereas, in the unlocked position, the abutment 41 B is offset from the portion of the protrusion 42A.

[0055] Still referring to Fig. 4A, in the embodiment shown, the protrusion 42A is configured to at least partially prevent tempering of the locking system 40. The protrusion 42A has a locking member 42B and a blocking member 42C. The locking member 42B contacts the abutment 41 B, which is defined by a portion of the latch 41 A, to lock the kickstand 30 in the deployed configuration. As depicted, the blocking member 42C overlaps a portion of the opening 43A of the casing 43 such that the portion of the latch 41 A defining the abutment 41 B is enclosed between walls of the casing 43 and the blocking member 42C of the protrusion 42A to prevent tempering of the locking system 40. More specifically, the blocking member 42C may have an L- shape having a horizontal section that overlaps a portion of the opening 43A of the casing 43 and a vertical section protruding from the horizontal section and overlapping the portion of the latch 41 A. Thus, the portion of the latch 41 A that defines the abutment 41 B is located between the locking member 42B and the horizontal section of the blocking member 42C and between the vertical section of the blocking member 42C and a wall of the casing 43. In so doing, it may bechallenging for a thief to access the latch 41A via the opening 43A of the casing 43. The cooperation of the protrusion 42A with the casing 43 may thus help in improving safety of the locking system 40.

[0056] In the embodiment shown, a release 45 is engaged to the first locking member 41 , herein the latch 41 A, to move the first locking member 41 from the locked position depicted in Fig. 4A to the unlocked position depicted in Fig. 4B. It will be appreciated that, in other embodiments, the release 45 may be mounted to the kickstand 30 instead of the frame 20 and may engage the second locking member instead of the first locking member. The release 45 may be a cable 45A slidably received within a cable housing 45B and engaged to the latch 41A. In the embodiment shown, the cable 45A is engaged to a portion of the latch 41 A disposed on an opposite side of the pin 44 relative to the abutment 41 B. Therefore, the cable 45A exerts a pulling force on the latch 41 A to pivot the latch along a pivoting direction D2 (Fig. 4B) to move the latch 41 A from the locked position to the unlocked position. The cable housing 45B may be secured to the casing 43 via an attachment member 46. A biasing member 47, such as a spring, may be disposed around the cable 45A and between the latch 41 A and the attachment member 46. The biasing member 47 is configured to exert a force against the latch 41 A to bias the latch 41 A in the locked position. Other configurations are contemplated, for instance, the biasing member may be exerting a pulling force on the latch 41 A instead of a pushing force in some configurations.

[0057] Referring back to Fig. 1A, in some embodiments, the release 45 is engaged by a lock 48, which may be a lock cylinder or other suitable lock. A key may be used to unlock the lock 48 and rotation of the key within the lock 48 may cause a member of the lock 48 to pull on the cable 45A thereby moving the first locking member 41 relative to the second locking member 42 to move the first locking member 41 in the unlocked position thereby permitting the retraction of the kickstand 30.

[0058] Referring now to Figs. 4A-4D, when it is desired to move the kickstand 30 from the deployed configuration of Fig. 4A to the retracted configuration of Fig. 4D, a user of the vehicle 10 unlocks the lock 48 thereby exerting a pulling force on the cable 45A to exert a force on the latch 41 A to disengage the latch 41 A from the protrusion 42A thereby permitting the kickstand 30 to move along the retraction direction D1 from the deployed configuration to the retracted configuration. To lock the kickstand 30 in the deployed configuration, the user pivots the kickstand 30 about the pivot axis P1 and along a deployment direction D3 (Fig. 4C) until the protrusion 42A enters the internal volume of the casing 43 via the opening 43A. At which point, the protrusion42A abuts the latch 41 A until a portion of the protrusion 42A becomes in contact with the abutment 41 B of the latch 41 A thereby maintaining the kickstand 30 in the deployed configuration and locked in said configuration. In some embodiments, the kickstand 30 may block access to the opening 43A when in the deployed configuration. This may prevent a thief from tampering with the locking system 40. As shown in Fig. 4D, the kickstand 30 is in the retracted configuration and the user may move the kickstand 30 along the deployment direction D3.

[0059] In this embodiment, the kickstand 30 becomes automatically locked in the deployed configuration as soon as the kickstand 30 reaches said deployed configuration. This is provided by the locking system 40 in which the first locking member 41 , herein the latch 41 A, automatically becomes engaged to the second locking member 42, herein the protrusion 42A, upon the kickstand 30 reaching the deployed configuration. This is rendered possible by the biasing member 47 biasing the latch 41 A in the locked position as soon as a portion of the protrusion 42A has cleared the abutment 41 B thereby permitting the latch 41 A to engage the protrusion 42A. Put differently, the kickstand 30 can be moved from the retracted configuration to the deployed position at all times (e.g., regardless of the locked / unlocked configuration of the locking system), but can only be moved from the deployed position to the retracted position when the locking system 40 is in the unlocked position. For delivery riders, this may enable faster delivery times because they only need to fumble with keys half the time, only when they are unlocking the locking system 40 and not when they are parking the vehicle 10.

