Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
DELIVERY-TRUCK MOUNTED
CARRYING-RACK FOR A DELIVERY-BIKE
Field of the Invention
The present invention is a means and method for delivering packages. More
specifically, its means is a separable, two-part delivery vehicle comprised of
a conventional
delivery-truck and a delivery-bike, each part being joined by a carrying-rack
which is
optimized for efficient deployment of each independently propelled vehicle
when and
where its propulsion and load carrying characteristics are best suited to
local delivery tasks.
Its method is an "Augmented Park and Loop" delivery strategy that takes
fullest advantage
of the advantages inherent to each vehicle.
Background of the Invention
There is a need to find more environmentally benign ways of delivering
packages;
deliveries are on the rise due to factors such as internet shopping and with
society's
addiction to cars results in traffic jams, air pollution, global warming and
the depletion of a
strategically vital natural resource is becoming and even greater concern.
Cars and trucks
are the root cause of resource depletion due to the oil they burn in their
engines and the raw
materials and oil they consume in their manufacture. Clearly, the most logical
way forward
is to develop ultra-small, ultra-efficient, low-speed, electric vehicles, and
in this particular
application, to help merge them into the existing and emerging delivery
infrastructures in a
practical and efficient manner. The "Delivery-Truck Mounted Carrying-Rack For
An
Electric Assist Delivery-Bike" invention is a way to address these
environmental concerns.
Modern postal services are moving towards the use of the "Park and Loop"
delivery
methodology. In "Park and Loop", the delivery-truck driver parks the truck in
a strategic
location and delivers the mail on foot by walking a loop in the vicinity of
the parked truck.
1
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Some features of this methodology are:
o The truck serves as a mobile warehouse and sorting station.
o The truck is available to deliver heavy items.
o The truck can travel long distances to delivery points outside high density
areas.
o The truck can pick up parcels from mailbox points.
o The truck travels to a distant main sorting facility at the beginning and
end
of each day.
o The walking loop is more energy efficient than driving the truck and parking
it at each delivery point.
o The parked truck can be left at points of minimum impact which reduces
urban traffic congestion and parking problems.
The delivery-bike is in many respects an optimal electric vehicle and a
positive
enhancement to the "Park and Loop" delivery methodology. Some of the
advantages of the
delivery-bike may include:
= Physical advantages:
o Due to their very high power to weight ratio, electric bikes have the best
energy efficiency of any electric vehicle.
o The electric bike's electric/human power source insures robust operation.
When the battery is depleted or when climbing a steep hill with a full load
of cargo, the rider can pedal-assist its motor to insure the job gets done.
o It can be parked almost anywhere.
o It travels at low speeds and is inherently safe.
= Legal advantages
o Legislation treats them as bicycles rather than motor vehicles.
o The cost of ownership is significantly lower with no insurance or
registration requirements.
2
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
o They can use the existing bicycle infrastructure (use of reserved bicycle
paths and lanes, use of bicycle parking racks) in addition to roadways.
= Delivery advantages:
o The delivery-bike can travel long distances on the back of the delivery-
truck
via the carrying-rack.
o The delivery-bike can significantly expand the delivery range per delivery-
truck parking area.
o The delivery-bike acts as a mini mobile warehouse and sorting station.
o The delivery-bike can carry much larger loads than can be carried on a
typical walking loop.
Some disadvantages of the delivery-bike are:
o Its low speed and short range limit its ability to independently carry out a
full day of work.
o It cannot carry very large packages for general freight or courier
applications.
o The repetitive delivery stops require the rider to dismount and prop up the
heavily laden delivery-bike for short term parking.
It would therefore be advantageous to devise a means for improving the typical
"Park and Loop" methodology described above by merging the mutual benefits of
the
vehicles in a harmonious manner to form an improved, hybrid methodology using
the
"Delivery-Truck Mounted Carrying-Rack For An Electric Assist Delivery-Bike"
invention.
In light of the above-noted vehicle characteristics, it's apparent that a
large petroleum-
powered delivery-truck and a small electric-powered delivery-bike have the
potential to
play complementary roles in a hybrid delivery methodology. The two vehicle
types would
be synergistic if integrated into a single vehicle by rack-mounting the
delivery-bike onto
the delivery-truck in a manner that it could be transported from place to
place on the
delivery-truck and then dismounted from the parked delivery-truck at
strategically selected
3
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
spots for local delivery of selected packages. This hybrid vehicle methodology
effectively
augments the number of modes of transport available to the operator from two
(driving and
walking) to three (driving, riding and walking). This in turn results in a
series of delivery
scenarios.
Various carrier racks have been devised that enable typical bicycles,
motorcycles
and other human transporters such as the SEGWAY HT to be transported. The
common
type of "bicycle carrier" that connects to a vehicle via a trailer hitch is
adequate for
carrying relatively light weight conventional bicycles designed solely to
transport a rider
and possibly some lightweight saddlebags. These common bicycle carriers are
not built to
withstand the additional weight of an electric assist bicycle which is
designed to transport a
rider, some cargo, batteries and a motor. Additionally, they require that the
bicycle be lifted
from the ground onto the carrying rack and that the bicycle be secured onto
the carrying
rack by clamps and straps. Motorcycle carriers such as proposed by Chereda (US
4,032,167), are not designed to support a bicycle tire in the motorcycle wheel
track which
is too wide to securely hold a bicycle tire. The motorcycles are held in place
by clamping
the motorcycle tires onto the wheel track. The motorcycles are transported on
a trailer
which is towed behind a truck. This makes the overall size of the truck even
bigger and
makes parking more difficult. It is overly cumbersome for carrying a single
electric assist
bicycle, especially in a delivery "Park and Loop" application where speed of
mounting and
dismounting, parking and general efficiency is required. Other prior art
carriers are as
proposed in Fraer et al. (US 7,318,541) where a SEGWAY Human Transporter is
stored
and carried on the back of a truck. The storage rack includes ramps by which a
SEGWAY
may be driven from the ground, up the ramp and onto a storage rack where it is
secured in
place for transportation. The storage rack is designed to be permanently fixed
to the back
of a vehicle such as a delivery truck or van. This patent, assigned to the
United States
Postal Service, proposes using the SEGWAY in combination with a US Postal
Service
truck or van on their conventional "Park and Loop" delivery routes where it is
intended to
be used to reduce the walking element in the loop and thereby lower delivery
person
4
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
fatigue. The cargo capacity and range of the SEGWAY is insufficient to be used
in an
augmented "Park and Loop" scenario, such as that described in Scenario 4,
below. The
truck mounted storage rack is designed specifically for a SEGWAY and is not
capable of
carrying a much more versatile and desirable delivery-bike which can carry
significantly
more cargo and is faster than a SEGWAY. This eliminates the possibility of an
"Augmented Park and Loop" delivery methodology (described in Summary of the
Invention, below) which is an objective of the present invention.
To achieve this objective, the "Delivery-Truck Mounted Carrying-Rack for an
Electric Assist Delivery-Bike" and the delivery-bike are optimized to enable
quick
deployment of the delivery-bike and optimal ease of use by incorporating
specific features.
A pedal mounted stand will be mounted onto the delivery-bike so it may be used
in an
ergonomically efficient way when stopping to make deliveries in the "Augmented
Park and
Loop". The prior art pedal mounted bicycle stand (US 6,237,929) is not
suitable for this
application as it is designed for a conventional bicycle. It is not capable of
holding up an
electric assist bicycle as the front wheel of the electric assist bicycle
cannot be sufficiently
turned to stop it from moving forward and falling off the stand. It is
therefore an object of
the present invention to provide an effective pedal-mounted stand suitable for
use with a
delivery-bike.
It is the general goal of the present invention to provide a hybrid delivery
vehicle
that can enable the delivery-truck driver to mount and dismount a delivery-
bike to their
delivery-truck. For efficiency, the carrying-rack must enable extremely easy
and quick to
mount and dismount the delivery-bike from the delivery-truck, otherwise the
driver may
not use the delivery-bike and the environmental and other gains will not be
attained. It is a
further goal that this carrying-rack be easily adaptable to securely mount
various sizes and
shapes of delivery-bikes. It is a further goal to provide cargo-carrying
modules that are
easily transferred from the delivery-truck to the delivery-bike as needed. It
is a further goal
to provide a portable map display that aides the delivery-truck driver/rider
to efficiently
5
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
deploy the most efficient means of transport for the immediate delivery tasks
at hand. It is
a further goal that this informatics aid to navigation and route scheduling
also include
means for insuring more efficient deliveries to sites where the recipient's
signature is
required. It is a further goal to provide a computerized system that
incentivises the
driver/rider to favour making deliveries using the delivery-bike, thereby
maximizing the
social benefits of the present invention.
6
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is a means and method for delivering packages in an
urban
environment.
