Shared-use bicycle systems
OwnerSimon Minnisinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure is directed to bicycle storage systems and, in particular, to shared-use bicycle systems. Several embodiments herein are directed to a shared-use bicycle system, comprising a bicycle having a locking device and an accessory-receiving area. The locking device can extend horizontally from the bicycle, and the accessory-receiving area being positioned below the locking device. The shared-use bicycle system also comprises a bicycle rack having a horizontally-extending rigid member with at least one opening thereon to receive the locking device of the bicycle in a secured manner. When the bicycle is received in the at least one opening of the bicycle rack in the secured manner, access to the accessory-receiving area of the bicycle is restricted by the horizontally-extending rigid member.
Claims15
A shared-use bicycle system, comprising:
- a bicycle having a locking device and an accessory-receiving area, the locking device extending horizontally from the bicycle and the accessory-receiving area being positioned below the locking device;
- and
- a bicycle rack comprising a horizontally-extending rigid member with at least one opening thereon to receive the locking device of the bicycle in a secured manner,
- wherein when the bicycle is received in the at least one opening of the bicycle rack in the secured manner, access to the accessory-receiving area of the bicycle is restricted by the horizontally-extending rigid member.
A method of operating a shared-use bicycle system, comprising:
- providing a plurality of bicycles having locking devices and accessory-receiving areas, the locking devices extending horizontally from the bicycles and the accessory-receiving areas being positioned below the locking devices, the bicycles being secured to a bicycle rack such that the accessory-receiving areas are inaccessible to a user;
- receiving a request from a user to rent a bicycle;
- and
- releasing a bicycle from the bicycle rack in response to the request such that the user is provided access to the accessory-receiving area.
A bicycle security device, comprising:
- an elongated tubular member configured to be mounted on a front portion of a bicycle;
- a first projection extending laterally from the elongated tubular member;
- a helmet-receiving member extending laterally from the elongated tubular member, the helmet-receiving member being substantially coplanar with, and spaced apart from, the first projection along a longitudinal axis of the elongated tubular member;
- wherein at least one of the first projection and helmet-receiving member is configured to be received by, and retained in, an opening in a parking rack, thereby securing the bicycle to the parking rack and restricting access to a helmet received by the helmet-receiving member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.