Land vehicles – Wheeled – Occupant propelled type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-20
2004-08-31
Boehler, Anne Marie (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Occupant propelled type
C074S551100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06783141
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to an anti-theft device for bicycles, which comprise a bicycle frame and a steering column mounted on the bicycle frame for steering the bicycle, which steering column is provided for a rotationally fixed coupling of a bicycle handlebar with a fork for a front wheel, having a separating means for neutralising the rotationally fixed coupling.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Such anti-theft devices are known. Unlike a conventional U lock, for instance, which in a secured position is disposed in an exposed position on the bicycle and for this reason provides a thief with contact points for possibly forced opening, the above-mentioned anti-theft device enables improved protection of the bicycle against theft, since the thief, even if he is prepared to use force, cannot neutralise the action of the anti-theft device without damaging the bicycle.
In the case of a U-type lock, a classic security principle comes to be used, which consists in bringing parts which are constructed on the article to be secure and move in relation to one another into a more or less fixed or stationary position with respect to one another so that the movability of the parts is limited and the item cannot be used in the secured position. Provided that the item to be secured is a bicycle, as is known free rotatability of the rear wheel, for instance, is prevented by the U-type lock being placed both around a tube of the bicycle frame and also around a portion of the rim of the rear wheel and then being locked.
Alternatively, the U-type lock can also be positioned around the tube of the bicycle frame and around a fixed object, such as, for instance, a lamp post, so as to prevent the movability of the bicycle overall.
WO 92/10392 discloses a handlebar locking device for bicycles. The device comprises a locking mechanism in a handlebar front part, which brings the handlebar front part either in a non-secured position to engage with the front wheel fork or in the secured position separates it from said fork so that the steering column and the front wheel forks are freely rotatable with respect to one another. A steering column fixed to the front wheel fork and a tubular piece fixed to the handlebar front part are connected to one another in rotationally fixed manner in the non-secured position and can rotate together in a bicycle frame section. A cam actuated by means of a key moves a roller lock disposed in the steering column radially outwards and for releasing the safety device introduces it into a socket situated in the tubular piece so that the bicycle can be controlled. The cam also enables the introduction of the roller lock into an opening which is provided to separate the front wheel fork from the handlebar fore part, so that the bicycle cannot be steered and as a result is protected against theft. The known anti-theft device thus works in reverse to the safety principle described above in that to be precise a secure connection of two parts which is required for the operation of the bicycle is removed in the secured position.
The known anti-theft device offers no practical opportunity for producing a release of the lock by the application of force. The known anti-theft device is nevertheless disadvantageous inasmuch as a skilled thief may neutralise it to release the security device of the bicycle without causing any damage. This is of course a problem with respect to the protection of valuable bicycles, which are naturally of interest to a thief and with which, to obtain their resale value, an application of brute force is out of the question for the conscientious thief, so that the thief is prepared to study and learn the unauthorised nuetralisation of the anti-theft device in detail.
The object of the invention is to create an anti-theft device for bicycles, the release of which poses a thief a considerably more difficult task than known anti-theft devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved with the device of the type mentioned at the beginning in that a coupling piece or a connecting element is provided as a separating means, which divides the steering column into two parts and which produces the rotationally fixed coupling of these steering column parts in a first state and neutralises it in the second state.
With the invention one obtains an anti-theft device which is clearly more difficult to release than known anti-theft devices when the coupling piece or the connecting element is removed by a user from the bicycle in a secured position. The anti-theft device according to the invention is highly integrated into the bicycle.
The coupling piece or the connecting element has an essentially reflection-symmetrical or point-symmetrical design. On either side of the plane of symmetry it has recesses and/or projections, which in the first state are in engagement with complementary means constructed on the steering column parts and at the same time produce a form-fit and/or frictional connection and in the second state are released from the complementary means.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the coupling piece is constructed with a column piece, which in the first state is inserted between the parts of the steering column and aligns with them and which in the second state is completely removed from the parts of the steering column. In the first state the bicycle is not secured. The column piece inserted between the parts of the steering column enables a rotationally fixed connection of the parts of the steering column with one another, so that the steering column with the coupling piece according to the invention is in practice not restricted in its function in comparison with a conventional steering column. The bicycle is secured in the second state. The parts of the steering column are disposed with coaxial spacing in relation to one another. The coupling piece, which is completely removed in the second state, is required to produce a connection of the parts of the steering column and thus the operability of the steering column again. Provided that a correct coupling piece is not inserted between the parts of the steering column, the use of the bicycle is prevented and is therefore of no interest to a thief.
Furthermore, the coupling piece comprises two coupling sleeves disposed axially next to one another. The column piece is housed in the coupling sleeves. The coupling sleeves comprise external threads, which are provided for an engagement with an internal thread in the respective adjacent portion of the bicycle frame. In the secured position the coupling sleeves are axially adjacent; in the non-secured position they are spaced from one another. Upon the transition from the secured position into the non-secured position, the coupling sleeves are screwed into the respective adjacent portion of the bicycle frame. Provided that the coupling sleeves have threads running in the same direction, the directions of rotation of the coupling sleeves are opposite during screwing in and unscrewing. It is advantageous if the coupling sleeves have threads running in opposite directions to one another, because then the directions of rotation of the two coupling sleeves agree when screwing in and unscrewing. The column piece can preferably be twisted coaxially in the coupling sleeves around its longitudinal axis and is also disposed to be axially displaceable.
In a preferred embodiment, the external threads on the coupling sleeves and the associated internal threads in the respective adjacent portion of the bicycle frame are individually matched to one another. As a result of the individual matching of the threads to be made to mesh with one another, only the external threads situated on the associated coupling pieces can be screwed into the respective adjacent portion of the bicycle frame. A different coupling piece to that individually provided in contrast has coupling sleeves whose external threads cannot be brought into engagement with the internal thread of the respective adjacent portion of the bicycle frame. With this individualisation of the coupling piece with respect to t
Boehler Anne Marie
Clark Robert J.
Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP
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