Means:
The invention's delivery means is comprised of a conventional delivery van or
truck (hereinafter referred to as the "delivery-truck"), a bicycle configured
with a robust
rear cargo rack for carrying said packages (hereinafter referred to as the
"delivery-bike")
and a delivery-truck mounted carrying-rack configured for efficient mounting
and
transportation of said delivery-bike along an urban delivery route. In its
preferred
embodiment, the delivery-bike includes an electric assist drive-train for
improved overall
delivery performance, however the present invention is equally applicable to
either a
peddle only bicycle or an electric assist bicycle. When the delivery-bike is
docked onto the
carrying-rack, the two vehicles form a two-part hybrid vehicle that can be
quickly separated
to enable the driver/rider to perform what is hereinafter referred to as the
"Augmented Park
and Loop" delivery methodology (described further below). The ease and speed
with
which the delivery-bike can be either docked or undocked with its delivery-
truck is critical
to the viability of this methodology. Therefore, in the invention's preferred
embodiment,
said delivery-bike and said carrying-rack are each specially built to include
matching
fixtures which optimize the speed and ease with which the operator can perform
docking
tasks.
The means of the invention is a carrying-rack for a delivery-bike, said
carrying-rack
being affixed to an end of a delivery-truck. Said carrying-rack is comprised
of a: close-
fitting, horizontal tire-track affixed parallel to said delivery-truck end; a
close-fitting tire-
ramp hinged to one end of said tire-track; and a close-fitting tire-catch
affixed to the other
end of said tire-track such that that when said delivery-bike is rolled up
said ramp and its
front wheel is engaged into said tire-catch, said hinged ramp can be swung up
and locked
7
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
onto said rear cargo rack to secure said delivery-bike for transport with said
delivery-truck.
The delivery-bike's rear extremity includes an upper and lower contact point
positioned to
simultaneously engage against said tire-ramp when the delivery-bike's front
wheel is
levered forward to fully seat within its front tire-catch, whereupon said
upper contact point
is latched onto its contact point on said ramp to securely dock said delivery-
bike onto said
delivery-truck. Undocking is accomplished by freeing said ramp from its upper
rear latch
point, swinging it to the ground and then backing the delivery-bike down the
ramp for use
independent of its delivery-truck.
The delivery-bike carrying-rack is affixed to said delivery-truck such that it
provides clearance between the two vehicles when docked. Said carrying-rack
may be
welded or bolted to an end of said delivery-truck, however to facilitate its
rapid mounting
and for ease of transfer between various delivery-trucks, its mounting means
may include a
horizontal bar for insertion into the standard square aperture of a common
truck-mounted
receiver hitch. To enable a heavily laden delivery-bike to be mated to its
delivery-truck
without any relative motion over rough roads, said horizontal mounting bar may
include a
mechanism for expanding it inside of said hitch receiver to rigidly affix said
carry-rack to
said delivery-truck.
When docked in the above manner, the delivery-bike is restrained from rolling
forward on its carrying-rack by its front tire bearing onto said tire-catch
and from rolling
backwards by its rear tire bearing onto said raised and locked tire-ramp. The
delivery-bike
is restrained from lateral movement by six contact points onto said carrying-
rack. To
provide additional lateral support, the delivery-bike may be attached to a
stabilization post
affixed to said carrying-rack by means of a stabilization flange fixture
affixed to the crank
spindle of the delivery-bike, which is configured for engagement into a notch
formed in
said stabilization post.
8
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
In a preferred embodiment of the carrying-rack, dual stabilization posts are
provided: one on either side of the tire-track each stabilization post being
equipped with a
horizontal ram having a conical end facing inward and coaxial with its
opposing ram. Said
opposing cones are axially adjustable for engagement into corresponding
conically concave
fixtures affixed to the crank spindle of said delivery-bike. When said
delivery-bike is
positioned on said tire-track and when each conical ram is clamped into its
adjacent crank
spindle fixture, the vehicle is rigidly immobilized with respect to the
carrying-rack. Ram
actuation may be by threaded adjustments through said stabilization posts or
by a quick-
release toggle-clamping mechanism on one post that compresses the crank
spindle against
it opposing threaded ram (i.e. the delivery-bike's crank spindle is
effectively held as it
would be while being machined in a lathe).
In this "lathe-centers" gripping embodiment of the carrying-rack, the hinged
tire-
ramp no longer needs to be affixed to the rear of the delivery-bike because
the only contact
points between the carrying-rack and the delivery-bike are the front and rear
tires within
the tire-track and the left and right conical rams onto the left and right
ends of the delivery-
bike's crank spindle. Therefore, to store said tire-ramp during transport, a
spring biasing
mechanism that automatically retains the ramp vertical is provided or else the
tire-ramp
may be detached from its tire-track and stored on a separate carrying bracket.
Since the delivery-bike's preferred embodiment includes an electric assist
drive-
train for improved overall delivery performance, occasional charging of the
electric
delivery-bike will be required. An automatic charging contact switch may
therefore be
provided which engages a truck mounted battery charger onto said delivery-
bike's batteries
whenever said tire-rack is raised into a locked vertical position. The
batteries on the
delivery-truck have a sufficient capacity such that the delivery-truck's
batteries cannot be
drained during overnight charging when the delivery-truck is parked.
9
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
While using the delivery-bike for deliveries, frequent stop and start parking
cycles
may be required. To minimize parking effort and to maximize productivity, the
delivery-
bike may utilize a pedal-mounted prop stand with coordinated braking means.
Means are
proposed that may be retro-fitted to existing brake levers and that may
include an electrical
switch used as a safety feature.
The cargo capacity of the delivery-bike may be augmented by pulling a cargo-
trailer. In a preferred embodiment, a compact single wheel cargo-trailer could
be
conveniently stored onto the carrying-rack.
Method:
The invention's delivery method is hereinafter referred to as the "Augmented
Park
and Loop" methodology wherein the delivery-truck carries all packages destined
for points
within a wide geographic area and its driver continuously analyzes traffic
conditions and
the nature of upcoming local package delivery sites to determine and choose
which one of
four delivery scenarios provides the most efficient mode of transport to
complete the local
delivery tasks at hand:
Scenario 1 - The driver parks the delivery-truck with its delivery-bike
docked onto the carrying-rack close to one of a series of spatially diverse
final delivery locations and then walks that individual parcel directly to its
final destination (this is the typical "courier" delivery scenario).
Scenario 2 - The driver parks the delivery-truck with its delivery-bike
docked onto the carrying-rack at a convenient location in the vicinity of a
series of adjacent delivery destinations and then offloads the appropriate
small packages into a pouch that they then use to deliver them door-to-door
on foot (this is the traditional "Park and Loop" postal delivery scenario).
to
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Scenario 3 - The driver parks the delivery-truck at a convenient location,
dismounts its delivery-bike and then uses it to make a series of local
package deliveries that would otherwise be performed using the "courier"
scenario described above. If the delivery-truck's parking site is
strategically
chosen with respect to both traffic conditions and delivery locations then
this scenario will be more cost-effective, efficient and environmentally
sound than Scenario 1.
Scenario 4 - The driver parks the delivery-truck, dismounts the delivery-
bike and then uses it to perform one or more "local delivery sub-loops" in
which the delivery-bike is parked at strategic spots from which the rider
departs on foot to carry out Scenario 2. If the parking locations for both the
delivery-truck and the delivery-bike are well chosen, this scenario will be
the most cost-effective, efficient and environmentally sound scenario.
The driver's mental analysis described above may be augmented by the use of
computerized algorithms which identify which delivery scenario provides
optimal delivery
performance. This typically involves processing of the digital inventory of
packages to be
delivered to evaluate the average distance between delivery sites to the
average speed of
local traffic, thereby clustering groups of packages into those that are more
efficiently
delivered by the delivery-bike and those that are more efficiently delivered
by the delivery-
truck. Automated mapping programs such as "Googlemaps" are used to display the
data
points to the driver/rider using a mobile internet display device such as an
"Apple iPhone".
To encourage drivers to take the trouble to maximize their use of the (more
socially
responsible) delivery-bike, a computerized incentive system may be implemented
that
tracks deliveries made by both modes of transport and awards a cash bonus's to
the driver
each time they elect to perform "Augmented Park and Loop" delivery that
utilizes the
delivery-bike
11
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is the Figure 11 shown in my Canadian application for "Versatile
Parking Stand
For A Cargobike.
Figure 2 is the Figure 12 shown in my initial Canadian application application
for
"Versatile Parking Stand For A Cargobike
Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1 however the delivery-bike is a smaller version
than that
shown in Figure 1 and it is also shown mounted onto the front of a large
delivery-truck.
Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2 however both the delivery-truck and the
delivery-bike are
smaller versions than those shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 illustrates the points of contact between the delivery-bike and the
carrier rack
which restrain relative movement.
Figure 6 illustrates a supplementary "stabilization post" which provided
additional lateral
support for the delivery-bike.
Figure 7 illustrates how a fixture affixed to the crank of the delivery-bike
engages into a
notch on the stabilization post.
Figure 7b illustrates an embodiment that utilizes dual stabilization posts to
immobilize the
delivery-bike's crank spindle
Figure 7c is view onto the carrying-rack of Figure 7b that has some parts
removed for
improved clarity of the clamping mechanism.
12
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Figure 7d illustrates a preferred embodiment of the carrying-rack that
utilizes a "toggle-
clamp" to more easily affix the delivery-bike to the carrying-rack.
Figure 7e view onto the carrying-rack of Figure 7d that has some parts removed
for
improved clarity of the clamping mechanism as well as the fixation to a
standard trailer
hitch.