[0060] Referring now to Figs. 5-7, another embodiment of a locking system is shown at 140. For the sake of conciseness, only features differing from the locking system 40 described above are described below.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 5, the second locking member 142 is provided in the form of a bolt 142A defining an abutment 142B. The second locking member 142 may be hook-shaped. The bolt 142A may define a chamfered head to facilitate its insertion in the first locking member 141 .

[0062] As shown in Fig. 6, the first locking member 141 may be provided in the form of a catch 141A having a plate 141 B defining an aperture 141 C sized to accept the bolt 142A. In the locked configuration, the bolt 142A is engaged by the catch 141 A such that the bolt 142A is substantially non-movable relative to the catch 141A. More specifically, in the locked configuration, the abutment 142B of the bolt 142A contacts the plate 141 B of the catch 141 A toprevent relative motion between the two locking members along a direction being parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bolt 142A.

[0063] The first locking member 141 may be located within a housing 143 having a top cover 143A and a bottom cover 143B; the first locking member 141 being located between the top cover 143A and the bottom cover 143B. The bottom cover 143B defines an aperture 143C sized to receive the bolt 142A. The housing 143 may be welded or securely fastened to the frame 20 so that it may not be removed when the kickstand 30 is locked in the deployed configuration.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 7, the top cover 143A may define a recess 143D sized to receive the cable housing 144B. The cable housing 144B is fastened to the top cover 143A within the recess 143D. Much like in the embodiment of Fig. 3, the release 144 is engaged by the lock 48. A key may be used to unlock the lock 48 and rotation of the key within the lock 48 may cause a member of the lock 48 to pull on the cable 144A which has a terminal end 144C (see Fig. 6) secured to the catch 141 A, thereby moving the first locking member 141 relative to the second locking member 142 until the abutment 142B of the bolt 142A is free of contact with the plate 141 B to permit the bolt 142A to pass through the aperture 141 C of the plate 141 B thereby permitting movement of the kickstand 30 relative to the frame 20. In other words, pulling on the cable 144A causes the bolt 142A to be in register with the aperture 141 C of the catch 141 A thereby permitting retraction of the bolt 142A from the catch 141A to move the kickstand in the retracted configuration. The lock 145 may be located anywhere on the frame 20. It will be appreciated that any suitable lock may be used such as a lock cylinder, a cam lock and lever mechanism, and so on.

[0065] A biasing member 146, such as a spring, is compressed between the catch 141 A and the cable housing 144B. The biasing member 146 exerts a force on the catch 141 A to maintain the catch 141 A in a position corresponding to the locked configuration of the locking system 140. The operator, when rotating the key within the lock 145 has to overcome a force generated by the biasing member 146 to unlock the locking system 140.

[0066] The kickstand 30 is thus used to immobilize the vehicle 10 without risking damage to the spokes. The kickstand 30 may not interfere with the spinning of the wheels and, when in the deployed configuration, prevents the vehicle 10 from being rolled away since at least one wheel cannot contact the ground while the kickstand 30 is deployed. Since the wheels are free to spin, there may be no risk of damaging the wheels if the user forgets to unlock the vehicle 10.

[0067] It will be appreciated that the locking system may include, instead of a catch and bolt, a stud parallel to the pivot axis P1 and a rotary / bear claw latch mounted to the side of the frame 20 and aligned to accept the stud in the deployed configuration.

[0068] It is noted that various connections are set forth between elements in the preceding description and in the drawings. It is noted that these connections are general and, unless specified otherwise, may be direct or indirect and that this specification is not intended to be limiting in this respect. A coupling between two or more entities may refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection. An indirect connection may incorporate one or more intervening entities. The term “connected” or "coupled to" may therefore include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to each other contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements).

[0069] It is further noted that various method or process steps for embodiments of the present disclosure are described in the following description and drawings. The description may present the method and / or process steps as a particular sequence. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the description should not be construed as a limitation.

[0070] Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0071] While various aspects of the present disclosure have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure as described herein includes several aspects and embodiments that include particular features. Although these particular features may be described individually, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that some or all of these features may be combined with any one of the aspectsand remain within the scope of the present disclosure. References to “various embodiments,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. The use of the indefinite article “a” as used herein with reference to a particular element is intended to encompass “one or more” such elements, and similarly the use of the definite article “the” in reference to a particular element is not intended to exclude the possibility that multiple of such elements may be present.

[0072] The embodiments described in this document provide non-limiting examples of possible implementations of the present technology. Upon review of the present disclosure, a person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present technology. Yet further modifications could be implemented by a person of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, which modifications would be within the scope of the present technology.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . A delivery vehicle, comprising: a frame; two or more wheels rotatably mounted to the frame; a kickstand mounted to the frame and having a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration, at least a portion of a weight of the delivery vehicle being supported by the kickstand in the deployed configuration, and at least one of the two or more wheels being offset from a ground when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration; and a locking system operatively connected to the frame and to the kickstand, the locking system having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration and a locked configuration in which the kickstand is locked in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

2. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the kickstand is automatically locked by the locking system when the kickstand reaches the deployed configuration.

