Locking Wall-Mounted Bicycle Rack With Covered Fasteners
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle racks do not adequately secure bicycles to walls, leaving them vulnerable to theft, especially when stored in garages with open doors.
Innovation Solution
A wall-mounted bicycle rack with a support member and a pivotable cover member that can be locked in place, featuring a locking mechanism to secure the bicycle to the wall and prevent removal, with components designed to protect fasteners and prevent unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a simple L-shaped pedal hook is used to mount a bicycle to the wall, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the reliability of securing the bicycle and resistance to theft is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The rack is divided into distinct functional segments: a support member for mounting to the wall, a pedal support portion for holding the bicycle pedal, and a separate cover member that encloses the mounting holes. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively providing both simplicity and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member is designed to fit over and enclose the support member, creating a nested structure where the cover member acts as an outer shell protecting the internal mounting mechanism. This nesting conceals the fasteners and mounting holes, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining a compact overall structure.
2Ease of operation
If the mounting holes are made accessible for easy installation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of preventing unauthorized removal is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed with pre-formed openings that align with the mounting holes on the support member. During installation, the cover member is positioned first or simultaneously with the support member, and the alignment features guide the fasteners through both components, making the installation process straightforward while ensuring the holes remain protected.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member acts as an intermediary element between the external environment and the mounting holes. It provides a controlled interface through which fasteners can pass during installation but which otherwise blocks access to the holes, preventing unauthorized removal without requiring the holes to be permanently exposed or hidden.
3Reliability
If a locking mechanism is added to secure the cover member, then the reliability of theft prevention is improved, but the device complexity and ease of operation are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member incorporates a self-latching mechanism that automatically engages when the cover is positioned over the support member. The latch member is spring-biased to automatically extend and lock into place, securing the cover without requiring separate locking actions or complex mechanisms. This provides reliable theft prevention while maintaining operational simplicity.
4Reliability
If the cover member is made secure and locked, then the reliability of theft resistance is improved, but the ease of operation for accessing the bicycle is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is designed with dynamic characteristics, being spring-biased toward the open position. This allows the cover to be easily lifted and opened when needed for bicycle access, then automatically return to and lock in the closed secure position. The dynamic design provides both security when closed and ease of access when opened.
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 rack significantly reduces the risk of bicycle theft by securely fastening the bicycle to the wall and preventing unauthorized removal, enhancing security and theft resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The cover member may be biased away from the support member by a torsion spring.
Data Source
AI summary
A bicycle rack is disclosed. The rack includes (a) a support member having a first portion configured to be mounted on a wall and a second portion, disposed at an angle relative to the first portion, configured to support the pedal of a bicycle; and (b) a cover member pivotably mounted on the first portion of the support member, the cover member being configured to move between an open position in which the support member is uncovered and a closed position in which the support member is covered.