Figure 7f illustrates an elongated delivery-bike gripped by a preferred
embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 7g illustrates the carrying-rack of Figure 7f reconfigured to move the
affixed
elongated delivery-bike somewhat forward.
Figure 7h illustrates an embodiment of the carrying-rack that that uses a
rotational joint to
enable tilting of the tire-track such that it can temporarily serve as a tire-
ramp.
Figure 8 illustrates various cargo bins that may be used to facilitate
transfer of packages
from the delivery-truck to the delivery-bike and from the delivery-bike to
their final
destinations.
Figure 9 illustrates a single-wheeled trailer used to augment the carrying
capacity of the
delivery-bike.
Figure 10 illustrates how the trailer of Figure 9 may be stored onto the
carrier rack when
not in use.
Figure 11 illustrates how cargo can be stored onto either side of the trailer
shown in Figure
9.
13
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Figure 12 illustrates the means for the attaching the carrier rack to the
delivery-truck
Figure 13 illustrates a latching a locking mechanism for securing the tire-
ramp to the
delivery-bike.
Figure 14 illustrates an alternate latching a locking mechanism for securing
the tire-ramp to
the delivery-bike.
Figure 15 illustrates a means for automatically recharging the batteries of an
electrically
assisted delivery-bike.
Figure 16 illustrates a pedal-mounted prop stand that enables rapid stop-start
delivery
cycles.
Figure 17 illustrates the support geometry and functional principal of the
prop stand shown
in Figure 16.
Figure 18 illustrates details of a retro-fitted parking brake lever mechanism
that enables
operation of the pedal-mounted stand shown Figure 17.
Figure 19 illustrates further details of the brake lever conversion mechanism
shown in
Figure 18.
Figure 20 illustrates the various components of a kit for adding pedal-mounted
stands to a
delivery-bike.
14
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Detailed Description
Figure 1 is identical to the Figure 11 shown in my Canadian application filed
on May 6
2011 entitled "Versatile Parking Stand For A Cargobike". Its Detailed
Description text is:
Figure I1 illustrates an embodiment of my versatile parking stand that
includes carrier
rack 35 affixed to a conventional delivery truck 34 such that cargobike 1 can
be efficiently
transported along the truck's delivery route and deployed as needed over a
wide area. The
same person drives truck 34 and rides cargobike 1; said cargobike being
disembarked only
when making local package deliveries when doing so is more efficient than
making those
same deliveries using said truck. In congested urban traffic zones having a
suitable
density of scheduled small package deliveries, this hybrid delivery vehicle
delivery
configuration enables the large, energy-inefficient truck to be parked in a
suitably situated
back street or parking lot where it can serve as both a temporary cargo depot
and base of
operations for local delivery of packages using cargobike 1. Delivery truck
34, cargobike
1 and carrying rack 35 thereby operate synergistically to extend the
operational efficiency
of both delivery vehicles.
Carrying rack 35 is typically mounted to the rear bumper of truck 34 as shown,
thereby facilitating off-loading cargo from the truck directly onto cargobike
1 (this of
course assumes that the rear door of the truck is the "roll-up " style that
can be opened
with the cargobike mounted to the truck). If the truck's rear door cannot open
with the
cargobike mounted onto the rear carrying rack then the bike must first be
dismounted as
shown in Figure 12 before cargo can be transferred onto it for local delivery.
Rack 35
may also be mounted to the front of truck 34. Indeed, a separate carrying rack
35 can be
mounted onto both the front and rear of the truck, thereby enabling the
driver/rider to have
various deployment options; including the transport of two cargobikes so that
more than
one cargobike rider can be based out a single parked delivery truck.
Carrying rack 35 is comprised of a length of generally U-shaped extruded "tire-
track" 36 formed to receive both front and rear wheels of a cargobike 1, said
track being
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
affixed parallel to a bumper of delivery truck 35 and spaced apart for
clearance of the
mounted cargobike. Tire-track 36 is typically welded to said bumper however
various
clamping mechanisms will be apparent to those practiced in the art which will
enable
carrier rack assembly 35 to be temporarily affixed to a variety of 4-wheeled
vehicles.
Front wheel-stop 37 is affixed to one end of tire-track 36 and formed to
receive and
immobilize the cargobike's front wheel. Tire-ramp 38 is a length of U-shaped
extrusion
similar to that used to fabricate tire-track 36. Tire-ramp 38 is affixed to
tire-track 36 at its
opposite end from that used to affix tire-stop 37. Tire-ramp 38 is affixed to
tire-track 36
with hinge 39, thereby permitting said ramp to be swung down as shown in
Figure 12 for
loading cargobike 1. Once the cargobike has been pushed up ramp 38 and its
front wheel
is engaged into wheel-stop 37, said ramp is swung vertically as shown in
Figure 12 and
engaged onto attachment fixtures (not illustrated) that are formed into the
rear portion of
cargo deck 8 and/or crossbar 30, thereby securing the cargobike for transport
by truck 34.
Said ramp attachment fixtures may include security provisions such as a
padlock which in
concert with wheel-stop 37, prevent unauthorized removal of the cargobike from
the truck
An optional horizontal parking surface 40 may be affixed to tire-track 36 and
positioned to
support to one or both of the prop stand assemblies 9a and 9b, thereby
facilitating the task
of loading the cargobike single-handedly by providing parking support while
ramp 38 is
being raised or lowered. Deploying both prop stands onto surface 40 also helps
stabilize
the cargobike on carrier rack 35 during transit. If the cargobike is
configured as either an
EAB or a DPEAB then an electrical charging cable (not illustrated) may be
provided
between battery pack 10 and the truck's electrical system, thereby maintaining
the
cargobike at full charge while not in use. Since the cargobike can be
transported between
its deployment sites while its battery is recharging, this on-board charging
capability
permits the size and weight of battery pack 10 to be minimized and thereby
maximize its
useful payload of cargo.
Figure 2 is identical to the Figure 12 shown in my Canadian application for
"Versatile
Parking Stand For A Cargobike". Its Detailed Description text is:
16
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
"Figure 12 illustrates a cargobike being used in the "Park And Loop" delivery
configuration enabled by my versatile stand for a cargobike. Rider 2 has
parked delivery
truck 34 in a convenient location and has off-loaded some of its packages onto
cargobike 1
for more efficient delivery (typically by using bicycle paths to circumvent
congested urban
traffic). Rider 2 will navigate a delivery route that loops back to truck 34
whereupon the
heavy cargobike can be rapidly rolled back onto carrier rack 35 for secure
transport to a
new theatre of operations; either for Park And Loop deliveries or to deliver
large packages
at far flung sites using only the truck (if rider 2 decides that doing so is
either more
energy-efficient or time-efficient).
Modular cargo bins 33 may be used to facilitate rapid transfer of selected
packages
from the parked truck 34 onto the cargobike 1, the contents of said cargo bins
being
presorted by the courier company or postal service that is utilizing my
invention and
optimized for maximum efficiency of both vehicles. Large odd-sized boxes may
also be
strapped or bungeed onto any of the available cargo decks. Canvas saddlebags
filled with
small packages or letters may also be carried on cargobike 1 so that, during
their delivery
loop, rider 2 may elect to park the cargobike and walk door-to-door for
portions of the
route as required (typically for postal delivery). Collapsible cargo trolley
27 is shown
expanded for added carrying capacity and may be detached from the vehicle as
needed to
facilitate deliveries or pickups on foot (for example when making deliveries
inside a large
office building). While parked and left unattended during such deliveries,
cargobike 1 is
secured against thieves by provision of suitable electronic alarm systems (not
illustrated).
Bins 33 are also secured against unauthorized tampering or removal using
suitable locks
(also not illustrated). "
Note that the cargobike shown in Figure 12 is configured as a conventional,
upright posture EAB however the footrest component 5 of a DPEAB has been
attached so
that front cargo can also be carried (in the manner shown in Figure 9).
Installation of a
swiveling-handlebar and backrest would be required in order to enable Dual-
Posture
17
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
operation of the cargobike. The added rider comfort provided by DPEAB
capability may
make this added expense worthwhile if the cargobike is being operated over
long distances
or is being used for non-commercial cargo carrying applications or for
personal
commuting. "
Those descriptive texts will now are augmented below by additional description
and
subject matter. For clarity, the numbering of parts is re-initialized at 50
and some parts are
renamed as defined in the new "Summary of the Invention" section above.
Figure 3 is functionally similar to Figure 1 however its "delivery-bike" 51 is
a smaller
version of the "cargobike" 1 shown in my earlier Figure 1. The delivery-truck
50 is also a
smaller version of the delivery van 34 shown in my earlier Figure 1. Note that
while
carrying-rack 52 is shown mounted onto the rear end of delivery-truck 50, it
may also be
mounted to the truck's front end to permit freer access to its rear loading
door.
Figure 4 is functionally similar to Figure 2 however both the delivery-truck
and the
delivery-bike it illustrates are smaller than those shown in Figure 2.
Delivery-bike 51 has
been disembarked from its carrying-rack 52 and driver/rider 53 has parked the
delivery-
bike ready for loading cargo onto it for delivery using the Augmented Park and
Loop
methodology. Driver-rider 53 is shown wheeling a collapsible wheeled cargo
trolley 77
which can me attached to cargo decks 57 and 80 as needed.
