Bicycle Hub Locking Mechanism with Automatic Pin Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bicycle locking devices are inconvenient to use and prone to theft due to their design, which requires manual unlocking and relocking, and they often increase in weight and thickness for enhanced durability, making them cumbersome and susceptible to theft.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle locking device that uses Bluetooth wireless communication to automatically lock and unlock based on signal intensity, featuring a pin and groove mechanism with double springs for secure engagement and disengagement, and an acceleration sensor to detect potential theft, ensuring the locking device is not carried and providing real-time theft alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional locking device uses a chain or wire to lock the bicycle, then the locking function is achieved, but the device requires manual operation and separate storage of the chain or wire, causing user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the locking mechanism directly into the bicycle hub structure, merging the previously separate chain/wire locking component with the wheel assembly. The locking device is built into the hub, eliminating the need for separate chain or wire storage while maintaining the locking function.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking device automatically locks when the wheel rotates and unlocks when the wheel is stationary, eliminating manual operation requirements. The system uses the wheel's own motion to trigger the locking and unlocking actions through the sensor and control mechanism.
2Reliability
If the locking device durability is improved to prevent theft, then security is enhanced, but the weight and thickness increase, causing user inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is nested within the existing hub structure, utilizing the space already available in the wheel assembly. The pin, spring, and sensor components are integrated into the hub's internal volume, avoiding additional external weight while maintaining security functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical locking components with a lightweight electronic control system that uses a motor to actuate the locking pin. The sensor-based detection and electronic control mechanism are lighter than traditional heavy-duty mechanical locking systems while providing equivalent or superior security.
3Reliability
If the locking device requires accurate coupling of the pin to the coupling groove, then secure locking is achieved, but the pin may fail to engage if not accurately positioned, causing locking failure
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pin is designed to move dynamically along the circumferential direction of the wheel through spring action. When the wheel rotates, the pin automatically adjusts its position to engage with the coupling groove, compensating for any manufacturing tolerances or misalignments without requiring precise static positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded pin is pre-positioned to protrude from the hub before the wheel reaches the locking position. As the wheel rotates, the pin is already in place to engage the groove, ensuring reliable locking without requiring precise alignment during the engagement process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device simplifies the locking and unlocking process, prevents theft by ensuring the locking device is not carried, and reduces user inconvenience while enhancing security through automatic operation and real-time theft detection.
Implementation Method 1
the pin is easily inserted into the groove of the outer fastening member by an elastic force of the first spring when a bicycle wheel has predetermined rotation
Implementation Method 2
an acceleration sensor to detect potential theft, ensuring the locking device is not carried and providing real-time theft alerts
Implementation Method 3
uses Bluetooth wireless communication to automatically lock and unlock based on signal intensity
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a bicycle locking device and a method of locking a bicycle, and comprises: a fastening member positioned on the inner surface of a bicycle hub and an outer fastening member positioned on the outer surface of the hub, and is coupled to the inner fastening member; a driving part coupled to one side surface of the outer fastening part and including a motor and an outer case; and a locking part including a pin case, a pin positioned inside the pin case, a pin case cover coupled to the upper end of the pin case, and a first spring coupled to the pin case cover and the pin so as to support the pin, such that the pin can pitch, with respect to the pin case.