Bicycle Battery Lock Assembly With Interlocking Anti-Theft Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle battery systems lack an effective anti-theft mechanism that prevents unauthorized removal without a key, as current locks can be opened using tools like screwdrivers.
Innovation Solution
A battery assembly with interlocking members, including hooks and recesses on the lock and interfacing surface, which engage upon battery insertion, preventing movement in the longitudinal direction and requiring a key to unlock, along with a blocking strip that secures the lock and end plate, making it impossible to access the latch with tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lock with latch and stop is used, then the battery can be secured against casual removal, but the lock can be opened using tools like screwdrivers
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is divided into separate functional components: the latch, the stop, and the interlocking members (hooks and recesses). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while working together to create a more secure system that prevents tool-based manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The interlocking members (hooks and recesses) are nested within the lock and interfacing surface structure, creating a layered security system where the outer latch mechanism is complemented by internal interlocking features that prevent tool access and unauthorized removal.
2Ease of operation
If the battery can be removed with a tilting movement, then the battery is easy to install and remove, but the lock mechanism is vulnerable to tool-based manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The lock system incorporates dynamic elements including the movable latch and the tilting movement capability of the battery. The latch can be actuated by key rotation, and the battery can be tilted for removal when unlocked, providing ease of operation while maintaining security through the interlocking members that prevent tool-based manipulation during these dynamic operations.
3Ease of operation
If the latch is accessible from the outside, then the battery can be removed by inserting a tool, but the lock provides basic protection against casual removal
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking members (hooks and recesses) act as intermediaries between the latch mechanism and the battery interface. These features mediate the interaction between the lock and battery, allowing authorized removal through key actuation while preventing unauthorized tool-based access by blocking direct tool insertion paths.
4Device complexity
If a simple latch and stop mechanism is used, then the lock structure is simple, but the anti-theft protection is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple security functions into a single integrated lock system: the latch mechanism for basic securing, the stop for positioning, and the interlocking members (hooks and recesses) for preventing tool-based manipulation. This combination of features provides enhanced anti-theft protection while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that does not require multiple separate locking devices.
Data Source
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AI summary
Bicycle battery assembly (10) comprising a battery (2) and a casing, such as a frame tube (5) of a bicycle frame, with a receiving opening (7) for receiving the battery. An interfacing surface (14) at one end of the battery comprises a stop (20). The battery assembly comprises a lock (12) in the casing (5), the lock having a latch (17) which can be moved between a retracted position and a locking position engaging the stop (20) of the interfacing surface. The lock and the interfacing surface comprise interlocking members (29, 32) engaging each other upon insertion of the battery (2) in the receiving opening (7).