Figure 5 illustrates the points of contact between the delivery-bike 50 and
its carrying-rack
52. Wheel-catch 54 fits closely over front wheel 59 to provide a front tire
contact point
that prevents the bike from rolling forward as well as side contact which
prevents turning
of the wheel from left to right. Tire-catch 54 also provides contact onto both
sides of front
wheel 59 to prevent lateral toppling of the wheel. Tire catch 54 may be fully
enclosed as
shown however a tubular arch structure may also be used to fashion a suitable
structure for
constraint of front wheel 59.
18
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Close-fitting, U-shaped tire-track extrusion 55 has left and right vertical
flanges that
constrain the lower sides of front wheel 54 and rear wheel 60 from lateral
movement.
When raised vertical about hinge 63, tire-ramp 56 simultaneously contacts the
rear of lower
support bracket 58 and the rear of upper cargo deck 57, thereby levering front
wheel 59
fully into wheel-catch 54. Ramp locking fixture 61 latches and locks into rear
deck locking
fixture 62, thereby preventing the bike from rolling backwards as well as
providing further
lateral support to the docked delivery-bike. With adequately robust
construction of the
tire-catch, tire-rail, and hinged tire-ramp as well as rigid fixation to the
delivery-truck 51, a
lightweight delivery-bike 50 will be adequately supported during transport. If
said
delivery-bike includes an electric assist drivetrain that includes heavy
components such as
battery 64 and large hub motor 65, then additional lateral support may be
required in order
to limit flexing of the carrying-rack during transport of the delivery-bike
over rough roads
or during rapid maneuvers of the delivery-truck.
Figure 6 illustrates a supplementary stabilization-post 69, which provides
additional lateral
support for heavy delivery-bike 50. Stabilization-post 69 is a robust post
that is either
welded or bolted onto the carrying-rack's main horizontal support 66 and
configured to
engage onto delivery-bike 50 such that it provides strong central support
during rapid
maneuvering of the delivery-truck.
To provide the desired ease of use when loading or unloading, delivery-bike 50
includes means for automatically mating onto stabilization-post 69. To enable
automatic
engagement, stabilization-post includes horizontal engagement slot 70
positioned such that
as the delivery-bike is rolled onto tire-track 55 and its front wheel engages
completely into
wheel-catch 54, flanged stabilization fixture 73 engages onto both sides of
engagement slot
70, thereby providing additional lateral stability. Various stabilization
fixtures 73 may be
affixed to various points on delivery-bike 50 to provide the required support
geometry
however an Electric Assist Bicycle with large battery 64 will often have
cowling which
19
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
prevents affixing a suitable fixture. Therefore, the preferred embodiment of
said fixture is
adapted to modify the delivery-bike's standard bicycle crank axle 71 such that
it can
provide a robust engagement into slot 70. To accomplish this, flanged
stabilization fixture
is a specially configured threaded bolt that replaces the standard crank
retention bolt used
to affix the crank arm of pedal 72 onto an end of crank axle 71. All Ebikes
and bicycles
have such a threaded fastener holding each crank arm onto the bottom bracket
spindle and
this, potentially, provides a robust gripping for securing a bike to the
carrying rack. The
custom, bolt replacement fixture 73 includes two flange disks 76a and 76b
which are
spaced apart by a narrow inner portion which is positioned to enter into slot
70 of
stabilization post 69.
Figure 7 is a larger scale view onto Figure 6 which shows flanged
stabilization fixture
almost fully engaged into slot 70 to better illustrate its operation. Flange
disks 76a and 76b
are spaced apart to fit snugly against the inner and outer sides of slot 70,
thereby providing
the desired degree of stability without requiring any laborious operator
intervention while
loading delivery-bike onto its carrying-rack.
Preferred Embodiment of the Carrying-Rack:
The carrying-rack shown in Figures 6 and 7 must be specifically constructed to
fit the
dimensions of the particular delivery-bike being carried on the delivery-truck
and this
constraint limits the invention's overall versatility and utility. Therefore,
another
embodiment of the carrying-rack is configured for adjustability to suit a
variety of different
delivery-bikes. One approach to this goal, is to configure the stabilization
post 69 for
height adjustability and spacing adjustability with respect to tire-track 55,
thereby enabling
the carrying-rack to conform to the crank spindle heights and widths of
various delivery-
bikes. If this approach is taken then the adjustable post's notch 70 must
include a latch that
locks onto flanged stabilization fixture 73 (not illustrated however suitable
latch
mechanism are well-known). It is evident that if delivery-bike 50 is thereby
prevented
from rolling backwards, out of notch 70, then both the wheel catch 54 and the
rear deck to
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
tire-ramp locking mechanism 61, 62 become redundant and be safely eliminated
from the
assembly. This simplified configuration will permit any size of delivery-bike
to be secured
to the carrying rack simply by latching onto one side its crank spindle. This
"single
stabilization post" embodiment affords reasonably good security however dual
stabilization
posts that latch onto both sides of the delivery-bike's crank spindle would
provide optimal
engagement between the carrying-rack 52 and any size of delivery-bike.
Figure 7b conceptually illustrates this preferred "twin stabilization post'
'embodiment of
the carrying-rack which axially clamps onto both ends of the delivery-bike's
crank spindle.
Left and right stabilization posts 101 and 102 are bolted onto main support
tube 66 and
spaced apart to permit delivery-bike 50 to roll between them along tire-rail
55 (provided
that a crank arm has raised as shown in order to clear the top of either
post). Crank spindle
71 has been modified by replacing both of its crank arm retention bolts with
ones that
enable engagement onto left and right conical rams and detailed below. Once
firmly
gripped by said rams, said spindle is immobilized as if it was mounted between
centers in a
lathe and this, together with the contact of front and rear tires 59, 60 into
tire-track 55,
provides a robust fixation of delivery-bike 50 onto carrying-rack 52.
Figure 7c illustrates details of Figure 7b by suppressing parts of the
delivery-bike for better
visibility. Left and right spindle engagement rams 103 and 104 are both
threaded rods that
are threaded though left and right ram carriers 105 and 106, thereby enabling
axial
adjustment by turning knob 112. The inward ends of rams 103 and 104 are convex
(either
conical or spherical) for engagement into matching concavities formed into the
exposed
faces of specially fabricated left and right crank arm retention nuts 107 and
108. An
unused retention nut 107b is shown for illustrative purposes. The delivery-
bike's crank's
spindle (not shown) is typically furnished with square tapered ends that use
either a nut or a
bolt to affix crank arms 110 and 111 as shown. Concave engagement nuts 107 and
108
each have a threaded inner portion for normal use in affixing a crank arm to
spindle 71 and
an out concave portion for use with the present invention. A bolt version
(rather than a
21
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
nut) of the same crank retention/spindle end-support means is shown in Figure
7d and in
Figure 7g below.
To affix delivery-bike 50 onto carrying-rack 52, the convex ends of threaded
rams
103 and 104 are tightened into their respective conical engagement fixtures
107 and 108,
using either a wrench or tightening knob 112. To prevent unauthorized removal
of the
delivery-bike from its carrying-rack, knob 112 may be formed with a series of
shackle-
holes which enable locking its angular position using padlock 91.
To enable carrying-rack 52 to be adjusted to fit the various spindle heights
of
various delivery-bikes, ram carriers 105 and 106 are adjustable in height
using bolts
through adjustment slots 109 for adjustable fixation of said ram carriers to
stabilization
posts 101 and 102. Various crank spindle lengths may be accommodated by
screwing
spindle-gripping rams 103 and 104 in and out. To provide further axial
adjustability, shim
washers may also be placed under concave crank bolts 107 and 108. The
positioning of
posts 101 and 102 may also be varied by bolting them to main support 66 using
a plurality
of mounting holes (see Figure 7g).
Figure 7d illustrates a preferred embodiment of the carrying-rack 52 that
includes a more
easily actuated ram mechanism for gripping axially onto the ends of the
delivery-bike's
crank spindle 71. Left stabilization posts 101 and 102 mount vertically
telescoping upper
ram carriers 113 and 114, each having height adjustment slots 109 for adapting
to various
delivery-bikes. Left upper ram carrier 113 mounts ajournaled ram 115 that
slides freely in
and out and is clamped into the concave face of crank arm retention bolt 120.
See Figure
7e for a more detailed view.
Note that many standard delivery-bikes have their pedal crank closer to their
rear
wheel than their front wheel so that when mounted and gripped as shown in
Figure 7d, the
front tire may overhang the front end of the end of tire-track 55. Figure 7f
shows another
22
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
delivery-bike that overhangs the rear end of tire-rail 55. To remedy this
fore/aft positioning
imbalance, a more central fixation point may be provided on the delivery-bike
that can be
gripped in exactly the same manner as its crank spindle. Gripping fixture 119
is comprised
of left and right threaded fixation points 119 that are robustly affixed to
the frame of
delivery-bike 50 to simulate its crank spindle 71 (i.e. the left and right
concave crank bolts
can be screwed into 119 so that when gripped above main support 66, front
wheel 59 and
rear wheel 60 are symmetrical with respect to tire-track 55. If these
auxiliary fixation
points then spindle 71 needn't be modified with appropriately machined crank
bolts.
