Apparatus, systems, and methods for single-sided locks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11834119-B2
Application number	US-202016883936-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2020
Priority date	Apr 19, 2019
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

The disclosed apparatus may include a pin that is pushed in between two spokes of a wheel to lock the vehicle and removed from between the spokes of the wheel to unlock the vehicle. In one embodiment, a single-sided lock may include a pin holster for securing the pin while the vehicle is unlocked. In some embodiments, a single-sided lock mechanism may be permanently affixed to and/or built in to a vehicle, increasing the ease of use of the single-sided lock by preventing users from misplacing the lock. In one embodiment, a single-sided lock may include a mechanism for preventing accidental re-locking of a lock that has just been unlocked, further improving the user experience. Various other methods, systems, and apparatuses are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a pin; and
a mount comprising:
an insertion point configured to receive the pin;
a slider configured to selectively engage with the pin to secure the pin within the insertion point or prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point;
a cam configured to rotate among a plurality of positions, wherein:
a first position of the cam permits the slider to move independently of the cam;
a second position of the cam retracts the slider from the insertion point; and
a third position of the cam secures the slider in a configuration that extends into the insertion point;

wherein the slider comprises a concavity disposed on one side of the slider and configured to receive the cam therein, and
wherein the pin comprises a projection extending in a direction orthogonal to a direction of pin insertion and configured to selectively engage with the slider to prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first position of the cam permits the pin to be inserted into the insertion point;
the second position of the cam permits the pin to be removed from the insertion point; and
the third position of the cam prevents at least part of the pin from being received by the insertion point.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third position of the cam prevents the pin from being withdrawn from the insertion point.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a wheeled vehicle comprising at least one wheel, wherein the pin is configured to limit rotation of the wheel while received by the insertion point.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the wheeled vehicle is a micro-mobility transit vehicle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cable that connects the pin to the apparatus; and
a holster configured to receive the pin when the pin is not received by the insertion point, wherein the pin holster comprises a clasp configured to secure the pin within the holster.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mount comprises a spring configured to compress when the pin is received by the insertion point and decompress to expel the pin.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mount comprises an o-ring configured to move as the pin is received by the insertion point to prevent liquid from entering the insertion point.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pin comprises:
a beveled edge configured to push aside the slider as the pin is received by the insertion point; and
an undercut configured to engage with the slider to lock the pin into position as the pin is further received by the insertion point.

10. A method of assembling an apparatus comprising:
assembling a slider and a cam within a mount, wherein the slider comprises a concavity disposed on one side of the slider, the slider being configured to receive the cam therein; and
aligning the slider with an insertion point of the mount, wherein the insertion point is configured to receive a pin, the slider being further configured to selectively engage with the pin to secure the pin within the insertion point or prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point; wherein the pin comprises a projection extending in a direction orthogonal to a direction of pin insertion, the projection being configured to selectively engage with the slider to prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point; and wherein the cam is configured to rotate among a plurality of positions within the mount, wherein:
a first position of the cam permits the slider to move independently of the cam;
a second position of the cam retracts the slider from the insertion point; and
a third position of the cam secures the slider in a configuration that extends into the insertion point.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured for performing the receiving while the cam is in the first position; removing the pin from the insertion point while the cam is in the second position; and preventing at least part of the pin from being received by the insertion point while the cam is in the third position.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured for preventing the pin from being withdrawn from the insertion point while the cam is in the third position.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the mount is further configured to be implemented in a wheeled vehicle comprising at least one wheel; and
the apparatus is further configured for limiting rotation of the wheel while the pin is received by the insertion point.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the wheeled vehicle is a micro-mobility transit vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured for:
compressing a spring of the mount when the pin is received by the insertion point; and
decompressing the spring to expel the pin.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising providing an o-ring of the mount, wherein the o-ring is configured to prevent liquid from entering the insertion point during the receiving.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured for pushing aside the slider by a beveled edge of the pin as the pin is received by the insertion point; and engaging the slider with an undercut of the pin to lock the pin into position as the pin is further received by the insertion point.

18. A micro-mobility transit vehicle comprising:
a wheel;
a pin; and
a mount comprising:
an insertion point configured to receive the pin to limit rotation of the wheel;
a slider configured to selectively engage with the pin to secure the pin within the insertion point or prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point;
a cam configured to rotate among a plurality of positions, wherein:
a first position of the cam permits the slider to move independently of the cam;
a second position of the cam retracts the slider from the insertion point; and
a third position of the cam secures the slider in a configuration that extends into the insertion point;

wherein the slider comprises a concavity disposed on one side of the slider and configured to receive the cam therein, and
wherein the pin comprises a projection extending in a direction orthogonal to a direction of pin insertion and configured to selectively engage with the slider to prevent at least part of the pin from being inserted into the insertion point.

19. The micro-mobility transit vehicle of claim 18 , wherein the micro-mobility transit vehicle is a bicycle.

Assignees

• Lyft Inc

Inventors

• Luedtke Peter Rex
• Rosenkranz Andrew Paul

Classifications

• B62H5/003 Primary

  using chains or cables (chain or cable locks per se E05B67/003; with alarm E05B45/005) · CPC title

• B62H5/141

  by means of sliding bolts (removable B62H5/145) · CPC title

• B62H5/145

  by means of removable bolts · CPC title

• B62H5/20

  indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices {(alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005)} · CPC title