Bicycle Anti-Theft Locking Arrangement with Guarded Cylinder

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing anti-theft locking arrangements for bicycles are inadequate as they can be easily tampered with, allowing thieves to unlock and steal the vehicle, and they often obstruct the turnability of the front wheel, making it difficult to ride or maneuver.

Innovation Solution

An anti-theft locking arrangement that secures the front wheel to the frame using an upper and lower mounting part with a locking pin, where the lock housing is solid with the upper mounting part, and a sliding lock plate component engages with teeth on the lower mounting part, providing maximum resistance against turning and protecting the locking pin from tampering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the locking pin is exposed through the lower mounting part to allow engagement with the bore, then the locking mechanism can be simple and easy to operate, but the locking pin becomes vulnerable to tampering and knocking out from below

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of lockingVSAvoidsecurity against tampering
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A guard element is introduced as an intermediary component between the locking pin and the external environment. This guard extends through the lower mounting part and prevents direct access to the locking pin, thereby blocking tampering attempts while allowing the locking mechanism to function normally through the guard's opening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The guard element is nested within the lower mounting part structure, with the locking pin positioned within the guard's protective enclosure. This nested arrangement allows the locking pin to remain functional while being protected by the surrounding guard structure that prevents external interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Reliability

If the locking arrangement prevents steering by locking the front wheel, then theft prevention is improved, but the turnability of the front wheel is obstructed when riding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetheft preventionVSAvoidturnability of front wheel
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The locking mechanism is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The locking pin can be positioned to engage with the guard element for theft prevention, or repositioned to allow free rotation of the front wheel during riding. The cylinder lock mechanism enables easy transition between locked and unlocked states, providing dynamic control over the steering function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Strength

If the locking pin engages through both upper and lower mounting parts, then interlocking strength is sufficient, but the locking pin is exposed and can be knocked out from below to unlock the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterlocking strengthVSAvoidvulnerability to knocking out
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The guard element serves as a protective intermediary that extends through the lower mounting part and physically blocks access to the locking pin. This guard prevents the harmful action of knocking the locking pin out from below, while the locking pin maintains its engagement through the guard's opening to preserve interlocking strength between the mounting parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3307610B1Locking arrangement for securing a wheeled vehicle against theft and method of using the locking arrangement
Publication Date: 2021.07.28 HNC SWITZERLAND GMBH
  • EP3307610B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3307610B1 patent drawingFigure 2~2a
  • EP3307610B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An anti-theft locking arrangement (7;7';39;64;67) for a vehicle (1) having at least two wheels serve to prevent theft. The locking arrangement (7;7';39;64;67) comprises an upper mounting part (8;40) including an upper mounting plate (8';40') and a lock housing (10;68). The lock housing (10;68) has a bore (52) that accommodates a cylinder lock (11). A lower mounting part (9;41) includes a lower mounting plate (9',41')mounted to a steerer tube (3a), which is turnable arranged in a head tube (6) of the frame (5) of the vehicle (1). The lower mounting part (9;41) turns together with the turnable steerer tube (3a) when the handlebars (2) is turned. A locking pin (12) is situated at a bottom face (11') of the cylinder lock (11) and being adapted to engage at least the upper mounting plate (8;40). The upper through-hole (8a;40a) and the lower through- hole (9a;41a) are arranged co-axially so that the lower locking plate part (9''',41''') is arranged turnable subjacent the upper locking plate part (8''',40''') to form a guard below the locking pin (12).