Note that in the embodiment of Figure 7d, since the rear end of delivery-bike
50 is
not affixed to freely hinged tire-ramp 56, some means of securing said ramp is
required
while the delivery-truck is moving. To fulfill this function, hinge 63
includes a stop
mechanism 117 that arrests the travel of tire-ramp 56 when it becomes
substantially
perpendicular to tire-track 55. A spring biasing means 118 is also included
that
automatically raises said ramp when not in use. One or two lengths of elastic
"bungee
cord" affixed to both tire-track and tire-ramp as shown will provide effective
ramp
actuation because, when lowered past horizontal, the ramp will automatically
switch
biasing direction to retain itself onto the ground for loading or unloading
operations. When
manually raised past horizontal, it will automatically swing up to its
vertical storage
position. The hinged tire-ramp 56 may also be mounted to either end of tire-
track 55 to
facilitate loading and unloading in different work environments. Dual tire-
ramps may also
be simultaneously mounted so that the driver/rider can more easily choose
which end of the
carrying-rack to use for loading operations. If a lightweight Ebike or
conventional
pushbike is being used as the delivery-bike, both tire-ramps may be omitted
and the
driver/rider can simply lift it onto or off of the tire-track (se Figure 7f).
Figure 7e illustrates details of Figure 7d by suppressing parts of the
delivery-bike for better
visibility of how the mechanism functions. Left and right stabilization posts
101 and 102
mount height-adjustable ram receivers 113 and 114, each ram for axially
gripping into the
23
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
ends of the delivery-bike's crank spindle (not shown). Threaded right ram 104
affixes with
locknuts though ram receiver 114 such that its convex end engages into the
concavity
formed into the face of right crank bolt 108. Left ram 115 is journaled to
slide freely
through ram receiver 113 such that its convex end engages into the concavity
formed into
the face of left crank bolt 107. The other end of ram 115 is actuated by a
standard "toggle-
clamp" mechanism 116 (shown fully open). Such toggle-clamps are well-known
devises
that leverage force past a tipping point such that they snap shut and the
harder the clamp
are forced open, the more its mechanism pushes it closed. Many toggle-clamp
mechanisms
include means for locking the mechanism closed with a padlock, thereby
discouraging
thieves who might otherwise steal the delivery-bike off of a parked delivery-
truck. When
toggle-clamp 116 is closed by pushing onto actuation lever 122, its clamping
plunger 123
contacts the end of ram 115, thereby forcing its convex end into the concavity
formed into
the face of left crank bolt 107 and axially squeezing both ends of the
delivery-bike's crank
spindle.
Toggle clamps are fast and effective however alternate means for forcing the
coaxial spindle-gripping rams together are within the scope of the invention.
For example:
either or both stabilization posts could be hinged to fold away from the
delivery-bike and a
detachable turnbuckle between them could be used to force and lock the posts
into their
upright position, thereby capturing the delivery-bike's crank spindle between
them.
Figure 7e also illustrates a preferred means for securely affixing carrying-
rack 52
into the standard trailer hitch receiver 88 that mounts to either the front or
rear end of
delivery-truck 51 (not shown). A plurality of threaded fixation holes 120 are
formed into a
side of main support tube 66 such that when said support is inserted into
hitch receiver 88,
bolt 121 can be tightened into the threaded hole which gives optimal clearance
between a
mounted delivery-bike and the rear end of the delivery-truck. If the delivery-
truck is being
driven about without carrying a delivery-bike then further retraction of
support member 66
24
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
into receiver 88 may be advisable in order to render the carrying-rack
unobtrusive while
still enabling good access through the delivery-truck's rear doors.
Figure 7f illustrates the carrying-rack shown in Figures 7d and 7e however in
this case it is
gripping onto a substantially longer delivery-bike 50 that utilizes a
standard, non-
electrified, pedal-only bicycle drivetrain. This delivery-bike has large
wheels and
elongated rear cargo decks that cause it to overhang both ends of tire-track
55. To avoid
interference between a hinged tire-ramp and the overhanging rear end of
delivery-bike 50,
the carrying-rack has had its tire-ramp removed. Since this delivery-bike is
substantially
lighter than the electrically assisted delivery-bike shown in Figure 7d, a
physically-fit
driver/rider will typically be able to mount this elongated delivery-bike onto
its carrying-
rack by first lifting its front wheel and then its back wheel onto tire-track
55.
Figure 7g illustrates the carrying-rack 52 of Figure 7f, which has been
slightly
reconfigured to render it more adaptable to different lengths of delivery-bike
and also
showing a simple threaded means for clamping the delivery-bike onto the
carrying-rack.
Stabilization posts 101 and 102 have each been bolted onto the side of main
support
member 66 (instead of its top), thereby moving any mounted delivery-bike
forward by 2
inches. Additional 2" increments of forward mounting could be achieved using
longer
bolts and 2" slices of tubing as shims. Also: threaded ram 103 is actuated by
a simple
turning knob 112 instead of the toggle-clamp used in Figure 7f to pressure
sliding ram 115
against spindle adaptor bolt 107.
Figure 7h illustrates an embodiment of the carrying-rack that that uses a
rotational joint to
enable tilting of the tire-track such that it can temporarily serve as a tire-
ramp. Rotational
joint 48 separates the main support of carrying-rack 52 into a fixed portion
66b and a
rotating portion 66a, thereby enabling tire-track 55 to rotate towards the
ground for loading
or unloading a delivery-bike. Since the entire clamping structure tilts with
the tire-track,
the need for a separate tire-ramp such as shown in Figure 7d is eliminated. To
enable
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
suitable rotation of joint 148, fixed flange 149 is internally journaled into
rotating flange
150 using an internal boss and recess. Tensioning rod 156 is internally
affixed to flange
149 such that tightening nut 157 will lock rating flange 150 to fixed flange
149 at any tilt
angle. Locking lever 153 swings around pivot 154 and is biased downwards by
spring 155,
thereby forcing said lever into horizontal locking notches 151 formed into the
apex of both
flange 149 and 150. Locking lever thereby aids the user in locking tire-track
55
horizontally as needed for transport or releasing it for tilting as needed for
loading
operations.
Other means of facilitating the "Augmented Park and Loop" delivery
methodology:
Figure 8 illustrates various cargo bin configurations that may be used to
facilitate transfer
of packages from the delivery-truck to the delivery-bike and from the delivery-
bike to their
final destinations. Delivery-bike 50 has been parked onto it centerstand 79
and driver/rider
53 has disembarked one of the folding modular cargo bins 77a containing
packages for
delivery and is setting off on foot to walk a local Park and Loop delivery
route based from
the parked delivery-bike (as opposed to basing it from the parked delivery-
truck).
Cargo bin 77a is a commonly available product that may include wheels and an
extendable handle for use as a door to door delivery trolley as shown. Such
bins may be
collapsible, thereby permitting empty bin/trolley 77b to be clipped onto the
rear rack
structure of delivery-bike 50. Alternatively, cargo bin 77c may be left opened
for carrying
cargo and clipped onto a folded-down, hinged side-deck 80 as shown. Locking
cargo bin
tops and locks to prevent unauthorized removal of a bin from the delivery-bike
may be
provided as well as other security measures such as an alarm (see the March 12
description
for Figures 1 and 2 above).
Various other existing cargo-handling products may be integrated into the
present
invention to increase the delivery-bike's versatility and capacity. For
example Lee Valley
26
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Tools (leevalley.com) sells a "Folding Hand Truck" that folds flat for storage
(see Figure
8b). This folding hand cart may also be mounted to the rear end of delivery-
bike 50 in a
manner similar to the bin/trolley 77b. When dismounted from the delivery-bike,
this
folding hand cart can serve as a conventional "dolly" for delivering boxes on
foot. Its
extended handle may also include a coupling that enables it to be hitched onto
the rear of
delivery-bike 50 and pulled about like the "Grocery-Getter" trailer referenced
below. The
above cargo handling means may be affixed to either an electric-assist
delivery-bike such
as shown in Figure 8 or to a more conventional, pedal-only powered delivery-
bike such as
shown in Figure 7f.
Randomly-shaped boxes 78 may be lashed to various racks on the delivery-bike
to
improve its carrying capacity, including the front mount rack as shown. When
parked, the
delivery-truck used to carry the delivery-bike serves as a local warehouse in
which extra
parcel-laden, cargo bins may be stored until needed.
In a preferred embodiment, the delivery-truck contains a plurality of cargo
bins that
each contains pre-sorted packages destined for different neighborhoods and for
delivery by
different means (truck, foot or bike). Optimal Park and Loop parking spots for
both the
delivery-truck and its disembarked delivery-bike are predetermined such that
the
driver/rider can rapidly load appropriate bins onto the delivery-bike as they
are needed (see
methodology description below).
In urban areas having many closely-spaced delivery sites, the delivery-bike
will not
have sufficient cargo capacity for efficiently use as a base for Park and Loop
operations
and in such cases it would be advantageous to use a cargo trailer to augment
its carrying
capacity. The challenge is to provide a trailer which is quick and easy to use
and which can
be carried unobtrusively on the delivery-truck for occasional use.