3. The delivery vehicle of claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking system includes: a first locking member secured to the frame; a second locking member secured to the kickstand, the first locking member matingly engageable with the second locking member, the first locking member locked to the second locking member in the locked configuration of the locking system; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release operable to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to move the locking system into the unlocked configuration.

4. The delivery vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first locking member is a latch being pivotably mounted to the frame, the second locking member being a protrusion protruding from the kickstand, the latch being pivotable between a locked position corresponding to the locked configuration of the locking system and an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked configuration of the locking system, the latch and the protrusion abutting oneanother in the locked position to lock the kickstand in the deployed configuration, the latch and the protrusion being offset from one another in the unlocked position to permit the kickstand to move towards the retracted configuration.

5. The delivery vehicle of claim 4, wherein the release is a cable engaged to the latch, the cable operatively connected to a lock mounted to the frame, the lock configured to exert a force on the cable to move the latch in the unlocked position.

6. The delivery vehicle of claim 5, comprising a biasing member engaged to the latch, the biasing member exerting a biasing force to bias the latch in the locked position.

7. The delivery vehicle of claim 4, wherein the locking system includes a casing secured to the frame, the latch contained within the casing, the casing defining an opening sized to receive the protrusion when the kickstand is moved to the retracted configuration.

8. The delivery vehicle of claim 7, wherein the protrusion has a locking member and a blocking member, the locking member contacting an abutment defined by a portion of the latch in the locked position of the latch and when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration, the blocking member overlapping a portion of the opening of the casing, the portion of the latch defining the abutment being enclosed between walls of the casing and the blocking member of the protrusion to prevent tempering of the locking system.

9. The delivery vehicle of any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the kickstand includes two brackets pivotably mounted to the frame, the protrusion protruding from one of the two brackets towards the other of the two brackets.

10. The delivery vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first locking member is a catch and the second locking member is a bolt, the bolt projecting from the kickstand and defining an abutment, the abutment engaging the catch in the locked configuration of the locking system.1 1. A kickstand assembly for a delivery vehicle, comprising: a kickstand pivotably mountable to a frame of the delivery vehicle for being selectively moved between a retracted configuration and a deployed configuration; and a locking system for selectively locking the kickstand in the deployed configuration or permitting the kickstand to be pivoted in the retracted configuration, the lockingsystem having an unlocked configuration in which the kickstand is movable between the deployed configuration and the retracted configuration and a locked configuration in which the kickstand is locked in the deployed configuration and prevented from being moved into the retracted configuration.

12. The kickstand assembly of claim 1 1 , wherein the locking system has: a first locking member mountable to the frame of the delivery vehicle; a second locking member secured to the kickstand, the first locking member matingly engageable with the second locking member, the first locking member locked to the second locking member in the locked configuration of the locking system; and a release engaged to one or more of the first locking member and the second locking member, the release operable to disengage the first locking member from the second locking member to move the locking system into the unlocked configuration.

13. The kickstand assembly of claim 12, wherein the first locking member is a latch being pivotably mounted to the frame, the second locking member being a protrusion protruding from the kickstand, the latch being pivotable between a locked position corresponding to the locked configuration of the locking system and an unlocked position corresponding to the unlocked configuration of the locking system, the latch and the protrusion abutting one another in the locked position to lock the kickstand in the deployed configuration, the latch and the protrusion being offset from one another in the unlocked position to permit the kickstand to move towards the retracted configuration.

14. The kickstand assembly of claim 13, wherein the release is a cable engaged to the latch, the cable operatively connected to a lock mounted to the frame, the lock configured to exert a force on the cable to move the latch in the unlocked position.

15. The kickstand assembly of claim 14, comprising a biasing member engaged to the latch, the biasing member exerting a biasing force to bias the latch in the locked position.

16. The kickstand assembly of claim 13, wherein the locking system includes a casing secured to the frame, the latch contained within the casing, the casing defining an opening sized to receive the protrusion when the kickstand is moved to the retracted configuration.

17. The kickstand assembly of claim 16, wherein the protrusion has a locking member and a blocking member, the locking member contacting an abutment defined by a portion of the latch in the locked position of the latch and when the kickstand is in the deployed configuration, the blocking member overlapping a portion of the opening of the casing, the portion of the latch defining the abutment being enclosed between walls of the casing and the blocking member of the protrusion to prevent tempering of the locking system.

18. The kickstand assembly of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the kickstand includes two brackets pivotably mounted to the frame, the protrusion protruding from one of the two brackets towards the other of the two brackets.

19. The kickstand assembly of claim 12, wherein the first locking member is a catch and the second locking member is a bolt, the bolt projecting from the kickstand and defining an abutment, the abutment engaging the catch in the locked configuration of the locking system.

20. The kickstand assembly of claim 19, wherein the catch is enclosed in a housing secured to the frame, the housing having a bottom cover and a top cover, the bottom cover defining an opening for receiving the bolt, the catch partially overlapping the opening of the bottom cover.

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