FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to an anti-theft arrangement for a battery and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to an anti-theft arrangement for a battery for an electric bicycle or other electric vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle having an external battery.

As battery technology improves and lightweight lithium batteries can carry amounts of energy undreamt of in previous years, electric vehicles are becoming more common. The electric vehicles such as bicycles are generally left unattended outdoors when the destination is reached, and to prevent theft the vehicles may be locked or chained to convenient railings or to installations specifically designed for the purpose. Often the most valuable part of such a vehicle is however the battery and the owner may have to remove the battery and keep it with him or her. In some cases a battery may have a carry handle which can be secured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present embodiments relate to a battery having a hole, through which a chain or lock part can be inserted. More particularly the battery may be provided with a loop or a hole for a bicycle chain, reinforced wire, steel rope or bar or like locking device, arranged such that removal of the chain from the hole or loop requires breakage, the breakage being either of the locking device, which is hard, or if the chain is not broken then the battery must be broken.

The embodiments further relate to a locking device designed to fit specifically into the hole or loop.

According to an aspect of some embodiments of the present invention there is provided a securable battery for a vehicle, comprising an insertion point for a lock part, the insertion point being placed such that forcible removal of the lock part from the insertion point causes damage to the securable battery.

In an embodiment, the insertion point comprises a hole through a body of the battery.

In an embodiment, the insertion point comprises a loop anchored in the body of the battery.

In an embodiment, the insertion point is shaped to mate with a predetermined lock part shape.

The battery may be located on the vehicle in relation to a structural part of the vehicle in such a way that insertion of the lock part secures the vehicle via the structural part as well as the battery. In an embodiment, destruction of the battery leaves the vehicle still held around the structural part by the lock part.

The securable battery may be secured by the lock part.

The securable battery together with a lock, and wherein a lock part is inserted through the insertion point.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of protecting a vehicle having a battery from theft of the vehicle and from theft of the battery, comprising:

mounting a battery having an insertion point in the battery on the vehicle; and

inserting a lock part into the insertion point and around at least a structural part of the vehicle.

In an embodiment, the insertion point comprises a hole through a body of the battery. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a battery having a hole.

The battery may have an electrically active body and an outer housing around the body, the hole extending from a first location on the outer housing to a second location on the outer housing.

In an embodiment, the outer housing comprises a first face and a second face opposite the first face, wherein the first location is on the first face and the second location is on the second face.

The battery may have a lock part threaded through the hole.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and/or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the invention, exemplary methods and/or materials are described below.

In case of conflict, the patent specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be necessarily limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Some embodiments of the invention are herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of embodiments of the invention. In this regard, the description taken with the drawings makes apparent to those skilled in the art how embodiments of the invention may be practiced.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a simplified diagram showing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention having an insertion point or hole through the housing and extending through the body of the battery;

Fig. 2 is a simplified diagram showing a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention in which the insertion point is outside the casing but is anchored within the casing and within the body of the battery;

Figs. 3A-B are simplified diagram of another embodiment of the present invention in which the insertion point is shaped to mate with a particular lock part;

Fig. 4 is a simplified diagram of a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention in which the lock part has been forced, with the result that the battery body within the housing is broken, rendering the battery useless;

Fig. 5 is a photograph showing a battery according to the present embodiments mounted on a bicycle and wherein a lock part is inserted through the battery and around the bicycle to lock the bicycle to an adjacent post;

Fig. 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating a procedure for locking a bicycle via a battery according to the present embodiments;

Fig. 7 is a simplified diagram showing a cross-section of the battery of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a simplified diagram showing a cross-section of a variation of the battery of Fig.

1.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to an anti-theft arrangement for a battery and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to an anti-theft arrangement for a battery for an electric bicycle or other small electric vehicle.

A battery has a hole or anchored insertion point so that an electric bicycle or like vehicle having a battery can be secured with a bicycle lock in such a way as to secure both the battery and the vehicle together.

The battery may have a body and an outer housing, the hole extending across the battery from one side of the housing to the other, optionally through the body, so that attempts to force the lock part from the battery and thus release the battery may render the battery inoperable. In addition, the attempt fails to release the vehicle. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components and/or methods set forth in the following description and/or illustrated in the drawings and/or the Examples. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a simplified diagram showing a battery according to one embodiment of the present invention having an insertion point or hole through the housing and extending through the body of the battery. A securable battery 10 for a vehicle such as a bicycle or the like, comprises an insertion point or hole 12 through which a lock part such as a bicycle chain may be inserted to lock the vehicle. The insertion point is placed such that forcible removal of the lock part from the insertion point causes damage to the securable battery. That is to say the insertion point is arranged such that removal of the lock part is only possible by cutting the lock part or by breaking the battery. In Fig. 1 the insertion point 12 is surrounded by both the body or electrically active part of the battery and by the housing, so that attempts to forcibly remove the battery render the battery inoperable. That is to say, the insertion point 12 comprises a hole through a body of the battery 10. The hole is here shown to be round but can be square, rectangular, elliptical or of any other shape, including shapes specifically designed to mate with lock parts, as will be discussed in greater detail below.

The hole may alternatively be on one side of the body of the battery for ease of manufacture. The housing may be designed so that in case of force, the housing damages the body of the battery and renders the battery inoperable. Thus again, forcible removal of the lock part from the insertion point causes damage to the securable battery. Alternatively essential parts of the body of the battery may be placed around the hole, such as the electrodes, so that the essential parts are rendered inoperable by attempts to force the battery.