27
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Figure 8b illustrates another cargo-carrying configuration of delivery-bike
50. A plurality
of modular crates 158 affix to platforms 80 and may be lockably stacked as
required to
provide adequate cargo capacity. Folding hand cart 159 has folding wheels
159b, a folding
cargo shelf 159c and extendable handle 159d that enable it to be unobtrusively
carried in
either direction upon lower cradle 160 and locked to the delivery-bike with
locking pin
161.
Figure 8c illustrates the delivery-bike of Figure 8b with its folding hand
cart 159 reversed
and cargo shelf 159c folded down for carrying additional cargo modules 158.
Figure 8d illustrates the delivery-bike of Figure 8b with its folding hand
cart 159
disembarked. Its wheels 159b have been unfolded and locked and trailer hitch
portions
163a and 163b have been joined such that said hand cart now acts as a trailer.
Cargo shelf
159c supports a large package 162 that could not otherwise be transported by
the delivery-
bike.
Figure 9 illustrates a compact single-wheeled trailer that can efficiently
augment the cargo
carrying capacity of the delivery-bike. Trailer 81 is comprised of horizontal
ladder frame
83 having left and right rails spaced apart to receive rear wheel 82. A T-
shaped hitch-pin
rotatably affixes the trailer to the rear end of delivery-bike 50. Referring
to Detail A, The
T-shaped hitch-pin is comprised of horizontal hitch-pin portion 84, journaled
through the
front end of ladder frame 83 and vertical hitch-pin portion 85 journaled
through vertical
hitch receiver 86 and secured with cotter-pin 87, hitch receiver 86 being
welded to lower
support bracket 58. Trailer 81 and delivery-bike 50 may thereby freely rotate
with respect
to each other about pin portion 84 while traversing bumps and may also rotate
with respect
to each other about pin portion 85 while turning corners. Since hitch-pin
portion 85 is held
within vertical receiver 86, rear wheel 82 is constrained to tilt with
delivery-bike 50 as it
leans into corners, thereby providing a stable cargo platform on the upper
surface of ladder-
frame 83.
28
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
This very slender trailer configuration enables it to be conveniently stored
outside
of the delivery-truck 51, thereby maximizing its useful payload. If a larger
delivery-truck
such as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 is being used, then a bulkier, 2-wheeled
bicycle
trailer may be carried inside the delivery-truck and deployed with the
delivery-bike when
needed. One such off-the-shelf bicycle trailer that's well suited to this
delivery task is the
"Grocery-Getter" available from Tony's Trailer (tonystrailers.com), because,
when
detached from the delivery-bike, his type of trailer can serve as a delivery
trolley. Partial
disassembly of this type of 2-wheeled trailer/hand-trolley may be undertaken
to minimize
the space it occupies in the truck when not in use. With appropriate quick-
release fixtures
and storage fixtures, the partially disassembled 2-wheeled trailer can be
stored into the
same space used to store the single-wheeled trailer (see figure 10).
A similar type of dual-purpose trailer/trolley can be obtained by modifying
the
hand-held delivery trolley shown in Figure 8 such that the top of its
extendable handle can
be attached to the upper cargo deck 57, thereby eliminating the need to fold
and carry it on
the delivery-bike between stops along a Park and Loop delivery route.
Figure 10 illustrates how the slender trailer shown in Figure 9 can be stored
onto the
carrier rack when not in use without encumbering the interior of delivery-
truck 51.
Stabilization post 69 includes a trailer bracket 100 on its front surface
which mates with
ladder frame 83, thereby temporarily affixing trailer 81 to carrying-rack 52.
Carrying rack
52 is affixed to delivery-truck 51 via quill 74 inserted into the standard
trailer hitch
receiver 88 of delivery-truck 51 (further carrying rack fixation details are
shown in Figure
12).
Figure 11 illustrates how cargo can be stored onto either side of the trailer
shown in Figure
9. Trailer 81 is constructed without permanently attached cargo bins in order
to minimize
its size and thereby enable it to be stored conveniently as shown in Figure
10. Trailer 81
29
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
detachably mounts one or more modular cargo bins 89. Said cargo bins are
stored inside
the delivery-truck and typically contain pre-sorted packages that enable the
driver/rider to
quickly transfer all packages onto the delivery-bike 51 or trailer 81 that
need to be
delivered along a given Park and Loop route. Quick-release brackets 90 (not
visible) mate
cargo bins 89 onto ladder frame 83 for secure transport along said route. Note
in Figure 9
that trailer 81 is symmetrical about its horizontal center plane, thereby
permitting vertical
hitch-pin portion 85 to be inserted into hitch receiver 86 with either side of
trailer 81 facing
upwards. This versatility enables different quick-release fixtures to be
affixed to each side
of ladder frame 83 to accommodate different payloads. For example: one side
may have
fixations for one or more modular bins 89 as shown while the other side may
have different
fixations which permit attachment of a large flat, general-purpose cargo deck
(not
illustrated). Thus the compact delivery-bike 51 and its trailer 81 can be
easily configured
to carry a wide variety of cargo.
Figure 12 illustrates the preferred means used for rigidly attaching the
carrier rack 52 to
the delivery-truck 51. Tire-track 55 is securely welded to carrying-rack main
support 66,
which is typically standard 2-inch square tubing formed to slide easily into
the standard 2-
inch trailer-hitch receiver 88. Note that such trailer hitches are commonly
available as
bolt-on parts for a wide variety of suitable trucks and SUV's and that they
are also
available for fixation to either the front or rear end of many models. Front-
mounting may
be desirable in many situations in order to prevent obstruction of rear cargo
doors. Gussets
67 may be used to increase the robustness of joint between tire-track 55 and
main support
66.
Support 66 may affixed to hitch receiver 88 using an expanding "quill"
mechanism
comprised of quill tubes 74a and 74b, each having opposed beveled surfaces
such that,
when axial bolt 75 is tightened, quill portion 74a slides against quill
portion 74b to
effectively enlarge the mechanism. Quill portion 74a is shown welded to
carrying-rack
support 66 so that when quill portions 74 and 74b are inserted into the
standard 2-inch
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
hitch receiver 88 and bolt 75 is securely tightened, the entire carrying-rack
52 becomes
rigidly jammed inside said receiver.
In another embodiment (without the quill fixation) carrying-rack 52 may also
be
secured to receiver 88 using the conventional cotter-pin fixation used by
trailer hitches (pin
thought aligned holes 88b and 88c). This standard fixation means is fast and
cheap
however the looseness of fit of support 66 inside the receiver 88 may cause
unacceptable
wobbling of the carrying-rack when driven over rough roads.
Figure 13 illustrates one embodiment of an acceptable latching and locking
mechanism 61
for securing tire-ramp 56 to upper cargo deck 57, thereby immobilizing
delivery-bike 50
with respect to its carrying-rack 52. Temporary latching of tire-ramp 56 onto
said cargo
deck is accomplished using a latch comprised of stretchable portion 94a and
metal receiver
portion 94b. When tire-ramp 56 is fully raised and contacted onto mechanism
61, rubber
latch portion 94a can be stretched to engage into latch portion 94b, thereby
retaining tire-
ramp 56 in place. Left and right latches may be provided as shown for
additional security.
Positive locking of tire-ramp 56 to cargo deck 57 is by means of shackle
receiver 92, which
when tire-ramp 56 is fully raised will protrude through aperture 93
sufficiently for the
shackle of padlock 91 to be locked through said shackle receiver, thereby
locking the ramp
and delivery-bike together with added security. In its simplest embodiment
latching and
locking mechanism 61 is comprised of only the padlocking elements (91, 92 and
93), since
this mechanism can effectively accomplish both latching and locking functions
(i.e. rubber
latch 94a and 94b is optional).
Figure 14 illustrates an alternate latching a locking mechanism 61 for
securing the tire-
ramp to the delivery-bike. In this embodiment, temporary latching is
accomplished by
spring-loaded toothed latch 94 that automatically engages onto a corner of
tire-ramp 56
when it reaches its fully raised position, thereby immobilizing delivery-bike
50 with
respect to its carrying-rack 52. Positive locking is accomplished by passing
the shackle of
31
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
padlock 91 through shackle apertures 92 and 93 when said apertures are
aligned. Again,
the latch portion 94 is optional if the padlock method is used. It is
understood that a
variety of similar, known latching and locking mechanisms can be implemented
to secure
tire-ramp 56 to delivery-bike 50.
Figure 15 illustrates a means for automatically recharging the batteries of an
electrically
assisted delivery-bike. One of the advantages of the present invention is that
while the
delivery-bike is being carried by delivery-truck 51, the battery 64 used to
power the
delivery-bike may be recharged using power from the delivery-truck's batteries
(not
visible). This intermittent charging during the work day reduces the need for
a large heavy
battery pack on the delivery-bike and thereby improves the system's overall
effectiveness.
To facilitate recharging the delivery-bike's battery, tire-ramp 56 includes
electrical
contact 96b and lower support bracket 58 includes electrical contact 96a, said
electrical
contacts being positioned such that when tire-ramp 56 is fully raised to lock
delivery-bike
50 onto delivery-truck 51, contacts 96a and 96b become mated, thereby
electrically
connecting the battery of the delivery-bike 64 to a battery charger (not
visible) onboard the
delivery truck 51.
