Patent Application
20180370590
The present disclosure relates to the field of a universal bicycle hitch, and more particularly the present invention relates to an apparatus to utilize a universal hitch to detachably attach a bicycle with a trailer to carry loads.
Currently, bicycle hitches are predominantly connected to the rear axle of the bicycle. The issue with connecting the bicycle hitches to the rear axle is that heavyweight from the trailer load is unduly exposed directly to one side of the rear axle, while the current axles very often include mechanism for shifting gears or even more current mechanism for electric drivetrains. Some trailers connect to the seat post right under the saddle, which makes the vibration of the road from the trailer being transferred to the saddle. Both of the above-mentioned current methods do not provide optimal solutions for connecting trailers to the bicycles.
Another problem with the current bicycle hitches that are connected to the axles is that they often connect to the side of the trailer, making the trailer unstable. Bicycle trailers that have loads that can move, like a pet or animal, impact the trailer stability. Even if the bicycle hitches connect to the center of the trailer, there is still no optimal stability. As the trailer is generally used to transport loads from one location to another and is being used or stored at another location, most trailers cannot be used as a cart or having difficulty turning into a cart. Once the trailer can be converted into a cart, they need space to make turns and are hard to use in places like grocery stores with narrow aisles.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus to utilize a universal hitch to detachably attach a bicycle with a trailer to carry loads. Further, there is also a need for a universal bicycle hitch that will ensure the stability of the bicycle trailer. Furthermore, there is also a need for the trailer to be converted into a cart after detachment from the universal bicycle hitch.
Thus, in view of the above, there is a long-felt need in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art through comparison of described methods and apparatuses with some aspects of the present disclosure, as set forth in the remainder of the present application and with reference to the drawings.
The present invention mainly solves the technical problems of the prior art existed. In response to these problems, the present invention provides an apparatus to utilize a universal hitch to detachably attach a bicycle with a trailer to carry loads, as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
The present apparatus comprises a universal hitch, a tow arm, and a rolling kickstand. The universal hitch attached to a bicycle rack either connected to the seat tube of a bicycle or a rear rack of the bicycle to detachably attach the bicycle with a trailer to carry one or more loads. The universal hitch utilizes a limited swiveling mechanism to support a plurality of dynamics of the bicycle without disrupting the dynamics of the bicycle. The tow arm connects the universal hitch with the center of the trailer to block a lateral movement of the trailer and the bicycle at up to 10 degrees by utilizing a swiveling mechanism. The swiveling mechanism prevents the trailer having a plurality of wheels from tipping and sustains the dynamics of the bicycle in the lateral movement.
The rolling kickstand comprises a braking mechanism to park the trailer on a horizontal surface and ride the trailer as a cart. The trailer, on detachment from the universal hitch, transforms into a cart and enables a user to hold a distal end of the tow arm to utilize the detached trailer as a cart and the user can further roll the cart using the rolling kickstand.
In an aspect, the apparatus comprises a height adjuster to adjust the height of the trailer against the horizontal surface.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it concentrates the weight of the trailer load on the center of the bicycle without disrupting the axle mechanism or transmitting vibration to the saddle.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it provides optimal stability to the trailer.
Accordingly, one advantage of the present invention is that it enables the ser to transform the trailers agilely turns into a cart by twisting the tow arm which requires minimal space to push around.
These features and advantages of the present disclosure may be appreciated by reviewing the following description of the present disclosure, along with the accompanying figures wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the embodiments of apparatus, methods, and other aspects of the disclosure. Any person with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the illustrated element boundaries boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent an example of the boundaries. In some examples, one element may be designed as multiple elements, or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of one element may be implemented as an external component in another and vice versa. Furthermore, the elements may not be drawn to scale.
Various embodiments will hereinafter be described in accordance with the appended drawings, which are provided to illustrate, not limit, the scope, wherein similar designations denote similar elements, and in which:
The present disclosure is best understood with reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein. Various embodiments have been discussed with reference to the figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed descriptions provided herein with respect to the figures are merely for explanatory purposes, as the methods and systems may extend beyond the described embodiments. For instance, the teachings presented and the needs of a particular application may yield multiple alternative and suitable approaches to implement the functionality of any detail described herein. Therefore, any approach may extend beyond certain implementation choices in the following embodiments.
References to “one embodiment,” “at least one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “one example,” “an example,” “for example,” and so on indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation but that not every embodiment or example necessarily include that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in an embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks. The term “method” refers to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques, and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs. The descriptions, examples, methods, and materials presented in the claims and the specification are not to be construed as limiting but rather as illustrative only. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within the scope of the technology described herein.
Further, the present apparatus provides optimal stability to the trailer 602 (shown in
No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. There is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms enclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention, provided they are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