Reference is now made to Fig. 2, which illustrates a variation 14 of the battery in which the insertion point is a loop 16 or the like in the housing of the battery. The loop is anchored at each end by anchors 18 which are embedded in the body of the battery so that once again, forcible removal causes damage to the battery and renders the battery inoperable.

The anchors may alternatively be on one side of the body of the battery for ease of manufacture, rather than being embedded within the body itself. The housing may be designed so that in case of force, the housing damages the body of the battery and renders the battery inoperable. Thus again, forcible removal of the lock part from the insertion point causes damage to the securable battery The loop may also be constructed as a welded continuation of the housing, however this is considered less secure.

Reference is now made to Figs. 3 A and 3B which are two different variations of an embodiment 20 in which an insertion point 22 in the battery is shaped to mate with a predetermined lock part shape. In Fig. 3A the lock part is generally square with cutaway corners and the insertion point has a complementary shape. In Fig. 3B the lock part has a star-shaped profile and the insertion point has a complementary shape. The precise shapes of the lock part may vary as known to the skilled person and there is no special significance in the examples shown herein as opposed to other shapes that may be used with lock parts.

The insertion points in Figs. 3 A and 3B are shown going through the housing and the body of the battery. However the shaped insertion points may also be on the edge of the housing and not go through the body of the battery itself. Alternatively, the shaped insertion points may be part of the loop which is external to the housing as shown in Fig. 2 and anchored into the body, or anchored at the side of the body.

Reference is now made to Fig. 4 which illustrates a battery 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention in which the lock part has been forced from the insertion point, with the result that the battery body within the housing is broken, rendering the battery useless. The insertion point 32 previously contained the lock part which has now been forcibly removed, leading to breakage of the housing at one of the sides 34 and as much of the body of the battery as the lock part may have taken with it on exiting the housing.

The attacker thus fails to gain the bicycle or like vehicle since the lock part or chain is still around the vehicle and further fails to gain the battery since the battery is now broken. Thus the attacker achieves only destruction of the battery and leaves the vehicle still held by the lock part.

Reference is now made to Fig. 5, which is a photograph showing a battery 40 according to the present embodiments mounted on a bicycle 42. A lock part 44 of bicycle lock 46 is inserted through insertion point 45 in the battery 40 and around the bicycle 42 to lock the bicycle 40 to an adjacent post 48. In fact the lock part is inserted through an essential part of the bicycle, in this case the bicycle frame 47. That is to say the lock part goes through a loop within the bicycle frame so that the lock part is surrounded on all sides by the bicycle frame and cannot be extracted without breaking the bicycle frame. The insertion of the lock part 44 into the insertion point 45 may secure the battery 40 to the vehicle 42 as well as securing both the battery and vehicle to the adjacent post 48.

It is noted that, even if the vehicle is not secured to a post, the lock can still be used to secure the vehicle and the battery together. It will be appreciated that one way of securing the vehicle and battery if no post or like structure is available is to place a suitable shaped lock part, or a chain, through the battery, around the frame and through the wheel spokes.

Reference is now made to Fig. 6, which is a simplified flow diagram showing a method 50 of securing a vehicle and a battery in such a way as to protect the battery from theft as well as and separately from the vehicle.

A battery according to the present embodiments is provided. That is a battery with an insertion point according to any of the embodiments above, be it through the body of the battery, by the side of the body under the housing, in a loop attached to the housing, through the housing, anchored under the housing or in the body of the battery etc is provided for the vehicle - 52. The battery is attached to the vehicle - 54, and then a lock part, such as the loop or chain of a bicycle lock, is placed through the insertion point and around an essential part of the vehicle such as the bicycle frame 56. The vehicle is thus immobilized and the battery is protected at the same time. The vehicle may be locked to a securing post etc 58.

Reference is now made to Fig. 7, which is a simplified cross section of the battery of Fig.

1. Battery 60 according to the present embodiments may have an outer housing 62 around the battery on all sides, a body 64 which is the electrical storage part of the battery including positive and negative electrodes and connectors, and a hole 66. The hole extends through the body of the battery from one point on the housing, through the body of the battery, to another point on the housing, for example on the opposite side. However it is possible that the hole goes through the body at an angle so that the hole emerges on another face of the housing which is not opposite the initial side.

The hole of the present embodiment is surrounded on all sides by the body of the battery but this is not a feature of all of the embodiments.

A lock part may be threaded through the hole.

Reference is now made to Fig. 8, which is a simplified cross section of a variation of the battery of Fig. 1. Battery 60 according to the present embodiments may have an outer housing 62 around the battery on all sides, a body 64 which is the electrical storage part of the battery including positive and negative electrodes and connectors, and a hole 66. The hole extends from one side of the housing to another point on the housing. It is possible that the hole goes through the battery at an angle so that it emerges on another face of the housing which is not opposite the initial side. The hole of the present embodiment goes through via the edge of the body and does not go through in such a way as to be surrounded by the body on all sides. Nevertheless the hole may be located so that attempts to force the hole may break the housing and may disrupt essential parts of the electrical workings of the battery such as electrodes.

It is expected that during the life of a patent maturing from this application many relevant electric vehicles and locks as well as batteries for such vehicles will be developed and the scopes of the corresponding terms are intended to include all such new technologies a priori.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including", "having" and their conjugates mean "including but not limited to".

The term "consisting of means "including and limited to".

As used herein, the singular form "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

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, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated herein by reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the present invention. To the extent that section headings are used, they should not be construed as necessarily limiting.