If the carrying-rack of Figure 7g is being used then charging any electric
assist
delivery-bike that's carried on it must be effected manually (by plugging the
charger
located aboard the delivery-truck onto the batteries of the delivery-bike.
Figure 16 illustrates a pedal-mounted prop stand that satisfies one of the
objectives of the
present invention: to provide a delivery-bike that can be parked very rapidly
when doing
closely-spaced door-to-door deliveries. Conventional, frame-mounted prop
stands and
center stands are acceptably fast for occasional stops however for optimal and
automatic
stand deployment during rapid start/stop deliveries; delivery-bike 50 may be
equipped with
one or two gravity-actuated, pedal-mounted stands. Pedal prop 97 is affixed to
pedal 72
32
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
and angled outward such that when pedal crank 71 is rotated near the ground
and the
rider's foot is removed, the weight of the prop causes said pedal to rotate
such that prop 97
and its attached foot 98 hang down and the delivery-bike can be leaned onto
said prop for
support.
Figure 17 better illustrates the support geometry and operational principal
that enables the
prop stand shown in Figure 16 to function. When coming to a stop at which the
rider
wishes the delivery-bike to be temporarily parked, crank 71 must be rotated to
approximately the angular position shown; such that pedal 72 is slightly
rearward of its
bottom-dead center position. When the rider then leans the weight of the
delivery-bike
onto the hanging prop 97, the ground contact onto foot 98 will prevent it from
moving
however a certain amount of rotational force will be applied to the crank
which will tend to
propel rear wheel 60 forward and thereby cause the stand to collapse.
Therefore, in order
for the prop stand to be effective, delivery-bike 50 must be constrained from
rolling
forward. Experience has shown that my previous pedal stand of similar design
(US
6,237,929), which relied on a freely swinging front wheel cannot provide
reliable support
for a heavy delivery-bike, because its steering geometry cannot be turned far
enough to left
or right to provide adequate braking force.
Therefore, in the present invention, external braking means are provided that
reliably prevent forward motion which would otherwise cause the stand to fail.
One such
means is a rear brake lever 99 of the type equipped with a spring-locking pin
mechanism
that is built into the lever body and that blocks the fully-pulled brake lever
from returning
into its housing, thereby enabling the rider to lock the rear brake and
prevent rolling
forward while parked onto prop 97. Such known "parking brake" levers are
commercially
available and typically used to prevent tricycles for rolling when parked.
When the
delivery-bike 50 is equipped with one or both pedal stands as well as such a
rear wheel
parking brake lever, the rider can quickly and easily dismount the vehicle and
leave it
33
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
reliably supported while making brief delivery excursions on foot. For
lengthier parking
periods, center stand 79 may be deployed.
An alternate brake locking embodiment suitable only for an electric assist
delivery-
bike is to use rear its hub motor 65 as a means of immobilizing rear wheel 60.
Hub motor
60 may be temporarily converted into a parking brake by shorting or more of
its field coils
to ground, thereby converting it into a generator that will exert considerable
resistance to
turning. Whereas the brake lever locking means require some (minimal) user
interaction,
this electronic means of enabling the gravity-actuated pedals stands to work
effectively
lends itself to computerized actuation: when the electric-assist delivery-
bike's speed drops
to zero and the throttle is left at idle, the motor's field coil can be
automatically grounded
with a relay to make it easy for the rider to stop and start without having to
consciously
deploy a stand.
Figure 18 details a preferred embodiment of the locking brake lever that can
be retro-fitted
onto an existing brake lever. Lever body 125 mounts to handlebar 129 and brake
lever 124
pivots within said body on pivot 126 to actuate rear brake cable 128. Adjuster
127 is used
to adjust cable tension such that when the rear brake is fully engaged, lever
124 is
withdrawn far enough from handlebar body 125 that a pin can be inserted into
the triangle
formed by cable 128, body 125 and lever 124, thereby blocking it from
releasing the rear
brake (and the pedal-mounted stands shown in Figure 17 will become operative).
Brake
blocking pin 138 mounts through the upper and lower flanges of receiving body
130, said
body being affixed via its large lower flange to the (typically) flat top of
existing brake
lever body 125. A double-sided foam adhesive patch 137 is sufficient to hold
the
mechanism in the correct position for pin-blocking of lever 124 to occur.
Other means,
such as a miniature C-clamp, may also be used to affix receiving body 130 onto
the
existing brake lever mechanism.
34
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Biasing spring 132 and circular spring retention flange 133 formed onto pin
138 are
disposed between the upper and lower flanges of body 130 such that pin 138 is
biased
upwards but retained within said body by said flange, thereby permitting brake
lever 124 to
operate normally. When the rider wishes to apply the parking brake so that the
pedal-
mounted prop stands can be used, the brake lever 124 is actuated and plunger
button 131 is
depressed, thereby moving blocking pin 138 down into the brake blocking
triangle
described above. While keeping button 131 depressed, the user then releases
lever 124
causing it to pinch onto the side of pin 138 and retain it in place while the
delivery-bike is
parked. When the rider wishes to release the parking brake and ride off, they
squeeze again
onto lever 124 such that pin 138 is free to be propelled upwards by spring 132
into its
upper, disengaged position.
Figure 19 illustrates the parking brake lever of Figure 18 once the blocking
pin 138 has
been depressed into its parking brake position. Button 131 has been pressed
such that
spring 132 has been compressed by spring cap 133 and blocking pin 138 extends
across
brake lever body 125, thereby blocking the return of brake lever 124. Side
pressure onto
pin 138 will keep it in place until lever 124 is squeezed by the rider to
release the brake.
Note that magnet 134 has been adhesively affixed to lever 124 and electrical
"reed
switch" 135 has been adhesively affixed to brake adaptor body 130 such that
when lever
124 is released, magnet 134 moves close to reed switch 135, thereby closing an
internal
electrical contact that is wired to an Ebike's motor controller (i.e. applying
the brake
automatically cuts of power to the electric assist motor). Since a motor cut-
off switch is a
mandatory safety feature in some Ebike jurisdictions this (optional) inclusion
of magnet
134 and reed switch 135 provides a cost-effective way to provide the needed
motor cutoff
switch while simultaneously implementing the parking brake function needed to
actuate the
pedal-mounted stands shown in Figure 17.
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Figure 20 illustrates a "kit" for retrofitting pedal-stand capability onto a
delivery-bike. It
also has more general-purpose utility in that it adds utility to any bicycle.
The kit includes
the rear brake-lever locking mechanism 139 described above as well as left or
right pedal
prop stands 140, 141 for attachment to typical left or right bicycle pedals
146, 147. Left
and right foot members 143 and 145 are eccentrically affixed and angled with
respect to the
bent props 144 and 142 to which they are affixed, thereby swinging each pedal
to the
optimal prop deployment angles depicted in Figure 17. Fixation of a prop to a
pedal is
typically by means of bolt holes and bolts (not shown) that align onto
existing holes along
the edge of the pedal to which it is mounted (slots my be provided to
facilitate alignment).
Alternatively, the user may be required to drill two or more mounting holes in
their pedal
to enable bolting of prop to pedal. The lateral extension of prop 142 or 144
may vary;
more lateral extension as show for right prop 142 will add greater geometric
strength to the
deployed stand however stiffer metal will be required to fabricate it in order
to avoid
bending when parking a heavily laden delivery-bike. Greater lateral (outward)
extension of
prop 142 will also aid users with very wide feet as this will insure that,
regardless of which
side of the pedal they use, the rearward extending foot won't interfere with
their footwear.
To accommodate varying pedal dimensions and heights above ground, a prop-
length adjustment mechanism may be provided as shown between prop 143 and foot
143.
To further add to prop length adjustability, the spacing between prop 142 and
pedal 147
may be adjusted using shims when bolting it onto right pedal 147. Another
approach to
providing a kit that fits various delivery-bikes is to manufacture a plurality
of non-
adjustable prop configurations, each one made to span whatever distance exists
between a
particular delivery-bike's vertically oriented pedal and the ground (i.e. the
user measures
lowest ground clearance and purchases the correct prop length).
Either a left or a right pedal-mounted prop stand may be provided in the kit
however it is preferable that it include both left and right props as this
will enable the rider
to disembark onto either side of the delivery-bike as needed.
36
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Note that, when attached to a pedal, the entire weight of the prop stand is
highly
eccentric to each pedal's axis of rotation and this causes a strong automatic
rotational
deployment action whenever the rider's foot is removed from the pedal. Note
also that this
pedal-stand kit can also be gainfully used to convert bicycles and Ebikes that
are not used
for delivery of parcels.
Methodology for using the invention:
Conventional delivery methodology uses only two modes of transport (driving
and
walking) and therefore only two possible modes:
1) Execute the entire delivery route using the delivery truck (what couriers
normally
do since their delivery sites are typically too widely spaced for walking).
2) Park the delivery truck at selected spots and walk along a short route of
closely-
spaced delivery sites. This method is known as "Park and Loop" and is
typically
used for postal delivery.
