Security device for a pedal vehicle

Abstract

A security device can be secured to a pedal vehicle to prevent the vehicle being pedalled. The security device includes a receiving means and a securing means. The receiving means may include a through-hole means for receiving part of a frame and a pedal crank arm of the vehicle and may have an open configuration in which the frame part and a part of the crank can be placed in the through-hole means, and a closed configuration in which a frame part and crank arm are held in the through-hole means against relative movement therebetween.

1 . A security device for securing to a pedal vehicle to prevent the vehicle being pedalled, the device having:
 receiving means comprising:
 a structure having a through-hole means for receiving a part of a frame and a pedal crank arm of the vehicle, or another movable part of a pedal vehicle, therethrough; and 
 a link-structure configured to link parts of the structure having the through-hole means, wherein the device comprises parts that are linearly movable and the receiving means has an open configuration in which the frame part and a part of said crank can be placed in said through-hole means, and a closed configuration in which a frame part and crank arm are held in the through-hole means against relative movement therebetween; and 
   securing means for releasably securing the receiving means in the closed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the linearly movable parts are linearly movable in a direction substantially parallel to the link-structure. 
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the through-hole means comprise a first opening for receiving a portion of a pedal crank arm of a vehicle therein and a second opening for receiving a portion of a frame of a vehicle therein. 
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the through-hole means comprise a first opening and a second opening that are configured on opposing sides of the receiving means. 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 3 , wherein the device further comprises a third opening on an adjacent side of the receiving means to the first opening. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving means has a body and the through-hole means is defined by limbs extending from the body. 
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 3 , wherein the receiving means comprises a dividing part separating the first and second through-holes. 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 1  any one of the preceding claims, wherein the through-hole means comprises: a pedal-space, configured to receive a portion of a pedal crank arm of a vehicle therein; and a frame-space, configured to receive a portion of a frame of a vehicle therein; and the securing means are movably connected to the device and configured to releasably secure a pedal crank arm in the pedal-space and a frame of the vehicle in the frame-space. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pedal-space is configured to receive the pedal axle of a pedal crank arm when the pedal crank arm is received in the pedal-space. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device comprises a body and the pedal-space and the frame-space are defined by three limbs extending from the body. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 10 , wherein one of the three limbs is a common limb arranged to divide the pedal-space and the frame-space. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the pedal-space, the frame-space and an axle-space are defined by at least four limbs extending from the body, the limbs including: a first limb and a second limb, arranged to define the pedal-space and the frame-space; a common-limb, arranged between the first limb and the second limb to form a barrier between the pedal-space and the frame-space; and an axle-limb, arranged to define the axle space and configured to receive a portion of a pedal axle extending from a pedal crank arm such that the pedal axle, pedal crank arm and the frame of the vehicle can be releasably secured within the device. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the pedal-space is open to the frame-space. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the securing means is movably connected to a limb. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the securing means is movably connected to a limb that is positioned between the pedal-space and the frame-space. 
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the securing means is rotatably connected to the device about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to a plane defined by the body. 
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the device has a body and further comprises an attachment-space that is defined by limbs extending from the body, the attachment-space being configured to receive a portion of a secondary security device therein, and the securing means being configured to releasably secure the secondary security device. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 9 , wherein the securing means is a bar, and the bar is connected to the device by a pin, the pin being configured to extend, substantially perpendicularly to the bar and the body, from the bar and into an aperture in a limb, such that the bar is rotatable about an axis defined by the pin and movable with respect to the pin. 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the frame is a chain stay and the device further comprises a protrusion configured to extend from the device and between the spokes of a wheel of a vehicle when the pedal crank arm and chain stay of a pedal vehicle are located in the device, such that a wheel can be prevented from freewheeling. 
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 19 , wherein the protrusion is slidably received in a body of the device. 
     
     
         21 . A security device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving means further comprises a securing means in the form of a closure or bar depending from the link-structure and being configured to be movable between the open configuration and the closed configuration. 
     
     
         22 . A security device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device further includes an extending member, which can be positioned in an extended position in which, when the device is mounted on a pedal vehicle, the extending member extends through a wheel of the vehicle. 
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure comprises a first bracket part. 
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 23 , wherein a first opening of the through-hole means is defined by the first bracket part and a second opening of the through-hole means is defined by a second bracket part. 
     
     
         25 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the link-structure is defined by at least one of the first bracket part and the second bracket part and is arranged to substantially close the first opening and the second opening in the closed position. 
     
     
         26 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the first bracket part and the second bracket part is configured to form at least one recess defining the or each opening and has at least one protrusion extending therefrom. 
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 26 , wherein at least one of the first bracket part and the second bracket part the or each bracket comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion. 
     
     
         28 . A device according to  claim 26 , wherein the link-structure is defined by the or each protrusion. 
     
     
         29 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the brackets are connected in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         30 . A device according to  claim 27 , wherein the first protrusion is configured on the first bracket and the second protrusion is mounted on the second bracket and the device is configured such that, in the closed configuration, the first protrusion substantially closes the second opening and the second protrusion substantially closes the first opening. 
     
     
         31 . A device according to  claim 26 , wherein the first protrusion is configured to extend from a protrusion-side of the first opening and the second protrusion is configured to extend from a protrusion-side of the second opening, and the first protrusion connects with a closure-side of the second opening and the second protrusion connects with a closure side of the first opening. 
     
     
         32 . A device according to  claim 31 , wherein the or each protrusion is movably engageable with the or each closure-side of the respective opening. 
     
     
         33 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the link-structure is defined by the first bracket part and the second bracket part is slidably mounted upon the link-structure. 
     
     
         34 . A device according to  claim 33 , wherein the first bracket part substantially closes the second opening of the second bracket part in the closed position, and wherein an object secured in the first opening is securably held therein by the first bracket part being releasably secured to the second bracket. 
     
     
         35 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the first bracket part is configured such that the first opening is connectable with a saddle of a vehicle and the second bracket part is connectable with a portion of a seat-tube of the vehicle. 
     
     
         36 . A device according to  claim 3 , wherein the receiving means comprises parts that are movable with respect to one another such that the position of the first opening with respect to the second opening, in the closed configuration, can be adjusted. 
     
     
         37 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein the structure is configured with holes, which enable parts of the structure to be securably closed in two or more predetermined positions. 
     
     
         38 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the second bracket is engageable with the first protrusion at at least two points thereon. 
     
     
         39 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein an axis defined by the structure having the through-hole means is substantially perpendicular to the link-structure. 
     
     
         40 . A device according to any  claim 1 , wherein the securing means is suitable for releasably securing the receiving means in the closed configuration or is movably connected to the device and configured to releasably secure a pedal crank arm in the pedal-space and a frame of the vehicle in the frame-space. 
     
     
         41 . A device according to  claim 24 , wherein the receiving means comprises parts that are movable with respect to one another such that the position of the first opening with respect to the second opening, in the closed configuration, can be adjusted.