This binary choice of either driving or walking necessitates strategic
planning to
determine the location of the "Park and Loop" parking spots that provide
optimal overall
productivity. The critical decision criterion is whether it's more energy and
time efficient
to drive or to walk between each delivery site. Since the walking mode is only
used for
door-to-door mail delivery, the decision on where to park and switch from
driving to
walking is quite straightforward: it's an empirical decision based on the
weight a letter-
carrier can carry in a satchel and where convenient parking spots are with
respect to the
delivery area.
The present invention provides the delivery-truck driver with a third possible
mode of
transport (riding a delivery-bike). When deployed, the bike enables "Augmented
Park and
Loop" operations and this extended methodology necessitates additional
strategic planning
steps in order to make best use of all three modes of transport. The same two
delivery
modes listed above still apply however there are now two more possible
delivery modes:
37
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
3) Perform certain portions of the point to point truck-driven "courier" route
by
parking the truck and completing deliveries using the off-loaded delivery-
bike.
4) Perform potions of any delivery-bike route by parking the delivery-bike and
completing a series of door-to-door deliveries on foot.
These two new options for where to change transport modes complicates the
methodology
needed to select optimal parking sites from which to base Park and Loop
operations. The
underlying decision criterion remains the same: which available mode of
transport is the
most efficient to deliver the packages contained in the truck? The decision on
which mode
of transport is most efficient is based on several parameters:
- The average spacing between upcoming delivery sites
- The size and weight of upcoming deliveries
- The average speed of traffic
- The availability of parking
- The availability of dedicated bicycle lanes
- The weather
- The energy consumption characteristics of each mode of transport.
The speed and carrying capacity of an Ebike falls between that of a truck and
that of a
walker so, to some extent, the choice of where to deploy the Ebike is
analogous to the
decision-making process used to select conventional park and loop topologies.
The extra
variables are however hard to quantify and a rigorously analytical solution is
virtually
impossible to compute.
One option for deciding which packages warrant delivery by Ebike (either
directly or
by sub-looping from a parked Ebike) is to rely heavily on the
driver/rider/walker's intuitive
consideration of all factors. The exercise of individual expertise and
judgment is
something that can only be developed over time and must remain quite
subjective. Despite
this variability in any individual driver's decision on where and when to
switch delivery
modes from delivery-truck to delivery-bike and back again, there will clearly
be some
38
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
operational scenarios in which the driver will see obvious benefit in
deploying the delivery-
bike. For example:
- Traffic is so congested that the truck is moving slower than a bike could
travel if
deployed.
- Legal parking spaces near delivery sites are very scarce so the likelihood
of expensive
tickets makes bike delivery more cost-effective.
- Energy costs and carbon emissions incentives are such that bike delivery is
so much more
cost-effective that it overcomes lost productivity due to the slowness of the
bike versus the
truck.
Provided that the delivery-bike is deployed at least some of the time in
response to any of
the above scenarios then it will provide some net benefit.
Another option for deciding which packages warrant delivery by Ebike is to
utilize
some form of computerized display that aides the driver/rider. To accomplish
this, the
digital manifest of all packages aboard the delivery-truck is analyzed at the
start of day to
determent the average distance between delivery sites. Geographically
clustered deliveries
are well-suited to delivery using the delivery-bike so under the assumption of
various
average truck speeds corresponding to different traffic congestion states (20
kph, 30 kph 40
kph etc), numerical comparison is made to the average speed of an Ebike (32
kph) through
the same data set as the truck. This yields geographic clustering of delivery
sites based on
projected time between delivery sites; a time threshold is then used to
cluster sites that are
best suited to one mode of delivery or the other. These suggested delivery
mode can then
be used to colour-code all delivery sites as they are plotted onto a map
display such as
"Googlemaps" (e.g. green = bike and red = truck). This colour-coded map
showing all
delivery sites on the driver's route during their workday is presented to the
driver/rider on a
mobile viewing device such as an internet browser operating on an "Apple
iPhone" or
similar device. Display of a series of locations onto a Googlemap is easily
accomplished
using utilities such as that available at "batchgeo.com" and each geographical
location icon
can be clicked on to access a range of data relevant to that point (its postal
code, street
39
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
address, name of recipient, weight and dimensions of package etc). Those types
of "hard"
data point attributes are easy to determine and upload to the Googlemap
however, of
necessity; the displayed clusters showing suggested delivery mode are
relatively crude
suggestions. While only approximate suggestions subject to widely ranging
interpretation
by the driver, the green/red groupings can still provide a good visual
backdrop of their
day's work and route plan. This thereby provides a good starting point for
applying expert
judgment on how to best utilize each of the transportation modes at their
disposal.
Including an iPhone or similar computing, navigation and telecommunications
device to display the map of suggested delivery-mode for each package being
delivered
also presents two other opportunities to increase the effectiveness and
efficiency of the
present delivery invention. These two methodology enhancements are:
1) The same "iPhone hardware" used to display mapping information regarding
suggested sites for delivery-bike usage, together with additional software, is
used to
keep track of which packages have been delivered using which mode of
transport.
This data can be used to encourage the driver/rider to make greater use of the
delivery-bike and this will in turn provide greater social benefits while
generating
greater profits for the delivery company.
This additional software module addresses the weak link in the chain of
decision
making process: for any given delivery, it's physically easier for the driver
to sit
comfortably in their delivery-truck and slowly inch through traffic than it is
to park
and use the delivery-bike to complete the job ... that's extra work and
employees
paid by the hour typically try to minimize their exposure to it. The solution
is to pay
employees extra for this extra work. If the driver receives a bonus for each
package
delivered using the delivery-bike that might have otherwise been delivered
using the
delivery-truck, then it's certain they will make every effort to do so. The
additional
payroll costs incurred may very well be dwarfed by fuel savings, reduced
parking
fines, faster deliveries in congested traffic, carbon-tax credits and extra
customer
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
goodwill that will accrue to using the more environmentally beneficial
delivery
option. The amount of driver bonus needed to achieve optimal all-round
performance
is easily determined empirically during field trials.
Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the "Augmented Parke and Loop"
methodology, the delivery-truck driver / delivery-bike rider uses their iPhone
type
map display device to automatically keep track of the mode of transport used
to
deliver each package and the kilometers of travel that they have logged on
each
vehicle. In its simplest embodiment, the odometer reading of both the delivery-
truck
and the delivery-bike are recorded at start and end of day and subsequently
used by
management to determine the driver's pay bonus amount based how many
deliveries
were made with respect to the relative usage of each vehicle. More
sophisticated
analysis may also be implemented that discounts obvious "truck-only" usage
scenarios such as freeway commutes to and from a distant warehouse or garage.
Whatever the details of the empirical analysis, the important methodology step
to
note is that the driver knows they will be financial rewarded for exerting
extra effort
to use the most socially responsible mode of transport at their disposal.
2) The same "iPhone hardware" used to display mapping information regarding
suggested sites for delivery-bike usage, together with additional software, is
used to
eliminate time lost due to the recipient of a particular package who is
required to
provide a signature not being at home when a delivery is attempted. A delivery
company looses money each time it fails to deliver a package due to the
recipient not
being home to sign for it or pay COD charges. Furthermore, if after several
unsuccessful attempts to deliver a package, the absent recipient is faced with
a notice
stuck to their door informing them that they must now travel to a distant
depot to
collect their package, further lost energy and customer satisfaction will be
lost.
41
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the "Augmented Park and Loop"
methodology, the delivery-truck driver / delivery-bike rider uses their iPhone
type
device to automatically display onto their day's scheduled delivery sites
however the
data used to generate the "Googlemap" (described above) is augmented with
attribution for each delivery site that includes a data field for whether or
not a
signature is required, whether or not COD charges must be paid upon delivery
and
the phone number of the recipient. This "recipient must be home" data is then
used
to colour-code the Googlemap icons in the same way that the icons illustrate
the
suggested mode of transportation to each delivery site. For example: delivery
sites
that require a signature or COD payment might be displayed using yellow icons.
The
driver/rider can thereby perceive ahead of time the need for the recipient of
a
particular package to be home.
At some convenient time before they plan on making a "yellow" delivery (for
example: 30 minutes), the driver clicks on the yellow Googlemap icon whereupon
its
attribute data is displayed (which includes the recipient's telephone number).
The
driver/rider than clicks on the phone number (a "verify customer is home"
icon) and
the iPhone's software automatically causes a phone call to be made to that
number
and a pre-recorded message to be played if the call is answered. The phone
message
to the upcoming delivery site might read something to the effect: "Hi: I'm a
delivery-
truck driver about to visit you with a package that either requires your
signature or
has COD charges I need to collect. If you are able to be there for the next 30
minutes
to receive this package, please press the number sign. If there 's no
response, I'll
assume nobody is home and will attempt to deliver again tomorrow." If the
software
detects the "will be at home" response then the driver automatically receives
appropriate on-screen notification to proceed with the delivery. If however no
response is received from the package recipient the driver automatically
receives
appropriate on-screen notification of the problem so that they can skip
attempting that
particular delivery on that particular day. All such cancelled deliveries are
recorded
42
CA 02739693 2011-05-06
in software and rescheduled into the next day's work. Avoiding failed attempts
to
delivery package, the delivery company saves time, energy and money while the
customer enjoys a higher level of service.
It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for
clarity,
described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in
combination in
a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention that are,
for brevity,
described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided
separately or in any
suitable subcombination.
43
